* ARISE / ARISE / ARISE

I’ll preface by saying that she’s not innocent. She does a lot of things that are wrong.. but I wouldn’t label her as toxic like everyone seems to prefer. This is the time period folks. Women essentially belonged to men, they were raised to believe this, they were raised to be a property and not a person. Mary lived her whole life in a status quo that is completely different from what women have now. She was the piece that her family used to further their status. That’s all she had, she wouldn’t hold titles (unless granted by her husband) she wouldn’t own lands or earn money. Mary was essentially a trophy piece. Given to the highest bidder. It’s all she knew.

when someone comes into your life that makes you question everything about your place, where you belonged and what kind of world this was.. it fucking terrifies you. She thought she was one thing and suddenly the curtains are lifted and she sees this completely different person -- generally someone has a fight or flight instinct, in her case it was always flight. She was forced into that persona that women were weak, they needed to rely on men to take care of them, so any trouble she actually got into.. of course she’d look for a man. That was Arthur. Was it ok? Nope... you don’t get to remove yourself from an equation and then ask them to do you favors. but she did because she needed a man... or she thought she did (see the jamie incident.. she did all the work up to going to actually get him... she’s very capable she just doesn’t believe it)

but with arthur it wasn’t simple and it wasn’t easy. People seem to forget that normal couples fight.. they tease each other... they try to make each other better. it doesn’t always happen that way... but if every standard relationship is suddenly toxic because they don’t see eye to eye on every aspect of the others life or because they fight... then you’re going to have a rude awakening folks. mary wasn’t using arthur because he was an easy target... she’s not some witch who just casts spells or snaps her fingers and people do as she commands. 

the relationship with arthur ended because they were living different lives and neither one of them would compromise. Mary wasn’t going to go on the lamb with a bunch of outlaws.. she wasn’t and isn’t the type. it would honestly have killed her. just like arthur wasn’t really the kind of man to live in the city and get some factory job. All things that could’ve worked out had they actually talked and compromised.. but that’s neither here nor there. Regardless of that time, mary ended it because it had been what was best for her. Stop pretending like Arthur wasn’t doing bad things way back then too. he was an outlaw for a reason.. it didn’t suddenly just ahppen that he swiped a few gold bars from a bank one day in some random offense. he was always doing those things.... seeing it from one side isn’t ‘inclusive’, in fact I find it pretty much ignorant to believe that mary just ended it because she could.

mary wasn’t the type to belittle him either.. yes she did feed his self consciousness but it wasn’t out of malice. Mary is quite arguably the only one (sadie and charles at a later time imo) who saw the man behind all that tough outlaw bad guy stuff. and quite frankly it broke her heart watching him tear himself down.. so rather than stand around and watch him pretty much kill himself she did what she had to do.. if you know someone’s life style is hurting them and in return it’s hurting you then leaving is the right choice.. no matter how selfish it is.

“Miss Linton. If you truly did not condone the actions of these men, then you would be far more forthcoming with information that I KNOW you must possess. The noose would not suit you– though I very well could arrange to see you hanged for standing in the way of a federal investigation.” The agent strikes a match, the small room filling with the smell of burning tobacco as he takes a short puff from a cigar. 

A public execution might, at the very least, draw out Arthur Morgan. Though, it would probably be far more efficient to have his men cart her out to New Austin as bait. Chuckling at his own morbidity, Ross taps out the cigar’s mounting ash onto the floor. “Mail has to have a name, an address… Once we hand it off, a parcel doesn’t just disappear into the aether only to land in our laps a few short moments later, correct? Surely you MUST remember something that could show me you’re at least willing to play nice and cooperate?”

𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘   when  it  comes  to  their  exchange  .  this  loyalty  that  still  rooted  itself  into  the  core  of  her  heart  .  that  kept  that  little  organ  pumping  for  some  protection  from  the  onslaught  .  but  she  is  alone  ,  alone   &   scared  .  as  so  often  she  finds  herself  .  any  civilized  person  would  give  him  what  he  wanted  .  let  the  men  find  themselves  with  the  punishment  that  this  world  thinks  they  deserve  .  𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐌𝐒 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐈𝐓𝐘   any  longer .

perhaps  he  should  find  her  guilty  .  allowing  a  laden  heart  to  dictate  her  actions   &   not  the  𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐋  .  even  if  she  knew  something  ,  it  was  hardly  enough  to  justify  sharing  . . .  or  at  least  she  told  herself  ,  convinced  herself  she  knew  nothing  .