Remedy

06

"You know I really don't see why I am needing to be there. After all he is your horse, you don't need me. I am rather lousy company. Can I please just remind you that me and horses don't mix?" James briefly looked at Dorothy who was incoherently rambling in a state of fear. He had seen her talk back to the ever serious Nurse Harper with such determination. It was a little mind boggling how she couldn't put that determination towards something else. Or rather, towards something useful. James wasn't actually quite sure what words had been spoken to Dorothy regarding everything. But she needed to quickly learn to get along with horses, and she needed to do it fast.

"Are you listening to me, Captain Nicholls?" Dorothy's half serious tone interrupted his thoughts and he looked at her. She stood arms crossed tightly over her chest with a light frown directed up at him. The two of them got caught into a stare off. Green eyes stared up into blue ones and as soon as it started the stare off got interrupted by Dorothy suddenly getting an arm flung around her shoulders.

"My dear sister and my Captain, what are you two doing staring lovingly at each other for? Shock horror!" Arthur said dramatically while clapping his hands to his cheeks. "When did this happen?"

"When did what happen?" Dorothy looked at Arthur confused. James shook his head slowly at Dorothy's seemingly naïve nature. He disagreed with Arthur's words, yes, they may have been staring at each other, but there was nothing lovingly about it. James was looking rather serious, trying to convey the need for her to do this with a look, rather than preaching.

Arthur in return of his sisters confusion just winked at her and saluted the two of them. "Continue, don't let me ruin the moment."

"What are you doing anyway?" Dorothy looked at her brother and slowly put her hands in her apron pockets.

"I'm off to visit poor Tommy and Percy." Arthur said while taking to flicking imaginary dust off of his military jacket. Tommy and Percy were two of the unfortunate soldiers to take horrible tumbles from their horses. "What are you two doing?"

"I'm off to train with Joey and I am escorting your sister back to the ward." James answered sharply, Dorothy jumped at his stern tone. Through all the joking and idle chatting they did she often forgot that he was a Captain and as such had an image to keep up. Arthur put a hand to his chin in thought and took to looking from him to his sister then back again. "Soldier are you going to look quizzically like that at the enemy?"

"No, sir."

"Then why are you looking at me questionably?" James asked blank faced and still stern toned. Dorothy beside him put a hand over her mouth to hide her growing smile. She hated to witness her brother getting a berating, but a part of her found this moment rather comical.

Dorothy couldn't pin down who was giving her the most entertainment. Arthur's slightly embarrassed disposition and stuttering to find the correct words to say. Or possibly James's lack of expression and precise sharply said words.

"Go see Tommy and Percy, Arthur." James said in a more relaxed tone. "Tell them both I'll come by later and see them." Arthur nodded quickly, saluted his Captain, gave his sister a cheeky grin and walked past them.

Dorothy looked over her shoulder and watched Arthur's form disappear through a doorway. Once she was sure he was out of earshot she started laughing. James frowned lightly and turned to look at her, she put a hand on her stomach, which was starting to hurt from the laughter, as the other hand over her mouth. "That was funny, sorry." Dorothy said while trying to calm her laughter.

"You take pleasure in seeing your brother embarrassed?"

"Yes!" She exclaimed and nodded happily. "Before you even say it, no that is not mean of me. He would do the same if it were me."

"I wasn't going to say anything along those lines. In fact," James paused and held out his arm for her to take. Slipping a hand onto his arm the two of them picked up walking down the remainder of the high ceilinged corridor. "I was going to say that it was rather funny to see Arthur stumbling trying and failing to say something." James finished his sentence and smiled lightly down at the woman beside him. She nodded agreeing with him, looking through the windows the two of them got a clear view of the military routines which were still getting practised.

"Can I ask you something, James?" Dorothy's voice was quiet and almost a whisper.

"What's wrong?" He answered and watched as she started to say something and then stopped and then walked with a thoughtful expression. He had got used to her moments of seriousness, even if James had not known Dorothy long, he was used to her one minute being jokey and laid back to the next minute being mute and thoughtful. It was hard to keep such a happy façade on all the time. It would break eventually. Nobody was that strong to keep pretending, so no one else around believed they were troubled.

"It doesn't matter," Dorothy smiled, although the smile looked a little false.

"If whatever is on your mind is bothering you, then yes it does matter."

"All right," she said with a sigh and pulled her hand from his arm and stopped walking and looked out of the nearby window. "Are you scared?" Dorothy's eyes flitted up and watched as he stepped beside her with his hands entwined behind his back.

There was a blank expression on his face as his eyes watched the people running about in the field beyond the pane of glass in front of them. "Apprehensive," James quickly gave her a look and then looked down the corridor. "Come on, Dorothy," he smiled lightly seemingly washing over the whole moment. Reaching up and putting a hand on his arm again, she walked alongside him and towards the exit. Yet his answer didn't seem to be the one she wished to hear, or it didn't give her closure because she remained silent and a little tense beside him.

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(Edited: 29/August/2019)