Remedy

16

"Nurse Blake!" A whining voice exclaimed, turning away from the side of the ship Percy watched as Dorothy turned and looked at him.

"What's wrong, Percy?"

"Nurse Blake!" He whined again, rolling her eyes Percy practically clutched onto her hand when she reached out to touch him on the shoulder. "You can cure most things right?"

"Well...there are some medical diseases and injuries which I don't know how to cure. But for the most part, yes."

"Don't suppose you have a cure for sea sickness in those ambulances by any chance?" Percy whined again and quickly jumped up and ran to the side of the ship.

"Percy, man up!" Tommy exclaimed and appeared by Dorothy's side along with Arthur. In fact Percy wasn't the only man suffering from the churning water which was hitting against their transport.

Several men every so often had to leap to the side of the ship, it was rather disgusting to watch but also a little comical considering at times they'd be in a line.

"How can you be so mean? I wouldn't say something like that to you if you were in my position!" Percy groaned and shook his fist in their direction while still being hung over the ships side.

"Poor man."

"Dorothy, my dear do not pity him." Tommy smiled and patted her on the head. "If you do then he'll keep being overly dramatic."

"I'm not being overly dramatic! I'm actually suffering here."

"You're not alone, Percy." Arthur pointed out and put an arm around his sisters shoulder. "How's it going, Dot?"

"I feel like I'm dreaming."

"If you were dreaming, then this would be classed as a nightmare." Arthur frowned and ruffled her hair, she let out a few annoyed noises and waved his hand away. The two of them stopped their childish sibling moment and watched as Tommy bravely walked over to see if Percy had recovered.

In return for his friend appearing by his side, Tommy received a rather well aimed hit to the arm. "Patronising idiot." Percy said while pointing a finger at Tommy.

Rolling their eyes the siblings looked away from them and up at each other. Arthur nodded his head and walked to the side of the ship which didn't have men heaving over it.

"Arthur you will take care won't you?" Dorothy's quiet voice got almost lost in the wind. Yet the worried, saddened tone was evident. She was scared, and concerned. Arthur would be a fool to say he wasn't the same. Or most of the men here feeling the same.

"Of course," the elder of the two answered and nodded slowly. Arthur leaned his arms against the side and looked at her sidewards. "You won't do anything silly will you?"

"Silly? How can I possibly do something silly?" Dorothy looked very confused.

Lifting off his cap and ruffling his hair, Arthur shut his eyes and slowly opened them. "Something silly like, holding onto false hope." Dorothy looked up at him sadly and looked to the dark waters in front of them.

----

Being tapped on the shoulder James turned and frowned lightly, no one was there. Turning and leaning back against the side of the ship he jumped when Dorothy leaned next to him.

Looking quickly around again no one else seemed to notice her sudden appearance. The men on the deck of the ship were too busy chatting amongst themselves, or equally much like Percy, were busy heaving over the side.

"Morning, James." Dorothy spoke eventually and leaned her head against her hand.

A silence flitted between them, the only sounds were the quiet chattering and the water hitting the ship. "Morning, Dorothy." He said quietly, it seemed like both of them were equally at a loss as to what to say.

As much as a loss of words they were, it wasn't an awkward silence which hung around them. If anything it was quite peaceful. Being pulled out of the peaceful silence by Jamie exclaiming to get ready the two of them looked up at each other. The worry and slight fear and concern was rather impossible to hide from their faces. James patted Dorothy on the shoulder before turning away and getting ready alongside his fellow cavalrymen.

They were to embark first, then the medical services,

"Dorothy," Arthur popped up by his sister's side. She was blankly staring ahead, shaking her head slowly she looked up at him. Smiling lightly he held out his arms, she walked forward and clung onto him. "Oh, my dear little sister," Arthur put her at arm's length. Jumping slightly Arthur patted his pockets and smiled at her, holding onto her hand, he put something in it.

Dorothy looked down at a pocket watch. "But father gave this to you."

"Yes he did, and I am giving it to you for safe keeping. When we see each other again you can give it back." Arthur said as confidently as he possibly could.

Dorothy looked at the small silver item in her hand and looked at him. "I haven't got anything for you though."

"Ah," Arthur patted her on the head. "It matters not!" He grinned and ruffled her hair again, she put the pocket watch into her apron pocket and frowned up at him.

"Quit it!" She exclaimed and waved his hands away.

Arthur laughed and held onto her tightly one last time. "Be safe, and do an excellent job, which I know you will." He smiled and kissed his sister on the cheek, "Now where's that lovely smile of yours? No, not that one, that's a sarcastic smile...there you go!" Arthur clapped his hands together and looked at his smiling sister one last time before striding off and getting Dutch ready.

"Oh, Nurse Blake," Percy said while appearing with Tommy. "We shall miss you so!"

"We'll see each other again." Dorothy smiled and put her hands in her pockets, the pocket watch instantly got gripped onto.

"It was a pleasure," Tommy bowed and smiled at her, tugging his friend by the shoulder they too walked off to get their mounts ready.

Charlie briefly waved and smiled at her widely, she smiled back and waved at him. Blinking her eyes, Dorothy watched as the first lot of cavalrymen started to exit off of the ship. Getting tapped on the shoulder she blinked and looked up.

"Good bye, Dorothy," James said, Dorothy smiled and clung tightly onto him much like she had with Arthur. He held onto her tightly too and stepped back unwillingly, "Here," James extended his hand, in his grasp was a white envelope. Dorothy took it and turned it over in her hands confusedly. She went to open it only for him to stop her. "Read it when you can no longer see us riding on the horizon."

"All right."

"Do you promise? I will know if you open it before."

Dorothy smiled and looked at him, "You are psychic, Captain?" James smiled at her joke and shook his head. "I promise." She nodded and wiped her eyes, they stood looking at each other for a moments longer before Jamie called him away.

Alice appeared by her side and put an arm around her shoulder. Dorothy looked at the letter and put it in her pocket, although the urge to open it was extremely high. She did promise not to open it, so she was going to stick to that promise.

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(Edited: 29/August/2019)