Remedy

14

"Aw, look at my brother, so smart looking. I have to admit that is the smartest I've ever seen you." A voice spoke, Arthur turned in Dutch's saddle and looked at Dot, she was sitting swinging her legs from an ambulance cart. She leaned back against her hands and watched him trot over.

"Sorry what was that? I couldn't hear you from way over there." Arthur pointed dramatically over to where he was previously standing.

"You look smart." She smiled and stood up. Standing up in the cart made her almost the same height as he was from Dutch's back. "I like the colour," Dot crossed her arms and was seemingly nodding with approval.

Arthur leaned forward in the saddle and pushed his cap up. "Are you having a moment?"

"Mhmm, quite possibly." Dot smiled and jumped down from the cart. "I have to admit, you lot together are rather terrifying."

"Even more so considering." Arthur rolled his eyes.

His sister held up a hand and wagged a finger up at him. "No sir, my fear and hesitation has dwindled."

"You're best of friends with horses now?"

"No, I'm still a little hesitant." Dot smiled up at him, raising an eyebrow she eyed up the sabre which was back in its sheath.

"What's wrong?" Arthur questioned. Dot pulled her eyes away from the sharp weapon and looked up at him blank faced. Slowly smiling she shook her head, taking a step back she gestured to the rest of the mounted soldiers.

"Nothing, all is fine. You better join in again." She waved a hand at up at him and continued to do so until his form was lost in the crowd.

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The cavalry charges were practised a few more times before Jamie was fully happy with it. Although by the expression on his face it was hard to tell if he was happy or not. Rubbing his eyes James led Joey towards the stables, jumping down from his saddle he opened the door and walked into the always peaceful structure.

"It bothers me," a familiar female voice spoke quietly. Venturing forward James stopped at Orion's pen and looked over the bar.

"What does?" James asked, Dorothy screamed and jumped away from leaning against the wall. She put a hand over her fast beating heart and narrowed her eyes at him.

"That was incredibly mean of you."

"I actually thought it was quite funny." He smiled wryly while putting Joey in his pen and taking to removing all of the gear off of him. Turning around James looked towards Dorothy, she was leaning against the bar with her head resting against her crossed arms. Her eyes flicked from looking at him to Joey and then back again.

"What's bothering you now?"

"Your weapon of choice." Dorothy said firmly, James faltered in his movements and looked at her slowly.

"Cavalrymen usually always have sabres."

"...I know it's just...I heard Margaret talking with a soldier earlier on." Dorothy said quietly and rubbed her eyes. It seemed like he wasn't the only person who had a busy day and was tired.

"And?"

"The soldier said that the enemy have equipment which can kill in seconds, and with such little effort." Dorothy looked sadly down at the ground, her eyes dimmed slightly and glazed over. "It just makes me think is all." She spoke eventually, and looked up at him.

James turned and walked out of Joey's pen and stopped in front of Orion's. Dorothy looked up at him, he smiled slowly and tapped her on the nose. She pulled a face and frowned up at him. "Those thoughts shouldn't concern you, Dorothy." He smiled lightly again, "What are you doing in here anyway?"

"There's nowhere really in the manor to go. Most of the things are packed away as well so there's nothing really to do either." Dorothy pulled another face and looked at him sadly. "We all leave tomorrow."

"I know." James said while stepping back and letting Dorothy walk out from the pen.

Rubbing her eyes and letting out a quiet yawn she looked at him. "It suddenly feels real, doesn't it?"

"Very much so." James nodded slowly, Dorothy lifted up her hand and then went to lower it, only he reached out and held onto it lightly.

Arthur's earlier words did resurface in his mind. James knew what he meant, with the fact that they were all going to France and parting ways, there was no guarantee that they'd ever see each other again.

That was a horrible bleak thought which popped into his mind. James dearly hoped that the two of them would cross paths again, somehow and hopefully in a time which wasn't so chaotic.

"Do you hear that?" Dorothy broke the silence and looked to the doors confused. James moved his eyes from her form to the doors too.

"What is that?"

"It sort of sounds like..." Dorothy's voice trailed off as she walked forward and tugged him with her. By now a firm grip had encased his hand and there wasn't much luck of getting his hand free any time soon.

"Music?" James said incredibly confused. Standing in the stables doorway they looked from the manor and then at each other.

"One last hurrah I guess." Dorothy said still sounding very confused, she gave a slow shrug and shook her head.

"In that case," James said while wriggling his hand free from her grasp. Dorothy turned and looked at him, her confusion seemed to deepen more. Putting a gloved hand over his blue cavalry uniform jacket and holding out his other hand he smiled up at her from underneath his white cap. "Dorothy Blake, may I have this dance?"

Dorothy smiled and put a hand in his outstretched one. "You certainly can, Captain James Nicholls." It was odd, both of them could freely admit that, dancing in a stable surrounded by onlooking horses was one way of ending the day. But the reassuring closeness they got from each other was felt by both, an unspoken thing which was welcomed with open arms.

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(Edited: 29/August/2019)