His Own - Chapter 19：It's Okay

“Rosa.” Louis ran up to her with Vincent in tow.

“Yes?”

Rosalind was busy tending to the wounds of the newer patients. With each passing day they have more and more people coming in, though most die before proper treatment could be given and these were just the common people. The soldiers themselves almost never make it to the hospital.

Sleep was not an option for the staff, they only have time for a quick nap before having to go to work again.

They received word that more doctors and nurses were on their way but it’s been a week since the bombing and five days since they got the message. They have not seen or heard anymore and they’re getting disheartened.

No news came from the frontline either, except for the message of diminishing supplies.

“What did the Major tell you?” Vincent asked, tending to another patient.

The Major and Rosalind have been meeting in his cabin everyday since the bombing and the others wondered about what they talk about.

Every time they asked her, she only shook her head and silently went back to work. Just like she did now.

“Rosalind, you’ve been more quiet these days. Are you alright?” Louis talked up to her, placing her hand on her forehead to check her temperature.

“I’m alright, Louis. Don’t worry.” Rosalind pulled her hand away.

“Don’t give me that bullsh*t.” Louis frowned. “I don’t know what you may have to hide and I can understand if you do not trust us, but . . . don’t take everything on yourself, alright?”

“Sure, Louis.”

“Ok. Vincent and I are here to cover your shift. Go, have some dinner and rest up. Ralph is still in the kitchen . . . I think.”

“Ok. Thank you Vincent and Louis. I’ll take my leave.”

With that she walked out the door, hanging her apron on the hook and throwing the mask in the trash.

“Isn’t there something off about Rosalind?” Vincent whispered to Louis.

She sighed. “Of course there’s something off about her. Even Adena. I can’t find him since yesterday. I really am going to have to give him a talk when I see him again.” Louis rubbed her temples, exhasperated.

“Have you told, Rosalind? About what the Major said?”

Just thirty minutes after Rosalind made her daily visit to the Major’s cabin, the Major called Louis about a message he got.

“No. I haven’t had the opportunity and I’m beginning to feel like I shouldn’t tell her.”

“Why not?”

“She’s been like this ever since that man died. And you know that the Major told that some of us will have to go to the front line. There are going to be more deaths there. I don’t want her to go and see anything worse that she’s already seen.”

“But you’ve seen what she can do. Besides that man, no one has died under her watch. She could determine their injuries with just a quick inspection and knows how to treat every single one of them. We’ve not seen a doctor with this enormous treasure trove of knowledge before. She’ll be a huge asset in the frontline.”

“I know. But it pains me to see her deteriorating further every day. You, Ralph and I are, at the very least, in our thirties or entering it but she’s just in her early twenties . . . But your point is valid too. We’ll need someone like her there. Sh*t, I don’t know what to do.”

“Why don’t you ask her?”

“Ask her?”

“Yeah. Ask her whether she wants to follow us to the frontline or not. Whatever she decides we’ll respect it. How about that?”

Louis thought for a while, “Knowing her, she will most likely wish to be where she is needed most.”

“Alright. Once our shift is over, I’ll ask her.”

—————————

Rosalind stood in front of the makeshift tombs of the people that died and had no one claim their bodies, placing the dandelions she plucked in each lump of earth. The brilliantly bright full moon shone down on her, making her hair shine. She untied it, letting it flow with the wind.

No one asked about her hair and she was incredibly grateful for that. Now, if only they stopped asking her about her desire to wear gloves all the time. She didn’t really like wearing the..

It is only in this darkness that she can remove the gloves. Stretching her fingers, she stared at her hand, completely black and numb. It looked like she had dipped her hands in black paint, all the way up to her wrists.

Rosalind worried a little about the lack of feelings in her hands. Just a day ago, she almost gave Ralph a heart attack when she grabbed a steel pot of hot water right off the fire.

He, fortunately, believe when she said that her gloves protected her. What’s worse is the loss of strength in those hands of hers. Everyday they get weaker and weaker.

Rosalind looked at the graves in front of her, it was her routine to apologise and talk to them every night.

Seeing those tombs, her heart ached and longed to see her grandparents and Titus again. She knew that the other doctors worried about her as well, but with no news about the frontline from the Major, she couldn’t rest easy.

She couldn’t send or recieve messages from Titus anymore, hightening her anxiety. Even Adriel disappeared, she hadn’t seen it since a day ago. Did she chase it away because she refused to listen to anything it said?

“Do I only know how to push people away right now? What’s wrong with me?”

Just beyond the enclosure, was a war that determined the future of countries and their people. She didn’t have time to wallow away in her personal concerns.

But, at nights like this, where everything was quiet and calm, she felt her mind wonder back to her garden, to her room, her grandparents and, to Titus.

She is plagued by the thought that he wasn’t alive anymore but, she pushed it to the back of her head. She knew he was still alive, from the depths of her soul, she knew.

A cloth wrapped on her shoulders.

“It’s cold, remember to keep warm.”

“Adriel? What are you doing here? I though you left.”

“Why would I leave?” He smiled at her. “I only went to get this.”

He took out a two letters from his coat pocket. One was from her grandparents and the other from Titus.

Rosalind burst into tears seeing their handwritings. She jumped on Adriel, thanking him over and over again.

“Hey, it’s alright. As your guardian spirit, I should at least be able to ease some of your worries. Titus is well and so are your grandparents.”

“H-how did you know? And how did you get them?” She sobbed, cluching the letters to her chest.

“Anyone who knows you will be able to tell easily.” He scratched his head. “I just asked your grandparents for it.”

Rosalind frowned. “You showed yourself to them?”

“Yes.”

“But. . . are you allowed to?”

“Rosalind. Don’t concern yourself with trivial things like this. Go on and read the letters.”

“Ok.” Rosalind still looked suspicious but decided to ignore it for now. Hands trembling she opened the letter from Titus first.

*How are you my Orange Blossom?

You must have been worried so I decided to write a quick letter.

I am doing well and so are most of the soldiers. Only our morale and supplies are a little low otherwise, we are still in good shape.

I do hope you and your grandparents are well. I miss you every moment. Waiting for the day I can hold you again.

Until then, I am contented with knowing you’re safe.

– Titus Hangzo*

Rosalind laughed reading his letter, whether it was because he sounded a little too formal or because she was so relieved to read from him, she didn’t know or cared.

The letter from her grandparents was longer, stretching to five pages. They talked of the garden, the condition of their village and anything else she might have missed.

Her village is yet to experience the effects of the war and she wishes to keep it that way, as selfish as it sounds.

Though their last lines made her tear up all over again.

*We don’t know why you decided to go, Rosalind. But we know you and the type of person you are.

You did this for a reason. Just like everything else you’ve ever done.

Just know, we are waiting here with open arms for you everyday.

Come home fast and be safe.

P.S.- Who is the beautiful man that came to get the letter for you?*

Rosalind fell to the ground, laughing and crying, unsure of which emotion she was actually feeling. Adriel held her numbing hands, looking anywhere but at her.

“Adriel.” Rosalind’s voice called to him.

He turned to her smiling, tear-stained face, glistening in the moonlight.

“Thank you.” She whispered, tears still running down her face.

“Anything for you.” He smiled back though there was deep concern in his eyes as he looked at the hand he held.

“Rosalind.” He sighed. “You know what happens if you use too much of the magic.”

“Yes.” She looked down, trying to reassure him she said, “Don’t worry, Adriel.”

“Ok.”

“Rosalind!” Ralph called to her from the door, walking to them. “Louis is looking for you! Can you come in? Hi, Adena! He wants to talk to you too!”

“Sure! We’ll be right there!” Rosalind smiled and waved back.

Ralph stopped in his tracks, pressing his fists to his lips. He ran and hugged Rosalind.

Adena was ready to grab him and throw him like a javelin in the other direction when they heard a sniffle.

“R-Ralph?”

“You’re back.” He whispered, voice thick with emotions.

“Yes. I’m sorry for worrying you guys.”

He shook his head and pulled away, smiling a small, deeply genuine smile. “Thank you for coming back.”

“Thank you for waiting.”