(A/N: Okay. Some backstory for why I'm writing this, because I know its a very unusual crossover. I created Dervla AGES ago in Skyrim, as well as her lengthy backstory. And yesterday as I was watching the various bachelor proposal events I watched Arthurs, and I noticed some of the key points in Arthur's backstory matched up with Dervla's, and thus the ship had sailed. I couldn't resist writing this, I hope you enjoy it~
Oh, Yu is an OC of mine as well, based loosely off the anime character "Yu Kanda" so while is name is just Yu, I apologize if I've accidentally referred to him as Kanda haha. If I have accidentally done that, I'd really appreciate if someone could pop me a PM and let me know so I can edit it, because while Yu is based off the anime character, he is NOT the anime character so I'd like to keep the name to "Yu" haha. Yes I'm aware that this probably sounds really weird but I have a weird mind, okay? :P)
"Nancy! Set up a space, we've got a new patient come in from out of town!" Shouted Jones.
Dervla walked inside of the Tiny Bandage clinic. Pale and shaking, her friend Yu had to drape her arm around his shoulder despite her lack of height and help her over to the bed which had been prepared for her. He sat her down.
"Um.. Yu, was it?" Jones said to Yu. "May I ask what has caused this girl, Dervla, to be like this? And why you've brought her to Selphia of all places, as well? Last I heard you say you're both coming from Skyrim?"
"Thats right." Yu replied. A man of few words, he kept it short. "Dervla's my friend. Practically a sister. She's been through hell and I've brought her to Selphia to get away from the madness of Skyrim. Politics, war and some personal issues have created this relapse in her mental health. Haven't seen her like this in years. She visited Selphia as a child and as I'd recalled she quite liked it here, so here we are."
"Ahh.. Thank you, Yu. I'll be right back. I'm quickly going to concoct a potion to help with the shaking. We don't normally keep them stocked as they're not high in demand but the herbs are always handy. This will only take a moment."
"Thank you, Doctor." Replied Yu. Yu sat down on the bed next to Dervla. "How are you, Dervla? You're safe now. You're away from Skyrim now." Dervla replied simply by shaking her head a couple times and leaned over, whispering her nickname for him "Yu-bear…"
"Good day, Arthur."
Arthur poked his head up from his work. "Ah, good day, Lest. What is it you need?"
"Oh, I just needed the Harvest Report, if that wouldn't be too much of a hassle right now." Lest replied.
"Ah, yes. The Harvest Report. Lets see here.." Arthur got up and fumbled through a stack of papers. He pulled one out and read it aloud. "Ah, here we are! Lest, this weeks bumper would be Golden Turnip. Avoid Cabbage, and the same goes for next week as far as its been reported. Come back next week for an update as per usual, though. Just in case."
"Thanks, Arthur. I appreciate it." Lest turned around to leave Arthur's office but stopped in his tracks. "Say, Arthur. Have you heard about that new girl in town, and her friend?"
Arthur, who had already gone back neck deep into his work, poked his head up once again. "I have, actually. Not much though, I'm afraid. What's the deal with her, if I may ask? Do you have any idea?"
Lest shrugged lightly. "Not much is known about her at all, just that she was brought in by this 'Yu' character and went straight to the clinic. Word has it she's mentally ill from something that happened in her homeland of Skyrim, and has come here for some unknown reason."
"Ahhh.." Arthur said, processing what he'd just been told. He knew several Nords from Skyrim, and a couple Bretons and Mer as well through trade. "Skyrim, you say? My, that is quite far away from here. I wonder, what it is could've brought her here?"
Lest shrugged again. "Who knows. Maybe she'll tell us once she leaves the clinic, if she plans on staying in Selphia that is." Arthur nodded in response. "Anyway, I've gotta be going. I've got some more farm work to get done before the days over. I'll talk to ya later!" With a wave, Lest turned around and left.
Arthur leaned back in his chair. 'A girl from Skyrim?' he thought to himself. 'Thats quite peculiar… I wonder what her connection to Selphia may be?' But that was the last Arthur thought of the girl as he once again went back to his work which led on into the late hours of the night.
"Dervla. Wake up." Came Yu's voice. Dervla opened her eyes and sat up.
"Y-Yu bear… Good.. Morning.." Dervla barely managed to get out a sentence.
"Good morning, Dervla." Replied Yu.
Once the grogginess had cleared from Dervla's eyes, she looked around and observed her surroundings. She was in the Clinic, as she had been for the past week straight. Jones, Nancy and Yu had tried to get her to leave and get some sunlight earlier in the week, but the attempt had resulted in a violent "anxiety attack" as Yu phrased it, from Dervla. So here she was, same place, new day. Coming to realize where she still was, Dervla flopped herself back down onto the bed and pulled the covers over her head. Dervla didn't want to be here. Dervla didn't want to be anywhere.
Yu let out a long, exasperated sigh. He loved Dervla as a sister, he really did. But he was beginning to grow impatient with her unwillingness to cope, and he could tell the doctors were as well. "Dervla. You can't hide in here forever, you know. You're safe here, I've brought you to Selphia for healing, not to hide yourself inside a Clinic…" Yu pondered these next words, knowing he was walking on eggshells with this next sentence. "Do you really want to spend your life in a clinic again? I thought you'd had enough of doctors. Perhaps you should-" Yu was cut off by a harsh cry from Dervla. "Okay, okay…" Both friends sat in silence until Jones entered the room.
"Good morning, both of you." Yu responded with a simple "Hello" while Dervla remained completely silent. "...Yu. I need to speak to you a minute." Jones said and stepped outside the Clinic. Yu followed and closed the clinic door behind him, ignoring the protests from Dervla for him to stay and not leave her.
"What is it, Doctor?" asked Yu.
"Well…" Jones said "I'd like to bring to your attention to the hefty bill you're both racking up by staying here in the Clinic."
"Money's no object for us, Doctor." Kanda replied. "Both mine and Dervla's jobs within Skyrim pay exceptionally. Besides, Dervla's health is more important than my wallet."
Jones nodded. "Alright. But I'd like to suggest something, if you don't mind? It'd be much more beneficial to both you and Dervla. Mentally and financially." Yu nodded. Jones continued. "Well.. I think we should try to get Dervla out of the clinic again. She isn't going anywhere this way in terms of her mental health. From what you've told me, this isn't the first downfall she's had and at this rate she's going to end up how you described her as being when she was fourteen. I don't want to see that happen and I know you don't either and I think this is all we can do at this rate. Dervla needs to get out and meet the townsfolk. She needs to socialize and face whatever anxieties she's feeling."
Yu let out a sigh and shook his head."Doctor, as much as I respect your opinion, I don't think that's going to be possible. On her second day here we tried to get her out and you saw how that happened. And even if we did get her out the door, she sure as hell wouldn't talk to the townsfolk. I agree with getting her out, but I'm not sure about the social aspect just yet." Yu placed his hand on his forehead. He was clearly growing exhausted as well from dealing with Dervla.
Jones thought for a moment. "But perhaps we could get her to. If you talked to the townsfolk for her. Introduced her, perhaps? Its easy to tell we need to take her step by step and I think that right now what she needs is to get away from the clinic. She's had enough doctors and she needs to heal. Perhaps a visit to Ventuswill for starters. Ventuswill still hasn't met Dervla in person and I think if she's going to be staying here for some time then that would be crucial. Then there's the rest of the townsfolk. Everyone here is quite welcoming and accepting and I'm sure we could find a way to warm her up to them through baby steps."
"Which is why you want me to start out by simply introducing her? What, with her just clinging behind me while I do all the talking?" Yu asked.
"Exactly." Jones replied.
Yu shook his head. "I would. If it'd help Dervla then I would but in all honesty I can't get comfortable in Selphia. My job is waiting for me. Dervla has nothing left back in Skyrim but I do, and if I go around introducing Dervla she's going to refuse to talk to anyone unless I'm there to do her talking for her. Which means when I leave it's back to square one for you guys."
Jones tilted his head to the side, thinking. "Then how about if Nancy took her around?"
Yu shrugged. "Its worth a shot, I think. Nancy is female and Dervy tends to warm up to women much easier than men. I think with some convincing she could get out there."
Jones let out a half-smile. " 'Dervy' eh? Is that what you call her?"
"Its the name people call her when they're close enough to her. If a stranger were to call her that she'd get weirded out. But someone like me? Yeah, the name 'Dervy' slips out occasionally." Yu replied.
"Ah, okay. I was just curious. The name sounded cute." Jones smiled and turned around and entered the Clinic. Yu followed. "Yu.." Jones said quietly to Yu. "Could you tell Dervla about what we've planned while I go let Nancy know? Somehow I'm guessing if I tell her she won't be very cooperative." Yu nodded and walked up to Dervla's bedside and knelt down.
"Hey, Dervy." Dervla nodded at Yu in acknowledgement of his greeting. "Derv.. We're going to take you outside of the clinic today." Dervla's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to protest but no sound came out, she simply choked on her words. "...Look at you." Yu said. "You're already becoming mute. We're taking you outside of the Clinic and you're going to cooperate, okay? Nancy is going to take you to see Ventuswill and then introduce you to the rest of the townsfolk."
Dervla stared at Yu in shock. After several moments of pure silence, she whispered "Um… What about you?" Yu shook his head. "Dervy, you know I'd stay here with you if I could. But I'm needed back in Skyrim and I can't stay here forever. I'll come with you to see Ventuswill and make sure you're okay but then I'll be heading off back to Skyrim."
Dervla's eyes welled up and she wrapped her arms around Yu. "Yu-bear.. Please don't leave me.." Yu wrapped an arm loosely around his practically sister. "I would stay. But I can't. You're strong, Dervy. You can do this all by yourself." he replied. Dervla began to sob.
"B-but… I don't trust these people, Yu bear...I only trust you… How can I talk to people if I can't trust they won't hurt me?"
"You can talk to people without trusting them, Dervla. Don't be unreasonable. Dervla, look at you. You're relapsing and quite frankly the less you cooperate the more your behavior reminds me of the immature brats who've contributed to this happening to you."
Dervla curled her hands into fists. Even she could feel herself slipping. It'd been nearly 4 years since her massive downfall in her mental health, and she knew exactly who Yu was referencing when he said 'immature brats'. "Yu-bear.. This'll make me better, yeah?"
"Of course."
"Then…. I'll do this whole introducing thing…. But I can't promise…" Dervla's voice slipped again. Clearing her throat and forcing her vocal cords to work, she finished her sentence. "I c-can't promise I'll be able to maintain my composure…"
"That's why I'll be staying with you for the first part, just to make sure you're okay."
A tear spilled down Dervla's face as she nodded. Nancy and Jones came down over the stairs and into the Clinic area.
"Dervla?" Nancy called. "Are you ready to go try going outside now, sweetie?"
Dervla gritted her teeth and nodded. Taking a moment to feebly get dressed, Dervla followed Nancy. The door opened, and Dervla stepped outside for the first time in over a week, into the open, sunlit streets of the town of Selphia.