I do not own Hetalia okay? I am glad so many of you like this story. I don't have much else to say here so enough of this A/N, on with the fic!
October 25th 1917
Dear Katyusha,
I am sorry it has taken me awhile to reply to your letter. Today has been the first day in a very long time that I have had a day off and a chance to rest. We drive quickly into no man's land and then drive the injured to a field hospital. Not all of those we pick up ever get treatment sadly. We do the best we can however. I am just doing my duty, but a fellow driver named Ernest said he's in it for the danger and adventure. As long as the injured get the care they need, I guess he's doing no harm. We stabilize who we can others, we just put in the back and as I have heard, 'put the pedal to the metal' and get back to the hospital. I have had to cover a few of my fellow medics while they were treating a patient. Some of those Germans are just plain evil. We all have red crosses on our equipment so they should know better. I don't think they care at this point. I was talking with a Major Bonnefoy, the same one who made an advance on Fredka years ago, and he told me the Germans were slowly weakening and this was what he said was their death throws and they'd be more vicious. God I hope so. How did you handle it big sis? I know it isn't the same but I know many of those you treated might not have made it, by no fault of your own of course!
It's good to hear about Matvey finding you as someone he can talk to. You said he asked why you were still single? That is funny. I am sure he is a good man. But how is his ability to provide for you now? All seriousness though, I'm saddened to hear the war affected his mind as well as his physical health too. I had met him only a few times before the war and he seemed to be a good person. But the way you talk about him and Nikolai tells me that that good core is still there but in a delicate state. And I am very glad Natalya hadn't been too strict on him after what happened and is placing the blame where it should be.
Although one thing we are never really prepared for is when we are called to the trenches for nothing more than to take the sick men to the hospital. There is a flu brewing around and it is spreading rapidly. It's to be expected with how the trenches are, but at the same time something seems different about this. I just thank you for the extra socks you sent with your last letter. If you don't keep them changed, you get trench foot and it makes running damn near impossible. I promise you, I promise Natalya and Fredka and even Matvey that I will make it back alive. Between me and Ernest, we've been called some of the craziest, bravest and best drivers. With someone like him working with me too, we'll be okay. Don't worry and help Natalya when she does give birth. I want to see the pictures!
Your loving brother,
Ivan.
So how was that? Good? Bad? Short? Long? I know I time-skipped a bit but at the same time I want to get a big part done and it happens soon. A few historical notes on this chapter. Author Ernest Hemingway was an ambulance driver in World War 1, this the name. Real life Ernest was in the Italian front (this one is set in the French) and got injured in 1918 and sent home. His experiences led him to write A Farewell to Arms. I would recommend it as Hemingway is a good read. And some illusions to the start of the 1918 Spanish flu. No one knows where exactly it started and the name only came from the fact Spanish newspapers were freer to report it than other countries. Most sources do agree however that the conditions in the trenches helped to spread it. I do love putting historical references like that in my stories. I did it in Klondike with a reference to Jack London, who was part of the Klondike Gold Rush and that inspired some of his stories. Those aren't a bad read either. But enough pimping of my own fanfics and some of the classics. So anyway, remember to read (well you just did) and to review. Ciao for now,
otherrealmwriter
aka
Realm.