(Y/N POV)

Three little rowing boats were docked around what Washington liked to refer to as 'The Wharf'. The scenery was almost bewitching at midday; I couldn't even begin to imagine how alluring it would look at dusk.

There were already boats out in the river, men with nets catching fish and transferring them out of the water and into their boat. I internally prayed to myself that neither me nor Emily (Emily especially) would bump into them.

'It takes force to capsize one of these,' said Washington, 'therefore you have nothing to fear.'

Emily squinted. 'Capsize?'

'Like - turn it over in the water,' I answered for her.

'Oh.'

We were led across a set of wooden boards built over the river to where the boats were stationed. At last minute, Martha had decided not to join us and instead chose to visit the farms with the others. Washington was an honourable man, but the information I had gathered thus far drew me to the conclusion that Martha was the much more sensible one of the pair.

He turned to face us. 'Have you been taught to swim?'

I hummed.

'I'm not... a very strong swimmer.' Emily took a glance down.

'That's alright. I suppose that so long as you can support yourself on your back then all is well.'

'U-uhm -'

'Anyhow,' Washington cut her off, 'who would like to try it first?'

'I would, but -'

'Fantastic, Emily!'

Once more denying her finish, Washington grappled both of Emily's shoulders and brought her directly over to the closest boat. I stifled a laugh as she turned her head back with the utmost terror on her face.

'Now,' - He stopped her movement at the edge of the Wharf - 'what you will see here is a rowing boat accompanied by three oars. Two for rowing, and a spare in the case of - well - losing one to the waters.'

Washington pointed out to the left. 'Persevere on how the tide flows to the North-East. In which direction will it be easier for you to row?'

'The...' Emily took checks around the river. 'North-East...?'

'Correct, well done!'

No warning given, Washington lunged his left leg into the boat, followed by his right. For a second, my heart leapt at the thought that it might capsize at the sudden impact given. Thankfully, he succeeded in stabilising it with remarkable balance.

'You shall sit in the direction of the bow, which is this way.' He motioned to our right. Again, he then twisted to the left. 'Here is the stern. Now you will be moving backwards, therefore you will not see any oncoming obstacles that you are bound to face. Typically, these risks would vouch for the requirement of a coxswain, but I am sure that you will do fine without. Those out in the river will help to guide you and I will do what I can here from shore.'

Her face turned pale. 'You're not coming on?'

'Of course not! You are strong-willed young ladies, allow your initiative to overcome you!'

Washington extended his hand; though newly reluctant to embark, Emily received it anyway, crouching down to meet the boat. She immediately sat herself down as the boat rocked softly against the tide. I crossed my arms - she was bound to mess this up one way or another.

Washington assisted by placing both oars into the oarlocks, then proceeded to step out, which caused the boat to wobble profusely.

'S- Y/N, could you untie the bowline?'

Doing as he asked, I knelt down beside a thick piece of rope tied to the dock. Emily had both of her hands against the seat instead of the oars, and with deep regret, she looked at me doubtfully. I mouthed her an, 'It'll be okay,' persuading her to nod in agreement.

'Alright.' Having untied the sternline, Washington tossed the rope into the boat, as I did with mine. 'What you'll want to do as you row is push yourself forwards with your hands on the oars. Dip them then into the river - the ends perpendicular, mind you - and push yourself then backwards. The oars should, in turn, push through the water, and the process is repeated. Have you got it?'

'M-maybe,' she stuttered.

'Ah, well, I suppose we will have to wait and see.'

Washington used the toe of his boot to send the boat away from the Wharf. This triggered an instant reaction for Emily as she took the oars into her grip and extended them out through the oarlocks, her right oar hitting the dock and unintentionally thrusting her even further out. Just as Washington had instructed, she heaved herself forward and dipped the oars into the water, then pulling herself backwards again to move the boat along the tide.

'There we are!' he exclaimed. 'Keep it up!'

Emily scoffed as water splashed directly into her face.

'She'll get used to it.' He came and sat down at the edge, hanging his legs over the river. 'Come, sit!'

I took his offer and rested myself down next to him.

'She is resilient,' he said, 'just as you were all those years ago.'

'In... the war?' I questioned.

'Why, yes.' A large grin crossed his face. 'Charlie Miller, I am sure you've been told.'

'Yes. The more people say, the more I - we remember.' I shook my head. 'I can't remember every part of it, but I know that I saved John Laurens from -'

'- From the British camp, yes,' Washington completed. 'It partially contributed to your recruitment as my aide-de-camp, the other for your prolific writing ability.'

He chuckled to himself. 'I was told by General Wilson of how you were never the most skilled at hand-to-hand combat. Therefore, taking you up as a secretary of mine seemed a wise decision at the time. Your tactics were profound.'

I smiled. 'Thank you.'

Emily was relatively far out by now, somehow handling it well.

'Use only your right oar to turn, Emily!' Washington called out with his hands cupped around his mouth.

She struggled to comprehend the order at first but soon found her way through it. She held her left oar in the water whilst the right oar paddled weakly.

'The truth is that I always knew about you and your sister,' he continued. 'Hamilton is not the most secretive man, even when he wants desperately to be.'

'And you never thought anything?'

'Thought anything?'

I faced down. 'That we were witches or anything?'

Washington scoffed. 'Of course not, that's preposterous! I could hardly believe that you came from the future ahead of us, yes, but when two girls appear from nowhere amidst a battlefield with similar features to one another, it begins to come as the most probable.'

'It's just that - a lot of people think that we're sent by the Devil or something.'

'And what were you sent by?'

'...We still don't know. There was... a ring. The first time, anyway.'

'A ring?'

I hummed. 'It just... appeared. We both wore it and then suddenly we had gone two-hundred years back in time.'

Washington turned his head aside in thought for a few moments, and then back to me. 'Perhaps there was a reason for it.'

'There was - I think. I saved a boy from being killed. But then, why were we sent back?'

'A further purpose, perhaps?'

Emily was coming speedily back to the Wharf; although she was against the tide, she strode the river with power. Distracted by the need to help her stop, I at once seized the rope as the bow struck the dock. She almost fell forward but caught herself by grabbing the seat with one hand. Washington took her right oar before it could plummet out of the boat, placing it gently back inside.

'Y/N, come this way.' He beckoned me to the left. 'The boat will turn itself around.'

Just as he'd said, it turned 180° and Emily was facing in the opposite direction.

'For your first try, Emily, that was extraordinary!' complimented Washington. He leaned himself over to take the sternline, tying it back up to the dock. I copied him but with the bowline.

A sincere smile of glee washed over her. For once, she hadn't completely messed up. It was rare that she overcame my expectations, and so her smile was reflected back onto me.

Unable to contain her joy, she spun her head around to Washington and implored, 'Can I go again?'