Moonstones and Madness

Forty-nine

     The contingent of soldiers arriving back at the camp included some of the estate's home guard and troopers from the palace. They carried in three injured men on stretchers, one of their own and two from the enemy camp. They also had a cart loaded up with bodies. Junseo winced when he saw the toll taken during their brief excursion. He was getting ready to pull his pack of healing supplies together when San Jin cuffed him across the back of his head.

"What do you think you were playing at, letting that man get a drop on you. Scout Jia would never approve such a strategy. No unnecessary risks. That's the rule." San Jin kept his voice low but the other team members heard and agreed.

"Didn't they cover it at the academy. Healer's risking themselves is risking all the lives that might depend on their skills. I know this sounds self-interested but its not about me. Or not just me." Song-hee sounded a bit flustered at then end but the others supported him.

"Fine," Junseo snapped and tried to move away from the group.

"No, it's not fine but we can see you have more pressing duties than a team meeting right now," Hae-sung's angry tone stopped Junseo in his tracks.

He bowed his head, "Tonight then." The adrenaline from taking what revenge he could for Guard Yun wore off quickly as he stitched up the palace guard. He took his time, closing the wound as neatly as possible and thanked the man for his patience. He was less gentle with the next patient but no less thorough, making sure the wound was clean and well closed.

Junseo took extra time to study how he might extract the arrows lodged in the next man. Any one of them may have nicked an artery and removing them came with a high degree of risk. He wasn't sure he was up to the task so did not want to go ahead without checking in with Scout Jia and Manager Doak. When he entered the cabin, it was obvious the two were at an impasse but they were united in their concern about the earlier tactics.

"Look, I know it wasn't smart and I'm going to have to deal with the team later but I don't know what to do with the human pin cushion out there. His chances wouldn't be great, even with a more experienced healer at an established clinic. Out here it will be easy to mess up." Junseo looked down at his hands and swallowed hard.

"I guess we just better question him before you get started," Scout Jia said before striding out the door.

Junseo could only stare at the uncharacteristic harshness. He looked over to Manager Doak for an explanation.

"Welcome to war, boy." Manager Doak's bitterness was obvious in both his tone and posture.

"We can't be at war, can we? Even out here, we would have heard something official," Junseo shifted back and forth from one foot to the other.

"The evidence is right in front of you," Manager Doak said as he watched another shrouded body being loaded onto the cart. "These are no ordinary bandits. Not with their fine steel, and definitely not with the spy network they have at the estate."

"Ok. But we shouldn't sink to the level of torturing dying prisoners." Junseo gathered himself up and went back to where the injured men lay on their pallets.

"Glad you came back," Scout Jia nodded to Junseo before explaining, "Our friend here understands the situation but doesn't have any last words for me."

"I will do what I can but these are not ideal conditions," Junseo said.

"Bless you boy. Don't take it to heart. A soldier knows." The man's deep voice carried to the other pallets.