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.

Scout Jia put his hand on Junseo's shoulder then passed him a string of clear quartz anchored with two amethysts. "Knight-Master Lei insisted I bring these," he said quietly.

Junseo turned away and blinked his eyes, "Can you ask San Jin to join me?"

"Of course, and I'll stay for the mantras," Scout Jia said before heading out.

Junseo laid out his tools and then cut back the man's clothing and washed around the edges of the wounds. The worst was the arrow to the ribcage and all the signs of a punctured lung. His patient watched him closely. Junseo gulped with surprise when he came across the same design as Nanny Gee's tattooed on the man's chest. He glanced to the man's face and received a slow blinking acknowledgement.

He had just finished assessing the field when Song hee handed him a cool drink and a couple of rice balls. "Manager Doak says you need to fuel up. He also warned about overdoing."

"Did he mean me, or you?" Junseo grinned and gobbled up the snack. "Thanks, Now sit and meditate with us," he put his hand on Song hee's back and guided him into place on the southern corner of the pallet. He nodded to where he wanted Scout Jia and San Jin to stand before settling in at his own corner. "Let's call the moon flowers," he said then took a long slow breath.

The spectators in the lean-to saw faint lights rising around each figure joining in wavy lines shot through with green. "Just like an aurora," a prisoner whispered, "but it can't be." He rubbed at his eyes and leaned closer. The light intensified and he turned to look at the leader of their expedition who was frowning at the display. He kicked the other man's shin. "You said we were stopping a pretender."

The man shrugged, "Who needs another northern princeling? The one we have is trouble enough."

Choi Ye Sing shrunk into himself, doing his best to look like he was sleeping. He imagined what his cousin Me San would say about him jumping on board with such dubious allies. He had sensed tensions in the group, but did not realize just how much their aims diverged. It was clear his regular partner hoped for reunification, while their leader sought more independence for the principalities. His father had sent him along to support whatever mischief might rattle the Lei clan enough to let their family rise. It was sheer folly, especially when the leader of this band used any suspected loyalists as cannon fodder. His heart ached almost as much as his broken arm. He fought back the tears but ended up with hiccoughs.

"Weakling," the older man said kicking out at Choi Ye Sing.

"None of that," Hae sung moved the youngest prisoner further from the others. "It won't be much a defense to say there was nothing to show these were army mounts, but it might save your neck long enough for your family to dig you out of this mess," he advised, hoping a little support might buy more information. They both looked over to where the small group continued to work.

"That's as much as I can do for him," Junseo said as he leaned back and stretched. "I'll just let him rest a bit longer before waking him."

"Why wake him at all?" Song hee looked worried.

"It's a kindness to help him prepare for the inevitable," San Jin said before turning to back to his friend. He had never seen Junseo looking so discouraged after treating someone. "Let's see if they left anything in the pot for us," he said pulling Junseo toward the fire pit.

Candidate Kim handed them each a warm mug of soup. Hae-sung came over to consult with San Jin about extracting more information from their young prisoner. Chenhui stopped by on his regular rounds and herded Song hee back to the cabin.

"Manager Doak is waiting for an update but he would rather not see Scout Jia right now," he explained.

Junseo whispered in Song hee's ear, "Tell him a servant from the northern court will likely be another passenger on the cart by morning."

"Seriously?" Song hee blurted before shaking his head and adding, "I'm sorry, I'll go straight away."

"You know the guards think half of the casualties on the other side came from them fighting with one another," Hae-sung said once the others had left.

"It doesn't surprise me given the confusing mix of tactics we have seen but its still a terrible waste when the islanders are watching for any opportunity," Junseo sighed.

"Not to mention the Qin," Hae-sung paused and scanned the surroundings. He looked like he wanted to say more but shook his head and walked away.

Junseo stayed by the fire, poking at the embers with a stick, musing about the days since they left the capital, trying to understand how they got to this point. Feeling overwhelmed he flung away the stick to work through a moon temple pattern. Only after he had warmed up and stretched all his muscles did he feel ready to return to his patient. He approached solemnly, wishing the outcome could be different. The fighter woke while Junseo straightened the blankets. The man grabbed onto Junseo's hand, placed it over the tattoo, and sighed.

"The seers all promised I would touch the twice royal before I died. Times where such I thought they meant I would have to live on and on," he said with the slightest smile.

"I'm sorry we crossed paths this way," Junseo answered before delivering the devastating prognosis about the arrowhead lodged next to the man's heart.

"I told you before a soldier knows so I'm honestly surprised to have lasted this long."

"Do you have tokens you want sent anywhere, family to notify?" Junseo asked.

"Just hand my signate ring to my prince when you meet him so he knows to appoint another companion for you," the northerner whispered.

In any other circumstances Junseo would have jumped up to argued against such a presumptuous suggestion, instead, he patted the man's hand. A series of spasms ripped through the northerner's body prompting a strangled cry before all too silent stillness. Junseo grimly worked the ring off the man's finger and pocketed it before signally the men from the cart to come for the stretcher.

Choi Ye Sing's surly partner watched everything closely from his corner of the shelter. He spit at Junseo, saying, "So much for being protected by prophecies."

Junseo stared down at the prisoner, waiting to hear more.

"He was one of the best. That's why the prince chose him but the rest of us liked being near because he was just so damned lucky. He said he never got hit because it couldn't be his time."

"I tried my best," Junseo said with his shoulders slumping.

"We could all see the energy field. I don't know any healer on our side who would put that much into trying to heal an enemy soldier," the man looked away for a moment.

"But we shouldn't be enemies. Not with the Islanders and Qin acting like hungry street dogs with bones to steal seeing how the accords are being ignored by our own people," Junseo let out some of his frustration.

"What do you mean?" the northerner looked genuinely confused.

"The blasts in Ilidan proved the governor dabbled with explosives in a much more serious way than the oversized fire-crackers at the championships but either way the word will be out. Then there is our group. We are just trainees." Junseo's voice cracked with emotion as he continued, "None of us are of age but have squads like yours coming after us. If you think our enemies are blind or you only have to keep treaties when its convenient, you are idiots." Junseo spun on his heel and strode away. He could sense all the prisoners, and most of the guards staring so headed to the cabin to get out of sight.

Scout Jia waited on the porch. "Well said," he said patting Junseo lightly on the back.

"I didn't realize how angry I was," Junseo bobbed his head before heading inside.

"Feeling better?" Song hee asked with a crooked smile.

"It was that loud?" Junseo blushed some more.

Song hee shrugged, "It didn't wake San Jin."

"He did a lot of the heavy lifting for me. I just wish things could have gone better." Junseo's voice got husky.

"You need to sack out now. We can talk in the morning. Come on. There are enough guards we don't need you on the watch," Song hee pointed to an inviting bedroll in the corner. Manager Doak looked like he wanted to say something but Song hee stopped him with a look. A few minutes later Hae-sung stuck his head through the cabin door and nodded when he spotted Junseo sleeping.

Song hee made his way out onto the porch to visit with his teammate. "Tell me we can let San Jin and Junseo sleep through. I can take one of their shifts, or at least keep Candidate Don-je on track."

"Thanks. I know Scout Jia is careful but I'll sleep better knowing one of our team is looking out for us," Hae-sung said keeping his voice low enough that Song hee had to lean in to hear properly. Hae-sung pointed to the firepit and Song hee followed him out of earshot of the others before asking. "So that soldier you worked on, any idea about his affiliations?"

"You mean other than the northern court symbol tattooed over his heart?" Song hee shrugged.

"It's just that Choi fellow I've been trying to get to talk was extremely worried, saying the others were going to be in big trouble. They were never supposed to leave the northern provinces. Then he heard what Junseo said about the accords and ranted on about how the prince shouldn't have let anyone underage into the championships."

"Why would that matter? This whole plot can't just be about a handful of sore losers?" Song hee looked shocked.

"I don't know. Do gangs hire mercenaries? You would think it would be throwing good money after bad." Hae-sung said.

"No, you're right. It would have to be a major honor debt and even then, they would send their own squad. Maybe San Jin can coax more out of our guy while they ride together tomorrow."

"Here's hoping," Hae-sung nodded.