Forty-seven
Just after sunrise, San Jin was the first one to appear from the rolls on the porch. He did a double take at the way Chenhui and Junseo crossed paths in front of the prisoners, then continued on a well paced circuit. Junseo muttered "Horse Thieves," and spat on the ground.
San Jin nodded before he replied. "Manager Doak will need to know. It might get tricky, with our horses being army property and all."
"That makes it treason, doesn't it?" Chenhui asked. His question had the prisoners squirming against their bonds. The younger one winced and stopped moving.
"Choi Ye Sing, is that you? What on earth are you doing here?" San Jin peered closer and shook his head. "Junseo, I think his arm might be broken." San Jin said expectantly.
"He did that to himself trying to get out my cobra hold. I wasn't going to fight him in the dark to trying to set it," Junseo still sounded annoyed.
Guard Yun joined their group. "I don't like this. Not one bit. We need to get things squared away and check the traps. I was sure I heard another being sprung during my shift. Once its fully light Chenhui and I will go take a look."
"It would make more sense for me to come. After all, I know exactly where we set the traps." San Jin offered.
"We need you here in case your flyer returns," Guard Yun said. "You're the one who told me Junseo isn't going to be much use after he finishes a healing."
San Jin frowned, clearly regretting having shared that piece of information. He found a stick and started sketching in the dust. He pointed out what he could remember as landmarks to Chenhui. Then he went to where the packs were stored to pull out supplies for Junseo.
Song-hee appeared on the porch to ask what was going on, and then went back inside to relay the news to Manager Doak. Junseo followed him in to make his own report and to check on the patients. Candidate Don-je appeared much more lucid but complained about a piercing headache. Song-hee had multi-colored bruises and a fair amount of swelling. Junseo decided to make cold compresses and headed to the stream.
He was struggling to get his temper under control. Trying to steal was one thing, but taking a whip to a horse for keeping to her training was something else entirely. On his way back from the stream he scanned around for some straight branches to use as splints.
Hae-sung waited at the edge of camp for him. "I can only guess how you are feeling but your mare seems to be fine. Still, if she were mine a broken arm might be the least of the injuries I would leave."
Junseo nodded his thanks and took a deep breath. The pair did not exactly dawdle on the way over to the cabin but they were in no particular hurry. Junseo went straight over, tending to Song-hee first before turning to Choi Ye Sing.
"I know you might be worried but I am the only sworn healer in our team. I will help you as far as my abilities, and our current circumstances, permit. As you can see, I am tending to others so need to conserve my strength. That means herbal painkillers for starters then we will set and splint your arm."
"Why are you helping me?" The young man whispered.
"Like I said. I'm a sworn healer. Even at a junior level it is my duty," Junseo said evenly.
"Even though trying to take an army mount means a death sentence?"
"That's not my call but we can't transport you to a magistrate in your current state. If you didn't go into shock, an infection could set in a kill you. So, are you ready?" Junseo signaled to San Jin to help brace the patient. "On three," he nodded but held two fingers up where only San Jin could see.
"One, two," Junseo gave the arm a sharp tug and slight twist to line-up the bones. Then he strapped on the splints and some cold compresses. "Okay, just try wiggling your fingers," he ordered.
Choi Ye Sing hesitated but soon his relief was obvious.
Junseo nodded his thanks to San Jin before offering more instructions, "You need to stay still today, give everything a chance to settle. I'll be by with more painkillers this evening."
The other thief watched the proceeding closely. He noted the emerald shimmer of a cleansing barrier emanating from the fourth kingdom's heir. This was consistent with the reports about the team. What he did not see was any signs Junseo deployed crystal energies, although they would hardly be necessary for the basic mechanics of setting a broken arm. He frowned as he watched San Jin trying to draw out the Choi boy. Fortunately, his young partner knew to check in before committing to anything and San Jin left off the gentle interrogation.
Hae-sung came along with a bowl of soup but tripped as he neared the older prisoner. The man squirmed back and swore. Hae-sung glanced over to San Jin who nodded quickly before returning to the cabin.
"The older one's accent, and the carvings on his knife, point to northern connections," San Jin reported to Manager Doak.
"Their cloths are too neat for them to have travelled very far through the bush." Hae-sung added.
Song-hee peeked out from under the curtains for his own look before saying, "I'm guessing they aren't on their own. You have wonder why they were after our horses."
"Yeah. And just who tripped our noise-makers." San Jin looked toward the woods hoping to spot Chen-hui and Guard Yun approaching.
"Check their possessions for more information before we question the prisoners directly. We will have to separate them. That Choi fellow seems to be taking all his cues from his partner." Manager Doak said.
"When the others get back, we should see if we can track where the pair came from." Hae-sung suggestion was greeted with a quick nod from Manager Doak so he went out to prepare. He helped Junseo with the horses and getting the evening meal sorted. They both watched the woods closely.
"How long before we send Chenhui a flyer?" Junseo asked.
"You know I almost forgot we could do that. If he is not back before sunset, we should give it a try." Hae-sung said before digging out a rain slicker.
Junseo looked over at the two intruders. They did not have rain gear with them, but with the way the weather had been he could not see them going far without it. He explained his thinking to Hae-sung who went back to search the perimeter of the camp. He ducked into the bush for a moment and returned holding up two packs.
"Perfect!" Junseo said and sent Hae-sung to the cabin with their find.
"Definitely a northern make," he explained as he laid out the different pieces of gear. Song-hee gestured for one of the cloaks to be handed over and pulled some papers out of a hidden pocket in the back seem.
"Runner's trick," he said to Candidate Don-je's questioning look before shuffling through the papers. "Not good. Really not good," he muttered and handed the materials to Manager Doak.
"We expected some surveillance," Manager Doak said.
"There is a lot of detail about our routines, and there must have been someone reporting from inside the forge," Song-hee frowned while trying to visualize the different staff members who could have provided the information.
"Not just the household staff?" Manager Doak asked and Song-hee pointed out the notes on the interactions with crystals.
"There was no need to use crystals anywhere but the forge. Even there we were pretty careful. I mean Junseo had us practice enhancing the alignments with our stone's natural elements but not in a way anyone should have noticed." Song-hee unconsciously rubbed the spot where his bracelet usually rested.
"Alright. We will have San Jin play the sympathetic listener for that Choi fellow. Get him on his own first. Maybe just after dinner as the next round of medication kicks in," Manager Doak nodded to himself. Just then Junseo came jogging into the cabin, flyer in hand.
He glanced at the message and passed it to Manager Doak who read it out, "Ambush at second trap. Ready defenses."
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