Peiter shrugs and complies with Barton's binding. "Confession of murder? That's a new one. What evidence were you planing to plant for that one? We aren't in Lockhaven anymore, Seyth. Port Sumac doesn't jump because a mouse with a cloak cries weasel. Did you hear any confession of murder, Brian?"
Brian becomes incredibly interested in his hindpaws. "No."
Don't believe I ever said weasel? He says, escorting Peiter back to their rooms And after I've searched Duglass' boat, I suspect they'll believe me about the mink.
He leaves Peiter in one room, bound and under guard and puts Brian in another room.
Seyth sits with Brian for a moment or two, and offers him tea. Listen, Brian. I don't think you're a bad mouse, not from what I saw back there. I don't think you wanted anyone to get hurt.
We already know about the mink. now we know about the disappearances too. We're probably going to arrest everyone on Duglass' Crew come tomorrow. I don't think you deserve to get the same charges as everyone else. I think your a good mouse that did a bad thing. And If i'm right, the best thing you can do right now is to tell me what you know. It'll help me stop everything, help make sure no one else gets hurt or killed because of this. and it'll give me something to go in front of a jury with, and argue for leniency.
Frie’s head lolls to one side and he moans.
“I had hoped the Guard would recover from the barbarism of the war by now. I’d rather you didn’t touch the face. A scar or two can be attractive, but at a certain point there are diminishing returns…” Peiter eyes Bry from head to toe. “You look t’ be the type who only leaves the scars he chooses to. One of Tiegh’s mice?”
Brian squirms, glancing nervously at the window. “I’m sorry, mister Seyth, sir. I’m just a simple Boatcrafter. I’ll help all I can with what I know, but I’m kept around for my size and my skills. Dug’s never shown me where he keeps his beastie, and I don’t have a clue where that beetle’s arse is keeping Lyosha. I just know he was arguing with Dug about her. Pietre said she was a liability. I wouldn’t put it past him to have had a hand in Julian’s goin’ missing. He’s got hands in everyone’s coffer. Knows just the way to control each and every mouse, it seems. Don’t let him out of your sight. -don’t let me out of your sight. He doesn’t suffer obstacles long, and I wouldn’t trust him in a funeral pyre.” The Boatcrafter sags in his chair. “He’ll have found a way to look blameless, mister Seyth. Used one mouse to press another, have us all doing his dirty deeds... you’ll have all of Port in chains, and he’ll be the only one to talk his way free.”
Bry looks at Peiter and sighs. I do my best not to leave scars. There were complications in his treatment due the inept treatment he had gotten here. His leg had healed improperly due to it being incorrectly set. Several of his teeth were broken and infected necessitating their removal. So no. I don't leave the scars I want. I do my best to avoid leaving scars, I work to help other mice. Unfortunately it seems your towns medics made errors when it came to treating Frie here, happens to the best of us, and someone had to do something. Now sit down so I can examine you to see what else has been screwed up around here.
The tenderpaw turned fully towards Peiter and waited for him to comply so he could begin a routine examination. I don't know why you are here or why you seem to be trying to analyze me but honestly I don't care. Since you were left with me I am going to treat you like another patient. Have you had any recent injuries I should know about? Any illnesses or allergies? I highly recommend you answer so I can make sure you are treated accordingly.
Peiter looks puzzled, but complies. "I've had the leg off." He indicates the carved wooden leg. "I know what you're thinking, you'd never tell. Smith I knew put a metal bow in it. Fine piece of work, that one..."
If rumors are true, Peiter was once a Guard Mouse. Given his age, he could have taken part in the Weasel War. Close examination reveals multiple battlescars from blade wounds and bites. He looks like he's been taking care of himself since then. He's even got a thick felt sock to pad his leg. "You're wasted with the guard, you know. They'll drag you this way and that, and cause most of the injury they would have you heal. They'll say you're lucky that the war is behind you, but the war is all around and underneath you. Underneath Lockhaven's standing army. You should be healing the sick, not staunching the careless wounds of Gwendolyn's Guard."
Bry sighed. I won't lie there was a town that nearly convinced me the guard was pointless. Despite my best efforts they amounted to nothing in the end.
The young mouse finished his examination, and leaned back to relax. But no. I should not be healing the sick. IF I am just doing that then I have lost. My goal is to prevent sickness. To help all mice regardless of who they are.
The young mouse went over to tend to Frie and keep the older mouse cared for. That is why I left home to join it. You are going to be able to convince me I am wrong about this. I already helped far more people in the Guard than I could have out of it. I don't know much about the Matriarch or any of the politics that people are slinging around. I don't know why you left the Guard if you were ever in it. And frankly I don't care.
Bry turned back to look Peiter in the eye. I have already dealt with crazed, half starved man in Sprucetuck who tried to have me executed because he didn't like that the Guard had shown up after a harsh winter that he failed to prepare his people for. What in the Territories makes you think you can turn me from the Guard when death couldn't. I don't know what you seem to have against us, but I joined to help and that is what I am doing. Don 't you dare try to shove your stupid political views down my throat. You don't know a damned thing about healing if you think healing the damned sick is why a mouse goes to learn it.
Bry raised his voice before Peiter could reply. Because if thats what you think then you are the biggest idiot I have ever had the displeasure of facing. I help everyone, not just the sick. I stop sickness in its tracks, I don't fight an endless losing war against it.
Would you be willing to testify to this, if I found an honest, clean judge? Seth said Would you be willing to help stop Duglass and his cronies ever hurting anyone ever again.
Lyosha, Julian. all the good mice are being swept away. might be hard to find an honest mouse left.
Now. I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you aren't some gibbering fool who took a blow to the head and never quite recovered. But I am giving you that since you aren't drooling all over yourself right now. You know nothing of myself or medicine. So sit down and shut your jaw.
Bry sits down next to Frie while staring at Peiter. Whatever you have against the territories doesn't belong in this room so it can go right out the door. I don't care. I am a mouse of healing not of your dim witted beliefs. In this room you are one of my patients so I am going to treat you like a dumb one to make sure you understand how little you understand about medicine. Sure you have managed to take care of yourself, but how many mice have you nursed from sickness, injury or starvation? How many have you decided to help when you know they could die.
Bry pointed to Frie, his voice raising as he spoke. I did not have to help Frie here. By all rights all I have done is delay the mission my Patrol Leader is on. Yet I did it anyway because someone had to. Someone has to make the real hard choices. To cut off a limb that cannot be healed. To save the mother and loose the babe. To look your leader in the eye and tell him his stupid mission for whatever dumb tax is not as important as the life of a mouse in pain.
Bry refocused on Peiter, speaking without thinking. I don't leave scars if I can help it because I want the mice I heal to know they will be alright. To not need a reminder of what laid them low. I don't need some pathetic one legged guard drop out to lecture me on what it means to be a healer. I'll come to you when I need to ask who made your leg to know when I need to replace one I had to remove from my patients.
Pieter doesn't respond immediately. He gives Bry enough time to consider the matter settled.
Then, he sighs. "Yes... You know healing better than I. You would probably know exactly how long a mouse can go without water. Do you remember when they said that Loremouse disappeared? All the time we're wasting here, that mouse spends alone and dehydrated..."
Bry shrugged. Did he vanish months ago? You probably wouldn't know this but the average mouse can go one or two months without water. If he was missing longer than that he is likely dead. Now obviously there are other factors but we are in PORT Sumac. So I am sure he has been able to find water since his disappearance. Now of course I am not all that good at hunting people down. There is very little I could do to help him unless I knew where he was. So your attempt to make me flustered about a mouse I already know I will be of no immediate help to is pointless. Now maybe if you had cooperated with Seyth instead of doing whatever the hell it was that brought you here maybe I could help him. But since you are here and wasting my time I can only assume you actually don't care and want to throw me off topic.
Bry does get water, offering Peiter a drink as he takes a breath. More to the point you being here is something I don't like right now. Clearly you are fine so you must have pissed off Seyth. So you are stuck here. Congratulations. I do hope you enjoy your time in this room. IF you would kindly sit there and stay silent so I can work on my patient that would be appreciated. After all, Frie does need physical help. What you need clearly is a mouse with psycological training.
"Oh? Have I piqued your interest? I can't afford to have Seyth and adventure lad sniffing around, but I can take you to her..."
"Listen here, jumper. You're talkin' like you've got it all figured out, and I know you feel you think a few words and 'ironclad' points are going to bring me to your side, or shut me up, or make your night less of an afterthought in your Patrol's eyes, but I have no interest in the girl dying. You can think what you want of me, but Brian came knocking on my door, acting like he and his haven't gotten where they are by slitting throats. That mink of Dug's doesn't subsist on berries and mushrooms."
"I take them out there, I'm trading lives. That's your Seyth's Guard at work. If I take you, there might at least be a net gain. Trust me or not. You could be helping her, and you're not."
Would you be willing to testify to this, if I found an honest, clean judge? Seth said Would you be willing to help stop Duglass and his cronies ever hurting anyone ever again.
Lyosha, Julian. all the good mice are being swept away. might be hard to find an honest mouse left.
Brian nods, looking distraught. "I'd swear it on my mother's ashes. I just can't bear the thought that I've been involved not knowing."