〃Bertie MacArdry； ye may be as strong as a horse； in smell if not in muscle；〃 he ranted； 〃but if ye wish sommat besides a sleeve…filler； ye must lie still！ Kelson； you've got to keep his arm from moving； or it's little use。 I can't control his bleeding if he thrashes around。〃
Kelson did his best； slipping easily into the old camaraderie he and Dhugal had enjoyed so long ago； as boys； and which remained so fortable now that they were men。 But as Dhugal continued to probe； and Bertie gasped and tensed again。 Kelson glanced over his shoulder and； in a moment of sudden decision； shifted the back of one bloodied hand to the man's forehead； reaching out with his Deryni senses。
〃Sleep； Bertie；〃 he whispered； slipping his wrist down over the man's eyes and feeling the tense body go limp。 〃Go to sleep and remember nothing of this when you wake。 No pain。 Just sleep。〃
Dhugal's hand faltered and paused in midstitch as he sensed the change e over his patient； but when he looked across at Kelson there was only wonder … not the fear the king had e so often to expect in the past few years。 After a few seconds； Dhugal returned to his task； working more quickly now； a faint smile playing across his Ups。
〃You have； indeed； learned a few things in four years； haven't you。 Sire？〃 he asked softly； when he had tied off the last of the internal sutures and cut the gut thread close to the knot。
〃You didn't use my title when we were boys； Dhugal； and I wish you wouldn't in the future； at least in private；〃 Kelson murmured。 〃And I would have to say that you've teamed a few things yourself。〃
Dhugal shrugged and began rethreading his needle with bright green silk。 〃You probably remember that I was always good with animals。 Well； after Michael died and I had to e home from Court； one of the things they had me study was surgeoning … part of the training of a laird； they said： to be able to patch up one's animals and men。〃
He flushed out the partially sutured wound again； pausing when Bertie moaned and stirred a little … and Kelson had to reach out with his mind once more … then dusted the raw flesh with a bluish grey powder and had Kelson press the lips of the wound together from either side。 Carefully； meticulously； he began drawing them together with neat； green silk stitches。
〃Is it true that Duke Alaric healed himself at your coronation？〃 Dhugal asked after a moment； not looking up from his work。
Kelson raised one eyebrow； wondering why Dhugal was asking。
〃Is that one of the stories that's e west？〃
〃And others … aye。〃
〃Well； it's true；〃 Kelson said； a little defensively。 〃Father Duncan helped him。 I didn't see it happen； but I saw the result … and I did see him heal Duncan later on： a wound that should have killed anyone else。〃
〃You actually saw this？〃 Dhugal asked； pausing to stare at Kelson。
Kelson shivered a little； and had to look away from the blood on his own hands to shake the memory。
〃They took a terrible chance；〃 he whispered。 〃We needed to convince Warm de Grey that Deryni weren't necessarily evil。 Warm claims that his own healing es from God； so Duncan decided to show him that Deryni can heal； too。 He let Warm wound him in the shoulder； but it was almost too severe。 I hate to think of what would have happened； if it hadn't worked。〃
〃What do you mean； 'if it hadn't worked？'〃 Dhugal asked softly； his needle half…forgotten in his fingers。 〃I thought you said he and Morgan could heal。〃
〃They can；〃 Kelson replied； 〃only they don't really know how they do it； and the gift isn't always reliable。 Maybe that's because they're only half…Deryni。 From Father Duncan's research； we now believe that some Deryni were able to do such things on a regular basis during the Interregnum； but the art apparently has been lost since。 Only a small percentage of Deryni had the healing gift； even then。〃
〃But that Warm fellow can do it？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And he isn't Deryni？〃
Kelson shook his head。 〃Not so far as we've been able to tell。 He still insists his gift es from God … and maybe it does。 Maybe he's a genuine miracle…worker。 Who are 。 we to say？〃
Dhugal snorted and resumed his work。 〃That sounds more capricious than being Deryni； if you ask me … working miracles！ For myself； I think I'd gladly settle for being able to do your trick。〃
〃My trick？〃
〃To knock out a patient painlessly before trying to work on him。 From a battle surgeon's point of view； that's a blessing； no matter where the ability es from； though I suspect ecclesiastical opinion would argue the point。 No reflection on friend Bertie's courage； but if you hadn't done … whatever you did … he wouldn't have been able to hold still for me to do this。 I suppose it was some of your。。 。Deryni magic？〃
Almost hypnotically。 Kelson watched the bloody hands move up and down； drawing the wound closed with Dhugal's own almost magical ability； and he had to shake his head lightly to break the spell。
〃I think you have your own kind of magic；〃 he murmured； looking across at Dhugal in admiration。 〃And thank God you don't seem to be intimidated by mine。 You have no idea what a relief it is to be able to use my powers for something like this … which is what they were intended for； in the beginning； I feel sure … and not have you be afraid。〃
With a smile； Dhugal tied off the last of his sutures and cat the thread； then looked up at Kelson with a keen； frank appraisal of the borderman。
〃I seem to recall that we once swore a blood…oath to live as brothers all our lives；〃 he said softly； 〃and to do whatever good we might。 Why should I fear my brother； then； simply because he has been given the means to do greater good？ I know you would never harm me … brother。〃
As Kelson caught his breath in surprise； Dhugal ducked his head and returned to his work； sluicing clean water over the sutures and then binding a handful of dried sphagnum moss over the wound。
That； at least。 Kelson felt he understood； as he washed his hands and dried them on a corner of their patient's tunic。 He was not sure he understood the other kneeling across from him； but he did not think he cared to question what had just passed between them。 He had forgotten what a fort it could be to confide in a friend of his own generation。 Conall was his age； and Payne and Rory only a little younger； but that was not the same。 They had not been tempered with adult responsibilities the way he and Dhugal had。 Morgan and Duncan understood； of course； and perhaps his Uncle Nigel； but even they were somewhat removed by age and experience … and they were not always around。 He found himself heaving a sigh of relief as Dhugal finally rinsed his hands and dried them on a blood…stained grey towel。
〃That's it； then；〃 Dhugal said； peering tentatively under one of his patient's eyelids and glancing at Kelson inquiringly。 〃I think I did one of my better repair jobs； but only time will tell for sure。 He's still lost a lot of blood。 Best if he simply sleeps through the night。〃
〃We'll see that he does then；〃 Kelson said； touching the sleeping man's forehead and making the necessary mental adjustments。 〃I'd have someone rouse him every few hours to drink some wine … Duncan says that helps to restore the lost blood faster … but otherwise； he shouldn't stir until morning。〃
As the two of them stood； Dhugal gathering up his sword and plaid。 Kelson signalled one of his men to attend。 Dhugal gave brief instructions； but then he and Kelson moved off slowly toward the edge of the camp which had formed around them while they worked； Wordlessly； Kelson took the sword and plaid while Dhugal began adjusting his armor。
The two were nearly of a height； side by side。 Kelson perhaps a few fingers taller and a little heavier； though neither had yet e into their true man's growth。 Before； Kelson had thought Dhugal's copper…colored hair cut short； but now； as Dhugal pulled off his mail coif and ran fingers under the neck of his brigandine in the back to free his hair。 Kelson saw that it was even longer than his own； drawn to the nape of the neck in border fashion and plaited in a short braid tied with a leather thong。 He took the coif as the young borderman began buckling the front closures of the brigandine； leaning against a tree to watch indulgently unti