Deserter

SEVEN

{Chapter Triggers: discussion of betrayal, poison, arguments, mentions of drinking, suppressed emotions. Those are all I can think of/figure out from reading through the chapter, I apologize if I missed any and feel free to inform me.}

"All I am saying is that all options should be discussed and considered." Logan shook his head. "I know it isn't something we want to think about, but an attempt has been made on the king's life."

Roman rubbed his forehead with a sigh. "I just cannot see it, Logan, Patton can be wildly naïve at times, but-"

"I will admit, it is... unexpected, if it is the truth, but consider the factors pointing in that direction. Patton has essentially been the only person to regularly interact with Anxiety since his arrival. He was with the man for most of the night, and I am sure that he tended to Anxiety's injuries as well."

The knight shifted uncomfortably in his seat as Logan laid out the facts. He didn't want to think about someone so close to him betraying King Thomas... and Patton doing it, of all people? In his eyes it was highly unlikely.

"On top of that, Patton knows quite a bit more about poisons than I originally believed him to." Logan's tone said that this should explain everything.

Roman scoffed. "That is a medical requirement."

"Is it?" Logan challenged, leaning forward on the table. He was rather glad that Roman had agreed to have this conversation in his quarters, he felt much more at home when discussing things in his own space. "Patton can recite stories about poisons being used in different situations, and he recognized a specific poison's smell on the king's breath. The smell of the poison would be weak, and his breath even more so with how lightly he was breathing. And on top of that-"

"Logan." Roman interrupted, sitting up. Logan stifled an irritated grunt. "This is Patton we are talking about. Patton, of all people. This is the man took an oath to help people for the duration of his life, promised to the gods above that he would do no harm to others.

"He was practically a second father to King Thomas when he was a boy, and you cannot deny that their bond is closer than anyone in this castle. No one can claim to know the king better. I firmly believe that Patton could not have done this."

"Well then who do you suggest did?" Logan snapped. "The guarded prisoner in the far corner of the castle who cannot get out of his cell? Are you saying that you would rather believe that one of your own hand-picked men, who you have put through rigorous training for years and have bonded with in your own right, could have turned on you and poisoned the king?"

"Doctor Picani!" Patton burst into the room, making the other two jump.

"I'm sorry, what?" Logan asked after a moment.

"I spoke with the footman who came to get Roman this morning. He sleeps outside of the king's bedchamber in case King Thomas needs anything."

"To the point, Patton." Logan tapped his fingertips on the table.

"He couldn't pinpoint the time, he believed it was very early in the morning, but Elliot heard voices in the king's bedchamber. He went inside to see if he had missed a command, and Doctor Picani was there, sharing a bottle of wine with King Thomas. Elliot assumed that he had entered the room through a servant entrance."

"Doctor Picani," Logan said dubiously. "The traveling physician?"

Patton nodded. "The very same. And does anything catch your interest about that scene?"

"The wine."

"Exactly."

Logan nodded after a moment. "I understand now why you believe it was him."

Roman made an irritated noise. "Well I do not, please explain."

Patton and Logan began to speak at the same time, but stopped quickly. They stared at each other for a moment, then Logan squared his shoulders and continued his explanation.

"Wine is the easiest drink to spike with poison, because it oftentimes has a bitter taste to begin with that masks any flavors from added substances."

"Have the quarters that Doctor Picani was using been cleaned yet?" Patton asked.

"Why would they have been?" The other two frowned at him.

"He's gone." The healer shrugged. "After speaking to Elliot I went to see the guards who would have been at the front gate around the time that Doctor Picani was with the king."

Roman snorted. "Why on Earth would you do that?"

"Just a hunch. He left just before dawn, and he had all of his belongings with him. There is always a chance that he left something behind."

Logan nodded slowly. "He may have. I will see to it that his rooms are searched... The two of you should go speak to Anxiety."

"Why? He had nothing to do with this." Patton frowned.

"You never know. See if he knows anything about Picani." Logan adjusted his spectacles and picked a book from his shelf. He swept out of the room without waiting for a response from the other two.

Roman looked at Patton. The healer was shaking his head, looking a bit frustrated.

"He really has nothing to do with it, Roman. I know he doesn't."

The knight sighed heavily. "At the end of the day, Patton, we have to face facts-"

"Do you mean like the fact that he is ready to sell out Deceit and you are not listening to him?" Patton asked. Roman was surprised at the pure irritation in his voice.

The healer took a deep breath and shook his head, his cheery demeanor returning just as quickly as it had disappeared. "Well I'd planned on checking up on Anxiety anyway, shall we?"

"If you give me the keys I shall accompany you," Roman said casually.

Patton laughed and looked over at him. "I'm not that naïve, Roman. Come along or don't, I won't mind either way."

He walked out of the room and Roman heard him whistling cheerfully in the hallway.

"How can a man who's seen what he has always be so cheerful?" He wondered to himself as he gathered the things he had brought to Logan's quarters, following Patton quickly to catch up to him.

{Hi, you've reached 'Authors Who Don't Care About Historical Accuracy', how may I direct your call?}