This was the first time in a very long time that Moss had been thrown off a horse. He doesn't think he was hurt badly, but he is in a decent amount of pain. Lord Garand Elicor, a baronet and the stable master of the stables in Teglholm, wanted him to go get himself checked out by the healer right outside the town's main gate. Mireya, her real name being Miranda Porter, was apparently a baronet. Moss had no idea, and he doubted many others knew. He had never heard anyone else mention it before nor was there any indication at her house that she was a minor noble. The only reason Moss knew was because the stable master had just told him.
Moss knocks on the door to the healer with his left hand, his off hand. Mireya answers the door a moment later after calling out that she heard him. She looks at him and says, "You get hurt again?" Then seeing Moss's arm frowns, "Your arm is swelling up. Might be broken. Let me check it out. Why don't you come in and let me pour you a cup of tea?" Moss frowns at the mention of the horrible tasting tea, but nods and enters the house.
After quickly looking around Moss follows Mireya and seats himself in a chair at the kitchen table. Feeling awkward now that he knows she's a baronetess, Moss is unsure what to call her. Mireya picks up on the fact Moss hasn't said anything yet. "What's wrong? Are you upset you can't remember my apprentice's name? She's out on a house call in town right now. She's just checking up on a patient and giving them more medicine. How did you get hurt?" Mireya gingerly examines his arm. "It's definitely broken alright."
Moss answers, "The uh, stable master had me come here after I was thrown from a horse. I was careless and let the horse get spooked, I was thrown because of that. Uh…"
Mireya gives him a funny look then throws her arms up, "Oh dear heavens, that old grump told you that I was a baronetess. Yes, I am, but I'm only a noble because my husband gained that title after doing a favor for one of the princes and paying a fee for the title. Before he was just a knight." She sighs, "Don't you dare start calling me My Lady or Lady Miranda or Lady Porter or any of that silly stuff."
After thinking of how the young woman and her tease each other Moss decides to say, "Yes Lady Mireya." The older looking woman goes to open her mouth and he interrupts her saying, "What? Lady Mireya wasn't on the list."
She smiles and chuckles, "Well, you remind me of my late husband. If only I was 40 years younger." Moss keeps a straight face, but he's shocked hearing her say that. 40 years younger? How old was this woman she looks like she's in her 30's. Mireya has Moss move his arm around a bit and says, "The break doesn't appear to be too bad. It shouldn't shift at all. I'll splint the injury and use a touch of magic to speed up the healing process. You'll only be out of work for one or two weeks. You're young, so your body will respond well to the magic and heal quickly."
Moss shakes his head, "That won't do. I need to work to be able to eat. There must be something I can do. Perhaps strengthen the splint to endure the work I need to accomplish at the stables?" Moss sigh then grumbles, "I can't load my crossbow with a broken arm either."
Mireya smiles to try and comfort Moss, "Damaged flesh is easily mended, but broken bones take time. Your life is not in danger, so I don't want to expend too much magic in fixing your arm. If I did, and someone in the mines were to become gravely injured, they would have no hope of surviving." Moss nods and she starts gathering her supplies that she needs to splint the injury and craft a medicinal mixture to help with the pain and speed recovery.
As she wraps his arm she talks, "I heard you had lunch with the viscount, our lord, and some of the knights yesterday." Moss nods and she asks, "How goes Lord Hansen's investigation? Was he willing to speak about it in front of anyone besides Lord Becker and his lieutenant, what was his name?" Mireya pauses for a moment to think. "Sir Moore?"
Moss nods again, "Yes, Sir Tegan Moore. He's actually away on campaign with Lord Daniel Becker. The Viscount didn't openly discuss his investigation. I only know what he questioned me about."
Mireya asks, "Which was?"
The young man pauses a moment then responds, "He asked about what happened at the supposed thieves' or bandits' camp."
She looked at him questioningly, "Supposed?"
Moss shrugged. "They didn't give off the impression of thieves or robbers. Thieves and robbers out in the woods tend to be poor, who have turned to crime out of desperation. These men had not seen any desperate times. They carried themselves too proudly and were well fed and strong."
The healer looked at the young man interestingly. "You can be quite observant when you want. What did you do while you were in the Big Sticks Guild?"
Thinking back to when he finally became a full-fledged member he answered. "I became a bowman. I used a crossbow. We all had partners. I carried the extra bolts, while my partner carried the pavis." Moss shrugged a little, "Too bad I didn't get to keep the pavis when I left them. Oh, well. I wasn't the one who paid for it. I only had paid for the gear I kept."
Mireya checked to make sure she wasn't applying the splint too tight, "Why were you asked to dine with the knights and our lord for?"
He shook his head, "I'm not quite sure. The Viscount had wanted to ask about my past work with the Big Sticks. Sir Greenston had a few questions as well, he said that had I been younger, he might had considered taking me as a squire. He doesn't like Darren, and I don't think Darren has realized he's getting a bit old to become a squire."
She shakes her head, "How could you be too old to become a squire? You're still quite young, Darren is about your age as well."
Moss hesitates a second to think of his answer. "Becoming a squire is a lot of work, and it requires a young mind to start learning all the things needed to become a knight at well as developing the body properly. It's more difficult to start someone who's already set in their ways, or starting to become set in their ways, on the right path to become a well-trained knight who is loyal to his lord."
Mireya smiles, "how insightful. You're smart, just naïve. Did Lord Becker have anything to say?"
He shakes his head, "He didn't have much to say. He was apparently asking about Darren earlier. About why he had never become a squire. Sir Greenston and another knight had rejected him and told the others to be cautious about taking him under their wing. Darren's grandfather was known to a good number of nobles and other knights, as he was an excellent teacher and master of his craft. His personality was very lacking. His loyalty was even called into question once."
She nods asks, "Why the crossbow? Were you not good with the bow? What about being a Foot Soldier? Were you not able to afford a Foot soldiers harness?"
Moss smiles and replies, "I'm good enough with a bow, I still practice every Sunday. The Big Sticks just prefer not to pay for longbowman." A longbowman gets paid more than a crossbowman. "I could have afforded a full harness by time I had left, but Hans, the stable master who raised me, didn't want me to be fighting on the very front."
The healer's face becomes expressionless, "And the Company Master? Still the same?"
The hair on Moss's neck rise. He can sense the unstated hostility behind Mireya's stoic face. He cautiously answers. "Randall Connolly has been the guild master for as long as I can remember. Do you know him?"
Mireya finishes tying off the cloth securing the splint and looks away. "Not personally, but I know people who do." Moss tries the read her face, there's much more not being said, but the healer doesn't say anything more on the topic.
Moss thinks back to his time at the Big Sticks and realized how much he wasn't paying attention to the politics of everything. After shrugging he dismissed the thought, as he doesn't really care much about it. He's not there anymore and it won't affect him anymore. He's more focused on making ends meet in the short term and then making enough to actually retire and relax in the future.