quercu

For what?

No!

I was waiting for my brother to come...

Then let me ask you a question.

If your brother is as strong as you say...

Why would he send you to do any of this?

I...

Are you sure your brother knows you're here?

You didn't tell him you were heading out, did you?

What if your brother never comes?

What if... we leave you here? Will your brother really be able to find you?

I...

(Sobbing) I...

(Quercus, don't you think we've scared him a little too much?)

(I mean, I know it's wrong to steal... child or not.)

(I think our little Susie's just as much a child, then.)

What if... we take you away from here?

And you never see your brother again...

No!

Don't... I...

I want to stay with my brother.

Then be truthful with me.

Tell me why you stole this medicine, and why you're after the Druid's Treasure.

Because my brother wanted it...

He's the one who looked after me ever since we left Londinium... He said there was treasure in Gododdin, and we could make loads and loads of money, and live happy days.

He's seriously, seriously strong! Nobody's ever been able to pick on us!

But he's been having worse and worse health, I can tell that... He's always using these medicines in secret.

This kind?

I dunno. But it looks a lot like it.

I'm not a kid anymore.

I want to help my brother and all...

If I can find the treasure, and some medicine!

Then that'll make my brother super duper happy!

So...

Please, Miss.

Can you...

I understand.

But still, I can't tell you right this moment.

Oh...

Then... Then what do I have to do, before you tell me?

I'm just here to check if you have everything all in place and sorted.

I'll have Grani accompany the kids over.

Everything's ready.

That kid in the garden...

You have some amazing patience.

I'm only a doctor.

I don't accede to every whim. I'm no fairy godmother.

*sigh*... He's had a hard lot in life.

We don't even know how his brother is.

That's why I sent Susie back for now.

She's too kind...

And as you meet each refugee in the camp, and every child that's sent here... you find each and every story tugs at your heart, doesn't it?

That's why little Susie's the one I'm more worried for, really.

*sigh*...

And how are you going to explain the Druid's Treasure to him, then?

All it is is the cover we operate under. You know that.

Not to mention we've still not heard a peep from the Doctor's end. We can't expose this.

We have to prioritize Rhodes Island and our mission.

So...

We give him a false goal, one that can never be achieved?

Make him chase fruitlessly, cluelessly, for the rest of his days?

A sacrifice?

What do you mean?

A sacrifice?

I just feel...

It's not how Rhodes Island would do things.

We can't just absolve ourselves of our actions like that.

What are you going to do?!

Quercus, stop right there!

Explain.

Don't worry. I won't do anything to hurt Rhodes Island.

Oi!

Question for you. Seen a kid about this tall?

The hell do you think you're doing?!

Bloody hell! It was that little bastard just now! Your brother, I reckon, you look like two peas in a pod!

Here I was narked I'd have no one to pay damages...

You...

Where is he?!

The weak, frail figure of a child busies about the garden.

Miss Quercus! I watered all the trees in the garden!

(It's only a momentary drive.)

I swept the path over there all nice and clean too!

(He may well be worn out any second now.)

What else do I need to do?

(He throws himself dim-wittedly at everything without even knowing what this treasure <i>is</i>.)

Do you know why I'm having you do these things?

Nope.

That one mister says it's because I've done bad things.

And have you?

I don't know...

My brother's always done it. He says other people owe us all this stuff.

It's stuff we're meant to have.

(The branches that rot are bade to be pruned.)

(The trunks that are gnawed are bade to be sawed.)

Let me put it this way, then.

You did something that ended with you being caught, and you put your brother through the hassle of saving you.

Was that bad of you?

...Mm-hm.

So if your brother gets hurt while saving you...

Possibly... even worse.