The Plague of Madness
Chapter 4 : Accusations
Disclaimers: Come on now? Do you really think I could own an anime as hot as this one and not have it completely drenched in Yummy Yaoi? I THINK NOT!!! so please don't sue wittle ole me
Warnings: hardly anything! tiny amount of violence, slight angst.....and a whole bunch of yelling.
AN: Here it is folks, thankz to my faithful reviewers for your support (gosh I feel like I'm winning an Oscar) and ah... again please R&R..... we'll be introducing Trowa and Q-baby soon, but in the meantime get ready to meet nurse.......
"CATHRINE! will somebody go get Cathy?"
"I'm here already Bruce what's all the fuss? OH MY GOLLY GOSH!!! DUO!" The slim woman ran over to where Duo and Wufei were sitting, Duo got up and Cathy flung her arms around his waist.
"Duo, duo, duo - Look how you've grown! Gosh how I've missed you" There were crowds of people all around, every single one of them trying to talk to Sir Duo all at once. Cathy looked at them all then turned to duo,
"How long are you staying down here for?"
"Well we've got pretty much all day,"
"Excellent!" Duo raised an eyebrow at her, wondering what on earth the fiery woman was doing. He watched as she bustled over to where a broom was stationed against a chair then purple eye's widened as she picked up the broom and, brandishing it over her head bellowed at the top of her lungs
"ENOUGH!!! EVERYONE OUT NOW!!!"
The room became so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.
"right" She said lowering her voice but keeping a very firm tone to it.
"I will not have my house demolished by you hooligans, Yes I realize you are all excited to see 'sir' duo, but he has informed me that he does have all day here, and so he will be out and about later in the day and perhaps we can all have a party over at the Dancing Dove
There was a disgruntled mumbling and a shuffling of feet but no one moved very far. Cathy lips grew tight and she moved to raise the broom over her head again.
The room was cleared within 10 seconds.
Catherine sighed beaming at Duo.
"Well I see nothing's changed with you then Cathy- reminds me of the old days" Duo laughed
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothin..." Duo put on his best innocent look - Catherine just laughed and boxed him around the ears.
"So are you going to introduce me to your - slave?" She said noticing the slave collar Wufei wore. The Asian just looked down.
"Although I never thought you would be the sort that would own a slave..." She trailed off frowning slightly.
"Huh? Oh no he's not mine! He's the baron's personal slave... I'm looking after him while the baron's gone." Duo filled her in.
"Oh well that sounds more like the Duo I know - What's your name child?"
"Wufei" He said quietly, avoiding her eyes.
"Well it's nice to meet you Wufei" He nodded shyly. "So let me guess, you guys are here to help out with the madness crisis?"
"Yup you guessed it!"
"Thank heavens! We need the help so much."
"Just tell us what to do Cathy and we'll get it done"
"What we really need is people out there spotting those that are infected. The disease seems to spread like wild fire and we think the best way to contain it is to have those infected in isolation as soon as possible. Which means spotting the early symptoms"
"No pupils right?" Catherine nodded, and Wufei looked at Duo, confused. The knight explained-
"The earliest symptom that someone has contracted the madness is that their pupils disappear. It's less obvious than you might think. The other symptoms you know already. The person starts acting erratically and babbling. Refusal to sleep or eat - and a dark red rash. But those are the later symptoms, and It's been worked out that a person can have the disease for at least a fortnight without any other symptoms than the white pupils - just think how many people on person could infect if it went undetected."
Wufei nodded processing the new information.
"So where do you want us Cathy"
"Well... your the only one the street urchins will trust enough to let you near them. If you could go back to all your old haunts and hang around with them - checking them as you go it would be great"
"Sure thing - It'll be great to see all my old mates again"
"Okay then, come back for lunch if you want and be careful not to contract the disease. I'll give you both charms Lady Dorothy spelled to protect you."
Sir duo nodded and the lively young woman bustled off into another room. A few seconds later and she was back carrying two glittering necklaces. She handed them to Duo who placed the chain round his neck then put Wufei's one around his neck.
Wufei picked up the pendant in his hand and studied it curiously. It appeared to be made of silver but in the light it glimmered gold. It was a wheel shaped object with 9 spokes and strange unfamiliar lettering engraved into the surface. He placed it down and Duo jumped up.
"Well alright then - we'll try Maxwell church first then move on to the bridge and the edge of the forest. Okay?"
"Okay see you duo, It's so nice to have you back"
He nodded then strode out into the street where Hilde was waiting.
"Maxwell Church first?" She asked, Duo nodded.
"It's only a ten minute walk - we won't use the horses" He said, so Hilde tied them to a post and the trio began walking through the streets making their way to the church where duo grew up. People waved and smiled at Duo all through the streets - dispite the madness, these people still seemed to be so happy. No matter what life threw at them.
Wufei kept his head down all the way but often peeked out from behind thick ebony lashes and gazed in wonder at the joyful people who laughed it seemed almost all the time.
// Why does Sir Duo spend so much time down here?//
Before long the belltower rose up above them and the squat little church that looked like it was only just managing to support the tower was only a few paces away. Duo walked forward and threw open the thick oak doors. The familiar smell that only church's seem to posess, of a mixture of flowers, heavy church incense and dust was the first thing Duo noticed as he stepped through the door.
how long has it been since I've been inside these walls?
Wufei walked forward hesitantly, unsure as of how to act within the holy place. He was familiar with his own culture but western religion puzzled him to no end. He could tell this place was sacred, but it almost seemed like he didn't belong here. Like this place wasn't for him. He watched The back of the braided knight as he stepped forward to the altar and knelt down in silent reverence. He saw the knights lips move and strained to make out what he had said. It looked like "I'm home father" but he couldn't be sure.
Hilde moved forward wandering around the pews and Wufei hesitantly stepped forward. All at once he was bathed in colored light and he looked up to see a magnificent window of many colors that depicted a scene. It was obviously very symbolic, there was a man with long hair wearing simple robes. He had golden light around his head and a beautiful red heart was placed over his chest. A large wooden cross could be seen behind him and in one hand he held a Lilly and the other he held a dagger. Wufei was in awe and felt very small and rather lost so he moved out of the streaming light and into the shadows. But he still could not stop staring at it in wonder.
"Hilde" His voice was husky and quiet - it held an undertone Wufei couldn't quite pick out. It seemed to be pain, nostalgia and love all in one.
//I didn't know one could have so many conflicting emotions all at one time. Why do I care that he's hurting? Why does it make me upset when he is hurting? It shouldn't but it does! There's this ache in my chest that just won't go away. What is happening to me?//
"Yeah?" She replied, her voice equally quiet.
"We better go down under and see who's down there" Wufei was confused and tore his gaze from the beautiful window to give the knight a puzzled look.
"There's a trap door behind the confession room, Before Father Maxwell died he used to let the street rats live down there - he'd bring us food and water and clean bedding" Duo explained
//Us? Duo said us - as in he was one of them? But that can't be right - that would make him a peasant! And he's not, he's a knight. But then they do call him the Prince of Peasants, and he's so relaxed with them? I'll have to ask him later...//
Duo continued "When father Maxwell died, we continued to use the room under the church to live in, life just got a little harder because we didn't have any food or water - so the towns crime rate rose significantly. No one ever figured out how we got in - they banned us from mass and had people posted at the door just before mass started to check we couldn't get in. Of course we just snuck out from the confessionary room."
//He was a street rat! but then how.... I don't understand//
Duo walked up past the rectum and over to a little door tucked into the back wall. The door was opened and he beckoned for Wufei and Hilde to follow. The room was dusty and quiet, warm golden light streaming in from windows near the top of the walls.
He walked around behind a wooden screen opened a large closet. Wufei squinted to see the contents - It was full of those funny robes priests wore. Duo turned and cocked his head, indicating for them to follow then stepped into the closet.
//Who would have known that I'd be in a western church climbing into closets with a knight by the time I was 15? what would my mama say?//
Hilde went next and then Wufei, with his eyebrows raised hesitantly stepped into the closet.
"Close the door behind you" Duo's voice came from somewhere... and so Wufei did.
And everything was dark
~~It was dark and he could hear someone moving around behind him. He was so blind without the light! Then large cold hands grabbed him and raked along his back. He felt warm sour breath wash over his face and froze as a deep voice whispered close to his ear "Now were going to have some fun - my pretty little kitten"
terror rocketed through his body. He couldn't move. The cold hands began ripping at his clothing and scratching his skin. He wrenched at the shackles that bound him to the wall, anything, anything to get him away from this monster. The skin rubbed against the metal and began to bleed - but he was oblivious to the pain as the cold sweaty hands violated his body.
But he wouldn't cry, he wouldn't scream - He was not going to be weak again. No matter how much it hurt he wouldn't cry...
But it hurt so much.... ~~
"Wufei! Wufei - Jesus Wu snap out of it" He heard duo whisper urgently. He opened his eyes and found he was on the floor of the closet - but there was light now, streaming from a hole in the floor. He sat up and found Sir duo crouching beside him. He couldn't make out his face but his eyes glimmered through the blackness. full of worry.
//Worry? for me?//
"Wufei! What happened, we heard the door close and then there was a thump and you were on the floor"
"I - I don't know" Wufei stammered. He wasn't going to tell the knight the real reason why he had collapsed.
//I collapsed! Heavens above how weak have I become?//
"Liar - what was the matter?"
"Nothing! I just don't like the dark that's all"
Duo pulled him into a crushing hug and whispered "Don't scare me like that - what would I tell the Baron!"
Don't scare me like that - what would I do without you - how would I forgive myself?
Wufei just closed his eyes and tried to block out the horrible images of his past that assaulted his mind.
"Come on - are you going to be okay?" Duo whispered. The slave nodded and Duo helped him to his feet. Then Duo jumped down through the hole. Wufei peered down after him, and Duo reached up his arms. "Here, I'll help you down" He said.
Wufei could jump down himself but he was still a little shaky after what happened and so he decided to let Sir duo help him down.
//Or maybe it was because you just want to have him hold you in his arms again...//
He shook that thought out of his mind as fast as possible.
When his feet touched earth he blinked and looked around. The room, if it could be called that, was lit only by dim lamp light. The place stank like piss and there was nothing but a bunch of crates, and some old sacking lying around, plus a few expensive looking jewelry items.
//Duo used to live here?//
There wasn't anybody in sight.
Duo raised his hand and knocked on the low ceiling.
Ratt-a-tat-tat-tat-ratt-a-tat-tat The hollow sound bounced around the room. Then several small heads slowly emerged from behind several stacks of crates. The children crept forward slowly, squinting through the gloom.
Duo stood still smiling warmly as he recognised the familiar faces. Then a boy, who looked about seven whispered "Is that? - Is it? - Are you?- gasp! DUO!"
"Nice to see you too Gary" there was several seconds of shocked silence then all at once The knight was surrounded by scruffy rag clad grinning dirty children. Wufei took several steps back, as the spot where Duo was became packed with children swarming from all corners of the basement. Wufei had no idea there were so many hiding places in the stark squat. The youngest children seemed more hesitant and wary, but the older ones pulled them out.
//I suppose that would be because they don't know him. Only the older ones would remember him//
He five steps backward and he was hidden in the shadows. One more step and his back met something warm and soft. It definitely Not the wall. Jumping slightly he hastily stepped away. Turning round he saw what - or rather who it was he had connected with.
The figure stepped out of the shadows. It was a boy, looked about 19. Straight dark hair which was parted in the middle. He was tall, well muscled but not exactly 'muscle bound' and he had dark brown eyes. It was the eyes that unnerved Wufei. Told him something was wrong. The man did not look happy to see duo, he was glaring out from under where the sides of his hair fell around the sides of his face and into his eyes like curtains. Wufei muttered a quick sorry and ducked over to where Hilde was standing grinning. He kept his eyes closely locked on the ground.
"Solo!"
Duo's lilting voice rang out over the exited chatter of the children. The knight extracted himself from the many small arms and strode over to 'solo'.
MY GOD! I haven't seen him for years!
Solo just glared, but Duo appeared unfazed by this. When the braided knight was only an arms length away from Solo he exclaimed warmly "It has been to long my friend!" without warning a fist snaked out and caught Duo smartly in the jaw. A shocked hush fell over the room as Sir Duo fell to the floor, stunned and Solo muttered harshly "How dare you show your face here - go back were you came from. You don't belong here anymore 'Sir' Duo. You made your choice." His voice was bitter and filled with passionate anger. He moved to continue beating the younger boy but a strong caramel arm blocked him. Wufei had flown across the room the moment he had seen what was happening.
"That's enough" Wufei said quietly.
"And what are you going to do about it? He's a trained knight! You're just a slave! If he can't beat me what makes you think you can?" Solo drawled.
"This" Wufei replied as Solo made a lunge for him. He stuck out his hip and helped him over, to fall to the dusty floor with a thud.
"So you're not only his fuck toy but his body guard as well?" Solo sneered "He didn't used to need a body guard, he used to be able to look after himself. But now that he's a noble and all guess he wouldn't want to break a nail or anything"
"He's not my fuck toy, my body guard! He's not even my slave!" Duo had gotten to his feet, a dark purple bruise blossoming on his cheek. He was furious!
Wufei skittered out of the way seeing the knight was now fully able to take care of himself.
How dare he? He must be jealous - but that's no reason to bring Wufei into this
A feminine voice interrupted from the other end of the room,
"Look 'solo' or whatever your name is - I don't care what happened in the past between you two, but Duo's a noble now - he could have you arrested for assault! You should be showing proper respect to ranks higher than yours - and judging by your ... humble surroundings I'd say that would be just about everyone except the slaves!" Hilde wasn't about to stand still and keep her mouth shut.
"Shut your trap bitch!" Solo was on his feet, his fists cocked ready.
"Solo what the hell is this all about? We used to be best friends! Hell I even named myself after you!"
//He named himself after Solo? what the- Ohhhh Solo as in single, Duo as in a pair. Geez they must have been close//
"Well you shouldn't have bothered." Solo spat. "Besides the 'Sir' you like to shove in front of it really makes it a little sour for my taste"
"So that's what this is all about, me becoming a knight? And your jealous" Duo's voice was calm but Wufei could see his eyes weren't.
"Jealous? Jealous?" Solo shrieked. "Why the fuck would I be jealous? - I'm not jealous of you. I'm angry because your a traitor!"
"Traitor?" Duo asked in disbelief.
"You knew what you were doing! When you let that bastard touch you on the shoulder with that sharp pointy little stick that he likes to wave around so much, you swore away everything you ever had. You used to despise the nobles just like the rest of us. It's because of them that we're sitting down here, homeless, parentless. They were the ones that forced our father's to go to war because they were to chicken to do it themselves. They're the ones that raise the taxes so that they can have extravagant feasts while we sit down here and starve. They're the ones that take everything we own so that we must steal just to get one measly meal a day! They're the ones that will kill us if we're caught! They force us into thievery and then punish us for it. You used to feel the same way. You used to hate that pompous prig of a baron sitting up on his cushioned seats just as much as me. Now I see you getting all jolly with him. Maybe your fucking him - I bet that's what it is! I see now everything that you said - everything! It was all a lie! First chance little Duo gets he worms his way in with them. All for the temptation of a warm bed at night! I hated the nobles so much, I just never imagined you'd join them. And then you waltz back in here like you own the world and expect me to welcome you with open arms just because you finally decided to grace us with your presence? You can go to hell for all I care - 'Sir" Duo!"
Wufei looked to the knight to see what his reaction was to the sudden outburst.
//I never thought he'd do something like that! He abandoned his only family! Maybe he isn't the Saint everyone makes him out to be....//
Wufei stared at the Knight that he had almost begun to worship over the last few days. He was seeing him in an entirely different light now. He couldn't believe he had abandoned his only family!
//But you know - I did too. Worse even, I let my wife die! Who am I to judge?//
Duo opened and closed his mouth several times before finally finding the voice to answer his oldest friend.
"That's not true. I never abandoned you. I know exactly what they do to you - raised taxes and all of that. I didn't accept the offer for myself - I did it for you, for them" here he gestured toward the children who were huddled together shocked at their beloved Solo's reaction.
"I did it because I wanted to make a difference. I did it because I knew people would listen to a knight more than they would a street rat! I never ever abandoned you. I came to find you every chance I got - but I had to leave because of the madness. I had to help. I sent a message to you - to meet me before I left. You never came. I thought it was because you had been held up or something. Don't hate because I'm a noble now. We can still be the inseparable duo everyone knew us to be."
"LIAR" Solo lept forward. Duo flung away his sword saying
"I won't fight you Solo"
"Then lie there like the wimp you are and I'll beat you anyway!"
"STOP FIGHTING"
a small voice screamed at the top of its lungs. Duo and Solo both looked down to where a small skinny girl with a mop of red curls was standing, tiny fists cocked and ready to protect her favourite knight."Cricket - get out of my way. This doesn't involve you" Solo growled.
"NO! Can't you see he's sorry. If you want to hurt him your gonna have to get through me first!"
"Your 6 years old do you really think you can hold me off?" Solo asked her.
" I can try!"
He bent down and picked her up by the collar, then gently placed her down on a crate.
"She might be only 6 but I'm 7 and you'll have to get through me too" A boy piped up, scurrying over to stand in front of Duo to. Cricket scrambled back to her original spot, grinning at the boy. Then one by one more and more of the children scampered over to stand in front of the knight.
"Don't you see Solo. If you fight me you'll lose their respect. You don't want that do you?"
Wufei looked up at Solo. Something flickered in his eyes and for a moment Wufei caught a childlike look of fear and confusion on his face. It vanished and was replaced by that hard unnerving glare.
Time seemed to hold still for a moment and then Solo turned away with a grunt. He walked away, and hauled himself up through the trapdoor. Then he was gone and Duo took a deep breath. He buried his head in his hands and paused. Then grinned at the kids smiling.
"Now where were we?"
but Wufei could tell it was a fake smile.
// So he didn't abandon them. He's not like that - I didn't think so. That just isn't him... But that doesn't change the fact that I did. Worse, I abandoned my entire clan. I let my wife down - I let them all down. Look at what I did to that girl - I - I ....no I can't even think it, let alone say it out loud. My soul can never be clean. Not after all I've done....//
So what do you think so far? I have a plan for this fic all written out but that Solo bit just popped out of nowhere! Oh well - It'll still fit! Okay so R&R tell me what you think.....should I continue this?
