Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX or 'At The Sign Of The Sugared Plum'

Chapter 7

Healing Herbs

The sun was shining brightly and casting its rays down on the multiple herbs and flowers that rioted the fields endlessly. Jaden couldn't tell what most of them were and he didn't care. Whenever Jesse told him that something was safe to use in bakery, he gathered a quantity of it to take home, but he was more focused on the bluenette than anything else. Jesse had a number of herbs in a small sack to take back to the mistress - so he'd said - and was now helping Jaden to gather a large amount of rosemary to take back to the bakery.

"It's said to help prevent the plague" Jesse told him. "And even if it's not helping anyone, at least it's not hurting them either."

"Think we can mix in with the bread or cakes?"

"Pretty sure you could."

"Sweet!"

A comfortable silence fell over the two boys as they gathered what herbs they needed, and eventually they turned to each other and agreed that it was time to start heading home. Jaden invited Jesse to come into the bakery and finally meet his cousin. The bluenette was hesitant, for the two had earlier agreed that their relationship - they had an unspoken bond which said they were together - would have to stay secret. Jaden smiled at his 'friend' and told him that Aster already knew that Jaden preferred males. This surprised Jesse, who'd never told anyone before Jaden.

"So is he really okay with it?" Jesse asked dubiously.

"Yeah, he said he doesn't care. He said that it just meant more whores for him."

"He likes whores, then?"

"Yeah. Well, at least he used to. Now he doesn't go to the whorehouses because he's afraid he'd catch plague if he did." Jaden sighed softly. "Two more houses are shut up in our lane. Three of our neighbours have died."

"The master says that he hasn't been so scared for many years - though he's so emotionless that you'd never know he was afraid. The mistress cries now. She says her children are going to die if she doesn't get well enough to travel soon."

"Lady Truesdale blames herself for her fever?"

"Alexis is like that" Jesse shrugged.

"Alexis?"

"That's her actual name, Jay. Generally, we call the master and mistress by their first names. They're not so vain that they mind, really."

"It's Zane Truesdale, isn't it? Her husband?"

"Yeah. Syrus, Zane's brother, has already gone and he sent a letter yesterday saying that he was waiting for them to arrive as soon as Alexis is well enough."

"I thought only two people could get Certificates Of Health?"

"Zane's staying here to take care of business matters. Alexis and her daughters are going away. They're going to say that the baby's newly born so she won't need a Certificate."

The two boys arrived at the bakery where Aster greeted them unenthusiastically, but when introduced to his cousin's boyfriend, he introduced himself to Jesse politely enough. Jaden breathed a sigh of relief that Aster didn't seem to take anything against Jesse, but instead seemed to like him well enough.

Unfortunately for the two, Aster was in a pretty mad mood and not up for conversation. When they enquired why, he only sighed and turned to Jaden, seeming sad. He kept his voice low as he spoke.

"Another house shut up, just down the lane."

"Who was it?" Jaden asked, scared.

"I'm sorry, Jaden" Aster muttered, and he looked away. "Hasselberry."

"Hasselberry!" the brunette gasped. "But he lives alone! That means that …"

"He was the one taken sick" Jesse whispered, taking Jaden's hand. Jaden held onto the bluenette for comfort; Hasselberry had become one of his good friends and he didn't want to see him suffer.

"Is he …when did you last see him?" Jaden whispered.

"Last night. I didn't see the house get shut up, though it's boarded up with that red plague cross on the door now. Jim told me" Aster said sadly. "He says it was almost certainly caught from Hasselberry's friend, who was taken sickly of the plague a few days ago. Hasselberry had seen him recently and told Jim about their walk."

"Who was the friend?"

"I don't know. Some servant from Redfern Manor."

"Redfern Manor!" Jesse gasped.

"What?" Jaden asked, puzzled. "What's wrong, Jess?"

"Redfern Manor hasn't been enclosed has it?" Jesse panicked.

"I don't know" Aster said. "The servant may have been taken to a pesthouse."

"I hope so" Jesse whispered.

"Why? Jess, who lives in Redfern Manor?" Jaden worried.

"The mistress' brother. Alexis has an older brother who's the head of Redfern Manor. Atticus Rhodes" Jesse told them. "If it's been enclosed, he'll be trapped in there, too. That would kill whatever spirit Alexis still has and she might …"

A silence fell over the three young men, but this time, it was the most uncomfortable silence they'd felt for a long time.

Please R&R