Gundam Wing

Disclaimer: I don’t own Gundam Wing;. I just borrowed some of the characters. Rated: NC-17

Reluctant Companion

Chapter 17

Betaed by Skippyscatt

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Wufei gathered his medicines and went to check on the burned boy. His mother was with him and so Wufei spoke to her as he checked on the burns.

"Well, they look very bad. But the look can be deceiving. In this case terribly so. He's not that badly burned. If you keep the burns clean he should heal with few scars." Wufei washed his hands again and dug into his bag for the jar of burn cream and more bandages. "Smear this on the burns, be generous. When you run out come to me for more. Keep the worst ones, the ones I have bandaged now, covered. These bandages can be washed, boiled and ironed dry. Do not hang them to dry, dust will settle on them and he'll get an infection. Understand me?"

The woman nodded. "Yes, I do. Thank you so much for tending to my boy. I'll be grateful for all my life. I'll follow your instructions diligently."

Wufei bowed slightly to the woman who returned a curtsey.

He gathered his things and headed back for the apothecary, just in time to see them moving the much abused tun.

Under Milliardo's direction, several men were attempting to get the tun on wheels. They were using a long pole as a lever and a barrel for a fulcrum. It wasn't working very well.

Every time the tun was high enough to slide the wheels under, it slid off the lever. The pole was just too short and too narrow. Milliardo was already sweating. He was also swearing like a teamster, much to the delight of his aides. The stable men were impressed with his vocabulary and originality.

Wufei walked over to look at the lever and fulcrum. "You need a wider lever. Is there a board around? One about eight feet long should do it."

Milliardo started to say something smart, bit his tongue to stop his words and went to find a board.

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By the time Milliardo returned with the requested board, Wufei had located a better fulcrum. So they tried again. This time the tun rose up creaking in protest and the wheels were maneuvered under it. It still took two tries but the tun was finally mobile.

After getting it across the yard and into position in front of the door to the lower level of the apothecary, Milliardo growled. The door was too narrow. He'd thought of that but had hoped the tun would fit. It didn't, by about two inches.

Wufei examined the door then the tun.

"You've got a real problem there. It's not going to fit. How heavy is it? I know it's too heavy to carry very far but ... if you could turn it on its side. It'll fit through the door."

Milliardo eyed the tun and the door. "You're right. But it's going to be a bitch to tip it up. Levers and all that only get you so far you know."

Wufei nodded. "You're right. Some times you have to rely on brute strength. So everyone will have to lift on it."

After a great deal of swearing and heaving they managed to get the tun onto its side. Now it was like a wheel, all they had to do was roll it down the stairs. One of the men wondered why they hadn't done this before.

"Because, we're taking a real chance of warping the bands. The damn thing will leak if that happens. Just make sure it doesn't bounce. We have to roll it slowly and very carefully."

Wufei suggested padding the stair case with straw to cushion the tun as they rolled it down. Milliardo greeted that suggestion with a nod and instructions to one of the stable men to get enough straw to do the job, remarking, "It won't hurt it and we can fork it up and return most of it."

Milliardo and the three men from the stable spent the next hour forking hay all over the stairs with a little help from Wufei who mounted into the hay wagon and forked it down to the ground so they wouldn't have to climb up and down. Then the real ‘fun' began. They had to get the heavy tun onto its side and maneuver it into the doorway. Wufei just got out of the way for that. Milliardo rather hesitantly said that he was a bit small to be wrestling tuns, which made Wufei snicker. Milliardo demanded to know what was so funny and was told that it would wait until the evening.

"Well, all right, but don't think you're going to get out of telling me a story. Now, if you'd just watch to make sure no one trips, slips or otherwise commits suicide, I'd really appreciate it."

It took them nearly two hours, with a rest at each half landing to get the tun down the stairs and into the big room. Milliardo had marked out where he wanted it, right over three support columns somewhat to one side of the room. This left plenty of room to walk all the way around it but it wasn't right in the middle of the room.

Wufei looked around and realized that Milliardo had done a good job of organizing the new brewery. He'd actually chalked lines on the floor to mark out what went where. Wufei nodded his head in appreciation. Milliardo was meticulous about his duties now. A few smacks here and there had made him much more aware of things. Not that he hadn't been willing before, just not taught to keep track of some things.

"What is going here? And why do you have marks there?" Wufei pointed to the two places he had questions about.

Milliardo walked over to see where Wufei was pointing.

"I'm having granaries built for the barley. I want two of them and there's where I'm going to put the casks of hops. Barrels of malt will go here. I'm trying to put things where we can work all the way around the storage so we don't have old stuff sitting around. Especially the hops and barley. And I'm trying to put everything over a pillar or two even. Here's where I'm going to lift up a floor tile to draw up the water. Too bad we can't figure out some way to do it that's easier than buckets."

Wufei paced off the area carefully. "I think I could figure out something. You'd have to put the mechanism closer to the wall and reinforce the floor. But ... I may have an idea. I'll have to work on it a bit."

Milliardo started to reach for Wufei, dropped his arms and flushed. "I'd appreciate that and I'm sure my helpers would too."

Wufei sighed. "What were you going to do?"

Milliardo hung his head. "I was ... going to ... hug you. I know that's not what a slave should do. I'm sorry."

Wufei gazed at Milliardo for a moment. "I'm sorry too. I would have enjoyed it very much."

Milliardo raised his head and blinked at Wufei. "I'm all sweaty."

"I don't mind. When you're done here, come into the yard. We'll have a bit of a workout."

"It would be nice. I'll try to finish quickly. The carpenter is going to come measure up for the bins and the pallets and racks for the kegs and barrels. It shouldn't be too long."

Wufei nodded and went up the stairs.

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"Sir? Did you need me?"

Milliardo looked up and nodded. "Yes, but don't call me sir. I'm only a slave. Master Wufei owns me."

The carpenter took a good look at Milliardo and shrugged. "You're a Peacecraft or I'm a donkey's uncle. Never heard of one of you ... oh. Well, then. Never mind and how can I help you?"

Milliardo watched as understanding dawned in the carpenters eyes. He wasn't rude or even impolite, he just got very businesslike. Milliardo showed him the marks on the floor and explained exactly what he wanted.

"Well it would be a little easier if you lined the granaries up against the side wall. I could use the wall for one side."

Milliardo shook his head. "I'm sorry. It's not good for the grain. And it makes it really hard to get all the grain out. I want them to be made so that they can be completely disassembled for cleaning. I don't want any soured or mildewed grain left to spoil the next batch."

The carpenter nodded his understanding. "That's wise and makes my job a great deal easier. I can build the pieces in my shop, check them for fit and just reassemble them here. As to the pallets for the kegs of hops, I think racks would be better. Better air circulation around the kegs. And barrels don't need anything in the way of racks or pallets. You really need a chock to hold the bottom barrel from rolling, then you just stack them, but not too high. And that keeps the barrels rotated. See? You don't wind up with a barrel in the back souring on you."

Milliardo thought about it for a moment. "You're right. Thank you for the idea. Before you set the bins up, we need to go into the cistern and make doubly sure that the marks are in the right places. I want them directly over a support."

"Sure thing, I'll send one of my apprentices down to check. I'll get started on this. It shouldn't be more than three or four days. The work is simple, there's not that much of it either. But I have another job before you."

"That's fine. I have to order some of the ingredients and set up a pump. Master Wufei is going to work out something. And I have to clean the cistern again and fill it. And ... but you're not interested in a list of all my chores."

The man laughed. "Actually, I am. I'm fond of my beer. Glad to see someone setting up a brewery worth the name. That stuff cook was turning out was sour as an old maids face. I'll send a journey man to help set up the bins and racks. You need barrels or kegs, see my brother. He does good work. An' I wouldn't say so if it wasn't so, brother or not. I'll measure up and get started."

Milliardo shrugged. "I'm not too worried about exact measurements. Just do the best you can. I better go. Master is expecting me. Thank you." Milliardo offered his hand without thinking. The master carpenter just shook it without comment and left.

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Milliardo ran for the yard where the guardsmen worked out. He wasn't worried about getting in trouble for making Wufei wait. Wufei had said that he could take his time. He just ran because he could. He'd found that he enjoyed running, now that he didn't have any dignity to protect.

He burst into the yard and ran up to Wufei. "Here I am. What are we going to do today?"

Wufei laughed softly. "Where's the fire?"

"In my heart. Now ... what?"

"I'm going to teach you how to use a bo staff. You'll like it, I think."

They spent the next three hours working with the six foot long poles. Milliardo found that he was very good with it. His long arms and legs gave him considerable leverage and his strength allowed him to strike quickly. He didn't, however, have the skills necessary to do more than keep Wufei from totally defeating him.

Wufei finally called a halt to their workout.

"Good! Enough. Come on, I'm tired and I want my supper. But I'm not eating in all this dirt. We both need a good bath. Let's go back home."

Milliardo tossed Wufei a hunk of sacking and took another for himself. They wiped off sweat and dust then got a drink of water. Wufei went over Milliardo's mistakes with him, smiling as he groaned over some of the more foolish ones.

"Well, now that my ego is completely crushed, bath?"

Wufei smacked Milliardo in the head, saying. "You're so needy. And yes, bath. Please. I stink."

They headed back for the apothecary, and Milliardo spent much of the walk trying to convince Wufei to run. He finally admitted that he didn't like to run that much because it made his feet hurt. Milliardo immediately apologize. Wufei shook his head, saying he didn't see any need. He, Milliardo, was allowed to have activities outside of what Wufei liked.

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They bathed and ate the food that someone set out on the table in the kitchen area. Wufei picked up a book and settled to read. Milliardo sat at his desk to work on his list of supplies for the beer. They spent the rest of the evening in companionable silence.

"I'm done in. Bed?"

Milliardo looked up from his work with a yawn. "Hum! I guess so. I'm more tired than I thought. I need to get to sleep soon. I've got a cart load of work to do tomorrow. And you promised to see about some sort of pump or something."

"So I did. I've got two ideas. I need to see the cistern itself before I decided which."

While they were talking they made their way to the bed chamber.
Milliardo carefully braided his hair to keep it from tangling in his sleep. Wufei pulled his tie off his hair and brushed it out then rebraided it. Wufei turned to Milliardo and put a hand on his shoulder. Milliardo lay down on the bed and smiled, that special smile he saved for Wufei alone.

Wufei leaned down and kissed Milliardo on the mouth. The gentle way he did it made Milliardo lift his head to follow when he drew back.

Wufei sighed. "I'd really like to but I'm so tired I'll probably fall asleep mid stroke."

Milliardo laughed softly. "Me too. And snoring while your master is trying to keep you interested is a sure way to earn his displeasure. And a smack or two."

"Not from me. If you fall asleep, no matter how tired you are, it's surely my fault. Roll over and go to sleep."

"Yes, master. As you will it, master. Anything to please, master."

Wufei chuckled softly. "Enough, saucy slave. That's one master for each sentence. Excessive. Sleep now."

Milliardo laughed again and obediently rolled over. They were asleep in moments.

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The next few days were full of activities. Milliardo gave his supplies order to Wufei, who staunchly refused to order malted barley, malt powder or yeast from an outside supplier. When Milliardo saw the prices he agreed. Although he finally convinced Wufei to buy some starter yeast as all their yeast was for bread, one of the reasons the beer was sour and thin.

When Wufei found out that the yeast residue from the beer made better bread than the wild yeast they had now, he was convinced to agree. Milliardo cheated a bit and ordered plenty, it would keep in the cold of the deep chamber they'd found beside the cistern. It was lined with stone shelves set in tiers and plainly meant for cold storage. Both Milliardo and Wufei wondered why it had been abandoned.

The carpenter finished his work and installed the bins and racks, the chocks were nothing but wedges of wood held in place with pins. Milliardo was pleased to see that the man had also made shelves to put along part of one wall.

After it was all set up Milliardo swept the floors again and checked to make sure the cistern had water in it. It did, but it was only about a third full, which meant that the water level was nearly fifteen feet below the floor. He had sighed and gone to find Wufei.

Wufei had looked at the floor carefully then suggested putting the pump next to the tun. Milliardo had shaken his head, saying, "It really needs to be near the kettles. I've still got to get them moved and I can't do that until I set up the hearth. And I can't do that until I figure out how to vent the smoke. There's a hearth already but it's way too small. And I need a straight shot to the roof if I'm to put in a new one. This is a lot harder than I thought it would be."

Wufei nodded. "I know, but you're doing a very good job. As to the hearth. How about a stove?"

Milliardo nodded. "That would be even better. Shaped, maybe, to support the kettles better. I don't like slinging a kettle that big. If one of the legs buckles, you've got hot wort all over and burned people. Scalds hurt almost as much as fire burns." he got a look at Wufei's face. "Oh, damn. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

Wufei waved his hand. "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you thought of that. Now. Pump. I've got a couple of ideas but it'll depend on how close to the flooring the water is and what the master carpenter or smith is capable of."

So Milliardo lifted the tile to show Wufei the water level.

After examining the surface Wufei grumbled, "Well that puts a screw out of the question. You could lift water that high but there's not enough room in here for it. So it looks like a chain or rope pump is it ... if someone can make one."

Milliardo shook his head. "I have no idea what you're talking about. What the hell is a chain pump?"

So Wufei explained about the pump, which was nothing but a pipe with a chain or rope running through it. The chain was a large loop that ran over some sort of pulley. The axel had a crank in it and when the pulley was rotated the chain was pulled through the pipe. Dippers or flaps on the chain lifted the water and dumped it into a small trough which poured it into containers.
Milliardo decided that he needed to get the smith, the carpenter and Wufei together to figure out exactly how to do it. He made arrangements for them to come to the apothecary the next morning for a meeting. Wufei smiled proudly at his worry about how to word the requests so that the men wouldn't be offended by a ‘slave' calling for them. He finally said to just prefix the request with Master Wufei said. Milliardo gave him a grateful kiss and went back to worrying.

He was standing behind Wufei's chair when the masters came into the room the next morning. Wufei showed them the plans that he and Milliardo had drawn up. They put their heads together and between them decided that they could do the job. Not easily and not quickly but it could be done. They agreed on that, the rest was up in the air until they decided what parts would be made out of what materials.

The smith agreed that the chain and buckets should be made of metal and the pipe. They'd discussed clay but decided that it was too fragile for the use. The well housing, trough, and pulleys could be wood. The crank and axle combination had to be iron with a floating wooden handle to make turning it easier. But some parts were up for grabs so to speak. Milliardo finally told them to figure it out between themselves. If it didn't work out, they'd just try again.

Wufei smiled over his shoulder at Milliard. "See, not easy, but simple. You just tell a master craftsman what you need and let him do his job." he turned his smile on the crafts masters and nodded. "Thank you, sirs. Please be as quick as you can. We're almost out of beer." Milliardo stifled a snicker at the expressions on their faces. They were up and gone in a matter of seconds.

"That wasn't nice. And we're going to be out of beer long before the next batch is done. I have to malt the barley myself. That takes time. Then I have to make the wort and then ferment it. Then it has to age. Young beer is all well and good but some has to be aged and I like a cold brew as well. So ... I'm wondering if there isn't some way to get barrels down into the cold room. I really want to examine it carefully. I'd like to try to figure out why that cistern was abandoned. Where did that gold come from and why ..." Wufei had winced slightly at the mention of the gold. "Oh, get over it. You're forgiven ten times over. Come on. I want you to come with me to go over that cold room."

Wufei stood up and rubbed his arms. "It's getting colder. Summer is almost over. We need to get the brewery done soon. What are you looking for in the cold room? "

"Nothing in particular. But I'd really like to know where that gold came from and why they used a perfectly good cistern for a garbage dump and why did they abandon that whole level of a perfectly good stable."

"When I came here it was already abandoned. I took it over and fixed it up for myself. Heero said that it was too small for the horses they had. I don't understand why the keep had such a small stables. Doesn't make sense to me."

Milliardo opened the hidden door to the cold room. "Some keeps had two stables. One for war horses, in side the keep and another out side for the common horses. Like plow horses and riding horses. Maybe that's what this was."

They clattered down the stairs and entered the storage room before Wufei continued the conversation. The noise of their heels on the flagstone made talking almost impossible.

"Possible. Brrrrr!" Wufei shivered. "It's really cold in here."

"Yes, I was thinking of hanging some meat. Sausages maybe. But hams and bacon for sure. I have a recipe for a cure that I'd like to try. Granny down at the village told it to me."

"I have some recipes from my country that I'd like. Pickles and such. I miss the taste."

Milliardo nodded. "Write them out for me and I'll see what I can do. If they need crocks, we'll have to get our own. Cook won't want to let go of any of hers, they're always full."

Wufei nodded, then made an ‘0' of his lips and puffed out a breath. It didn't fog but the air was very cold. "It's very cold here. We could keep vegetables and fruit down here. Meat will definitely keep, even in the summer. We have to be at least twenty feet below the surface. All that water makes it even colder than normal."

Milliardo sighed. "Water. Damn. I have to clean out the inlets for the cistern. They're all clogged. The carpenter's apprentice took a good look around while he was checking the supports. He brought a little raft the master made and poled himself around down there for over an hour. He says that it's still nasty in the far reaches of the cistern. And that the water isn't as deep as I'd thought. We've got some serious cleaning to do before the water is safe. Dammit."

Wufei shrugged. "We'll just block the intakes completely, after we clean them out, pump the water out and clean. It's going to be a nasty job. One I'm not looking forward to at all."

Milliardo froze where he stood and turned to look at Wufei, a stunned expression on his face, "You're going to help?"

"It's for our household, isn't it?" Milliardo nodded, blinking like an owl in sunlight. "Then I'm going to help. I've done worse in my life."

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Several hours later they were both filthy, tired and disgusted.

Cleaning out the intake pipes had shown that there was plenty of water available the pipes had actually been blocked on purpose. They pulled the balls of straw and rags out of the pipes and checked to make sure there were no further blockages by pushing long poles into them. They were clear as far as the poles could reach and water was trickling in rapidly. Wufei measured the openings and called the numbers up to a man who cut plugs from soft wood for him. Milliardo shoved them into the pipes firmly, checking the fit by pulling on the attached rope handles.

The actual cleaning had been the truly nasty part. The muck in the bottom of the cistern had been hard enough when Milliardo cleaned it before that he'd mistaken the bottom layer for the floor. Now that there had been water in it for over a month the muck was just that. And it had to be removed.

So they started shoveling, and pumping or rather, bailing. Wufei had rigged up a simple method to get the water out. Three teams of men lowered buckets into the water, pulled them up and poured it into a trough which carried it into a bigger watering trough. From there it was easy to run the water in to a drain that led from a slop trough to the same drain that went from the apothecary above to the moat.

Milliardo knelt, ignoring the water and mud. "Wufei, come here. Look."

Wufei looked over Milliardo's shoulder to sigh at what he saw. "Looks like ... finger bones."

"Why would there be finger bones here? This ... this is ... and there's more." Milliardo was carefully scraping mud away as he talked. "I don't like this at all. Why would there be a body down here?"

"I'm not sure. Stop digging. We might me disturbing something ... religious?"
Milliardo snorted. "I'm familiar with all the religions of this region. None of them would sanction burial in a water cistern for any reason. I'll leave it for now. But I want the cistern bailed out completely. I want it cleaned to a fare thee well. As soon as we figure this out."

They explained the situation to the others and climbed out of the cistern. After another round of explanations, they went in search of Cook.

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"You two ain't coming into my kitchen in that state. I don't care what you want. Out! Out! Come back when you're clean."

Wufei looked down at himself and then at Milliardo. They were truly filthy. Wet, muddy and in clothing so old and worn it looked ready for the rag bag.

"Sorry, really. We'll be back as quickly as we can. But in the mean time could you be thinking of all the gossip about the apothecary? Everything, anything." Wufei put on his best pleading look.

"Oh, all right. I'll rack my poor brain for you. Go stick your head under the pump. And put on dry clothing. It's getting cold enough that you could catch your death of cold. Scat! I'll send someone with clean stuff for you."

So they went to the well and pumped water over each other to get off the muck. Wufei tried to keep covered but Milliardo just shook his head.

"Don't hide. There's nothing to be ashamed of. You'll see." Wufei gave him a hesitant look. "If I'm wrong you can sell me."

"As if I would. But ... oh, very well. If they don't react well, you'll owe me."

"What?"

Wufei gave Milliardo a considering look then grinned. "Oh, a dozen blow jobs?"

Milliardo laughed. "As you wish. Now give me that wet shirt."

Wufei stripped off his shirt and handed it to Milliardo, who'd stripped off his clothing while they were talking. He was standing behind the well-surround wall, something most men did from time to time. A simple red rag told women to stay away, a green one told the men the same thing. Milliardo took the shirt and wrung it out then draped it over the wall beside his own.

"Sir? Oh, there you are. Cook sent me to get clothing for you. I knew you were working on something dirty so I dug out some old stuff. I hope you don't mind. I sort of left things a bit tossed about." the squire handed the folded clothing to Milliardo who tugged a pair of smalls up over his hips. He tied the drawstring negligently leaving the smalls in danger of sliding back down over his hips. Wufei grumbled, "exhibitionist' and tossed his trousers at his face.

Milliardo caught them and started wringing them out. The squire made a soft squeaking sound then said, "Ow! My lord, that must have hurt a bitch. You want a different set of smalls? Those are kinda rough."

Milliardo smiled at the boy while Wufei just shook his head in a rather bemused way and told him these were fine.

They finished dressing and went back to talk to Cook.

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"Well, this is all I remember. I was just a girl, cook's helper, I was. Head Scullery Maid, they called it. So. The sickness came, everybody sick, dying all over. Master said to make the Lady Stables into a charnel house. Take the sick people there, care for them. Mistress disappeared right about then, Master was just furious. After the plague went, he had it closed up and it stayed that way until you came and claimed it. Really hurt Master that his oldest son went with his mother, rather than stay. And, that's all I know." Cook looked around with her usual sixth sense and snapped, "Girl, if I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times, don't run in the kitchens. Go back and walk."

Milliardo sighed, Cook really reminded him of his first governess, she'd been dismissed for making him pick up something he'd thrown, or dropped, he didn't remember exactly what. He still missed her from time to time.

"Well, what was that great gust of wind for?"

"The foolishness of youth. Can I have a pie?"

Cook snorted in amusement and handed over the pie and a cup of tea. She gave Wufeihis treat and settled back to fill out her tale while they listened, asked questions and stuffed themselves with tea, pie and cookies.

An hour later both men were full, informed and still in the dark as to who the bones could be.

As they headed back to the apothecary, Milliardo did some thinking.

"Wufei?" Wufei just grunted. "Can you tell anything from looking a bones?"

Wufei considered carefully. "Some things. I'm not sure what you're asking."

"I'm not either. Just ... look at them and see what you can find out. It's someplace to start."

"Fine. I'll see what I can figure out. Might be able to tell how they died. Depends if they were murdered or died a natural death."

"Death by plague is natural?"

Wufei gave a small mirthless laugh. "Yes, it is. Having a sword shoved through your spine is not."

"Well." Milliardo tugged at his braid. "I see. I'll go back to overseeing the cleaning. If you need anything just holler."

Wufei shivered. "No thanks. The echoes give me the creeps."