Ludi

The Delivery

The monks were already waiting in the dining rooms. Some were unable to support themselves, so they were helped by others, as servants prepared small portions of food in the kitchens, arranged in bowls, on a long counter, as WuFei had ordered. All that food had passed through Quatre's hands, to the point where he couldn't do it anymore. He was tired, but could still stand, and was not as physically ill as when tested with water. 

Each monk was served with a small bowl, and they ate as instructed to do. The sick felt better and the others had their strength recovered. Quatre rested in a corner, drinking milk, observing how each monk recovered, and how each one revered him in gratitude and returned to their work. 

Once everyone was gone, and as the servants cleaned the dining rooms, Quatre set out to go to the kitchens. 

"What will you do, Master Quatre?" 

WuFei had gone after him. He had not seen or felt it, as was regularly the case with the people around him. He did not feel in optimal condition, but still wanted to continue helping. 

"When will food be delivered?" Quatre asked thoughtfully. 

"This afternoon ... people have already started to come, and gather at the doors of the temple" 

"I want to do the same thing I did with the monks' food..." 

"Master Quatre, it's too much..." WuFei felt bad for demanding so much of the young master, and even more so when he knew that he was trying harder than he should. 

"The monk in the crops, only ate a little of what I took ... would it be enough if I do it with a single fruit from each basket? If it can be divided between each member of each family, would it be enough?" 

"Master Quatre..." WuFei noticed the tiredness of the young man, and his concern, and something deep inside him told him that he would not change his mind "Master Quatre, today was just an occurrence... I already spoke to the monks, to observe each other, especially the sick, to know how long the effect of what they did lasts, since we don't know if it is something permanent..." 

"Even so... even for a month, for a week, or for a day, if I can do it..." 

"Master Quatre..." WuFei saw the determination in those big celestial eyes, and decided to put his own conditions to the help that he offered him "Master Quatre, we will do what you ask, with one condition, which I hope you will fulfill. Food delivery becomes chaotic... people are desperate... they have kidnapped Green Hands Monks, thinking that this will solve their crop problems, but that is not the case... even so we continue helping, because it is the path, we all have chosen. This help we provide is also a danger to us. If outsiders find out that you are here..." The very idea of what could happen to the master, made him turn his stomach "we will do what you ask, on the condition that you don't show yourself under any circumstances... you should not be recognized by the outside world... not yet. We will say that we have managed to slightly heal the disease, nothing else. If something goes wrong in this delivery, you must be kept hidden, no matter what" 

Quatre nodded happily, wondering how terrible was that task? 

In the late afternoon, people crowded into the outer doors of the temple. The strongest and most daring servants were sent to form the delivery lines. Only one member of each family could enter. Other servants set up tables where they would have baskets to deliver, and placed half of a perfect fruit in each basket. 

WuFei hadn't let him do more. He was already tired, and he didn't want him to exhaust his strength. 

Quatre watched everything from a tower near the delivery tables. He wanted to be as close as possible, but WuFei had warned him not to be seen. People began to enter. WuFei was at the entrance making sure everything was fine and there were no problems. 

Those who wanted to enter by force were crowding into the entrance trying to sneak in to get food, and WuFei was holding a wooden spear to protect the monks, however, as soon as people entered through the outer doors, something slowed them down and stopped to wait near the walls. Inexplicably, they made their assigned pass themselves, and the monks instructed them to share the perfect half of fruit with all members of their families, even a small bite. 

The delivery went smoothly, and WuFei didn't understand what had happened. This occasion had been too quiet. Too much. No one in his despair had invaded the temple. No one had fought over the place in the delivery line. No one was hurt. Even the children sent on behalf of their family, either because their parents were sick, or were orphaned children, had received their share, whereas on other occasions they were robbed and forced to beg or steal in order to survive. 

"Oh! For so long I didn't feel this good!" Said one villager to another as they left the temple with their rations. 

"I don't know why, but this time entering the temple made me feel different..." replied his companion. 

WuFei was stunned; Quatre was close, very close. 

"Nishi!" He called a temple guard. "Take charge, there are few people left, I must check something" 

The guard took WuFei's place, while he accelerated his pace little by little, so as not to disturb the other inhabitants of the temple. Everything had been so quiet ... He walked through corridors and stairs towards the tower that Quatre was in. 

Everything had been so quiet… only a few meters separated him from the door behind which Master Quatre was protecting himself. 

A slimy black puddle crossed under the door into the hallway. When he opened the door, he saw Quatre sitting against the wall, under the window closest to the delivery area, with his mouth half open, dirty, his clothes dirty in front until forming a blackish puddle on his robe that joined the large puddle that WuFei was treading at the time. Quatre was still throwing that liquid out of his mouth, and WuFei couldn't get it out of there yet. If he did, the few remaining people could try anything ... it was Quatre who stopped them. Terrible mistake he had made in allowing him to be so close to that place. 

He punched the wall and went out for a few minutes just to ring a bell, then go back and take Quatre in his arms and quickly lead him to his room. The servant master approached WuFei and saw how dirty the master was. 

"Gagi, prepare Master Quatre's bath, his clothes and a fire... send two well-protected servants to clean the west room of the inner portico, they must be well covered and use alcohol and fire... there should be no trace of what is there... I will put aside everything that must be burned... ask the kitchen to bring milk and black berries, now" 

"Yes, Master WuFei" 

The master of servants urgently left WuFei, and did everything he was asked to do, while in the delivery area, at the sound of the bell, about 20 guards lined up alongside the monks, putting themselves on guard while they waited for the citizens to come out. Everyone wondered what had happened for such security, but nobody tried to do anything out of the allowed, and until the last one left, they stayed in place, until the doors were completely closed. 

While at the entrance to Quatre's room, a servant with his hands covered helped WuFei take off his shoes, while holding Quatre in his arms. 

"I must not dirty Master Quatre's room, make sure you leave it directly on the fire and that it does not dirty anything, I will leave everything to burn out here" 

The servants left and others left the bathroom leaving a straw basket, to put the dirty clothes. 

Once alone, WuFei placed the young man on a wooden bench in the gigantic bathroom and began to undress him, ignoring his gone eyes. He cleaned his mouth well with the clean parts of his clothes, and threw them into the basket, after he removed his, leaving only underwear, and taking young Quatre, they got in to the waters of the gigantic bathtub, sitting behind the Young Quatre holding him on his lap. 

With a sponge he gently began to run water over his gone face, while keeping his body submerged in the warm waters. He passed the sponge through his arms and chest, also through his neck and along his torso, as long as his arm allowed. 

"Nh... WuFei... the... temple..." Quatre whispered what his strength allowed him "I tried to get out but I couldn't..." 

"Master Quatre, you finally react…" WuFei pressed him a little against his body, his heart going a thousand times an hour, feeling relieved that he hadn't been so late, "Master Quatre, can you stand up?" 

"I… I'll try…" 

WuFei felt Quatre try to move, but was unsuccessful. His muscles were so drained that he couldn't hold himself. 

With Quatre in his arms, WuFei stood up and sat him on the wooden bench, covered him with a huge towel as he placed one over his wet hair. After drying Quatre delicately, he took him back in his arms and carried him to the bed where he left him semi-sitting and then put on the clothes that the servants had left. 

Quatre was very flushed, he felt useless ... he couldn't even stand up, nor did he feel the strength to move his lips. His throat and ribs ached a lot, from all the unconscious force he had exerted to throw away everything that had accumulated inside his stomach. 

WuFei left him only a moment to go to the bathroom and then return dressed in light clothes, along with a pair of bowls that the servants had left on the table. One had milk and the other had strange black berries. 

"Master Quatre" WuFei sat on the bed next to him and held out the bowl of fruit "You must eat this..." he said leaving the bowl on his lap, but Quatre could only watch him. 

"I can't..." whispered Quatre, as his hands trembled in a clear sign of trying to move them, while tears began to roll down his cheeks "I can't move..." WuFei took the bowl and taking a berry he put it in the mouth of the young man, who, resigned, let it drop "I can't do it" 

WuFei didn't know what to do… his muscles were already too drained. Quatre remained with his eyes closed, trying to move his body, but could not. What had happened had absolutely collapsed all his muscles, and then an idea occurred to him. 

"Master Quatre, sorry for what I going to do, but you must eat this or you'll get worse..." 

"What are you going to do?" WuFei arranged Quatre a little more reclined, only with his head raised. the young master was clearly embarrassed by all the fiddling in order to accommodate him "wait... what are you doing...?" 

WuFei put a berry into his mouth to chew on, then approached the young man, making him open his mouth wide enough to pass the food. He had to rest his lips on his, and Quatre kept his eyes closed, knowing there was nothing he could do to stop him. He only felt his warm lips on his own and how the food passed through his aching throat. It was hard for him to handle his mouth. WuFei pulled away from him, and noticed that Quatre was red up to his neck, and was trembling with tears in his eyes. 

"I'm sorry, master Quatre... I must do it... your organs will collapse from the poison and if that happens, there's nothing we can do..." 

Quatre squinted at WuFei, who was also clearly blushing, while looking at him with sadness and concern. 

"Keep- going..." Quatre stopped making force, and relaxed as much as he could under the circumstance. He had never been kissed, but this didn't count ... this didn't count.