Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Honor-Bound ❯ Politics ( Chapter 47 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: amiko 16 
Wufei's friends try to get as much information about the people of Yeong as possible. Wufei meets with the Council.
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Action / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 04.18.2007 | Pages: 5 | Words: 5.8K | Visits: 815 | Status: Work In Progress
Wufei's friends try to get as much information about the people of Yeong as possible. Wufei meets with the Council.
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Action / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 04.18.2007 | Pages: 5 | Words: 5.8K | Visits: 815 | Status: Work In Progress
Honor-Bound
-Amiko
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Warnings: This-- like 99.9% of my fics --is a shounen ai fanfic. As in boy luv. With a possible lemon in the future. If you have zero tolerance for that, then am-scray. And it's a Wufei-centric fic, for anybody that for some reason despises that character.
And now that that's out of the way, for the rest of you... This is an AU fic. It's set in the future, yeah, with space travel and all that jazz. But the GW storyline has been tossed carelessly out the window. I'm just playing w/ the characters. Usually I'm not one for AU fics, but this idea seized me and wouldn't leave me alone ><; This fic also contains foul language, violence, and other such things. Oh, and possibly character bashing. (in other words, I hope you're not a big Relena or Treize fan, cuz I'm sure as hell not)
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Chapter 47: "Politics"
"I don't like leaving Wufei at a time like this," Quatre fretted as he trailed after his friend through the expansive gardens on the palace grounds. "Imperial attitude or not, he's just not used to dealing diplomatically with these kinds of people."
"He'll be fine," Trowa assured him, glancing around to check the guards' patrols. "Heero's with him, and his grandfather's presence should be enough to keep his tongue in check."
"But the Council is very set in its ways," Quatre insisted, practically trotting to keep up with the other boy's longer strides. "And they're used to getting what they want. As soon as there's a disagreement, they're going to slam into Wufei like a lead wall, and sparks are going to fly. If he angers the Council, he's...well..." He tripped over a flagstone in his haste.
Trowa caught him deftly by the elbow and steadied him. "Screwed," he finished. "Calm down, Quatre. I'm sure his grandfather or his aunt warned him how to deal with the Council."
"It's not just that," Quatre protested. He lowered his voice. "I can feel it-- not everyone is happy at his return."
Trowa's brows drew together as he leaned in closer to keep their conversation private. "That was expected," he admitted in a murmur. "Wufei's grandfather isn't getting any younger, and he tires quickly. The Council has held the majority of the reins in Wufei's absence. I doubt the thought of a pig-headed young monarch pleases them much."
"No," Quatre agreed. "Well... some of them are glad to see him. Others, not so much. But it isn't just the Council." He looked around with a small shudder. "There's an underlying animosity here that I can't pin down. I can't track it to its source, but Wufei is the target."
Trowa frowned, eyes flickering to the side as a pair of guards headed their way on one of their rounds. Keeping his loose grip on Quatre's elbow, he steered him off the path towards a bamboo fountain practically hidden by low shrubs and took a seat on the stone bench there. "How bad is it?"
Quatre shook his head, reaching up unconsciously to place his palm againt his chest, over his heart. "It's muffled," he said quietly. "It's being suppressed, which means they'll be acting perfectly normal to Wufei's face. And doubly careful around the four of us. Everyone knows how paranoid the Guardians can be, and how seriously we take our mission." He hesitated, flicking his friend a significant look.
"Mariemaia," Trowa said, mouth grim.
Quatre nodded. "She has to be part of it. I still can't believe she's here... and what her father proposed..." His lips pressed together tightly in disgust. "After what she almost did onboard Howard's ship, I'm surprised Heero managed to keep his head. Much less prevent Wufei from snapping her neck like a twig." He took in a deep breath to cool his temper. "Still, she has to be upset. Kushrenada and his daughter have been trying this whole time to force Wufei into a marriage with her, and within a few moments Lord Chang destroyed all their plans."
"We should keep an eye on Relena," Trowa noted. "Mariemaia had no problem poisoning her before, and if she was willing to kill Wufei's mother, there's no reason she wouldn't try the same with Relena to get her out of the picture. If something did happen to Relena, politically, Mariemaia is the next best thing."
"She's just a child," Quatre protested, affronted. "A scheming, murderous, mentally unstable child, but still a child. She's way too young for Wufei!"
Trowa's mouth twitched into the start of a smile despite himself at his friend's indignance. "Our duty to the heir's betrothed is plain enough," he pointed out. "Even without the threat of Mariemaia, we've always been required to extend some sort of protection to Wufei's wife, whoever she might be. No one will think it's strange if we keep her in sight at all times."
"Speaking of which..." Quatre glanced over his shoulder anxiously, towards the main building.
"She's with her father. There are guards outside the door. Wufei told her to stay there until one of us comes to get her. She agreed easily enough; she knows what Mariemaia is capable of."
Quatre winced. "It's still a bit much to accept," he admitted. "I mean... Relena is supposed to be Wufei's bride?? I didn't see that coming."
Trowa shrugged to show his own ignorance. "None of us did. We should have. Why else would her father and Wufei's grandfather insist on her accompanying us?"
"He isn't happy about it."
"They don't get along very well," Trowa reminded him.
"Yes, well..." Quatre shifted on the bench uncomfortably. "Did you notice the tension when he was telling her to stay with her father? Naturally they're both a bit nervous around each other now. But she seems to be angry at him. She barely said two words to him, and wouldn't look him in the face. I think he said something to offend her again."
Trowa snorted quietly. "Nothing new there. Besides, I doubt she's any happier about the arrangement than he is."
"..Ummmm..."
Trowa's eyebrows lifted. "What?"
Quatre bit his lip, glancing at the older boy out of the corner of his eye. "Actually... I don't think she, um... minds."
Trowa blinked. Then blinked again. "I thought she liked Heero," he said bluntly.
Quatre almost laughed at his friend's forthrightness, but stopped himself just in time. "She did. But he didn't give her the time of day, he handled her roughly, and was flat-out harsh with her. At least Wufei has always been honest with her, even if he was sometimes a bit brutal about it. And she seems to think he has more honor and compassion than she originally gave him credit for. According to Hilde, she tried to befriend him when they first met. They share similar views on war and fighting in general, after all."
"It wouldn't be so bad a match, actually," Trowa pointed out. "In a lot of ways, they fit together. They could probably actually learn to grow fond of each other if..." Trowa hesitated.
Quatre's eyes lowered sadly. "Yeah," he muttered. "Maybe. If he wasn't already..."
Trowa got to his feet abruptly, startling the other boy. "We shouldn't be wasting time talking about Wufei's personal life," he said shortly, face unreadable once again. "He gave us a job to do."
"Uh- right!" Quatre got up quickly, forcing the conversation from his mind. "Where should we start?"
"You find his old nursemaid, Yingtai, then see if you can get some of the newer guards to open up to you. They probably won't even realize who you are." He nodded towards the gates. "I'll start out there. We'll probably have more luck with the rest of the colonists than the people in here."
"I thought Duo was going to question the citizens."
"It will be quicker if we work separate sides of the colony and meet in the middle. Hilde volunteered to help you in here. She's no one important, and someone might open up to her more easily than they would to any of us. And perhaps some of the guards will be more willing to speak to a woman, anyhow. But Heero's well-known to the Chang Clan; he'll be the best one to speak to Wufei's relatives."
"Right. That leaves the Council."
Trowa nodded, gaze drifting towards the main house. "We'll leave that battle to Wufei."
~+~
The childlike voice at her back made the hairs on the back of Hilde's neck stand on end as she strode down the hall in search of her quarry.
"Hilde! It feels like such a long time since we've seen each other!"
Hilde turned slowly, putting her hands behind her back to hide the way she was clenching her fists. She stared at the girl hurrying to catch up to her and couldn't find it in herself to even force a fake suggestion of a smile. "Mariemaia," she responded, tone carefully neutral. Her gaze flicked towards the man trailing behind the small girl. He was dressed in a freshly pressed suit, which was strange. Hilde had assumed any men with Kushrenada would be dressed in uniform. When he moved his arm, she glimpsed an empty holster in his belt. Bodyguard, then? She sent a silent prayer of thanks that visitors were disarmed before being allowed entrance to the palace.
"I'm glad we have this opportunity to speak again," Mariemaia was saying, all smiles. "Walk with me?" She moved as if too loop her arm through the older girl's, but Hilde turned away deftly, avoiding the touch and pretending not to notice.
"I'm busy," she said, her voice flat in an attempt to keep the anger from it. "Can it wait?"
Mariemaia pretended not to notice the brushoff and quickened her pace slightly to stay abreast of Hilde. "Oh, this will only take a moment!"
Hilde turned her head slightly to look back at the man in the suit as he followed a few feet behind. He offered a thin little smile and gazed back with cold gray eyes. Suppressing a shudder, Hilde looked away. "Who's that?"
"Oh, that's just Phillips," Mariemaia said dismissively, flapping a hand in the air. "He works for my father. Just pretend he isn't even there."
Hilde could think of no way of getting rid of the girl that didn't involve violence or out-right threats, either of which would probably earn a swift retaliation from the sharp-eyed bodyguard. "What do you want, Mariemaia?" she demanded wearily.
Mariemaia widened her eyes innocently. "I just wanted to talk!"
"Talk."
"Yes." Mariemaia offered her sweet little girl smile-- the same smile that had won Hilde's affection when they'd first met. Hilde's fingernails dug painfully into her palms. "I wanted to make sure everything was all right with us," Mariemaia said earnestly. "After those lies the others told and the things that horrid Maxwell did to me..." she sniffled pitifully for a moment, then put on a brave front. "I don't want to even think about it. I just wanted to make things right again."
"Right again?" Hilde repeated sharply. She stopped suddenly and turned on her heel to glare down at the startled child. "You can't 'make things right again', Mariemaia," she said in a low, angry voice. "Ever. You tried to have Wufei's mother killed. You lied to all of us. You poisoned him and Relena. It's pretty obvious you don't give a damn about any of us. So what's this really about?" Mariemaia opened her mouth, but Hilde didn't even give her the chance to respond. "Did you think you could get to Wufei through his friends? Is that it?"
"I just--"
"I've seen what you do to people you don't think twice about," Hilde growled. "Now you've suddenly got grudges against the people I care about." She jabbed her finger hard in the girl's chest. Phillips shifted meaningfully, but she ignored him. Holding Mariemaia's gaze, she made sure every word was clear and menacing. "Stay away from my friends, Kushrenada. Or I'll show you the meaning of 'diplomatic incident'."
Mariemaia smiled nastily. "Why, Hilde, are you threatening me?" she asked, voice ringing with mocking surprise.
"No. I'm warning you," Hilde hissed.
Phillips took a step forward, but Hilde was already turning and stalking off.
"Let her go," Mariemaia ordered sharply when Phillips looked ready to follow. Her face was dark with anger. "She talks big, but she's no real threat. Go. I want you to find out where the Senator's daughter is. Follow her, but don't let her notice you. I want to know where she sleeps, when she eats, who she talks to. Who's guarding her, and how often."
Phillips nodded slightly, cool gray eyes tracking Hilde's back as she continued down the hall. "And the boy?"
Mariemaia's lip twisted into an ugly sneer of hate, her little fists clenching at her sides. "Oh, don't worry, I have plans for him. He'll regret ever crossing me."
~+~
Heero crossed his arms over his chest as he watched his friend stalk past him for the fourth time. "Wufei. You need to calm down."
"I am calm," Wufei retorted, turning sharply and going over to crack open the door. He peeked out into the hallway, fingers drumming against the wood in agitation.
"You're the exact opposite of calm," Heero corrected mildly. "Stop having a panic attack. Your grandfather will do almost all the talking. Mingzhu said you're there to observe and learn. Unless someone speaks to you directly, you're not expected to participate."
"I can't avoid talking to the Council forever," Wufei grumbled, turning away from the door and heading restlessly towards the other side of the small room his aunt had ordered him to wait in until they were called for. "I'm going to have to deal with them constantly in the future. And right now it's important that I know where they stand on certain issues."
Heero snagged the other boy's elbow as he walked past and pulled him up short. "You can talk to them later, on an individual basis," he said. "It's a bad idea to confront them all at once about something unless you're sure of yourself and believe in what you're saying. If you want to question them honestly, catch them alone. For now, all you're expected to do is sit there and take it all in. Your grandfather will handle it."
"I'll be fine," Wufei insisted.
Heero snorted. "If you go in there this agitated, you won't be able to keep your mouth shut," he stated bluntly. "The minute they say something you disagree with, you'll speak up."
"What's wrong with that?"
"This is not the day to go head to head with the Council," Heero said firmly. "You're new. They're still..." he frowned, searching for the correct phrase.
"Feeling me out, yeah, I know," Wufei huffed, hands on his hips as he scowled weakly toward the door. "I know all that. I just... I want this to be over with." He took a deep breath. "They're going to discuss Kushrenada. And Milliardo. He's getting too close. They might ask Grandfather to deploy the Gundams. I can't let that happen." He glanced at his lover out of the corner of his eye. "You're the one who made that clear last night. I'm not going to let the past repeat itself. I don't know Milliardo's motives, but I'm not going to let them kill him before I hear his side of it."
"Last...?" Heero's eyes narrowed in surprise. "That was a dream," he said flatly.
Wufei frowned back uneasily. "...Are you sure?"
Heero eyed him a bit warily.
"I thought it was," Wufei muttered. "But if you remember it, too...."
Heero shook his head. "You're the one who sleepwalks."
"Har har." Wufei headed for the door again. "Damn it, what's taking so long?"
"You need to calm down," Heero repeated in a deadpan.
Wufei spun on his heel and scowled. "How do you expect me to do that?"
Heero cocked his head to the side, considering that for a moment. "...I have an idea," he said at last.
Wufei spread his arms wide. "I'm open to suggestions," he said with only a hint of sarcasm.
Heero nodded and walked past him, shutting the heavy door firmly.
Wufei blinked in confusion as a hard hand gripped him by the shoulder. "What? A massage? You must be jok--"
Heero tugged him backwards sharply, and Wufei grunted as his shoulderblades connected with the door. "Yuy--! Watch it!" he snapped. "You oafish--" His breath froze in his lungs and choked his words as he stared in wild disbelief at the boy who had abruptly dropped to his knees before him. Hands landing lightly on his hips made him jump nervously. He sputtered for a few moments, face flaming, then grabbed the other boy's hands hastily when they moved towards the string on his pants. "Yuy!" he hissed frantically. "What do you think you're--"
"I've never done this before," Heero admitted calmly, tugging his hands free from Wufei's desperate grip. "But it doesn't sound that difficult."
"Stop!!" Wufei tried to snatch at his pants, but Heero was already pulling the string to loosen them. Wufei's face felt as if it was on fire, and his heart was thundering in his ears. "Heero--"
"What?" Heero paused, glancing up at him through his bangs. "This will calm you down. You need to relax."
"I can meditate for that," Wufei insisted quickly, clutching at the hem of his pants. "Are you insane? What if someone comes in??"
"They won't," Heero said firmly, and gave the pants a quick yank, tearing them from Wufei's grasp and pulling them down his thighs.
"Stop--" Wufei gasped again, mortified. "You don't-- have to--"
Heero hesitated, fingers already gripping the edge of Wufei's boxers. He arched a brow. "What? You don't want me to?" He frowned slightly. "I won't bite--"
"That's not the point," Wufei stammered.
Heero seemed to realize that his lover's hesitance came from embarrassment, and promptly tuned out the protests, tugging the boxers down.
Wufei sucked in a quick gasp, eyes squeezing shut as warmth and moisture took him in. Heero gagged slightly, pulled back a moment later, frowned thoughtfully, then tried again more carefully.
Wufei found his fingers clenched in wild dark hair, his heart crashing against his lungs as he panted for breath.
JesusChrist
Warm, wet, suction.
Those three words would be bouncing around in the back of his head for the rest of the day. Possibly for the rest of the week.
A thready moan escaped his mouth before he could catch it, and Heero seemed to take encouragement from that, his fingers flexing possessively around Wufei's ass as the suction increased a bit.
It didn't take long before Wufei's legs began to tremble and the pleasure began to mount towards a breaking point.
At the last second he realized-- he should warn--
"I'm gonna--" he gasped, almost too late, fingernails digging into Heero's scalp as he struggled not to force himself deeper.
He came shuddering and still struggling for breath, and Heero waited a few moments before pulling back. Wufei forced his eyes open and watched in a kind of dazed fascination as Heero wiped off the back of his mouth with one hand, throat bobbing as he swallowed what little he'd been able to catch, his other hand finishing the job.
Wufei let his head thump back against the door and concentrated on breathing. He felt lethargic and satisfied, and when Heero got to his feet, he offered the other boy a vague grin.
Heero snorted and stole a quick kiss that left a slightly bitter aftertaste. "Relaxed?" he teased under his breath.
"Smartass," Wufei breathed, curling his fingers around Heero's waist and pulling him up against his own body.
"I'd ask if that was all right, but..." Heero's mouth twitched into something suspiciously like a smug smirk.
"Don't act so pleased with yourself," Wufei snorted, amused despite himself. His eyes tilted downwards. He could feel something hard pressing against his thigh. "What about...?"
Footsteps approaching down the hall brought them both back to reality. Reluctantly Heero stepped back while Wufei hastily pulled up his pants again. "Later then," Wufei promised, and it was his turn to smirk when Heero arched a brow dubiously.
"Master Chang?" a voice called from outside. "The Council is gathering. Your grandfather requests your attendance."
"I'm coming," Wufei answered.
"Too late," Heero muttered.
Wufei rolled his eyes and pretended his ears weren't burning.
"I told you you were turning me into a pervert," Heero said. His face was solemn, but his eyes were still just this side of gloating.
Later, Wufei promised himself firmly. He'd find a way to pay the smug little bastard back. Even if he had to smuggle the other boy to that useful little soundproofed room aboard the shuttle.
~+~
There were eleven men and women on the council, most of them over forty. Two of them were as old as Wufei's grandfather.
They each eyed Wufei sharply during the meeting, gauging him. Wufei weighed their gazes warily. Some of them were looking at him as Mingzhu did, as if they were just waiting for him to fuck up. Or as if he was not worth their time. Others simply seemed curious or thoughtful. Only Shen offered a small encouraging smile at one point.
Wufei sat beside his grandfather and kept his mouth shut as he'd been told, until the sensitive subject of their uninvited guests was brought up.
The first hour of the meeting was taken up with talk of the people of Yeong, and Wufei paid avid attention. These were the people he would be expected to rule someday. The disputes, requests, and general activity brought to the table on their behalf were things he would have to carefully weigh and evaluate when it was his turn to take his grandfather's seat at the head of the long table. Some of the more petty problems had already been taken care of by the Council, but the ones that required more attention were put at Jianguo's feet for consideration. He offered solutions for some, and for the more difficult ones he set up times for the aggrieved to seek his audience in the throne room. Wufei learned quite a lot about how the colony was run just in that hour. He made mental notes and kept his peace.
Until the conversation turned to the two Generals.
"Kushrenada cannot be allowed to stay here," one man said firmly. "It's too dangerous. The Lightning Count follows him, and his focus is on war and politics. The offer of his daughter only proves that he has his own personal interests in Yeong."
"We can't just send him away," the woman across from him interrupted with a displeased frown. "It could be taken as an insult!"
"What do we care what the 'hero of earth' thinks of us?" asked a younger man scornfully.
"We care because this 'hero' is in command of an enormous army," the woman snapped. "Every soldier under his command would die for him. They follow his orders without question. If it ever crosses his mind to wipe Yeong off the map, no force in space could stop him."
There were murmurs of agreement, and Wufei could no longer hold his tongue. "Milliardo's could," he spoke up, carefully not looking at his grandfather in case the other man tried to motion him to silence.
His voice earned a few glares from those who were not pleased with his attendance.
One woman humored him. "Milliardo's men are militia," she pointed out. "Less than half of them are actual trained soldiers. The rest of them are men and women who left their colonies to fight. And Kushrenada has the dolls. Milliardo's men would be crushed."
"If that were true, Treize would have taken care of them a long time ago," Wufei argued firmly. "Milliardo is the one thing keeping back the armies of earth. This war would have ended shortly after it began if what you say is true." He flicked a quick look towards his grandfather, wondering if he might be overstepping bounds, but Jianguo's face was unreadable. Heero was looking around the table slowly, calculating how everyone was taking Wufei's words.
"I think you're underestimating what a 'bunch of colonists' are capable of," Wufei continued, looking the woman in the eye. "L5 was a colony created and run by a few inter-dependant families, and they were so successful at it that the governments of earth and space saw them as a political threat."
"Brush up on your history," drawled one of the older men, watching Wufei scornfully from under hooded lids. "L5 was destroyed, little boy."
Wufei met his gaze, holding his temper carefully in check. "Was it?"
A few snorts of unkind laughter met that demand. Heero's eyes narrowed.
Wufei ignored the mockery and swept his arm to indicate the room, glaring at the man who had spoken. "The same people who built L5-- those who survived --didn't exactly roll over, did they? Yeong itself is proof of that. You dismiss Milliardo's army of colonist militia, but isn't that basically what we are? Our own people, our own government, and our own military. We aren't even a big colony, and still we're a threat, because we didn't submit."
"I don't see what you're getting at," the woman on Shen's left interrupted rudely, "but it almost sounds like you're defending the Lightning Count. Li is right. You need to do some research into the history of this colony. Milliardo is the reason we were forced to retreat and rebuild!"
Wufei raised his voice against the assembled agreement. "Milliardo himself had nothing to do with that attack. It was a rogue group of his men." He glared around the room. "What I'm more interested in is how someone managed to kill my father in his own throne room right before the attack--"
A few shouts of outrage drowned him out.
"What are you insinuating, boy?" someone called out. "Mind your tongue!"
"Are you suggesting treason??"
"You have no place on this Council until Lord Chang has stepped down!"
"I have every right!" Wufei shouted angrily. There was a moment of shocked silence at the outburst, and Wufei rushed ahead before he could be interrupted again. "I didn't say anything about treason. No one seems to have survived that witnessed what actually happened in the throne room that day. But somehow someone gained an audience with my father before the attack, and then killed him. And I thought only guests of importance were granted an audience. Guests, and..." he glanced around the room, "those people with grievances that you deem important enough to earn a hearing."
There were more furious snarls at this, but Shen abruptly rose to his feet and placed his hands flat on the table's surface, looking around at his companions solemnly. "The point Master Chang is trying to make is one we have all puzzled over for years," he said. "What he says is true. Whoever killed the previous Lord was supposed to be in that throne room. Their assassination was followed soon afterwards by the attack on the colony." He met Wufei's gaze. "Unfortunately, we still have no way of knowing who it was," he admitted. "Perhaps it was one of Milliardo's men, lying to gain favor."
"We are not here to discuss the past," snapped the woman beside Shen.
"Oh, yes we are," Wufei retorted. "What we choose to do next concerning Kushrenada and Peacecraft is vitally important. If we make the wrong choices..." his gaze flickered towards Heero. "..We could see the past repeat itself. And that's not something I want to see happen. I don't think any of you do."
The Council exchanged glances. Wufei watched them, heart nervously thudding in his chest. Some of them still looked angry with him. Others had poker faces. But at least three of them seemed to be giving his words serious consideration, including Shen.
"After all your talk, what is it exactly that you're proposing?" one of the blank-faced men demanded.
Wufei had been waiting for that. "I know you want to deploy all the Gundams before Milliardo gets too close to Yeong. Before we do something so rash, someone should actually try talking to the man." He grasped for the right words to get his point across. What the hell would Relena say? "Someone should go out and meet him under the flag of diplomatic peace."
"I know what you're thinking," Shen interrupted hastily. He'd already taken his seat, but he leaned across the table urgently. "It's too risky for you to go yourself."
Wufei spread his arms wide. "Well who else is there?"
"There is one obvious choice," spoke up a woman who had remained silent until then. "Send the Senator's daughter. She's his sister, after all. She'll be perfectly safe, and she's been bred since childhood to deal with situations like this."
There were some murmurs of agreement from those who weren't still glaring at Wufei.
"What??" Wufei shook his head sharply. "No. It's too dangerous."
"Of course it's dangerous. No matter who goes, they're taking a risk. But she's still the best choice, and the danger will be less for her. As long as she reaches her brother safely, he'll make sure no harm comes to her."
"I'm not sending my--" Wufei stumbled over the words, but forced them out because his honor demanded it. "I won't send my future wife out into a fleet of Mobile Suits!"
Shen smiled at that, but Heero was frowning to himself.
Jianguo joined the conversation at last. "Fei," he murmured, and Wufei was forced to turn the floor over to the venerated leader. His grandfather got to his feet slowly, addressing the suddenly attentive Council. "These are all valid points. And though my grandson feels an understandable desire to protect his young bride, there is no escaping the fact that she is the best choice. She will, of course, be escorted to ensure she reaches the Lightning Count safely. But she must leave at once. Her brother is already uncomfortably close to Yeong." He turned his attention on his grandson. "I think we would all feel more secure if one of her escorts is a Guardian. Not only because of their training, but because she knows them."
Wufei nodded reluctantly. Well, Duo was out of the question. Milliardo had already made it pretty damn clear what he thought of Duo and Heero. "Quatre. He's the most diplomatic."
Some of the Council members exchanged dubious looks at his choice. Wufei ignored them. He was remembering a conversation in the darkness of a hotel room. Quatre didn't like to fight, but he would. "Give him a gun, and he can clear a room all by himself," Heero had assured him. And his empathy just might come in handy.
"Very well." Jianguo bowed stiffly to the Council. "If that is all, this meeting is adjourned."
Wufei also rose and offered a brief bow. After everyone had left, he turned to Heero expectantly. "So? Which ones?"
Heero began rattling off names, and they spent the next half hour making hasty plans.
"Let's hope the others are getting the information we need," Wufei sighed, rubbing at his face as they made their way towards the sickbay to inform Relena of her new duty. "If this place is run like I think it is, I may be able to think of a way out of this whole mess."
Heero said nothing, but his silence spoke louder than words.
He could see no possible way for Wufei to squirm out from under what duty and tradition had laid on his shoulders. He was trying to force himself to deal with the fact that very soon Wufei would be a married man.
The quicker Wufei accepted the harsh truth, the easier it would be for the both of them.
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Author's Notes: Wufei finally gets to be all authoritive-like >XD
Ugh... Went back and re-read HB to make sure there weren't any big mess-ups, and found one ^^;; In ch. 27 the people of L2 speak English, and in ch. 39 so does Mingzhu. That's supposed to be Basic, not English. Don't know what I was thinking when I did that ><;; Sorry for any confusion, since a recent chapter refers to English as a dead language.
Also... ahaha Yeahhh vague BJ scene XD;; I myself find BJ's, erm, gross, and since I never go into detail describing certain bits of men, it had to be vague. Gomen ^.^;; Use your imagination-- sometimes that's more fun anyway >XDD
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-Amiko
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Warnings: This-- like 99.9% of my fics --is a shounen ai fanfic. As in boy luv. With a possible lemon in the future. If you have zero tolerance for that, then am-scray. And it's a Wufei-centric fic, for anybody that for some reason despises that character.
And now that that's out of the way, for the rest of you... This is an AU fic. It's set in the future, yeah, with space travel and all that jazz. But the GW storyline has been tossed carelessly out the window. I'm just playing w/ the characters. Usually I'm not one for AU fics, but this idea seized me and wouldn't leave me alone ><; This fic also contains foul language, violence, and other such things. Oh, and possibly character bashing. (in other words, I hope you're not a big Relena or Treize fan, cuz I'm sure as hell not)
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Chapter 47: "Politics"
"I don't like leaving Wufei at a time like this," Quatre fretted as he trailed after his friend through the expansive gardens on the palace grounds. "Imperial attitude or not, he's just not used to dealing diplomatically with these kinds of people."
"He'll be fine," Trowa assured him, glancing around to check the guards' patrols. "Heero's with him, and his grandfather's presence should be enough to keep his tongue in check."
"But the Council is very set in its ways," Quatre insisted, practically trotting to keep up with the other boy's longer strides. "And they're used to getting what they want. As soon as there's a disagreement, they're going to slam into Wufei like a lead wall, and sparks are going to fly. If he angers the Council, he's...well..." He tripped over a flagstone in his haste.
Trowa caught him deftly by the elbow and steadied him. "Screwed," he finished. "Calm down, Quatre. I'm sure his grandfather or his aunt warned him how to deal with the Council."
"It's not just that," Quatre protested. He lowered his voice. "I can feel it-- not everyone is happy at his return."
Trowa's brows drew together as he leaned in closer to keep their conversation private. "That was expected," he admitted in a murmur. "Wufei's grandfather isn't getting any younger, and he tires quickly. The Council has held the majority of the reins in Wufei's absence. I doubt the thought of a pig-headed young monarch pleases them much."
"No," Quatre agreed. "Well... some of them are glad to see him. Others, not so much. But it isn't just the Council." He looked around with a small shudder. "There's an underlying animosity here that I can't pin down. I can't track it to its source, but Wufei is the target."
Trowa frowned, eyes flickering to the side as a pair of guards headed their way on one of their rounds. Keeping his loose grip on Quatre's elbow, he steered him off the path towards a bamboo fountain practically hidden by low shrubs and took a seat on the stone bench there. "How bad is it?"
Quatre shook his head, reaching up unconsciously to place his palm againt his chest, over his heart. "It's muffled," he said quietly. "It's being suppressed, which means they'll be acting perfectly normal to Wufei's face. And doubly careful around the four of us. Everyone knows how paranoid the Guardians can be, and how seriously we take our mission." He hesitated, flicking his friend a significant look.
"Mariemaia," Trowa said, mouth grim.
Quatre nodded. "She has to be part of it. I still can't believe she's here... and what her father proposed..." His lips pressed together tightly in disgust. "After what she almost did onboard Howard's ship, I'm surprised Heero managed to keep his head. Much less prevent Wufei from snapping her neck like a twig." He took in a deep breath to cool his temper. "Still, she has to be upset. Kushrenada and his daughter have been trying this whole time to force Wufei into a marriage with her, and within a few moments Lord Chang destroyed all their plans."
"We should keep an eye on Relena," Trowa noted. "Mariemaia had no problem poisoning her before, and if she was willing to kill Wufei's mother, there's no reason she wouldn't try the same with Relena to get her out of the picture. If something did happen to Relena, politically, Mariemaia is the next best thing."
"She's just a child," Quatre protested, affronted. "A scheming, murderous, mentally unstable child, but still a child. She's way too young for Wufei!"
Trowa's mouth twitched into the start of a smile despite himself at his friend's indignance. "Our duty to the heir's betrothed is plain enough," he pointed out. "Even without the threat of Mariemaia, we've always been required to extend some sort of protection to Wufei's wife, whoever she might be. No one will think it's strange if we keep her in sight at all times."
"Speaking of which..." Quatre glanced over his shoulder anxiously, towards the main building.
"She's with her father. There are guards outside the door. Wufei told her to stay there until one of us comes to get her. She agreed easily enough; she knows what Mariemaia is capable of."
Quatre winced. "It's still a bit much to accept," he admitted. "I mean... Relena is supposed to be Wufei's bride?? I didn't see that coming."
Trowa shrugged to show his own ignorance. "None of us did. We should have. Why else would her father and Wufei's grandfather insist on her accompanying us?"
"He isn't happy about it."
"They don't get along very well," Trowa reminded him.
"Yes, well..." Quatre shifted on the bench uncomfortably. "Did you notice the tension when he was telling her to stay with her father? Naturally they're both a bit nervous around each other now. But she seems to be angry at him. She barely said two words to him, and wouldn't look him in the face. I think he said something to offend her again."
Trowa snorted quietly. "Nothing new there. Besides, I doubt she's any happier about the arrangement than he is."
"..Ummmm..."
Trowa's eyebrows lifted. "What?"
Quatre bit his lip, glancing at the older boy out of the corner of his eye. "Actually... I don't think she, um... minds."
Trowa blinked. Then blinked again. "I thought she liked Heero," he said bluntly.
Quatre almost laughed at his friend's forthrightness, but stopped himself just in time. "She did. But he didn't give her the time of day, he handled her roughly, and was flat-out harsh with her. At least Wufei has always been honest with her, even if he was sometimes a bit brutal about it. And she seems to think he has more honor and compassion than she originally gave him credit for. According to Hilde, she tried to befriend him when they first met. They share similar views on war and fighting in general, after all."
"It wouldn't be so bad a match, actually," Trowa pointed out. "In a lot of ways, they fit together. They could probably actually learn to grow fond of each other if..." Trowa hesitated.
Quatre's eyes lowered sadly. "Yeah," he muttered. "Maybe. If he wasn't already..."
Trowa got to his feet abruptly, startling the other boy. "We shouldn't be wasting time talking about Wufei's personal life," he said shortly, face unreadable once again. "He gave us a job to do."
"Uh- right!" Quatre got up quickly, forcing the conversation from his mind. "Where should we start?"
"You find his old nursemaid, Yingtai, then see if you can get some of the newer guards to open up to you. They probably won't even realize who you are." He nodded towards the gates. "I'll start out there. We'll probably have more luck with the rest of the colonists than the people in here."
"I thought Duo was going to question the citizens."
"It will be quicker if we work separate sides of the colony and meet in the middle. Hilde volunteered to help you in here. She's no one important, and someone might open up to her more easily than they would to any of us. And perhaps some of the guards will be more willing to speak to a woman, anyhow. But Heero's well-known to the Chang Clan; he'll be the best one to speak to Wufei's relatives."
"Right. That leaves the Council."
Trowa nodded, gaze drifting towards the main house. "We'll leave that battle to Wufei."
The childlike voice at her back made the hairs on the back of Hilde's neck stand on end as she strode down the hall in search of her quarry.
"Hilde! It feels like such a long time since we've seen each other!"
Hilde turned slowly, putting her hands behind her back to hide the way she was clenching her fists. She stared at the girl hurrying to catch up to her and couldn't find it in herself to even force a fake suggestion of a smile. "Mariemaia," she responded, tone carefully neutral. Her gaze flicked towards the man trailing behind the small girl. He was dressed in a freshly pressed suit, which was strange. Hilde had assumed any men with Kushrenada would be dressed in uniform. When he moved his arm, she glimpsed an empty holster in his belt. Bodyguard, then? She sent a silent prayer of thanks that visitors were disarmed before being allowed entrance to the palace.
"I'm glad we have this opportunity to speak again," Mariemaia was saying, all smiles. "Walk with me?" She moved as if too loop her arm through the older girl's, but Hilde turned away deftly, avoiding the touch and pretending not to notice.
"I'm busy," she said, her voice flat in an attempt to keep the anger from it. "Can it wait?"
Mariemaia pretended not to notice the brushoff and quickened her pace slightly to stay abreast of Hilde. "Oh, this will only take a moment!"
Hilde turned her head slightly to look back at the man in the suit as he followed a few feet behind. He offered a thin little smile and gazed back with cold gray eyes. Suppressing a shudder, Hilde looked away. "Who's that?"
"Oh, that's just Phillips," Mariemaia said dismissively, flapping a hand in the air. "He works for my father. Just pretend he isn't even there."
Hilde could think of no way of getting rid of the girl that didn't involve violence or out-right threats, either of which would probably earn a swift retaliation from the sharp-eyed bodyguard. "What do you want, Mariemaia?" she demanded wearily.
Mariemaia widened her eyes innocently. "I just wanted to talk!"
"Talk."
"Yes." Mariemaia offered her sweet little girl smile-- the same smile that had won Hilde's affection when they'd first met. Hilde's fingernails dug painfully into her palms. "I wanted to make sure everything was all right with us," Mariemaia said earnestly. "After those lies the others told and the things that horrid Maxwell did to me..." she sniffled pitifully for a moment, then put on a brave front. "I don't want to even think about it. I just wanted to make things right again."
"Right again?" Hilde repeated sharply. She stopped suddenly and turned on her heel to glare down at the startled child. "You can't 'make things right again', Mariemaia," she said in a low, angry voice. "Ever. You tried to have Wufei's mother killed. You lied to all of us. You poisoned him and Relena. It's pretty obvious you don't give a damn about any of us. So what's this really about?" Mariemaia opened her mouth, but Hilde didn't even give her the chance to respond. "Did you think you could get to Wufei through his friends? Is that it?"
"I just--"
"I've seen what you do to people you don't think twice about," Hilde growled. "Now you've suddenly got grudges against the people I care about." She jabbed her finger hard in the girl's chest. Phillips shifted meaningfully, but she ignored him. Holding Mariemaia's gaze, she made sure every word was clear and menacing. "Stay away from my friends, Kushrenada. Or I'll show you the meaning of 'diplomatic incident'."
Mariemaia smiled nastily. "Why, Hilde, are you threatening me?" she asked, voice ringing with mocking surprise.
"No. I'm warning you," Hilde hissed.
Phillips took a step forward, but Hilde was already turning and stalking off.
"Let her go," Mariemaia ordered sharply when Phillips looked ready to follow. Her face was dark with anger. "She talks big, but she's no real threat. Go. I want you to find out where the Senator's daughter is. Follow her, but don't let her notice you. I want to know where she sleeps, when she eats, who she talks to. Who's guarding her, and how often."
Phillips nodded slightly, cool gray eyes tracking Hilde's back as she continued down the hall. "And the boy?"
Mariemaia's lip twisted into an ugly sneer of hate, her little fists clenching at her sides. "Oh, don't worry, I have plans for him. He'll regret ever crossing me."
Heero crossed his arms over his chest as he watched his friend stalk past him for the fourth time. "Wufei. You need to calm down."
"I am calm," Wufei retorted, turning sharply and going over to crack open the door. He peeked out into the hallway, fingers drumming against the wood in agitation.
"You're the exact opposite of calm," Heero corrected mildly. "Stop having a panic attack. Your grandfather will do almost all the talking. Mingzhu said you're there to observe and learn. Unless someone speaks to you directly, you're not expected to participate."
"I can't avoid talking to the Council forever," Wufei grumbled, turning away from the door and heading restlessly towards the other side of the small room his aunt had ordered him to wait in until they were called for. "I'm going to have to deal with them constantly in the future. And right now it's important that I know where they stand on certain issues."
Heero snagged the other boy's elbow as he walked past and pulled him up short. "You can talk to them later, on an individual basis," he said. "It's a bad idea to confront them all at once about something unless you're sure of yourself and believe in what you're saying. If you want to question them honestly, catch them alone. For now, all you're expected to do is sit there and take it all in. Your grandfather will handle it."
"I'll be fine," Wufei insisted.
Heero snorted. "If you go in there this agitated, you won't be able to keep your mouth shut," he stated bluntly. "The minute they say something you disagree with, you'll speak up."
"What's wrong with that?"
"This is not the day to go head to head with the Council," Heero said firmly. "You're new. They're still..." he frowned, searching for the correct phrase.
"Feeling me out, yeah, I know," Wufei huffed, hands on his hips as he scowled weakly toward the door. "I know all that. I just... I want this to be over with." He took a deep breath. "They're going to discuss Kushrenada. And Milliardo. He's getting too close. They might ask Grandfather to deploy the Gundams. I can't let that happen." He glanced at his lover out of the corner of his eye. "You're the one who made that clear last night. I'm not going to let the past repeat itself. I don't know Milliardo's motives, but I'm not going to let them kill him before I hear his side of it."
"Last...?" Heero's eyes narrowed in surprise. "That was a dream," he said flatly.
Wufei frowned back uneasily. "...Are you sure?"
Heero eyed him a bit warily.
"I thought it was," Wufei muttered. "But if you remember it, too...."
Heero shook his head. "You're the one who sleepwalks."
"Har har." Wufei headed for the door again. "Damn it, what's taking so long?"
"You need to calm down," Heero repeated in a deadpan.
Wufei spun on his heel and scowled. "How do you expect me to do that?"
Heero cocked his head to the side, considering that for a moment. "...I have an idea," he said at last.
Wufei spread his arms wide. "I'm open to suggestions," he said with only a hint of sarcasm.
Heero nodded and walked past him, shutting the heavy door firmly.
Wufei blinked in confusion as a hard hand gripped him by the shoulder. "What? A massage? You must be jok--"
Heero tugged him backwards sharply, and Wufei grunted as his shoulderblades connected with the door. "Yuy--! Watch it!" he snapped. "You oafish--" His breath froze in his lungs and choked his words as he stared in wild disbelief at the boy who had abruptly dropped to his knees before him. Hands landing lightly on his hips made him jump nervously. He sputtered for a few moments, face flaming, then grabbed the other boy's hands hastily when they moved towards the string on his pants. "Yuy!" he hissed frantically. "What do you think you're--"
"I've never done this before," Heero admitted calmly, tugging his hands free from Wufei's desperate grip. "But it doesn't sound that difficult."
"Stop!!" Wufei tried to snatch at his pants, but Heero was already pulling the string to loosen them. Wufei's face felt as if it was on fire, and his heart was thundering in his ears. "Heero--"
"What?" Heero paused, glancing up at him through his bangs. "This will calm you down. You need to relax."
"I can meditate for that," Wufei insisted quickly, clutching at the hem of his pants. "Are you insane? What if someone comes in??"
"They won't," Heero said firmly, and gave the pants a quick yank, tearing them from Wufei's grasp and pulling them down his thighs.
"Stop--" Wufei gasped again, mortified. "You don't-- have to--"
Heero hesitated, fingers already gripping the edge of Wufei's boxers. He arched a brow. "What? You don't want me to?" He frowned slightly. "I won't bite--"
"That's not the point," Wufei stammered.
Heero seemed to realize that his lover's hesitance came from embarrassment, and promptly tuned out the protests, tugging the boxers down.
Wufei sucked in a quick gasp, eyes squeezing shut as warmth and moisture took him in. Heero gagged slightly, pulled back a moment later, frowned thoughtfully, then tried again more carefully.
Wufei found his fingers clenched in wild dark hair, his heart crashing against his lungs as he panted for breath.
JesusChrist
Warm, wet, suction.
Those three words would be bouncing around in the back of his head for the rest of the day. Possibly for the rest of the week.
A thready moan escaped his mouth before he could catch it, and Heero seemed to take encouragement from that, his fingers flexing possessively around Wufei's ass as the suction increased a bit.
It didn't take long before Wufei's legs began to tremble and the pleasure began to mount towards a breaking point.
At the last second he realized-- he should warn--
"I'm gonna--" he gasped, almost too late, fingernails digging into Heero's scalp as he struggled not to force himself deeper.
He came shuddering and still struggling for breath, and Heero waited a few moments before pulling back. Wufei forced his eyes open and watched in a kind of dazed fascination as Heero wiped off the back of his mouth with one hand, throat bobbing as he swallowed what little he'd been able to catch, his other hand finishing the job.
Wufei let his head thump back against the door and concentrated on breathing. He felt lethargic and satisfied, and when Heero got to his feet, he offered the other boy a vague grin.
Heero snorted and stole a quick kiss that left a slightly bitter aftertaste. "Relaxed?" he teased under his breath.
"Smartass," Wufei breathed, curling his fingers around Heero's waist and pulling him up against his own body.
"I'd ask if that was all right, but..." Heero's mouth twitched into something suspiciously like a smug smirk.
"Don't act so pleased with yourself," Wufei snorted, amused despite himself. His eyes tilted downwards. He could feel something hard pressing against his thigh. "What about...?"
Footsteps approaching down the hall brought them both back to reality. Reluctantly Heero stepped back while Wufei hastily pulled up his pants again. "Later then," Wufei promised, and it was his turn to smirk when Heero arched a brow dubiously.
"Master Chang?" a voice called from outside. "The Council is gathering. Your grandfather requests your attendance."
"I'm coming," Wufei answered.
"Too late," Heero muttered.
Wufei rolled his eyes and pretended his ears weren't burning.
"I told you you were turning me into a pervert," Heero said. His face was solemn, but his eyes were still just this side of gloating.
Later, Wufei promised himself firmly. He'd find a way to pay the smug little bastard back. Even if he had to smuggle the other boy to that useful little soundproofed room aboard the shuttle.
There were eleven men and women on the council, most of them over forty. Two of them were as old as Wufei's grandfather.
They each eyed Wufei sharply during the meeting, gauging him. Wufei weighed their gazes warily. Some of them were looking at him as Mingzhu did, as if they were just waiting for him to fuck up. Or as if he was not worth their time. Others simply seemed curious or thoughtful. Only Shen offered a small encouraging smile at one point.
Wufei sat beside his grandfather and kept his mouth shut as he'd been told, until the sensitive subject of their uninvited guests was brought up.
The first hour of the meeting was taken up with talk of the people of Yeong, and Wufei paid avid attention. These were the people he would be expected to rule someday. The disputes, requests, and general activity brought to the table on their behalf were things he would have to carefully weigh and evaluate when it was his turn to take his grandfather's seat at the head of the long table. Some of the more petty problems had already been taken care of by the Council, but the ones that required more attention were put at Jianguo's feet for consideration. He offered solutions for some, and for the more difficult ones he set up times for the aggrieved to seek his audience in the throne room. Wufei learned quite a lot about how the colony was run just in that hour. He made mental notes and kept his peace.
Until the conversation turned to the two Generals.
"Kushrenada cannot be allowed to stay here," one man said firmly. "It's too dangerous. The Lightning Count follows him, and his focus is on war and politics. The offer of his daughter only proves that he has his own personal interests in Yeong."
"We can't just send him away," the woman across from him interrupted with a displeased frown. "It could be taken as an insult!"
"What do we care what the 'hero of earth' thinks of us?" asked a younger man scornfully.
"We care because this 'hero' is in command of an enormous army," the woman snapped. "Every soldier under his command would die for him. They follow his orders without question. If it ever crosses his mind to wipe Yeong off the map, no force in space could stop him."
There were murmurs of agreement, and Wufei could no longer hold his tongue. "Milliardo's could," he spoke up, carefully not looking at his grandfather in case the other man tried to motion him to silence.
His voice earned a few glares from those who were not pleased with his attendance.
One woman humored him. "Milliardo's men are militia," she pointed out. "Less than half of them are actual trained soldiers. The rest of them are men and women who left their colonies to fight. And Kushrenada has the dolls. Milliardo's men would be crushed."
"If that were true, Treize would have taken care of them a long time ago," Wufei argued firmly. "Milliardo is the one thing keeping back the armies of earth. This war would have ended shortly after it began if what you say is true." He flicked a quick look towards his grandfather, wondering if he might be overstepping bounds, but Jianguo's face was unreadable. Heero was looking around the table slowly, calculating how everyone was taking Wufei's words.
"I think you're underestimating what a 'bunch of colonists' are capable of," Wufei continued, looking the woman in the eye. "L5 was a colony created and run by a few inter-dependant families, and they were so successful at it that the governments of earth and space saw them as a political threat."
"Brush up on your history," drawled one of the older men, watching Wufei scornfully from under hooded lids. "L5 was destroyed, little boy."
Wufei met his gaze, holding his temper carefully in check. "Was it?"
A few snorts of unkind laughter met that demand. Heero's eyes narrowed.
Wufei ignored the mockery and swept his arm to indicate the room, glaring at the man who had spoken. "The same people who built L5-- those who survived --didn't exactly roll over, did they? Yeong itself is proof of that. You dismiss Milliardo's army of colonist militia, but isn't that basically what we are? Our own people, our own government, and our own military. We aren't even a big colony, and still we're a threat, because we didn't submit."
"I don't see what you're getting at," the woman on Shen's left interrupted rudely, "but it almost sounds like you're defending the Lightning Count. Li is right. You need to do some research into the history of this colony. Milliardo is the reason we were forced to retreat and rebuild!"
Wufei raised his voice against the assembled agreement. "Milliardo himself had nothing to do with that attack. It was a rogue group of his men." He glared around the room. "What I'm more interested in is how someone managed to kill my father in his own throne room right before the attack--"
A few shouts of outrage drowned him out.
"What are you insinuating, boy?" someone called out. "Mind your tongue!"
"Are you suggesting treason??"
"You have no place on this Council until Lord Chang has stepped down!"
"I have every right!" Wufei shouted angrily. There was a moment of shocked silence at the outburst, and Wufei rushed ahead before he could be interrupted again. "I didn't say anything about treason. No one seems to have survived that witnessed what actually happened in the throne room that day. But somehow someone gained an audience with my father before the attack, and then killed him. And I thought only guests of importance were granted an audience. Guests, and..." he glanced around the room, "those people with grievances that you deem important enough to earn a hearing."
There were more furious snarls at this, but Shen abruptly rose to his feet and placed his hands flat on the table's surface, looking around at his companions solemnly. "The point Master Chang is trying to make is one we have all puzzled over for years," he said. "What he says is true. Whoever killed the previous Lord was supposed to be in that throne room. Their assassination was followed soon afterwards by the attack on the colony." He met Wufei's gaze. "Unfortunately, we still have no way of knowing who it was," he admitted. "Perhaps it was one of Milliardo's men, lying to gain favor."
"We are not here to discuss the past," snapped the woman beside Shen.
"Oh, yes we are," Wufei retorted. "What we choose to do next concerning Kushrenada and Peacecraft is vitally important. If we make the wrong choices..." his gaze flickered towards Heero. "..We could see the past repeat itself. And that's not something I want to see happen. I don't think any of you do."
The Council exchanged glances. Wufei watched them, heart nervously thudding in his chest. Some of them still looked angry with him. Others had poker faces. But at least three of them seemed to be giving his words serious consideration, including Shen.
"After all your talk, what is it exactly that you're proposing?" one of the blank-faced men demanded.
Wufei had been waiting for that. "I know you want to deploy all the Gundams before Milliardo gets too close to Yeong. Before we do something so rash, someone should actually try talking to the man." He grasped for the right words to get his point across. What the hell would Relena say? "Someone should go out and meet him under the flag of diplomatic peace."
"I know what you're thinking," Shen interrupted hastily. He'd already taken his seat, but he leaned across the table urgently. "It's too risky for you to go yourself."
Wufei spread his arms wide. "Well who else is there?"
"There is one obvious choice," spoke up a woman who had remained silent until then. "Send the Senator's daughter. She's his sister, after all. She'll be perfectly safe, and she's been bred since childhood to deal with situations like this."
There were some murmurs of agreement from those who weren't still glaring at Wufei.
"What??" Wufei shook his head sharply. "No. It's too dangerous."
"Of course it's dangerous. No matter who goes, they're taking a risk. But she's still the best choice, and the danger will be less for her. As long as she reaches her brother safely, he'll make sure no harm comes to her."
"I'm not sending my--" Wufei stumbled over the words, but forced them out because his honor demanded it. "I won't send my future wife out into a fleet of Mobile Suits!"
Shen smiled at that, but Heero was frowning to himself.
Jianguo joined the conversation at last. "Fei," he murmured, and Wufei was forced to turn the floor over to the venerated leader. His grandfather got to his feet slowly, addressing the suddenly attentive Council. "These are all valid points. And though my grandson feels an understandable desire to protect his young bride, there is no escaping the fact that she is the best choice. She will, of course, be escorted to ensure she reaches the Lightning Count safely. But she must leave at once. Her brother is already uncomfortably close to Yeong." He turned his attention on his grandson. "I think we would all feel more secure if one of her escorts is a Guardian. Not only because of their training, but because she knows them."
Wufei nodded reluctantly. Well, Duo was out of the question. Milliardo had already made it pretty damn clear what he thought of Duo and Heero. "Quatre. He's the most diplomatic."
Some of the Council members exchanged dubious looks at his choice. Wufei ignored them. He was remembering a conversation in the darkness of a hotel room. Quatre didn't like to fight, but he would. "Give him a gun, and he can clear a room all by himself," Heero had assured him. And his empathy just might come in handy.
"Very well." Jianguo bowed stiffly to the Council. "If that is all, this meeting is adjourned."
Wufei also rose and offered a brief bow. After everyone had left, he turned to Heero expectantly. "So? Which ones?"
Heero began rattling off names, and they spent the next half hour making hasty plans.
"Let's hope the others are getting the information we need," Wufei sighed, rubbing at his face as they made their way towards the sickbay to inform Relena of her new duty. "If this place is run like I think it is, I may be able to think of a way out of this whole mess."
Heero said nothing, but his silence spoke louder than words.
He could see no possible way for Wufei to squirm out from under what duty and tradition had laid on his shoulders. He was trying to force himself to deal with the fact that very soon Wufei would be a married man.
The quicker Wufei accepted the harsh truth, the easier it would be for the both of them.
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Author's Notes: Wufei finally gets to be all authoritive-like >XD
Ugh... Went back and re-read HB to make sure there weren't any big mess-ups, and found one ^^;; In ch. 27 the people of L2 speak English, and in ch. 39 so does Mingzhu. That's supposed to be Basic, not English. Don't know what I was thinking when I did that ><;; Sorry for any confusion, since a recent chapter refers to English as a dead language.
Also... ahaha Yeahhh vague BJ scene XD;; I myself find BJ's, erm, gross, and since I never go into detail describing certain bits of men, it had to be vague. Gomen ^.^;; Use your imagination-- sometimes that's more fun anyway >XDD
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