Title: He Is Male

Author: Karina

Rating: PG

Pairing: Duchess Anastasia

Notes: Challenge 96. Baby Series 3 #53. Takes place at the same time as Centrepiece.

Spoilers: None

Warnings:

Many thanks to ShenLong Deb for betaing this set.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or the Characters from the series but the baby is mine.

Title: He Is Male

"Pray, don't be an idiot, Ermina, lay off the wine. Sit your backside down and, for once in your life, do not shame your lineage."

She had better things to do than ride herd on the aging nobility. There were people she needed to observe; people who were too canny to overindulge in alcohol and who kept their wits about them to the possible detriment of the House of the Moon.

Her Sisters of the Order were strategically placed throughout the palace and she had received a report that the young buck who stood in line to become Hunter was in the laboratory. Her eyes locked with Hunter's for a long moment as the Princess returned to the dais, taking the King's chair, a certain sign Milliardo Peacecraft would not be returning this evening.

He had left under his own power, her agents assured her of that. Walking freely with an escort; no one holding him up until they were safely out of sight of the revellers. It would be serious enough to require his removal from the scene, to permit Hunter's agents to work.

Her gaze flickered over the crowd, noting faces of interest. She alone had not noted the byplay and now that Relena sat in that chair the whispers would circulate over the disappearance of the King.

"Annie, what is happening? Where is the King?"

Saints preserve her, Ermina the idiot had noticed. "Not here, my dear. If he is fortunate he escaped this circus to watch the World Cup match. However, it is far more likely there was business which required his personal attention."

"World Cup? Oh, does he like football?"

She resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. Ermina at her best was trying, but with the amount of liquor indulged already this evening she would be far from her brightest, which was rather a dull glow in itself.

"He is male, dear."

"Well of course he is male, he would be Queen if he was not. He's quite the hunk, don't you think, Annie? Very nice to look at. I'll bet he would give a girl a good time in bed."

The girl on the dais was a Peacecraft alright. Stiff backed, proud and stepping into the breach. She would do the sisterhood proud, breeding strong daughters. She must approach Relena soon. Having not been raised to Sanc it was likely a little background work would be needed before Relena Peacecraft understood the tradition.

"He could put his boots under my bed any day. A healthy young buck like that should be spreading himself around. His grandfather was a fine man, you know. Lusty."

"Letitia."

At her left hand the mouse in powder blue stiffened to attention. A lovely colour, that powder blue, but far more attractive on a young beauty than it was on a seventy year old. The woman had never grown up and counted her grey hairs.

"Pray, amuse Ermina, dear, before I strangle her."

End

Karina Robertson 2008