Sally finished off the last eggroll and the sweet duck and pork over vegetables and steamed rice. You just couldn't get real Chinese food like this in the Outlands. Then she reread the contents of the letter from her old friend and teacher. So that was their game, was it? It was a specious charge, hard to disprove unless she was willing to under go a physical examination. And even then Sally figured that the examiner would be under her Father's pay and lie about what he found.
Security here is really lax. I could certainly make a break for it and no one would know until I was already well gone, she thought looking around at her guest quarters turned prison. But they've probably already confiscated my jeep regardless of the fact that I've got the keys with me. If they left it in the same location it will be under guard. If they moved it to somewhere else it would still be under guard but it'd take me a lot longer to find it. I could always sabotage the other transports and frighten the horses and hide the tack after knotting it up…But that's assuming I want to run away.
She was pretty sure running away wouldn't solve anything. If anything it would make her problems worse. Not only would she have to contend with the dangerous missions that the Preventors sent her on, but she'd also be looking over her shoulder constantly wondering when the next knife was going to come flying out of the shadows. And then there was her partner. Wufei would want to know all about it and she was certain he wouldn't approve of her just giving in so easily. She'd never hear the end of it.
I'll just have to stand and fight. If worse comes to worse I can always beat the stuffing out of both my and Ming's new suitors. Definitely something to keep in mind for the future. It was not wise to be overconfident in her skills, but she had been sure to keep them sharp. Her chosen career was dangerous and she needed every edge she could get. She was still undeteated and unmarried and intended to stay that way. Even if she could never marry the man she'd fallen in love with, Sally could at least keep her freedom to be with him at his side.
Well let's see she thought getting a mental tally of her possible allies. For allies I have my siblings. But they'll surely be overruled by my father. There's Sensei Dirhann, the Council will listen to him and respect his words for he is an old and venerable warrior. However it is well known that I am his favorite, so they will likely discount what he says as merely his desire to protect me. Perhaps the entire Council will not be against me, but I should not assume that any will be sympathetic to my cause either. I sent home a good many young men in shameful defeat those years when I was fighting the tournaments. It is not likely that they have forgotten that. Sally thought of her depressingly short list of allies she had here at Homeland and resigned herself to having to think of another way around this mess.
If only I had access to the library. I'm sure there must be a law I could use in there somewhere. That's how I got out of being married off the first time. Perhaps I can stall for time while me and my Sensei check the scrolls, she thought. That was always assuming that they were actually going to allow her to speak. With the Grand High Council and her being only a mere Female Creature, it was not precisely as sure thing. This wasn't the Outlands, and it was by no means guaranteed that she would be allowed to defend herself. She might just have to fight her way out again.
One thing was for certain, she was getting heartily tired of these Clans and their attitudes. She was also getting sick of being summoned back home like some wandering delinquent when she had other things to be doing. She had a life of her own now and it was high time that Father and the other Clans realized that fact and left her to it in peace.
* * *
Wufei stopped outside the Gates of Po Village as the sun was creeping towards the horizon. The sky was afire with brilliant oranges and scarlets and golds almost like the plumage of the Phoenix itself. It had been a long time since he had seen the familiar traditional Chinese architecture of one of the Clans. The rest of China looked like the rest of the Outlands, but among the Twelve Clans where tradition ruled, the same style that had existed for hundreds and hundreds of years was the only style there was.
"Where can I find the Council Chamber?" Wufei asked in Chinese to the first person he encountered, a young guard standing just inside the gate. "Has the Grand High Council Meeting begun yet?" he questioned.
"I do not answer the questions of an Outlander," said the guard officiously. Wufei reached the end of his already short supply of patience.
"I'm not an Outander you fool," he said and whipped aside his Preventors jacket to reveal the Dragon Sword, the symbol and sacred relic of his clan, strapped to his side. The sword was forged of pure platinum; the handle was a carved dragon of finest jade, a green darker than pine. The base of the sword was inlaid with more jade and also showed carved dragons. It was obviously an ornamental blade and not truly meant for combat (who could fight with a platinum blade? The metal would be too soft!).
"I am Chang Wufei of Dragon Clan. I am the last surviving Child of the Dragon and the scion of my Clan. I demand to meet with the Grand High Council at once."
"That sword proves nothing. You could have killed the rightful heir and taken the sword."
"Idiot. Were you born last night? This relic cannot be taken from clan grounds unless its bearer is of Dragon Clan, the entire Clan would come boiling out after the thief like a nest of hornets. Now stand aside or you shall find out first hand why my Clan is so famous for its warrior skill."
"I'm afraid I still can't let you pass. The Council is about to call for that worthless bitch-"
And here the guard found the ceremonial blade at his throat so fast that the blade was no more than a flash of light and a whistle through the air.
"Mind your tongue before I remove it from your mouth," Wufei said sharply. ((A.N. no pun intended.))
The guard gulped.
"I meant no disrespect to the Lady Sai-Li," he said. "But I'm under orders that no outlanders be permitted inside these gates until after the Council has reached it verdict. I hope she really gets it from the Council. That'll teach her to keep her proper place and I'll get a little of my own back from that time she beat me in a match. Four moves! Unbelievable."
"I believe it," Wufei muttered. He was surprised it took her that many.
"Very well," Wufei acquiesced. "You don't have to let in any Outlanders, just me. I'm not an Outlander, I'm a Noble scion of the Clans. Therefore I can pass."
"Your authenticity has yet to be verified," the guard said.
Wufei looked around him, wondering if anyone would notice if he knocked the guard unconscious. After concluding that there were too many onlookers, Wufei glanced around him for weaknesses or openings in the walls. If one could not get in the front door, then the back door would have to be tried. He would have to wait precious more hours for darkness, well twilight might just suffice.
"You said that they were about to call in the Lady Sally- er, Sai-Li," said Wufei, interrupting the guard midspleel. "Meaning they haven't called her to the Council yet. How long until the Council convenes and she is brought before them?"
"After the sun sets," said the guard. "Hey were really haven't seen any of Dragon Clan around since they went up to space generations ago."
"True. It must just be time for a representative to take the rightful place of Dragon Clan on the Council. I must go now."
With that Wufei reversed direction and went to find another way in. With a group of guards that had no radio communications, and no real way of getting a hold of one another save word of mouth, getting inside Po Village would be a cakewalk. While Wufei hated skulking around in the shadows, if he had learned one thing from his partner it was that expediency was often far more valuable in a crisis than outdated notions of honorable behavior.
* * *
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. The show and its characters are the sole creative property of Sunrise, Bandai and Sotsu Agency as well as its creators Yoshiyuki Tomino and Hajime Matate. The Twelve Clans and all of its affiliated work is the sole creative property of me.