Title: Traditional

Author: Karina

Rating: PG

Pairing: Wu Fei

Notes: Challenge 196. Baby Series 4 #45. Takes place immediately following Reforms.

Spoilers: None

Warnings:

Many thanks to Shenlong Deb for her work betaing this set of fics.

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

Title: Traditional

"Thank you, little one. What is your name?"

She blushed prettily, peeking up at him with glowing pale blue eyes. Old Nordic blood. He knew she was from one of the old bloodlines, not necessarily a noble, they were far fewer than most people believed, especially after the sacking of Sanc nearly thirty years ago.

"Gretta."

"Your flowers are beautiful, Gretta."

A charming giggle answered him and, with another quickly bobbed curtsey, she ran into the shelter of a cluster of bystanders. He could feel the eyes of the Elder on him and he could ignore the intensity of that gaze. They were in public and the old man was more than 'proper' in public. One had the safety and comfort of formality to buffer their differences at the moment and he was thankful for the observers.

The morning's interview over breakfast had been less than pleasant. He had informed those who had been chosen to represent the Clan that they would be undergoing a brief familiarisation tour of the city, before going to the palace for an audience with the King. That had not been the problem. All had gone smoothly until he had taken the bull by the horns and informed them that they would be discussing the unfolding of reforms to their 'traditional' way of life with their settlement in Sanc.

The Elder was definitely a traditionalist, if he had doubted it there could be no doubt after breakfast. It had been made plain by both his expression and his blunt commentary that he did not feel there was a need to initiate 'reforms'. He should have bitten his tongue and kept his peace, Wu Fei knew it, but he had not. He was not quite sure why he had decided to go against his earlier decision not to inform any members of his Clan that he was to become a 'vassal' of the King.

Yes, he was the Chang of Chang and that placed him in a position of responsibility to his people, such as were left of them, and who had decided to throw in their lot with him. Yes, he would accept that responsibility, but no, he would not go back to the traditional straight jacket that bound the ruler in isolation from those very people he purported to rule. He was to be invested as a Duke of the Realm, a position of high authority, and by no means was it an insult to his bloodlines. It was paying due respect to his ancestors and he had not asked for the honour that had been freely given to him.

He had chosen, of his own free will, to bend his knee to Milliardo Peacecraft, something in his younger years he could never have seen himself doing to ANYONE, let alone Milliardo. Perhaps that was what upset the old man so much, that he bowed to an upstart European mongrel and not to an Elder of the Clan.

End

Karina Robertson 2012