snakeling (snakeling) wrote in snakelingsrecs, @ 2007-12-25 19:15:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | fandom:vorkosigan, gen:vorkosigan, rating:pg, yuletide:2007 |
The Emperor's Curve, by the Yuletide Fairy
[Vorkosigan]
Title: The Emperor’s Curve
Author: Yuletide Fairy yuletidefairy
Summary: A Barrayaran Political Science Thesis.
Characters: Gregor Vorbarra, Cordelia Vorkosigan
Rating: PG
This wasn't written for me, but it could as well have been. A defining moment of Gregor's upbringing, that proves a wonderful hindsight into Gregor's relationship with Cordelia.
Aral, the Lord Regent Vorkosigan, showed Gregor respect and affection under different names, different hats. Aral called him Gregor; Lord Regent Vorkosigan called him Sire. Tante Cordelia, though, was only Tante Cordelia, singular and unified in her beliefs. “My respect for your office,” she’d said, “is what I think it is due, and is a little different from the respect for your office your countrymen have: I think there is much to be respected in the burden of responsibility, but not the ostentation. My respect for you as a human being takes into account that you are still growing. You have not grown into an adult, not have you entirely grown into your office. I respect you as a twelve-year-old boy. A boy who was done very well for his age and faced a great deal more loss and hardship than anyone should have to, but a boy. You are a boy, and I am a grown woman, and while you will someday be responsible for the world, I am presently responsible for you. So, no, I do not think I will call you ‘Sire’ just yet, Gregor.” It was humbling; yet at the same time Gregor couldn’t get over the feeling that he never really wanted Tante Cordelia to give up his name and call him Sire.