Author's Note: Hello readers new and newer. First off, a shout out to: innocentsmith for guessing Chapter Three's poem reference - "Abou Ben Adhem" by James Henry Leigh Hunt. Thank you all the lovely reviews and encouragement, you are all way too kind. Suggestions for improvement are most welcome.
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Terry Pratchett's Discworld or his characters. Merely my representations. And the punes or play on words.
Across a plain of inky black skies, a rider leaves trails of cirrus in his wake.
Below the plain is a panoramic view of the Disc, where its Greatest City sits like an amoeba with veins of moonlit rivers running across its surface. The rider ignores this, having seen sights both wondrous and more disturbing since the dawn of its existence. The albino horse reflects its Master's distrait mood with every muffled clash of iron shod hoofs against the cloudy ground.
It might have been worse, reflected Death. A lot worse….
The reaction to news that Death had mislaid a body in his hitherto impeccable career should have been along the lines of "Oh, 'insert-frequently-invoked-Deity's-name here'!!" or at least, "You did what?".
Susan had remained uncharacteristically silent.
"I see" she said at last.
GOOD said Death, feeling unaccountably relieved for some unknown reason.(1)
(1) It is technically impossible not to mention in extremely bad taste to say that he had been holding his breath.
"Checked everywhere, did you?"
OF COURSE.
"Right .. " She muttered, taking a deep breath. "Any idea who might have taken it or why?"
I REALLY COULDN'T SAY. THE AUDITORS HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED FROM UNIVERSAL AFFAIR MEDDLING UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. AND MR TEH-AH TIM-EH DIDN'T STRIKE ME DURING OUR BRIEF ACQUIANTANCE AS THE SORT TO LOOK INTO A FUTURE CAREER AS A ZOMBIE.
Susan bobbed absently at the end of the report. The only indication of any underlying tension was in her pursed lips that appeared as a straight dark line across her pale face and the tightening of her knuckles around her coverlet.
"And now there's your new duty as campaigner for the Gods, so you don't have – any - spare time to find the body yourself, now… do you?"
I HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD TO DO MANY THINGS. He said coldly, as the shadows lengthened and the room seemed to grow smaller under his imposing presence. AND FINDING PEOPLE SHOULD BE WELL WITHIN THE SCOPE OF YOUR CAPABILITIES. I JUST THOUGHT THAT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN GIVING A HAND …THAT IS TO SAY, …IF YOU'RE NOT TOO BUSY … "
"Oh I almost forgot! your visits always have a double agenda attached , don't they? If its not about saving the world from those bloody auditors of reality one minute, then its about leaving me to mind Chez Morte while you take off on one of your little 'finding yourself' excursions!"
Death winced at the memory, which was a pretty feat for an anthropomorphic personality that had only one facial expression to speak of.
"And I know," she had continued, waving an accusatory finger. "I just know that there's more to this missing body case than meets the eye. Its another ploy to rile me up so that I have no choice but to go on another wild goose chase - "
That was her mother's trademark, thought Death sourly. Always one for theatrics when upset or angry. He wondered briefly if Susan would consider exchanging the governess profession for the stage. The gravity of the situation prevented him from making this fatal suggestion.
"… occurred to you that I have a life of my own now? that I have to keep up some semblance of normality? Why do I have to drop everything - just to accommodate you?"
SUSAN, I –
"Get out."
WOMAN! I AM YOUR GRANDFAT-
"I don't CARE, Grandad! I don't care anymore! Everything has to do with – with the Duty in the end! And I – JUST GO!" she finished lamely.
And that was the state in which Death left her. He had done the right thing, of course. He had planted the seed, as Albert would say although what the other metaphors for sunlight, rain and fertilizer stood for remained a mystery. He hadn't anticipated the unexpected direction of the conversation at the end. He was used to witnessing emotions of anger and grief in the souls He collected personally from time to time. Susan however was an anomaly. While her human nature could not be ignored, she also had her other nature which instantly made her radically different from everyone else.
An indefinable something clamped around his chest. He could not define it, and put it down to the air currents whistling through his robes as Binky dipped and began gaining ground. He espied his destination from afar and sighed. As Binky slowed to a canter, He reached into the saddle sack and pulled out the rusty chains.
The noise of the outside world whooshed in, as if an invisible mute button had been relieved on an equally invisible remote control. It was a while before Susan could register the sound of hoof beats and Binky's low whinny above the din.
What had she done?
She never thought herself to be this bitter. If anything else, she prided herself on the extraordinary patience she exercised with him. The recent argument replayed every pithy phrase she uttered against him and it stung her. The image of Death swaying slightly under the onslaught of her tirade made her wince. And she couldn't pin her behaviour on physical exhaustion alone. It was backed by some deeply seated resentments that apparently had remained unresolved. Damn.
She had to fix this. To think that she could so easily read her wards thoughts when she couldn't even -
Her eyes snapped open. Something felt wrong. The jarring key note among the perfect harmonies of the world again. Sweeping back the covers, Susan grabbed her dressing gown with shaking hands and reached the children's room.
Moments later, Susan sat down on the edge of Gawain's bed and stared at the moonlight streaming in through the window creating shadowy patterns on the bed covers. She had to credit herself, she thought faintly as she stared at the empty space on the bed. At least she didn't scream.
In a bower far away filled with tall reeds, greying grasses and sunflowers as big as trees, the Queen of the Elves was presiding over her court. Dainty creatures surrounded their mistress as they carried out the first order of the day - Grooming. They came in diminishing sizes from ten to zero (2) and against the odds managed to carry off the fussy single tulip gowns that reached their knees and balance precarious bluebell hats on their heads.
(2) They lived on sunflower seeds and morning dew and incidentally were starving hungry all the time.
Their job as far as one could make out was to perform any little task that popped intro their mistress's head and to do it genteelly. No one wanted to know the consequences otherwise. While they were assisting their mistress in the task of grooming herself, the other courtiers of the Queen kept watch on the perimeters. There was nothing remotely dainty about this set. Tall, delicately boned and supermodel thin, they were dressed in all manner of animal furs, feathers, beads and the odd patch of fabric to offer some sort of decent coverage. Most of them carried bows and arrow shafts over their shoulders with the telling bulge of daggers by their thighs. The Queen's guests were simply fascinated by them.
As if by a mental command, all eyes fixed on their mistress as she dismissed her attendants and turned her attention onto her guests.
"And what you like to do today children?"
The boy spoke first.
"I wanna bow n arrer ana swored!"
"Ahem" his sister cleared her throat.
Gawain looked slightly abashed.
"um..please?"
The Queen threw back her head and laughed. Somehow the children expected it to sound like the notes of a summer brook. They had never actually heard a real brook or ever set foot in the countryside for that matter but they were under the impression that it would sound like a series of sucking reverberations like an unblocked drain from the kitchen sink.
"Such charming children! I do believe we are going to be such friends."
The children looked sceptical. True, her ladyship had been kind and gracious and behaved all 'queenly' like since their arrival, but nevertheless she was an Adult. A joke can only be taken so far. For the first time, they wondered what Susan would think of this lady.
The Queen's smile froze for a few seconds but she recovered magnificently.
"I do believe I hear something moving among the reeds – who can it be – shall we take a look?"
Intrigued, the children approached the shifting grasses and listened to the stentorian breathing behind the curtain of olive green leaves.
"What can it be? What do you think, children? It sounds big…."
The rustling grew more agitated. Twyla grabbed Gawain's hand on an impulse.
"- and it likes…"
The reeds began to part. A flash of silver orbs gazed back.
"- to eat…"
The children yelled at the sudden movement.
"things…"