At last! After too long, the second chapter is here. Thank you for your
patience, loves! And thanks to the following people for reviewing: AsHdOn,
Damy, Dionysus, Rae Davidson, DrWorm, J.D, dreamkin, Tipsy, Cathryn,
Jinxster, lately mortal, VimesLady and Xandra the Blue.
***
"Bloody hell!" whispered Colon.
"I know," sighed Nobby. "I can't believe it! Old Stoneface."
"Ssh, keep your voice down, Nobby!" They stopped talking as their drinks arrived. Nobby grabbed his glass and drained it. Colon stared gloomily at his.
"'Ere, Sarge, d'you think they."
"Ssh!"
"I was being quiet!" Colon looked around nervously. This was Ankh-Morpork. The only way a conversation could be kept secret in Ankh-Morpork would be if it was telepathic, and even then some bugger'd be bound to listen in.
"Nobby, no more talking about it, okay? Not to me, not to anyone."
"But Sarge."
"That's an order, Nobby."
"But."
"How angry d'you think Mr Vimes will be if he finds out we know?"
"Ah."
"Exactly. Just keep it to yourself." They stared at their glasses, each lost in their own thoughts. Behind them, an unknown person got up from a table and walked out.
*
Carrot and Vimes arrived back at Carrot's lodgings. There was no one in, which Vimes was grateful for. Wordlessly they climbed up the stairs to Carrot's bedroom. Carrot sat on the bed and opened his arms. The Commander stepped into Carrots embrace and breathed deeply.
"It'll be okay, Sam," soothed Carrot. Vimes sighed.
"I wish I could believe you, lad. It's only a matter of time before someone finds out. I mean, can you imagine how Vetinari'd react if he found out? Actually, scratch that, he probably knows already, he knows everything that happens in this bloody city before it's even happened."
"That doesn't necessarily mean anyone else is going to find out," said Carrot, rubbing Vimes' back.
"How long have you lived here, Carrot?"
"Don't know, sir. Five, six years."
"And you still believe that secrets can be kept? In Ankh-Morpork?" Vimes sighed. "I wish I could believe you, Carrot, I really do."
"If. if you're that worried," began Carrot, biting his lip, "if it's that important to you, then maybe we should."
"No. I don't want to give you up. Gods damn it, I love you!"
"Bingley-bingley-beep!" Vimes sighed and pulled his organiser out of his pocket. "Six thirty pee em, dinner with Lady Sybil."
"I've got to go," said Vimes, getting up and putting on his cloak. "Sybil's been really looking forward to this, and she needs a break, young Sam's wearing her out."
"Ah yes, how is the little tyke?" grinned Carrot.
"At the moment, worryingly hell-bent on becoming his old man."
"Not that old, sir." Vimes grinned and moved to the door.
"Wait!" Carrot got up and moved towards Vimes. He took him in his arms and kissed him deeply, making Vimes' knees go weak. He pulled away reluctantly.
"I'd better go," whispered Vimes hoarsely. "See you tomorrow."
"'Bye, Sam," whispered Carrot. "I love you."
*
In the Oblong Office, Lord Vetinari nodded and waved his informant away. The door closed, and he strode over to the window, staring out at and, unfortunately, breathing in the smells of the sprawling heap that was Ankh- Morpork by twilight.
Well, well. The Captain and the Commander. Well, of course he'd had his suspicions. Young Carrot was no good at lying, and whenever Vimes' name was mentioned his face lit up. And the Commander was always so. protective of the lad. Yes, the evidence was there. It was just fortunate that most of the lads in the Watch were too stupid to see past their own noses, which had thus far meant that they hadn't suspected a thing. Sergeant Angua had been a bit of a worry, but if she had suspected anything she had kept it to herself, which was something of a relief. It would Not Do for anyone in the city to find out, especially not the guild leaders who resented Vimes enough as it is.
Havelock Vetinari was not an unintelligent man. No unintelligent man could have done what Vetinari had done, organising the city, making it work, making the leaders realise that they didn't want power, all they wanted was that today was pretty much the same as yesterday and would continue to be so. Continuation was the key. And he simply could not allow anything to happen that would upset the way things worked.
And now. well, it looked as though the worst-case scenario had happened. He would have to take action. It was a shame. He liked the man. But it was what had to be done, if tomorrow was going to be the same as today.
Well, for most people, at least.
***
"Bloody hell!" whispered Colon.
"I know," sighed Nobby. "I can't believe it! Old Stoneface."
"Ssh, keep your voice down, Nobby!" They stopped talking as their drinks arrived. Nobby grabbed his glass and drained it. Colon stared gloomily at his.
"'Ere, Sarge, d'you think they."
"Ssh!"
"I was being quiet!" Colon looked around nervously. This was Ankh-Morpork. The only way a conversation could be kept secret in Ankh-Morpork would be if it was telepathic, and even then some bugger'd be bound to listen in.
"Nobby, no more talking about it, okay? Not to me, not to anyone."
"But Sarge."
"That's an order, Nobby."
"But."
"How angry d'you think Mr Vimes will be if he finds out we know?"
"Ah."
"Exactly. Just keep it to yourself." They stared at their glasses, each lost in their own thoughts. Behind them, an unknown person got up from a table and walked out.
*
Carrot and Vimes arrived back at Carrot's lodgings. There was no one in, which Vimes was grateful for. Wordlessly they climbed up the stairs to Carrot's bedroom. Carrot sat on the bed and opened his arms. The Commander stepped into Carrots embrace and breathed deeply.
"It'll be okay, Sam," soothed Carrot. Vimes sighed.
"I wish I could believe you, lad. It's only a matter of time before someone finds out. I mean, can you imagine how Vetinari'd react if he found out? Actually, scratch that, he probably knows already, he knows everything that happens in this bloody city before it's even happened."
"That doesn't necessarily mean anyone else is going to find out," said Carrot, rubbing Vimes' back.
"How long have you lived here, Carrot?"
"Don't know, sir. Five, six years."
"And you still believe that secrets can be kept? In Ankh-Morpork?" Vimes sighed. "I wish I could believe you, Carrot, I really do."
"If. if you're that worried," began Carrot, biting his lip, "if it's that important to you, then maybe we should."
"No. I don't want to give you up. Gods damn it, I love you!"
"Bingley-bingley-beep!" Vimes sighed and pulled his organiser out of his pocket. "Six thirty pee em, dinner with Lady Sybil."
"I've got to go," said Vimes, getting up and putting on his cloak. "Sybil's been really looking forward to this, and she needs a break, young Sam's wearing her out."
"Ah yes, how is the little tyke?" grinned Carrot.
"At the moment, worryingly hell-bent on becoming his old man."
"Not that old, sir." Vimes grinned and moved to the door.
"Wait!" Carrot got up and moved towards Vimes. He took him in his arms and kissed him deeply, making Vimes' knees go weak. He pulled away reluctantly.
"I'd better go," whispered Vimes hoarsely. "See you tomorrow."
"'Bye, Sam," whispered Carrot. "I love you."
*
In the Oblong Office, Lord Vetinari nodded and waved his informant away. The door closed, and he strode over to the window, staring out at and, unfortunately, breathing in the smells of the sprawling heap that was Ankh- Morpork by twilight.
Well, well. The Captain and the Commander. Well, of course he'd had his suspicions. Young Carrot was no good at lying, and whenever Vimes' name was mentioned his face lit up. And the Commander was always so. protective of the lad. Yes, the evidence was there. It was just fortunate that most of the lads in the Watch were too stupid to see past their own noses, which had thus far meant that they hadn't suspected a thing. Sergeant Angua had been a bit of a worry, but if she had suspected anything she had kept it to herself, which was something of a relief. It would Not Do for anyone in the city to find out, especially not the guild leaders who resented Vimes enough as it is.
Havelock Vetinari was not an unintelligent man. No unintelligent man could have done what Vetinari had done, organising the city, making it work, making the leaders realise that they didn't want power, all they wanted was that today was pretty much the same as yesterday and would continue to be so. Continuation was the key. And he simply could not allow anything to happen that would upset the way things worked.
And now. well, it looked as though the worst-case scenario had happened. He would have to take action. It was a shame. He liked the man. But it was what had to be done, if tomorrow was going to be the same as today.
Well, for most people, at least.