Ienska didn't get very many days off, the Master's said there weren't enough people as it was. But, once in a while, she got a few days to herself. A few days that didn't involve throwing herself in harm's way for strangers, getting mixed up in domestic disputes, and, above all, did not in any way involve Vetinari.

On one such day, as spring was making it's way across Ankh-Morpork and bathing everything in the fresh light of re-birth,* she found herself sitting on the roof of an abandoned house. It was near the palace and so had a decent view of the city – though why anyone would want a decent view was beyond her comprehension – but, in recent years, had fallen into disrepair.** Despite that, the roof was solid and slightly slanted, making it a comfortable and mildly quiet place to sit. The air seemed cleaner above the streets, too.
[* Even after re-birth, filth is filth and muck is muck. This was Ankh-Morpork, after all.
** Which is to say, it was used as target practice and an artistic canvas for the city's youth.]

A startled exclamation caused Ienska to turn. People occasionally made their way around the city by way of the roofs, and she had seen a few others cross this particular roof before. She groaned. It wasn't fair, it really wasn't fair.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, nearly growling.

"Going for a stroll," said Vetinari, walking over to where she sat. "I have a few days off and thought I'd make the most of it. I figured you'd be out saving lives."

"Yeah, well, it's my weekend off," she said, disgruntled. "I figured you'd be out killing – sorry, inhuming people."

"No such luck," he said, staring out across the cityscape. "I don't suppose…" he trailed off, frowning.

"What?" asked Ienska.

"Nothing," he said. He was still standing, looming over Ienska in a way that made her feel…totally unthreatened. And that annoyed her. He was an Assassin, for goodness sake! She should feel, well…something. She should not feel comfortable with him standing over her.

"You might as well sit down," she said, hoping that would banish the nagging feeling of unthreatening behavior. It didn't. Perhaps it would have, if he had sat cautiously, in a position that could easily be given to standing up quickly, but he didn't. He sprawled. Sitting back on his elbows with his legs stretched out in front of him.

"Comfortable?" Ienska asked, still irritated.

"Very, thank you," he said, gazing up at the sky. His eyes seemed to be the same color as the early spring sky…well, the color the early spring sky probably was far above the muddy, discolored air of the city. It gave his face a rather odd effect, like he was reflecting the heavens. Ienska shook herself.

"I suppose you come here often?" she said.

He shrugged. "Sometimes. It's got a…extensive view," he said, avoiding words like 'excellent' or 'good' that might imply somehow that the view was pleasant.

"I suppose I'll have to find somewhere else to spend my days off, then," said Ienska, rather put off by the fact that, not only was her sanctuary taken, but taken by him.

"Oh, I don't mind," said Vetinari, as if she had asked him.

"I do," she said. He looked at her, an expression somewhere between amusement and puzzlement dancing across his face.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because…" Because why? Because he was an Assassin! But…not really. She wouldn't have minded if some other Assassin had this place already, she would simply have left. He expected her to talk to him, though. To hold civil conversations, as if their lives weren't dedicated to the destruction of everything to other symbolized. She settled for, "Because I prefer being alone on my days off."

"I see." He didn't move, just kept staring up at the sky. Several minutes passed. "Well?" he said.

"Well what?" snapped Ienska.

"I thought you were leaving? To find an uninhabited roof?"

She clenched her fists. And she had so been looking forward to her days off. "Right." She stood up and looked around, uncertain. She hadn't really been in Ankh-Morpork very long, and certainly hadn't had time to explore beyond what her daily duty called for. She had no idea where to go. Several more minutes passed.

"I really don't mind, you know," said Vetinari from shin height. He was still lounging unconcernedly on the roof. "You can stay if you want."

Relieved for some reason she couldn't, or didn't want to, identify, Ienska sank back down. "Fine," she said. "But only for today. Tomorrow I'll find somewhere else to go."

There was silence. She looked over at Vetinari. His eyes were closed. He appeared very much to be asleep. Ienska stared in disbelief for a moment before turning her attention back out to the city, bustling seven stories below her.

"Don't bother," said Vetinari suddenly. Ienska nearly jumped. His eyes were still closed.

"What?" she said.

"Don't bother to find somewhere else," he said. He opened his eyes and looked at her. They really were very blue. "I can tell when I'm not wanted. I've lived in this city for a long time, I have other roofs. You can have this one."

"You're giving me the roof?" she said, voice full of sarcasm – though she wasn't quite sure why.

He shrugged, still watching her. "Why not. You seem to like it, so take it. It's your roof now."

"Does that mean you'll leave?" she asked, suspicious.

"If you like," he said, voice level.

For a few moments she just watched him. He didn't move at all – not the motionless state that resulted in near invisibility, but a relaxed sort of not moving.

"You really enjoy these games, don't you?" she asked at last.

"Games?" he said innocently.

"Yes, games," she said. "The ones that give you power over other people."

He frowned. "How so? I believe, if I was paying attention to the correct conversation, I just gave you power over me," he said.

"We both know you didn't," Ienska said. "Or, you didn't give me more than a fraction of the power over you that you would gain over me if I accepted power over you." There was a pause as both of them sorted out that sentence. "What I mean," Ienska said finally. "Is that, if I allowed you to give me power, that would be admitting that you have the power to give it to me in the first place."

"Ah," said Vetinari. There was another pause. "Exactly which one of us is it that enjoys these games, again?"

Ienska's eyes hardened.

"Never mind," said Vetinari. He looked back up at the sky. "I take it I can stay, then?"

"It's a not-quite-democratic, semi-free city," said Ienska. "You can do whatever you like."

"And you'll be staying as well?" he asked.

"It's my roof."

A confused expression flickered across Vetinari's face. "I was under the impression that I didn't have the power to give it to you?"

"You don't," said Ienska. "But you don't have the power to take it away either."

"Ah."

There was silence again. Quite a long one and, so far as Ienska was concerned, far to comfortable and relaxed. This was not how things were supposed to work. The air should be full of tension and mutual dislike…of course, if that were true, one of them would probably have left after the first hour or two. One of them would most definitely not be dozing happily.

As the sun sank below the horizon, or, rather, the top of the city wall and roofs of houses that comprised the Ankh-Morpork horizon, Vetinari stretched and sat up.

"Well, it's been a pleasant afternoon, Ienska," he said. Ienska started at the sound of her first name, he'd never used it before and it sounded all together too familiar. But she'd told him to and couldn't really tell him not to now. "But I must be going. I've lessons tonight." He rolled lazily to his feet.

"Good evening, in that case, Havelock," she said, deliberately using his first name as well. He seemed unfazed.

He started to walk away, but stopped after a few steps and turned back. "You know, you just might be one of the most interesting people I've ever met." With that, he turned and left.

Ienska stared after him in disbelief.