Vetinari was distracted. He'd made a mess of his latest assignment, poor old chap. He looked around the room, searching for some way to make the whole scene more acceptable to whoever found it. There was a rap on the door. This really couldn't be good.

It was a credit to how very distracted he was that he padded over and cracked it open. He closed his eyes for a moment. "You probably don't want to come in hear right now," he said, exhausted.

"Oh. I suppose the gates will be opening late, then?"

There was a pause.

"You're not here to protect the innocent, then?" he asked.

"Haven't met one yet," said Ienska.

Vetinari stepped out of the gatehouse, careful to keep the door as tightly closed as possible. It really was rather messy.

"You're leaving then?" he said.

"Yes. I need some space to think." Ienska looked up at the high walls. "I suppose I could climb over them."

"You could," said Vetinari. They both looked at the walls. "Or we could just open the gate."

"Yes, that would work," said Ienska.

It was the work of only a few moments to breach the city walls.

"Will you be coming back, then?" asked Vetinari.

Ienska shrugged. "Don't know. Maybe. When the Masters have moved on."

"That," said Vetinari tactfully, "may be sooner than you think. Right after I tell Doctor Follett, as a matter of fact."

"But you swore by your father's dagger!" she said.

"Yes, interesting, that. My father was an accountant."

"Ah. No daggers, then?"

"A few rather sharp letter openers but, no, no daggers."

They stood there for a moment, Ienska just outside the City Gates on the road and Vetinari inside the walls.

"Well, goodbye then," said Ienska after a few moments.

"Yes, goodbye."

There was another moment's silence and Ienska turned and started down the road, fading away into the early morning mist.

***

The wizards say that time splits itself every time a decision is made, forming into multiple futures. A rather large rift formed as Ienska made her way out into the world.


In one future, Vetinari stayed where he was for a few moments before going silently back into the gatehouse and tidying up a bit. He went back to the Assassin's Guild, where he studied for years all the ways to kill a person. He became Patrician and studied for years all the ways to make a person very, very uncomfortable. He made the city work.

In the other future, Vetinari stayed where he was for a few moments before sighing and running out into the fog after Ienska.

***

A soft swirl of mist trailed out through the City Gates, the only sign that anyone had once been there.

The End

If you couldn't tell, this was my first attempt at a Discworld fic. Reviews and opinions, including constructive criticism, are welcome. (Actually, I'm begging for them.) I apologize if the ending is a little abrupt, the story really didn't want to end, but there's only so far to go with a single plot. So, please, review!