AN: OK, this is my first Pterry fic. And yes people, WE HAVE SLASH HERE!!!
I'm not going to say who with, because: a) if I don't tell you it'll pull
more readers in and b) if I tell you I'll be chased around by a screaming
mob of fangirls bent on my destruction.
Oh yeah. This is actually quite small. It's not an epic, it's not a huge angsty/romancy saga, it's just a little idea that's been bouncing around my head. The only reason there's going to be a lot of chapters is that I prefer to post small and get more reviews ::hint hint:: XD.
Anyway, enjoy!
"Oh mum. Do I have to go?"
"For the last time, yes! Now stop being silly and come down to the coach." Sybil Ramkin was normally what people referred to as 'a nice girl' or had been in her younger days. Now, however, she was a mother, in all her full, magnificent glory, and she wasn't going to try to reason with her 16-year- old son.
"But mum -"
"Don't you 'but mum' me! This will be your first real ball, you are one of the guest's of honour and I'm not going to have you embarrass us by not attending! And while you are there you will be on your best behaviour. Understood?"
Young Sam Vimes sighed. Why did his mother always have to act like this? If he was any judge she had an excellent mind, somewhat dulled by lack of use, and an unfortunately large dosage of common sense. Why, then, did she insist on acting like a Lady? True, she had an almost subconscious grasp of the social niceties, and was always attempting to get Sam -junior and senior - to adhere to them, but Sam had no objections to that. What he couldn't understand was why she felt she had to be as silly and innocuous as possible around nobility who were her inferiors in rank, wealth and brains. Why, if she behaved the way she did at home, she might even become an example for the others!(1) She could improve things for the people (and, if he would admit it, himself) to no end!
With this in mind, Sam went in for a last-ditch effort. "It's not like Havelock will care, mother," he said, attempting his best condescending- whilst-being-respectful tone, which was bloody difficult and took years to master. "You know he only decided to have a ball in the first place because those awful air headed Ladies got their husbands to pressure him."
Sybil glared at her son, but the voice that was issued through lips white with rage was surprisingly calm, if somewhat low. "This ball was prepared for your benefit. Yours and all the other 'younglings' who are just now coming of age. Months of hard work went into making it a night you would enjoy. Time, resources and money were spent without thought, every last detail was seen to. But obviously those other awful air headed ladies and I," Sam's eyes widened, "forgot the important fact that balls are only created so that selfish, irresponsible young men can avoid them." Sybil curtsied to her son. "I apologise, my lord, for not realising this sooner. Please, go and enjoy yourself tonight eating a cold dinner. You obviously won't be joining us old people at the ball."
"Mother!" Sam cried, reaching for her, but there was a distance in her eyes. "Please! Don't treat me so coldly! You're my mother, not some serving- girl! And I am not a lord!"
Sybil stared icily at him for a moment more. Then she turned, and swept towards the carriage. "Come," she said. Then, "And don't you dare call Lord Vetinari, 'Havelock'. That is a name that is earnt, not given. It is used by lords and men, and you have proven yourself neither. Even if you do speak with the arrogance of Lord Rust at his finest."
Sam hurried behind his mother, ashamed and subdued. It seemed he was starting to find his limits.
(1)It wasn't until much later in life that Sam realised the grammatical error of this thought, and not until much later that he realised how accurate his error would have been had Sybil Ramkin ever attempted to make an example of anything.
NB: Yes, I know Sybil was out of character. Remember: we don't actually see many shots of her doing the 'grumpy mother' thing in the series. I kind've had to improvise. As for young Sammywammikins, (I'm sorry, I'm just in love with that boy X)) the brilliant thing about him is that you can write anything about him, and it doesn't yet contradict his character. Cool, no?
Anyway, it seems to be the fashion these days to make overly large comments about that button at the end of the page. . So.yeah. There it is. You're not blind. You know what I'm talking about. ..Right?
Oh yeah. This is actually quite small. It's not an epic, it's not a huge angsty/romancy saga, it's just a little idea that's been bouncing around my head. The only reason there's going to be a lot of chapters is that I prefer to post small and get more reviews ::hint hint:: XD.
Anyway, enjoy!
"Oh mum. Do I have to go?"
"For the last time, yes! Now stop being silly and come down to the coach." Sybil Ramkin was normally what people referred to as 'a nice girl' or had been in her younger days. Now, however, she was a mother, in all her full, magnificent glory, and she wasn't going to try to reason with her 16-year- old son.
"But mum -"
"Don't you 'but mum' me! This will be your first real ball, you are one of the guest's of honour and I'm not going to have you embarrass us by not attending! And while you are there you will be on your best behaviour. Understood?"
Young Sam Vimes sighed. Why did his mother always have to act like this? If he was any judge she had an excellent mind, somewhat dulled by lack of use, and an unfortunately large dosage of common sense. Why, then, did she insist on acting like a Lady? True, she had an almost subconscious grasp of the social niceties, and was always attempting to get Sam -junior and senior - to adhere to them, but Sam had no objections to that. What he couldn't understand was why she felt she had to be as silly and innocuous as possible around nobility who were her inferiors in rank, wealth and brains. Why, if she behaved the way she did at home, she might even become an example for the others!(1) She could improve things for the people (and, if he would admit it, himself) to no end!
With this in mind, Sam went in for a last-ditch effort. "It's not like Havelock will care, mother," he said, attempting his best condescending- whilst-being-respectful tone, which was bloody difficult and took years to master. "You know he only decided to have a ball in the first place because those awful air headed Ladies got their husbands to pressure him."
Sybil glared at her son, but the voice that was issued through lips white with rage was surprisingly calm, if somewhat low. "This ball was prepared for your benefit. Yours and all the other 'younglings' who are just now coming of age. Months of hard work went into making it a night you would enjoy. Time, resources and money were spent without thought, every last detail was seen to. But obviously those other awful air headed ladies and I," Sam's eyes widened, "forgot the important fact that balls are only created so that selfish, irresponsible young men can avoid them." Sybil curtsied to her son. "I apologise, my lord, for not realising this sooner. Please, go and enjoy yourself tonight eating a cold dinner. You obviously won't be joining us old people at the ball."
"Mother!" Sam cried, reaching for her, but there was a distance in her eyes. "Please! Don't treat me so coldly! You're my mother, not some serving- girl! And I am not a lord!"
Sybil stared icily at him for a moment more. Then she turned, and swept towards the carriage. "Come," she said. Then, "And don't you dare call Lord Vetinari, 'Havelock'. That is a name that is earnt, not given. It is used by lords and men, and you have proven yourself neither. Even if you do speak with the arrogance of Lord Rust at his finest."
Sam hurried behind his mother, ashamed and subdued. It seemed he was starting to find his limits.
(1)It wasn't until much later in life that Sam realised the grammatical error of this thought, and not until much later that he realised how accurate his error would have been had Sybil Ramkin ever attempted to make an example of anything.
NB: Yes, I know Sybil was out of character. Remember: we don't actually see many shots of her doing the 'grumpy mother' thing in the series. I kind've had to improvise. As for young Sammywammikins, (I'm sorry, I'm just in love with that boy X)) the brilliant thing about him is that you can write anything about him, and it doesn't yet contradict his character. Cool, no?
Anyway, it seems to be the fashion these days to make overly large comments about that button at the end of the page. . So.yeah. There it is. You're not blind. You know what I'm talking about. ..Right?