Meanwhile Jayson had returned to the Yard and started to climb his way back
up to Carrot's room. Hopefully Angua was providing him enough distraction
and he'd be able to talk to Carrot alone.
He tried the window but it was boarded up and bolted down. Cursing he slowly eased his way to the next window. Luckily it was open and he slowly eased it up and pulled himself through into a room full of assorted goods. He tiptoed carefully avoiding the clutter on the floor and paused at the door, breathing slow and silently.
He cautiously opened the door and glanced either way down the passage before slipping out and into Carrot's room once more. Jayson stood silently watching the rise and fall of Carrot's chest in the dark.
'Arise King Carrot.' He said softly.
Carrot sat bolt upright. 'Who's that?' he called scanning the dark.
'Your past and future.' Jayson replied.
Carrot got out of bed quickly glancing round for his sword. 'You...' he hissed.
'Yes that's it, drop the pretence.' Jayson grinned.
'What are you talking about?' Carrot demanded wondering where his sword was.
'The goodness, the simpleton act. I know what lies behind that steel door of your mind. Murder comes so easily to you. First Lupine and then Dr. Cruces, and so soon after you returned here, the place your blood calls you.' Jayson answered not moving.
'You're insane.' Carrot replied.
'You're in denial!' Jaysin retorted.
'I have no idea what you're talking about.' Carrot replied leaning for his sword.
'Your act may fool those around you, even yourself. Those dwarves must have warped your mind.' Jayson sighed. 'You really think that sword will help?'
'Maybe, maybe not.' Carrot said simply.
'And so the line of the Kings of Ankh is reduced to this. The good officer who will go to any lengths to hide the truth of his lineage, no doubt he doesn't even know the whole truth himself.' Jayson continued.
'You like to talk a lot. If you're going to kill me then do it.' Carrot told him.
'I have no intention of killing you. You don't remember me? I guess it has been a lifetime.' Jayson said enigmatically.
'How do you know me?' Carrot asked.
Jayson stepped into the moonlight. 'Do you not recognise me brother?' he said.
'What?' Carrot said in shock.
'That's right. I'm your twin brother. But that's not all... maybe you should go see your girlfriend for more details. She really needs you right now.' Jayson said slowly.
'What did you do to her?' Carrot snapped pointing the sword at him.
'Nothing that won't heal soon. Until next time brother.' Jayson told him slipping out the door.
Carrot dashed after him but he had vanished. He looked around wildly but to no avail. In the end he walked downstairs to find a distraught Corporal Littlebottom.
'What's the matter Corporal?' he asked softly.
'Sir! It's Angua!' she squeaked.
Carrot's blood ran cold. 'Where is she?' he asked.
'Downstairs in one of Igor's cells.' She replied. Carrot rushed off into the back and down into the cells.
'Angua?' he cried his voice aching with concern as he dropped to his knees beside her.
'She's fine Carrot, she needs to rest that's all.' Vimes told him resting his hand on his shoulder.
'What happened?' Carrot asked.
'She trailed the nutter who attacked you and he got the better of her.' Vimes told him his voice tainted with anger.
'How?' came Carrot's reply.
'Turns out he's a werewolf. He led her to the river and ambushed her.' Vimes told him.
'What?' Carrot gasped. 'A werewolf?'
'Mmm Carrot?' Angua groaned her eyes opening slowly.
'It's okay I'm here.' He assured her.
Vimes tactically sidled out of the room trying to block out the roar of the Beast within him as he made his way back to his office.
He entered his office muttering to himself, lighting the candle, hissing through his teeth as his eyes locked on a malevolent grin.
'You!' he growled.
'Me, Sir Samuel.' Jayson replied leaning back in Vimes' chair.
Vimes swung for him, only to have his fist snatched out of the air and pinned to the desk.
'Now, now Commander. No silver, no fireworks, I'm afraid that's not good enough.' Jayson said pleasantly.
'What do you want?' Vimes growled struggling.
'Just a chat. Carrot has things to think about.' Jayson replied, still clamping Vimes' arm.
'What are you talking about?' Vimes demanded.
'Do you know of the Yennork, your Grace?' Jayson asked.
Vimes shook his head as he tried to blank the pain in his arm.
'The Yennork are werewolves that cannot change form like us bimorphs. They are either always in human or always in wolf form. They crop up from time to time in litters.' Jayson explained.
'What's that got to do with us?' Vimes hissed.
'You know of Carrot's background I believe?' Jayson asked softly.
'He was found after a bandit attack by dwarves and raised by them.' Vimes told him.
'That's right.' Jayson said as if praising a child. 'But did you know the circumstances of the attack? A family that could trace its descent all the way back to Lorenzo the Kind, the King your ancestor executed, running for their lives. Why were they running you wonder? Due to fear of those around them, simple peasants and their superstitions.' He continued sighing.
'But the royal bloodline has been diluted somewhat by its survival in the wilderness. I too am a descendant of Lorenzo. Strange how a King like that gave rise to a man like Carrot hmm?' he finished.
'So that's what this is all about. You want Carrot out the way to get the throne!' Vimes yelled.
Jayson laughed dryly. 'My dear Vimes do you really think I'm that insane? Vetinari can keep this city. I'm here to make Carrot face himself.'
'What?' Vimes asked perplexed, the pain fogging his mind.
'You see how could the royal bloodline have lasted these last three hundred years out in the wilderness? By the forging of alliances. They escaped into Uberwald making pacts with werewolves and vampires. Their numbers dwindled to the last survivor. A young woman and sole heir of the Ankh royalty. A Yennork werewolf from generations of intermarriages of royalty and werewolves, escaping the cruel tradition of slaughter of the impure.' Jayson recited in a singsong voice.
'Living with her love, a high born werewolf lord, still holding onto a sword and ring passed down through the centuries. But alas disaster strikes, the local people discover what they really are and revolt, trying to kill them and so they escaped in a coach into a wintry night, chased by a mob. Lost in the blizzard they end up crashing in a glade at the mercy of the mob with their two children. Can you guess who those two children were your Grace?' Jayson finished.
'You and Carrot?' the answer came in a hoarse whisper.
'Very good, Sir Samuel. Carrot survived because he was hidden and later found by dwarves. I wasn't so lucky, a young pup with a crossbow bolt in the leg, running into the woods from death. But I never forgot and oh how those peasants paid later.' He chuckled.
'I survived in those woods for fifteen years thinking I was alone and then slowly I heard rumours about a possible heir returning to Ankh, a humble and good watchman. I spent years checking and preparing for the time I'd come back for my brother and let him know the truth of his beginnings, of the werewolf blood in his veins. A surprising coincidence that he should be in a stable relationship with another werewolf. No? But we werewolves can seek each other out even if we don't realise it.' Jayson told him releasing his arm.
'And now you know my secrets Commander it is time for me to leave. Give my regards to my brother.' Jayson said moving to the window and was gone.
'Blast.' Vimes said aloud clutching his arm and trying to ignore the flashing spots of colour in his vision. He sat down, his thoughts colliding in his head as he tried to come to terms with Jayson's revelations.
He tried the window but it was boarded up and bolted down. Cursing he slowly eased his way to the next window. Luckily it was open and he slowly eased it up and pulled himself through into a room full of assorted goods. He tiptoed carefully avoiding the clutter on the floor and paused at the door, breathing slow and silently.
He cautiously opened the door and glanced either way down the passage before slipping out and into Carrot's room once more. Jayson stood silently watching the rise and fall of Carrot's chest in the dark.
'Arise King Carrot.' He said softly.
Carrot sat bolt upright. 'Who's that?' he called scanning the dark.
'Your past and future.' Jayson replied.
Carrot got out of bed quickly glancing round for his sword. 'You...' he hissed.
'Yes that's it, drop the pretence.' Jayson grinned.
'What are you talking about?' Carrot demanded wondering where his sword was.
'The goodness, the simpleton act. I know what lies behind that steel door of your mind. Murder comes so easily to you. First Lupine and then Dr. Cruces, and so soon after you returned here, the place your blood calls you.' Jayson answered not moving.
'You're insane.' Carrot replied.
'You're in denial!' Jaysin retorted.
'I have no idea what you're talking about.' Carrot replied leaning for his sword.
'Your act may fool those around you, even yourself. Those dwarves must have warped your mind.' Jayson sighed. 'You really think that sword will help?'
'Maybe, maybe not.' Carrot said simply.
'And so the line of the Kings of Ankh is reduced to this. The good officer who will go to any lengths to hide the truth of his lineage, no doubt he doesn't even know the whole truth himself.' Jayson continued.
'You like to talk a lot. If you're going to kill me then do it.' Carrot told him.
'I have no intention of killing you. You don't remember me? I guess it has been a lifetime.' Jayson said enigmatically.
'How do you know me?' Carrot asked.
Jayson stepped into the moonlight. 'Do you not recognise me brother?' he said.
'What?' Carrot said in shock.
'That's right. I'm your twin brother. But that's not all... maybe you should go see your girlfriend for more details. She really needs you right now.' Jayson said slowly.
'What did you do to her?' Carrot snapped pointing the sword at him.
'Nothing that won't heal soon. Until next time brother.' Jayson told him slipping out the door.
Carrot dashed after him but he had vanished. He looked around wildly but to no avail. In the end he walked downstairs to find a distraught Corporal Littlebottom.
'What's the matter Corporal?' he asked softly.
'Sir! It's Angua!' she squeaked.
Carrot's blood ran cold. 'Where is she?' he asked.
'Downstairs in one of Igor's cells.' She replied. Carrot rushed off into the back and down into the cells.
'Angua?' he cried his voice aching with concern as he dropped to his knees beside her.
'She's fine Carrot, she needs to rest that's all.' Vimes told him resting his hand on his shoulder.
'What happened?' Carrot asked.
'She trailed the nutter who attacked you and he got the better of her.' Vimes told him his voice tainted with anger.
'How?' came Carrot's reply.
'Turns out he's a werewolf. He led her to the river and ambushed her.' Vimes told him.
'What?' Carrot gasped. 'A werewolf?'
'Mmm Carrot?' Angua groaned her eyes opening slowly.
'It's okay I'm here.' He assured her.
Vimes tactically sidled out of the room trying to block out the roar of the Beast within him as he made his way back to his office.
He entered his office muttering to himself, lighting the candle, hissing through his teeth as his eyes locked on a malevolent grin.
'You!' he growled.
'Me, Sir Samuel.' Jayson replied leaning back in Vimes' chair.
Vimes swung for him, only to have his fist snatched out of the air and pinned to the desk.
'Now, now Commander. No silver, no fireworks, I'm afraid that's not good enough.' Jayson said pleasantly.
'What do you want?' Vimes growled struggling.
'Just a chat. Carrot has things to think about.' Jayson replied, still clamping Vimes' arm.
'What are you talking about?' Vimes demanded.
'Do you know of the Yennork, your Grace?' Jayson asked.
Vimes shook his head as he tried to blank the pain in his arm.
'The Yennork are werewolves that cannot change form like us bimorphs. They are either always in human or always in wolf form. They crop up from time to time in litters.' Jayson explained.
'What's that got to do with us?' Vimes hissed.
'You know of Carrot's background I believe?' Jayson asked softly.
'He was found after a bandit attack by dwarves and raised by them.' Vimes told him.
'That's right.' Jayson said as if praising a child. 'But did you know the circumstances of the attack? A family that could trace its descent all the way back to Lorenzo the Kind, the King your ancestor executed, running for their lives. Why were they running you wonder? Due to fear of those around them, simple peasants and their superstitions.' He continued sighing.
'But the royal bloodline has been diluted somewhat by its survival in the wilderness. I too am a descendant of Lorenzo. Strange how a King like that gave rise to a man like Carrot hmm?' he finished.
'So that's what this is all about. You want Carrot out the way to get the throne!' Vimes yelled.
Jayson laughed dryly. 'My dear Vimes do you really think I'm that insane? Vetinari can keep this city. I'm here to make Carrot face himself.'
'What?' Vimes asked perplexed, the pain fogging his mind.
'You see how could the royal bloodline have lasted these last three hundred years out in the wilderness? By the forging of alliances. They escaped into Uberwald making pacts with werewolves and vampires. Their numbers dwindled to the last survivor. A young woman and sole heir of the Ankh royalty. A Yennork werewolf from generations of intermarriages of royalty and werewolves, escaping the cruel tradition of slaughter of the impure.' Jayson recited in a singsong voice.
'Living with her love, a high born werewolf lord, still holding onto a sword and ring passed down through the centuries. But alas disaster strikes, the local people discover what they really are and revolt, trying to kill them and so they escaped in a coach into a wintry night, chased by a mob. Lost in the blizzard they end up crashing in a glade at the mercy of the mob with their two children. Can you guess who those two children were your Grace?' Jayson finished.
'You and Carrot?' the answer came in a hoarse whisper.
'Very good, Sir Samuel. Carrot survived because he was hidden and later found by dwarves. I wasn't so lucky, a young pup with a crossbow bolt in the leg, running into the woods from death. But I never forgot and oh how those peasants paid later.' He chuckled.
'I survived in those woods for fifteen years thinking I was alone and then slowly I heard rumours about a possible heir returning to Ankh, a humble and good watchman. I spent years checking and preparing for the time I'd come back for my brother and let him know the truth of his beginnings, of the werewolf blood in his veins. A surprising coincidence that he should be in a stable relationship with another werewolf. No? But we werewolves can seek each other out even if we don't realise it.' Jayson told him releasing his arm.
'And now you know my secrets Commander it is time for me to leave. Give my regards to my brother.' Jayson said moving to the window and was gone.
'Blast.' Vimes said aloud clutching his arm and trying to ignore the flashing spots of colour in his vision. He sat down, his thoughts colliding in his head as he tried to come to terms with Jayson's revelations.