I want to see the sky from above

Chapter 7: A matter of Time

Death nodded to Alfred when he brought him his tea and proceeded with his papers. It was time to let Susan know he was back. Four months vacation was enough, he thought. She had to choose at last. He looked up, where Alfred was still standing. The old man anxiously fixed his glasses and pronounced slowly:

'Master…?'

Death stared at his pale face, expecting to hear what was following, but there was no sound coming from his mouth.

YES, ALFRED?

Alfred cleared his throat.

'I went to clean the Hourglass hall. Incidentally…'

YOU WENT INTO THE HIDDEN ROOM? Supposed Death.

'Yes…' nervously answered Alfred. 'Is it true, master?'

Death sighed deeply.

YES.

'And when will you tell her?' asked Alfred, looking down, where his feet played with the scull carpet.

VERY SOON, answered Death. His eye hols brightened up in unexpected light. BUT I SUPPOSE SHE KNOWS ALREADY.

'Why didn't you stop her do it, master?' asked Alfred, still playing with the carpet. Death sighed once again and leaned back in his chair.

I WISH I COULD STOP HER, ALFRED, BUT YOU KNOW I CAN NOT MESS IN THE LIFE.

'But you know what happens when a mortal does something like this, master.'

YES, I KNOW, answered Death. BUT SHE IS NOT EXACTLY MORTAL, ALFRED. SHE HAS SOME PART OF WHAT I AM, REMEMBER? SHE CAN CHOOSE AND I SHALL PRESENT HER OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT. VERY SOON.

'But, master, you know what'll happen when she chooses differently than…' said Alfred anxiously, staring at Death's scull. The Grim Reaper nodded thoughtfully. 'Couldn't you do something?'

Death sighed once again and the light in his eye hols darkened.

I CAN DO MANY THINGS WHEN I PROCEED WITH HUMANS, ALFRED. answered Death. BUT I CAN'T DO MUCH IF THEY DON'T WANT ME TO MESS UP. YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS THEN, DON'T YOU? MY HANDS ARE TIED. IF SUSAN TAKES THE WRONG CHOICE I HAVE TO MAKE SOMETHING I DON'T LIKE, ALFRED. AND SHE WILL HATE ME PROBABLY. I DON'T WANT IT, ALFRED. I JUST HOPE LOBSANG WOULD COME TO THE RIGHT CONCLUSIONS.

'Lobsang?' Alfred pronounced the name with some disgust. 'I thought you didn't want to meet the chap any more?'

I WILL HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE, ALFRED. thoughtfully said Death. I WILL NOT HAVE CHOICE…

---

Susan was in Lady Sybil's yellow drawing room. Young Theresa sat by her site on the sofa, giggling with satisfaction on the gossips coming from Lady Venturii's mouth. She knew it was a moment she had to keep her high spirit hidden and keep her feeling deeper than ever, but what was said was absolute joke for her sharp senses. What made her stay there was Susan. She had a strange influence over people, she should admit it, and Theresa was a young lady with a head on her neck. She wanted to be around miss Susan Stow. Not only because she liked her presence. It was true, she made her smile every time when she saw her on the street. She even changed her daily schedule so she could come to the Embassy and visit her twice a week. The second reason she wanted to be around her was her brother's confession some weeks earlier. She was in shock. Miss Susan and her eldest brother? Thanks gods Sam felt her so close to share. She couldn't believe if she would hear it from someone else.

Samuel Vimes Jr. knew he must have a release of his feelings. It couldn't be his father, nor his mother. They wouldn't understand him good enough. They were parents after all. Frederic was brainless idiot in his opinion, there was nothing Vimesish in him, such a loss of space and time. But Theresa… She was a girl with a head, she knew when to listen and when to talk, she never interrupted his tirades with unnecessary questions and never said anything he didn't want to hear. The perfect audience he could have. When he shared his love affair with Susan Stow, she was astonished enough, but she said nothing. It was visible on her face she had many questions and even more prejudices according his relation, but she was brave and clever enough to say nothing. When he finished, she lowered her head and stood silent for some time. Then she looked up and asked him, what was he intending to do. He didn't answer. Theresa sighed deeply and left the room. Sam was astonished. She never made him understand what she was feeling before. But he already knew what he was doing. He was having a love affair. Not just ordinary love affair with another brainless lady from his encirclement. Nor a seamstress, not even a low rang girl wanting to have a night with the Head Assassin. They all wanted it… How could he count them? When he met Susan he stopped his shameful practice and the ladies cried aloud, but no success. He made them understand it was over. He had become different man. Of course no one knew about his affair with the duchess of Sto Helit, they were clever enough to stay away from each other in public and pretend like strangers on the official occasions. But the nights they spent together. And this is what bothered Theresa.

Her brother was having a love affair with a high-ranking noble woman. Not only this – it was miss Susan! And she was having an affair with the Master of the Assassin Guild of Ankh-Morpork. And Theresa knew it already. It was a disgrace. She made Sam know she didn't want to see him for some days. When she finally came to visit him in his office she told him he was a fool, making stuff like that with miss Susan. Their mother would die if she hear it. Sam didn't answer. Again. But she knew he was thinking how to do in future. What bothered her was that they were still together.

The truth was that Theresa was jealous. She loved her brother very much, obsessively, if a girl at her age could feel this sort of feelings. She knew Sam needed something more that the stupid ladies he gathered from time to time. And he wanted him to be happy. But she started observing his behaviour since the ball in their family mansion and she finally understood Sam was feeling something different than before. And as far as she knew miss Susan, soon or late she would brake his heart. And this is what Theresa didn't want to happen.

She sat by miss Susan's side on the sofa and giggled on the jokes the other ladies used to say. But she was not stupid. Her mission was not sitting there and listening the nonsense of the higher class women. She was there to estimate miss Susan. She must know how deep she was feeling about him. Did she feel at all? It seemed miss Susan had some feeling. At least she used to laugh, and her skin became purple when she put her forearm on the chair's arm too long without moving. And she felt hunger, because while they were there she ate four sandwiches.

But what did she feel about her brother? She wouldn't ask her that, it was obvious it was not the perfect moment to do it. She had no right to penetrate where she was not invited, but since Sam told her about his relation with miss Susan, doesn't it mean he wanted her to know it? And when he wanted her to know, didn't he want her to do something? Was it a cry for help? Or just a brother's boasting?

Lady Sybil was having a hard time now. She wanted to get rid of the ladies joining her small matinee. She also had some questions to ask. At first place she had some fears doing it, because if she does, Sam and Theresa would find out that she was eavesdropping every time they went into their father's study. Sybil knew the special place she wouldn't be suspected of doing it. There was a small hole on the wall, separating her favourite drawing room from her husband's 'general staff'. While she was pretending to read a book, leaning on the wall, she was actually doing something different. Reading was not included. Samuel Vimes Sr. never knew why she was so intrigued in his job and she preferred it keep her little secret a secret after all. The problem was that she desperately wanted to know what this all would bring. She knew her eldest son, he was a serious honourable man and she really hoped he would be the same when he finds out…

Susan was a mystery, she used to hide too long from them, avoiding their invitations. But finally she came. And that was the perfect time Lady Sybil to make her self assure of what she was suspecting already.

'And her grandmother went to the opera house with that awful dress, believe or not, but she did. Can you imagine what a laughter it was?'

Lady Venturii finished with her tirade. She looked at miss Susan's direction. 'Oh, dear, you look you have recovered from your skinny period. I do see the difference, dear. What a blessing! You have to go to my tailor and pick up new dresses. I see you don't fit in you black gowns any more.'

Susan chocked and started coughing. Theresa hit her back and smiled nervously. Susan left the sandwich on the table and cleared her throat.

'Yes, dear Lady Anne, certainly, I will.'

Theresa and Lady Sybil exchanged glances. Susan noticed their hidden smiles and already regretted coming here. They might know, she thought. She wanted to hide this, but soon she understood it was absolutely impossible. Soon or late it would become visible. Now she really wanted her grandfather's appearance. At this moment especially. She hid her blush and secretly glanced at the both sides she used to glance for those two hours.

'I will recommend you to choose different colours, dear.' continued Lady Venturii. 'Black is so last season, Lady Susan. Green, yellow – these are the colours of the spring this year. And don't forget the lace, dear. It's highly important to have a lot of lace on your dress. Did you see Lady Selachii last week in the opera house? Oh, such a perfection! Such a beauty! You have to take an example, dear. After all you are nobility. Don't hide it – show it!'

'Yes, Lady Ann' said Susan and smiled. 'I will defiantly follow your advise. Where was your tailor's shop, you say?'

'On Filigree street, dear. In the beginning, dear. The corner house with the artificial rose bushes in front. You will not miss it, I know you will find Mrs. Backstitch really fascinating. She does miracles, dear. Real miracles. Highly recommended by me. Don't miss your chance, dear, you are important figure nowadays. She would be glad to have such high-ranking client. You know, we all use her services.'

'Thank you, Lady Ann.' answered Susan and glanced at the two directions again. They were laughing. Not visible, but they were. Susan sighed with boredom, leaned back and let everything happen. After all she had no other choice. Sam had to know it soon. Does it matter from whom?

---

The shadow stood by Dr. Vimes's chair. He was receiving another contract. The man at their front was nervous. It was important to receive the approval from the couple. He knew Dr. Vimes. He would accept it or refuse it, it was his right after all. But the man at his back was not that amicable. Since the Hogswatch Sir John Stow became Dr. Vimes's first counsellor, he shared everything with him. It was a mystery why it became that way.

The truth was that some days before Hogswatch John Stow, also called 'The Shadow of Death' received a small contract so fascinatingly simple and obviously successful, but he refused it, saying: 'HIS TIME IS NOT COME YET.'. That was not an explanation. It was a man's whim. The next few contracts he refused with the same explanation. Everyone laughed at his decision, rejecting such easy (and well paid) contract was foolish and idiotic, who does he think he is? A pompous aristocrat, a man with no idea what was going on in the world nowadays… Everyone laughed, the Shadow's eccentricity was too much. Not only giving all his money for charity, his refusals to gather with the nobilities and now – refusing contracts… But when some of the most successful assassins failed executing the same projects, the members of the oldest guild in Ankh-Morpork had to rethink their last statements. Soon sir John's advises became highly important. It was obvious the man had a head. And some unknown qualities, every assassin would kill to have. No one knew how he became such important figure in the Guild. Soon Dr. Vimes asked him to join in a contract order and then in some others. In some weeks Sir John's presence in the Obscure office was something common.

'I…' said the man at their front. '…He said he will do it, but he didn't. And I want to ask you if you could…'

Dr. Vimes leaned back in his chair. The shadow knit his eyebrows.

SOON, he said. BUT NOT NOW.

'Really?' smiled the man. 'When?'

IT'S A MATTER OF TIME, MR. ROD. explained the shadow. He turned to the young man sitting at his front and whispered: THE CONTRACT COULD BE FULFILLED IN SEVEN DAYS.

Dr. Vimes nodded and said.

'The fee…'

'Anything, Mr. Vimes' giggled the man. 'Whatever you say. I agree at any cost.'

'Seventy thousand dollars is not just money, Mr. Rod. It's money which you must have if we agree with this contract.'

'Thirty five thousand will be in your deposit this afternoon.' said the man and stood up. 'Thank you, Mr. Vimes. Glad to work with you.'

He bowed and happily jigged to the exit.

Sam Jr. turned his snivel chair to the shadow and smiled. John smiled nervously. He walked around him slowly, there was no feeling on his face. He sat at the willingly vacated chair. The shadow looked at Sam and knit his eyebrows.

SOON I WILL HAVE TO GO, DR. VIMES.

Sam sighed uneasily and nodded.

SUSAN SHOULD COME WITH ME TOO.

Sam stared at him. The colour of his face disappeared.

AND… THE CHILD ALSO.

Sam blinked for some seconds and finally put his face in his palms.

I AM SORRY.

Sam sighed anxiously. He knew already. Of course. This is something the students in the Assassins school study during the fifth semester. He knew what happens with Susan's body. And he knew who she should blame for that. When he firstly recognised it he felt dizzy, ashamed and… but soon he felt there were some other feelings. He was happy. Having a child from Susan was something he really loved. And expected, actually. None of them was cautious, he wanted this child and here it appeared. But the sorrowful reality stroke him deep.

Susan… Go away? From him? With the child?

'How could I prevent it?' he asked staring at the shadow.

John arched his eyebrows.

YOU CAN'T PREVENT IT, he answered.

'I must prevent it!' he cried and stood up, starting pacing nervously through the study. 'I must prevent it, John! I want to prevent it!'

YOU CAN DO NOTHING, DR. VIMES, answered the shadow. SUSAN WILL NOT STAY HERE. WHAT EVER YOU THINK SHE WILL NOT STAY HERE… THIS WAY OR… ANOTHER…

'What way?' stares Sam. The shadow cleared his throat.

SHE… he began. …WILL HAVE TO CHOOSE. AND SHE WILL CHOOSE WHAT IS BETTER FOR HER AND FOR THE CHILD. STAYING HERE IS NOT THE PERFECT WAY. YOU MUST KNOW IT. IF SHE STAYS HERE… SHE WILL DIE.

'Die?' cried Sam.

EVERYONE DIES, said the shadow. SOON OR LATE EVERYONE DIES. AND IF SHE STAYS HERE, SHE WILL DIE… SOON.

Sam blinked for some seconds, fixing his gaze at the man in his front. 'Is she… ill?'

NOT YET, answered the shadow. WHEN THE CHILD IS BORN, SHE WILL DIE.

Sam blinked for some more. 'Are you sure? Oh, gods, you are sure, aren't you?'

The shadow nodded uneasily. 'What can I do?' Sam asked. John frowned.

DON'T MESS HER WHEN SHE CHOOSES.

The Head Assassin sat at his chair and put his head in his palms. He stood there for some minutes, then he whispered:

'Why?'

THAT WAS HER CHOICE.

The young man stared at the shadow with questionable eyes. The shadow sighed deeply, he had the expression of someone doubting to say whatever was on his mind sure of the insecurity of the reaction in his interlocutors. He finally moved his chair closer to the desk and said slowly:

ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL WHICH PARENTS DIED IN A CART ACCIDENT. WHEN DEATH CAME TO TAKE THEIR SOULS HE FELT HE HAD TO TAKE CARE OF THE GIRL… AND DEATH… ADOPTED HER…

---

When the shadow went out of the Obscure office, Sam Vimes Jr. leant back in his chair, hidden his head into his palms. He didn't expect it all, although he suspected something. After all there should be no such remarkable similarity between a mother and a daughter. But why did she lie them all for being Susan Sto Helit's daughter? And what about John? If that was his name? The shadow of death… Executing assassination contracts. What a chance…

What would happen now? He knew what he wanted to do – to go to Susan and ask for explanation. It was a disgrace. A woman with her rang and position doing such stupid things. She had to answer… And she had to tell him about the child. And the choice she had to take. Why? If what John told him was true, then she didn't have to be afraid for her life. After all, being Death's granddaughter had some positives, hadn't it?

'No.' said a voice.

Sam lifted his head to see what happens, but there was no one in the study except himself. What a chance, he thought. Susan had to answer, soon she had to…

'No, she hasn't.' said the voice again.

Sam strained his eyes to see into the darkness of the study. A silhouette set apart from the wall in his right and came nearer. The man wore a dark blue tunic shining in the darkness like a small galaxy. The Head Assassin loosened up the belt holding up his fist dagger. The mechanism clicked silently. Sam Vimes Jr. stared at the face of the man, taking the most undesirable seat at the Master assassin's eagle eyes.

'Who are you and what are you doing here?' asked the assassin. The other man didn't answer, just looked at him fixedly.

'Are you a wizard?' asked Sam. The man didn't answer again, staring at him with severe eyes.

'I would recommend you to speak or to leave, sir.' said Dr. Vimes, lowering his eyes into the papers in his desk. The man at his front stood silent for some time, observing his calm office work. Then he leaned back in his chair and pronounced slowly:

'So, this is the famous Sir Samuel Vimes my Susan shared her life with…'

The Head Assassin slowly lifted his eyes and stared at the man in his front. He didn't even blink, although Sam Vimes's eyes had the strange tendency to press into the angle.

'Who are you and what are you doing here?' asked Vimes nervously. 'And what the hell did you just said?!'

'I just said…' cried the man and stood up, staring at Sam's face. '…that you, moron, stole Susan from me!'

'I didn't know Susan belongs to someone.' said Sam and lifted from his seat also. His face stabbed into the stranger's.

'She doesn't.' answered the stranger still fixing at the assassin's face. 'But she is mine, boy! Leave her alone!'

'You want to fight?' asked Sam, staring at the man's eyes even too close. That closeness usually brought a heart attack or a strange mental disease. 'Let us!' He cried and made a small step back, pointing on the walls around them. 'Choose your weapon. Dagger? Sward? Stick?'

'You are sick, man!' said the stranger and made a step back. 'You can't fight with the Time. And this is what I am!'

Sam Vimes Jr. stared at the man at his front and arched an eyebrow. His face had the special expression a skilled guttersnipe would have looking at a peacock idiot, trying to pull his father's sward from the rusty sheath.

'What do you want from us… Mr. Time?' asked Vimes, sitting in his chair with a sigh.

'My name is Lobsang. I want you to stop bothering her.' answered Lobsang still staying and fixing in his face. 'I want you to leave her alone. When she decides she had to choose wisely. I cannot give too much time. If she chooses to stay here, I am not sure I could give her enough years.'

'I don't understand!' cried Sam and stood up hurriedly.

'Soon you will' answered Lobsand, detaching himself from the desk, already starting to go away. 'She did too much for you, boy. You have to be proud that Death's granddaughter carry your son.'

'You said…'

'She made her choice.' said Lobsang. 'She gave you a very special… present.'

Sam stared at him with absent eyes.

'Didn't you know? Never felt something unusual?' asked Lobsang, staring at Sam's bewildered eyes. 'While you were dancing on the ball four months ago? She did something no mortal should do. She… stole from her time and gave it to you. Gave you a chance. Didn't you notice what was happening with you the last few months before the ball? You were poisoned and you would die then, but she transferred her time to you, boy!'

Sam was too astonished to answer.

'You, humans! Always want to hear what you want and when find out it was not true, accuse the others for that. So human, indeed… And now you dare accuse her of lying you? You, puppy! Did she ever tell you anything that was not true? Answer me! And what did she give you in return? A chance to go on. And a chance to live further. Through your child. I would give all the time I have to be on your place. But you, ungrateful idiot… How dare you?!'

Sam stood up and stared at him.

'I was poisoned? Who?'

Lobsang smiled nervously, squeezing his eyes.

'Your former secretary, boy! The one that run away with the documents you have been searching for months.'

Sam slowly sat back. Lobsang stared at him again.

'And that was the first thing coming on your mind? Who poisoned you? If I were you, I would think about Susan and the baby first. You selfish idiot! You don't deserve her! Oh, what would I do to be you right now!'

He jumped from his place, because he saw Sam Vimes's eyes bursting into his head. The Head Assassin had a look on his face that might dig into a mountain, not mentioning someone's scull. He made a step away from his chair and came to him closely. Sam clenched his fists and hit Lobsang in his face.

'Don't even think saying anything like this, Mr. Time!' cried Vimes Jr., watching the Time rising from the floor, running his fingers through his mouth and watching fixedly into the blood in his fingers. 'I'll make you swallow everything you just said!'

---------------------

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next chapter: Susan have her hard choice.