KeithVII

Loosened 6 Around The Horn         Rhodda looked up, startled, and started ordering some nephews to clear an area next to the barn, others to make sure there was an empty stall inside.  Then she waved Sam to bring Hurriyya over and park there. Once the elephant was standing still, Sam was dismissed.  Rhodda started calling her sister and sisters-in-law over.  There was a whispered conversation as Sam wandered over to where Thorrin sat on the porch.  “What do you think’s going on?” “I think I should run,” Thorrin said.  “They keep firing evil glances in my direction.” “Our direction?” Sam suggested. “You’re fine, these are definitely ‘my idiot brother’ looks.” The women organized the men into starting a fire and heating water, lots of water, while someone fetched the bathtub.  Thorrin was very bad at teleportation, so he mentally reviewed the complete history of invisibility spells. The rug arrived.  Fatima was standing on it.  Not a terribly difficult feat, but it was an uncomfortable

     Sam led the way into the Patrician’s Palace.  Inga brought up the rear.  He knew the names of all the guards, half the staff, and many of the other applicants seeing one or another office for some form of relief. A clerk outside the outer office to the inner waiting room for the Patrician’s inner office recognized Sam even before Fatima.  He nodded towards a closet down the hall. They went through that, through the racks of coats and boots, through a more subtle door, and into a long hallway.  A stern looking woman smiled at Sam, bowed to Fatima, and ignored the other two.  They followed along as The Released was escorted through a door into Vetinari’s INNER Inner office.   Refreshments awaited and the unnamed woman said they would be seeing The Man within minutes. It was half an hour.  The Patrician strolled in.  “Anyone know if ‘throw the stupid into the sea; would work as a golem instruction?  No one?  Darn.  Well, sorry for the delay.  Everyone says the Guild system is broken

    It was early in the morning when the knock came.  Or late, really, or kind of the middle.  Depends on who one spoke with. The acknowledged working class had risen, breakfasted, opened the shops, and made a few of the day’s sales. The adamantly non-working class, who exerted rather a lot of energy to avoid being working class had finished their business, hidden the evidence, and had breakfast. The upper class were beginning to think about breakfast. On the Ramkin Estate, it was past time for breakfast.  Not unusually, breakfast had not occurred as Duke Vimes had been called away very early.  It would be delayed until he returned, because in Sybil’s mind that’s just how things were done  If he came back at midnight, she’d make breakfast for him.  But it was still much too early for socializing.  The doorman, Marcus, verified the location and occupation of the Duchess and prepared to turn away whoever was outside.  Then he opened the door. “Yes?” he inquired. “Hi,” Fatima said.  “I