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Pairing: Polly/Mal, Lofty/Tonker
Disclaimer: The author makes no claim to owning the rights of anything to do with Terry Pratchett or Discworld.
The Last Day
In the lower reaches of the castle, a scuffle broke out. This was nothing new, fights had been breaking out all over as more and more people tried to inhabit the same space. High ranking officers claimed the upper floors, leaving the troops to squabble over the cramped lower levels. The fight was about nothing special, one harassed and overworked corporal had bumped into another and the tension had exploded. Normally this would not be a problem, after a short exchange of blows the MPs would come along and remove both protagonists, allowing life to continue. But one participant had simply had enough and was determined to thrash someone to make up for all the petty annoyances the world had inflicted on him. The other was a certain Magda Tonks, who would not give in to anyone or anything, ever again. So it was that when Maladict came round the corner to see what the crowd were watching in such tense silence she found Tonker pressed up against the wall with a knife to her throat. There was no plea for mercy in those eyes blazing defiance at the world. You’d think the girl would know when to stop struggling but she kept on, clawing at his face even though one wrong move might drive the knife into her flesh whether her attacker meant it or not. Lofty was cowering in a corner, her gift for invisibility stretched to snapping point. Mal paused for a moment, unsure. Not a single soul would deny she no longer had any responsibility for these two. They were more than able to fight their own battles. After all, she had places to be. On the other hand, the meeting wasn’t due to finish for another hour... It was easy enough to break up the fight. When it came to it the pack were swiftly persuaded they urgently needed to be elsewhere. Mal was surprised she hadn’t needed to flash more than irony at them, but it seemed word of a vampire in the army had spread more widely than expected. Admittedly Tonker was not as impressed and launched into full flow, cut short when Mal stepped aside to reveal the huddled form of Lofty. Sometimes, Mal decided, there were things more important than maintaining vampiric superiority over other races. She turned her back politely, investigating with intense interest the dust on a nearby cabinet, whilst quiet reassuring murmuring rolled out behind her. Two close inspections of the cabinet later, Mal had begun to consider moving her assessment to the state of the masonry when the voice behind her faded into silence. She didn’t turn round. You never knew with Tonker. “Thanks.” It was a low voice, grudgingly stumbling into the previously unknown kingdoms of gratitude and appreciation. They were obviously waiting for her to leave, to go back to her business and leave them to their dark existence down here. But they were comrades in arms; Polly always said you looked after your own. Unsurprisingly Tonker wiggled through a refusal to the coffee she offered them, though perhaps Mal could have been less reluctant in the original invitation. Resolutely she tried again, developing a description of the little room on the quieter upper floors overlooking the stables. At this a small hand emerged from Lofty’s sleeve to tug gently at Tonker’s jacket and the decision was made. Mal led off through the bowels of the castle and they trailed behind her in silence. This blessed state of affairs continued until they had left the crowded lower levels and emerged into the more relaxed surroundings of the upper floors. Just one more staircase and they’d be there. “She doesn’t need you?” Tonker had apparently decided that it would be impolite to proceed further without some kind of conversation. Though surely impoliteness was to be preferred over downright meddling in other peoples business! Mal didn’t pretend ignorance of whom they might be referring to. That might indicate she had something to be ashamed of. “She’s busy today, official business.” An awkward silence built up. “She’s been very involved, in the diplomatic process and that, lots of meetings.” Which was an excellent thing, Mal reminded herself. Polly had been vital in ending the war and it was only right that the powers-that-be paid attention to her. There was no reason to feel slighted. No reason at all. For some unknown reason Lofty stepped up beside her and nudged her shoulder comfortingly, before quickly slipping back into the sheltering radius of her companion. Mal swallowed firmly, refusing to meet their eyes, and took off up the stairs two at a time. They followed her more slowly, and so she had to wait for them at the top to indicate which way next. Tonker’s eyes were still brimming with amusement when they regrouped but thankfully the girl had enough decency to not to comment. They liked the room. They didn’t say so, but after weeks in the field it had become easier to read their different silences. Tiny and tucked away most inconveniently at the end of a wing, it was quiet and lonely. The adjutants that racketed up and down the corridor were busy either taking copious notes to stay awake in boring meetings or tucked away writing complicated documents. Maybe she should have hunted them out and brought them up here before. It couldn’t have been fun, constantly on the alert for trouble with that many people bumping into you on a daily basis. “We were thinking of leaving.” The quiet tone cut across her absorption and Mal glanced up from the coffee machine. Tonker nodded before turning back to the view. Neither of them needed to mention how they’d found Lofty fingering the highly inflammable tapestries in the great hall. The army wasn’t really the place for them anymore, though it had served its purpose. “Maybe it’s time.” She poured out the coffee. Out of habit she handed Tonker both cups and watched her gently guide Lofty’s fingers around the fragile china. She would miss these two. It was an unlikely friendship but they’d been an unlikely squad doing unlikely things. She indicated the packs in the corner with her cup. It had been somewhat her idea, but all credit to the squad; they’d pitched in without questions. Igorina had surprised her with the amount of civilian clothing she’d been able to lay her hands on at short notice. Shufti had created small miracles down amongst the overworked laundry girls to get the blood stains out, returning them folded into sweet smelling piles. As she explained the plan, Mal made sure to emphasis their work, it wouldn’t do for anyone to think a vampire could be soft hearted. Tonker stood open-mouthed. “Jade wandered round to the pay office with a few ‘friends’ and collected your wages.” Mal concluded. ...And she would have helped, had she not been mooching around outside a meeting waiting for Polly and missed the excitement. Tonker finally managed to kick her brain into gear and began to protest until a gentle hand on her arm caused her to swallow her words. Mal found something very interesting in the bottom of her coffee cup, before commenting that it was about time she attended to cleaning out her coffee machine. Who knew what terrible things might be forthcoming if grounds were allowed to clog the system? When she returned, a very boring ten minutes later, it appeared a decision had been made. They stood together, framed in the window. It would be hard to tell who had been reassuring whom and an invasion to look too closely. She busied herself packing away the coffee engine. “You didn’t need to.” Tonker still needed to make it clear, not wanting to be beholden to anyone. Lofty, who had turned to investigating the packs, paused in her rummaging but didn’t look up. “I know.” She didn’t need to say anymore. She had nothing left to do with her hands. Suddenly remembering, she enquired about food. It had been the part of the plan scheduled for the following day. Mal was especially proud of the sub-plan involving Igorina and the dissection of a mouse on the kitchen table. “We’ll swing by the kitchen on our way out.” They were wriggling into the packs, Tonker grinning as she helped Lofty adjust the straps. “We’ve got special skills for kitchens.” They came to attention in front of her, just to show they could. They would never do it for anyone who demanded it from them, yet they did it for her. She didn’t deserve the snappy salute they gave her either. But she returned it. They were, after all, in the army. For now. “So you don’t want me to come?” They both shook their heads, confident now; their minds on how best to raid the kitchens. Just before they left Tonker turned back. “You should go back to her, you know.” Her meaning was obvious. Mal could feel her shoulders tightening as she forced a light smile of denial. It was none of their business and so far Tonker had been content to leave it alone. Apparently that was no longer the case. Perhaps she could just tear her throat out a little bit? Tonker thought for a moment, as though considering whether Mal was worthy of the knowledge before adding, quite factually: “She always looks for you when she comes out of the meetings.” Now it was the turn of Mal’s jaw to drop. “It must be hard for her, being diplomatic all day.” Tonker shrugged. “Lonely as well, with no one to call friend.” Mal realising her jaw was still in the dropped position, rearranged her face into something more seemly for a disinterested person. Thankfully Tonker took the hint to discontinue the conversation, choosing instead to crack open the door and take a quick scrutiny of the corridor outside. Mal held out her hand in farewell, unsure how to navigate the last moments. She wasn’t good at goodbyes. Apparently they weren’t either and it was an awkward moment as Tonker shook her hand nervously and backed out into the corridor. Lofty refused to come anywhere near her. Leaning nonchalantly against the door frame Mal watched them move quickly off towards the stairwell. She was good at nonchalant. She’d practised it on Polly often enough. At the last minute they turned and waved, just a small lifting of the hand in acknowledgement of time lived together. She could have sworn Lofty smiled. She waited for a moment, in case they’d forgotten something, before going back into the room and closing the door. A small smile played around the corners of her mouth. She brewed another cup of coffee and drank it standing at the window. When the clock struck six she quietly put down the cup, straightened her uniform and proceeded at a decorous pace to a small anteroom in the depths of the castle. It was deserted and the raised voices within the accompanying chamber indicated the meeting was going to overrun again. She settled herself as comfortably as possible to wait. |