Universe Twister - Keith Laumer [81]
The princess took his arm and looked up at him warmly. "I know a way to solve the dilemma," she said softly. "The whole question will become merely academic if we . . . if I . . . if you . . ."
"Oh, boy," Yokabump chortled. "Wait'll I spread the word. There's nothing like a royal wedding to cheer everybody up!"
Chapter XIII
A glittering assemblage filled the ballroom, hanging back shyly from O'Leary in his new eminence.
"As I see it, Lafayette—that is, your Majesty," Nicodaeus was saying.
"Knock off the 'majesty' stuff," O'Leary said. "Adoranne's the queen. I already told you how I happened to come here."
"Remarkable," Nicodaeus shook his head. "Of course, you had a strong natural affinity for this tricoordinate universe, having lived here until the age of two. Odd that you have no recollection of palace life at all."
"It did seem familiar, in a way. But I thought it was just because I'd invented it. And I caught on to the language in a hurry. I guess it was all there, in my subconscious."
"Of course, and when you began consciously striving to break down the interplane barriers, it was only natural that you should revert to your natural world of origin, thus canceling out at last the Probability Stresses you'd been creating in the other continuum. But I don't think it's ever been done before without equipment. Quite an achievement."
"I still don't see how it works," Lafayette protested. "I just dreamed it up. How could it be real?"
"It was here all along, Lafayette. Your discontent with your drab existence was an expression of the unconscious yearning toward your native clime. As for your belonging—with all the infinite universes to choose from, surely for every man there must be one where he is king."
"But that doesn't explain how I can invent anything from a bathtub to an iguanodon—and find it waiting just around the next bend."
"You created nothing; those things existed—somewhere. You've merely been manipulating them along lines of weakness in the probability fabric. I'm afraid all that will have to come to an end, however, as soon as I've reported in. We can't have anyone—even yourself, your Majesty—mucking about the natural order of things."
O'Leary looked at his watch. "Where's Adoranne?" he inquired. "The party's due to begin any minute."
"She'll be along. Now I have to be going, Lafayette. It's time for my regular Friday evening report." The inspector of continua nodded and hurried away. The orchestra was playing what sounded like a Strauss waltz, except that O'Leary had been assured the number had been composed by someone named Cushman Y. Blatz. He stepped through the tall glass doors to the terrace, sniffed the perfume of flowers on the warm night air. Not a bad place at all, this Artesia—king or no king. And with Adoranne as his intended bride—
There was a sudden rush of feet across the lawn below. O'Leary looked around in time to see Count Alain, dust-streaked and grim-faced, leap the balustrade, naked sword in hand. O'Leary dropped his glass with a crash.
"Hey, you startled me—" he started. Alain sprang to him, jammed the sword point against his new green velvet doublet.
"All right, where is she, you slimy schemer!" he rasped. "One yell, and I'll let you have it. Now speak up—and she'd better be unharmed!"
"Look, you've got the wrong slant on all this," O'Leary protested, backing away. Alain followed relentlessly.
"You're a bold scoundrel," the count snarled. "I take it you've done away with his Majesty—else you'd not be disporting yourself openly, here on his very terrace!"
"Well, we just sort of, ah, sent him away."
"And her Highness!" The sword jabbed harder.
"She's here—she'll be down in a minute! Look, Al, old boy, I can explain."
"As I thought; you had her all along. And I, dolt that I was, spent a day and a night on a fool's errand."
"I told you that was a dry run. Did you see what was left of Lod?"
"When thieves fall out . . ." Alain quoted. "You slew him by a trick, I suppose; but you'll have no chance to trick me."
There was a sharp cry from the direction