Wyrd Sisters - Terry Pratchett [47]
“But pinchers is just another name for pl—” the king began, and stopped himself in time. During his adult life he’d been afraid of no man, beast or combination of the two, but Nanny’s voice brought back old memories of schoolroom and nursery, of life under strict orders given by stern ladies in long skirts, and nursery food—mostly gray and brown—which seemed indigestible at the time but now appeared a distant ambrosia.
“That’s five to me,” said Nanny happily.
“They’ll be back soon,” said the king. “Are you sure you’ll be all right?”
“If I’m not, precisely how much help can you be?” said Nanny.
There was the sound of bolts sliding back.
There was already a crowd outside the castle as Granny’s broomstick wobbled uncertainly toward the ground. They went quiet as she strode forward, and parted to let her pass. She had a basket of apples under her arm.
“There’s a witch in the dungeons,” someone whispered to Granny. “And foul tortures, they say!”
“Nonsense,” said Granny. “It couldn’t be. I expect Nanny Ogg has just gone to advize the king, or something.”
“They say Jason Ogg’s gone to fetch his brothers,” said a stallholder, in awe.
“I really advize you all to return home,” said Granny Weatherwax. “There has probably been a misunderstanding. Everyone knows a witch cannot be held against her will.”
“It’s gone too far this time,” said a peasant. “All this burning and taxing and now this. I blame you witches. It’s got to stop. I know my rights.”
“What rights are they?” said Granny.
“Dunnage, cowhage-in-ordinary, badinage, leftovers, scrommidge, clary and spunt,” said the peasant promptly. “And acornage, every other year, and the right to keep two-thirds of a goat on the common. Until he set fire to it. It was a bloody good goat, too.”
“A man could go far, knowing his rights like you do,” said Granny. “But right now he should go home.”
She turned and looked at the gates. There were two extremely apprehensive guards on duty. She walked up to them, and fixed one of them with a look.
“I am a harmless old seller of apples,” she said, in a voice more appropriate for the opening of hostilities in a middle-range war. “Pray let me past, dearie.” The last word had knives in it.
“No one must enter the castle,” said one of the guards. “Orders of the duke.”
Granny shrugged. The apple-seller gambit had never worked more than once in the entire history of witchcraft, as far as she knew, but it was traditional.
“I know you, Champett Poldy,” she said. “I recall I laid out your grandad and I brought you into the world.” She glanced at the crowds, which had regathered a little way off, and turned back to the guard, whose face was already a mask of terror. She leaned a little closer, and said, “I gave you your first good hiding in this valley of tears and by all the gods if you cross me now I will give you your last.”
There was a soft metallic noise as the spear fell out of the man’s fearful fingers. Granny reached and gave the trembling man a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
“But don’t worry about it,” she added. “Have an apple.”
She made to step forward, and a second spear barred her way. She looked up with interest.
The other guard was not a Ramtopper, but a city-bred mercenary brought up to swell the ranks depleted in recent years. His face was a patchwork of scar tissue. Several of the scars rearranged themselves into what was possibly a sneer.
“So that’s witches’ magic, is it?” said the guard. “Pretty poor stuff. Maybe it frightens these country idiots, woman, but it doesn’t frighten me.”
“I imagine it takes a lot to frighten a big strong lad like you,” said Granny, reaching up to her hat.
“And don’t you try to put the wind up me, neither.” The guard stared straight ahead, and rocked gently on the balls of his feet. “Old ladies like you, twisting people around. It shouldn’t be stood for, like they say.”
“Just as you like,” said Granny, pushing the spear aside.
“Listen, I said—” the guard began, and grabbed Granny’s shoulder. Her hand moved so quickly it hardly seemed to move at all, but suddenly he was clutching