Мор - ученик смерти

           Mortthoughtthathistorywasthrashingaroundlikeasteelhawserwiththetensionoff,twangingbackwardsandforwardsacrossrealityingreatdestructivesweeps.

           Historyisn’tlikethat.Historyunravelsgently,likeanoldsweater.Ithasbeenpatchedanddarnedmanytimes,reknittedtosuitdifferentpeople,shovedinaboxunderthesinkofcensorshiptobecutupforthedustersofpropaganda,yetitalways–eventually–managestospringbackintoitsoldfamiliarshape.Historyhasahabitofchangingthepeoplewhothinktheyarechangingit.Historyalwayshasafewtricksupitsfrayedsleeve.It’sbeenaroundalongtime.

           Thisiswhatwashappening:

           ThemisplacedstrokeofMort’sscythehadcuthistoryintotwoseparaterealities.InthecityofStoLatPrincessKelistillruled,withacertainamountofdifficultyandwiththefulltimeaidoftheRoyalRecogniser,whowasputonthecourtpayrollandchargedwiththedutyofrememberingthatsheexisted.Inthelandsoutside,though–beyondtheplain,intheRamtops,aroundtheCircleSeaandallthewaytotheRim–thetraditionalrealitystillheldswayandshewasquitedefinitelydead,thedukewaskingandtheworldwasproceedingsedatelyaccordingtoplan,whateverthatwas.

           Thepointisthatbothrealitiesweretrue.

           Thesortofhistoricaleventhorizonwascurrentlyabouttwentymilesawayfromthecity,andwasn’tyetverynoticeable.That’sbecausethe–well,callitthedifferenceinhistoricalpressures–wasn’tyetverygreat.Butitwasgrowing.