"He's a crook and a scoundrel." "I thought you liked him." "Oh I LIKE him just fine."

[captlebubbles]

"{...} Indeed, I enjoyed my life as Stoker Blake and all the new little skills it has taught me. Excellent implement, the shovel. And as for the other stokers, I think I made friends there, yes, there was a acertain camaraderie among us. All said, a little holiday from the weighty business of hte city, and I dare say I might be predisposed to

Comments

[wolfy_writing]

I don't think Vetinari regrets his life- I don't think he's the sort of man to regret choosing the path he did. But, much like Granny, I think there are times when he might look at the might-have-beens with a kind of wistful sigh, and wish well on the Vetinari's who traveled down those trouser-legs of time instead.

Yes! Regret would imply that, if he were to do it over again, he'd give up what he's gained for what he had to sacrifice. I don't think he feels that way, or would even seriously consider the possibility. But even if you wouldn't give up what you have for what you might have had, there's still that touch of "Those other things would also have been nice." And several of those involve not taking on the responsibility for the city.

[captlebubbles]

There's a trouser leg of time out there where Vetinari never decided to become Patrician and instead he went off and did something else, and maybe our Vetinari doesn't want that life and wouldn't choose that life, but that doesn't mean he can't wonder how that Vetinari is getting on and wish him well all the same.

[wolfy_writing]

I imagine Vetinari has a supremely clear grasp on the distinction between the life one actually wants, and the life one finds appealing to imagine, and lets himself indulge in the latter whenever he can conveniently spare the mental energy.

[captlebubbles]

It helps him immensely to know that the life he finds appealing to imagine requires the changes that he himself made or is making to have taken place, and that he can't be sure that someone else wouldn't have stepped in to sort them out if he hadn't been there, or would have done as good a job. Most of the imaginings he allows himself come with the disclaimer of some shadowy distant figure to fill the occult space he did, but without any kind of details.

(Also, some of his fantasies require Drumknott, who also wouldn't have been an option in a world where he didn't become Patrician, or at least, not as available a one. He's done some pretty impressive mental acrobats to get his fantasies to put himself and Drumknott on the same path.)

[wolfy_writing]

Part of the reason why he only lets himself fantasize when things are particularly slow and untaxing is because he knows he will try to work out the logistics, and it's complicated to avoid "Fantasy where it's satisfying to be a citizen with no professional responsibilities because I've arranged suitable leadership, and also for Drumknott to accompany me" turning into "Well, the most suitable leadership would be myself, and then Drumknott could be my secretary, and I've just imagined myself back into my current life."

[captlebubbles]

He asks Drumknott at one point whether he has any fantasies that involve them being together somewhere in a world where someone else filled Vetinari's occult space instead and Drumknott's like "not really, I can't imagine you as anything else, and if you hadn't filled that space you wouldn't be Vetinari, or at least the Vetinari I fell in love with."

"I mean you're technically correct but you're not being helpful at all."
"Sorry. Would you like me to fantasize about us going to Fourecks together?"
"Why Fourecks?"
"It seemed appropriate."

[wolfy_writing]

Aw, Drumknott!

...do they go to Fourecks together after Vetinari retires?

[captlebubbles]

"Would you like to go to Fourecks, Drumknott?"
"I've thought about it, but of course such a journey would be far to great to take as long as I'm needed in the city. It would mean months away with no way of reaching me should you need me."
"But if you were on holiday, I am certain I could find enough to clerks to do a satisfactory job in your place."
"You'll excuse me, sir, but you seem to have misunderstood me when I said 'should you need me'. I wouldn't like to leave you for so long."
"Ah."

(Drumknott is the one area he's not practically clairvoyant in. He adores Drumknott, but given that by nature he has to put politics ahead of their relationship- something Drumknott was made to understand going in- he's always surprised when Drumknott proves his own level of devotion.)

[wolfy_writing]

Aw, Drumknott! So sweet!

(Yes, he tends to underestimate finer and nobler aspects of human nature anyway, and on a personal level, I can see him spending so much time being intimidating and powerful at people that having someone devoted to him as a person can take him by surprise.)

[captlebubbles]

After they get Moist settled in Vetinari takes him to Fourecks for an indefinite holiday, because he reckons after that many years of devotion he deserves to be spoiled with a trip where they do whatever he wants, and it turns out to be good for both of them to be removed from the political scene finally and just... be.

[wolfy_writing]

Yes! And it's not instantly totally easy and comfortable, because people who've spent so much time defined by their work have a learning curve when functioning differently, but with support, patience, and that big book of crossword puzzles Drumknott secretly paid that lady from the Times to make, they settle in and are very happy.

[captlebubbles]

They spend a little while in Buggarup at the off and after like a day Vetinari keeps talking about ways that the government could stand to be improved, and Drumknott is like "Yes, Havelock, but you're retired now and we're here on holiday". (The switch from 'sir' and 'Drumknott' to 'Havelock' and 'Rufus' everywhere instead of just their most private rooms was surprisingly easy. Vetinari would have transitioned pretty smoothly but for Drumknott he had been 'sir' for so long that he expected it to take longer to drop it.)

[wolfy_writing]

Aw, sweet!

[captlebubbles]

The other reason they hang out on Fourecks for awhile is that Vetinari reckons it'd be good for Moist to establish himself without his predecessor looking over his shoulder.

When they do finally get back to Ankh-Morpork, they don't bother telling Moist, on the grounds that he probably already knows if he's worth Vetinari leaving him the city in the first place, and if he doesn't know Vetinari doesn't want to know he made the wrong choice.

The morning after they get back Moist sends someone around to fetch him, and he takes a great delight in sending them far too early to prod him out of bed and tell him he has a meeting with the Patrician, because Moist has had plenty of time to daydream about doing that. (When the guard he sends gets there, Vetinari is awake, dressed, and just finishing his coffee, and he's a little too innocently confused when Moist 'apologizes' for waking him so early.)

[wolfy_writing]

Yes, the best thing is to give him a little time when no one can run back to Vetinari just because the new guy has a few minor hiccups. (Especially since an essential part of Moist's style is his charm, and he shouldn't feel pressured to come off as smoothly intimidating as Vetinari, as that wouldn't actually make him a better Patrician. There were a number of second-rate Vetinari-derivatives angling for power, and none of them made the short list.)

Vetinari likes to be up in time to watch the sun rise, and not just so he can keep an eye on it and make sure it's behaving itself.

[captlebubbles]

There's a whole lot of new precedent that has to be set, since none of the Patricians before them have been given the chance to retire. Having him bugger off for a few years (they take time to see the elephant, up close) helps. (He does get to keep on being a lord, though. And Moist doesn't actually get to tell him what to do. He tries, but he always gets the unsettling feeling that Vetinari is just humoring him and figures that it's best to leave it unless he starts causing problems.

It takes people a little while to get the idea that the new Patrician is charming and funny and listens to them and likes them and they don't really have to be afraid of him, though they learn very quickly that just because they should be more afraid of him than they've assumed, and also they should be very, very afraid of his lady wife. And also that he inherited the dark clerks, and all of those should be feared