Free Legends From the End of Time by Michael Moorcock, Tom Canty Page B

Dafnish, just as you and I could be good friends, if you'd only…"
    "I need no friends. I have Armatuce."
    "You need me!" The woman lurched forward, making a clumsy attempt to embrace her. "You need me!"
    The wail was pathetic and Dafnish Armatuce was moved to pity as she pushed Miss Ming by her shoulders until she had resumed her original position on the bed. "I do not, Miss Ming."
    "The boy stands between us. If only you'd let him grow up normally!"
    "Is that what you were trying to achieve?"
    "No! We were both misguided. I sought to please you , don't you see? You're so proud, such an egotist. And this is what I get. Oh, yes, I was a fool."
    "The customs of the Armatuce are such," said Dafnish evenly, "that special procedures must be taken before a child is allowed adult status. There is no waste in Armatuce."
    "But this is not Armatuce." Miss Ming was sobbing violently. "You could be happy here, with me, if you'd only let me love you. I don't ask much. I don't expect love in return, not yet. But, in time…"
    "The thought is revolting to me!"
    "You suppress your normal emotions, that's all!"
    She said gently: "I am an Armatuce. That means much to me. I should be obliged, Miss Ming, if…"
    "I'm going!" The woman rose, dabbing at her eyes. "I could help. Doctor Volospion would help us both. I could…"
    "Please, Miss Ming."
    Miss Ming looked up imploringly. "Could I see Snuffles? One last time?"
    Dafnish relented. "To say goodbye to the child? Yes. Perhaps you could help me —"
    "Anything!"
    "Tell him to remember his destiny. The destiny of an Armatuce."
    "Will he understand?"
    "I hope so."
    "I'll help. I want to help."
    "Thank you."
    Miss Ming walked unsteadily from the room. Dafnish Armatuce heard her footsteps in the corridor, heard her enter Snuffles' chamber, heard the child's exclamation of pleasure. She drew a deep breath and let it leave her slowly. With considerable effort she got up, washed and dressed, judging, now, that Miss Ming had had a fair allotment of time with the boy.
    As she entered the brown and yellow hall, she glanced across to Lord Jagged's door. It was open. She hesitated, and as she did so, Lord Jagged appeared, looking less tired than he had before, but more thoughtful.
    "Lord Jagged!"
    "Aha, the admirable Dafnish!" His smile was soft, almost melancholy. "Do you enjoy your stay at Canaria? Is all to your liking?"
    "It is perfect, Lord Jagged, but I would go home."
    "You cannot. Are you still unconvinced?"
    "When we last met — that night — you said something concerning the fabric of Time. The Laws, hitherto regarded as immutable, were not operating as expected?"
    "I was weary. I should not have spoken."
    "But you did. Therefore can I not request a fuller explanation?"
    "I would raise hope where none should be permitted."
    "Can I not judge?"
    He shrugged, his high, grey collar almost swallowing the lower half of his face. His slim hands fingered his lower lip. "Very well, but I must ask secrecy from you."
    "You have it. I am an Armatuce."
    "There is little I can tell you, save this: Of late the sturdy, relentless structure of Time, which has always, so far as we know, obeyed certain grim Laws of its own, has begun to show instabilities. Men have returned to the past and remained there for much longer periods than was thought possible. By contravening the Laws of Time, they have further weakened them. There are disruptions — distortions — anomalies. I hope to discover the true cause, but every passage through Time threatens the fabric further, producing paradoxes which, previously, Time refused to allow. So far no major disaster has occurred — history remains history — but there is a danger that history itself will be distorted and then — well, we all might suddenly vanish as if we had never been!"
    "Is that possible? I have listened to such speculation, but it has always seemed pointless."
    "Who knows if it is possible? But can we take the risk? If, say, you were to return to