Read Online The Shepherd's Crown by Terry Pratchett - Free Book Online

touched her on the shoulder; but it was just a leaf.Then, deep inside, she knew the answer to her question: Where is Granny Weatherwax?
    It was: She is here – and everywhere.
    To Tiffany’s surprise, Nanny Ogg was weeping gently. Nanny took another swig from her flagon and wiped her eyes. ‘Cryin’ helps sometimes,’ she said. ‘No shame in tears for them as you’ve loved. Sometimes I remember one of my husbands and shed a tear or two. The memories’rethere to be treasured, and it’s no good to get morbid-like about it.’
    ‘How many husbands have you actually had, Nanny?’ asked Tiffany.
    Nanny appeared to be counting. ‘Three of my own, and let’s just say I’ve run out of fingers on the rest, as it were.’ But she was smiling now, perhaps remembering a very treasured husband, and then, bouncing back from the past, she was suddenly her normal cheerfulself again. ‘Come on, Tiff,’ she said, ‘let’s go back to your cottage. Like I always says, a decent wake don’t happen by itself.’
    As they made their way back to the cottage, Tiffany asked Nanny the question which had been burning in her mind. ‘What do you think will happen next?’
    Nanny looked at Tiffany. ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘Well, Granny wasn’t exactly the head witch . . . except that mostpeople thought she was . . .’
    ‘There ain’t no such thing as a head witch, Tiff, you know that.’
    ‘Yes, but . . . if Granny’s not here any more, do you become the not-head-witch?’
    ‘Me?’ Nanny Ogg laughed. ‘Oh no, dear, I’ve had a very good life, me, lots of children, lots of men, lots of fun and, yes, as witches go, I’m pretty good. But I never thought of steppin’ into Esme’s shoes. Ever.’
    ‘Well, who is, then? Someone’s got to.’
    Nanny Ogg scowled and said, ‘Granny never said as she was better than others. She just got on with it and showed ’em and people worked it out for themselves. You mark my words, the senior witches will get together soon enough to talk about this, but I know who Granny would choose – and it’s as I would too.’ She stopped and looked serious for a moment. ‘It’syou, Tiff. Esme’s left you her cottage. But more’n that. You must step into the shoes of Granny Weatherwax or else’n someone less qualified will try an’ do it!’
    ‘But— I can’t! And witches don’t have leaders! You’ve just said that, Nanny!’
    ‘Yes,’ said Nanny. ‘And you must be the best damn leader that we don’t have. Don’t look at me sideways like that, Tiffany Aching. Just think about it. Youdidn’t try to earn it, but earn it you has, and if you don’t believe me, believe Granny Weatherwax. She tol’ me that you was the only witch who could seriously take her place, she said that on the night after you run with that hare.’
    ‘She never said anything to me,’ said Tiffany, feeling suddenly very young.
    ‘Well, she wouldn’t say nothing, o’ course she wouldn’t,’ said Nanny. ‘That’s not Esme’sway, you know that. She would have given a grunt, and maybe said, “Well done, girl.” She just liked people to know their own strengths – and your strengths are formidable.’
    ‘But, Nanny, you are older, more experienced, than me – you know lots more!’
    ‘And some of it I wants to forget,’ said Nanny.
    ‘I’m far too young,’ Tiffany wailed. ‘If I wasn’t a witch, I’d still just be thinking of boyfriends .’
    Nanny Ogg almost jumped on her. ‘You’re not too young,’ she said. ‘Years ain’t what’s important here. Granny Weatherwax said to me as you is the one who’s to deal with the future. An’ bein’ young means you’ve got a lot of future.’ She sniffed. ‘Lot more’n me, that’s for sure.’
    ‘But that’s not how it works,’ Tiffany said. ‘It ought to be a senior witch. It has to be.’ But her Second Thoughtsthen leaped up in her head, challenging her. Why? Why not do things differently? Why should we do things how they have