Sleepy Fox Hollow Where I thought I knew it all before I knew what love was

had it been anyone but wylla plucking along the heartstrings of his largest shame, mahler would have been put out, roused to ire. but it was her, and not only was it her, he had not yet recovered from the surprise of the little woman’s sudden appearance along the hollow’s edge.
”the vilds have changed much since you vere avay,” mahler explained, accent growing thicker as his consternation exceeded the  bounds of its own propriety. ”ve lived in the mountains first, but then they became ... unsafe.”
why did you come back? his spirit fair leapt with the question, but mahler was controlled even beneath the flinty tones that wylla offered. unsure if she was pleased to see him. perhaps she was only surprised, would rather escape their awkward conversing for a clime more palatable.
swiftcurrent. mahler had all but forgotten about it, for kavik ruled now, and he had not seen fit to make an alliance with the new ruler. not while stigmata had lived.
”constantine let the numbers dvindle down due to some tension between himself and his vife. i could not respect it, so i left. they vere still existent the last i knew of them.” 
did wylla ask because she truly wanted to know? aware he had fallen silent, his lilac stare searching the woman for some logic that would explain her presence here, he too straightened.
”i said that. but i alvays vanted to see you again, vy — wylla,” mahler admitted, correcting himself at the last. ”i simply vanted also to respect you,” and here the gargoyle’s voice trailed off, for his ramble had begun and he could only make things more strenuous by continuing his nonsense.