Greatwater Lake wrapped them in "I don't owe you a damn thing"

A wan smile blessed her fatigued features. "Zank ye kindly." It was for his benefit. 

@Dægmar had taught her to fish. Dæg had taught her everything - fully grown she'd come into his care, and yet, little more than a girl she'd been. Branded as dim and mute, with walls higher than the Sunspire, ignorant to everything except the most fundamental thing one needed to learn to survive. 

The world was cold and cruel. 

The sprite shoved the memories back down, stuffed them back into their dingy box and slammed the cardboard flaps. 

"Nae, nae very far," Wördronna lilted automatically as she returned to the here and now. A lie. But she didn't know this man. 

"It's a vee bit complicated. I belong to ze Empire," Fen tacked on, offering him this - and even it was only half-true. "I am a midvife, milkmother."