Moonsong Glacier rises the moon

"So says my brother," Valiant agreed, watching Vairë's face as her expression shifted. Her thoughts were a mystery to him; were seals bad? Funny? Unbelieveable?

She didn't say, and a compliment had him quickly finding something else to look at. Like that rock over there. What a nice rock. Yep. It needed his attention for a good, long moment, and then when Vairë spoke again, he was ready to look once more at her scarred face.

"They're very pretty," he told her, and he meant it! But — "But those are a lot shorter than the first three. I think you gotta keep goin' grand, darlin'. Elsewise they might get jealous of their older siblings."

He said this with such assurance that it was hard to tell if he was serious or not — but, if Vairë looked, there was a sparkle of mirth in his eyes.