"The young man of my acquaintance is canny as a wolf and thrice as pack-minded," Eula says with a smile tinged with wistfulness, "but as he was yet to be born at that time, and from Meracydia besides, his propensity to collect anyone sorry-looking enough and pull them to their feet would not have been of much use."

No shame in the admission that they were once a sorry sight; pride forged of having been reforged so many times isn't so brittle.

"But on the whole, we are in agreement on that. Though I suppose 'twas indeed my turn to be whisked off to another realm."