ADVENTURE LOG XXXIII
A MILE IN THEIR SHOES
In the city of Doreth, the household was buzzing with activity in preparation for the big ceremony. Aiden, the master blacksmith who resided within, had created a ring so special that the king of the city himself wanted to honor his efforts. He and his family had been invited to the dinner, in which the lord would acknowledge a few people who had particularly pleased him over the quarter, and rumours swirled that it would even mean full citizenship for any who did not yet have it.
Aiden, still tidying up after his morning’s work, was pleased to be recognized. He wanted to be a good provider for the people who relied on him, and wanted his work to be of a quality that stood the test of time. Upstairs looking through her dresses for something to wear, his wife Zara just wanted her husband to pay as much attention to her as he did to his work. His long days toiling over the anvil left him sore and exhausted, and he didn’t always make it through dinner before lightly dozing at the table. She missed his strong arms around her. Her hope was after the acknowledgement that night, he’d relax some, and she’d get some of her lover back to herself.
Elsewhere in the house Aiden’s grandfather Archibald had similar hopes. The fact that his grandson had yet to provide an heir chaffed at him. What was the point of glory with no legacy to carry it? After they were acknowledged tonight, he would ensure Aiden took a break, and saw to his lapsed family duties. Although, he was beginning to doubt Zara had it in her, and he considered what other options he might have to take care of the matter himself.
Aiden’s apprentice, Gilderoy, was also tired of waiting. He didn’t enjoy his position, feeling his master entirely too concerned with quality and not enough with quantity. He’d spent weeks assisting over the creation of a single ring. Just one! There was a whole city of people who needed gear, if Aiden would just get on with things they could make a great deal more gold. He was tired of following orders. He wanted to be the one calling the shots. He deserved to take over the smithy, but in the meantime, he took smug satisfaction in taking care of Aiden’s wife. It was a bit of fun bedding the lonely woman. Maybe if something happened to Aiden, he’d take her on as well. He felt himself quite generous at the thought, and couldn’t help grinning to himself as he swept up soot and shavings.
Justine, Zara’s lady’s maid, took the stairs two at a time until she’d reached her mistress’ room. She was nearly finished dressing herself for the evening, and wanted to get to work helping Zara with the more elaborate layers of her gown for the night. While Zara moaned about the price of bread going up, Justine stayed silent and focused on doing up her mother-of-pearl buttons, wondering if any of them understood how lucky they all were. To have a family, food, a roof over their head. She’d lived for a time on the streets, and worked many worse jobs until landing with the kind blacksmith. She knew her position their relied on a happy household, and resented Zara’s careless dalliances with Gilderoy for putting it all at risk.
Plans were hatched and foiled within the household. Zara sent Justine to help Archibald dress, with orders to do it badly. She was tired of the old man’s snide remarks and disparagement, and hoped to bring him down a peg by making a fool of him at the ceremony. Gilderoy had the same idea while dressing Aiden, carefully slicing through his braces so that they’d drop his pants at an inopportune moment. His secret hope was that by making Aiden embarrass himself, Gilderoy would be able to step up and take over the practice.
Justine did as she was told, finding clothes out-of-date still hung at the back of his wardrobe, and buttoning him up within. He saw nothing amiss, but took advantage of his time alone with the young woman to begin his own schemes. He spun a picture of stability, offering her a little home of her own, in return for letting him get her with child. He would help hide the pregnancy, and once the babe was born, it would be passed off as Aiden and Zara’s to carry on their name. She questioned him on the logistics, but he convinced her it would strengthen the family bond, and she relented, hoping the child would indeed bring her mistress the extra affection she so craved. It would only help everyone involved. She relented. Ten minutes later and sworn to secrecy, she returned to Zara, slightly flushed.
Aiden tired of Gilderoy’s complaining over having to help him dress, and sent him to retrieve Justine to help instead. The apprentice happily complied, and once Justine had left, Zara pushed him against the back of the bedroom door, and they had their own quick tryst.
Justine assisted Aiden’s final touches before affixing her own bonnet, and asked him what his plans were once he was a free citizen. Aiden thanked her for her help, and said he had plans to expand his business that required a bigger home, a bigger shop, and more servants. He said he was hoping she’d help manage the new staff, as he and his wife relied so much upon her, and knew she’d be up to the task. Feeling guilty for agreeing to place a cuckoo in his nest, she went straight to the kitchens upon leaving to gather various herbs she’d need to create a quick cure to her potential condition.
Meanwhile, Archibald had called for Gilderoy, and passed the young man a pill. He asked him to slip it in Zara’s drink that night, saying she’d been so stressed of late, it would relax her and help her properly enjoy herself for a change. He promised it wouldn’t harm her, and Gilderoy tucked it away. Archibald then went to see Zara, and produced a similar pill for her. He promised her if she placed it into Aiden’s drink, it would reinflame the passion, and she’d be in for one hell of a night. He finished his rounds cornering Justine again on her way back from the kitchens, and assumed her guilty look was from what they’d done. He gave her a pill, as well, telling her to drug Gilderoy with it, since he’s become too big for his britches. Justine had the life experience to recognize it for what it was. A powerful hallucinogen. She nodded, and hid it away in her pouch.
It was time to go. All but Gilderoy had managed to be dressed in time, who was forced to go along wearing only respectable trousers with his ordinary clothing, looking the fool before the night even began. He refused to sit it out, though. There would be more opportunities to shine. They gathered in the coach, Justine riding next to the coachman, and called for him to depart.
Byron and Taylan came to themselves, and blinked in confusion as they looked around. The Flowers stood together in the hard packed earth somewhere within the ruins of the city. Nightingale stood facing one direction next to Byron, their hands entwined. Taylan and Travis stood facing them respectively, and Calli stood with her back to Taylan facing as Byron and Gale were. They were in the exact positions the family had been in the vision of the coach. Taylan looked at Nightingale’s face, where Zara’s had been, and he realized they were living out the lives of the Smith’s family. He had been the ambitious apprentice, and remembering what they’d done made his eyes go wide.
Up above, Lil Focker and Rune noticed the two of them had snapped out of the trance, and swooped down towards them from where they’d been nervously following along. Before they could say anything, the ghosts appeared again, and drew the two back into memory.
The palace was grand, and they were ushered through into a reception room nicer than any they’d seen before. Exotic creature hides, horns, and various weapons decorated the walls. The flooring was a mosaic of stones from far-flung locations. Servants stood against the walls waiting to be needed, tables with drinks and snacks were dotted around, guards flanked the doors, and a small band of minstrels played music in the corner. Aiden quickly struck up a conversation with a wealthy landowner named Mister Walsh who was also there to be honored, and Archibald made sure to take active part in it. Gilderoy stood unhappily at their side listening in as the noble thanked Aiden for the ring he’d purchased himself, previously. Aiden was gracious, deflecting compliments back to the man, and saying he was simply happy to be of service.
Zara excused herself, and pulled Justine to one side. Presenting the pill she’d been given, Zara asked if she’d seen its like before, admitting its providence. It was a mirror to the one the maid had been given, and Justine warned her not to do as Archibald had asked. Zara selected a goblet from a refreshment table, added the pill, and suggested it make its way back from whence it came. The maid furrowed her brows, worried about how it would make the old man look in front of the king, and if that would reflect badly upon the family as a whole. Zara insisted, and she took the goblet, gesturing for a tray from one of the palace servant’s so she could add another two from the table. Justine looked over at where the men were stood and saw Gilderoy with two goblets of his own trying, and failing, to get Aiden to take one. Her eyes narrowed, and she added her own pill to one of the additional goblets on her tray, and headed in their direction. Zara noticed Justine’s addition, and watched curiously.
Gideroy was making the case that when the King arrived they would all need to raise a glass for a toast, and it was his job as apprentice to serve. Aiden scowled at this, reminding him it was an apprentice’s job to listen to the master, and he did not wish for a drink just yet. When Gilderoy insisted, Archibald snapped at him for embarassing them, and the apprentice gritted his teeth and withdrew. Justine altered her course to stand by the young man, feigning sympathy for how he’d been treated. She said that he shouldn’t have to carry around the drinks, it was her job, and she offered to take them off his hands. He relented and placed one of them on her tray, but downed the other immediately. She took his empty goblet, and then passed him the one she herself had drugged, saying he’d need one for the toast. He thanked her and took it, waiting for the toast. The maid then reached the cluster where Zara had rejoined the other men with her own drink, and Justine held up the tray, angled so the goblet Zara had drugged was nearest to Archibald. The men continued to refuse, but hearing the king was arriving sooner than expected, Archibald took the goblet she hoped he would. She then passed the one she had grabbed for herself to Aiden, since Zara had not brought one for him, and finally Justine returned to the side of the room with the other guests’ personal servants, passed the empty goblet off her tray to a member of the palace staff, and held up the goblet she’d taken off of Gilderoy for herself.
Fanfare was played, and a major domo came through to ensure everyone being honored was stood where they should be. Archibald refused to stand to the side, demanding to stay with Aiden and Zara, reminding them how important it was that family stuck together. Time ran out, and the major domo moved on with a shake of his head. As the king entered, he was announced, and the room cheered out a toast to his health. All raised the goblets to their lips, and took a swig. Archibald recognized the taste of the hallucinogen, but had built up a bit of a resistance to it over the years, and looked around wondering which of the people he’d given a pill to had screwed up, suspecting the maid most of all. Justine also recognized the taste as it hit her tongue, and surreptitiously spit it back into the cup before swallowing any. She narrowed her eyes at Gilderoy, knowing exactly what had happened. Gilderoy, sulking, took a hearty swig of the drugged drink, and was none the wiser.
The king, a fierce warrior, was wearing the ring Aiden had made for him, and called him forward to congratulate him in front of everyone for the powerful creation. They began discussing his training regime, and as Aiden was giving tips Zara slid up and offered to take his goblet to free his hands for the demonstration. Aiden introduced his wife to the king, who complimented her exquisite style. Justine rushed up with her tray to accept the goblets from the couple, freeing Zara to curtsy properly. The king thanked the maid, and she returned to the wings. Aiden continued speaking with the king, revealing that if the king had a piece of art created celebrating the ring, that it would unlock even more of the hidden power within. He vowed to do so, and then said his goodbyes, moving on to greeting Master Walsh.
Zara kissed Aiden on his cheek, and both earnestly and sweetly congratulated him on his success. She admitted she understood now why he spent so long at the forge, and that his hard work had paid off. He summoned Justine back, ready for the rest of his drink after the nerves of meeting with the king, and she held up the tray. Zara reached for one to pass him, but Justine quickly said that had been her drink, guiding Zara to the untainted wine that had been Aidens. Archibald watched this happen, and asked to taste Aiden’s drink, saying something tasted off in his own and he wanted to be sure it was “safe” for his grandson. Aiden was a bit overwhelmed with how weird his household had been all day, and simply put the drink back on the tray rather than let his grandfather taste test for him in front of everyone in the room. He said he wanted to speak with some potential clients and, Zara on his arm complimenting the size of his biceps, he withdrew. At the back of the room Gilderoy watched Zara caress her husband’s arm and seethed as the drugs made their way into his system.
Archibald lowered his brows at Justine, who smiled demurely and gave a small bob of subservience, before making her way back over to Gilderoy with her tray. He added his empty one to her tray, and took the still-full one on it. He began drinking it as well, and his system gave way completely to the extra dose of drugs he now ingested. He began muttering about the eyes, all around, always watching. People nearby began to notice as he became louder and more erratic, and Justine made a show of trying to calm him and lead him from the room. Instead, he tried to climb one of the tables. This gained the attention of many more, including Aiden and Zara, and the smith left Zara to entertain while he went to deal with his apprentice.
In his altered state, his hatred for the blacksmith manifested as seeing Aiden grow horns and wings as he approached, like some wicked demon. Gilderoy lowered his head and charged directly at him, attempting to wrest the ceremonial hammer from where it hung at Aiden’s side.
As Gilderoy held the hammer up, Archibald cried out, “An assassin! Protect the king!” He hoped no one had seen the badly dressed man enter with them, and he certainly hadn’t been introduced to anyone yet, so it would be easy enough to be rid of him once and for all- perhaps even gaining the attention of the king for himself in the process.
Though he managed to rip it free, Aiden grabbed and held on to the hammer’s handle, his stronger muscles from many more years of disciplined work refusing to yield it to the younger. He pulled the hammer close to him, bringing Gilderoy with it, and began marching him towards the exit. Justine handed off her tray to a nearby member of the palace staff, and said outloud in an apologetic tone to those around that the wine must not have agreed with him, and then followed to try and help ease the removal.
The guards opened the door to allow them to leave the reception, and walked them out through the antechamber, opening those doors as well, which let in the sounds of screams and panic from the town. They could now see out the large, arched windows of the exterior hall over the town, where a large winged creature in the sky swooped overhead. As it circled, the gentle glow of lanterns through the city illuminated the red scales of the dragon.
Justine ran back into the room, shrieking about the red dragon attacking the city. Archibald cried out again for someone to protect the king, but the king gave a winning smile and made a fist, showing off the ice blue gem in the ring he wore. He announced it was his job to protect them, and with his guards at his back charged out of the room towards the danger. Aiden had snatched the hammer back from Gilderoy, and made to follow, but Zara had appeared at his side, begging him to stay and help protect them. He put a sturdy arm around her, and allowed the major domo to usher them, and the others from the party, down into a more secure cellar of the palace. They’d even brought back inside Gilderoy, not wanting to leave him helpless in his current state to the fight outside.
The household stuck together. Women and apprentice in the corner, Aiden held aloft his hammer, and asked if his grandfather was still able to fight. Archibald held up his walking cane like a club, and confirmed that he was always ready to protect the family. “On that we can agree,” Aiden said.
The screaming outside seemed to get louder, nearer, and they heard someone rushing past in a panic that the king’s ring had no effect. Aiden had only a moment’s confusion, as the ice gem should have been the perfect thing to fight a red dragon, when the answer announced itself. The ceiling was ripped away above them as if paper, and everyone looked up to see a gloating dragon inhale, and then exhale a thick cloud of acid into the room.
The Flowers noticed, in the second before their lives ended, that the red of the dragon’s scales was nothing more than paint. The dragon was green.
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They came to their senses in the ruins of the cellar, and crowded around them stood the ghosts, still silently watching. They began vanishing from the outside of the massive crowd in, until the last one remaining was that of the blacksmith Aiden, whom Byron had been inhabiting. The smith pointed to the ground where Byron stood, and disappeared.
None of them spoke right away. They felt an understanding and sorrow for these flawed, but mortal people whose lives had been cut short. Byron began digging at his feet, and the others assisted, until he got to the skeleton of the blacksmith, hand outstretched to the corner where Zara had been cowering. They’d made a wide enough hole that they also found her hand, reaching back for him.
Byron took the ring off his own finger, and slipped it on to the corresponding finger of Aiden’s bones. It glowed, the blue gem briefly radiating the blue light the ghosts had generated, and then returning to normal. He returned it to his own hand and something within him could feel it was different. There was a renewed vigor about it, and his strikes would benefit.
Lil Focker and Rune had been perched on some the stone rubble from the destroyed ceiling, and could no longer hold the solemn silence, unaware why everyone was so somber. They asked what had happened, and if everyone was alright. Byron spoke first, reassuring them everyone was fine, but asking what they had seen.
They reported the party had been moving as if sleepwalking, silently miming actions like changing clothes, or drinking, but at times they couldn’t make out what was supposed to be happening. Focker explained, “At one point Mister Nightingale, you dropped to your knees a few feet in front of Mister Taylan and your mouth opened like you were singing at him.”
Travis looked between them and began a hearty laugh.
Rune continued, “And miss, you stuck your ass out at Mister Travis and started really moaning”
“She did what, now?” Nightingale cut in.
“Yeah, and he had his hands behind his head and was thrusting in her direction!” Focker imitated what he’d seen the half-orc do.
Travis stopped laughing. Calli’s eyes went wide, and in a small voice she asked, “You said we were stood apart, though, right?”
It was Taylan’s turn to start laughing.
Byron decided maybe he didn’t want to know what the rest of them had seen in their versions of the vision. He ordered their small, flying friends that they were never to speak of what they’d seen again. His eyes fell upon the ceremonial hammer that had been unearthed, and tucked it away in his bag before reburying the uncovered remains.
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They looked around and noticed that though they seemed to have gotten into the hole unscathed, there were no remaining stairs to exit easily. As they were examining the walls for handholds to possibly climb out, Nightingale and Taylan noticed some shifting above out of sight. They warned the rest, and Calli gestured for Rune to look over the edge, as her tiny head would be least likely to be noticed.
“There’s people up here!” she cried, before they heard a twang of an arrow being released. She pushed back from the edge, but not fast enough, and a shaft longer than she was tore through her side, doing considerable damage. She fell out of the air, engaging her wings just enough to return her to Calli’s shoulder.
Taylan muttered a word with a wave of his hand, and the brief image of great white dragon wings appeared at his back as he cast fly for himself. He lifted up just high enough to look around himself, and reported back what they were facing. Six human mercenaries - two with saddled flying wolf mounts, two dire wolves with green dragon wings, and an assortment of normal-sized wolves both with and without wings surrounded the cellar. Taylan found the strange sensation inside him that had alerted him to the powerful dragon in the distance was also picking up a lighter ‘ping’ off the various half-dragons that now surrounded them- the wolves, and one of the humanoids- not human at all, but another son of Putrifax.
Byron crouched briefly before exploding into a run directly at a wall, engaging his leg muscles at the opportune time to launch himself into the air - soaring unnaturally high - until he landed on the ground above directly before an enemy. He wasted no time tearing into the shocked human, leaving multiple gashes open and bleeding.
The two of the mercenaries with mounts took to the sky. Two of the others ducked down behind some scrub brush and vanished from sight. Byron and Taylan warned everyone of the developments.
The green arm of Travis appeared over the edge, followed quickly by the rest of him, as he scaled the earthen wall of the ruined cellar. He zeroed in on the remaining human not flying, hidden, or being mauled by Byron, and made him his goal. His axe swung true, dealing a colossal amount of damage.
Arrows zipped past him, the third burying itself into something crucial in his hip. Travis snarled at the mercenary that had revealed itself to fire at him, as he realized the injury would temporarily slow him down.
From the cellar, Calli’s voice rang out, her song bolstering The Flowers, followed closely by a massive white dragon that soared up and out, roaring displeasure at the attackers. It circled above, looking around for the easiest target. It was only an illusion the bard had conjured, but their foes didn’t know that, and the smaller normal wolves and some of the humans scattered, turning and running at high speed away, signalling a sudden and drastic change in who had the upper hand.
The battle that followed was as brief as it was brutal. The Flowers made short work of those who remained in spectacular fashion. Nightingale had ran up and out one corner of the cellar, until he was able to unleash his lighting on any unlucky enough to be within his rapier range. In one moment Byron punched forward a claw through the mercenary’s head, then spun in place to slice open the neck of the dire wolf behind him, ending them both. In another moment highlighting how well the team knew each other, Taylan summoned a fireball directly on Travis and the enemies that had surrounded him. The enemies were burnt to a crisp, but the particular barbarian nature within the half-orc was only fed by the flames, leaving Travis feeling better than ever, and free to cut down even more of the wolves.
When the dust settled, the air smelled of cooked meat and fresh blood. Among the downed enemies they had put an end to one of Putrifax’s sons, who unlike Visidian, hadn’t tried to speak with them at all. He had only tried to destroy them, and gotten himself killed for the trouble. The group healed quickly, wary of what else may come.
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Travis scanned the surrounding darkness in case any of those who’d fled were trying to sneak up on them again. His half-orc eyes were able to see further through the night than the rest, and he pointed. “Their camp was over there.”
Taylan found himself drawn in that direction, as well. The dragon sense within him let him know one of those lighter ‘ping’s was at the camp, another half-dragon.
Cautiously, the Flowers approached, but the only sign of movement was a large tied sack wriggling around near one of the tents, in a humanoid shape. Travis kept watch while Byron hauled the form into a sitting position, and Gale cut a hole in the bag for the head to push through.
It was Visidian, the son of Putrifax they’d met previously, who seemed the most reasonable of the green dragon’s followers. He had been gagged, and looked around with wide uncertain eyes at his new captors.
The memory of how Pilts Swastel, the fake emperor of Old Korvosa, had escaped them made them hesitate to remove the gag. With only a word, Pilts had transported himself safely out of their grasp. But the fact that Visidian had not been tied up by them, but by his own brother, made them risk it.
“You’ve come to my mother’s lands! I don’t know if you’re brave or foolish,” he said between deep breaths of air.
Taylan grinned, “We’re the bravest people in the world!”
“We were invited,” Calli pointed out.
“But you must have known it was a trap!” Visidian seemed disappointed for them to have fallen for it.
“Yeah…” Calli and Taylan both shrugged.
Nightingale piped up, “Why are you in a sack?”
“I disappointed my mother when I failed to obtain the amulet.”
“Why aren’t you dead, then?” Byron chimed in.
“I’m too valuable to her. I am still her child, after all, she won’t kill us outright. My brother Ancidia was returning me to her.”
Travis called over from where he was listening while keeping a lookout, “Give us directions to your mother’s lair.”
The androgynous half-elf looked up to check the stars, then squirmed around to face a particular direction- as his arms and legs were still bound, “About a hundred yards in that direction.”
Taylan knew he didn’t need directions. He could feel her out there, he need only follow. But he had a better idea. “Calli, he’s been inside the lair, you can get those memories from him.”
Her eyes lit up as she smiled, and she got closer to Visidian’s face. “Have you reconsidered our offer?”
“Which offer?” He seemed wary, but was unable to pull away.
“You work with us now. You help us bring her down. And we free you.”
He gave a deep sigh of resignation, and was silent a moment. “Yes. Yes I suppose I must. She’s been going slowly insane. But are you all ready to face my mother?”
“Oh, good lord, no! But we’re going to do it anyway,” Taylan spoke with confidence, and Travis laughed at the truth of it.
“Spoken like a true hero, mate,” Travis said.
Visidian raised an eyebrow, “But you are the son of the dragon White Maw and Ice Flower, the elf, are you not?”
“Yes,” Taylan confirmed.
“I am sorry about what happened to your mother,” Visidian did look as apologetic as someone trussed up in a bag could look.
“What happened to her?”
“Putrifax ate her.”
There were multiple intakes of breath, and Byron scathingly chided, “Very tactful.”
Visidian looked around at everyone’s reactions, “I’m sorry, I thought you knew!"
“No,” Taylan admitted, “I never really knew her.”
“She was a brave woman. She took you somewhere safe, and then left a false trail to lead us away. It took us months to track her down, and when we finally did my mother couldn’t get the truth of where you’d gone out of her, so she ate her.” Visidian saw Gale narrow his eyes in a way that made him nervous. “But! But your father was researching ways to defeat my mother! At least I believe so, that’s why we attacked his cave. Putrifax has set a hoard of what she calls ‘archaeologists’ to dig out any research they can find from the cave, but it’s just a bunch of orcs.”
“Think real hard about the cave,” Calli ordered with a sweet voice, and touched the side of his head, brushing a thumb over his temple. She cast share memory, and walked through his mind. Inside his head she saw he had a glittering fortress of ice crystals, each one holding a memory, Visidian worked with her, showing her precisely what she needed. She saw a huge door set in a fozen mountain, near the shores of a frozen sea, that opened to a labyrinth of caverns cut through the ice, and most surprisingly, a familiar face. Visidian supplied a name for the white dragon that had posed as the White Maw once before- Glazareth the Ice Reaver. Only he now had a broken horn, and looked a bit strange. Her blood went cold as she realized this memory was from after their encounter under Kaer Maga, and that it wasn’t Glazareth at all, but the intellect devourer now puppeteering his form. She learned that ‘Glazareth’ had returned to Putrifax after their fight to admit he had failed again, but seemed unconcerned when Putrifax destroyed his children, promising servitude in return for the honor of leading the expedition in the White Maw’s lair.
She asked then about Putrifax’s lair, and he showed her the ruins of an Elven city. Verdant green jungle overtaking stone buildings, many half crumbled. At Nightingale’s request, she finds a memory of the inside of Visidian’s own room. Simple wooden furniture with many books on the remains of shelving being the only decoration. It would give them somewhere safe to teleport into from which to begin their attack- though they knew the green dragon’s ability to sense others like herself would pick up Taylan immediately.
Visidian explained his mother was completely insane, and believed the lies she told herself and others. Something about the city made dragons within stronger, so her bardic illusion magic took on a level of dangerous reality within it. It would make her a more difficult foe, but Taylan would likely look forward to boosting of his own magic, so they might have a chance. Putrifax was holding Taylan’s ex and child hostage, planning on using the baby’s blood to trigger Taylan’s amulet to open the golden casket and retrieve the ring within that would effectively make her immortal.
“And then what will she do with them?” Taylan’s concern was clear in his voice.
Visidian hesitated, still unsure if the group were really going to let him go and not wanting to make it worse for himself. He remembered Byron’s warning to be more tactful. He chose honesty, and not knowing how to soften it, simply replied, “She’ll eat them, too.”