“Does that have to go in?” Lada asked.

“What do you mean?” Wistala said, brought back to the dictation.

“The battle. Betrayals. Incompetence, even cowardice. Boats falling, mud everywhere, blood running from balconies, carrion birds poking marrow from bones, dwarves hanging from bridges, burned corpses, but worst of all, no hero whose courage and skill is put to the ultimate test.”

“They asked for a history, they shall have my history. If someone else will have the battle take place on a spring-green field with pennants at the lance points and songs sung over the honored dead, let them write it thus. This history is a story of death begetting death, and should end with carrion birds, for they are the only ones who come out the better at the end.

“Speaking of which—steaks and cakes, but I’m hungry. Enough of this wordplay. Let’s head over to Mossbell and eat!”