Do I like me, I asked? Yes. Do I find myself amusing? Yes. Do I love me? Yes. How come? Looking at me, how is it I love me? She didn’t know. I’ll tell you the answer I told her at the end of the story.

Long long ago in the Dreaming, the Warrior spirits watched Biame’s creation and told Biame the calls of the Clever Men and Women.

There once was a girl. Lila was her name. She was a beautiful child, everyone said so and her mirror confirmed it. For all the years she had been alive, people commented often on her beauty and Lila knew they liked her because of how she looked.

The soldiers walked from door to door, offering to work in exchange for somewhere to sleep and something to eat. Doors were not opened or were closed in their faces.