Aria can barely subdue her giggles or her proud smile, and as she speaks, the usual joviality in her airy, lilting voice remains undisturbed. What else was I going to do? she asks with a shrug. Talk to badgers at them? She sobers up a bit and looks at Ko before continuing I understand what you mean, though. With the Aundairian army having reliable reports about what happened during an attack, they might actually station some real security in the at-risk communities now, instead of at forts leagues away. Trumping up the terror a bit could only help in that regard, so I'm really not terribly worried about the stress I might have caused. What I am worried about is all the rest of the terrible stuff that will go on with marauding barbarians. That's what we're here to stop, and I'm not keen on delaying our mission to make nice with the sorts of people who can look a dying man in the eyes and demand a pound-and-half silver for the level of magical acuity my kid sister mastered before she even left to study properly.