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"A cake," Hugo repeated. "A cake for the hairy one! We'll see what we can do, but meanwhile, sit, speak. Tell me why you're here."

Shrill laughter burst from beside him. "Listen to you, talking to him like he's a mutt!" A woman stood up. She wasn't entirely young, but she still possessed quite a large fraction of the beauty she had had... five years ago? ten? It was hard to tell. She gathered her skirts about her and sat down next to the other two.

"Get away, you old fool," she told Hugo. "Go get your cake, or whatever it is. Now look, son." She turned and levelled a more serious look at Tyro. "I don't know exactly why you decided to come here, but whatever it was, I can tell you that it was probably completely misguided. There's nothing in these lands for someone such as you."