“Sometimes” Bragi said with a nod. He wasn't quite sure what she was talking about any more. It was like they were talking about two different things. It was like she was trying to tell him things without him knowing she was telling him things, like how he was telling her things without her knowing he was telling her things, except he suspected she was telling him things without him knowing she was telling him things which meant he knew she was telling him things with him knowing without her knowing which was different than him telling her things without her knowing after all. Bragi didn't know why he found this so confusing.
“I hope so,” Bragi said. If he learned to tell the difference between words that translated and ones that didn't, he could practically write a language. If that was what they were talking about. He still wasn't sure anymore. He didn't like being so confused. He liked knowing what he was saying. Bragi didn't understand how he could be so lost and still find her so adorable. He'd found her on a road, and he'd been lost ever since then. Only instead of reacting like a normal person, overall Bragi was happier than he'd ever been.
If she died and he was lost forever, and being lost lost its appeal, at least he'd have Jondi. Bragi laughed at that idea. He couldn't help it. Not because it was funny, but because it was horribly, bitterly, rottenly ironic. Bragi had a bond with irony. It was unconditional, so he had to still like it, even when he was the victim. “Sorry” he said, “That just reminded me of something she said once.” He paused. “I don't know that you're right. You've been such a help to me during this courtship. You might be the only thing holding the two of us together.” Then his voice lost its lightheartedness. It became heavy, very heavy on the heart, and Bragi pretended he hadn't said anything before. “I'd stand by my former statement anyway.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You could do that” Bragi said, “Or maybe a man could pass by and carelessly hold his knife up to your net to bounce the sunlight off the ground, and you could use that opportunity to grab it before he knows what is happening and cut yourself free.”