Ordhan waited, listening to her full explanation before answering. She had been there, as a child, no less; even the thought of her there now made his stomach turn. The thought of anyone he knew there now would do the same. "I have read of them, and the Legion of the Dead. I wish I'd had the chance to speak to Nivak or his commander. We Surfacers owe them a great debt." His brows drew together, one of many guilts stirring in his chest. "The Legion came to Denerim, to the Surface, a long time ago. It saved our lives. It is like you, in a way. You are here helping us. It is unfair that none of us go to help you." His eyes wandered over the weathered boards that lined the inside of the guard house, seeing little, and did not notice when her cheeks flushed. He had never made the acquaintance of a dwarf, never had the opportunity to express either his thanks or his guilt. A muscle in his jaw tightened as he realized that it was not perhaps the best thing to speak of. Why stir up resentment when she had so far shown none?
Her reaction to his jest made him smile, a bit embarrassed, and as her eyes continued to shine with mirth he laughed aloud. "I tried to," he admitted, somewhat self-conscious but buoyed up by her fond amusement. "I am very bad at it; ask Conlan." He looked back down at her, no longer avoiding her glance. "Perhaps, but I am not a very fast runner as it is, and am much slower in armor. Cormac can run at least twice as fast, if I remember right." Another hint of a smile, this time in admiration. Perhaps time had exaggerated the memory of Cormac's valiant charge a little.
He listened with a slight cant of his head. "I suppose it would not matter if they did, unless one of us knew how to speak Tree." Perhaps it was a joke, but it was true, wasn't it? He did not want to venture too many at once and embarrass himself, and he could hide behind a literal interpretation if it proved too clumsy. The armored back of his shoulders scraped the wall behind him as he shifted one.
"Just a little larger, yes," he replied with a nod, glad that she would not need to imagine Darkspawn-sized mosquitoes because of him. "I am still glad that we are not going there."