“No matter that we could be beheaded for this,” said Esa. “Heads are overrated.”“Yes, they are so unfashionable,” said Miri, imitating an Aslandian accent. “This spring, ladies of style are wearing their feathers in their necks.”

“Your head will be fine,” said Miri. “It’s your neck you should worry about.”

“Aside from infrequent comments ("Cheer up, love," or "It's not Hallo'ween"), no one wondered why a teenager was dressed up as a chic governess. Sylvie approved of Miri, even at the same time as she was confused by her. "It's a style at least," she said, and took off her rope of pearls and looped them around Miri's neck.”

“And we saved your life, y’know,” Andrew said, jerking his head in Oliver’s direction. “I mean, the least you could do is thank us.”“Of course!” Oliver said hastily. “Thank you very much.”“It was really dangerous back there,” Patricia said earnestly, as though wanting to make sure he understood the severity of the situation. “Yes, beheading is a serious business, I suppose,” Oliver said kindly. “I think it would have been difficult to keep on living once my head was chopped off.”

“I can’t remember the last time I had fun. Wait, yes I can. It was 1989, and I was wearing a t-shirt that said, “Communism, like the mullet, will never go out of style.”

“We could make a treaty without a marriage.""No," he said."You are sure?""Yes," he said.”