<em>Gemgilt gave her a wry look, raising a thick eyebrow at the elf's acerbic comment,</em>"Then I suggest you stick to the middle of the group, snow elf. I'm staying with the boat."<em>He left before more words could be traded. It was strange that an arctic elf would make derogatory remarks about half-bloods. That was much more their tree-dwelling kin. Still, there were all kinds. Well, the politics of snow shufflers was not his concern, he had an economic manifesto to write. Sociopolitical analysis was not his area of study.</em><br/><br/><em>He pulled out a pipe and began lighting it, puffing gently.</em>