> She was being excruciatingly formal
> -and- insultingly familiar -at the same time,- a spectacular peak of
> sarcasm that wouldn't have been attainable in many other tongues. It
> was like being verbally abused by an angry angel.

Count me in on the linguistic geekery squee.

> The Duchess snorted. <Love. Pfeh. You young people and your
> absurd fixation on -love.- Romantic love is a passing storm, nothing
> more. It will not move mountains, nor will it save the world. Love
> will not blaze a trail to victory.>

I laughed! And then felt sad. Because she really believes that.

> Thou may'st
> force the issue for the moment, but know thee this: thou hast bought
> more trouble than doth EXIST in thy philosophy.

Linguistic geekery, Shakespeare reference and badassery for a triple squee combo.

> "I would be surprised if she didn't do so anyway," Fuu observed.
> "We may well be acting to protect the Duchess Mr'kreth'yyr as much as
> anything else."

Protecting the not-at-all-innocent squee.

> "So what's the plan?" Wakaba wondered. "Do we just knock the
> place down?" She made a fist, her Lens emitting a glow like a tongue of
> emerald flame, and smiled grimly. "I'm up for that."

Wakaba is clearly going by WWPUTD?

> "For the King's sake, yo, sack up an' HANDLE this!" she snapped,
> her usually suppressed native dialect resurfacing in full force. Then
> she leaned forward like a baseball manager arguing with an umpire and
> shouted into his face, "IS YOU _IS_ OR IS YOU _AIN'T_ A _DRAGON?!_"

More linguistic/reference/badassery squee!

> I shall speak no more than three
> words to him.>
> Umi saw the surprised, suspicious flicker of gratification cross
> her grandmother's face at that, and was pleased with herself for not
> smiling darkly at the sight of it.

Counter-mindgaming the mind-gamer quiet squee.

> She made the old woman force her into her place simply for the
> sake of wasting her energy, then stood demurely and awaited her chance.

I just realised: In contrast to Wakaba, Umm'y is taking cues from her Priestess. It fits so well!

> "FO! Krah DIIN!"
> These syllables - the ancient Draconic words for "frost",
> "cold", and "freeze" - brought with them a torrent of arctic wind that
> slashed across the space between the bride and the celebrant, engulfing
> him in flying shards of frost.

Three word squee!

> <Dragon!> cried the Duchess, horrified.
> Nall! thought Umi, but she had the presence of mind not to say
> anything out loud.

Dragon rescuing the princess squee!

> <Look out, milady!> Prince B'ghanna'vel cried, throwing himself
> between his intended bride and the oncoming dragon, his dress sword
> drawn.

Heart's in the right place.

> "We must hurry. I can't even
> imagine what that dragon is doing to poor Countess Uum'y right now."
> "(I can,)" Wakaba muttered with a muted giggle, earning herself
> a swat up the back of the head from Tsuwabuki.

Don't freak the mundanes, Wakaba.

> This was the sort of bluff that was -supremely- embarrassing if
> called, but in her training, Izumi had been told: "Think on the lessons
> of Avatar Kyoshi, open youself to her uncompromising spirit, and no one
> will ever dare doubt you."

Kyoshi glare squee.

> Guardsman (formerly Captain) K'diirhan
> would insist that she had been a formally-dressed foreign giant of a
> woman, more than six feet tall and powerfully built, with boots even
> larger than his. This was not true, but from his perspective, neither
> was it a lie.

Trying very hard not to laugh out of respect to the poor man's feelings.

> In spite of herself, Wakaba snorted. "OK, well, he's got
> backbone, when he's not dealing with pushy old ladies," she conceded.

That kid will go places. Assuming he doesn't get himself killed before he's sixty.

> "Why? Because it was wrong? Or because it was an intrusion on
> your territory?" Umi asked pointedly.
> Nall turned on the rocky bench and gave her a look of startled,
> offended incredulity. "I'm sorry? Did I hear you right?

Yeah, this doesn't read like a problem that just came up now. They're both incredibly proud and headstrong young people, which makes them a good match, but also... well, this.

> "If he's your cousin, can't you just talk to him?" Umi wondered.
> "Couldn't you just talk to your grandmother?" Nall retorted, and
> she had to admit he had a point.

Man, family.

> Nax laughed unpleasantly. <Whelp. Stripling. You plainly
> stole that elf-maid from her wedding and brought her here, to this
> obvious dragonpeak, to have your way with her. I congratulate you. I
> had no idea your generation still cared about the old customs.> He
> lowered his head and sneered at his cousin from a mere two or three feet
> away. <I claim her as the tribute I require to let you leave this place
> with your life.>

Okay, that doesn't quite *top* Gryphon's line to Utena during their first Christmas together (about real duels, and dangers thereof) for worse possible thing to say to that particular person in those particular circumstances, but it comes close.

He shouldn't have oughtta said that, is what I'm sayin'.

> The tools of battle between dragons
> were teeth and claws, bludgeoning tails, old sorceries, lashing bolts
> and streams of magical breath; without quarter or any of the little
> courtesies that were customary even in mortal combat among humanoids.

I'm trying to think of a quote from Gandalf about battles around mountaintops and great storms raging. Although it would be snowstorms in this case.

> Nall's smile became a grin. He clouted the young prince on the
> shoulder in a friendly way, angled a thumb over his own shoulder at the
> remains of his cousin, and said, "Well, being in on killing a dragon
> ought to earn you a few points with the rest of the ladies.

And knowing he actually hasn't done anything will hopefully give him some humility and the drive to train until he can actually fight one someday.

> featuring
> The Castle Mr'kreth'yyr Guards and Servants
> and
> The Orcs of Orc Valley

A bunch of witless barbarians without the skill or the determination to ever be decent opposition to Our Heroes... and some orcs.