Sixteen is about the age when training ends and duty begins. Squires take their trials to become knights, for example. [And a dozen other things that getting into would be pointless, like ninjas and karate masters and the distinction between Dark Knights and dragoons and so on...] I'm particularly surprised since he acts like he's of age to do... whatever it is his duties are, but I guess that's not so strange for a kid.

[The rest of it? He really is trying not to get into that for the sake of maintaining the peace. But since Reigan insists on pushing and he doesn't think this alone is enough of a dodge, he thinks quickly for something else to offer up that sounds like an answer without touching the true meat of the matter.]

I'll say this much: I was always taught to own my insults and deal with what they brought, age be damned. When someone insults someone else and then follows it up by saying it isn't an insult and it's their own fault for being insulted? I consider it a moral failing not to put that straight.

[He glances sidelong at Tony again.] You, at least, know exactly what you're doing when you call someone an idiot. I can respect that much.

[Though Edge disagrees with the other man on... possibly everything, he can at least grant that they both seem to take the same attitude towards expressing that disagreement.]