"You speak of it as though it is an art," Merwen says. "Is it an art? I have thought of it as primarily a functional skill, but there seems to be artistry in making clothing that is attractive."

Because she can understand it, put like that.

"I know that Valan soldiers wear all the same clothes, so that we know what they are. I also know that Valans want to trade us for our silk, and that they use it for clothing sometimes. I had thought of it as functional or communicative, but I had not thought of the artistic expression inherent to it."