Correct or balderdash, is Vina's quandary? Dede is a Bugis. But his job, in spite of tribal myth and lore, is to protect. Furthermore, his loyalty to Vina is demonstrably unshakable. He would sacrifice his very life to guarantee her safety. As for fierceness, it is true that he is armed and no doubt dangerous, since his badik  

is both razor-sharp and double-edged, if small. He keeps it sheathed, of course, so 'maybe' it is coated with some toxin. There are substances the locals say can kill without a trace.

 Would he resort to such a tactic - unprovoked, that is? Unlikely. Dede's temper, at the surface, is as calm as Flores Sea (renown for riptides, whirlpools, clashing currents underneath its waters), therefore perilous if, and only if, he is crossed.

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