It's the proper way to address Barrayarran children, anyway. Ratchet hears Tarn's shrill voice as he rounds a copse of trees, his lips parting in unfettered delight as he watches the kid take aim again and comes up next to them, pulling off his gloves.

"Packs harder if you use your bare hands," he advises them as he stoops to scoop up a handful of snow, his scars on his wrists stark against cold-pale skin as he winds up and whips the snowball as hard as he can directly towards Tarn's face.