[Nurumaiel]

The words of the song drifted into the kitchen where Maercwen still sat. She straightened in her chair, and then she stood. Slowly she went to the door, and she looked into the common room at the singer. Her eyes dimmed with tears, and she withdrew. The song made her think of the recently-departed Hearpwine, and also of her uncle Liornung. A sad little smile flitted across her face. She could imagine her uncle there, listening to the first verse of the song and then, with his skill, beginning to play it with his fiddle, adding harmonies of both low and high natures. She could not hope to see him again until spring, unless he desired to spend the winter within the warmth of the Inn. She would hope for that.

Within the common room, Deman and Fierlan, the twins of six years, stood, their faces bored and idle, but their eyes brightened at the song. Deman cast a scornful look at Mereflod and little Motan, who had begun to dance and laugh softly. They always danced when someone sang, even if the song were slow and sad. They spent their whole lives dancing, so it seemed. They stopped to eat occasionally, and to sleep, it was true, but mostly they danced, unless they were picking little flowers from their garden. Deman gave them one more look of scorn, and then he went with his twin to the stable.

When the song ended, little Motan gazed with wide eyes at the one who had performed. "Misser Hearpwine 'ooks odd," she said to her sister.

"That's not Hearpwine," said Mereflod, with a little titter. "That's someone else."

"No," little Motan insisted. "'E sings, just 'ike Misser Hearpwine, and 'e 'as a harp, too."

"Hearpwine isn't the only one who plays a harp," said Mereflod. "I tell you, Motan, that is someone else."

"Mayee," said Motan, "but 'e usn't pay the harp as 'ood as Misser Hearpwine."

"Maybe not," said Mereflod, "but neither does our uncle."

"Oh," said Motan, tossing her hair airily, "but no one plays the diddle as 'ood as Uncle 'Iornung."

"No," said Mereflod, "but Hearpwine doesn't play the fiddle very well, either."

They seemed to sense then that their conversation was just a little bit senseless, though at the same time they were unaware of the fact, and they left the building to make sure their garden was all right.