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‘Taffy, Seren! There you are now!’ Lila Sandybanks gathered her children to her with hugs as they came running in from outdoors. ‘Was it a good story?’ she asked them, smiling as they nodded their heads fiercely and vied with each other for space to make their opinions known. She listened to each, nodding her head at the appropriate times, and giving the occasional ‘Oh my!’ at the most exciting parts.
Seren had begun to yawn by the end of her recounting, though Taffy still looked wide awake. ‘Come help me get your sister to bed,’ his mother told him. ‘Bring along that little glass of warmed milk for her, won’t you?’ she said, pointing toward the little tray Rowan had left for her. At a frown of protest from Seren, Lila shook her head ‘no’; it was the girl’s bedtime. And ‘yes’ there was a spoonful of honey and just a drop of vanilla to make the sleepytime drink bring sweet dreams. It was not long before Seren had gone off to sleep, mid-grumble about how unfair it was that she had to go to bed just because she was five years old.
Taffy returned to the common room with his mother. She’d told him there was to be music tonight. And older lad that he was now, he could stay up for a bit to listen. He beamed with a certain pride at this allowance......and stifled a yawn that was trying to work its way to his mouth.
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