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Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Garstan looked out of the window to the front Inn yard. It was still abandoned, quiet, and peaceful in the early morning. He thought he heard faint singing. Though Garmund was yet in their room, Lčođern had vanished. Fond of melodies as she was, Garstan thought she had most likely gone off in search of the singer. She would most likely return to him with the words to the song on her lips and an excited gleam on her face. Lčođern had a quick ear. She learned tunes and the words that went with them easily. As had her mother, long ago.
Garstan distracted himself from the melancholy thoughts that threatened to intrude on him by tousling Garmund's hair and taking a few swift steps to the washbasin. He splashed water over his face. Linduial was leaving today. He did not know what to say to her, or what had already been said to her by her brother. He would find out soon enough.
"Well, my boy. Shall we go find your sister? And decide what chores need doing before you go off with Cnebba today?"
At the mention of Cnebba, Garmund's face grew nearly as animated as his sister's usually appeared. Garstan laughed. "I see where your mind is today. Very well. We'll finish the measuring and I'll show you some stone cutting, then you can go."
"Yes. Hurray!" Garmund, it seemed, was already counting the moments to the end of the day's work.
They left the room and made their way to the alder court, arriving just as Degas finished his second song and Stigend made his introductions. Garstan hung back at the kitchen wall to watch Linduial, hoping she would speak to him first, as Garmund hurried forward to tell Lčođern and Cnebba about his chores.
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