"Oh, Miss Aylwen, thank you so much!" Mereflod cried, gazing in rapture at the little plot of ground. And then an odd look came to her face and she shook her head sadly. "But I'm afraid I have no seeds to plant," she said.
Dela giggled a little. "I have some seeds back at home," she said. "When my Mamma and I go home today I'll get them and bring them back tomorrow, if she takes me here again." Mereflod's face glowed with delight and she thanked Dela, as well as Aylwen again, and then she turned back to the Inn, saying that she was going to fetch Motan and Gomen.
Inside the Inn Motan was still questioning Bethberry about lessons, and Gomen was sitting at the same table holding the baby. He expressed delight when he heard about their little plot of dirt for their garden, but politely denied their offer to go see it, telling them he had someone he had to meet. He gave them both a handful of candy and begged them to go out to the stables and make sure the twins were causing their papa no trouble.
"The twins are my brothers," Mereflod explained to Dela. "They're very wild and get into a lot of trouble. Ask your mamma if you can go out to the stables with me to see what they're doing. You can meet my papa, too, and my sister's horse called Mihtig."
Gomen eased himself closer to the old man called Ælle, gazing wistfully at him and wishing the man could see back. He had hoped the noise of the children talking would have drawn his attention, but Ælle had not seemed to pay any attention. He was finishing his breakfast now, obviously enjoying it by the look on his face. There was the other old man, Osric, but Gomen had already met him. He would talk to him later. Now he wanted to meet Ælle.
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