[Child of the 7th Age]

Once Child had mounted the doorstep of the tavern and had a chance to come inside, he found his doubts dissipating somewhat, as he concentrated on the immediate task at hand. Aylwen had greeted Child with a cheerful song, an appropriate way to welcome a Bard. Then she'd tried to set him at ease, chatting of this and that as she strung up banners and decorated the room with an assortment of flowers that had just arrived in crates. He was grateful she hadn't asked him to climb up on top of the tables with her, since that would have been difficult for him to do.

The common room was to be closed for a few hours in anticipation of the party scheduled for later that night. Even so, several children kept scampering in and out, banging doors behind them and getting tangled in Aylwen's skirts. Aylwen finally put them to work, cleaning up the remnents of the greenery and dragging out the large crates to the back of the Inn.

"Who are they?" Child queried, genuinely curious as to where this ragtag bunch had come from.

"Those rascals?" A hint of an affectionate smile formed on Aylwen's face. "Sons and daughters of stablehands, millers, butchers, and laborers. All the working folk of the town. The little ones generally spend part of the day helping out their parents and learning a trade. But the rest of the time, they run wild and get into everthing at the Inn. I try to put a foot down, but it's not easy. And they are willing to help a bit if you ask them."

Child stared over at the band of five rascals who were now dutifully carrying out the remnents of the flowers and vigorously tearing the wooden slats from the crates and stacking them in piles.

"They're not in school?"

"School? Oh no, not for the likes of these. The prosperous merchants send their children to a local dame's school that costs a pretty penny, and the well-to-do landowners hire nursemaids and nannies to teach their sons and daughters what they need to know."

"No," signed Aylwen. "Their parents have a hard enough time making ends meet. They might have a few spare pennies one month but the next be scrambling for food to feed their little ones. In any case, many of them see no reason why their children should spend time learning their letters or numbers. It just doesn't seem to be part of their life."

Child stared over at the lads and lasses who were now sweeping up the remnents of the greenery that was scattered about on the floor. He thanked Aylwen and tucked away the information that she had given him, promising to think more about it at a later time.