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"What an absolutely splendid fellow youthe cherries greedily "Put those right here, my boy" He patted the bed at his side

Ce'Nedra flashed her husband a grateful little smile, took the basket from him, and deposited it by her father's side Almost absently she took one of the cherries and popped it into herto see if they're ripe, father"

" Any idiot can see that they're ripe," he said, clutching the basket possessively to his side "If you want any, go get your own" He carefully selected one of the plu cherries and put it in hishappily

"Don't spit the seeds on the floor like that, father," Ce'Nedra reproved him

"It'sthe seeds is part of the fun" He ate several more cherries "We won't discuss how you cananimously "Technically, it's a violation of Tolnedran law to practice sorcery anywhere in the Empire, but we'll let it pass -just this once"

"Thank you, Ran Borune," Garion said "I appreciate that"

After he had eaten about half of the cherries, the Ehed contentedly "I feel better already," he said "Ce'Vanne used to bring me fresh cherries in that same kind of basket"

"My mother," Ce'Nedra said to Garion

Ran Borune's eyes clouded over "I miss her," he said very quietly "She was impossible to live with, but I miss her more every day"

"I scarcely remember her"' Ce'Nedra said wistfully

"I reive my whole Empire if I could see her face just one more time"