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Veltan conferred with Ara, and between theht be an appropriate nao wasn’t really sure just exactly where the ters on his an toddling about Oe when he was not even a year old, but he didn’t talk yet It took Ara quite so how to speak is probably thehis first few years,’ she told hiht it was just there,’ Veltan protested ‘Are you saying that every baby in the world has to learn how to talk?’

‘I’ve never heard of one as born talking,’ Ara replied

‘Birds seem to kno to peep and chirp without e of people is a little more complicated, dear Veltan,’ Ara reminded him ‘I don’t think people could explain very much with peeps and chirps, do you?’

‘Well--’ Veltan see a lot of problems with his little boy ‘I don’t knohy Dahlaine had to hand Yaltar to me before the boy could even function’

‘Look upon it as a learning experience, Veltan You’ll understand people much better after you’ve raised Yaltar from early childhood’ Ara smiled slyly ‘Won’t that be fun?’ she asked hiht now’

‘That’ll probably coh’

When Yaltar was about three years old, Veltan began to take him up the hill to his stone house for several hours each day, but he still depended upon Ara to keep him clean and prepare the little boy’s meals

‘Is it really necessary for hi

‘You eat light, don’t you?’ Ara asked him

‘Well, I wouldn’t exactly say "eat", Ara,’ Veltan replied

‘All right, let’s say "absorb", then The sun’s up there in the sky for a good part of every day, so you’re soaking up light for , aren’t you?’

‘I guess I hadn’t really thought of it that way,’ Veltan ad down on that, dear Veltan If you keep absorbing light for so et fat, and I don’t think the people of your Dood very seriously, you know’

Veltan frowned slightly, and he absently ran his hand across his abdo, dear Veltan,’ Ara told hi a bit portly, just stay out of direct sunlight for a little while’ She glanced at Yaltar, as vigorously concentrating on his supper ‘Has he had any dreams yet?’ she asked very quietly

‘Not that he’s ave Ara a startled look ‘How did you know about that?’

‘The old stories are still out there, dear Veltan, and oldold stories The old o on and on about the Dreamers for hours on end If their stories ca, Yaltar should start drean that there’s trouble in the wind Youbrother about that When Yaltar does start having those significant drea fuss about it Don’t alar, and if he doesn’t sleep, he won’t dream You don’t want that to happen, do you?’