[Before Bran's departure -- sometime]

[theravenboy]

On a couch near the fireplace, Bran is playing scales on the golden harp. It feels right, somehow, to have it with him again.

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[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

Mary cranes her head hopefully, to see if Bran has her book of harp music in front of him.

(The book began with scales, Mary is almost sure.)

[theravenboy]

Bran received the book tonight, and it is, in fact, sitting on top of his knapsack, which is next to the chair. (It's closed, however. He looked through the beginner pieces, laughed, and decided to save it for some future occasion when he might give lessons to someone else.)

When he finishes the scale in progress, Bran puts the harp aside and grins. "Noswaith dda, Mary, and thank you for the book!"

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"You are welcome," Mary says, looking solemn and pleased.

"Noswaith da, Bran. And Merry Christmas - although it might be late for that for you."

[theravenboy]

"Not very late, really. Did Bar give you my gift, then?"

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

Mary nods.

"I am going to plant them once it is spring in the garden in Yorkshire - I am saving them for now. They are in my drawer waiting for then."

[theravenboy]

"Lovely, they will be." Bran smiles at her. "So it is Christmas now, then? How is your holiday?

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"It is very soon - in a day or so, but not yet," Mary admits.

"I did have my birthday, though. I am eleven now."

Mary is (justifiably, she thinks) proud of this.

[theravenboy]

"Happy birthday to you, then. Penblwydd hapus. An interesting year it was, when I was eleven."

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"I expect eleven to be very interesting," Mary says, honestly, "but I do not think it could be more interesting than ten."

A lot has changed for Mary, over her tenth year.

"What happened when you were eleven?"

[theravenboy]

"Oh, first Merlion came, and then Will came to visit our farm -- I had never met him before ... well. There was a lot of good, and a lot of bad."

He shrugs.

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

It is not hard to deduce what Mr. Lyon and Will have in common.

"Had you known about Magic before?"

[theravenboy]

"In stories, only." Bran lifts a finger. "I did know a lot of stories, mind you."

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"You never know if stories are true, though," Mary says, thoughtfully.

"It is different seeing it - or trying it. Stories do not have to be true, though it is better if they are."

[theravenboy]

"But you know, I did always think they might be true. I never had many friends, when I was young -- for a long time, there was only my dog Cafall, and the people on the farm -- and I suppose I rather lived in the stories."

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"I did not say they might not be true. That is what I meant - they might or they might not."

A small shrug. "I did not have friends until I came to Yorkshire. I read lots of stories. I liked them better than people."

[theravenboy]

Bran grins. "A good book is still better than many of the people I know. Much better than the boys and girls back in grammar school, certainly."

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

Mary makes a face.

"That is why I do not want to go away to school. The people I know here are all much nicer."

[theravenboy]

"I would not be surprised at all," agrees Bran. "Have you met anyone new here lately?"

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"I am always meeting new people," Mary says, a little startled.

"There are lots and lots. The newest person I met was called Tommy and he made evil computers."

[theravenboy]

"Evil computers? You mean the machines that some people have here, and they .... I do not know what they do with them, come to think of it ... ? I suppose I should not be surprised that they can be evil. This is Milliways, after all, but ... Iesu mawr."

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"I have heard of them going evil before."

A small shrug. "Duo fought one once. It hit him and he came in all bruised."

[theravenboy]

Bran blinks, slowly, and laughs. "I am not going to ask."

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

"I do not know much more than that either," Mary admits, "so it would not do you a great deal of good to ask."

A curious pause.

"Bran? Is it Christmas in your home too, now? I do not think you said."

[theravenboy]

"Christmas hols, still, and I do not go back to uni for another week, but Christmas itself is over now. Funny thing, Time. Why do you ask?"

[mistressmaryquitecontrary]

A small shrug.

"I was only curious. It is an important time."

Mary, of course, does not know just how important.

[theravenboy]

"All of the holidays are," Bran agrees.