Prologue - Belsambar's return
Geran was visiting his relatives in the Vale of Aldur. It was nothing special,
really; he did that every summer. His mother and little sister stayed at Aunt
Pol's cottage while Geran visited Belgarath and Poledra in a stump-like tower,
or possibly the sorcerer twins, Beltira and Belkira, who also shared a tower.
One of the very best things about these yearly visits was the food. Both the
twins and Aunt Pol were excellent at cooking. Geran thought that them being
sorcerers had something to do with it, if only by providing them with long
enough lifespan learn how to cook properly.
The Vale was dominated by a huge tree, which was one of a kind so far as Geran
knew. The tree that had never born fruits of any kind - or so Belgarath had
told him. Then again, the Tree was way older than Belgarath, so it might have,
while Belgarath wasn't around to notice. Geran wished Aldur would be around so
he could ask, but He and other gods had left for other Worlds. Oddly enough,
they had visited when Aunt Pol's twins were born. Geran figured that they might
all come back one day. Geran liked to sit and lean his back against the Tree's
bark. Sometimes Geran called it the Tree of Time, for it gave each and everyone
the lesson of time. That time was not made of hours or minutes, but that time
existed. That time was but one quality, but one dimension, eternal the way
length and width were eternal.
Dals spoke of Ages, which Geran thought was quite good for recording history.
At least it wasn't as boring and confusing as the Tolnedran way where each
Dynasty begun numbering from I so there was about three or so Ran Honeth Is and
so the whole matter was way too confusing to be practical. That was one reason
why Geran would prefer an Alorn teacher - they counted years from a single
event, not name it after which Dynasty happened to be ruling in Tolnedra.
Tolnedran count of history was more concerned of emphasising how very much
better Tolnedrans were than other nations, and how much better the current imperial
family was than any other family. At this point, the current Emperor was
adopted Borune. The previous emperor had been his mother's father, so Geran was
a Borune himself trough his mother's side. But all that praise and ranting was,
if anything, just boring.
Still, Geran was a Rivan, and was expected to be a Rivan Crownprince, Alorn
Prince. Geran knew that it wouldn't do to number Brands. It would make them
individuals, and the whole point of naming the warder as Brand was to eliminate
individual glory to the office. Brand was Brand and that was that. It had been
an endless argument between him and his teacher. That argument was the only
interesting part of the lessons, the rest was so boring he had trouble to stay
awake. Showing stubbornness, which among Rivans could only be seen as a virtue,
Geran refused to number Brands. He also refused to express time with Tolnedran
concepts, and used the most interesting Calendar there was, the Calendar of
Ages by Dals, though he had to admit that it was partly to annoy his teacher.
It begun earlier than any other, it was peculiar, it noted Events rather than
years, so Geran was happy to account that one.
The First Age of Man. The time when gods had chosen their people, except for
Aldur. Dals, the non-chosen, were parted in their search for god, some became
Ulgos, some ended when Dals discovered what their task was. Near this time, if
not exactly the same time, was when Torak stole Aldur's Orb and Cracked the
World with it. Alorn's count their years from THAT event, calling it Erastide.
First Alorn king and all development of Aloria begun during that War, and Geran
figured it was, thus, historically, a good time to begin the calendar of
Alorns. Still, as much as the Crack of the World counted for Aloria, Awakening of
the Orb was what Geran reckoned that at least the Rivans should call the
beginning of their Calendar. It was practically SAME time, but by spiritual
nature, Orb's awakening was more suited to Rivans.
Then again, they could begin it from when Riva took the Orb-which signified
another change of the Ages, beginning the Third Age. For practical reasons,
however, the Awakening was better, or rather, do as Dals and name these as
changes of Ages. For religious reasons, Geran favoured Dalish Calendar,
although trying to find Events with the Orb in it. The Orb's arrival, It's
awakening, It's bounding with Riva Irongrip, It's restoring of Durnik, the time
it was Crimson, the time it met it's kin, Sardion. All Rivans were in favour of
this, and supported him. It was that Tolnedran who, despite of all reason,
insisted that Tolnedran Calendar was way better. Geran, however, saw no
advantage. His own Rivan version of Dalish Calendar was fit for their duty of
serving the Orb, and having a Calendar to remind them of it, would be nice. For
practical reasons - if one wanted to count years and set meetings and that
sort, Alorn calendar was the best, simply counting years from a single event
that had influenced entire World. Tolnedrans, who begun their counting again
with every new ruler, just didn't have a proper Calendar, and no amount of
insisting could change that.
Lack of that Tolnedran was not the only reason Geran liked to be in the Vale of
Aldur. It was the comforting peace within the Vale, the fact that Geran had
never had a nightmare about his horrible abductor, Zandramas, in there. It was
as a place to rest, if any place was. A place where he was allowed to go out
and be himself. Only thing missing were his Rivan friends. Geran had tried to
ask his father if he could take them with him, but he'd always been refused.
It was a rather awkward situation, really. It had to do with the parents. The
matter was that a Rivan would find it hard, if not impossible, to refuse the
king's request. It should have made it easy in Geran's opinion, but for some
reason that easy was exactly why his father would not do it. Not unless there
was a good reason, and so far, Geran hadn't found anything his father would
have considered as a good reason. Geran had trouble understanding his father's
reasoning, and his Tolnedran tutor wasn't at all helpful. His thoughts about
missing them were interrupted when a shadow came over him.
He looked up to see who had blocked the sun. He blinked. He did not recognise
this man, though there was some similarity to his Grandfather, Belgarath.
Slowly and reluctantly, Geran stood up. "Hello" he said. "I
don't believe we have met. I'm Geran".
"We haven't" replied the man. "I have been away for quite some time. Could you tell me what year it is, Geran?"
"I think it's fifth year of the Sixth Age" Geran said.
"And would you also tell me what Event signified the change from Fifth age to Sixth?" the man inquired.
"The Choice between Dark and Light" Geran told him, "or when the Stones of Power met each other. Take your pick".
"Thank you, young Geran" the fellow said happily, putting away some odd bottle he had taken a drink from.
"Er.. if you don't mind, you look a
bit like my Grandfather, Belgarath the Sorcerer. Might I know just who you
are?" Geran asked.
"My my" the man mused, "has old Belgarath actually managed to
get descendants?"
"Yes." Geran said. "He and Poledra had two daughters. Beldaran married Riva Iron-grip who brought the Orb back from Torak, and I descend from that line. We just omit the greats for the sake of convenience. His other daughter, Polgara, lives with Durnik and has twins".
"I see." the man said. "He's told you stories, I guess. Now, why don't you join me".
The fellow went to Belgarath's tower. "Belgarath! Come down to see me!" he yelled. Geran watched as Belgarath and Poledra came down.
Belgarath stared at the man. "Belsambar! I can't believe. I thought you had left the World!"
"I did, Belgarath" Belsambar grinned, "I did leave this World, but I did not die".
Belgarath blinked. "Why didn't you
say anything?" he demanded. "Because, my dear Belgarath, there was a
risk of my death. Still, I needed to go. This world was sort of boring me.
Nothing left for me to study, really. So I decided to go and study another
World".
"Another World??!!" Belgarath repeated in disbelief.
"The journey was exhausting and it took me a long time to dare travel back, brother" Belsambar went on, "I have a wife and all, you know. Now I have this little potion I can use to get my strength back in no time, so I can pay a visit".
"Um. Belsambar?" Geran asked. "I was wondering if you could teach me a little bit? Tell me of this another World of yours?"
"Yes." Belsambar said. "I see my tower was ruined! My beautiful tower!"
"Build a new one" Belgarath suggested, "but do tell me more of that other world".
"Well, they did make at least one great invention" Belsambar said.
"What was?"
"A word" Belsambar smirked.
"A word?" Belgarath prompted.
"Yes. The word Muggle" Belsambar
explained. "Means people who have only… um… technology to use, and no Will
and Word, or wizardry or any sort of magic whatsoever. Many of the Muggles in
that world are pretty much like Tolnedrans, though some dream of being able to
do magic - as if it would ever solve any problems."
Geran listened keenly to Belsambar musing about another world. And as he met
others, talked about past events and all that. Then, however, he begun to
discuss with Geran's father of a possibility to organise a more or less regular
transport, of bringing more people in and all that. "Your responsibilities
don't end with this world, Belgarion" Belsambar said. "I think you'll
be needing this method of transport. King's Cross is already a big station, and
it will be more or less easy to organize transport from there, to any other
worlds".
So the train-station had been built. The only train-station there was in
Geran's home- World, to say the least. It was located right below the Citadel,
and Belgarion had been very careful upon where it'd be put. He didn't want any
nastiness from another world enter his home just like that, but he had to agree
he'd like to meet those people. So it was in a special place. The train would
travel at times of Belgarion's control. And, to Geran's delight, he had got
himself another teacher, a teacher, who was a Rivan. Geran's lessons turned
pretty interesting after that. He had two teachers with every lesson, teachers
who didn't agree much on anything, considering how very different Tolnedrans
and Rivans were.
