Okay okay okay... so I remember exactly why I put this chappie in when I wrote this... When I got to this point when I wrote it... I realized that there was an inconsistency in what the prophecy said and what Eriond told them... and that didn't make sense, so I decided to put this in to clear that stuff up... Anyways... yup, so enjoy!

Chapter 14

"What can we do?" Liselle asked wearily, leaning back in her chair.

The others all looked back at her. They'd gathered in Belgarath's room once again and were discussing alternatives. "There isn't much right now," Belgarath answered as Polgara walked in.

Liselle stood up immediately. "How is he?"

Polgara stared at her. "What are you doing up? I thought I told you to go to bed."

Liselle shrugged. "I couldn't sleep. How is Kheldar?"

The sorceress sighed and took a seat on the bed. "He's doing fine. He's not as bad as I told him he is. I told him that because he does need to sleep regardless of how badly he's wounded."

Beldin snorted. "That man will do what he wants whether or not you tell him not to."

"I don't doubt that, but I told him I'm keeping an eye on his room." Polgara answered.

"Are you?" Belgarath asked.

"No," She said. "But he was asleep when I left."

"Will he be alright?" Liselle asked worriedly.

"Yes, he's fine. He just needs rest. I did what I could, but his body needs time to heal on its own." Polgara told her.

Liselle nodded, and the room was silent again. Beldin got up and started pacing, face troubled. "Well, let's try and think this out."

Belgarath sighed. "We've already done that, and we can get all the answers we want from Silk or Liselle."

Beldin paused by the window and shook his head. "That's not what I mean."

"Do explain, then."

Beldin turned to Eriond. "You said something has to happen here before we can go on, right?"

Eriond considered him for a moment. "Essentially, yes."

"So either it's already happened, or we're waiting for it to happen, but we've got no way of knowing. It might be that the confrontation between Silk and Khelvor was what was supposed to happen, or maybe the EVENT hasn't occurred yet." Beldin mused.

"That's a repetitive way of putting it, but I agree." Belgarath answered. "But one thing, we can't assume this is an EVENT. In fact, it probably isn't. An EVENT is a meeting between the Child of Light and the Child of Dark, and right now, Zandramas is the Child of Dark. Unless that… title changed, which I doubt it has, this couldn't be an EVENT."

Beldin nodded. "Okay, but something does have to happen here. Hang on. Garion, your 'friend' said the other side cheated… So how could this have been in the prophecy in the first place if it wasn't allowed to happen?"

"The prophecy never said how the other side cheated." Garion reminded him.

Beldin started pacing again. "How could it have cheated then?"

"They're forbidden to kill any of us, right?" Ce'Nedra asked suddenly.

Beldin looked at her in surprise. "Yes, but—"

"Well maybe it cheated when they tried to kill Liselle." Ce'Nedra reasoned.

Garion shook his head. "No, it spoke to us far before that."

"Wait a minute," Beldin growled. "When the necessity spoke to us, it told us this wasn't in the prophecy, but Eriond says it was."

Belgarath threw his hands in the air, frustrated. "This makes no sense! Eriond, who told you it was in the prophecy?"

Eriond shook his head. "I don't know, I just somehow knew that it was. I don't think I can explain it in words, but I do know that what I told you was true."

Polgara suddenly leaned forward. "Can you tell us exactly what you said before?"

Eriond nodded. "I told you that when Liselle was kidnapped, it put into motion a series of events that was a possibility when the prophecy was first given."

"When Liselle was kidnapped…" Polgara repeated.

Liselle looked up. "He did say something about fulfilling the prophecy." She told them. "I didn't believe him because I knew the prophecy focuses on Garion and Ce'Nedra."

"Not necessarily." Belgarath said. "The prophecy follows all of us, not just Garion. I knew about your families and you before you were even born."

"So… what?" Beldin asked. "There was a whole different prophecy about Silk and Liselle and Khelvor? Somehow I doubt that…"

Belgarath shook his head. "I don't think so either, I think it was in the prophecy, and what Eriond told us about it being a possibility does make sense."

"How does that fit in with what the prophecy said, then?" Beldin asked.

"Sometimes the prophecy has a twisted sense of humor," Belgarath reminded him. "Maybe it was referring to something else."

Eriond suddenly spoke. "When the necessity was talking to us, it said that Zandramas gave her underlings too long of a leash. Maybe it meant that this was supposed to happen at the hands of Zandramas, not one of the people working for her."

Beldin looked at him skeptically. "I don't know about that. The prophecy wouldn't be that obscure."

Belgarath nodded. "Yeah, it's been pretty vague in the past, but not this vague."

Garion suddenly spoke, but Liselle could tell at once that it was the prophecy speaking through him. "Really! You people are so frustrating sometimes. Do I have to lay out everything for you?"

Belgarath looked up excitedly. "You can help us?"

"I can clarify things for you," It responded. "Eriond's right. My opposite and I had a little talk. We agreed that this has to happen regardless of Zandramas' involvement."

"So this was always in the prophecy, but Zandramas was the one who was supposed to kidnap Liselle if it did happen?" Belgarath repeated.

The prophecy sighed. "Isn't that what I just said?"

Belgarath ignored its comment. "So can you help us any more?"

"Not really, but I do advise Liselle to get some sleep now," It replied.

Liselle looked at Garion, surprised. "Am I going to need it?" She asked.

Garion shook his head. "He left."

Belgarath cursed. "I hate it when he does that!"

"I suppose I should listen to it…" Liselle muttered, getting up and yawning. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she was tired.

"Yes you should," Polgara said fiercely. "Now go."

Liselle nodded and left, sighing. She didn't want to sleep. She didn't want to wake up and find herself with Khelvor again, and she most definitely did not want to wake up and find Kheldar dead or missing. After a moment's hesitation, she made her way to Kheldar's room. Knocking quietly and receiving no answer, she let herself in silently.

Her mind went numb upon entry. His bed was empty, the knives were gone from the dresser top and the window was wide open. There was no doubt in her mind about where he'd gone.