Note: I haven't figured out how to make italics on this thing yet so until
I do, or someone informs me, the way I demonstrate inner thoughts is with
//Thoughts//. K? Hope that's not to much of an inconvenience. :)
Chapter 2
It was like a dream. She was surrounded by darkness, but the constant pressure of the sorceress's hand kept her calm. Then, out of seemingly no where light appeared. Slowly her eyes adjusted and Lily could see thousands of tiny, yellow, glowing strands. They all floated aimlessly in front of her. Some crisscrossed and twisted, some were intertwined tightly with each other, while others merely crossed paths. Her eyes came to rest on three strands that floated closely together, but appeared to be skewed. While these strands of light hardly followed a particular path, it was quite obvious to Lily that these three were off. As if sensing her thoughts Polgara calmly reached with her free hand and pulled the three strands back into place. A strange feeling washed over her. A feeling of belonging, of peace, of finally being home. It was as if her life was finally on track, heading in the right direction, and when she awoke that feeling of peace only grew stronger.
"Good morning." The voice came from the kitchen.
Lily rose from the sofa she had been sleeping on and rubbed her eyes awake. The voice had triggered her memories of the previous night, and seeing the mighty Polgara standing before her was a little much.
"Are you awake dear?" Pol asked, calmly standing with a spoon in her hand.
"Yeah. Sort of. Just uh…er…confused."
"Well breakfast is ready."
"Of course." Lily responded and took her seat at the table. The Sorceress set before her a large steamy bowl of porridge. Lily was suddenly reminded of Silk and his distaste for the meal. She chose not to say anything.
When her meal was almost finished Lily felt it was time to ask the questions that had been plaguing her since she arrived. "Where are we Polgara?" She asked in between bites.
"In the Vale, my mothers cottage." Pol was busy preparing something and didn't even bother to turn around.
"But we're not going to stay here are we?"
"No."
"Are we going to Faldor's Farm?"
"Yes."
"Then why for heaven sake am I here?" She had given up on being subtle, she needed answers.
Now Polgara turned around to face the child, a grim look on her face. "My you ask a lot of questions. Sometimes answers are not always that important."
Lily exploded. "Yes they are! None of this is real. It's just something I read in a book. Some stupid piece of fiction that everyone knows to be imaginary." She could feel the lump in her throat growing larger. As much as she tried to deny that this was real a large part of her truly wished it was, and it was breaking her heart knowing it wasn't. She watched as Polgara's eyes went from bright green to steely gray and back again.
"I think I rather resent that mark Lilianna. What you call fiction we call history. I think you'll find that most stories you read are based on true events."
"How is that possible?" She asked earnestly, becoming more rational.
"Some people have a gift. Their able to see and understand events of the past. The world has seen many changes Lilianna and no one person can fully comprehend all that's happened. So most of the spectacular events are written off as fiction, make believe, fantasy, but that is not always the case."
"I still don't quite understand you."
She placed a firm hand on the child's shoulder. "It's not important that you understand. What matters is that you accept. This is really happening Lilianna, weather you like it or not, you're here, with us, and for the time being that's the way it must stay."
"Understood Lady Polgara." With that additional title Lily had signaled her acceptance of the situation and let it go. A sly smiled came to Polgara's lips.
"Well good. Now, about these dishes…"
Lily burst into laughter. "I'm right on it Lady Polgara." And at that moment, nothing could have made her happier.
*****
Belgarath returned a few hours later. He meandered into the kitchen and poured himself a tankard of ale. Lily watched closely from the pantry she had been cleaning.
"Getting an early start Father? I would have hoped you'd remain sober for our trip, but maybe that was to much to ask."
"There now Pol just quenching my thirst is all." The exchange was innocent enough, but his eyes seemed to be telling Polgara something entirely different.
"Lily, why don't you go pack and get ready. We'll be leaving soon."
"Sure thing Lady Polgara." She put the broom aside and headed into the sitting area before stopping and turning around. //Pack? I don't have anything to pack.// She was going to say something but the voices coming from the kitchen kept her silent.
"Do you think she can do it Pol?" His voice was soft and stressed.
"She's only a child Farther. How should I know?" She was leaning against the counter, arms crossed in mild defiance as she faced her sire.
"You've been raising little boys for almost 3000 years, I should think little girls would be no different."
"She's hardly a little girl Farther." She snapped.
Belgarath wasn't surprised at all. "Well, at least your fond of her. That's good. I take it you didn't fail to notice just how much she looks like Beldaran?"
"No Father how could I? Her hair is the same golden blonde, and her eyes the brightest blue, but that still doesn't mean she's up for the task. She doesn't even know who she is."
"Well explain it to her then."
"It doesn't work that way Old Wolf. There are people out there who would rather she not be here. Do you really want to stake everything on her acting abilities?"
Belgarath ran his fingers threw his beard thoughtfully. "No. I suppose not, but she'll have to know eventually Pol."
" I know that Farther, and I'll tell her when the time is right."
"Well it better be soon Pol. She doesn't have much time."
"Trust me." She grinned wickedly.
"I hate it when people say that."
"I know, that's why I said it. Now make yourself useful and get the horses ready. My bags are by the door."
Belgarath sneered and made his way toward the door, grumbling the entire way.
Lily stood in the sitting room, quietly trying to comprehend what she had just heard. //What were they talking about I don't know who I am? What am I?// She chose to shove the conversation to the back of her mind and wait. Only time would revel more.
Chapter 2
It was like a dream. She was surrounded by darkness, but the constant pressure of the sorceress's hand kept her calm. Then, out of seemingly no where light appeared. Slowly her eyes adjusted and Lily could see thousands of tiny, yellow, glowing strands. They all floated aimlessly in front of her. Some crisscrossed and twisted, some were intertwined tightly with each other, while others merely crossed paths. Her eyes came to rest on three strands that floated closely together, but appeared to be skewed. While these strands of light hardly followed a particular path, it was quite obvious to Lily that these three were off. As if sensing her thoughts Polgara calmly reached with her free hand and pulled the three strands back into place. A strange feeling washed over her. A feeling of belonging, of peace, of finally being home. It was as if her life was finally on track, heading in the right direction, and when she awoke that feeling of peace only grew stronger.
"Good morning." The voice came from the kitchen.
Lily rose from the sofa she had been sleeping on and rubbed her eyes awake. The voice had triggered her memories of the previous night, and seeing the mighty Polgara standing before her was a little much.
"Are you awake dear?" Pol asked, calmly standing with a spoon in her hand.
"Yeah. Sort of. Just uh…er…confused."
"Well breakfast is ready."
"Of course." Lily responded and took her seat at the table. The Sorceress set before her a large steamy bowl of porridge. Lily was suddenly reminded of Silk and his distaste for the meal. She chose not to say anything.
When her meal was almost finished Lily felt it was time to ask the questions that had been plaguing her since she arrived. "Where are we Polgara?" She asked in between bites.
"In the Vale, my mothers cottage." Pol was busy preparing something and didn't even bother to turn around.
"But we're not going to stay here are we?"
"No."
"Are we going to Faldor's Farm?"
"Yes."
"Then why for heaven sake am I here?" She had given up on being subtle, she needed answers.
Now Polgara turned around to face the child, a grim look on her face. "My you ask a lot of questions. Sometimes answers are not always that important."
Lily exploded. "Yes they are! None of this is real. It's just something I read in a book. Some stupid piece of fiction that everyone knows to be imaginary." She could feel the lump in her throat growing larger. As much as she tried to deny that this was real a large part of her truly wished it was, and it was breaking her heart knowing it wasn't. She watched as Polgara's eyes went from bright green to steely gray and back again.
"I think I rather resent that mark Lilianna. What you call fiction we call history. I think you'll find that most stories you read are based on true events."
"How is that possible?" She asked earnestly, becoming more rational.
"Some people have a gift. Their able to see and understand events of the past. The world has seen many changes Lilianna and no one person can fully comprehend all that's happened. So most of the spectacular events are written off as fiction, make believe, fantasy, but that is not always the case."
"I still don't quite understand you."
She placed a firm hand on the child's shoulder. "It's not important that you understand. What matters is that you accept. This is really happening Lilianna, weather you like it or not, you're here, with us, and for the time being that's the way it must stay."
"Understood Lady Polgara." With that additional title Lily had signaled her acceptance of the situation and let it go. A sly smiled came to Polgara's lips.
"Well good. Now, about these dishes…"
Lily burst into laughter. "I'm right on it Lady Polgara." And at that moment, nothing could have made her happier.
*****
Belgarath returned a few hours later. He meandered into the kitchen and poured himself a tankard of ale. Lily watched closely from the pantry she had been cleaning.
"Getting an early start Father? I would have hoped you'd remain sober for our trip, but maybe that was to much to ask."
"There now Pol just quenching my thirst is all." The exchange was innocent enough, but his eyes seemed to be telling Polgara something entirely different.
"Lily, why don't you go pack and get ready. We'll be leaving soon."
"Sure thing Lady Polgara." She put the broom aside and headed into the sitting area before stopping and turning around. //Pack? I don't have anything to pack.// She was going to say something but the voices coming from the kitchen kept her silent.
"Do you think she can do it Pol?" His voice was soft and stressed.
"She's only a child Farther. How should I know?" She was leaning against the counter, arms crossed in mild defiance as she faced her sire.
"You've been raising little boys for almost 3000 years, I should think little girls would be no different."
"She's hardly a little girl Farther." She snapped.
Belgarath wasn't surprised at all. "Well, at least your fond of her. That's good. I take it you didn't fail to notice just how much she looks like Beldaran?"
"No Father how could I? Her hair is the same golden blonde, and her eyes the brightest blue, but that still doesn't mean she's up for the task. She doesn't even know who she is."
"Well explain it to her then."
"It doesn't work that way Old Wolf. There are people out there who would rather she not be here. Do you really want to stake everything on her acting abilities?"
Belgarath ran his fingers threw his beard thoughtfully. "No. I suppose not, but she'll have to know eventually Pol."
" I know that Farther, and I'll tell her when the time is right."
"Well it better be soon Pol. She doesn't have much time."
"Trust me." She grinned wickedly.
"I hate it when people say that."
"I know, that's why I said it. Now make yourself useful and get the horses ready. My bags are by the door."
Belgarath sneered and made his way toward the door, grumbling the entire way.
Lily stood in the sitting room, quietly trying to comprehend what she had just heard. //What were they talking about I don't know who I am? What am I?// She chose to shove the conversation to the back of her mind and wait. Only time would revel more.