1 Chapter 4
"Where did you get that mark on your palm?" Garion asked innocently as they headed back to the kitchen.
Lily looked down at the mark and ran her fingers across it. "I'm not sure. It's just always been there. Like a birth mark I suppose."
"That's pretty neat. I don't think I have one of those."
Lily laughed. "But of course you do Garion. It should be on your right palm, just like…" She stopped and stared at her hand once more.
"Let me see your hand Garion."
The boy was confused, but did as he was told. She took it roughly and examined it. "Where is it?" She asked frantically turning his hand over.
"Lily, what are you talking about?"
Her head shot up to look deep into his eyes. She was looking for some trace of understanding, and found none. "Nothing Garion. Sorry. You just remind me of this boy I used to know. I wanted to see just how truly alike you two were." She forced a grin and released his hand.
He stared wearily at her and then shook his head. "It's alright. You've had a long journey and that makes one tired, or so I've heard."
She smiled kindly. "That it does Garion, that it does. Speaking of which, I'm starved. Where's your Aunt Pol?"
Garion glanced around and saw her walking the steps to Faldor's chambers. "She's over there." He pointed. "But why is she…?" He stopped as a dark shadow followed his Aunt up the steps and crouched by the door to listen.
"Come on!" Garion took her by the hand and dragged her across the yard to hide by the steps.
"What's going on?" She whispered.
Garion put his fingers to his lips in silent gesture and strained his ears to listen. His hand rested gently on his dagger. In a moments time the door flew open and Polgara glided down the stairs. The dark shadow having fled seconds before.
He waited for Polgara to be out of earshot before he spoke. "I know who it was." He stated firmly.
"Who?" Lily asked intensely.
"Brill." Garion snarled. "He's the new attendant here. Just hired weeks ago. I don't like him much, and his stench is unmistakable."
"That's right!" Lily shouted.
"SHHHH!!!" Garion yelled.
"Sorry!" Came the hushed whisper. "I'd just forgotten about this part, thats all."
Garion gave her a concerned look. "Are you sure you're feeling ok?"
Lily smiled, heart race beating a mile a minute. She couldn't remember when she'd had this much fun. "Yeah. Why?" She asked grinning.
"Because you are making no sense."
"Oh." She caught herself. "I'm just excited is all. Nothing this mysterious has ever happened to me before." //Well it's not a complete lie.//
Garion laughed. "Me either. I just know if we tell Aunt Pol she'll ruin it."
"Your probably right Garion. Let's keep it our little secret it then. At least till we know more." She smiled deviously.
"Agreed." They shook hands. "You're a strange one Lilianna, but I like you."
"Well thank you Garion. I believe that's the nicest thing any one's ever said to me." She laughed and rose from their hiding place. "What do you say to some grub? I'm famished!"
"Grub?" He asked.
"Food Garion, Food."
"Oh! All right. To the kitchen then!" He roared and marched to the building. As he left she took one last worried glance at her palm. //What am I going to do with this?//
She ran her hand lightly across the mark. "It's coincidence. Maybe Eddings got his facts wrong. I mean, it is possible that he could have embellished on what he knew to be true. The mark means nothing." She consoled herself with facts she didn't know were true.
"Lilianna! Are you coming?" Garion hollered from the porch.
"Right now Garion!" Throwing her thoughts to the wind she raced towards the scullery. Now was not the time to worry, she'd done enough of that in her life. Now was the time to enjoy and maybe, just maybe be happy.
***
That night Lily hastily rose from her bed after being shaken awake by a frantic Garion.
"Mister Wolf says we need to leave." He said urgently. " I think it might have something to do with Brill. Get dressed."
She obeyed and joined Polgara, Belgarath, and Garion in the kitchen.
"Let's get going." Pol said mildly. "Garion, go help Wolf with the horses."
"I'll go to!" Lily announced and promptly exited the room before Pol could protest.
"I hate it when she does that."
Belgarath chuckled and followed the children to the barn.
Lily was the first to enter the barn. There had been a reason she wanted to go with them. She knew that Brill was going to be inside the barn and using this to her advantaged hoped to get the jump on him before he could bring harm to the others.
Unfortunately, young girls are not familiar with the ways of subterfuge and Brill managed to hide behind the door. The moment she entered he had his hand upon her mouth, knife close to her throat.
Belgarath and Garion ran inside seconds later to see the man standing defiantly, hostage held close in front. Garion stood very still, hand upon his dagger, looking expectantly at Mister Wolf.
Belgarath took a quick look around and noticed the saddled horse in the stables. "Going somewhere Brill?"
"It's none of your business old man." He yelled, tightening his grip upon her mouth.
"Oh but it is." And Lily felt a prickle on the back of her neck as the sorcerer spoke. "See that little girl you have there belongs to me, and I'd really like her back before you leave."
"I wish I could help you, but you see she has to come with me. To ensure I get out of here without any problems from you or your meddlesome daughter." He sneered.
Just then Lily saw Garion draw his dinky blade. He'd obviously thought this was not a good enough rescue and charged the capture. Lily screamed beneath Brill's fists, but the ploy had worked. He let her go to face his blade with Garion's, but before the clash of steel could be heard a loud THUNK dropped Brill to the ground.
Durnik stepped quietly out from the shadows and dropped the ox yoke. Lilianna flew into his arms and hugged him tightly. She could not have been more thankful for the Smith at that moment.
"For Shame Garion." Durnik glared at the boy while holding the shaking girl. "I didn't make that knife of yours for this."
"But he was going to kill Lilly!" He argued in his defense.
"Never mind that." Belgarath said angrily. He bent down and searched Brill's pockets, pulling out a sizeable handful of gold. "Just as I thought." He muttered.
Lilianna stared at the blood red money in his hand and shrank back into Durnik's chest. Garion stared in awe at the currency. He'd never seen gold before.
"I'll have to tell Faldor about this." Durnik nodded.
"No." The Sorcerer replied.
"This is a serious offense!"
"There's no time Goodman. Tie his hands and but him in a grain barrel. Someone will find him in the morning."
"But…"
"Trust me Durnik."
The Smith nodded and glanced down at Lily, who was still clinging to him. "Go on dearheart. I'll be along shortly."
She smiled and nodded. Then detaching herself from the Smith she regained her composure and followed Belgarath and Garion back to the kitchen.
"Well?" Pol sad angrily when they returned.
"We ran into a bit of trouble. Are you ready Pol, because were leaving, now."
"What happened?" She asked, giving concerned looks to the children.
"I'll tell you on the way. Let's be off."
Just then Durnik stepped in. "Things aren't what they seem here? What manner of folk are you that you have such dangerous enemies?"
"It's a long story Goodman." Wolf said gravely. "Make our apologies to Faldor and see if you can't keep Brill tied up for a few days. I'd like to get a head start."
Durnik stiffened. "I'm sorry, but someone else is going to have to do that."
"Durnik?" Polgara raised an eyebrow.
"Someone has to protect you and the children Mistress Pol, and I'll be damned if I let you go off alone."
"Protect? Me? Durnik really." She scoffed at him.
Lily looked at Belgarath, and beat him to the punch. "I think it's a good idea. You can never have to many allies."
She received a hard stare then, and she shrank back behind Garion, who stood there petrified.
"Let it go Pol. He's coming with us." Belgarath said calmly.
"Have you lost your mind?" She yelled.
"Yes. Many times over as a matter of fact. Now let's stop dallying and get going. Time is wasting that I'd like to be out of here before dawn."
She threw up her hands and turned to gather her bags. Lily peaked out from behind Garion and looked up at Durnik who winked and turned to leave the room.
Belgarath groaned and stared at the children. "Now will you two please try to stay out of trouble!"
"Uh huh." They nodded at the same time and laughed.
"Where did you get that mark on your palm?" Garion asked innocently as they headed back to the kitchen.
Lily looked down at the mark and ran her fingers across it. "I'm not sure. It's just always been there. Like a birth mark I suppose."
"That's pretty neat. I don't think I have one of those."
Lily laughed. "But of course you do Garion. It should be on your right palm, just like…" She stopped and stared at her hand once more.
"Let me see your hand Garion."
The boy was confused, but did as he was told. She took it roughly and examined it. "Where is it?" She asked frantically turning his hand over.
"Lily, what are you talking about?"
Her head shot up to look deep into his eyes. She was looking for some trace of understanding, and found none. "Nothing Garion. Sorry. You just remind me of this boy I used to know. I wanted to see just how truly alike you two were." She forced a grin and released his hand.
He stared wearily at her and then shook his head. "It's alright. You've had a long journey and that makes one tired, or so I've heard."
She smiled kindly. "That it does Garion, that it does. Speaking of which, I'm starved. Where's your Aunt Pol?"
Garion glanced around and saw her walking the steps to Faldor's chambers. "She's over there." He pointed. "But why is she…?" He stopped as a dark shadow followed his Aunt up the steps and crouched by the door to listen.
"Come on!" Garion took her by the hand and dragged her across the yard to hide by the steps.
"What's going on?" She whispered.
Garion put his fingers to his lips in silent gesture and strained his ears to listen. His hand rested gently on his dagger. In a moments time the door flew open and Polgara glided down the stairs. The dark shadow having fled seconds before.
He waited for Polgara to be out of earshot before he spoke. "I know who it was." He stated firmly.
"Who?" Lily asked intensely.
"Brill." Garion snarled. "He's the new attendant here. Just hired weeks ago. I don't like him much, and his stench is unmistakable."
"That's right!" Lily shouted.
"SHHHH!!!" Garion yelled.
"Sorry!" Came the hushed whisper. "I'd just forgotten about this part, thats all."
Garion gave her a concerned look. "Are you sure you're feeling ok?"
Lily smiled, heart race beating a mile a minute. She couldn't remember when she'd had this much fun. "Yeah. Why?" She asked grinning.
"Because you are making no sense."
"Oh." She caught herself. "I'm just excited is all. Nothing this mysterious has ever happened to me before." //Well it's not a complete lie.//
Garion laughed. "Me either. I just know if we tell Aunt Pol she'll ruin it."
"Your probably right Garion. Let's keep it our little secret it then. At least till we know more." She smiled deviously.
"Agreed." They shook hands. "You're a strange one Lilianna, but I like you."
"Well thank you Garion. I believe that's the nicest thing any one's ever said to me." She laughed and rose from their hiding place. "What do you say to some grub? I'm famished!"
"Grub?" He asked.
"Food Garion, Food."
"Oh! All right. To the kitchen then!" He roared and marched to the building. As he left she took one last worried glance at her palm. //What am I going to do with this?//
She ran her hand lightly across the mark. "It's coincidence. Maybe Eddings got his facts wrong. I mean, it is possible that he could have embellished on what he knew to be true. The mark means nothing." She consoled herself with facts she didn't know were true.
"Lilianna! Are you coming?" Garion hollered from the porch.
"Right now Garion!" Throwing her thoughts to the wind she raced towards the scullery. Now was not the time to worry, she'd done enough of that in her life. Now was the time to enjoy and maybe, just maybe be happy.
***
That night Lily hastily rose from her bed after being shaken awake by a frantic Garion.
"Mister Wolf says we need to leave." He said urgently. " I think it might have something to do with Brill. Get dressed."
She obeyed and joined Polgara, Belgarath, and Garion in the kitchen.
"Let's get going." Pol said mildly. "Garion, go help Wolf with the horses."
"I'll go to!" Lily announced and promptly exited the room before Pol could protest.
"I hate it when she does that."
Belgarath chuckled and followed the children to the barn.
Lily was the first to enter the barn. There had been a reason she wanted to go with them. She knew that Brill was going to be inside the barn and using this to her advantaged hoped to get the jump on him before he could bring harm to the others.
Unfortunately, young girls are not familiar with the ways of subterfuge and Brill managed to hide behind the door. The moment she entered he had his hand upon her mouth, knife close to her throat.
Belgarath and Garion ran inside seconds later to see the man standing defiantly, hostage held close in front. Garion stood very still, hand upon his dagger, looking expectantly at Mister Wolf.
Belgarath took a quick look around and noticed the saddled horse in the stables. "Going somewhere Brill?"
"It's none of your business old man." He yelled, tightening his grip upon her mouth.
"Oh but it is." And Lily felt a prickle on the back of her neck as the sorcerer spoke. "See that little girl you have there belongs to me, and I'd really like her back before you leave."
"I wish I could help you, but you see she has to come with me. To ensure I get out of here without any problems from you or your meddlesome daughter." He sneered.
Just then Lily saw Garion draw his dinky blade. He'd obviously thought this was not a good enough rescue and charged the capture. Lily screamed beneath Brill's fists, but the ploy had worked. He let her go to face his blade with Garion's, but before the clash of steel could be heard a loud THUNK dropped Brill to the ground.
Durnik stepped quietly out from the shadows and dropped the ox yoke. Lilianna flew into his arms and hugged him tightly. She could not have been more thankful for the Smith at that moment.
"For Shame Garion." Durnik glared at the boy while holding the shaking girl. "I didn't make that knife of yours for this."
"But he was going to kill Lilly!" He argued in his defense.
"Never mind that." Belgarath said angrily. He bent down and searched Brill's pockets, pulling out a sizeable handful of gold. "Just as I thought." He muttered.
Lilianna stared at the blood red money in his hand and shrank back into Durnik's chest. Garion stared in awe at the currency. He'd never seen gold before.
"I'll have to tell Faldor about this." Durnik nodded.
"No." The Sorcerer replied.
"This is a serious offense!"
"There's no time Goodman. Tie his hands and but him in a grain barrel. Someone will find him in the morning."
"But…"
"Trust me Durnik."
The Smith nodded and glanced down at Lily, who was still clinging to him. "Go on dearheart. I'll be along shortly."
She smiled and nodded. Then detaching herself from the Smith she regained her composure and followed Belgarath and Garion back to the kitchen.
"Well?" Pol sad angrily when they returned.
"We ran into a bit of trouble. Are you ready Pol, because were leaving, now."
"What happened?" She asked, giving concerned looks to the children.
"I'll tell you on the way. Let's be off."
Just then Durnik stepped in. "Things aren't what they seem here? What manner of folk are you that you have such dangerous enemies?"
"It's a long story Goodman." Wolf said gravely. "Make our apologies to Faldor and see if you can't keep Brill tied up for a few days. I'd like to get a head start."
Durnik stiffened. "I'm sorry, but someone else is going to have to do that."
"Durnik?" Polgara raised an eyebrow.
"Someone has to protect you and the children Mistress Pol, and I'll be damned if I let you go off alone."
"Protect? Me? Durnik really." She scoffed at him.
Lily looked at Belgarath, and beat him to the punch. "I think it's a good idea. You can never have to many allies."
She received a hard stare then, and she shrank back behind Garion, who stood there petrified.
"Let it go Pol. He's coming with us." Belgarath said calmly.
"Have you lost your mind?" She yelled.
"Yes. Many times over as a matter of fact. Now let's stop dallying and get going. Time is wasting that I'd like to be out of here before dawn."
She threw up her hands and turned to gather her bags. Lily peaked out from behind Garion and looked up at Durnik who winked and turned to leave the room.
Belgarath groaned and stared at the children. "Now will you two please try to stay out of trouble!"
"Uh huh." They nodded at the same time and laughed.