((A/N- Well, newest chapter. This one explains my theory on how Adrian's jumping worlds is possible, and Vella appears briefly. Also, the reason we never really saw a mother-daughter reunion between Adrian and Cyradis is because Cyradis had to go back to Mallorea.Ok, well, anyways, I'm a bit down tonight, but I may cheer up as the chapter goes on. Enjoy!))
The party was on its way to Mallorea by land, up through upper Cthol Murgos and Mishrak ac Thull. Belgarath rode in front, of course, muttering continually how much he missed his tower. Polgara and Durnik came next, followed by the twins. Behind them always rode Mandoral and Larrendin, laughing and joking all the way. Zakath and Silk seperated the children, often discussing Silk's exploits energetically. Geran and Adrian came next, and behind them, Unrak and Cthala. The last four were quite happy to be last, even if it meant having Cirra and Sara out of speaking range.
Adrian, naturally, had been the first to know about Unrak and Cthala's budding romance, and had admiringly kept the information away from Cirra and Sara. After all, she didn't really think they needed to know. She reflected upon this as she rode, her new steed Arianna munching on the sparse plants whenever she thought she coud get away with it.
Belgarath had taken to instructing Geran and she in the Will and the Word, sometimes letting them make loud noises, earning looks of disapprovement from Polgara. Geran immediatly picked up the basics, and helped Adrian struggle along. Not too long after, though, both had become proficient.
They had just crossed the Nadrak border the previous day, as Silk needed to check on his financial position. Adrian made a mental note to herself that, should she ever go back, bring Silk some ideas on modern marketing from her world. She giggled, picturing Silk as president of some mega-million-dollar company.
"Something funny?" Geran glanced at her, his face curious.
"Just thinking," she replied. She nudged Arianna into a bit of a faster pace, noticing her father and Silk were a bit farther ahead. Geran imitated her, glancing back to the two behind them.
There were a number of these little snippets of conversation on the way, and eventually, despite Adrian's best efforts, Polcirra and Polsara had found out about Cthala and Unrak. However, it hadn't really mattered. Cirra made the mistake of teasing Cthala about it and the Murgo girl had had one of the Daughters of Sorcery by the throat in the blink of an eye. Larrendin and Unrak had managed to smooth the whole thing over, though, and by the time the party had reached Gar og Nadrak, things were running smoothly again.
"Belgarath, you old goat, what're you up to now?" The group had found a place to stay for the night, and Belgarath had managed to spirit Adrian and Cthala from the rest of the group to talk, and each of them were dressed in the outifts of the Nadrak women. The trio turned, Adrian's eyes widening with recognition and glee.
"Beldin," the old sorceror said sourly, scratching at his food-spotted tunic. "I might ask you the same thing. Help me with these two, will you?" He gestured to the girls, and Beldin took Cthala's leash, a hawk with lavendar bands sitting on his shoulder.
"Belgarath, something's afoot," the hunchback said gravely. "Even living in the wilderness I've heard about this one-" he jerked his gnarled thumb at Adrian, "-and not all of it's good. You do know who the Child of New Night is, don't you?"
"No," came the reply.
Beldin snorted. "Typical." He paused a moment to scratch himself, then continued. "It's her mother."
Adrian stopped. "WHAT?!"
Both men and Cthala turned to stare at her. Adrian strode up, reaching her full height, nearly as tall as the Murgo girl. She looked Beldin straight in the eye, her voice deadly so "Repeat."
"Your pseudo-mother is the Child of New Night."
It was at that point Adrian said some things that any lady probably should not know.
"My sentiments exactly." Belgarath looked up to the sky, scratching at his beard. Adrian noticed some Nadraks starting to stare, but Cthala took charge first.
"C'mon, I won't sell myself, old man," she said brusquely. With that, she began tugging Beldin away, the hawk on his shoulder making sounds very much akin to laughter.
~*~
"You're not. I won't have my Adrian in any harm."
"I am."
"I forbid it."
"Forbid? 'My Adrian' is one thing, but forbid is quite another."
The party was on its way to Mallorea by land, up through upper Cthol Murgos and Mishrak ac Thull. Belgarath rode in front, of course, muttering continually how much he missed his tower. Polgara and Durnik came next, followed by the twins. Behind them always rode Mandoral and Larrendin, laughing and joking all the way. Zakath and Silk seperated the children, often discussing Silk's exploits energetically. Geran and Adrian came next, and behind them, Unrak and Cthala. The last four were quite happy to be last, even if it meant having Cirra and Sara out of speaking range.
Adrian, naturally, had been the first to know about Unrak and Cthala's budding romance, and had admiringly kept the information away from Cirra and Sara. After all, she didn't really think they needed to know. She reflected upon this as she rode, her new steed Arianna munching on the sparse plants whenever she thought she coud get away with it.
Belgarath had taken to instructing Geran and she in the Will and the Word, sometimes letting them make loud noises, earning looks of disapprovement from Polgara. Geran immediatly picked up the basics, and helped Adrian struggle along. Not too long after, though, both had become proficient.
They had just crossed the Nadrak border the previous day, as Silk needed to check on his financial position. Adrian made a mental note to herself that, should she ever go back, bring Silk some ideas on modern marketing from her world. She giggled, picturing Silk as president of some mega-million-dollar company.
"Something funny?" Geran glanced at her, his face curious.
"Just thinking," she replied. She nudged Arianna into a bit of a faster pace, noticing her father and Silk were a bit farther ahead. Geran imitated her, glancing back to the two behind them.
There were a number of these little snippets of conversation on the way, and eventually, despite Adrian's best efforts, Polcirra and Polsara had found out about Cthala and Unrak. However, it hadn't really mattered. Cirra made the mistake of teasing Cthala about it and the Murgo girl had had one of the Daughters of Sorcery by the throat in the blink of an eye. Larrendin and Unrak had managed to smooth the whole thing over, though, and by the time the party had reached Gar og Nadrak, things were running smoothly again.
"Belgarath, you old goat, what're you up to now?" The group had found a place to stay for the night, and Belgarath had managed to spirit Adrian and Cthala from the rest of the group to talk, and each of them were dressed in the outifts of the Nadrak women. The trio turned, Adrian's eyes widening with recognition and glee.
"Beldin," the old sorceror said sourly, scratching at his food-spotted tunic. "I might ask you the same thing. Help me with these two, will you?" He gestured to the girls, and Beldin took Cthala's leash, a hawk with lavendar bands sitting on his shoulder.
"Belgarath, something's afoot," the hunchback said gravely. "Even living in the wilderness I've heard about this one-" he jerked his gnarled thumb at Adrian, "-and not all of it's good. You do know who the Child of New Night is, don't you?"
"No," came the reply.
Beldin snorted. "Typical." He paused a moment to scratch himself, then continued. "It's her mother."
Adrian stopped. "WHAT?!"
Both men and Cthala turned to stare at her. Adrian strode up, reaching her full height, nearly as tall as the Murgo girl. She looked Beldin straight in the eye, her voice deadly so "Repeat."
"Your pseudo-mother is the Child of New Night."
It was at that point Adrian said some things that any lady probably should not know.
"My sentiments exactly." Belgarath looked up to the sky, scratching at his beard. Adrian noticed some Nadraks starting to stare, but Cthala took charge first.
"C'mon, I won't sell myself, old man," she said brusquely. With that, she began tugging Beldin away, the hawk on his shoulder making sounds very much akin to laughter.
~*~
"You're not. I won't have my Adrian in any harm."
"I am."
"I forbid it."
"Forbid? 'My Adrian' is one thing, but forbid is quite another."
