Chapter Two-
"What are you doing here?! I thought you left!" Garion exclaimed, thoughts running through his mind.
"I did, but I had to return. The Dark Prophecy left a little legacy behind. It was working on mischief before Eriond was chosen to be God of the Angaraks. It seems it could tell that it was going to loose and so it set up a little bit of a back way to try and win. That's why I'm back." The Prophecy replied.
"Oh, that's understandable. I thought you two had agreed on something though."
"We had, but then the Dark Prophecy isn't playing by our rules anymore." There seemed to be a note of anger in it's voice. "It must be destroyed, but the only way to do that, without risking the planet, is to retrieve something that was stolen."
"Why does this sound like the time we went after the Orb, or the time we had to rescue Geran?" Garion asked suspiciously.
"That's probably because, although we can change a little bit, both me and the other side, we cant change all that much. Breaking away from the rules was all the change my dark counterpart could take. I haven't yet chosen to change. Oh, by the way, you're going to meet up with Milaya in the woods ahead, and in the morning, you need to travel to Drasnia, to the palace. Something has to happen there."
And with that, the sensation of another being there, was gone. Garion frowned, then rode up to beside his grandfather.
"Grandfather, I think you need to stop everyone. We need to talk." He said seriously.
Belgarath glared at Garion "Why do you want to stop?" He snapped.
"Why are you irritated at me? I didn't want to do this, any more than you did." Garion said plaintively.
"Old Wolf, stop that." Poledra, Belgarath's wife said. "Listen to the pup." Poledra was really a wolf who had changed shape, so most of the time she thought in wolf, and her words came out in a wolfish manner.
"Fine." Belgarath said, giving in to his wife. He called everyone to a stop. "Garion here has something to say that he thought couldn't wait."
"Thanks Grandfather." Garion replied sarcastically. "It looks like we're on a quest again, and it's pretty much like the last time."
Silk groaned "We need to come up with something more original to pass the time. Saving the world gets a bit tedious after a while."
"As I was saying before we had that charming comment from Silk." Garion said, glaring at Silk, who was feigning a look of innocence. "Something of great importance has been stolen again. I know this because my friend in my head," Garion tapped his head. "Has returned. It seems that the Dark Prophecy decided it didn't like loosing and has broken the rules, just so it can win. It's changed a little too. I don't know how, but it has." Garion looked at everyone. "Also, we're going to travel with Milaya, Beldin's niece. She's in the woods ahead. In the morning we have to go to Drasnia, to the palace. I don't know why, but he said so."
"That means I get to see Liselle again.." Ce'Nedra broke off, remembering something. "Oh, Kheldar I'm so sorry." She said sincerely "In my excitement, I didn't even stop to think."
"That's alright Ce'Nedra. Liselle and I are simply friends. We both agreed that we were too much alike to be well suited for each other. So we simply broke up and went our separate ways." Silk said simply, a little bit of pain in his eyes.
"Mayhap we should continue." Said Mandorallen, his armour creaking.
Everyone else agreed, and rode into the woods. They continued on the trail for a while, til they saw the blinking of a fire. Remembering what the Prophecy had said, the rose towards it to find Milaya quietly setting up camp.
"I wondered if you were ever going to show up." She said, not even turning to face them. "If you are hungry, there are plates of food set for you under those cloths."
After everyone finished eating, Milaya cleaned up. She then took her horse and snuck quietly out of the camp. Hettar, noticing, silently followed Milaya to a smaller clearing. Hettar stood in the shadows, watching. Suddenly he heard a voice in his mind. It was Milaya's horse speaking to her.
"Milaya, why are you acting like a servant to them? You are Her Royal Majesty, Queen Milaya of Garvina. You are the Guardian of The Orb Of Roses, the sister Orb to Aldur's Orb."
"I know Tenshi, but I'd rather still be the princess as that would mean my family would still be here." Hettar stood gaping at Milaya. It seemed that Beldin's niece was more than she said.
"I know Milaya, but the past can't be changed. What we need to do is concentrate on finding your Orb. Unlike it's brother, Aldur's Orb, it trusts other people besides you and so it wont harm them." Tenshi, Milaya's horse said.
Hettar was shocked. The conversation coming from Milaya's mare was too involved for her to be an ordinary horse. Then he remembered a story his father had told him before the Murgo's murdered him. He told of a far off land where the royal family, at birth were taken to every stable across the land to find their own special horse with whom they could bond with. That would explain why Milaya's mare was so much more eloquent than most.
"Yes Tenshi." Milaya said submissively, then a note of mischief entered her voice. "Tenshi? Was it just me or did you spend most of today staring at Lord Hettar?"
"That Your Majesty, is none of your business." Tenshi replied primly.
"Come on Tenshi. I was only teasing. Besides, he's in love with Garion's cousin Adara, and they have many children." Milaya said, laughing softly. "Come on, let's go back to camp." She suggested, walking towards Hettar. Just before she reached him though, Hettar slunk further back into the darkness. He then turned and swiftly returned to the camp, before Milaya did. He walked over to Belgarath and Polgara.
"Belgarath, Polgara, I need to talk to you." A strange note of urgency was in Hettar's soft voice.
"Alright." They both said, noticing the urgency. Hettar led them back to the clearing and proceeded to tell them all he heard.
While this was happening, Milaya was trying to befriend Ce'Nedra, hoping she could get along with someone in this camp. Ce'Nedra stubbornly ignored her though and so, Milaya, sensing that it was pointless, silently left the camp and walked towards the creak that she knew was there. She sat down at the water's edge and looked at her reflection. A young face with sapphire eyes, framed by long, lustrous midnight curls stared back. "I wish I could make friends with someone." She whispered softly. "I've been so lonely." And with that, Milaya's tough exterior cracked and she began to sob softly.
Silk, who had been scouting the surrounding area, heard a sound, and with natural Drasnian curiosity, he went to investigate. He was ready for anything, or so he thought. He didn't expect to see the tough Milaya weeping softly, hugging her arms to herself. Silk walked silently towards her.
"Is something wrong?" He asked softly. He watched as her head jerked up in surprise, and his usually emotionless eyes softened as he saw her eyes were watery with tears.
"Please Kheldar, leave me alone." She said, not using titles.
Silk thought of doing what she said, but he didn't. Instead he knelt down in front of her, and cautiously, but gently lifted her off the ground and into his lap. He had no clue as to why he did this. He just knew that something clicked inside him when he held her.
Milaya sat stiffly in Silk's arms, wondering what he was doing. She began to relax though as Silk rubbed his hands up and down her back.
"What was wrong, Milaya?" He asked again, just as softly.
"I. guess hitting Uncle Beldin was not the best way to make friends with others..." She answered.
Silk controlled the urge to grin. "No little one, it wasn't." He murmured, then they both fell into a comfortable silence.
They sat this way for a few more minutes, then Milaya started to pull away. "I'm sorry Kheldar. I shouldn't of burdened you. Thank you though."
"That's alright Milaya. It wasn't a burden at all." Silk said seriously. They walked back to camp together, then Silk took first watch.
When the sun rose the next morning, Garion awoke to the smell of breakfast. He got dressed then left his tent, smiling down at his sleeping wife.
His Aunt Pol was already eating breakfast. "My father and mother have gone hunting. They'll be back soon. Have some breakfast." Polgara said.
As Garion got his breakfast, he heard the sound that came with the use of the Will and the Word. Just after the sound, in walked his grandparents. They sat down and talked while they waited for everyone else to wake.
There was no commotion until Ce'Nedra imperiously told Milaya to go clean her plates, and to pack up her tent. Milaya looked at Ce'Nedra, a look of defiance in her eyes, then slowly nodded her head.
"If it will help her to like me better, then my pride is an easy thing to give up." She whispered to herself softly, not knowing that Silk, who, just over one night, became like her shadow, heard her.
"No Milaya. You don't have to." Silk said placing a hand on her arm. "Ce'Nedra knows that you aren't her servant." Everyone stood shocked at Silk's words.
"It doesn't matter Kheldar. If Her Majesty wants me to do it, then I shall." There was a whinny of protest from Tenshi, as she reared high in the air. Milaya just shook her head at the mare. Tenshi settled down at this. Milaya then took up the dirty dishes, and went to the creak to clean them. When she came back, she noticed Silk glaring at Ce'Nedra. She ignored it for the moment, then went to pack up the tents. Once she had finished, she silently mounted Tenshi, and then waited for everyone else to do the same.
Silk rode close to Milaya, but stopped when Garion motioned to him, his fingers flickering idly. Silk nodded once, and then rode over to Milaya.
"Milaya, I need to stop for the moment. You keep riding. Just stay close to the others." Silk said to her.
"Yes Kheldar." Milaya said, smiling softly. "I can take care of myself. Oh, and Kheldar?" She asked "Please ask King Belgarion not to speak about me so obviously. He needs to practice a bit. He was practically screaming." She said as she rode off.
Silk simply stared as he waited for Garion, Belgarath and Polgara to come to him. Garion reached him first.
"Uhh. Garion, Milaya says you need a bit of practice with learning to control your movements. She says you were screaming, and now that I think of it, you were." Silk frowned "How on earth did she learn the secret language?" He asked himself, as Belgarath and Polgara arrived.
"Where's Grandmother?" Garion asked his grandfather.
"She wanted to go talk with the newest puppy. Milaya seems to have taken her interest." Belgarath said. "Now Silk, here's a question. Why are you all of a sudden so protective of Milaya?" Belgarath asked.
"I don't know. I found her crying yesterday, and when I held her, I felt something click. It just feels right to protect her." Silk said, trying to explain what he was doing.
"What are you doing here?! I thought you left!" Garion exclaimed, thoughts running through his mind.
"I did, but I had to return. The Dark Prophecy left a little legacy behind. It was working on mischief before Eriond was chosen to be God of the Angaraks. It seems it could tell that it was going to loose and so it set up a little bit of a back way to try and win. That's why I'm back." The Prophecy replied.
"Oh, that's understandable. I thought you two had agreed on something though."
"We had, but then the Dark Prophecy isn't playing by our rules anymore." There seemed to be a note of anger in it's voice. "It must be destroyed, but the only way to do that, without risking the planet, is to retrieve something that was stolen."
"Why does this sound like the time we went after the Orb, or the time we had to rescue Geran?" Garion asked suspiciously.
"That's probably because, although we can change a little bit, both me and the other side, we cant change all that much. Breaking away from the rules was all the change my dark counterpart could take. I haven't yet chosen to change. Oh, by the way, you're going to meet up with Milaya in the woods ahead, and in the morning, you need to travel to Drasnia, to the palace. Something has to happen there."
And with that, the sensation of another being there, was gone. Garion frowned, then rode up to beside his grandfather.
"Grandfather, I think you need to stop everyone. We need to talk." He said seriously.
Belgarath glared at Garion "Why do you want to stop?" He snapped.
"Why are you irritated at me? I didn't want to do this, any more than you did." Garion said plaintively.
"Old Wolf, stop that." Poledra, Belgarath's wife said. "Listen to the pup." Poledra was really a wolf who had changed shape, so most of the time she thought in wolf, and her words came out in a wolfish manner.
"Fine." Belgarath said, giving in to his wife. He called everyone to a stop. "Garion here has something to say that he thought couldn't wait."
"Thanks Grandfather." Garion replied sarcastically. "It looks like we're on a quest again, and it's pretty much like the last time."
Silk groaned "We need to come up with something more original to pass the time. Saving the world gets a bit tedious after a while."
"As I was saying before we had that charming comment from Silk." Garion said, glaring at Silk, who was feigning a look of innocence. "Something of great importance has been stolen again. I know this because my friend in my head," Garion tapped his head. "Has returned. It seems that the Dark Prophecy decided it didn't like loosing and has broken the rules, just so it can win. It's changed a little too. I don't know how, but it has." Garion looked at everyone. "Also, we're going to travel with Milaya, Beldin's niece. She's in the woods ahead. In the morning we have to go to Drasnia, to the palace. I don't know why, but he said so."
"That means I get to see Liselle again.." Ce'Nedra broke off, remembering something. "Oh, Kheldar I'm so sorry." She said sincerely "In my excitement, I didn't even stop to think."
"That's alright Ce'Nedra. Liselle and I are simply friends. We both agreed that we were too much alike to be well suited for each other. So we simply broke up and went our separate ways." Silk said simply, a little bit of pain in his eyes.
"Mayhap we should continue." Said Mandorallen, his armour creaking.
Everyone else agreed, and rode into the woods. They continued on the trail for a while, til they saw the blinking of a fire. Remembering what the Prophecy had said, the rose towards it to find Milaya quietly setting up camp.
"I wondered if you were ever going to show up." She said, not even turning to face them. "If you are hungry, there are plates of food set for you under those cloths."
After everyone finished eating, Milaya cleaned up. She then took her horse and snuck quietly out of the camp. Hettar, noticing, silently followed Milaya to a smaller clearing. Hettar stood in the shadows, watching. Suddenly he heard a voice in his mind. It was Milaya's horse speaking to her.
"Milaya, why are you acting like a servant to them? You are Her Royal Majesty, Queen Milaya of Garvina. You are the Guardian of The Orb Of Roses, the sister Orb to Aldur's Orb."
"I know Tenshi, but I'd rather still be the princess as that would mean my family would still be here." Hettar stood gaping at Milaya. It seemed that Beldin's niece was more than she said.
"I know Milaya, but the past can't be changed. What we need to do is concentrate on finding your Orb. Unlike it's brother, Aldur's Orb, it trusts other people besides you and so it wont harm them." Tenshi, Milaya's horse said.
Hettar was shocked. The conversation coming from Milaya's mare was too involved for her to be an ordinary horse. Then he remembered a story his father had told him before the Murgo's murdered him. He told of a far off land where the royal family, at birth were taken to every stable across the land to find their own special horse with whom they could bond with. That would explain why Milaya's mare was so much more eloquent than most.
"Yes Tenshi." Milaya said submissively, then a note of mischief entered her voice. "Tenshi? Was it just me or did you spend most of today staring at Lord Hettar?"
"That Your Majesty, is none of your business." Tenshi replied primly.
"Come on Tenshi. I was only teasing. Besides, he's in love with Garion's cousin Adara, and they have many children." Milaya said, laughing softly. "Come on, let's go back to camp." She suggested, walking towards Hettar. Just before she reached him though, Hettar slunk further back into the darkness. He then turned and swiftly returned to the camp, before Milaya did. He walked over to Belgarath and Polgara.
"Belgarath, Polgara, I need to talk to you." A strange note of urgency was in Hettar's soft voice.
"Alright." They both said, noticing the urgency. Hettar led them back to the clearing and proceeded to tell them all he heard.
While this was happening, Milaya was trying to befriend Ce'Nedra, hoping she could get along with someone in this camp. Ce'Nedra stubbornly ignored her though and so, Milaya, sensing that it was pointless, silently left the camp and walked towards the creak that she knew was there. She sat down at the water's edge and looked at her reflection. A young face with sapphire eyes, framed by long, lustrous midnight curls stared back. "I wish I could make friends with someone." She whispered softly. "I've been so lonely." And with that, Milaya's tough exterior cracked and she began to sob softly.
Silk, who had been scouting the surrounding area, heard a sound, and with natural Drasnian curiosity, he went to investigate. He was ready for anything, or so he thought. He didn't expect to see the tough Milaya weeping softly, hugging her arms to herself. Silk walked silently towards her.
"Is something wrong?" He asked softly. He watched as her head jerked up in surprise, and his usually emotionless eyes softened as he saw her eyes were watery with tears.
"Please Kheldar, leave me alone." She said, not using titles.
Silk thought of doing what she said, but he didn't. Instead he knelt down in front of her, and cautiously, but gently lifted her off the ground and into his lap. He had no clue as to why he did this. He just knew that something clicked inside him when he held her.
Milaya sat stiffly in Silk's arms, wondering what he was doing. She began to relax though as Silk rubbed his hands up and down her back.
"What was wrong, Milaya?" He asked again, just as softly.
"I. guess hitting Uncle Beldin was not the best way to make friends with others..." She answered.
Silk controlled the urge to grin. "No little one, it wasn't." He murmured, then they both fell into a comfortable silence.
They sat this way for a few more minutes, then Milaya started to pull away. "I'm sorry Kheldar. I shouldn't of burdened you. Thank you though."
"That's alright Milaya. It wasn't a burden at all." Silk said seriously. They walked back to camp together, then Silk took first watch.
When the sun rose the next morning, Garion awoke to the smell of breakfast. He got dressed then left his tent, smiling down at his sleeping wife.
His Aunt Pol was already eating breakfast. "My father and mother have gone hunting. They'll be back soon. Have some breakfast." Polgara said.
As Garion got his breakfast, he heard the sound that came with the use of the Will and the Word. Just after the sound, in walked his grandparents. They sat down and talked while they waited for everyone else to wake.
There was no commotion until Ce'Nedra imperiously told Milaya to go clean her plates, and to pack up her tent. Milaya looked at Ce'Nedra, a look of defiance in her eyes, then slowly nodded her head.
"If it will help her to like me better, then my pride is an easy thing to give up." She whispered to herself softly, not knowing that Silk, who, just over one night, became like her shadow, heard her.
"No Milaya. You don't have to." Silk said placing a hand on her arm. "Ce'Nedra knows that you aren't her servant." Everyone stood shocked at Silk's words.
"It doesn't matter Kheldar. If Her Majesty wants me to do it, then I shall." There was a whinny of protest from Tenshi, as she reared high in the air. Milaya just shook her head at the mare. Tenshi settled down at this. Milaya then took up the dirty dishes, and went to the creak to clean them. When she came back, she noticed Silk glaring at Ce'Nedra. She ignored it for the moment, then went to pack up the tents. Once she had finished, she silently mounted Tenshi, and then waited for everyone else to do the same.
Silk rode close to Milaya, but stopped when Garion motioned to him, his fingers flickering idly. Silk nodded once, and then rode over to Milaya.
"Milaya, I need to stop for the moment. You keep riding. Just stay close to the others." Silk said to her.
"Yes Kheldar." Milaya said, smiling softly. "I can take care of myself. Oh, and Kheldar?" She asked "Please ask King Belgarion not to speak about me so obviously. He needs to practice a bit. He was practically screaming." She said as she rode off.
Silk simply stared as he waited for Garion, Belgarath and Polgara to come to him. Garion reached him first.
"Uhh. Garion, Milaya says you need a bit of practice with learning to control your movements. She says you were screaming, and now that I think of it, you were." Silk frowned "How on earth did she learn the secret language?" He asked himself, as Belgarath and Polgara arrived.
"Where's Grandmother?" Garion asked his grandfather.
"She wanted to go talk with the newest puppy. Milaya seems to have taken her interest." Belgarath said. "Now Silk, here's a question. Why are you all of a sudden so protective of Milaya?" Belgarath asked.
"I don't know. I found her crying yesterday, and when I held her, I felt something click. It just feels right to protect her." Silk said, trying to explain what he was doing.