And as I have forgotten the disclaimer again, I guess I'll mention it again...
DISCLAIMER: All characters and places mentioned (with the exception of characters invented by me, listed in the beginning of chapter 5) are property of David Eddings. I do not use his intellectual property commercially and never intend to.
Current Music: t.a.T.u – 200 po Vstrechnoy (The original Russian Version!)
Here we go!
CHAPTER 9
It took them exactly eight days to reach Cimmura, the capital of Elenia, which Dorgatan had named as the new end of this part of their voyage. When they had found an inn within the city walls, they dismounted, handed the reins Feliad, Dorim and Zandail over to a capable-looking groom in the stables next to it, and entered the solid stone building. They sat down at a table in the back, and Dorgatan handed Polgara a small purse under the table.
"It would look a little curious if I paid for the three of us," he explained to her as he saw the question in her eyes. "Order something to eat for all of us, and when the maid comes back with the food, ask her to bring the owner of this inn. Tell him that we want two rooms, a hot bath for each of us and have him send for a tailor. We have been given a private audience with the people I have been telling you about tomorrow morning."
Polgara arched her eyebrow. "When has this audience been granted to us? We just arrived here."
"Trust me!" The boy looked at her with a mock look of pleading in his face, and she laughed.
"Okay, I'll trust you, Dorgatan – after all, you have been looking after us pretty well, so far." The look on Dorgatan's face changed to one of immense self-satisfaction.
The following day, they got up, dressed and immediately set out for the palace. The inn's owner had provided everything they had asked for; they had slept well, were clean of the road's dust one always seemed to collect during travelling, and were donning new, clean clothes. Polgara had settled for an unusual choice: Instead of her customary dress, she wore tight- fitting black trousers made of a sturdy yet finely-woven cloth, and a wide shirt in her favorite color, a deep royal blue. At her father's confused glance, she explained: "We are most likely going to travel for quite a while, and although I am used to riding in dresses, I have never been overly fond of it. And as I don't have to satisfy appearances with these people due to my reputation as 'Polgara the Sorceress', for they will have never heard of me, I can afford a change of wardrobe for reasons of comfort. I had the tailor also sew up two dresses for me, but they won't be ready until this afternoon."
"Whatever suits you, Polgara," Belgarath answered noncommitically.
"Are you saying I don't look good in this?", she accused.
"I would never say anything like that! You look beautiful as usual, Pol," he quickly amended.
"Why, thank you father!" The look on her face softened, and the color of her eyes slowly changed to a deep lavender.
Belgarath couldn't help but sigh – quietly of course, lest his daughter interpreted the utterance in a wrong way. Women!
When they reached the palace, they were in for a surprise. Dorgatan's stallion strode right past the gate watchmen, who kept staring ahead without any reaction whatsoever to the trespassing. When the boyish God had realized that Belgarath and Polgara had stopped in front of the gate, staring at the two guards, he called out to them.
"Relax – this is hard if you actually want to be seen. Come on, through the gate. Everything is alright!"
Belgarath heard in astonishment that, while Dorgatan uttered these words, he simultaneously cited a spell, while his fingers flicked around in front of him. He swore under his breath and forced himself to relax when he followed Zandail and his master through the stone doorway. Polgara, obviously facing the same problems he had with relaxation, followed suit, muttering softly to herself. If they had been granted an audience, why in Aldur's name were they sneaking by the guards like some common thiefs?
In the court, Dorgatan jumped off his horse and told them to do the same. "Just tie them to one of the wooden beams over there," he said, pointing. "When somebody looks at them, they will remember having seen them before, and won't think about them any further. Let us go in."
They walked through long, wide corridors, climbed stairs and encountered the palace's personnel quite frequently, but the various chambermaids and servants paid as little attention to them as the guards had. However, Belgarath and Polgara had severe problems to refrain from cringing whenever somebody passed them, which earned them a few angry stares from their Styric patron God.
Finally, they arrived in front of a wooden door with complicated carvings and gold plating on it. "Here we are," Dorgatan announced, and ceased his incantation.
"Where exactly have you brought us, boy?", Belgarath asked, a hint of anger in his voice. "This is not a throne room behind this door! What kind of audience have you arranged for us, that required us sneaking in here? What..."
"Ssshhh!" The Younger God held a finger to his lips and motioned them to listen to what was happening beyond that richly decorated door.
"... So, Aphrael, will you tell us now why you wanted us all in your private rooms, without your mother?" The sonorous bass of a man, expressing part curiosity, part exasperation.
"You'll see, Sparhawk. They will be here any moment!"
"WHO will be here any moment?"
A giggle was the only answer.
At that point, Dorgatan grabbed the door handle and pushed it open. Inside the room, amidst various toys, stood five tall men, one of them clad in Styric garb, and a dark-haired woman around a chair that bore a lovely-looking girl of about 11 years. She pointed a slim finger at the group in the doorframe. "Them!"
Then she slid off the chair and stepped forward. "Welcome, Dorgatan. I hope the trip wasn't too hard?"
There we go – bring on the friends ;-) For those of you who can count: Yes, I decided to have all the knights after all. And of course our favorite (half-)Styric couple! There are others too, they just aren't in this room...
Please drop me a line with the lovely purple box down there in the corner!