Here we are now – the final chapter of "Stranded" – it has been an enjoyable ride for me, and I hope for you, as well!
05.09.2005: Answers to reviews removed. See reason in chapter 3.
General Note: I know, I promised some of you another story with Berit as the main character, but right now I'm a little burnt-out in case of Eddings, and I don't want to write something that does not work out as an extension of Eddings' world. I will, however, keep the idea in mind and write it once I read the books again, which should not take too long!
Current Music: Nightwish – "Once" (Oh my God, they did it again! Perfect new album – Congratulations!)
DISCLAIMER: Yes, in this last chapter, as well, I will state that none of it is mine but property of David Eddings, and that I do not intend to make money off of this.
CHAPTER 30
"Any news yet?"
They had come to expect the question at the door of the house where, just a few months ago, Durnik, Polgara and their children had shared a peaceful life together. Now, one half of the couple had gone missing, along with her father, and Durnik was desperate. At first, he had thought nothing of it when his wife didn't come home in the evening – maybe Aldur had given her an urgent assignment which she had to tend to immediately. But after a week of hearing nothing of her whereabouts – and, more importantly, of Beltira and Belkira trying to contact Belgarath or Polgara, who had apparently vanished at the same time, without success – he had known that it was nothing so harmless, and alerted his friends, hoping that, with their help, he would find out where his wife had disappeared to.
Some of them had sent out their men to scour the countryside for the two missing sorcerers, some of them had taken on the task on their own – again, without finding so much as a hair off their heads.
Now, they had been gathered at the cottage at the rim of the Vale of Aldur for a week, devising new search strategies. Silk and Velvet had just returned, and had to face Durnik's question again. It hurt to disappoint the frantic hope in the man's face over and over again...
Kheldar shook his head as he stepped over the threshold.
"I am sorry, Durnik – still no trace of them."
The Sendarian and the two Drasnians went into the living room, where Garion (without Ce'Nedra, who had decided to stay home and look after their children in the meantime), Poledra and Barak were already waiting for them.
"Well," began Liselle, "we have received word from Yarblek, Hettar, Sadi and Urgit – they have not been seen in Cthol Murgos, Gar og Nadrak, Nyissa or Algaria. No news from Zakath yet, but we don't believe they will show up there – after all, they have to get there first, and although they might be in their animal forms and nobody would recognize them, we figure they would still have to show up here and there in their natural forms. Aside from that: Nobody can tell me they would leave for the other side of the world without telling anybody, and without answering the twins' call."
"One and one's kind would recognize them," Poledra objected. "One's kind has not seen one's mate or one's daughter."
"... Which brings us right back where we started", added the Rivan King sourly. He looked at Durnik.
"Say, have you been in contact with Eriond, Aldur or UL? Shouldn't they be able to tell us where Belgarath and Polgara are?"
Durnik shook his head.
"I have been practically begging for one of them to talk to me, but so far nothing has happened. Maybe they're busy elsewhere."
He looked out of the window, seeing that it had begun to darken outside.
"And where are the boys again, it is almost time for supper..."
Barak put one huge, hairy hand on the forlorn man's shoulder.
"Let them be, Durnik. If staying out past curfew makes them feel a little better, you should let them. After all, it is hard on them, as well... trust me in this, my friend. They will come within the next hour. Let them be happy until they return here and see all the friends of their parents being just as frustrated as they feel."
Durnik nodded; in the fast fading light from outside, he looked tired, older than he ever had.
"Well, let us have supper then," he decided. "The boys can have what we leave for them. I won't get cross with them, but I will not start to spoil them. Pol wouldn't want that."
They sat down and started eating the thick stew Durnik had prepared for them. Most of the time, nobody said a word. Garion, who had known the blacksmith longer than any of his other friends, realized with a pang of sadness that his friend was starting to lose his hopes of ever finding his wife.
He had just finished his bowl when laughter sounded outside – the boys were coming home. Durnik envied them for the lightness of their hearts; they could still laugh, although they knew that their mother had vanished nearly three months ago...
They heard the door open, and the steps of the twins on the wooden floor. But then – more than two pairs of feet had entered the dwelling. Who could it be? Beltira and Belkira hadn't announced a visit...
A woman's voice, softly speaking to Makor and Sambar in the hallway...
Durnik jumped up and left the room, his sorrow erased by a sudden, wild spring of hope in his heart. And yes, there she was, his Polgara, talking to their children, then looking up, smiling at him.
A few more steps, and then she was in his arms – he finally had her back!
Neither Polgara nor Durnik, locked in a tight embrace, noticed their friends coming out of the living room, noticed Belgarath entering the house and smiling at them, before he cleared his throat and said in a voice rough with emotion:
"We're home."
He walked over to Poledra, feeling irrationally relieved that she was here, after all.
"Grandfather, where have you been all this time?" Garion finally asked when his speechless relief had subsided enough for him to form words again.
Belgarath sighed.
"That, my boy, is a long story – and one that I will tell you gladly, after I have had a bite to eat. Is that stew I smell...?"
And thus, the reunified family retired back into the living room. The search had ended for all of them, those lost and those remaining in their own world.
While the story was told, night crept over the horizon, encircling the house in velvety blackness, warm and comforting as a blanket now that they were together again.
THE END
The End... -sniffles a little- Again, I hope you enjoyed this story! Comments are still appreciated, as usual! And be good! ;-)
05.09.2005: Since I had to edit all chapters to take out the review answers, I also took the time to eliminate all typos and some of the more embarrassing sentence constructions I could find. Consider this story revised ;-)