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Prologue

KAIL, THE RIVAN WARDER, objected strenuously when King Belgarion told him that he and his queen planned to make the journey to the northern end of the Vale of Aldur unattended, but Garion uncharacteristically put his foot down ‘It’s a fa, Kail Ce’Nedra and I don’t need a cluster of servants underfoot They’d just be in the way’

‘But it’s dangerous, your Majesty’

‘I rather doubt that anything’ll turn up that I can’t handle, old friend,’ Garion told hi alone’ The Rivan Queen was a bit startled by the firmness in Garion’s voice

Then there was the argument about fur Queen Ce’Nedra was Tolnedran by birth and Dryad by heritage Those backgrounds were both southern, and the notion of wearing animal skins made Ce’Nedra’s flesh creep Garion, however, was at least partially Alorn, and he’d traveled extensively in the north in the winter-ti to wear fur, Ce’Nedra,’ he adaoing anywhere until the weather warms up’ Garion seldoh not to argue about the matter any further She obediently dressed herself in Alorn fur garth with the nurse ould oversee the royal children during her absence, and then she and her husband left the Isle of the Winds aboard the disreputable Captain Greldik’s dubious ship on thetide

They purchased horses and supplies in Caularly spaced Tolnedran hostels along the highway to Muros provided adequate lodgings each night, but after Muros, they were largely on their own The Rivan King, however, had spent a great deal of ti out in the open, and his little as forced to concede that he was adequate when the time came to set up camp

The Rivan Queen was realistic enough to know just how ridiculous she looked while gathering firewood in those caave her a roly-poly appearance, her fla red hair streamed down her back, and because of her size she could only carry a few sticks at a tih the snow came to her quite often

The snoas deep in the Sendarian mountains, and it seeain She could not give her husband the satisfaction of ad that, however This trek was her idea, after all, and she’d have sooner died than adht have been a mistake

Ce’Nedra was like that sometimes

It was snowing lightly and was bitterly cold when they came down out of the aria Although it definitely went against the grain to confess it, even privately, Ce’Nedra was actually glad that her husband had been so insistent about fur clothing

And then as a chill evening was settling over southern Algaria and when lowering clouds were spitting tiny pellets of snow, they topped a rise and saw the little valley on the northern edge of the Vale of Aldur where Poledra’s cottage and the surrounding outbuildings lay The cottage had been there for eons, of course, but the barns and sheds were Durnik’s additions, and they gave the place the appearance of a Sendarian farmstead

Ce’Nedra wasn’t really interested in comparative architecture at that point, however All she really wanted to do was to get in out of the cold ‘Do they know that we’re co in the biting cold

‘Yes,’ Garion replied ‘I told Aunt Pol that ere on the way a couple of days ago’

‘Sometimes you’re a very useful fellow to have around, your Majesty,’ Ce’Nedra smiled

‘Your Majesty is too kind’ His reply was a bit flippant

‘Oh, Garion’ They both laughed as they pushed on down the hill