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The ray-haired Rivan Warder into the rooara," Brand greeted her in his deep voice He was a large, bulky man with a deeply lined face and tired, sad eyes and he was the last Rivan Warder During the centuries-long interregnu Gorek at the hands of Queen Salmissra's assassins, the Isle of the Winds and the Rivan people had been ruled by a line of men chosen for their ability and their absolute devotion to duty So selfless had been that devotion that each Rivan Warder had subed his own personality and had taken the name Brand

Now that Garion had come at last to claim his throne, there was no further need for that centuries-old stewardship So long as he lived, however, this big, sad-eyed man would be absolutely committed to the royal line -not perhaps so much to Garion himself, but rather to the concept of the line and to its perpetuation It ith that thought uppermost in his ara for taking the estrangee to grow so far apart?" she asked him "When they married, they were so close that you couldn't pry theo," Brand replied in his ru voice "There are terful families on the northern end of the island They had always been friendly, but a dispute arose over a property arrange irl from the other People from one family came to the Citadel and presented their cause to Ce'Nedra, and she issued a royal decree supporting theara surmised

Brand nodded "When he found out, he was furious There's no question that Ce'Nedra had overstepped her authority, but Garion revoked her decree in public"

"Oh, dear," Polgara said "So that's what all the bitterness was about I couldn't really get a straight answer out of either of them"

"They were probably a little too ashamed to admit it," Brand said "Each one had huh just to forgive and let it slide They kept wrangling at each other until the whole affair got completely out of hand There were times when I wanted to shake the idea" She laughed "Why didn't you write and tell arion told me not to," he replied helplessly

"Sometiara, but I can't do that"

"No, I suppose you couldn't"

She turned to look at Errand, as closely exalass, a crystal wren perched on a budding twig "Please don't touch it, Errand," she cautioned "It's fragile and very precious"

"Yes," he agreed, "I know" And to reassure her, he clasped his hands firmly behind his back

"Well" She turned back to Brand "I hope the foolishness is all past now I think we've restored peace to the royal house of Riva"

"I certainly hope so," Brand said with a tired smile "I would definitely like to see an occupant in the royal nursery"

"Thatsort of iara," he said seriously "We're all a bit nervous about the lack of an heir to the throne It's not onlyhave all written tofor Ce'Nedra to start having children"

"She's only nineteen, Brand"