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"Dear Porenn," Polgara said, enfolding the careworn little Drasnian queen in her arms "We'd have been here sooner, but we encountered bad weather How's Rhodar?"

"A little weaker every day," Porenn replied with a kind of hopelessness in her voice "Even Kheva tires hi of Drasnia He's only six - to ascend the throne"

"Well, let's see e can do to delay that"

King Rhodar, however, looked even worse than Silk's assessment of his condition had led the of Drasnia as a fat, jolly y Noas listless, and his gray-hued skin hung on him in folds He could not rise; perhaps even more serious was the fact that he could not lie doithout his breath coasps His voice, which had once been powerful enough to wake a sleeping army, had become a puny, querulous wheeze He s when they entered, but after only a few ain

"I think I need to be alone with hiara told the rest of theed with Silk carried little hope for the ailing ed frorave

"Well?" Porenn asked, her eyes fearful

"I'll speak frankly," Polgara said "We've known each other too long fora bit easier and relieve sos that will make him more alert -for short periods of tily, probably only when there are some major decisions to be made"

"But you cannot cure hie of tears

"It's not a condition that's subject to cure, Porenn His body is just worn out I've told hi himself to death He's as heavy as three norned to carry that kind of weight He hasn't had any real exercise in the past several years, and his diet is absolutely the worst he could possibly have come up with"

"Could you use sorcery?" the Drasnian queen asked desperately

"Porenn, I'd have to rebuild hiht any reat tears welled up in Queen Porenn's eyes "How long?" she asked in a voice scarcely more than a whisper

" A few months -six at the most"