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As they approached, the heavy door opened quietly, and Lord Morin, the brown-ed since Garion had last seen hi Emperor ritten clearly on his face

"Dear Morin," Ce'Nedra said, i her father's closest friend

"Little Ce'Nedra," he replied fondly "I' for you I think perhaps the fact you were co on to"

"Is he awake?"

Morin nodded "He dozes a great deal, but he's still alert most of the time"

Ce'Nedra drew herself up, squared her shoulders and carefully assuht," she said "Let's go in"

Ran Borune lay in a vast canopied bed beneath a gold-colored coverlet He had never been a large man, and his illness had wasted him down to a near-skeleton His coray, and his beak-like nose was pinched and rose from his drawn face like the prow of a ship His eyes were closed, and his thin chest seeled to breathe

"Father?" Ce'Nedra said so softly that her voice was hardly more than a whisper

The Emperor opened one eye "Well," he said testily, "I see that you finally got here"

"Nothing could have keptover the bed to kiss his withered cheek

"That's hardly encouraging," he grunted

"Now that I'ain"

"Don't patronize iven up entirely "

"What do they know? We Borunes are indestructible"

"Did so?" The Ehter's shoulder at his son-in-law "You're looking well, Garion," he said "And please don't waste your ti me hoell I look I look awful, don't I?"

"Moderately awful, yes," Garion replied

Ran Borune flashed hihter "Well, Ce'Nedra," he said pleasantly, "what shall we fight about today?"

"Fight? Who said ere going to fight?"

"We always fight I've been looking forward to it I haven't had a really good fight since you stole ions that day"

"Borrowed, father," she corrected primly, almost in spite of herself

"Is that what you call it?" He winked broadly at Garion "You should have been there," he chuckled "She goaded me into a fit and then pinchedat the an to chuckle, but his laughter turned into a tearing cough that left hi and so weak that he could not even raise his head He closed his eyes then and dozed for a while as Ce'Nedra hovered anxiously over him After a quarter of an hour or so, Lord Morin quietly entered with a small flask and a silver spoon "It's time for his medicine," he said softly to Ce'Nedra "I don't think it really helps very h the motions anyway"

"Is that you, Morin?" the E his eyes

"Yes, Ran Borune"

"Is there any word from Tol Rane yet?"