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Brand looked at hi now, Belgarion," he said "Let's go up and meet your son" Garion bent and carefully picked up an armload of wood

"For the fire" he explained "Ce'Nedra wants a nice fire"

"She'll be very proud of you, Belgarion," Brand assured him

When they reached the royal bedchamber, Garion carefully put his armload of wood on the polished table by theand approached the bed on tiptoe

Ce'Nedra looked very tired and wan, but there was, nonetheless, a contented little smile on her face Nestled beside her in a soft blanket was a very small person The newcomer had a red face and almost no hair He seemed to be asleep, but as Garion approached, his eyes opened Gravely, the crown prince looked at his father, then sighed, burped, and went back to sleep

"Oh, isn't he just beautiful, Garion?" Ce'Nedra said in a wondering little voice

"Yes," Garion replied with a great lu up into his throat "And so are you" He knelt beside the bed and put his arara said from the other side of the bed "You both did just fine"

The following day Garion and his newborn son went through a very ancient cereown, he carried the baby to the Hall of the Rivan King, where the nobles of the island kingdom awaited them As the three of the on the poreat shiht Almost bemused, Garion approached his throne "This is , but also, in a peculiar way, to the Orb itself The choice of his son's nah he could not remember his father, Garion had wanted to honor hiive his son his father's naara, reached up, and took down the great sword Holding it by the blade, he extended it toward the blanket-wrapped infant in Polgara's arhter And then, as if attracted by that light, Geran stretched forth his tiny pink hand and put it on the glowing jewel A great aura of ht burst fro the three of the rainbow that illuminated the entire Hall A vast chorus filled Garion's ears, rising to an enormous chord that seemed to shake the whole world

"Hail Geran!" Brand boorip and keeper of the Orb of Aldur!"

"Hail Geran!" the throng echoed in a thunderous shout

"Hail Geran," the dry voice in Garion'sShe did not need to speak, since the look in her eyes said everything that needed saying

Although it inter and the Sea of the Winds was lashed by stors all journeyed to Riva to celebrate the birth of Geran Many others, friends and old acquaintances, joined with Anheg, Cho-Hag, and Queen Porenn on the journey to Riva Barak was there, of course, accompanied by his wife Merel Hettar and Adara arrived