"The word I'm getting is that Asharak's in Tol Borune right now. It's probably fairly accurate, because the Murgo who let it slip tried to cover his mistake by having me waylaid on my way back here. That's all the confirmation we really need, isn't it?"
"Probably so, yes. I guess we'd better go to Tol Borune, then."
"Tonight, Belgarath. By morning that talkative Murgo's going to realize that his hired killers failed, and I don't want to be looking back over my shoulder every step of the way. Let's get a running head start, if we can."
It took us about four days to reach Tol Borune, since Silk insisted that we stay off the main highway. I thought that I knew most of the country lanes in all the Western Kingdoms, but my sharp-nosed little companion led me along roads I'd never even seen before. Just outside Tol Borune, he reined in and changed clothes.
"New identity," he explained.
"Word's probably reached Asharak by now that a fellow named Radek is looking for him."
"Who are you this time?"
"Ambar of Kotu. Ambar's a little less conspicuous than Radek, and they don't move in the same circles."
"How many of these mythical Drasnians have you got up your sleeve?"
"I've lost count. I'm partial to Radek and Ambar, though. I've spent more time with them, so I know them better. I dust off one of the others now and then, though--just to keep in practice."
"Is this what they teach you people at the academy?"
"They bring it up now and then, but I developed most of it on my own even before I went there. I was born for this work, Belgarath. Shall we press on?"
Since
"Ambar of Kotu" is a much shabbier-looking fellow than "Radek of Boktor" is, we took a room in one of the rundown quarters of Tol Borune, and Silk immediately took to the streets with assorted fictions to conceal his real purpose. He came back late that night with that pointed nose twitching.
"Something isn't right here, Belgarath," he told me.
"Oh?"
"Are you sure that Asharak knows that you're after him?"
"Oh, yes. I'm like the wrath of God at this point, and he knows that I'll hunt him down, no matter where he tries to hide."
"Then why isn't he hiding? I located him in about two hours. I'm good, but I don't think I'm that good."
I gave him a sharp look.
"Maybe we'd better go have a look at this fellow," I said.
"I think I know you well enough by now to trust your instincts. If you're getting a whiff of something that doesn't smell right, we'd probably better investigate."
He bowed with outrageous flamboyance.
"I live but to serve. Ancient One," he told me.
It was nearly midnight, and a raw wind was blowing through the deserted streets of Tol Borune as we went to the southern end of town where the Murgos usually gathered. Silk led me to a blocky sort of inn, and then we crept around to a bleary window made of cheap glass.
"That's the one they tell me is Asharak the Murgo," the little thief whispered, pointing at a scar-faced fellow sitting back in a corner.
The man looked like Chamdar, and I'll concede that the resemblance was almost uncanny, but when I sent out a carefully probing thought to make sure, my heart sank. The Murgo sitting in that corner was not Chamdar. I started to swear.
"What's the matter?" Silk whispered.
"That man's not the one I'm looking for."
"Belgarath, there are people in this town who know him, and they're all convinced that he's Asharak the Murgo."
"I'm sorry about that, but they're wrong. We've been chasing an imposter." I swore some more.
"We'd better get back to Tol Honeth. I want to fill Javelin in on this. The man everybody's been watching isn't Chamdar."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Chamdar's a Grolim. That fellow at the table's just an ordinary Murgo. The resemblance is very close, but that fellow's not the one we want to find." I thought about it as we returned to our lodgings. The startling discovery explained a lot of things. I'm ashamed to admit that I hadn't thought of it before. I should have known that something had made Chamdar so hard to keep track of. My brains must have been asleep.
"What gave that Murgo back there away?" Silk asked.
"His thoughts. I can recognize Chamdar's mind when I encounter it.
We're just wasting time here in Tol Borune. I want to be on the road to Tol Honeth when the sun comes up."
"Javelin's going to be very upset about this, you know. He's devoted a lot of time and money to watching this imposter."
"It's not his fault. It's probably mine. For all we know, there could be a half dozen or so of these imitation Asharaks knocking around here in the West. Chamdar's working for Ctuchik, and I'm sure that Ctuchik knows how to alter another man's features enough to lead us astray."
"What's Chamdar supposed to do?"
"He's looking for something. I've been trying to keep him from finding it."
"Oh? What's he looking for?"
"You don't need to know that, Silk. When we get back to Tol Honeth, I want you to go to Cherek."
"Cherek? At this time of year?"
"The time of year doesn't make any difference. You know Barak, don't you?"
"The Earl of Trellheim? Of course. He and I got drunk together at the last meeting of the Alorn Council. He's a bit of a braggart, but I sort of like him."
"Hold that thought. You two are going to be working together for quite a long time."
"How do you know that?"
I couldn't resist it.
"I have my sources." I threw his clever remark back into his own teeth.
"I want you to go to Trellheim and take Barak in hand. He'll never be a really competent spy, but he needs to know what's going on in the world. He's only nineteen, and he needs educating."
"I'll have to clear this with Javelin first."
"Forget about Javelin. I'll tell him what he needs to know. From now on, you're working for me. When I call you, I want you to come immediately, and when I tell you to do something, I want you to do it. No arguments. No questions. What we're involved in is the most important thing since the cracking of the world, and you're going to be in it up to your pointed nose."
"Well, now," he said. Then he gave me a shrewd look.
"It's finally come, then, hasn't it?"
"That it has, my young friend."
"Are we going to win?"
"We're certainly going to try."
When we got to Tol Honeth, Beldin was waiting for me at the Drasnian embassy.
"What are you doing here?" I demanded of him. I wasn't particularly gracious about it.
"You're in a sour mood," my brother noted.
"I got a nasty surprise a few days ago. Ctuchik's devised a way to make ordinary Murgos resemble Chamdar. I've been counting on Drasnian intelligence to keep an eye on him for me, but that was a mistake.
They've spent centuries watching the wrong people."
Beldin whistled.
"That's something we didn't expect. I told you that you ought to do your own work. You do realize that you've given Chamdar an absolutely free rein with this laziness of yours, don't you?"
"Don't beat it into the ground, Beldin. I blundered. It happens."
"You'd better hustle your behind back to Sendaria. Pol's out there all alone, and you haven't got the faintest idea of where Chamdar really is."
"Where is she?"
"I was just getting to that--it's why I'm here, actually. The twins called me back to the Vale and sent me out to find you. She left that house of hers at Erat last week."
"Where'd she go?"
"There's a village called Upper Gralt south of Erat. Pol's at the farm of a man named Faldor about ten leagues west of there. She's working in his kitchen, and she's got the baby there with her. You'd better get up there and warn her that Chamdar's on the loose."
"You're probably right," I agreed glumly.
"I've made a pretty thorough mess of things so far, haven't
I?"
"You haven't exactly covered yourself with glory. Is the Guide as good as the Mrin says he's going to be?"
"Close. I'll probably have to hone his edge a bit, though."
"Does he know what's really going on?"
"He's made some educated guesses that aren't too far off the mark."
"Are the rest of them in place?"
"I'm missing the Mother of the Race That Died, but I'm sure she'll turn up when we need her."
"Optimism's all well and good, Belgarath, but sometimes you carry it to extremes."
"Are you going back to the Vale?"
"No. I'd better get back to southern Cthol Murgos. Torak could be waking up at any time now, and somebody's got to keep an eye on him."
"Right, and I'll get on up to Sendaria."
"Have a nice trip."
I dusted off my storyteller's costume once again, and I left Tol Honeth as soon as the gates opened the following morning. I'd passed through the village of Upper Gralt a number of times over the years, so I knew exactly where it was.
My search for Chamdar had proved to be a serious waste of time, but it had led to the discovery of the ruse that had made it possible for him to elude me so many times. I suppose that counts for something. I didn't really worry too much about the fact that he'd escaped me. I was fairly certain that he'd show up again someday and that I'd be able to deal with him once and for all.
I put all that behind me, though, and I took the Imperial Highway north toward Sendaria and a place called Faldor's Farm.
EPILOGUE
Captain Greldik was swinishly drunk when the one-armed General Brendig and his men finally tracked him down to the waterfront dive in Camaar.
"Ho, Brendig!" Greldik bellowed.
"You'd better come over here and get started! I'm already a long way ahead of you!"
"What's the fastest way to sober him up?" Brendig asked the bulky sergeant standing just behind him.
"We could throw him in the bay, I suppose, sir. It's winter, and the water's pretty cold. That might work." The sergeant didn't sound very hopeful about it, though.
"Be sure you don't drown him."
"We'll be careful, sir."
The sergeant and his four Sendarian soldiers crossed the straw-covered floor of the tavern, picked Greldik up bodily, and carried him outside, ignoring his squirming and outraged howls of protest. Then they took him out to the end of the wharf, tied a rope to one of his legs, and threw him into the icy water.
Greldik was spluttering curses when he came to the surface. He still seemed fairly drunk to Brendig.
"Let him swim around for a while," he instructed the sergeant.
"Yes, sir." The sergeant was a veteran of the Battle of Thull Mardu, a solid, practical man who always seemed able to get things done, They let Greldik flounder around in the bay for about five minutes and then they unceremoniously hauled him out.
"What do you think you're doing, Brendig?" Greldik demanded. His lips were turning blue and his teeth were chattering.
"Getting your attention, Greldik," Brendig replied calmly.
"We'll be sailing for Riva in the morning, so I want you to be sober enough to hold the right course."
"And just why are we going to Riva?"
"Prince Hettar of Algaria brought some documents from Holy Belgarath to the palace in Sendar a few days ago. We have to take them to King Belgarion."
"Couldn't you find a ship in the harbor at Sendar?"
"Prince Hettar told me that Belgarath specifically asked for you. I can't for the life of me think why, but he seems to believe that you're dependable."
Greldik was shivering violently.
"Can we go back inside?" he asked.
"It seems a little chilly tonight." Water was dripping out of his beard.
"All right," Brendig agreed, "but no more drinking."
"You've got a cruel streak in you, Brendig," Greldik accused.
"So I've been told, yes."
It took most of the rest of the night to round up Greldik's sailors, and they all seemed to be as drunk as their captain had been.
The ship was battered and none too clean. The sails were patched and frayed, but General Brendig judged that she was sound. She was a Cherek war-boat, but she had been modified slightly to carry cargo.
Brendig had a few suspicions about just where and how Greldik obtained those cargoes; piracy was second nature to Chereks, he'd observed. The crew wasn't particularly spritely that morning, but they managed to row out beyond the breakwater and then they set the sails. Greldik himself, red-eyed and trembling, stood at the tiller. He held his course, despite the fact that they were sailing almost into the teeth of a howling gale.
General Brendig was a Sendar, so he admired professionalism, and he was forced to admit that, despite his bad habits, Captain Greldik might just be the finest sailor in the world. A Sendarian sea captain wouldn't have ventured out of port in this kind of weather, but Greldik had a tendency to ignore the elements.
They'd been three days at sea when they raised the port at Riva.
Greldik smoothly brought his battered ship up to one of the wharves. The instructions he gave his crew were couched in language that made even the professional soldier Brendig turn pale. Then the two of them crossed to the wharf and made their way up the steep stairs that mounted through the city to the fortress that was the home of the Rivan King.
No one approaches Riva without being observed, so, despite the weather, King Belgarion and his tiny Queen, Ce'Nedra, were waiting in the shallow square before the great hall.
"Brendig!" Ce'nedra squealed delightedly, rushing forward to embrace her old friend.
"You're looking well, your Majesty," he replied, wrapping his single arm about her shoulders.
"Brendig, can't you ever smile?"
"I am smiling, your Majesty," he said with an absolutely straight face.
"Hello, Garion," the bearded Greldik said to the Rivan King. Captain Greldik was probably the least formal of all men. He never used titles when speaking to anyone.
"Greldik," Garion responded as they shook hands.
"You look older."
"I hope so. If I went the other way, people might begin to suspect things. What brings you to Riva at this time of year?"
"Brendig here," Greldik replied, giving the Sendarian general a hard look.
"He rooted me out of a perfectly comfortable tavern in Camaar, threw me into the bay, and then insisted that I bring him here to Riva.
Brendig's just a little too used to giving orders. If he'd been civil enough to get drunk with me, I'd probably have agreed to bring him here without his giving me my annual bath."
"Captain Greldik!" Ce'Nedra said sharply.
"Are you sober?"
"More or less," Greldik replied with a shrug.
"It was a little stormy out there, so I sort of had to pay attention to what I was doing. I see that you've filled out a bit, girl. You look better. You were kind of scrawny before."
The Rivan Queen actually blushed. The blunt-spoken Greldik always seemed to catch her off guard. Free as a bird, Greldik usually said exactly what was on his mind with no regard for propriety or even common courtesy.
"What was so important to make you venture out into the Sea of the Winds in the dead of winter, General?" Garion asked the Sendarian soldier.
"Prince Hettar brought a package of documents to the palace at Sendar, your Majesty," Brendig replied.
"They're from Holy Belgarath, and he wanted them delivered to you immediately. There are a couple of letters, as well."
"Well, finally!" Ce'Nedra said.
"I thought it was going to take that old dear forever to finish up! He's been at it for almost a year now!"
"Is it really all that important, your Majesty?" Brendig asked Garion.
"It's a history book, General," Garion replied.
"A history book?" Brendig seemed startled.
"It has a certain special meaning for our family. M
y wife's been particularly interested in it, for some reason. Of course, she's Tolnedran, and you know how they are. Let's go inside out of the weather."
"Tell me, Garion," Greldik said as they crossed the square to the broad gateway to the Rivan Citadel, "do you think you might possibly have something to drink lying around somewhere?"
Belgarion of Riva, Godslayer and Overlord of the West, read the last page of his grandfather's text with a certain awe and a kind of wonder as his entire perception of the world subtly shifted. So much had happened that he hadn't known about. The meaning of events that had passed almost unnoticed suddenly came sharply into focus as he reflected on what he had just read. He remembered any number of conversations with Belgarath during which he and his grandfather had discussed the "possible" and the "impossible," and now the true meaning of these seemingly casual discussions became clear. Belgarath may have taken the world in his hands and shaken it to its foundations, but he was first and foremost a teacher.
Garion was ruefully forced to concede that he hadn't really been a very good pupil. Belgarath had patiently told him time and again what was really happening, and he'd totally missed the point.
"Maybe I'd better pay a little more attention to my studies," he muttered, half aloud, looking up at the shelves filled with books and scrolls that lined the walls of his cramped little study.
"And I think that maybe I'm going to need a little more room," he added. The image of Belgarath's tower suddenly came to him, and it seemed so perfectly right that it filled him with a kind of yearning. He needed a private place where he could come to grips with what he'd just learned. There was an unused tower on the west side of the Citadel. It was cold and drafty, of course, but it wouldn't take much to make it habitable--a little mortar to fill the chinks in the walls, decent glass in the windows, and a bit of repair to the fireplace was about all.
Then he sighed. It was an impossible dream. He had a wife and family, and he had a kingdom to rule. The scholarly life simply wasn't available to him as it had been to Aldur's first disciple, and Garion was forced to admit that he wasn't that good a scholar in the first place. Of course, with a little time--a few centuries at most-That thought brought him up short. The text he had just read had casually dismissed time. To Belgarath the Sorcerer centuries meant no more than years to normal men. He'd spent forty-five years studying grass and the Gods only knew how much time trying to discover the reason for mountains. Garion realized that he didn't even know what questions to ask, much less how to go about finding the answers. He did know, however, that the first question was,
Rivan Codex Series Page 81
