‘What a shame,’ Zakath said regretfully. ‘I was starting to enjoy this.’
Garion decided to ignore that.
As the two started back toward the stands to make the customary salute to the king, white-eyed Naradas came forward with an oily smile. ‘Congratulations, Sir Knights,’ he said. ‘You are men of great prowess and extraordinary skill. You have won the field and the laurels of the day. Mayhap you have heard of the great prize of honor and glory that is to be bestowed upon the champions of this field?’
‘No,’ Garion said flatly. ‘I can’t say that we have.’
‘You have contested this day for the honor of subduing a troublesome beast that betimes hath disturbed the peace of our fair kingdom.’
‘What kind of beast?’ Garion asked suspiciously.
‘Why, a dragon, of course, Sir Knight.’
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
‘HE’S TRICKED US again, hasn’t he?’ Beldin growled when they had returned to their quarters following the tourney. ‘White-eyes is beginning to irritate me just a bit. I think I’ll take some steps.’
‘Too noisy,’ Belgarath told him. ‘The people here are not entirely Mimbrate.’ He turned to Cyradis. ‘There’s a certain sound sorcery makes,’ he said.
‘Yes,’ she replied. ‘I know.’
‘Can you hear it?’
She nodded.
‘Are there other Dals here on the island who can hear it, as well?’
‘Yes, Ancient Belgarath.’
‘How about these counterfeit Mimbrates? They’re at least half Dal. Is it possible that some of them might be able to hear it, too?’
‘Entirely so.’
‘Grandfather,’ Garion said in a worried tone, ‘that means that half the people in Dal Perivor heard what I did to the lances.’
‘Not over the noise of the crowd, they didn’t.’
‘I didn’t know that would make a difference.’
‘Of course it does.’
‘Well,’ Silk said grimly, ‘I won’t use sorcery, and I can guarantee that there won’t be any noise.’
‘But there will be a certain amount of evidence, Kheldar,’ Sadi pointed out, ‘and since we’re the only strangers in the palace, there might be some embarrassing questions if they find Naradas with one of your daggers sticking out of his back. Why don’t you let me handle it? I can make things look much more natural.’
‘You’re talking about cold-blooded murder, Sadi,’ Durnik accused.
‘I appreciate your sensibilities, Goodman Durnik,’ the eunuch replied, ‘but Naradas has already tricked us twice and, each time he does, he delays us that much more. We have to get him out of the way.’
‘He’s right, Durnik,’ Belgarath said.
‘Zith?’ Velvet suggested to Sadi.
He shook his head. ‘She won’t leave her babies – not even for the pleasure of biting someone. I have a few other things that are just as effective. They’re not quite as fast perhaps, but they get the job done.’
‘Zakath and I still have to come up against Zandramas,’ Garion said glumly, ‘and this time we’ll have to do it alone – because of that stupid tournament.’
‘It won’t be Zandramas,’ Velvet told him. ‘Ce’Nedra and I spoke with some of the young ladies here at court while you two were out there being magnificent. They told us that this “fearsome beast” has been showing up from time to time for centuries now, and Zandramas has only been active for a dozen years, hasn’t she? I really think the dragon you’ll be fighting will be the real one.’
‘I’m not so sure, Liselle,’ Polgara disagreed. ‘Zandramas can take the form of that dragon at any time. If the real one is asleep in her lair, it could very well be Zandramas who’s been out there terrorizing the countryside this time – all as a part of the scheme to force a confrontation before we get to the place of the meeting.’
‘I’ll know which it is as soon as I get a look at it,’ Garion said.
‘How?’ Zakath asked him.
‘The first time we met, I cut off about four feet of her tail. If the one we run into out there has a stub tail, we’ll know it’s Zandramas.’
‘Do we really have to go to this celebration tonight?’ Beldin asked.
‘It’s expected, uncle,’ Aunt Pol told him.
‘But I haven’t got a single solitary thing to wear, don’t y’ know,’ he said rogueishly, lapsing back into Feldegast’s brogue.
‘We’ll take care of you, uncle,’ she said ominously.
The affair that evening had been weeks in the planning. It was the grand finale of the tournament, and it involved dancing – in which Garion and Zakath, still in armor, could not participate. It involved a banquet – which visored, they could not eat. And it involved a great many flowery toasts to ‘These mighty champions, who have lent luster to our remote isle by their presence here,’ as the nobles in the court of King Oldorin vied with one another to heap extravagant praise on Garion and Zakath.
‘How long is this likely to go on?’ Zakath muttered to Garion.
‘Hours.’
‘I was afraid you might say that. Here come the ladies.’
Polgara, flanked by Ce’Nedra and Velvet, entered the throne room almost as if she owned it. Cyradis, strangely – or perhaps not – was not with them. Polgara, as usual, was gowned in royal blue velvet trimmed with silver. She looked magnificent. Ce’Nedra wore a cream-colored gown much like her wedding dress, although the seed pearls which had adorned her nuptial gown were missing. Her wealth of coppery-colored hair spilled down in curls over one shoulder. Velvet was gowned in lavender satin. Any number of the young knights of Perivor – those who could still walk after the day’s entertainment – were hopelessly smitten by the sight of her.
‘Time for some obscure introductions, I think,’ Garion muttered to Zakath. Pleading the necessity for anonymity, the ladies had remained in their quarters since their arrival. Garion stepped forward and escorted them to the throne. ‘Your Majesty,’ he said to King Oldorin, bowing slightly, ‘though I may not, by reason of our need for concealment, tell thee in fulsome detail of their lands of origin, it would be discourteous of me – to both thee and to the ladies themselves – not to present them. I have the honor to present her Grace, the Duchess of Erat.’ That was safe. Nobody on this side of the world would have the faintest idea where Erat was.