King of The Murgos

funny ideas." She looked speculatively at Eriond, her slim little hand softly touching his cheek. "How about this one? Does it belong to you, too?"
    Polgara came out of another one of their makeshift shelters. Her face was calm, although one of her eyebrows was raised. "Good morning, Xbel," she said. "You're up early."
    "I was hunting," the Dryad replied. "Does this blond one belong to you, Polgara? Ce'Nedra won't share that one of hers with me, but maybe—" Her hand lingeringly touched Eriond's soft curls.
    "No, Xbel," Polgara said firmly.
    Xbel sighed again. "None of you are any fun at all," she pouted. Then she stood up. She was as tiny as Ce'Nedra and as slender as a willow. "Oh," she said, "I almost forgot. Xantha says that I'm supposed to take you to her."
    "But you got sidetracked, didn't you?" Ce'Nedra added drily.
    "The day hasn't even got started yet." The Dryad shrugged.
    Then Belgarath and Silk came out into the open area around the cold fire pit; a moment later, Durnik and Toth joined them.
    "You have such a lot of them," Xbel murmured warmly. "Surely you can spare me one for just a little while."
    "What's this?" Silk asked curiously.
    "Never mind, Silk," Polgara told him. "Xantha wants to see us. Right after breakfast, Xbel here will show us the way—won't you, Xbel?"
    "I suppose so." Xbel sighed a bit petulantly. After their simple breakfast, the tawny-haired Dryad led them through the ancient Wood. Belgarath, leading his horse, walked beside her, and the two of them seemed deep in a conversation of some kind. Garion noticed that his grandfather furtively reached into his pocket from time to time and offered something to the slim Dryad—something she greedily snatched and popped into her mouth. "What's he giving her?" Velvet asked. "Sweets," Polgara said, sounding disgusted. "They're not good for her, but he always brings sweets with him when he conies into this Wood."
    "Oh," Velvet said, "I see." She pursed her lips. "Isn't she a bit young to be so—well—"
    Ce'Nedra laughed. "Appearances can be deceiving, Liselle. Xbel is quite a bit older than she looks.

    How old would you say?"
    "Two or three hundred years at least. She's the same age as her tree, and oak trees live for a very long time."
    Back in the forest, Garion heard giggles, whispers, and the faint tinkle of little golden bells; once in a while he caught a glimpse of a flitting patch of color as a Dryad scampered through the trees, her earrings jingling.
    Queen Xantha's tree was even more vast than Garion remembered it, its branches as broad as highways and the hollows in its bole opening like the mouths of caves. The Dryads in their brightly colored tunics bedecked the huge limbs like flowers, giggling and whispering and pointing at the visitors. Xbel led them into the broad, moss-covered clearing beneath the tree, put her fingers to her lips, and made a curiously birdlike whistle.
    Queen Xantha, with her red-haired daughter Xera at her side, emerged from one of the hollows in the vast trunk and greeted them as they dismounted. Ce'Nedra and Xera flew into each others' arms even as the queen and Polgara warmly embraced. Xantha's golden hair was touched with gray at the temples, and her gray-green eyes were tired. "Are you unwell, Xantha?" Polgara asked her. The queen sighed. "The time is growing close, that's all." She looked up affectionately at her enormous oak. "He's growing very tired, and his weight presses down upon his roots. He finds it harder and harder each spring to revive himself and put forth leaves."
    "Can I do anything?"
    "No, dearest Polgara. There's no pain—just a great weariness. I won't mind sleeping. Now, what brings you into our Wood?"
    "Someone has taken my baby," Ce'Nedra cried, flying into her aunt's arms.
    "What are you saying, child?"
    "It happened last summer, Xantha," Belgarath told her. "We're trying to find the trail of the one who stole him—a Mallorean named Zandramas. We think that the abductor sailed south aboard a Nyissan ship."
    Xbel was standing not far from the giant Toth, eyeing his awesomely muscled arms speculatively. "I saw one of the boats of the snake-people late last summer," she mentioned, not taking her eyes off the huge mute, "down where our river empties out into the big lake."
    "You never mentioned it Xbel," Xantha said.
    "I forgot. Is anybody really interested in what the snake-people do?"
    "Big lake?" Durnik said with a puzzled frown. "I don't remember any big lakes here in this