Pawn of Prophecy

you know what happens, King Rhodar signalled to his queen.
    Of course, Porenn gestured back. Her face was placid, but the snap of her fingers betrayed her irritability.
    Calmly, child, Rhodar's fingers told her. We're guests here and have to obey local customs.
    Whatever my Lord commands, she replied with a tilt of her hands that spoke whole volumes of sarcasm.
    With Hettar's help, King Cho-Hag managed the stairs although his progress was painfully slow. "I apologize for this," he puffed, stopping halfway to catch his breath. "It's as tiresome for me as it is for you."
    King Anheg posted guards at the foot of the stairs, then came up and closed the heavy door behind him. "Light the fire, cousin," he said to Barak. "We might as well be comfortable."
    Barak nodded and put a torch to the wood in the fireplace.
    The chamber was round and not too spacious, but there was adequate room for them all and chairs and benches to sit on.
    Mister Wolf stood at one of the windows, looking down at the twinkling lights of Val Alorn below. "I've always been fond of towers," he said, almost to himself. "My Master lived in one like this, and I enjoyed the time I spent there."
    "I'd give my life to have known Aldur," Cho-Hag said softly. "Was he really surrounded by light as some say?"
    "He seemed quite ordinary to me," Mister Wolf said. "I lived with him for five years before I even knew who he was."
    "Was he really as wise as we're told?" Anheg asked.
    "Probably wiser," Wolf said. "I was a wild and errant boy when he found me dying in a snowstorm outside his tower. He managed to tame me - though it took him several hundred years to do it." He turned from the window with a deep sigh. "To work then," he said.
    "Where will you go to take up the search?" King Fulrach asked.
    "Camaar," Wolf said. "I found the trail there, I think it led down into Arendia."
    "We'll send warriors with you," Anheg said. "After what happened here, it looks like the Grolims may try to stop you."
    "No, Wolf said firmly. "Warriors are useless in dealing with the Grolims. I can't move with an army underfoot, and I won't have time to explain to the King of Arendia why I'm invading his kingdom with a horde of troops at my back. It takes even longer to explain things to Arends than it does to Alorns - impossible as that sounds."
    "Don't be uncivil, Father," Aunt Pol said. "It's their world too, and they're concerned."
    "you wouldn't necessarily need an army, Belgarath," King Rhodar said, "but wouldn't it be prudent to take along a few good men?"
    There's very little that Polgara and I can't deal with by ourselves," Wolf said, "and Silk, Barak and Durnik are along to deal with the more mundane problems. The smaller our group, the less attention we'll attract." He turned to Cho-Hag. "As long as we're on the subject, though, I'd like to have your son with us. We're likely to need his rather specialized talents."
    "Impossible," Hettar said flatly. "I have to remain with my father."
    "No, Hettar," Cho-Hag said. "I don't intend for you to live out your life as a cripple's legs."
    "I've never felt any restriction in serving you, Father," Hettar said. "There are plenty of others with the same talents I have. Let the Ancient One choose another."
    "How many other Sha-Darim are there among the Algars?" Mister Wolf asked gravely?
    Hettar looked at him sharply as if trying to tell him something with his eyes.
    King Cho-Hag drew his breath sharply. "Hettar," he asked, "is this true?"
    Hettar shrugged. "It may be, Father," he said. "I didn't think it was important."
    Cho-Hag looked at Mister Wolf.
    Wolf nodded. "It's true," he said. "I knew it the first time I saw him. He's a Sha-Dar. He had to find out for himself, though."
    Cho-Hag's eyes suddenly brimmed with tears. "My son!" he said proudly, pulling Hettar into a rough embrace.
    "It's no great thing, Father," Hettar said quietly, as if suddenly embarrassed.
    "What are they talking about? Garion whispered to Silk.
    "It's something the Algars take very seriously," Silk said softly. "They think that there are some people who can talk to horses with their thoughts alone. They call these people the Sha-Darim - Clan-Chiefs of the horses. It's very rare - maybe only two or three in a whole generation. It's instant nobility for any Algar who has it. Cho-Hag's going to explode with pride when he gets back to Algaria."
    "Is it that important?" Garion asked.
    Silk shrugged. "The Algars seem to think so," he said. "All the clans gather at