Sorceress of Darshiva

urgently. "The stable doors are open! Get the horses inside!"
    They swung out of their saddles and quickly led their mounts into a cavernlike stable. Then they pushed the doors and dashed across the yard to the house. " Did you check the village for people?"
    Belgarath asked hunchbacked sorcerer as they entered. 'There's nobody here," Beldin told him, "unless there's another bureaucrat hiding in a cellar somewhere."
    'The banging sound outside grew louder until it became a steady mar. Garion looked out the door. Great chunks of ice were streaking out of the sky and smashing themselves to bits on the cobblestones. The chill grew more intense moment by moment. "I think we made it just in time," he said.
    "Close the door, Garion," Polgara told him, "and let's get a fire going."
    The room into which they had come showed signs of a hasty departure. The table and the chairs had been overturned, and there were broken dishes on the floor. Durnik looked around and picked up a stub of candle from the corner. He righted the table, set the candle on a piece of broken plate, and reached for his flint, steel, and tinder.
    Toth went to the window and opened it. Then he reached out, pulled the shutters closed, and latched them.
    Durnik's candle guttered a bit, then its flame grew steady, casting a golden glow through the room. The smith went to the fireplace. Despite the litter on the floor and the disarray of the furniture, the room was pleasant. The walls had been whitewashed, and the overhead beams were dark and had been neatly adzed square. The fireplace was large and it had an arched opening. A number of pothooks jutted from its back wall, and a pile of firewood was neatly stacked beside it. It was a friendly kind of place.
    "All right, gentlemen," Polgara said to them. "Let's not just stand there. The furniture needs to be put right, and the floor needs to be swept. We'll need more candles, and I'll want to check the sleeping quarters."
    The fire Durnik had built was catching hold. He gave it a critical look; satisfied, he rose to his feet. "I'd better see to the horses," he said. "Do you want the packs in here, Pol?"
    "Just the food and the cooking things for now, dear. But don't you think you should wait until the hail lets up?"
    "There's a sort of covered walkway along the side of the house," he replied. "I'd guess that the people who built the place knew about this sort of weather." He went out with Toth and Eriond close behind him.
    Garion crossed the room to where Velvet sat on a rude bench with her hand laid protectively over her right shoulder. Her face was pale, and her brow was dewed with sweat.
    "Are you all right?" he asked her.
    "It surprised me, that's all," she replied. "It's nice of to ask, though."
    "Nice my foot!" He was suddenly angry. "You're like a sister to me, Liselle, and if you let yourself get hurt, I'll take it as a personal insult."
    "Yes, your Majesty," she said, her smile suddenly lighting up the room.
    "Don't play with me, Velvet. Don't try to be brave. If you're hurt, say so."
    "It's only a little bruise, Belgarion," she protested. Her large brown eyes conveyed a world of sincerity, mostly feigned.
    "I'll spank you," he threatened.
    "Now, that's an interesting notion." She laughed.
    He didn't even think about it. He simply leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead.
    She looked a little surprised. "Why, your majesty," she said in mock alarm. "What if Ce'Nedra had seen you do that?"
    "Ce'Nedra can cope with it. She loves you as much as I do. I'll have Aunt Pol look at that shoulder."
    "It's really fine, Belgarion."
    "Do you want to argue about that with Aunt Pol?"
    She thought about it. "No," she said, "I don't really so. Why don't you send Kheldar over to hold my hand?"
    "Anything else?"
    "You could kiss me again, if you'd like."
    With a certain clinical detachment, Polgara opened the top of Velvet's gray dress and carefully examined the large purple bruise on the blond girl's shoulder. Velvet blushed modestly covered her more salient features.
    " I don't think anything's broken," Polgara said, gently probing the bruised shoulder. "It's going to be very painful, though"
    "I noticed that almost immediately," Velvet said, wincing.
    "A1I right, Sadi," Polgara said briskly, "I need a good analgesic. What would you suggest?"
    " I have oret, Lady Polgara," the eunuch answered.
    She thought about it. "No," she said. "Oret would incapacitate her for the next two days. Do you have any miseth?"
    He