The Seeress of Kell

guests rode up a few days later. Despite the fact that it was almost summer now, Yarblek still wore his shabby felt overcoat, his shaggy fur hat, and a disconsolate expression. Vella, the overwhelmingly sensual Nadrak dancer, wore her usual tight-fitting black leather.
    "What are you up to, Yarblek?" Belgarath asked Silk's partner.
    "This wasn't my idea, Belgarath. Vella insisted."
    "All right," Vella said in a commanding voice, "I haven't got all day. Let's get on with this. Get everybody out of the house. I want witnesses to this."
    "What exactly are we witnessing, Vella?" Ce'Nedra asked the dark-haired girl.
    "Yarblek's going to sell me."
    "Vella!" Ce'Nedra exclaimed, outraged. "That's revolting“
    "Oh, bother that," Vella snapped. Bother was not precisely the word Vella used. She looked around. "Are we all here?"
    "That's everybody," Belgarath told her.
    "Good." She slid down from her saddle and sat cross-legged on the grass. "Let's get down to business. You Beldin, or Feldegast, or whatever you want to call yourself one time back in Mallorea, you said you wanted to buy me. Were you serious?"
    Beldin blinked. "Well " he floundered. "I suppose I was, sort of."
    "I want a yes or a no, Beldin," she said crisply.
    "All right then, yes. You're not a bad-looking wench, and you curse and swear rather prettily."
    "Good. What are you prepared to offer for me?"
    Beldin choked, his face going suddenly red.
    "Don't dawdle, Beldin," she told him. "We haven't got all day for this. Make Yarblek an offer."
    “Are you serious?" Yarblek exclaimed.
    “I’ve never been more serious in my life. How much are you willing to pay for me, Beldin?"
    "Vella," Yarblek protested, "this is absolute nonsense."
    "Shut up, Yarblek. Well, Beldin? How much?"
    "Everything I own," he replied, his eyes filled with a kind of wonder.
    "That's a little unspecific. Give me a number. We can't haggle without a number,"
    Beldin scratched at his matted beard. "Belgarath," he said, “have you still got that diamond you found in Maragor that time before the Tolnedran invasion?”
    "I think so. It's somewhere in my tower, I believe."
    "So's half the clutter in the world."
    "It's in the bookcase on the south wall," Poledra supplied, "'behind that rat-chewed copy of the Darine Codex."
    "Really?" Belgarath said. "How did you know about that?"
    "Remember what Cyradis called me at Rheon?"
    "The woman who watches?"
    "Does that answer your question?"
    "Would you lend it to me?" Beldin asked his brother. "I suppose 'give' would be a better word. I doubt that I'll ever be in a position to repay you."
    "Certainly, Beldin," Belgarath said. "I wasn't really using it anyway.”
    "Could you get it for me?"
    Belgarath nodded, and then he concentrated, holding out his band.
    The diamond that suddenly appeared in his hand was almost like a chunk of ice, except that it had a definite pinkish cast to it.
    It was also somewhat larger than an apple.
    "Torak's teeth and toenails!" Yarblek exclaimed.
    "An" would th' two of ye, consumed with greed though ye may be, consider this triflin' thing a suitable price fer this beguilin' wench yer both so set on sellin'?" Beldin said, lapsing into Feldegast's brogue and pointing at the stone resting on Belgarath’s hand.
    "That's worth a hundred times more than has ever been paid for any woman since time began," Yarblek said in an awed tone.
    "Then that ought to be about the right price," Vella said triumphantly. "Yarblek, when you get back to Gar og Nadrak, I want you to spread that word around. I want every woman in the kingdom for the next hundred years to cry herself to sleep every night just thinking about the price I brought."
    "You're a cruel woman, Vella." Yarblek grinned.
    "It's a question of pride," she said, tossing her blue-black hair. "There, now, that didn't take too long at all, did it?" She rose to her feet and dusted off her hands. "Yarblek," she said, "have you got my ownership papers?"
    "Yes."
    "Get them and sign me over to my new owner."
    "We have to divide up the price first, Vella." He looked mournfully at the pink stone. "It's really going to be a shame to split that beauty," he said.
    "Keep it," she said indifferently. "I don't need it."
    "Are you sure?"
    "It's yours. Get those papers, Yarblek."
    "Are you really sure about all this, Vella?" he asked her again.
    “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life."
    "But he's so ugly sorry, Beldin, but it's the truth. Vella, what could possibly have made you