The Seeress of Kell

ancestors soon perceived that this was the grossest injustice, since the serfs were kinsmen by marriage." The baron frowned slightly. "Doth this civil discord thou spake of truly mar our ancestral homeland to any great extent?"
    Garion sighed. "We have some small expectation that it may abate, my Lord. Three great duchies warred with each other for centuries until one Mimbre finally achieved nominal mastery. Rebellion lurked ever beneath the surface, however. Moreover, the barons of southern Arendia make bloody war upon each other for the most trivial of reasons.”
    "War? Truly? Such affairs arise here on Perivor, as well, but we have attempted to formalize the conflict to such degree that few are ever slain."
    "How meanst thou 'formalize,' my Lord?"
    "Such disputes as arise are- except in cases of outrage or gravest insult customarily settled by tourneys." The baron smiled. "Indeed, I have known of a number of disputes that were counterfeited by the mutual contrivance of the principals merely as an excuse to hold such tourneys which do entertain nobles and commons alike."
    "How very civilized, my Lord," Zakath said.
    The strain of phrasing such involuted sentences was beginning to wear on Garion. He asked the baron to excuse him, pleading the need to confer with his companions, and rode back to talk with Belgarath and the others.
    “How are you and the baron getting along?” Silk asked him.
    "Quite well, actually. The intermarriage with the Dals has altered certain of the more irritating Arendish tendencies."
    "Such as?"
    "Gross stupidity for one thing. They've abolished serfdom, and they usually settle disputes with tournaments rather than open war." Garion looked at the dozing Belgarath. "Grandfather."
    Belgarath opened his eyes.
    "Do you think We’ve managed to get here ahead of Zandramas?"
    "There's no way to know for sure."
    "I could use the Orb again."
    "It's probably better if you don't just yet. If she's on the island, there's no way to know where she landed. She may not have come this way, so the Orb wouldn't react to her trail. I'm sure she can feel it, though, and about all we'd succeed in doing would be to let her know we're here. Besides, the Sardion is in this part of the world. Let's not wake it up just yet.”
    "You might ask your friend the baron," Silk suggested. "If she's here, he might have heard something about her."
    "I doubt it," Belgarath said. "In the past she's usually gone to a great deal of trouble to remain unobserved."
    "That's true," Silk conceded, "and I mink she'll go to even more trouble now. She might have some difficulty trying to explain those lights under her skin.”
    "Let's wait until we get to Dal Perivor," Belgarath decided. "I want to sort things out there before we do anything irrevocable."
    "Do you suppose it would do any good to ask Cyradis?" Garion asked quietly, glancing back at the Seeress, who rode in the splendid carriage the baron had provided for the ladies.
    "No," Belgarath said. "She won't be permitted to answer us."
    "I think we might have a certain advantage in all this," Silk observed. "Cyradis is the one who's going to make the choice, and the fact that she's traveling with us instead of with Zandramas bodes rather well, wouldn't you say?"
    "I don't think so," Garion disagreed. "I don't think she's traveling with us so much as she's here to keep an eye on Zakath. He has something very important to do, and she doesn't want him to stray."
    Silk grunted. "Where do you propose to start looking for this map you're supposed to find?" he asked Belgarath.
    "A library probably," the old man replied. "This map is another one of those 'mysteries,' and I’ve had a fair degree of luck finding the others in libraries. Garion, see if you can persuade the baron to take us to the king's court in Dal Perivor. Palace libraries are usually the most complete."
    "Of course," Garion agreed.
    "I want to take a look at this wizard anyway. Silk, do you have an office in Dal Perivor?"
    "I'm afraid not, Belgarath. There's nothing here worth trading in."
    "Well, no matter. You're a businessman, and there'll be others in the city. Go talk business with them. Tell them you want to check over shipping routes. Look at every map you can lay your hands on. You know what we're looking for."
    ""You're cheating, Belgarath," Beldin growled.
    "How do you mean?"
    "Cyradis told you that you were supposed to find the map."
    "I'm only delegating responsibility, Beldin. It's perfectly