The Seeress of Kell

the girl to a comfortable chair.
    "I thank thee, Belgarion," she said. "Thou art as kind as thou art brave." She smiled, and it was like the sun coming up. She touched one hand to her hair. "Doth this really look so ugly?" she asked.
    "It's just fine, Cyradis," he told her. "Ce'Nedra sometimes exaggerates, and she has an absolute passion for making people over- me, usually."
    "And dost thou mind her efforts, Belgarion?"
    "I suppose not. I'd probably miss them if she didn't try, at least."
    "Thou art caught in the snare of love, King Belgarion. Thou art a mighty sorcerer, but methinks thy little queen hath a more powerful sorcery yet, for she holds thee in the palm of that tiny band."
    "That's true, I suppose, but I don't really mind all that much."
    "If this gets any more cloying, I think I'll throw up," Beldin said gruffly.
    And then Silk returned.
    "Anything?" Belgarath asked.
    "Naradas beat you to the library. I stopped by there, and the man in charge "
    "Librarian," Belgarath corrected absently.
    "Whatever. Anyway, he said that as soon as Naradas arrived, he ransacked the library.”
    "So that's it, then," Belgarath said. "Zandramas isn't on the island. She sent Naradas here to do her looking for her, it seems. Is be still looking?"
    "Apparently not."
    "That means he's found it, then."
    "And probably destroyed it to keep us from getting a look at ft," Beldin added.
    "Nay, gentle Beldin," Cyradis said. "The chart ye seek doth still exist, but it is not in the place where ye propose to seek.”
    "I don't suppose you could give us a few hints?" Belgarath asked her.
    “No-” She shook her head.
    "I didn't think so."
    "You said the chart," Beldin said, approaching the subject Obliquely. "Does that mean there's only one copy?"
    She nodded.
    The dwarf shrugged. "Oh, well," he said. "Looking for it gives us something to do while we're waiting for our two heroes there to go out and start denting other people's armor."
    "That brings up a point," Garion said. He looked at Zakath. "You're not particularly familiar with the lance, are you?"
    "Not really, no."
    "Tomorrow morning, then, we'll have to go someplace so that I can give you some instruction."
    "That seems like a sensible plan to me."
    The two of them arose early the following morning and left the palace on horseback. "I think we'd better go out of town," Garion said. "There's a practice field near the palace, but there'll be other knights there. I'm not trying to be offensive, but the first few passes are usually very awkward. We're supposed to be great knights, so let's not let anybody get the idea mat you're totally inept."
    "Thanks," Zakath said dryly.
    "Do you enjoy public embarrassment?"
    "Not really."
    "Let's do it my way, then."
    They rode out of the city and to a meadow a few miles away.
    "You've got two shields," Zakath noted. "Is that customary?"
    “The other one is for our opponent.”
    "Opponent?"
    "A stump or a tree probably. We need a target." Garion reined in. "Now," he began, "we're going to be involved in a formal tournament. The idea is not to kill anybody, since that's considered bad form. We'll probably be using blunted lances. That helps to keep down the fatalities."
    "But sometimes people do get killed, don't they?"
    "It's not unheard of. The whole purpose of a formal joust is to knock the other fellow off his horse. You ride at him and aim your lance at the center of his shield.”
    "And he does the same thing to me, I suppose."
    "Exactly."
    "It sounds painful."
    "It is. After a few passes, you'll probably be bruised from head to hip."
    "And they do this for entertainment?"
    "Not entirely. It's a form of competition. They do it to find out who's the best."
    "Now that I can understand."
    "I thought the notion might appeal to you."
    They buckled the spare shield to a springy lower limb of a cedar tree. "That's about the right height," Garion said. "I'll make the first couple of passes. Watch very closely. Then you can try."
    Garion had become quite proficient with the lance and he hit the shield squarely on both passes.
    "Why do you stand up at the last second?" Zakath asked him.
    "I wasn't actually standing so much as leaning forward. The idea is to brace your feet in the stirrups, lean forward, and hold your body rigid. That way the weight of the horse is added to your own."
    "Clever. Let me try it."
    Zakath completely missed the shield on his first attempt. "What did I do wrong?” he asked.
    "When you raised up and leaned forward, the