"Books - David Eddings - Polgara the Sorceress" - читать интересную книгу автора (Eddings David)

ISBN 0 246 13844 0

Set in Postscript Palatino by
Rowland Phototypesetting Ltd,
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

Printed and bound in Australia by
Griffin Press, Adelaide

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may he
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted,
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior
permission of the publishers.

DEDICATION

And finally, after fifteen years, this book is dedicated to our
readers. It's been a long journey, hasn't it? It's been quite a
project for us, and your patience and enthusiasm have
helped us more than you can imagine. Thank you for your
fortitude, and we hope that what we've done pleases you.
Warmly,
David & Leigh Eddings


PROLOGUE


t

KAIL, THE RIVAN WARDER, objected strenuously when King
Belgarion told him that he and his queen planned to make the
journey to the northern end of the Vale of Aldur unattended, but
Garion uncharacteristically put his foot down. 'It's a family
gathering, Kail. Ce'Nedra and I don't need a cluster of servants underfoot.
They'd just be in the way.'
'But it's dangerous, your Majesty.'
'I rather doubt that anything'll turn up that I can't handle, old
friend,' Garion told him. 'We're going alone.' The Rivan Queen was
a bit startled by the firmness in Garion's voice.
Then there was the argument about fur. Queen Ce'Nedra was
Tolnedran by birth and Dryad by heritage. Those backgrounds were
both southern, and the notion of wearing animal skins made
Ce'Nedra's flesh creep. Garion, however, was at least partially
Alorn, and he'd traveled extensively in the north in the winter-time.
'You're going to wear fur, Ce'Nedra,' he adamantly told his tiny
wife, 'because if you don't, we aren't going anywhere until the
weather warms up.' Garion seldom delivered ultimatums to her,