“Isn't it easier to forgive than to hate?
-Eriond”
“Belgarath turned back to Senji. “All right,” he said. “The Sardion came to Zamad. How?”
“It’s said to have fallen out of the sky.”
“They always do,” Beldin said. “Someday I’d like to see something rise up out of the earth –just for the sake of variety.”
“Nothing that's really worthwhile should be easy, Belgarion. If it's easy, we don't value it...
--Eriond”
“Garion,' she said very calmly, 'the universe knew your name before that moon up there was spun out of the emptiness. Whole constellations have been waiting for you since the beginning of time.'
I didn't want them to, Aunt Pol.'
There are those of us who aren't given that option, Garion. There are things that gave to be done and certain people who have to do them. It's as simple as that.'
He smiled rather sadly at her flawless face and gently touched the snowy white lock at her brow. Then, for the last time in his life, he asked the question that had been on his lips since he was a tiny boy. 'Why me, Aunt Pol? Why me?'
Can you possibly think of anyone else you'd trust to deal with these matters, Garion?'
He had not really been prepared for that question. It came at him in stark simplicity. Now at last he fully understood. 'No,' he sighed, 'I suppose not. Somehow it seems a little unfair, though. I wasn't even consulted.'
Neither was I, Garion,' she answered. 'But we didn't have to be consulted, did we? The knowledge of what we have to do is born into us.”
“I was reading an old text on the exploits of Belgarath the Sorcerer, and I –“ Senji stopped, going very pale, turned, and gaped at Garion’s grandfather.
“It’s a terrible letdown, isn’t it?” Beldin said. “We always told him he ought to try to look more impressive.”
“You’re in no position to talk,” the old man said.
“You’re the one with the earthshaking reputation.” Beldin shrugged. “I’m just a flunky. I’m along for comic relief.”
“You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you, Beldin?”
“I haven’t had so much fun in years. Wait until I tell Pol.”
“You keep your mouth shut, you hear me?”
“Yes, O mighty Belgarath,” Beldin said mockingly.”
“...If there's a noise in the woods, and there's nobody around to hear it, is it really a noise?"
"Of course it is," she replied calmly.
"How did you reach that conclusion?" Beldin demanded.
"Because there's no such thing as an empty place, uncle. There are always creatures around --wild animals, mice, insects, birds --and they can all hear."
"But what if there weren't? What if the woods are truly empty?"
"Why waste your time talking about an impossibility?”
“Zakath stared at the floor. 'I suddenly feel very helpless,' he admitted, 'and I don't like the feeling. I've been rather effectively dethroned, you know. This morning I was the Emperor of the largest nation on earth; this afternoon, I'm going to be a vagabond.'
You might find it refreshing,' Silk told him lightly.
Shut up, Kheldar,' Zakath said almost absently. He looked back at Polgara. 'You know something rather peculiar?'
What's that?'
Even if I hadn't given my word, I'd still have to go to Kell. It's almost like a compulsion. I feel as if I'm being driven, and my driver is a blindfolded girl who's hardly more than a child.'
There are rewards,' she told him.
Such as what?'
Who knows? Happiness, perhaps.'
He laughed ironically. 'Happiness has never been a driving ambition of mine, Lady Polgara, not for a long time now.'
You may have to accept it anyway,' She smiled. 'We aren't allowed to choose our rewards any more than we are our tasks. Those decisions are made for us.”
“...it's as empty as a merchant's soul. Sorry, Kheldar, it's just an old expression."
"That's all right, Beldin," Silk forgave him grandly. "These little slips of the tongue are common in the very elderly.”
“...I can't abide snakes."
"I don't even think of her as a snake."
"Ce'Nedra," he said patiently, "she's long and skinny, she wriggles, she doesn't have any arms or legs, and she's poisonous. By definition, she's a snake."
"...I'm bitterly disappointed in you, Prince Kheldar. She's a sweet, loving, brave little creature, and you're insulting her." He looked at her for a moment, then rose to his feet and bowed floridly to the earthenware bottle. "I'm dreadfully sorry, dear Zith," he apologized. "I can't think what came over me. Can you possible find it in your cold little green heart to forgive me?"
Zith hissed at him, a hiss ending in a curious grunt.
"She says to leave her alone," Sadi told him.
"Can you really understand what she's saying?"
"In a general sort of way, yes. Snakes have a very limited vocabulary, so it's not all that difficult to pick up a few phrases here and there." The eunuch frowned. "She's been swearing a great deal lately, though, and that's not like her. She's usually a very ladylike little snake."
"I can't believe I'm actually involved in this conversation," Silk said, shaking his head and going off down the hall toward the back of the house.”
“There was a sudden, shocking sound that echoed through Garion's head like an explosion.
"What was that?" Zakath exclaimed.
"You heard it, too?" Garion was amazed. "You shouldn't have been able to hear it!"
"It shook the earth, Garion. Look there." Zakath pointed off toward the north where a huge pillar of fire was soaring up toward the murky, starless sky. "What is it?"
"Aunt Pol did something. She's never that clumsy..."
Belgarath and Beldin were both pale and shaken, and even Durnik seemed awed.
"She hasn't done anything that noisy since she was about sixteen," Beldin said,m blinking in astonishment. He looked suspiciously at Durnik. "Have you gone and got her pregnant?”
“Belgarath and Garion effortlessly hurdled over the driftwood and loped off into the fog. "It's going to be a wet day," Garion noted soundlessly as he ran alongside the great silver wolf.
"Your fur won't melt."
"I know, but my paws get cold when they're wet."
"I'll have Durnik make you some little booties."
"That would be absolutely ridiculous, Grandfather," Garion said indignantly.”
“Ce'Nedra returned, frowning and a little angry. "They won't give me their eggs, Lady Polgara," she complained. "They're sitting one them."
"You have to reach under them and take the eggs, dear."
"Won't that make them angry?"
"Are you afraid of a chicken?”
“The Hierarch of Rak Urga drew himself up. “This is not a request, Urgit. I’m not asking you.”
“Good. Because I’m not going.”
“I command you to go.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Do you realize to whom you’re talking?”
“Perfectly, old boy. You’re the same tiresome old Grolim who’s been boring me to tears ever since I inherited the throne from that fellow who used to chew on the carpets back in Rak Goska. Listen carefully, Agachak. I’ll use short words and simple sentences so I don’t confuse you. I am not going to Mallorea. I’ve never had any intention of going to Mallorea. There’s nothing I want to see in Mallorea. There’s nothing I want to do there. I most definitely do not intend to put myself anywhere near Kal Zakath, and he’s gone back to Mal Zeth. Not only that, they have demons in Mallorea. Have you ever seen a demon, Agachak?”
“Once or twice,” the Hierarch replied sullenly.
“Are you’re still going to Mallorea? Agachak, you’re as crazy as Taur Urgas was.”
“Your extensive travels must have been fatiguing," Zakath said in that same flat tone, "particularly for the ladies. I'll see to it that your return journey to Mal Zeth is made in easy stages."
"Your Majesty is very kind, but we're not going back to Mal Zeth."
"You're wrong, Belgarion. You are going back to Mal Zeth."
"Sorry, I've got a pressing engagement elsewhere."
"I'll convey your regrets to Zandramas when I see her."
"I'm sure she'd be overjoyed to hear that I'm not coming."
"Not for very long, she won't. I fully intent to have her burned as a witch."
"Good luck, your Majesty, but I don't think you'll find that she's very combustible.”
“I'd really like to go with you, Agachak. Truly I would...but I just can't."
"I don't understand. Why not?"
"I'm not allowed to leave home. My mother'd punish me something awful if I did..."
"But you're the king."
"That doesn't change a thing. I still do what mother says. She tells everybody that I'm the best boy ever when it comes to that."
Agachak resisted a powerful urge to change this half-wit into a toad or perhaps a jellyfish.”
“Who owns a man, Durnik?” the blond young man asked sadly. “The one who rules him, or the one who pays him?”
“Isn't it easier to forgive than to hate? Until we learn how to forgive, that sort of thing is going to keep on happening." He pointed at the tall pillars of smoke rising to the north. "Hate is a sterile thing, Belgarion.”
“The policeman recognized me, but I suppose that’s only natural. Silk was going to kill him, but I said no.”
“Why?” Beldin asked bluntly.
“We were in the middle of a busy street for one thing. Killing somebody’s the sort of thing you ought to do in private, wouldn’t you say?”
“Now what?” Urgit warily asked his bride-to-be.
“Am I disturbing your Majesty?” Prala asked.
“…You always disturb me, my beloved,” he answered her question, spreading his arms extravagantly.”
“If you can’t do something about a situation, there’s no point in worrying about it.”
“We was doing a lot of what our officers called “maneuvering”—which is officer talk for running”
“But still, you know how it is when you’re missing a loved one. You try to turn every stranger into the person you were hoping for. You hear a certain piece of music and right away you tell yourself that he could have changed his clothing style, could have gained a ton of weight, could have acquired a car and then parked that car in front of another family’s house. “It’s him!” you say. “He came! We knew he would; we always …” But then you hear how pathetic you sound, and your words trail off into silence, and your heart breaks.”
“Suddenly something touches my shoulder. I spin around to find a dark shape standing right next to me. For a moment, I'm filled with a sense of panic, but then the figure steps even closer and I realize, with shock, that it's Nurse Winter. She's wearing nothing but a pair of white briefs, and she smiles as she puts her arms around my shoulders. I glance back over at her window, but there's no sign of her now. How the hell did she get over to my room so fast? I turn back to her as she pushes her bare breasts against my chest, presses her crotch against my erect penis, and starts to kiss me. It's”
“They grew and changed their brain just by thinking. With the proper mental effort, the brain does not know the difference between mental or physical effort. Sheila’s”
“Whoever saves one life, saves a world entire.” —Talmud”
“I’d learned from my mother that when someone gives you a subjective compliment—meaning one that can’t be disproven and is based on opinion—but that you find to be completely false, rather than argue, it’s much better to just say thank you, or I appreciate that and strive to be that compliment.
Fools fight compliments, she’d said, and sometimes other people see you better than you can see yourself.”
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