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can't for the life of me imagine anything sufficiently awful
to frighten Kheldar. I think I'd better investigate.
I've underestimated Varana. He's almost as foxy as Ran
Borune was. He has concluded a secret agreement with
King Korodullin, and the Mimbrate Knights have been
unleashed upon the 'Kingdom of Vordue'. Varana
steadfastly withholds the legions, piously proclaiming that he
will not commit them against their own countrymen. The
Mimbrates are tearing up Vordue, and it will only be a
matter of time before the Vorduvians will be forced to
appeal to the Imperial Throne for protection. Varana will
thus crush their rebellion without so much as dirtying his
hands. Absolutely brilliant!
5385
KiNG DROSTA LEK THUN, the scabby monarch
of Gar og Nadrak, has expropriated the holdings
of Prince Kheldar and Yarblek. Kheldar, who
was in the Vale of Aldur consulting with Belgarath and
Polgara about what he saw in Dalasia, is positively livid
with rage. I hold no particular brief for Drosta's
highhanded banditry, but I do take a certain amount of
pleasure at Kheldar's discomfort. The little thief was growing
a bit too high and mighty for my taste. Eriven a bit wild
by Drosta's open theft, Kheldar has forwarded a formal
declaration of war to the palace at Yar Nadrak. How can a
private citizen declare war on an entire kingdom? It's an
absurdity. Kheldar, however, appears to be dead serious
about it, and he's moving about in the west, recruiting an
army in preparation for mounting an invasion. Drosta
laughs uproariously, but if I were in his shoes, I'd be a
little nervous. Even with his Nadrak holdings out of
reach, Kheldar has vast sums at his disposal, and
mercenaries are flocking to his banner.
The Mimbrate Knights are savaging Vordue. They try,
insofar as possible, to avoid bloodshed in their
encounters. Property damage, however, mounts into the millions.
The Mimbrates move in, evacuate the towns and villages,
and then burn them. Stone buildings are pulled down and
the furnishings and other contents thrown onto huge
bonfires. Homeless refugees wander about in northern
Tolnedra, cursing the Vordues and sending appeals for aid
to Emperor Varana. Varana, however, is sitting tight in Tol
Honeth, waiting for the Vordues to capitulate.
It appears that Layla has failed. Ce'Nedra remains
childless. We must now convince Belgarion to take his
Queen to the Vale. Polgara is our last hope.
'Zakath has completed his conquest of the plains
regions of southern Cthol Murgos. Urgit's army, however,
has taken up strong positions in the mountains. 'Zakath is
preparing for a long, difficult campaign. We can hope that
it will take him the rest of his life.
5386
coUNT Reldegen, the able Governor-General of
Asturia, has journeyed southward at the request of