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THE HOLY BOOKS
THE RIVAN CODEX
brilliance with each infant touch as if it rejoiced that the
remained unbroken.
i
And so it endured in the City of Riva for a thousand years and for
yet another thousand years.
And with the sundering of the companions and the departure of
Cherek and his sons, hastened Belgarath southward for a thousand
leagues even unto the Vale of Aldur that he might behold his
children, the fruit of the womb of Poledra, his wife. And came he even
unto the Vale of Aldur and found that his wife had been delivered of
twin daughters, and then had she died.
And his eldest daughter was named Polgara, and even as an
infant were her eyes steely and her face grim. And dark was her hair
as wing of raven, and because she was his eldest, even in the fashion
of the Sorcerers, stretched he forth his hand and laid it upon her
brow - and behold, her mother, Poledra, had in her final hour,
divided her anger from her love. And in Polgara, the dark-haired
twin, resided her anger that Belgarath her husband, had gone from
her when her time was nigh. And thus it was that when Belgarath,
her father, laid his hand upon Polgara's brow did the hair thereof
turn white, and ever after was the raven hair of Polgara touched at
the brow with the same silver which marked the ruff of the dark,
frost-touched wolf.
And his second daughter Beldaran was called, because the mark
of the Sorcerers was not upon her. And fair was she, and her hair
was like gold. And dearly was she beloved by her father and equally
by her dark-haired sister. And they contended one with the other for
her affection. But it came to pass that when his daughters had
reached their sixteenth year did Belgarath fall into a deep sleep, and
in a dream did the spirit of Aldur come unto him and spake, saying.
'My beloved disciple, I would have thy house joined with the house
of the guardian of the Orb. Choose thou, therefore, which of thy
daughters wilt thou give to the Rivan King to wife, for in the joining
of thy house with the house of Riva shall a line invincible be forged
that will join my will with the will of my brother Belar, and Torak
himself may not prevail against us.'
And in the deep silences of his soul was Belgarath tempted. Thus
might he rid himself of his spiteful daughter whose tongue seared
like acid and whose white lock was ever a rebuke unto him. But,
knowing the burden upon the Rivan King, sent he instead Beldaran,
his fair daughter to be the mother of the Rivan line - and wept when
she was gone.
And Polgara wept also with the departure of her sister, knowing
in her soul that the beloved Beldaran would fade and that her love
for Riva would age her and that like a flower would she wither and
drop away. But in time Polgara dried her tears and went even unto
her father.
And she spake unto her father, saying, 'Behold, Old Grey Wolf,
thus are we alone, and now mayest thou reveal unto me the secrets