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Val Alorn was unlike any Sendarian city Its walls and buildings were so incredibly ancient that they seemed more like natural rock formations than the construction of hued with snow, and the ainst the dark sky

Several horse-drawn sleighs awaited they horses sta impatiently in the packed snow There were fur robes in the sleighs, and Garion drew one of them about him as he waited for Barak to conclude his farewells to Greldik and the sailors

"Let's go," Barak told the driver as he clih "See if you can't catch up with the others"

"If you hadn't talked so long, they wouldn't be so far ahead, Lord Barak," the driver said sourly

"That's probably true," Barak agreed

The driver grunted, touched his horses with his whip, and the sleigh started up the street where the others had already disappeared Fur-clad Cherek warriors swaggered up and down the narrow streets, and h passed At one corner their driver was forced to halt while two burly ely in the snow in the center of the street to the encouraging shouts of a crowd of onlookers

"A common pastime," Barak told Garion "Winter's a tedious time in Val Alorn"

"Is that the palace ahead?" Garion asked

Barak shook his head "The temple of Belar," he said "Some men say that the Bear-God resides there in spirit I've never seen hih, so I can't say for sure"

Then the wrestlers rolled out of the way, and they continued

On the steps of the teed woolen robes stood with a long staff clutched in one honey hand and her stringy hair wild about her face "Hail, Lord Barak," she called in a cracked voice as they passed "Thy Doorowled at the driver, and he threw off his fur robe and juround "Martje," he thundered at the old wo that you've disobeyed him, he'll have the priests of the temple burn you for a witch"

The old woman cackled at him, and Garion noted with a shudder that her eyes were milk-white blankness

"The fire will not touch old Martje," she laughed shrilly "That is not the Dooh of dooms," Barak said "Get away from the temple"

"Martje sees what she sees," the old woreat Lord Barak When it comes to thee, thou shalt remember the words of old Martje" And then she seeh her ed froreatest of Lords," she crooned, bowing deeply "When thou comest into throe inheritance, rereeted thee"

Barak started toward her with a roar, but she scurried away, her staff tapping on the stone steps

"What did she h

"She's a crazy woer "She's always lurking around the teibberish If Anheg had any sense, he'd have had her driven out of the city or burned years ago" He clirowled at the driver

Garion looked back over his shoulder as they sped away, but the old blind woht