And then the little man came around the shoulder of the pyramid. Behind him, on the far side of the peak, rose a column of dark smoke. He came down the stairway to the floor of the amphitheater and crossed to where Garion was sitting.

"What were you doing?" Garion asked him.

"I set out a signal for Captain Kresca," Silk replied. "He knows the way back to Perivor, and I’ve seen Barak navigate in confined waters before. Seabird's meant for the open sea, not for close quarters."

"You'll hurt his feelings if you tell him that, you know."

"I wasn't planning to tell him." The rat-faced little man sprawled on the stones beside Garion and his family said.

"Did Liselle have that little chat with you as yet?" Garion asked.

"I think she's saving it up. She wants to have plenty of uninterrupted time for it. Is marriage always like this? I mean, do you always live in perpetual apprehension, waiting for these conversations?"

"It's not uncommon. You're not married yet, though."

"I'm closer to it than I ever thought I'd be."

"Are you sorry?"

"No, not really. Liselle and I are suited for each other. We have a great deal in common. I just wish she wouldn't keep things hanging over my head is all." Silk looked sourly around the amphitheater. "Does he have to glow like that?" he asked, pointing at Eriond.

"He probably doesn't even know he's doing it. He's new at this. He'll get better at it as he goes along.”

"Do you realize that we're sitting around criticizing a God?"

“He was a friend first, Silk. Friends can criticize us without giving offense."

"My, aren't we philosophical this morning? My heart almost stopped when he touched Belgarath and Poledra with the Orb, though.”

"Mine, too," Garion admitted, "but it appears he knew what he was doing." He sighed.

"What's the problem?"

"It's all over now. I think I'm going to miss it at least I will just as soon as I get caught up on my sleep."

"It has been a little hectic for the past few days, hasn't it? I suppose that if we put our heads together, we can come up with something exciting to do."

"I know what I'm going to be doing," Garion told him.

"Oh? What's that?"

"I'm going to be very busy being a father."

"Your son won't stay young forever, Garion."

"Geran isn't going to be an only child. My friend up here in my head warned me to expect large numbers of daughters."

"Good. It might help to settle you down a bit. I don't want to seem critical, Garion, but sometimes you're awfully flighty. Hardly a year goes by when you're not running off to some corner of the world with that burning sword in your hand.”

"Are you trying to be funny?"