Beldaran

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Beldaran is a fictional character in David Eddings' fantasy books Belgarath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress. She is also mentioned in The Belgariad and The Malloreon, which follow the adventures of her descendant, Belgarion.

Beldaran is the youngest daughter of Belgarath and Poledra and the twin sister of Polgara. Unlike her sister, she is light-haired and light-hearted, sweet, cheerful, and kind to everyone, although the love she commands makes her the dominant of the two twins. As dictated by Aldur, Belgarath gives her to Riva in marriage, with whom she is deliriously happy. She and Riva have one child, a son named Daran. Because she is not a sorceress, Beldaran dies from a severe pneumonia at age 38, causing much grief to Polgara and Belgarath. However, it is hinted that the Rivan high priest's refusal to give her medical treatment, relying instead on prayer, hastened her death or removed the possibility of her recovery.

At the end of The Malloreon, Belgarion's wife, Ce'Nedra gave birth to his eldest daughter. The little princess is also named Beldaran in memory of her ancestor. Belgarion has an eldest son, Geran, Crown Prince and Heir to the Throne of Riva.

The disciples of Aldur have a tradition of adding the prefix "Bel" to male names and "Pol" to female names. However, due to the fact that Beldaran was not in fact a sorceress, she seems to have been overlooked in her naming, and so has the prefix "Bel" even though she is female and should subsequently be named "Poldaran".