Kheldar
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Prince Kheldar, often called Silk, is a fictional character in the Belgariad and the Malloreon, two related series of books by David Eddings. He is a prince in the royal family of Drasnia, but is very glad not to be first in line for the throne, as he has far too much else he'd rather do (and is the first to admit he would be a terrible ruler). His main occupations are espionage, commerce and theft, often engaged in simultaneously, though he is also an acrobat and an assassin when the situation demands it. Throughout the books he is generally known as Silk, but goes by many other names, including Radek of Boktor and Ambar of Kotu. In the Mrin Codex he is known as the Guide or the Rat.
He is short (often referred to as the "little Drasnian"), with a rat-like face, narrow eyes, a very long nose, and scruffy black hair. His nose tends to twitch when his cleverness is about to secure him a profit.
Trained at the Drasnian academy for spies, Silk is known to carry multiple daggers at all times, including one in his boot and another in a small sheath hanging behind his neck, though he is just as skilled at unarmed combat. His days as a member of the Drasnian Intelligence service gave him a reputation as the greatest spy to ever live, and he knows from experience how to leave any city as quickly as possible. Though as a companion of Belgarion he always acts in the best interests of the group, he takes every opportunity to drink, gamble (he cheats at dice), and make money. In The Malloreon, he owns a business empire, and is sometimes recognized as the richest man in the world (or trying to be).
Silk is the nephew of the King of Drasnia, Rhodar. Silk is secretly in love with Rhodar's young wife, Queen Porenn, for much of The Belgariad. In The Malloreon he is systematically seduced by Liselle, also known as Velvet, a young spy whose uncle is head of Drasnian Intelligence. At the end of The Seeress of Kell Silk proposes to Liselle and they are later married and it is later mentioned in Polgara the Sorceress that Liselle is pregnant with Silk's child. When he was very young, his mother was the victim of a plague which took both her great beauty and her eyesight. Consequently, his father wasted away at her bedside. He also has a half-brother of Urgit, the bastard son of Silk's father and Taur Urgas' (King of the Murgos) wife, and consequently the new Murgo king.
Silk is highly intelligent and events at the end of Belgarath the Sorcerer suggest that he was one of the first of the 'companions' of the child of light outside of Belgarath and Polgara to really understand his purpose in life as well as the true nature of events between the two destinies. His intelligence training, connections, natural business skills and extensive knowledge of the world make him the perfect 'guide', the purpose for which he was born. Interestingly, he seems closer to Garion than many of the other companions--taking Garion along as Silk went out trading, teaching him the Drasnian sign language. Also, Silk is one of two people Garion takes with him to confront Torak, and out of himself, Barak, Mandorallen, Relg, Hetter, and Lelldorin, Kheldar is the only one allowed to go with Garion to pursue Zandramas.
