Poledra

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Poledra is a fictional character in the David Eddings book series The Belgariad, the wife of Belgarath, the mother of Polgara and Beldaran, and the many times removed grandmother of Belgarion. She is a sorceress who is very fond of taking the form of a she-wolf. She is also a disciple of the god Aldur, though she does not have a tower of her own.

Poledra was born a wolf. She meets Belgarath when he is in wolf-form traveling to bring news to the God Belar and she decides to stay with him for a few centuries. The details of their companionship are first described in Belgarath the Sorcerer. Belgarath is attracted to her (in wolf form), but regretfully concludes he shouldn't form a deeper relationship with a non-human. However, by the time Belgarath reaches Belar, Poledra already clearly considers him "hers" despite his human form.

She remains with Belgarath as a wolf for several centuries until one day, while watching Belgarath shift shape, she says "So that's how you do it." and promptly turns into an owl. She eventually leaves Belgarath's tower, saying she's going to see the world. She assumes a human form and sets up a cottage near Aldur's Vale, and Belgarath soon meets her there and marries her, not realizing for some time that she is really his old companion the wolf (although he has his suspicions).

Poledra is asked by the gods UL and Aldur to pretend that she had died in giving birth to her twin daughters Polgara and Beldaran, which had a devastating emotional effect on her husband Belgarath, but allowed him to complete the tasks written in prophecy.

Poledra is a wry, knowing character who always has a serious demeanour despite having a well developed, ironic sense of humour. She has a very good rapport with her great-grandson, Belgarion.

In the Mrin Codex, Poledra is described as "The Woman who Watches". Although her direct involvement in most events appears minimal, it is revealed in Polgara the Sorceress that Poledra is quite a capable sorceress, receiving instruction from both Aldur and UL, and secretly assisting events behind the scene for thousands of years as a hidden disciple. Polgara has known she was alive for all her life. Belgarath, on the other hand, thought she was dead until Seeress of Kell while the group was in Peldane trying to travel to Korim, the Place Which is No More.

During the final events of The Seeress of Kell, Poledra who has been re-united with her daughter and husband comments that she expected to die after her final task and the short reuniting with her family. Belgarath, having been reunited with her for a few short days insisits that he will not loose her again and will die with her (UL apparently having told her that she would die at this point in time). This however was simply a setup by UL to teach Eriond about how to wisely and justly use his powers, even in defiance of ULs own instructions/laws and Eriond somehow breaks this prophecy of a kind, using the power of the Orb to UL's great approval.

The last we hear of Poledra, she and Belgarath have moved back into his tower and are living happily ever after. Crown Prince Geran, according to the end of Polgara the Sorceress had spent a summer with them where he had learned to speak the Wolf language / body language (as best a human can) because Poledra and Belgarath communiate almost exclusivly in 'Wolfish'.

It is revealed in the Seeress of Kell that she was the Child of Light during the Battle of Vo Mimbre, 500 years before the events of the Belgariad and the Mallorean