The Way Back (Champions of the Crystal Book 4)

Chapter 12.2

"It'll be fine," Ford said as they entered the merciful shade of the veranda. He pressed a recessed pad on the side of the carved wooden door, and a moment later it was opened by a petite, middle-aged woman with fading auburn hair and a pleasant smile.

Her gray eyes lit when she saw Sabrina, but she curtseyed to Ford first. "Your highness, welcome. And Lady Sabrina, we're honored—delighted—" She broke off. "Grandfather's almost ready. He insisted on getting up for your visit. I'm to take you around the portrait gallery first. And perhaps you'd like something to drink? Strakarth was your favorite, I believe?"

Sabrina wasn't used to flustering people with her mere presence anymore, but at least focusing on being polite to Tassan's granddaughter gave her something to do besides fret about Tassan himself. "Thank you. I am a little thirsty, Citizen...?"

"Oh. I'm sorry. My name's Sabrina," the woman replied. "I'm usually called Reese, though, from my middle name. It was my grandmother's family name. I think you knew her?"

"I remember Darice very well," Sabrina said softly. "She saved my life many times, and was a very good friend to me. I'm happy to meet you, Reese. I'm afraid I don't know much about your family; do you have any siblings?"

"A brother, but he settled on Lthos with his wife," Reese said. "I stayed here to look after Grandfather." She had been leading them down a long, shaded hallway, and now entered a room where a table held several glasses and pitchers. She poured drinks for them all, and Sabrina had a chance to look around the room as they drank. Tassan's work was in evidence everywhere; landscapes, mostly, in this room.

"May I take those and put them in some water?" Reese offered after a moment.

"Oh. Yes, please," Sabrina said. She had almost forgotten the roses, which were beginning to wilt in the heat. "I thought Tassan might like them."

"Oh yes," Reese said from the next room. She returned in a moment with the roses safely in a vase of water and handed them back to Sabrina. "Would you like to see the gallery now? Grandfather was insistent that you see it first. He said it would help you understand. And he said I was to tell you, there is nothing to be upset about."

Sabrina felt tears start to her eyes and blinked hard. "He...always knew me better than anyone," she said softly.

"Let me take those," Ford said, gently removing the vase from her shaking hands.

The gallery was a long hall at one side of the villa, devoted to portraits of various people. Sabrina was relieved to see that she didn't figure in all of them. There was one of Darice, holding Farlan as a baby; Sabrina paused in front of that for a long time. Good-bye, my friend, and thank you. They moved on to a self-portrait of Tassan. He was looking into a mirror, and just behind his reflection a ghostly figure could just be recognized as Sabrina.

"That's his favorite," Reese said. "He said it was the key to his life, put on canvas. It's called 'Guiding Spirit.'"

Sabrina said nothing. What was there to say? He had not forgotten; he had not hated her.
The next picture was of her in a white uniform without insignia, her hair falling loose around her face, the remnants of a scarlet and gold sash hanging from her waist. She was braced against the edge of a dark tunnel that framed the picture, looking anxiously down it, out at the portrait viewer. Sabrina realized she was looking at Tassan's memory of the episode aboard Khediva at Pharo. He had gone down the access hatch to blow up the central processor, and she had leaned down to call to him. It was, she thought, the first time she had told him she loved him.

There were several others; most of the time she could place the scene from her memories, but sometimes she guessed Tassan had painted from his imagination. Her favorite was of her laughing with her arms full of roses; she was pretty sure that was imagination, not memory. But it was a charming picture, and she was glad he had thought of her that way.