The Twisted Way (Champions of the Crystal Book 3)

Chapter 4.1

Haaron smiled. "I see they are keeping you running, Sabrina. At this rate, you will look back on our time aboard Khediva as a comparatively restful experience."

"Believe me, I already do. At least I could get what I wanted out of Tirqwin part of the time!" Sabrina tossed over her shoulder on her way out.

____________

It was a long evening, a seemingly endless parade of new faces, unmanageable names, and obscure agendas. Sabrina could not afterward recall what they had eaten or drunk and was grateful to retain at least the surnames of the more important governors.

She found a single familiar face in the Steward of Bathir, the largest principality on Praxatillus and Mara's major personal holding. The principality had reverted to the crown on the death of its last princess, a cousin of King Baldaran's; Mara held it by default, since all her older siblings were dead. It would pass eventually to her eldest child, but for now it added desperately needed revenue to the treasury. It was noted for its supply of watergems, a luxury item that was one of the few truly unique offerings of Praxatillus' depleted trade. As Mistress of the Queen's Household, Sabrina had dealt with Kassell Trebin frequently, eking out a reasonable allowance for Mara from the principality's trickle of income. Now that Sabrina was Regent, Kassell proposed to open up the supply of watergems, formerly exported on a limited basis, willing to risk lower prices for ready cash. Sabrina was inclined to think the shrewd older lady's plan was the one bright spot in the planet's economic outlook, but she knew better than to commit herself until she had a better grasp of the overall picture.

The other stewards were vaguely familiar, since most of them served the young wards of the crown Sabrina kept an eye on, but the provincial governors were a new phenomenon to her. They were mostly Praxatillian and tended to have a very regional outlook, wary of any plan that infringed on their authority in the slightest. Sabrina found them reminiscent of officials in the United States, and while recognizing the danger of such a comparison, she was relieved to find some part of Praxatillus' government that was consistent with what she thought of as the norm.

When the dinner was at last over, she met with Justek to go over the following day's schedule, granted Sehaèri's request to cut her tour of duty short and hand off to Lady Aliza, exchanged a good night with Scotty via her comconsole, and was just thinking she could make it to bed before midnight when Rayland knocked on her study door.

"I am sorry to disturb you, my daughter," he said, oddly formal. "May I speak with you for a moment?"

Sabrina mustered a smile and gestured for him to be seated. "I have spent all day listening to people I hardly know; I welcome the chance to have a conversation with somebody I actually like!"

He smiled briefly in return, then lapsed into an abstracted frown. "I...do not wish what I am about to say to appear as a censure of your conduct."

Sabrina suppressed a groan and sat down. "Fire away."

"I realize you have a great deal to cope with at the moment, much of it strange to you, and a great many new people to establish relations with, not all of whom are prepared to make allowances for your different background."

"That's an understatement. Whom did I offend now?"

Rayland's lips twitched in a grim smile. "I have just spent two hours listening to Lady Imari explain that never, in the centuries we have known each other—since my birth, in fact, as she reminded me several times—has she spoken disparagingly of me. She was mortified to think that you inferred such a disparagement from something she said, and is quite indignant at what she calls your hasty judgment and readiness to take offense."