They spent an hour in the gym, their inexpert fire and no-gravity maneuvers causing a great deal of laughter, both for themselves and for Darice and Captain Mireth, who were in the gym with them. When they finally decided to stop, Sabrina's cheeks were flushed with exertion, and her eyes sparkled as she tried to stop laughing at their rather clumsy return to gravity.
"Now that is much better," Tassan said approvingly. "I will see you back in the conservatory?"
"All right," Sabrina said. "You'd better give me an hour."
"I'll be ready."
Sabrina went back to her rooms, cleaned up, and pulled out the simple silver gown she'd picked up in her travels. It was sleeveless, with a draped neckline, a tapered waist, and a skirt that fell from her hips in soft, shimmering folds. She quickly put her hair up in a bun. The neckline left a great deal of bare skin, so she put on the necklace Scotty had given her, with some crystal teardrop earrings she had bought on some half-forgotten planet.
"There. What do you think?" she asked Darice.
"Perfect."
Sabrina, used to feeling rather dowdy in the unbecoming mourning colors, was gratified by Tassan's expression as she ascended the stairs in the conservatory. Of course, she thought, he hadn't been exposed to much glamor in his life, and her dress was rather daring for Praxatillus, but she was still pleased to have impressed him.
The sitting took only a few minutes. She picked a blooming white rose, and Tassan helped her place it in her hair. His fingers shook ever so slightly, she noticed, and wondered if he was nervous. He posed her in front of one of the windows, a black background full of stars.
"Now," he said, standing behind the holorecorder, "let's try several expressions, and I'll decide on one later. I suppose we ought to have some shots of you looking dignified."
He said it so distastefully that Sabrina grinned, stifling a giggle. It took her several moments to achieve a more sober expression. "Well, I suppose that's dignified. I suppose we also ought to have some noble expressions."
Sabrina instantly assumed an air of martyrdom that made both Darice and Tassan burst into laughter. "Enough of that!" Tassan said. "All right, that will do. Thank you, my lady."
"That was it?" Sabrina exclaimed. "When do I get to see the portrait?"
"When it's finished," Tassan told her. "Until then, no one sees it."
"Not even me?"
"Especially not you."
"Well!" Sabrina said.
He grinned. "Trust me."
Sabrina laughed. "All right. I'm already living dangerously; what the hell!"
"Your confidence is most flattering."
"I thought all you wanted was access to the roses. Now you want confidence as well!"
"Ah, but I know I have to earn that," he replied.
"I think you already have," she said, sobering. She held out her hand to him, and he kissed it.
"I wish you a good night, my lady," he said, smiling up at her.
"And you, Citizen. Thank you for a most...enlivening...evening."
"It was very much my pleasure."
Sabrina smiled as she left.
____________
Tired by the exercise, she slept soundly that night, for the first time in several days. It was fortunate, for the morning brought her new challenges. Sehaèri was overtly suspicious of Scotty and resisted the idea of his coming for lunch, much less throwing any sort of event in his honor; the household hovered nearby as Scotty arrived for lunch, finding excuses to be within sight of him.
"Gee, I don't remember your place bein' this crowded," he remarked as he and Sabrina sat down at the dining table. His expression was still friendly and unconcerned, but his eyes had narrowed, and Sabrina knew that he had guessed he was under surveillance.
"Yes," she said, "it's gotten quite out of hand. I don't know how things have gotten this disorganized." She shot a sharp glance at Sehaèri, who sniffed but quickly shooed away the rest of the staff, closing the door after herself. "I'm sorry we can't be quite alone, but Rayland wants me in Darice's sight at all times."
"That's okay," Scotty said, giving Darice a friendly wave. She nodded in reply. "Well, Rina, how are you doing? I feel like I've been gone forever. Oh, man, I sure missed your cooking."
"You should be honored," she said, smiling. "I've been reliably informed that heads of state don't commonly slave away in the kitchen!"
He grinned around a mouthful of spaghetti. "What, boilin' water? I don't think it was too much to ask, considerin' you refused to kill the fattened calf!"
Sabrina summoned an answering grin. "What, and get blood all over Mara's signet ring? You know how she'd react to that!"
Scotty laughed, the first genuine response either of them had shown so far. "Yes, I do!" he spluttered. "I can hear her now!" He tried to catch his breath to do an imitation, but he couldn't get further than, "My—"
Sabrina laughed too. "Don't! I'm not sure the Regent can condone caricatures of the Queen."
"C'mon, Rina, that's my special privilege," he said, getting his breath back at last. "Tirqwin said it was good for her to encounter a little friendly ridicule every now and then. As long as I didn't imitate him!"
Sabrina laughed again. "You couldn't anyway."
"No, you're the one who does that."
Sabrina sighed. "Tirqwin said I was here to speak for both of them. I'm so busy doing that, sometimes I wonder when I'll lose myself completely."
Scotty frowned in concern. "It's just a job, Rina. You can't let it take over your life completely."
"And how am I supposed to avoid it?" she demanded. "I'm the planet's number one target. Every night I go to bed wondering if this is the night Homeworld finally gets to me. I can't go to my friends' weddings because I'm not allowed to leave Dansestari. I find myself trying not to be around the people I care about so they won't be in the line of fire."
"Is that why you sent Haaron to Lthos?" Scotty asked quietly.
"No. Yes, partly, maybe. Mostly I sent him because someone must carry on the fight for peace, for Mara and Tirqwin's sake and for everyone's. I thought you were gone. I knew I might be killed soon. I needed to put him somewhere that he could keep working for the peace. He's one of the few who really believe in it."
"Rina—" Scotty began, then stopped, his expression twisting in a wry frown. "I know I'm the last person you're gonna take advice from right now. But I believe in the peace too. We gotta make it happen. And while I was travelin' around I met a lot of people, some of them people from Homeworld. They don't like war either. Homeworld doesn't risk its Wayships; its space forces are conventional."
"But they don't hold the power, so how does that help?"
"They have some power," Scotty said. "What I'm tryin' to get across here is that we have to make it too expensive, too hard for Homeworld to keep fighting with us."
Sabrina gave a dry smile. "I've thought about that. Sometimes I think the easiest, best way is for me to be assassinated by one of Homeworld's mercenary squads. That would turn galactic opinion in our favor, certainly, and put Homeworld definitely in the wrong. Nobody condones assassination."
Scotty gave a brief grin. "Don't bet on it. On Ariesafal there's somebody to condone anything. Besides, I don't like that plan. What would I tell Aunt Euphrasia? Nah, we gotta think of something else. And that reminds me, why are the attempts on you classified? Hardly anybody knows about them, and those who do don't seem sure how many there have been, or how they happened."
"I think Rayland wants to keep the security breaches quiet. And there's no point in upsetting people."
"But if you're trying to turn galactic opinion, then the kidnapping attempts are a gold mine! Not as good as assassination, maybe, but a lot better for you and me."
"We have decided it is not worth panicking the people here. How do you think people would take it if they knew kidnapping squads roamed Palace Royal at will?"
Scotty shook his head. "Not good. I know I was shocked. But we gotta do something, Rina. This is just dragging on for no good reason. If you don't want war, then we gotta wage a more aggressive peace."
"If you've got ideas, I'm willing to listen."
"I dunno. Wait. What if we tried to get some people from Homeworld to come here? Not the Wayfarers, but the others?"
"How would we do that?"
"There are plenty of them engaged in trade. They usually stick to Homeworld's colonies and satellites, true, but some of them might be adventurous enough to come here. Lots of people are curious about Praxatillus. Hardly anybody's been here since before the Xoentrol War started, and that's goin' back a couple of generations for most species."
"So you're proposing I invite some of your cohorts from Naferi Station or Kaldoun?"
"No, Miss Suspicious. Y'know, when Mara clears me once and for all, you're gonna have a major guilt trip, and I intend to cash in on it!"
"I'll be happy to pay up. So what are you suggesting?"
"You've got half your Citizens Council out there roamin' around. Suggest a destination." He grinned. "You really don't want 'em on Ariesafal anyway, Rina. They won't bring back anything you like from there!"
"I don't know. They brought you back."
"Yeah, and look how pleased you were!" he retorted.
"I am pleased!" she protested. "I just wish you hadn't gone in the first place. Do you really think anybody here will let Homeworld citizens set foot on this planet?"
"If they're serious about peace, they will, sooner or later. It might as well be now, when it might do some good. Let their citizens see our citizens. This problem is with the Miahns and the Wayfarers. The only way this is gonna be resolved is if the rest of them get tired of the fight and make them make peace. We gotta cut through the propaganda."
"I'll discuss it with the Citizens Council—what's left of it, anyway," Sabrina said. "And Rassir. But he won't like it! And Imari will have kittens."
Scotty grinned. "Rosebush worn off, has it?"
"Not quite, but this'll finish my good credit with her. Which reminds me, you haven't paid a call on her yet, and you must, you know. She is part of our family now."
"Blegh. All right. Rayland was buggin' me about it too. I'll go after I leave here, all right? It oughta be restful. At least she won't pretend to be glad to see me."
"I am glad to see you." Sabrina paused. "Even if you are an assassin and knife me in my sleep, I'm still glad to have seen you again."
"Aw, that's the sweetest thing you've said to me in years. But don't worry, that Sehaèri's not going to let me anywhere near you if she can help it," Scotty grinned. "I'm surprised she hasn't found an excuse to come in here yet. Hey, I hear she's engaged to Miosch. You must be breathin' easier, huh?"
"They're not engaged yet. They have to get a Matchmaker's permission before I give mine. And Miosch isn't sure he wants to marry anyone. But it won't be me in any case. What a disaster that would be. Did you hear that Leran and Selémahs are engaged? Their wedding's in a week. I get to go to that one since they're having it here."
"I wonder if I'll be invited?" Scotty mused. There was a knock at the door, and he grinned. "Well, almost on cue!"
Sabrina turned an irritated expression on the door. But it wasn't Sehaèri who came in. It was Tassan. "Citizen Nikolar!" she exclaimed in surprise.
"I—" He stopped, frozen, in mid-bow as he saw Scotty. "I am so sorry! I had no idea you were occupied. Princess Sehaèri said you would be pleased to see me. I thought she was being too friendly," he added, almost under his breath.
Scotty grinned. "You too, huh?"
"Citizen Nikolar, this is my brother Scotty. Scotty, this is Tassan Nikolar, the Citizens Council representative from Zarn."
Tassan and Scotty exchanged polite greetings. Then Tassan said, "My lady, in the spirit of our non-flattery pact, may I point out that you should have reversed those introductions? Your brother certainly outranks me."
Scotty laughed at Sabrina's dismayed expression. "Oh," he said, "I learned a long time ago that Sabrina will never see me as anything but her little brother, and those have no rank! What's that? If you're bringing her a present, let me warn you that she's more likely to suspect it's a bomb!"
"No such thing!" Sabrina cut in. "Citizen Nikolar saved my life. If he wanted me dead, all he had to do was stand back and watch."
"Our Lady Regent exaggerates," Tassan told Scotty. "But I had the honor to render her a small assistance, and she has rewarded me with a commission to paint her portrait."
Scotty hooted with laughter. "Just like Rina to shove more work at you and call it a reward! And she says she wouldn't fit into the military. Hah!"
"But this was work I coveted," Tassan told him. He turned back to Sabrina. "My lady, I promised you would be the first to see a completed painting of the roses. This is the first. It is a small study in what I believe you would call watercolors. A humble thing, but I hope you will do me the honor of accepting it."
"Thank you. It is I who am honored," Sabrina replied, taking the package. "May I?"
"Please," he replied as she began tearing the covering paper from the small, book-sized canvas.
The painting was of one perfect Peace rose bloom, pink with a light yellow center. The colors were vivid and the detail of the small painting was astonishing. Sabrina smiled. "It's wonderful. Perfect. You really have a gift for floral painting, Citizen."
"Thank you. I am glad you are pleased. That seemed to be your favorite, so I painted it first."
"The only thing it's missing is the fragrance," Sabrina assured him. "I'll keep this in my study so I can enjoy it when I can't get to the conservatory. Thank you."
He bowed. "I hope it was worth my intrusion. I will leave you to your luncheon now."
"Will I see you tonight?" Sabrina asked.
"I was thinking of doing some sketches tonight, so I will be in the conservatory for a while, if it will not inconvenience you."
"Not at all. Thank you again."
He bowed again and left. Sabrina carefully set the painting down on a counter and returned to the table to find Scotty grinning at her. "What?"
"I see you've replaced Haaron already."
"What do you mean? Of course I haven't replaced him!"
"Well," Scotty said, his grin growing, "he was your devoted admirer, and now it looks like this guy is."
"Nonsense. He's an artist, and he likes roses."
"And he saved your life."
"Yes. It was nothing you wouldn't've done, and you're not an admirer!"
"Oh, sometimes I admire you, sort of," he replied. "Anyway, you can't tell me you don't like him. 'Will I see you tonight?'" he mimicked her.
"Well, with you gone I had to have somebody to make smart-alec remarks," Sabrina said. "He's quite dreadful to me, I assure you, always telling me that my dress isn't becoming, or that I look tired and strained, or that I've introduced you wrong."
"And you like it," Scotty grinned. "Oh dear, oh dear. What does our dear ole dad say?"
Sabrina sighed. "That I must be chaperoned at all times. I gather he doesn't approve. But really, I'm not going to get involved with anybody while I'm Regent. Can't a girl have a few friends?"
"Sure," Scotty said, "but—oh, never mind. If you like hangin' out with him, then great. I can see the attraction; it must be a nice change from all these people fallin' all over themselves to be polite to you."
"Like you'd know," Sabrina retorted.
Scotty grinned again. "Well, thanks for lunch, sis. I'm gonna cut out now before we really get going; it'll put me in totally the wrong mood for Imari. Hm, maybe I'll go find Selémahs and congratulate her, and then I'll be ready to face the dragon."
"Scotty, hush!" Sabrina said, casting a quick glance at Darice. The bodyguard was struggling to appear impassive.
Scotty laughed as he got up. "Aw, Darice wouldn't rat on a fellow officer. Would you, Major?"
"No, Captain," Darice replied, her lips quirking into a grin.
"See?" Scotty said. He patted his sister's shoulder, a little awkwardly, and said, "Don't let it get you down too much, Rina. We'll get through, one way or another, like we always do."
"Of course we will," Sabrina said, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt.