Mara came at sunset, looking worn out. It had been the middle of the night at Dansestari; she had waited until she could leave without anyone knowing. She wore a simple purple dress, her hair pulled back into a hasty braid, and looked far from regal. She was almost the girl they had known, long ago at the beginning of their journeys, except for her air of quiet confidence and command.
"Mara!" they chorused as she appeared in their living room.
Sabrina started to hug her friend, then jumped back with a gasp as a painful sensation, almost like static electricity but more powerful, jangled through her. Scotty hung back uncertainly as Mara said, "I'm sorry. You still have a great deal of Pharon influence about you."
She rubbed at her arms as Sabrina was doing, trying to erase the sensation. Scotty said, "Well, I guess I'll just owe you a hug, how's that, Mara?"
She smiled ruefully. "Yes. I'm glad to see you both again. I've missed you."
"We've missed you too," Sabrina said. "Have you been to see Tirqwin yet?"
Mara shook her head. "I will wait for Tirqwin to fall asleep. I'll need our link active at his end to try to erase the Pharon resonance. And...if he truly does not recognize anyone, I had rather not...." She broke off, then summoned a smile. "Well, there is no point in upsetting myself."
She sat down, her expression growing almost absent. Then she frowned. "I had hoped you would be nearly ready to come home, but if you have that powerful a reaction to me, then Dansestari is not at all the place for you. I am afraid Homeworld will not want to postpone the signing of our agreement until you can be there."
"Don't worry about that, Mara," Sabrina said. "Sign the thing and be done with it. We'd like to be there, but we understand."
"Sure," Scotty agreed. "Don't wait for us."
"Unless," Sabrina said, frowning, "there's some reason you want to stall? We haven't heard what the terms are."
Mara sighed. "It is not that. I think the terms are as good as I dared hope for. I have agreed to limit my activities to within the Realm, save in cases of massive catastrophe or where I am invited. I have pledged that neither I nor any of my descendants will ever begin a conflict with Homeworld or enter their space, except by invitation. My knowledge of Wayships is to be kept secret and not released to anyone, and I have pledged never to interfere with Tirqwin and Khediva's comings and goings. Tirqwin and Khediva are not to enter Homeworld space without permission, nor are they to take part in any conflict Praxatillus becomes involved in without permission from Homeworld. In return, Homeworld will reinstate them as Wayfarers and provide the normal support. Homeworld has also pledged never to begin a conflict between our worlds or to enter our space without invitation."
"Geesh," Scotty said, "I think we gave up more than they did!"
"We didn't give up much of substance," Mara said. "I never had any intention of interfering with Tirqwin and Khediva's activities as Wayfarers, or of starting war with Homeworld or interfering in their concerns. And I did receive one other concession that you will like, Scotty."
"What?" he asked suspiciously.
"I told Lady Chavadanafra what you had told me about Nllata A'Ptel, and how she was wasted on Deltarr. Lady Chavadanafra has offered to take her to Homeworld, when she is free of the Pharon crystal resonance, and see that she is tested for the Wayfarer Candidacy Program."
Scotty grinned, and Sabrina said in surprise, "Nllata, a Wayfarer?"
"You object?" Mara asked.
"No. She'll be fantastic. I just...I guess I never thought of it."
Mara shrugged. "Homeworld has nothing against the Deltarrans. After all, they protected them for a long time before the Miahns came into being. And I think," she added with a grin, "that they would rather have Nllata under their influence than under mine."
"Way to go, Mara!" Scotty said. "Nllata'll love bein' a Wayfarer. She was made for it."
Sabrina was still looking puzzled. Mara asked, "What is it, Sabrina?"
"It still seems lopsided to me, Mara. For you to restrict your activities to the Realm—"
"Sabrina, be realistic. Have I time to go roaming further than that?"
"Not now, but.... Oh, come on, Mara. What did you get from them that made you agree to that?"
Mara sighed. "I had to. They were insisting on a promise that I would never have Tirqwin's children. I cannot make such a promise; we all know that. I must have an Heir, and an Inheritor."
"So you got them to drop that in return for staying inside Realm space," Sabrina said. "And what conditions did they place on your putative children?"
Mara smiled wryly. "You got to know them well, didn't you, Sabrina? Primarily they were insistent that none of my children ever be able to claim citizenship on Homeworld, or be eligible for the Wayfarer Candidacy Program—unless, of course, I were to have a child with such obvious talents in that direction that I chose to give him or her up to House Yanklozhquar, relinquishing all parental rights. I cannot imagine myself ever doing so, for any reason. I have also had to promise never to pressure Tirqwin to put any duty to me or my children above his duty as a Wayfarer. Also," she sighed, "I am bound to notify Homeworld of any genetic mutation that displays itself in any children I have with Tirqwin."
"They pretty well covered all bases, didn't they?" Scotty remarked.
"But now there will be peace," Mara said. "No more living in anxiety and fear. No more midnight attacks. We can invite others to our world to trade in safety."
Sabrina grinned. "Better renegotiate with Owryden."
"Ah, that was a clever clause!" Mara agreed, her eyes twinkling. "You are an excellent negotiator, Sabrina. Homeworld should be grateful it had to deal with me and not you on this treaty!"
"I think they've had more than enough of me. Particularly Asnefer."
"Ah," Mara said, "but Lady Chavadanafra is rather fond of you. Although I can never be considered part of House Yanklozhquar, Lady Chavadanafra asked me to tell you that, since Tirqwin considers you under his protection, you may apply to her for help if it ever becomes necessary." Her expression became wry again. "You will have more consideration from them than Tirqwin's own children ever will."
"Time changes things, Mara," Sabrina said. "As they get used to the new status quo, they might change their minds about some things. Especially as talented as your and Tirqwin's children are bound to be!"
Scotty began to laugh. "Geez, Rina, maybe we better stay on Earth after all! I don't wanna be godfather to that lot!"
"Stay on Earth?" Mara said, frowning.
"We thought we'd go home to finish recovering," Sabrina explained. "I...feel I need to. For a little while."
"I suppose..." Mara said. "But I was so hoping to have you home for the signing, and later my coronation."
"You can't hold those up for us," Scotty said. "They're important."
"It seems very unfair, when you were both so important to making it all happen," Mara complained.
"Hey, who told you life was fair?" Scotty grinned.
She sighed. "I must also tell you that Homeworld, and indeed our own government, have decided to classify all activities related to the meeting at Pharo and your journey there to rescue Tirqwin. I'm afraid you can never be acclaimed for that."
"That's okay. That's not a reputation I want to have to live up to," Sabrina said.
Mara said, "Scotty, I wanted to promote you immediately, but Commander Mukryilla pointed out certain regulations that prevent it unless you can pass the equivalency examination for a military academy. I could have overridden them, but I did not think you would want a promotion on special terms."
"Nope. I'll do it the right way," he said.
"And for you, Sabrina...I am quite at a loss how to reward you. You don't care for money, or titles, or property, or jewels. What can I do to show my gratitude?"
Sabrina thought for a moment. "Don't disband the Citizens Council," she said finally.
A brief shade of annoyance passed over Mara's face before she composed her expression again. "Where did you learn I was considering that?"
"I have my sources," Sabrina grinned. "They can be a valuable resource, Mara, if you'll let them. You haven't lived much on Praxatillus. And yes, they'll give you trouble and argue with you, but you need someone to do that."
"All right," Mara said. "I will grant them a permanent charter, if that is what you wish."
"It is."
"And that reminds me, I promised to bring you Citizen Nikolar. He is standing by. I wanted to speak to you privately first. But Tirqwin is now asleep, so I will go along to him."
"Hang on a sec, Mara, I'll go with you," Scotty offered.
"Thank you, Scotty, I would be glad of your company," Mara replied, standing. "I will see you again before I go, Sabrina."
"Thank you, Mara."
Mara paused, casting a puzzled glance over her shoulder. "For what?"
"For...everything. For finishing what I started and making it work. I'm not sure I could have."
"Sabrina," Mara said softly, "you brought me back my husband, against all hope. Nothing I could ever do for you would even begin to repay that."
She glided out the door, Scotty in her wake. A few seconds later, Tassan appeared, looking startled. Sabrina smiled, touched, as she saw the bouquet of roses in his hand and realized that he had bought a new suit for this visit.
"Sabrina!" he exclaimed eagerly, stepping toward her.
"Tassan." She went into his embrace, ignoring the jangling feeling, a mere shadow of what Mara's touch had provoked. "Oh, I missed you."
He tightened his arms around her. "I was afraid I'd never see you again. All the delays...ever since I woke up at Dansestari and found you gone! No one would tell me where you were. I finally had to go down to Defense Control and storm Commander Mukryilla's office, and all she would say was that you were on a classified mission for the Queen. Then later she told me you were in the hospital here. I thought I would go mad!"
"I'm sorry. There wasn't time to tell you. You were unconscious," Sabrina said. "And you couldn't've gone, Tassan." She stepped back and rubbed at her arms. "Don't you feel that? You've been at Dansestari long enough to have some of the Great Crystal about you. I'm contaminated with Pharon crystal. They don't mix."
"Is that it?" he said, his puzzlement clearing. "That's why you haven't come home."
"Yes. And I won't be able to, for some time yet." She took a deep breath. "Scotty and I are going home to Earth for a while, until we've lost this condition."
He looked at her in sober concern. "How long?"
"I don't know. Months, probably, at least. Maybe a year. Nobody knows."
"Well..." He looked at a loss. "Well, if it's necessary, then there's nothing to be done about it. But...will I be able to communicate with you on Earth?"
"No. My world's not advanced enough to have discovered other civilizations, Tassan. I could never take the chance of damaging it by forcing that discovery."
"No, of course not. But...Sabrina, I'm going to miss you so dreadfully!" He frowned and paced a few steps. "Could I not come with you?"
"No." She smiled. "I don't think you'd care much for Earth, Tassan. And to be honest, I'd have the devil of a time explaining you. Besides, Praxatillus needs you."
He grimaced. "Not for much longer."
"The Queen asked me to name my reward. I did. She's granting a permanent charter to the Citizens Council."
He raised an eyebrow in surprise, then said, "Well, I suppose I had better make myself useful, then, and try to eradicate the Tirqwin's dislike of me, to make things easier when you come back."
"I'd appreciate it," she said.
"Sabrina," he said after a moment, "won't you at least promise to marry me before you go?"
"Tassan," she sighed. "Please try to understand. I've been through so much. You've made it all bearable, but...I don't think I'm quite myself. I want to be sure that I am myself before I make any promises to you. You deserve that. We both do."
He blew out his breath. "It sounds so reasonable. And yet it hurts so unreasonably."
"I know," she murmured. "Oh, Tassan, I don't want to hurt you. But that's why I have to go, so I don't."
"Will you at least promise to come back, then?"
"Yes. I will come back, I promise."
"Then," he said, "I will wait. Not patiently, but I'll wait."
"Thank you for understanding," she said, smiling sadly. "Tassan, I feel that since we met, you have been doing all the giving, and I've done all the taking. That will change when I come back."
He shook his head. "I have gained so much from what I've given to you," he said. "I think I'm the one who's come out ahead." He mustered a sardonic grin. "I mean, seriously, Sabrina, who would believe that I could stand a chance with the Queen's cousin, a planetary heroine—on two planets! I think you have impressed Homeworld more than anything else we've ever done."
"Hardly," Sabrina said. "Tassan, be happy while I'm gone. Paint, and argue with Mara in the Citizens Council, and think of Praxatillus' bright new future."
"I will sit among the roses and paint you," he said. "That is, if I'm allowed."
"I'll make sure of it," she promised. "My conservatory will be your studio. I...suppose I'll leave everything to Mara to take care of, but I'll make sure you have access. And I'll take the first painting you did of my roses along with me, so I'll have part of you with me."
He said, "And I'll have a drink with Darice from time to time, and we'll trade stories about you."
Sabrina chuckled. "By the time I get back, the two of you will have convinced yourselves not to have anything to do with me at all, in the interests of self-preservation!"
Tassan grinned. "Now," he chided, "when has either of us shown the least glimmering of a sense of self-preservation?"
"Develop one," she said. "I want to come back to see you in one piece."
"Don't worry. I am giving up my role of heroine's squire and intend to be a peaceful artist from now on," he declared.
They smiled at each other for a moment, affection gradually giving way to sadness. Sabrina stepped forward and pressed a light kiss on his lips; he caught her in his arms and held her tightly, returning the kiss with an almost desperate passion. Sabrina responded as best she could with the crystal jarring her nerves, but at last she had to pull away. "I'm sorry," she said.
He drew a deep breath. "No. It's not your fault. Oh, Sabrina." He looked at her with such wistfulness that she wanted to throw herself into his arms again, regardless of the pain. "I didn't come here expecting to say good-bye to you. I didn't ever expect to say good-bye to you. I thought we would be going home together. But if I had thought about parting, this isn't the way I would have chosen to do it, hardly able to touch you...."
"I know," she said. "It isn't the way I want it either. But," she added, trying to smile, "you have to admit, Tassan, that a planet full of telepaths isn't the ideal place for an indiscretion."
He mustered a grin. "I suppose not. And I suppose Her Majesty would take a dim view."
"I'm afraid she would."
"Well, I'll have the time you're gone to bolster her opinion of me," he said. "And I will, Sabrina."
"I know you will."
He looked at her for a moment more, as if memorizing her. "You're anxious to go to them," he said softly. "And there's no sense dragging this out."
"Tassan...I wish I could tell you all that I feel, how thankful I am that you've been at my side, and how much I wish I could stay."
"I know," he said. "But you will tell me when you come back."
"Yes," she said. "I will."