"Ah, Atheena," I sigh with a smile, "Your coming to Crete at this time shows the hand of the goddess at work. I thought for sure I would enjoy having the villa all to myself for awhile, but I have found myself to be too restless and, quite frankly, lonely without family or friends to keep me company. And I am glad you have brought your daugther along. She is quite grown since the last time I saw her. I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your husband and your mother."

"Thank you," she says. "Well, all does seem quiet and peaceful here, but how has life been treating you?" Atheena asks again, pointedly.

I fess up. "My life has been anything but peaceful and quiet for the past few years. It has been one upheaval after another. I am not entirely sure even where to begin."

I attempt to give her a brief synopsis of all that has occurred since my return to Crete. I tell her about Titian first, how he is now married to another and settled in Babylon, but that Talis is still with me. I then go on to speak of General Agrafiotis and how he came to be a part of my life. Of course, he is now gone with his son to visit their homeland. I speak too of the awful war we fought against the pirates, Corwin's return and his death in battle.

"So he was alive all that time and you did not know," Atheena states sympathetically.

"If I had known, things might have turned out differently. I fear I did him gravely wrong in the end and now my children are without their father once again."

"Why do you feel you did wrong by him? You could not have foreseen that he would die."

"No, but I have little doubt that I set in motion the events that led to his death. It was the choice I made in running away, my own cowardliness in not staying and speaking the truth with him when I had the opportunity. He was a good man and I know we probably would have come to some understanding. Now I will never know."

I pause and then address Aspasia. "This all must be terribly boring for you. I am so sorry that none of the younger folks are here for you to meet. My twins, Darius and Ranae, are quite grown and are now rulers of Phaistos. They and their friends left but a few days ago. Their coronation ceremony is to be held soon. You are all invited to attend of course."

Spacia's eyes light up at this. Atheena smiles too, but then brings us back to the topic at hand.

"Louisa, guilt is never a useful feeling and I can see plainly that this is something that has been eating away at your soul. You must let it go. There is still much joy to be had in this life."

"I know you are right, Atheena. You always have had such words for wisdom for me in the past. Anyway, enough about me. How are your sons?"