She didn't dare snoop around, but she couldn't help but feel drawn to that hallway with the painted doors. The hallway with the impressive collection of Egyptian artifacts that had her inner history buff all sorts of satisfied. But Bear had told her only one door could be opened with him each time. 

She wanted to see the paintings again. The paintings that Bear had done with his own two hands of her. 

Her hands hovered over the doorknob, glancing down the hall to make sure she was alone. He had gone to Gore Palace to handle business, but the man at the door had let her in without a word. She had entered with the intention to ask him for his opinion on her essay from history class. If anyone could give her advice on the five biggest mistakes the Romans made during their empire, she figured it was him. For all she knew, he had a room dedicated to ancient Roman artifacts. For someone that had a lineage stretching to Egypt before history had been written, it wasn't far fetched.

She opened the door. It was just as she'd last seen it. White sheets on the floor to catch paint spills, and walls of portraits and landscapes. She studied them each--appreciating them. Beautiful swirls of mint and turquoise made up the depths of a roaring sea tipped in peaks of pearly white foam. It rolled in great waves at the mouth of a port lined in long, low ships.

Skylar turned to pore over the depictions beside it. Her jaw slackened, taking in the insane detail Bear had used to create the painting she now viewed. In the upper righthand corner was the Egyptian goddess, Sekhmet. In the left corner, Anubis--heavily muscled beneath short, black fur--stared down at the image of a boy on his knees. Two bodies, wrapped in linen, lay on either side of him.

"What are you doing in here?" 

"Shit!" Skylar jumped out of her skin. "Sorry, I thought you were gone."

Bear stood in the doorway, looking around the room as if he was searching for something. "You shouldn't be in here without me," he said lowly. He lifted his hand to her, an offer to take it.

Skylar looked around the room she'd been in before and frowned. "Why?" she challenged. "I just wanted to see the paintings again."

Bear's eyes, that had seemed so hard and full of anger, softened. "I just don't want you wandering without me here. There are a lot of rooms and twists and turns in this place. You could get lost."

"Lost?" she checked with a smirk. "I think I'll be fine."

"You never know," he quipped, pulling her to him and kissing her deeply. "I want to take you somewhere."

"Two Olives?" Dana popped into her mind and she cringed involuntarily.

"Better. Kind of. I guess it depends on how you feel about Christmas."

Her eyes went wide. "Shit, that's coming up isn't it? I completely forgot! I've been so consumed with this stupid history report." She paused, rubbing her temples and taking a breath. Christmas was a family holiday filled with traditions. With it being only herself and her parents, it was important for them to spend that day together enjoying a huge meal that her mother would slave over the whole day. Guilt gnawed at her gut. Her parents were worried sick, sending her away in fear, and yet here she was living in a mansion with her meals served to her promptly by chefs and servants. 

"Skylar?" She hummed, turning to face him, her eyes glazed and distant. "Are you okay?"

"What is this painting?" she asked, switching the subject.

Bear noted the painting of the raging sea. His face went blank for a long while before he said, "It's a harbor. On the Red Sea." 

"Have you been here? Is this a place you've travelled to?" She'd give anything to go there. To see the sights and feel that sun on her face--the warm breeze rustling her waves as she basked in the sand. He'd captured that with such talent and such profound artistic detail, that it left her feeling as though she too had been there.

"I have," he told her. 

Her heart swelled. "You have? What--what was it like?"

His eyes sparkled as his plump lips thinned out into a warm smile. "Egypt?" She nodded dreamily. "Beautiful. Like another world--another culture entirely."

"The sights?"

"Magnificent. Pictures and paintings," he gestured to his own, "don't do it justice. When you're there--I mean really there--and you touch the stones with your own hands, you're touching history in it's most raw and primal form."

She swooned, letting him take her from the room even though she longed to stare at that gemstone colored water again. "What did you paint it with?" she asked when they'd reentered the hall.

"What do you mean?" He didn't turn back.

Skylar had to jog to keep up with the pace his long legs set as he wound her back down the corridors and into the entryway. "It looks different than the others. Actually, both of those Egyptian paintings did. More aged and...I don't know."

"Imported paints from a vendor in Cairo that I met during my time there. Had them shipped here so that the painting felt more authentic." He let go of her hand when he opened the large double doors. "Kind of makes the final picture get this dusty, sort of ancient, sheen when it dries. It chips pretty easy though, so I just wanted you to be careful around it."

The Tesla was parked out front front as usual, but the day felt different, rushed. Like Bear couldn't wait to get her away from the house. "I should go see my parents."

He paused, holding the door open for her. "Today?"

"I'd like to. Can you drop me off?" His eyes searched hers for a moment before he nodded. "Thank you," she said, sliding into the seat.

-------

"He's still at work, but I'm sure he would have stayed home if he realized you were coming," her mother assured her over a steaming mug of tea. She missed those relaxing moments with her mom. 

Skylar took a long drink of the herbal tea--a concoction her mother had made personally with the lavender and rosemary plants she grew in the window. The tranquil scent as the steaming tendrils curled beneath her nose set her mind at ease. "So how has school been? I got a call from your principal the other day."

"You did?" Skylar chewed her lower lip. She didn't even know that the principal knew who she was, but she guessed if they called her mother it wasn't a good sign. She hadn't missed a single day of class, hadn't turned in assignments late other than once in math, and she definitely had stayed out of trouble.

"Apparently you're excelling in all your classes," she said, beaming. "I'm so proud of you, Sky."

"Seriously," she gasped. "What did he say about it?"

"That colleges would be lucky to have you, and that your fall assessment results came back. You had the only perfect score in the whole school!"

"Oh my God," she breathed. "This is huge! This--this could get me a scholarship! An academic scholarship! I could get a full ride potentially," she panted, hands going to her hair. "Mom this is all I've ever wanted!"

"I know!" she rejoiced with her daughter. "Sky, you've worked so hard all these years. I can't think of anyone who deserves this more. Your father and I--with these jobs--we'll help any way we can."

They enjoyed their tea thoroughly. The opened window let in a chilly breeze that had them snuggling into the couch with their blanket thrown over their laps. Skylar wrapped her hands around the oversized mug, letting its warmth radiate through her palms and into her bones. "Do you have plans tonight?" her mother asked at length.

"Bear wants to take me somewhere."

"The Christmas Carnival?" Skylar shrugged. "I've been hearing the town buzzing about it. I guess it's supposed to be pretty cool."

"Must be, if he's taking me there. What about you and Dad? Any plans?" She swirled the last bits of tea, husks of lavender settled at the bottom. 

Her mother's eyes twinkled, crinkling around the edges as she proudly announced, "Actually, he's taking me to the carnival tonight too. I guess there will be live bands and a parade. Should be fun."

"Should be," Skylar agreed. "I'm going to get us another cup."