*she determinedly swallows the lump in her throat and tightens her grip on his hand* She was the kind of woman I used to wish I'd grow up to be: poised and elegant -- Mari always told me that elegance didn't come from money or rank or fancy clothes and I knew, I knew, when I'd met the Maestra that Mari had been right -- and she had a lot of grace. I envied and admired that in her. I think...I think it's safe to say that I looked up to her. A lot. *rueful chuckle* Didn't quite realize it up 'til now, though.