What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

The book had a woman who was queen of a, what I think was a pagan roman sort of kingdom, and I think it was Byzantium. She had a white polar bear who would eventually age and die and she'd get another, only in this book she doesn't and it means it is time for her to kill herself and let her daughter take the throne. Her daughter is very against this.

It's definitely an older book, I'd say 20 years older at least.
I think it was book 2 or three in a series.
It wasn't very large and the cover I know had a woman walking with flowers and her polar bear besides her.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I so want to read it again!

Thank you so much!
~Twinkle!~

One of the Heirs of Byzantium series, by Susan Shwartz?

Possibly The Woman of Flowers.

Oh that is one! Thank you so much Robert - you're the hero of the day!!! ^_^