My God, - she knows that even if she has seen more of the galaxy then her guards, she has seen little of the wider galaxy. It's composure, not exposure, that saves her from staring at his guards. The woman could have thrown her across the room and - cut down a hundred of the UC. Leaves her mouth dry.
"Well enough." Her hand's press, palm to palm in greeting. Her head bowing over them. A smile playing there, as she meets his eyes. Her hair that reached comfortably in a braid to her hips, fell over her shoulder with the gesture. A set of pins that were hooked at intervals with gold pendants that gave it the weight to let it swing in a pendulum before she straightens.
Then she sits again, arranging the drape of the material over her shoulder. Fixing it in place as she settles herself once more. It's then that she gestures to her guards. Who - were doing their best not to stare. "These are my durgavasi - guards." Her hand sweeps from one side to the other. "Vijay, Jhalkari, Lakshman." They step forward at their names. A stiff bow from the waist, a hand on their swords, a formality to the familiar movement. "Kashi, Ram and Devi." She hovers a moment, a deeper breath. She's far been from nervous for most of this.
But this? Her hand gestures - the woman closest to her, Kashi, step aside with a leading hand and from behind her, emerges a boy. Not past six years old. "And my son. Damodar Rao Newalker."
He's a little thing, dark-eyed as his mother. But determined not to let her down as he steps forward, letting go of his nurse's hand. Just - as taken back by how tall Taura was to how little Miles was. Staring with big wide eyes before he remembers himself. He bows like his mother and speaks - a slight stumble on English around the form of Admiral Naismith when he speaks in the long string of Hindi. Lakshmi's hand lifts to the boy's shoulder, proud, so fiercely proud. Then lifts to translates. "He says that if you, Admiral, are as brave and kind as his father, that you will surely assure our victory."
The words said, he steps back to his mother's side. Going to step next to her, a serious little man. Her hand sweeps down his back, a mild but sure affection. "I regret not telling you he was with us earlier, but I am sure you can understand the secrecy. He will not be in the way, he is raised around warriors and knows to mind his way around them."
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"Well enough." Her hand's press, palm to palm in greeting. Her head bowing over them. A smile playing there, as she meets his eyes. Her hair that reached comfortably in a braid to her hips, fell over her shoulder with the gesture. A set of pins that were hooked at intervals with gold pendants that gave it the weight to let it swing in a pendulum before she straightens.
Then she sits again, arranging the drape of the material over her shoulder. Fixing it in place as she settles herself once more. It's then that she gestures to her guards. Who - were doing their best not to stare. "These are my durgavasi - guards." Her hand sweeps from one side to the other. "Vijay, Jhalkari, Lakshman." They step forward at their names. A stiff bow from the waist, a hand on their swords, a formality to the familiar movement. "Kashi, Ram and Devi." She hovers a moment, a deeper breath. She's far been from nervous for most of this.
But this? Her hand gestures - the woman closest to her, Kashi, step aside with a leading hand and from behind her, emerges a boy. Not past six years old. "And my son. Damodar Rao Newalker."
He's a little thing, dark-eyed as his mother. But determined not to let her down as he steps forward, letting go of his nurse's hand. Just - as taken back by how tall Taura was to how little Miles was. Staring with big wide eyes before he remembers himself. He bows like his mother and speaks - a slight stumble on English around the form of Admiral Naismith when he speaks in the long string of Hindi. Lakshmi's hand lifts to the boy's shoulder, proud, so fiercely proud. Then lifts to translates. "He says that if you, Admiral, are as brave and kind as his father, that you will surely assure our victory."
The words said, he steps back to his mother's side. Going to step next to her, a serious little man. Her hand sweeps down his back, a mild but sure affection. "I regret not telling you he was with us earlier, but I am sure you can understand the secrecy. He will not be in the way, he is raised around warriors and knows to mind his way around them."