✼ The Jaipur Journey ✼ pv prat pspsps

There were moments when Valkyrja felt like a black sheep in her family. Her parents were well-respected Aurors who somehow found themselves traveling for their various projects or escapades leaving a note sometimes or a quick owl as they departed before the sun had even risen. She’d always know whether they had been at home based on whether she was being woken up with her mother’s melodious voice floating through the corridors or hearing her father’s deep laugh. Everything felt magical when they had the whole family in the estate even if it was simply doing mundane things like eating a meal together with light conversations full of laughter and camaraderie.

Even with all of this, she never felt like she’d particularly fit into her cookie cutter family. She had nothing against them and she was extremely close to each and every one of them, even with a brother that was a decade older than she was. But even then, he’d already graduated and she was still years away from school let alone even discovering her magic. Aashish was already beginning his career as an auror, following their parents' path and her older brother was already at Hogwarts, their parents with him in London more often than not.

Her nani’s gaze was unforgiving. With no one else to parent in the house what with her family away besides during breaks and the summer, they entrusted the matriarch of the house to raise Valk which had played a part in how she felt, how she viewed herself, and her deep desire to get as far away as possible. The more her nani tried putting her into the box she thought the girl should belong in, the less it felt like it made any amount of sense. Sometimes, she found comfort in her father’s arms as the only Gryffindor in the family. The flag of green and silver was flown high in their household and she could feel her impostor syndrome kicking in at moments. She didn’t even know if she would be good enough for the House of Slytherin. She felt fiercely protective of her family but her sense of honor and pride ended there. The thought of disappointing her family scared the hell out of her sometimes.

It was odd being alone in such an isolated but large home. They were far away from Muggles what with elves popping in and out and their plethora of magical employees flitting around the large estate. She’d always loved the tiny zoo they’d had, the peacocks that had wandered the land, and the birds that flocked looking for grains. In the few moments of softness, she remembered waddling after her nani, the calluses of her aged hands holding hers tightly and teaching her how to care for the birds and serve Mother Nature around them. Those memories had been locked away as she’d grown older and her fingers had slipped away from her nani’s grasp.

The walls of the large estate held years of memories, some that she cherished with all her heart and were filled with their twinkling laughter, their family in casual wear curled up on the couch, her head in her mother’s lap as they shared stories of their family and she saw the adventures her brothers were on at Hogwarts. Her parents loved regaling of their missions and expeditions and she could see the stars in her brother’s eyes as that eventually became his future. She remembered her own wonderstruck expressions as she realized how remarkable her family was and how she…. was simply there. Even at eight, it felt like the weight of the world and responsibilities and expectations were still on her shoulders.

Years of tutoring ensued from when she was old enough. She’d been able to tear through Muggle stories as part of her lessons that her nani had insisted upon. A daughter of the Kapadia family would never be caught dead as being uneducated and untrained. She’d felt the ground under her shake from learning how to dance with the rivulets of sweat as she’d found blisters across her feet while learning the complexities of the dance forms of her culture. The arts and the etiquettes were ingrained in her mind and she’d never be able to unlearn them. All to prepare her for her future, her nani had said and her parents had simply nodded along in their marital bliss. The moments she had with her family, especially her parents were the moments she felt like she was a flower blooming and their presence were the rays of sunshine feeding and nourishing her.

As she walked into the corridor with her parents’ hands both holding one of hers, her brothers protectively behind her as the ever obedient sons, she looked up at them and then made her way to their guests. Her parents did all the talking for the most part introducing the boys and her nani was at the helm with her grandfather no longer around. Her eyes dropped and she shifted to stand behind her brothers letting the rest of them take the forefront. Her eyes flit to the large windows beside the entrance hall and she longed to go play in the yard and maybe find some monkeys to bother or birds to chase. And yet, she was forced to greet this London family and their son. Some things would never be changed. Her expectations for the trip were fairly low but one could hope.

No one thought too hard about it when she was no longer right there since she had been standing behind her father, holding onto his hand mostly out of sight. Her eyes flit across to the other tall adults in the room noticing their attire and she smiled softly seeing that they were also wearing Indian clothing acclimating to the city they were visiting. She loved it when people embraced her culture and she couldn’t imagine wearing one of her fluffy thick ballgowns or seeing her father in a bespoke suit in this weather. Her skin crawled at the idea.

While watching the other family, she noticed all the details standing silently taking it all in. No one expected her to be as observant as she was but as the baby of the family at eight, while she was the most loved according to her mother, they had a new group of people to focus on and greet.

After the customary greetings with the vibrate carnations, jasmine, and roses that had been strung into fragrant garlands adorned around their necks and the kumkum and haldi on their foreheads, her nani and parents ushered them to the living room area for chaat* and chai. It was then her eyes caught hold of the boy finally, one who was gripping his… father’s, she assumed, hand as tightly as she was holding her own. They both seemed to have acknowledged that they were nearly the same age though he looked like he might have been taller but then again they had years to grow so maybe she’d tower over him she thought.

Shaking her head and dismissing her odd thoughts, she turned her head trying to figure out if he was as strange as the rest of the boys she’d ever met and especially comparing him to her own brothers who were wild in her eyes. Both of them seemed to be sizing each other up and as their parents continued walking, they stayed stagnant and the elves around them popped away to go serve the families leaving them completely alone. “Valk, tum tik ho?**” She turned her head and noticed Aashish standing by the doorway waiting to see if she needed anything in their mother tongue. She nodded her assent that she was okay and he paused, eyeing the boy, and then nodded before continuing on.

The strange boy approached her, all gangly and bouncy and she raised an eyebrow watching him in a flurry of motions. She noticed his white kurta and smiled at him in approval realizing that it suited him and his skin tone. So far it was his best feature and she wondered if he was losing his mind. His hands were waving at her and then a brown thing came out of his… she had no idea where he’d pulled that from and she took a step back. Her eyes focused on it and realized it was chocolate and her eyes glimmered with interest but before she could even open her mouth, his signing continued and she was deeply concerned that this family had stolen a mime from the streets of Paris. Was she supposed to find a rupee to throw at him? She was sure her father might have one in his pocket in his kurta… maybe he’d lend one to her.

Once the words *"YOU" "CHOCOLATE" "EAT??”* left his mouth she froze and then pursed her lips to keep from bursting into laughter. She wasn’t sure she wanted to tell him she’d had the best tutors and could speak quite well in a few languages, including sarcasm and of course, English but the moment felt like it was one for the books. For a moment she was almost tempted to reply to him in Hindi not sure if he’d understand a word but instead, she kept her expression blank looking at him like he was an idiot. She realized that according to her research, he was in fact quite strange… like the rest of his species.

Putting him out of his misery, she finally grinned at him like a Cheshire cat and replied, “I” “EAT” “CHOCOLATE!!” and then cleared her throat with a laugh hidden behind it (it was not a subtle laugh) and continued, “So how long have you been in mime school? You might wanna consider a different job. Maybe a clown? I like watching them at the circus!”

She was laughing now and walking backward after snapping off a piece of the chocolate he’d been pointing to and popped it in her mouth. She walked backward towards the living room area knowing her nani would come snooping if she didn’t make her way soon. Looking at him expectantly, she was grinning at him. “You wanna come with? Or… maybe we can go play outside?” She knew if he suggested it, her nani would agree which made her eyes roll but she wondered what kind of boy he was. Would he join her or would he go sit with the boys and ignore her like the rest of the ones she knew did? She was full of curiosity all of a sudden, her earlier disinterest nowhere to be found.

As per expectations with guests, Valk was almost certain that she would have been dragged against her will to be a good daughter and be attentive. Quiet unless spoken to, following proper pureblood etiquette, most of which made her roll her eyes so hard, her Nani was sure they were going to fall out of her head. There were some buttons to be pushed and knowing hers would be pushed, she enjoyed doing the same. Badla* as her brother had so eloquently whispered in her ear once and had been their shared secret.

The family had disappeared to the living area and she could vaguely hear her nani and parents guiding the family through the vast halls, giving them a tour of the place. As per the usual traditions or maybe it was nosy behavior, she could never tell, it seemed like people loved seeing all the nooks and crannies of another person’s living place. It was something that she’d never understood and her mother had shaken her head with a grin telling her she’d know when she grew up. Valk had thought she was crazy. At what point in her life was she ever going to care about if there was a dustball on top of some vague shelf somewhere? Shrugging at the thought, she let the adults do their thing knowing that they’d have at least a while before they’d all settle into the living area to chatter on about. Adult things they said.

Facing the boy in front of her, she did her best to hide her humor but his plethora of expressions that had crossed her face had made it hard to keep her amusement from him. She hadn’t meant to embarrass him but she’d been hiding her emotions from her family for far too long and the dam had burst. He’d become her unknowing collateral. She bit the inside of her cheek as she noticed the blush on his skin and smirked.

Seeing his olive brand, she thoroughly enjoyed the chocolate as it melted on her tongue. She had been curious if he’d brought this from his home especially knowing that most Indian sweets were made of things that weren’t chocolate but…. were delicious. Her eyes closed momentarily as she took in the taste and rich flavor missing her time in London with her parents at their other estate and knew that in the next few years, it would be something of more permanence. She’d miss the vibrancy of India and the variety of foods and things to do, her freedoms, and the constant change of the city that the moody one of London barely encompassed.

Valk’s eyes took him in and all of his expressions carefully noticing his seeming embarrassment and his quick adaptation to his laughter. There was a sense of innocence at that age that she enjoyed. While she’d been forced to grow up in ways that had been quicker than expected, in moments like this she knew she felt safe. And it was a new feeling, one she rarely felt except with her brothers. The young girl wasn’t sure what to make of it but pushed the thought aside for a later time.

Quickly, her mouth moved before she could think about censoring herself and the quips left her lips rapidly. He thought he was smart and she had two brothers. All boys seemed to think they were all that and it appeared he was no different. She’d casually called him an amateur mime and of course, he blabbered something about being a joker at a circus. Her eyebrows raised at him. Was this his best retort? “Using my own jokes on me? Tsk Tsk. Your species is very strange I think…” Maybe it was all boys, or maybe she’d been lucky or unlucky to be surrounded by strange ones like him and her brothers. The lot of them were all odd but then again so were most people at the age of eight. She was grinning at him nonetheless, slowly warming up to him after seeing his matching expressions. They both seemed to be comfortable around one another but maybe it was just her easy take on him.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

Her shoulders had been tight and she’d been waiting in anticipation to see what kind of boy he was. She’d almost prepared herself for him to be as uptight as the rest of the society ones she’d seen robotically trailing after their parents and maybe he was one with well bred etiquette but she also realized they were kindred spirits. Both explorers and adventures. Innocent really maybe even despite circumstances. She wasn’t sure how he’d been raised but knowing that he was likely to be a Pureblood based on her limited eavesdropping, she took all of this into consideration and nodded toward the hallway where her brother had been leaning against earlier while checking on her.

She’d heard the words 'I'd love to' and had stopped tuning in besides hearing his assent. With a quick movement, she stole another piece of chocolate and popped it in her mouth before moving away backward to the hallway their parents had disappeared through. He easily caught up to her and without thinking too hard about it, she grabbed his hands not caring too much about propriety, and tugged him towards the gathering room, zipping by most of the halls. She’d been raised here for her entire life and all of it was scenery she knew like the back of her hand. If the fort was like the Minotaur’s, she was Daedalus and their destination was the center of the maze. Quickly scampering in that direction, she grinned, occasionally looking over her shoulder moving them as fast as her short legs could take her. A sudden excitement to show him her house and the wonderful and vibrant sights had suddenly made this visit so much more interesting.

Without any kind of warning, she came to a full stop and released his fingers unconsciously. Her mind was whirring and realizing the implications and not wanting either of them in trouble, especially when she was about to make a big ask. In the time they’d been casually chatting, the families had found their respective ways to the seating area, all spread out on low baithaks*, comfortably conversing with warm chais in their hands and small plates filled with sweets and savories. She noticed the steam wafting above the fine china and smiled knowing that it smelled like home. The spices were rich, warm, natural, and strong. The aroma spread around the room until she could tell that it had just been prepared and in between were slivers of the scent of warm veggies and corn syrups which she knew were used as fillings for the samosas and kachoris* and that the gulab jamuns* had been dipped in.

Her mouth was watering but she noticed all eyes had been on their sudden burst into the room. Her brothers of course had mirth in their eyes and matching smirks as they looked between each other and then back at her. Her father’s eyebrows were raised with a hidden grin just for her and her mother of course looked expectant but lenient. She wasn’t sure what to make of his parents yet since she knew nothing of them…. nor did she particularly have an interest in adults. But of course, she could feel her nani’s boring stare into the side of her skull and her chin dipped out of practice and respect. Maybe even a bit of ingrained shame, though she wasn’t sure why.

Turning her head, she looked over at the boy and found her resolve. Straightening her shoulders, she looked up at her mother and father, and in a much softer tone giving them her most innocent look, she inquired, “Kya me use baahar le ja sakata hoon?”* While she didn’t know how the other parents would react, she knew if she asked them, and they replied, it would likely make her family and the guests both uncomfortable. Her eyes were filled with muted excitement and hope and she held her hands in a prayer form, closing them together and widening her eyes dramatically.

A soft laugh fell out of her father’s lips and he nodded his approval, her mother leaning into him and softly smiling. She lifted her chin as if to indicate to take care of him properly and looked over at the appetizers. Her fingers reached and she quickly put two of everything before handing it off to Valk and sending them on her way. Of course, her nani was looking at her like she was a devil spawn. She’d already gotten her way and all eyes were on her so she resisted the urge to stick her tongue out. She might have won the battle ignoring her nani and going to her parents but she knew she’d have to be careful.

Before she could leave, her mother’s voice casually fell behind her in a soft reminder. “Voh hamaara mehamaan hai, iska dhyaan rakhana.”* Her eyes were serious on her daughter and Valk quickly nodded her understanding, again holding back a smile. Thank god this boy didn’t seem to understand the back and forth. She wanted to take him on an adventure, for him to remember this trip and remember her. In fact, she was going to make sure of it.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

Being the extraordinary host that she was in her nani’s wildest dreams, Valk realized that while she knew this house like it was… well hers, this boy probably had no clue where the heck they were not to mention how many directions there were in the large estate. She thought it might be nice to give him the general tour before taking him to her favorite areas outside. They could examine dustballs in vague corners later or count cushions later. Whatever it was that adults did. There had been a low mahogany table that was sleek and the perfect place to stash the snacks her mother had left them while she gave him the quick tour, eyeing them and knowing that they’d be back soon.

She turned back towards the boy and nodded for him to follow her. Her hands were behind her back and she casually walked through the halls, her hands occasionally gliding across the white walls. They’d lost their pearly shine ages ago but there was history and stories that she knew of and many she’d never know existed before her. Paintings and sagas were splashed across the estate, each sharing bits and pieces of the past, the secrets that the walls whispered, and the occasional breeze of wind caught them.

It was a fairly open style with terraces and pillars scattered across the property. The arches and the building were gorgeous and she could see the sky and the bright vibrancy of this city. Despite knowing that the city and world were at her feet the moment she stepped out of the large iron gates that kept them protected, she could feel how tiny she was in such a big world.

Inserting words here and there, she attempted to tell him as much as she could about this place she’d grown up in, regaling him with fun stories about the royals of her bloodline who’d apparently resided there and ruled or something her grandmother had told her and she’d attempted to parrot to him. There was an innate sense of pride despite moments of her upbringing of sharing this secret and intimate part of her. She hadn’t realized it till then but she enjoyed telling him all these things and hoped he was as excited as she was to see all of the sights.

Her fingers pointed at parts of the city in the distance as they climbed up higher in the fort, their tiny statures attempting to look over the rails. Her eyes closed for a moment as she felt the wind kiss her cheeks and she let her hair fly behind her as the breeze danced with the strands of her thick pitch black hair. The blue fabric sparkled against her tanned skin and she could feel the soft jingle of the jhumkas as she continued on.



Valk turned her head to look at him and smiled softly, simply enjoying the silence and the pleasant weather. Her eyes finally properly took him in. He wasn’t too tall from her perception she thought her oldest brother was a giant towering over her in retrospect and was even more surprised to realize that she thought he looked very well dressed in the traditional Indian garb. The white material against his skin under the Jaipur sun stood out and the soft material was a good color. Not one she’d expected but it seemed to suit him. She distantly wondered if he also wore a lot of green and her expression fell for a moment as she looked away and back towards the city.

The fort/estate was in a bubble of its own from her view. While it wasn’t in the epicenter of the city, it felt like she could see everything from all the different views. The architect of the historical manor had left his mark on the care and detail in the buildings. The manor had long loved the land, for its stone carried the memory of its creation long ago. Each arch was symmetrical, all a creamy ivory color, slowly changing with the sun and passage of time, showing its age. It had withstood the test of time and still hosted her eons of family. The buildings around the property closely embraced theirs and she could see the vivacious nature of the city she called home. As her fingers glossed over a nearby pillar, she knew that this view was uncontested, especially with a warm cup of chai wafting from her parents' cup as the sun rose or as it tucked away for the night. Her favorite moments had been lying outside with the stars twinkling and waving back at her, their own stories and mythologies intertwined with hers.

After a few more moments of pointing out a few more things from her family’s courtyard and the city beyond it from the verandah they’d found themselves on, she carefully pulled him back towards where their destination was, taking him down a few other hallways, giving him more to see. She was softer now and showed him all the pillars as they passed by a few animals that were in the grass. A few rooms with all kinds of things in them. A musical room full of classical Indian instruments, a room that she’d learned to dance and practice in, the vast library, and a few other rooms, each with its own patterns and bright color schemes, all somehow well coordinated. A few had been renovated and modernized for events but the majority had been left as is to encapsulate the history and lineage of the Kapadia family. Her nani and their ancestors would have had an aneurysm had anything else been altered, even if the current renovations had been her own doing. Valk had been tempted to disagree purely on principle but knew better.

They walked back towards the entrance together and she answered his questions, nodding at his excitement. She hadn’t realized how much energy she’d exuded and realized how overwhelming that probably was. Reeling it in, she smiled at him softly and pointed toward the grassy courtyard that was in the middle of the estate. There were several exotic birds, all with feed surrounding a few of the servants and staff. She could see a few stray animals, birds of all natures flocking and screeching in their various languages and a few peacocks peacefully stalking by, pecking at feed at their leisure. “We have peacocks here, parrots too! I think it’s called an airy or… a rarity?”* She hadn’t been too sure so she shrugged and focused on the pretty birds. Her eyes were fixated on the feathers as they gently fluttered before spreading into several shades of blues, browns, and greens, all brightly catching the sunlight. The proud birds strolled around as if they were the rulers of the estate and not simply guests or frequent visitors.

“There’s quite a few animals who are on the property here and there. Some to see, some to feed, some to pet, and some to simply admire but keep distance… unless you’re fond of not having all your fingers and toes.” Her voice was full of humor, casually quipping at him. Her default setting was humor and sarcasm and hopefully, he’d match her energy but it would be a first. Especially of a visitor.



─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

The two of them came back to where they’d been earlier and she found the plate full of their snacks, extending her hand to him as he’d so graciously done earlier with his chocolates. She’d appreciated the olive branch if you will and was extending one of her own in the form of Indian snacks and sweets. They were staples of her culture in her quite humble opinion (she’s clearly so humble), and wanted nothing more than for him to see how delicious they were. Something to share with him. He seemed to have grabbed hold of a samosa first and she grinned in approval. He clearly had good taste, just like her. Samosas were flaky but full of flavor. Her fingers grabbed another on the plate and she showed him the chutney* options, a green spicy one and a brownish tamarind flavored one. There was nothing like this in London and she almost frowned wondering if he’d been subjected to such poor bland food all his life and if he’d been missing out on such delicious offerings. She’d have to educate him. “That’s a samosa. It is delicious. You have to like it because it’s perfect. And I know best. I’m always right. Try the chutney if you like!” Her words were firm and confident leaving no room for argument.

They were both standing together in the hallway and she showed him all the different sweets, each more colorful than the last, a few of the more savory items to balance the sweet syrups that were sticking all over their fingers and soft lips and she was laughing in merriment with him. Once the plate was left with nothing but a few crumbs, she set it down and casually but deviously looked over at him. “So… do you wanna see some cool animals with me? I think if you’re nice to me, I might even introduce you to my favorites. And if you’re especially cool, I might even let you ride an elephant with me.” She knew she wasn’t playing fair but if this was going to be her only opportunity to hold this kind of all mighty power, what kind of idiot eight year old would she be to not take advantage?

She beamed at him with his soft thanks and she felt the same way, grateful they wouldn’t be forced to sit and hear their parents drone about whatever the heck parents spent hours yammering about. His eyes seemed wide as he continued crunching the last samosa that still remained in his hands and she smiled behind her hand, allowing him to soak it all in. There were moments when the switch from London to Jaipur had been jarring. Going from a rather bland and morose city to one full of chatter, vibrancy, and well… life, she couldn’t imagine what it must be like for someone who might not have seen such a place before. Fanatical or mystic even she supposed. “How… are you liking Jaipur so far?” she asked almost hesitantly, wondering what his impression had been but also genuinely curious what he thought.

Leading him towards the courtyard, closer to the animals, she stopped in her tracks and gently offered some of the seeds to the nearby birds, most of them fairly comfortable with humans for some reason. It softly pecked her skin as it nibbled and then hopped away. She continued towards the animal enclosure across the estate, crossing the entirety of the courtyard, through another hallway, and towards the stables and pseudo zoo.

As they neared closer, it seemed like he could sense it and his entire personality flipped on its axis. She could barely blink before he was spurting words and she was doing her best to keep up with his excitement. His jumps and hops were like a bouncing bean though she wasn’t sure what flavor he’d be. Shaking her head from her thoughts, she raised both eyebrows at him, sensing that he’d found something to be excited about and she was more than happy to show him the ropes.

“A lion? More like a big cat’s cage. We have pretty white tigers in India and there’s a big lion with a floofy mane, two even! I like the tiger better… she’s prettier. Her paws are so BIG! I wish I could pet her and that she wouldn’t eat me. I think we’d get along swimmingly…. besides that part.” Her face was slightly sullen and she wondered if the tiger’s fur was as soft as it looked. “Ooooh, and we have a pretty panther too! It’s just a cub though, but sometimes my dad takes me with my brothers to feed it! Its name is Andhera*! My dad let me name it!”

Valkyrja was slightly in shock, fully attuned to his words and paying attention to every syllable nodding at all of his regaling with his special horse. She was smiling at him softly, completely understanding what that meant. “You…. like horses too? And you know how to ride them??” Her question was equally as soft and sweet as if left slightly speechless. "We have two horses! Poseidon and Pegasus! Me and my brothers take turns riding them when my nani isn’t looking…. ” She’d been in a Greek phase, one of her tutors telling her stories the PG edition of Greek and Roman myths and educating her through vivid storytelling.

Her lips pulled upwards and she couldn’t resist referencing his prized animal. “Does your horse like the sun?” She hadn’t expected to like this boy much less have anything in common with him. In fact, she’d even prepared to be indifferent to him and let the trip pass by as quickly as possible but something told her that wasn’t going to be the case. In fact, she was mourning their eventual end of the trip. Maybe boys were really weird…. and that was okay.

The two of them were nearly at the animals and she could hear some of their distant roars… but more than that, she could smell them. Some were familiar and some smelled like dirt and other things. She wasn’t sure what to make of it but it felt normal, and natural, and didn’t deter her from going to see her beautiful creatures. Despite them being in gilded cages, she knew they were powerful and deserved respect. They exuded strength and she had been taught from a young age to acknowledge that while they might be easily accessible, they were beasts and deserved admiration and healthy distance depending on the creature.

Her head swiveled and a soft laugh escaped her soft lips before she whispered back as if she were sharing a secret, “Camels? From the street? Why would we bring them here when we can go to them later and ride them around the city… or in the desert and play in the sand?” Her head was tilted in genuine but lighthearted curiosity. “They’re very cool. Lots of fun to ride and very very tall. I felt giant! They’re also…. a bit stinky…” Her nose scrunched for a moment but she noticed his bewilderment and wanted to encourage it. Leaning closer to him, she cupped her lips as if she was telling him something no one, not even the nearby animals could listen in on, “But I think if we behave… enough, we could convince our parents to take us on a little adventure in the city. Would you want to ride a camel with me?” Her expression was open and vulnerable, innocent even, as kids were at that age.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

There was a soft of wistful look shared between both of them and her eyes flit between him and the animals in front of them. There was a groundskeeper there and an animal tamer or something along those lines to protect the animals as well as them as needed. Knowing that it was well into the day, the creatures had likely just been fed which meant they probably could venture in if they’d like to. She was curious if he’d like to see all the animals native to the country or if he was missing home and feeling nostalgic.

A lightbulb went off in her head and she realized something suddenly. They’d been meandering throughout the house but she had no idea what his name was and she was almost entirely positive that she’d never introduced herself. They’d seen most of her house and she’d generally reacted to him or pulled him here and there with no idea of what to refer to him besides ‘another strange boy’. Maybe it was time to resolve that. “Um… Don’t tell my nani that I forgot to properly introduce myself. My name is Valkyrja Hjörþrimul-Kapadia… You can call me Valk if that’s easier, my brother does too! I’m eight and my nani tells me I have to be a Slytherin. I’m not 100% sure what that is but it involves a whole lot of green! I like blue more though.” She pointed at her kurti and did a little spin letting her hair fly and the tendrils of her hair strands fell into her face with momentum.

Valk was torn between doing something slightly risky that she knew she was allowed to do but she wasn’t sure if he could. They were her family’s guests after all and should anything happen to him, she knew she’d be held responsible. Plus, it seemed that she enjoyed his company and didn’t want to put that at peril. If he was to be whisked away, she would have been troubled if it was her fault. She could only imagine the disappointment from her parents and the anger from her nani. All of it scared her and she dipped her chin down as she attempted to think this through.

At the end of this, she looked up at him and smiled even if it was smaller than earlier, “You never told me your name…. What would our parents say about that? We seem to be quite the pair. Both entirely bored of our parents being such…. grown ups, looking for an adventure, no?”

Her fingers were fidgeting and then she opened and closed her mouth like a fish, suddenly doubting herself before looking at him earnestly, “Do you… want to see my horses? Or would you rather see some of the animals? Maybe we can go say hello to the pretty haathi* in the animal area? The uh…. the ELEPHANT! There are some other cool animals there too, some I could show you how to pet?” Her eyes held his and she tried to decipher his thoughts, wondering what he was thinking about. Hopefully, he liked her ideas or this was going to be a bust. She couldn’t imagine it all ending so early. She had so much to show him. They’d barely just begun!