I decided it was best for the purposes of this fic to combine what were two different short chapters into a longer one, involving a Dai Li agent having a private conversation with his cute kitty, and then giving the rest of Rajata's family the fright of their lives by just saying "Hello, Hong here," lol.
"...Then you walked into my life!/And we began to rock, steady/
Steady rocking all night long/and we began to rock, steady/
Rocking till the break of dawn/"
Rock Steady, The Whispers.
Cats are seldom able to resist the allure of a warm lap to curl up on, and Guanghua, Hong's chocolate point Siamese tom, was no exception. Seated at the wooden desk in his home study, Hong turned his attention away from yet another scroll he was reading through at the sound of the cat's strange, scratchy meow, looking down into the expectant blue eyes.
With a charmed smile, he backed his wooden chair a little way from his desk and invitingly pointed at his thighs. Guanghua needed no prompting, and sprung up into his caretaker's lap, the cat's warm, sleek weight settling against Hong's abdomen.
He softly smiled again, saying, "Missed my company while I was away at work, huh?" as he lightly stroked the silky fur with a bare hand for a few moments. Then a slight, traitorous pang of guilt crept upon the agent, and he let his fingers fall from a purring Guanghua's flank while his gaze uneasily shifted to the stone wall in front of him-in particular a tiny glowstone embedded within that sent out luminous green light.
Very much like the light of the lanterns that currently shone over the restrained body of a certain flying bison beneath Lake Laogai...
He'd been experiencing these private moments of self-reproach fairly often during the past ten days.
While he would never dare mention it to his patrol partner Guozhi, any of his fellow agents-and sure as hells not his captain or Long Feng-it'd always troubled Hong on some level, from the very start, that they were deliberately not only preventing a twelve-year old boy from being reunited with his adored animal mount and friend, but using the poor damn sky bison's welfare as a bargaining chip.
No earth-skating around it, it was undeniably a sick, and coldly cruel thing to do. He knew that he certainly wouldn't be happy if someone was playing the same type of games involving the cat currently purring on his lap. Or for that matter, his giant otter-shrew, Youmei, a gift from District Magistrate Qui in return for Hong saving his hide from a would be assassin.
On the other stone-gloved hand though, any tactic that could keep the Avatar and his companions boxed in, under control, make sure that their gibbering about the war never reached the ears of the citizens-or Shu forbid, especially King Kuei-was fair game. So much depended on it at this crucial juncture. And the city couldn't, mustn't, be allowed to fall into a panic. Ba Sing Se needed to remain unified, strong, and cohesive.
It still made him feel like a total shit by association though.
He tried to return his attention to the scroll before him-just one of at least two dozen that the eternally overwhelmed-with-paperwork Administration Division had entrusted to him to deal with that evening on their behalf-containing a formal request for an operating permit for a possible new fish farm in the Agrarian Zone. It wasn't long however, before Guanghua lithely turned on his back and grabbed at Hong's left arm, claws hooking into the black linen. That was a more preferable target than his queue though.
Hong gave a tolerant smile as he looked back down at the cat and petted his apple-shaped head, the needle teeth chomping at his forearm.
"You're going to make it pretty difficult for me to get any of my work done tonight with that sort of behavior," he told the Siamese.
But Hong doubted that he was going to make much progress on the night's paperwork anyway, with or without Guanghua. Hells, even after another tough, ten-hour day shift, a filling dinner of honey walnut chicken and fried rice made by Shan, and the knowledge that he could be summoned by Long Feng or another superior at any time, he doubted that he'd be able to drift off to sleep.
He just could not get Rajata off his mind. And frankly, he was rather glad for the mental distraction.
Their first date had gone very well indeed, and left him wanting more, in the same way one wanted more of a fine wine. He strongly suspected she did too.
Those sparkling, soft brown eyes. The way she lined them with kohl. Her buxom figure. That glossy, slightly wavy, black hair. Her graceful legs. That warm brown skin. The jewelry she wore. Her chiming laughter, the way her teeth shone like alabaster in her face when she smiled.
Sensing his distracted demeanor, Guanghua raised his blue eyes up towards Hong, and gave a curious meow.
"I've met a very nice, and damn good-looking girl, Guanghua," he replied with a smile, feeling in no way silly for holding a one-way conversation with a mere cat. "That's what's on my mind."
The Siamese curled up again, and began purring with half-closed eyes, as if inviting the Dai Li agent to continue. (Why did he often find it so much easier to express his deepest feelings to a voiceless, simple-minded cat than even one of his own family members or trusted servants?)
"I like her because she's an absolute beauty, first of all. You should've just seen the way she looked last night in that qipao your aunt Lanying helped me buy for her. I love that nose ring she wears, and the shade of her skin, her soft round cheeks."
"And her personality-well, it captures my heart," he sighed fondly. "What else can I say?" he shrugged. "She's gentle and sweet, the type who's never met a stranger. There's nothing fake about her either. What you see with Rajata is what you get," he said as he smiled down at the cat on his lap, rubbing him between the shoulders with a beefy hand. "Unlike me," he grunted.
"She's a pleasantly bold one too," he grinned. "The fact that I'm a member of this city's scary secret brainwasher police doesn't seem to rattle her all that much-hardly any more than it impresses you, to be honest," he chuckled. "By Oma's mother, it actually wouldn't surprise me if she takes to clutching at my queue now and again like you do Guanghua, she takes such liberties!"
"And she strikes me as very smart, both in being streetwise and when it comes to factual knowledge. She's a quick study, figures things out fast. She's modest and humble, but also outgoing and willing to speak her mind."
He closed his green eyes and inhaled, thinking back to the events of last night at The Emerald Moon, especially when they'd been in the enclosed space of the carriage together. He vividly remembered the scent of the almond oil she'd used to adorn and shine her hair-and she suspected that she remembered the odor of the coconut oil in his braided locks just as strongly. He could actually smell it again, feel her embracing him before she rejoined her family, and the phantom sensations quickened his heartbeat.
This felt like the beginning of a beautiful relationship. A cliched saying, yes, but it was fitting.
He was hardly lacking in opportunities to enjoy female company. For one thing, if he was so inclined, Hong could always go approach one of the Joo Dees and ask her if she wanted to have lunch or dinner with him at a certain place, to go for a walk with him in the Upper or Middle Ring, to watch a theater performance, listen to a concert together.
Through her manic grin, the Joo Dee could usually be relied upon-unless she had already been assigned orders that preempted Hong's request-to reply with that cultivated, singsong enthusiasm, "I would be honored to accompany you, Agent Yan! Just tell me the time and destination!"
And Hong had the sense that a sizable part of the Joo Dee-something which dimly endured from who she once had been-truly did take pleasure in his attentions, his company, the experience she was getting to participate in.
But he couldn't help but be bothered, disillusioned, by the sheer artificialness of the whole get-together, by the constant awareness that the mindlessly grinning woman sitting across from him or at his side, beautiful and docile though she was, was a twisted, broken, domesticated parody of female companionship.
Not for the first time, Hong idly contemplated giving Director Guai a beatdown someday in those underground halls of stone.
There was no free choice at work, no alternative options to counter his own for a restaurant or an activity, no considering mind or mutual, honest affection felt towards him.
Hong knew that some of his fellow agents thought little of going as far as to take a Joo Dee into their bedchamber with them. Personally, he considered the practice both as revolting as and little different than doing the same thing with a she-orangutan.
Then there were what he and the other agents sometimes sardonically referred to as "The Dai Li groupies."
Despite their emotionless demeanor-at least whenever on duty and in uniform-and strong quality of menace (or perhaps, paradoxically, because of it) there were a surprising number of teenage girls and young women, especially in both the Upper and Middle Rings, who all but worshiped the ground he and his fellow agents walked on and expertly bent with awesome force.
In short, they viewed a member of the Dai Li as the perfect man-wealthy, intriguing, brave and strong, driven, sophisticated and elegant, as dependable of a protector as the immense walls of the city, respected by all, thrillingly threatening-and probably not half bad in the sack either.
Hong couldn't count the number of times he'd seen one or more unmarried young ladies on the streets, in a shop, at a party, staring at-or even respectfully following-him and/or Guozhi, faces beaming with admiration and lust, giggling with nervous delight whenever he happened to even glance in their direction.
Singing traditional praise songs about the Dai Li-"Who's never at a loss? The magnificent Dai Li, of course!"-pretending to trip and fall in front of him, asking him for directions when he had every reason to suspect the lady knew the layout of the area perfectly well, seductively flaunting their female assets, randomly offering him food or water-Hong had been subjected to all these and more when it came to ploys for his attention and affections.
There were times when, the Earth Goddess help him, Hong would amuse himself by being a tease in return-faintly smiling back, deliberately raising his arms in a casual stretch so they could see his shoulders work underneath his robes, coolly telling them that they weren't half bad singers, giving them an obvious sidelong glance for a few seconds. Drove the fangirls wild every time, naturally.
It was all highly flattering and rather pathetic at once.
Certainly, his colleagues didn't have much trouble obtaining girlfriends and wives when they were so inclined, to say nothing of purchasing the traditionally allotted three concubines when or if they did marry.
Rajata however, had never behaved in such a ridiculous, desperate, cringeworthy manner towards him. She was almost cheeky in her honest gestures of affection towards him, yes-but not in the tiresome, over the top way the "fangirls" were. Yet another thing that he found so attractive about her.
"Seeing her once isn't enough, no way," he commented, now not so much to the cat as to the quiet, empty air of his Upper Ring house, located not all that far from the royal palace proper. "Time for me to arrange another date. And I might as well get it over with when it comes to meeting her family too," he added thoughtfully to himself. "After all, the sooner they come to trust me, the better."
Later that night, once the work in his office had been completed, Hong was able to get himself to accept sleep as he laid his head on the tubular pillows, hair streaming loose. He dreamed of sitting with Rajata in a nighttime garden of flowers, the fingers of his immense hand clasping her slenderer, darker digits, as her gentle eyes shone in the silver light of a waxing moon.
The summer sun's ruddy rays steadily grew brighter in the cramped home of the Chettiar family as Viyan finished one of his favorite breakfasts, sweetened pongal with coconut chutney. Made from a combination of rice, lentils, palm sugar, clarified butter, raisins, and nuts, it was just the thing to get him energized before he headed off to school with both his younger sisters. (Tuhina probably wouldn't be going to school for much longer though before someone came and asked for her hand in marriage, he knew.)
There was much to talk about at the breakfast table on this morning. Even in Ba Sing Se, this insular city of walls and secrets, where you only knew the things that you were "allowed" to know, word had still spread like a slum fire about the arrival of the young Avatar and his pals.
Everything the kid-what was his name again? Viyan wondered. Bang? Ong?-and the other three got up to became talk of the town in very short order-sometimes getting warped, Viyan suspected, into feats which weren't quite true.
Yesterday though, the Avatar had pulled a stunt worthy of his reputation, one which required no embellishing.
"Can you believe that he actually broke all the animals out of the Ba Sing Se Zoo and stampeded them right through this ring of the city to a new zoo he carved out of the Agarian Zone?" Maalai said in disbelief as she put her plate on the counter. "And that he bent out the enclosures in like, seconds?"
"It's madness," Ashwin replied, shaking his head. "Utter madness. While his heart was in the right place, it was a miracle that nobody got mauled or killed."
"An armadillo lion running loose through the streets," Viyan shuddered.
His mother grimly nodded in agreement. "Very dangerous situation."
"Lots of people's dogs and cats ended up in the new enclosures too," Rajata added. "That must've been quite a task, getting them out safely. I'm sure a few of them got eaten before that could happen though, poor things."
"Yeah. Still, I've already heard that the natural enclosures really do look way better than those depressing pits and barred caves," Tuhina said as she too, put her dish by the washbasin for their mother to clean before Madhuri, Ashwin, and Rajata all left for work in the Middle Ring.
"No doubt they do," Ashwin replied as Viyan also put his plate on the counter and slung his purse-like schoolbag over his shoulder. "Dirt for the animals to dig in, grass to lie in and graze on..."
Viyan was starting to head to the door, to slip on his sandals before leaving, when there was a knock at the wooden door-one that had a different tone to it than normal. As if the visitor's hand was sheathed in rock…
These days, you never knew who just might be stopping by their modest dwelling, and Viyan flashed his oldest sister a nervous, questioning glance. She responded with a quick, calm nod.
Go open it.
Apprehensive to his core, Viyan stepped up to the handle and twisted it, pulling the door back.
He froze in place as he was confronted with a looming figure in flowing, juniper green robes with the symbol of the Earth Kingdom at their chest. Stone mantled the agent's hands, and emerald eyes sparkled like a cat's underneath the jutting brim of his hat.
Behind him, Viyan was dimly aware of the rest of his family also going rigid, as they too realized that Agent Yan was here, standing right on their doorstep. And plainly wanting to come in. Tuhina gave a strangled squeal of shock, while their mother gasped.
The entire Chettiar family was as hypnotized with dread as a mouse facing a sulfurhead snake.
Except of course, his weirdo of an older sister, who seemed to think the guy was the best thing since fireworks.
"Hong!" she cried in surprised pleasure, getting to her feet. "What brings you here?"
He gave a placid smile at her as he scanned the interior of their home. "Well, I had some time before my shift for the day starts. I figured I might use it to both pay you another visit and get to know the rest of your family on the way," he said smoothly.
"We are deeply honored to have a member of the Dai Li call upon us humble citizens," Viyan heard his father say quaveringly, and he dared to turn his head to the side a little to observe Ashwin prostrating himself on the floor.
Viyan realized then that he was shivering in his lungi as he turned to face the agent. Part of him silently screamed, Oh spirits, he's here to arrest us all!
As his sister brushed by to give Hong the classic namaste greeting while she told him "Vanakkam, Hong!" and then grinning, gestured with her hand for him to enter, the agent stepped out of his stone boots before entering, and the tabs of stone that formed his gloves slid back up into his voluminous sleeves. It reassured Viyan, but not by much.
Their gazes met as Hong asked him, "You must be Rajata's brother, correct?"
He weakly nodded.
"Be at ease, everybody," Agent Yan reassured them as he removed his conical hat and held it in his right hand. "You aren't in any trouble, and my intentions are-well, very different from making any arrests," he said with a wry smile and a fond, knowing look at Rajata.
He paused, backed up a bit, and turned to face out into the street, before adding in a somewhat louder voice, "And for all you people who I know full well are waiting in ambush with your earthbending and various sharp objects to attack me if I get hostile towards the Chettiars, you can relax as well."
"Besides, if I meant to take any of them into custody, I would've done it by now-and isn't it rather insulting to their family to presume that with at least a couple earthbenders among them, their six to my one, that they need your aid to stand against me?" he added, failing to mention the obvious fact that even if there were four times as many people in this house, and all of them were benders, Hong would still have all the advantages.
One by one, several hidden figures left their positions and returned to their former activities, giving the agent wary, often hateful sideways glances as they did so.
But Hong ignored the other locals as he entered the house, Viyan uncertainly backing out of the way as his oldest sister brazenly took the agent by a bare right hand and directed to the table.
Viyan was as surprised as anyone by such a bold act on her part-Hong seemed more sedately amused by the gesture than anything else-but he figured that it was for the good, that Rajata just might be able to calm the guy down if he changed his mind about throwing one of them in the clink.
Their father took a soft breath before approaching the taller agent and pressing his palms together as he bent forward, the rest of his family repeating the gesture, and told him "Vanakkam, great protector of harmony."
Hong gave a slight smile of acknowledgement, replying with, "Nandri, Mr. Puri."
Viyan blinked, impressed.
He knows at least a few things about our culture. That's pretty cool of him, I guess.
As the Dai Li took his seat, placing the silk chinstrap of his steepled hat around a corner of the chair, their mother politely said, forcing a smile, "It's good to have you, Agent Yan. Would you like anything?"
"Just call me Hong. Anyway, it would be my great pleasure to enjoy some tea and get better acquainted before I have to be on shift," he said. "Is there an incense clock for me to keep an eye on, by the way?"
Tuhina nodded. "We have one over here," she said, pointing in its direction. "I'll go bring it closer, so you can keep an eye on it better."
"And as you no doubt are already aware, we have a drum tower in this district to mark the start of each hour," Ashwin nodded.
"Of course."
He scares me, but he's so fascinating, even charming, at the same time, Viyan thought.
"Hong, you should try my mom's chai tea," Rajata eagerly suggested. "Have you ever had chai before?
"Never even heard of it," Hong replied as he shook his head.
"You're in for a treat then." Rajata said with a wide, excited smile. "Chai is nothing like you've ever had before. It has cinnamon, cloves, sugar, fresh ginger, cardamom in it, along with other tasty things, with black tea as its base. You'll love it."
"Well, black tea is always good. And those ingredients sound even better."
Taking her cue, their mother took up a teapot, poured in clean water from the nearby pottery water drum after filling an earthenware pitcher, and took the vessel to the hearth, where she stoked the fire again with wood. Then she went and got the box of black tea leaves, extracting the right amount to start steeping even as she kept shooting long, hesitant glances at the Dai Li agent in uniform casually watching her.
Viyan could sympathize all too well. By Ganesh's ears, it was like having a tiger seated at their table right now.
The classroom was tugging at both him and his younger sisters, urging them to get moving-but he was also reluctant to leave the rest of his family, reduced to just three in the absence of the youngest Puri family members, by their lonesome with this guy. Even if his big sister was Hong's new crush, who knew what might happen while they were away at school?
Shifting from foot to foot, lips tight, in a tone almost like he was asking the Dai Li for some type of reassurance, Viyan murmured "My sisters and I kind of have to leave for school now, so…" as he fidgeted.
"At the same time though," he added, trying to give a confident grin, "it's exciting and a great honor to have a member of the Dai Li visit us, and we'd hate to seem rude by just prancing off before you take your leave, Agent Hong."
Beside him, Maalai nodded under the hood of her gold cotton sari. "We wouldn't want to disrespect such an esteemed guest. Besides, our teachers will totally understand."
"You'd better be on your way," Hong recommended. "Besides," he added, with a mock chiding expression that was still a bit harsh for Viyan's liking, "we Dai Li frown upon students who engage in truancy."
All three of them nodded before they turned and stepped over the threshold into the open air, Maalai so nervous that she tripped on the slick wood before regaining her balance.
Abruptly, the trio was stopped in their tracks as Hong addressed them again.
"Actually, wait for a moment."
Viyan tensed, and turned to see Hong rising from his seat, the sun shining off his pulled back hair as he walked over to them, unsealing a pocket in his outer robe with a slow stroke of a finger and placing his hand inside -for a weapon?!-as he did so. To Viyan's great surprise, Hong's hand emerged clutching six gold pieces!
"Here," he told them. "Two for each of you. Buy yourselves something nice, to wear, to eat, to play with after school today. Now study hard until then, so you can all become smart, educated citizens."
"Wow. Thank you!" Tuhina said, eyes astonished as she took the first pair.
"Gold," Maalai said in amazement. "Thanks so much for your generosity!"
Viyan heartily nodded. "Thanks, Agent Hong."
"My pleasure."
Perhaps having a Dai Li agent coming around wasn't such a bad thing after all...
And as they left the house behind them, almost dazed by their sudden new wealth, he heard their mother cordially, impossibly laughing.
Hong understood all about the importance of being punctual when it came to the day's schedule and tasks. Indeed, he would soon have to make tracks to headquarters himself, if he was to report for duty on time.
Rajata's mother and father too, had needed to leave, heading out to open up their spice stall-although, after his gift of ten gold pieces to the delighted, overjoyed Ashwin and Madhuri in return for hosting him, Hong thought they might as well just pack it in for the day.
Rajata though, could afford to delay her commute for a little while, and made the most of it as they walked through the streets of the Lower Ring together for a few hundred yards.
Other locals, in their scruffy, simple tunics and robes, nicked and cracked sedge hats and straw sandals-or just walking around in bare feet-stared in perplexed, awed amazement at the unlikely budding couple.
Hong could imagine what a sight they must present-the hulking, ominous Dai Li in his flowing robes and slanted conical hat that covered much of his face, with a smiling, short, dark-skinned local girl half his size in a green cotton sari strolling alongside, regarding him with nothing other than playful, relaxed affection.
At one point, Hong's attention was caught by the sight of Rajata reaching out, as if to stroke his shoulder, the idea charming him-but to his shocked amazement, he felt her hand lightly grasp, then gently run its way down his queue instead.
Several onlookers gasped and cringed at her audacious act, expecting to see a severe punishment be handed out in short order.
But Hong just lightly chuckled, feeling blood rush to his cheeks as he said, "Well, someone sure isn't shy about public displays of affection. But neither am I," he added with a small, knowing grin as he tilted the brim of his hat upward and bent down, inhaling the wonderful, clean scent of her hair as he kissed the crown of her head.
The other locals looked on in something like wonder.
She rewarded him with a dazzling half smile before he asked, "So, how do you think things went with that introduction?"
"A lot better than I thought they would when I realized you'd dropped by. I really wish you'd given some type of letter of warning first that you were coming though, Hong," she added, her tone containing a mild touch of rebuke and annoyance. "That really was a huge shock to them-especially my brother and sisters. You practically scared them out of their wits."
"My apologies," he told her. "I actually wasn't all that sure what to do when it came to that, whether I should notify them first, which could possibly get them all worked up while they waited for me to come-or just have them deal with me all at once, get it done with quick as possible."
"Doesn't matter anymore at this point, I guess," she replied as she shook her head in dismissal. "Please prepare them with a message next time you decide to come calling though, okay Hong? Remember, just a glimpse of a Dai Li agent tends to kind of freak out most of the people in this neighborhood."
He nodded.
"Very well. I'll be more sensitive next time. But yeah, they certainly didn't like having me around," he agreed, curling up the corners of his mouth knowingly, "and I can't say I blame them. At least they didn't react with hatred-or bending!" he chuckled.
Rajata laughed. "No, that would not have been good. I think they've warmed up to you somewhat though-or aren't as distrustful, at least. Progress, however you crack it."
"I have a feeling that certain shiny presents helped to break the stone slab in a big way."
"They sure didn't hurt!" she grinned in agreement. "I'm still wrapping my mind around the idea that you can just hand us that type of money and other gifts without any trouble," she added in a tone of astonishment. "I-We can't thank you enough for it."
"Trust me Rajata, it's never a burden to be generous towards you. Anyway, I truly have to get going," he told her, turning to face her as they both stopped in a small square.
"Then I guess I'll be seeing you later," she beamed wistfully.
Lowering his voice even further, he softly asked, "And speaking of which, I was the one who chose how we'd meet again today. Now it's your turn. Just let me know whenever you'd like to hook up again, and what you'd like to do."
"Cool. That all depends on your shift schedule though, of course."
"Yeah, and unfortunately we can get called in for emergency duty, or have to work extra hours at any time."
She sighed. "Part of the deal for helping to keep this city and everyone in it safe. But anyway, what's tomorrow like for you?"
"I'm facing another tedious ten-hour day shift, if nothing major comes up."
"Wow, sounds rough," she winced. "Me, I personally wouldn't mind just having a simple picnic and watching the sun set with you, maybe taking an evening walk together," she grinned.
"You're a lady of simple pleasures," he softly smiled. "But yeah, that sounds just fine."
Delight flashed over Rajata's face.
"I'll pick out and bring the foodstuffs, if that's all right with you," he added. "Anything you'd like in particular? Tenjikuan dishes?"
"I'm fine with whatever food you bring, as long as it's fresh and not all the same basic thing," she replied. "Surprise me, in other words. In terms of tea though, only a freshly brewed pot of oolong leaves from Pao's will do for this special occasion. So, meet me there, two hours before sundown if you can. I want plenty of time to enjoy the sunset with you," she said, reaching out to touch the Earth Kingdom symbol on his chest before running her slim hand down his breastbone in a way that made his knees feel suddenly, pleasantly weak.
"Likewise," he grinned back at her as he briefly ran his fingers over her left shoulder. "There's plenty of places in this city for a great view of one, I know that much, even here in the Lower Ring."
"Bring a pipe too," she added as an afterthought while they parted. "I'll bring the snuff-unless you aren't the smoking type. Oh, and I want some good quality rice wine, if you please."
"I don't mind sitting back and puffing on a pipe now and then," he shrugged. "It's relaxing, and makes me feel rather elegant too. Not like such a farm boy," he playfully grinned. "And sure, I can grab us a bottle of huangjiu."
"Great," she replied as she looked around. "Well, having to go to work sucks, but we'd better both show up for it, I guess. Here's something that I know will make your workday quite a bit better, Agent Yan," she added with a wink.
Before Hong could even form the question in his mind, there was a cracking of stone as she made a quarter turn, and bent a short pillar out of the stone-paved ground, rising on top of it until her gaze was level with his.
She leaned forward, tilting her head to avoid the brim of his hat, and gave him-Agent Yan of the Dai Li, in broad daylight-an eager kiss on the cheek.
In a mixture of bliss and disbelief, Hong's eyes widened as he backed away a few steps, watching as a smugly smiling, proud Rajata lowered the pillar back into the ground with a pushing gesture of her hands, then pivoted on a sandaled foot and sauntered away.
He knew she was walking in that manner to give him an appealing view of her hindquarters in motion, and a sly, grinning glance over her shoulder confirmed it.
Oh yes, that was a very good way to begin his working day indeed.
Reviews really are appreciated.