And she's standing in a spectacular, breathtaking ballroom somewhere. Light is streaming in through all the walls so the place seems to glow. There are people dancing; there are tables, with people sitting down to eat; there are children darting between everyone's feet.
And there's Maitimo, holding one such child, who he's just snatched out from underfoot of a particularly fast dance. He looks younger, bright-eyed, guileless; he radiates sincerity. He looks straight at her and beams at her and swings the child up into his arms and walks over, a bit unsteadily, settling the child more comfortably in his arms as he does. "Uncle!" he says to her. "I was hoping you'd come; I have been pressed against the wall, declining dances and quaking in terror, all evening. Someone is assuredly going to ask me what I think of your lovely granddaughter and I shall be unable to cover for the fact I haven't met her yet."
And the scene changes -
Maitimo sitting outside a spectacular fountain, explaining chemistry to small children, the granddaughter in question perched on his knee -
Maitimo in his office in the palace, speaking earnestly to some slightly-terrified woman who'd come in unsure how the family'd manage without her daughter who'd just scored well enough on examinations to get a prestigious apprenticeship - "she can live at my aunt's," he says, "there's a spare room, and I know someone who's been itching to leave the city and would be endlessly grateful for a chance to work at your home..."
Maitimo bringing three trays of food by - "you mentioned to me once that these were your favorites, and for the sake of the country I am going to insist you'll well-nourished while you hammer out this tax plan -"
- three hundred Years of that, Nolofinwe concludes resignedly.