Oct 22, 2000 note: I believe that this was posted on the Bujold mailing list in early 1999.

Several years ago, before Mirror Dance came out, I had two visions. In the first, Cordelia put together what amounted to an artist's loft (as a hint for Aral to consider retiring from the Prime Ministership - I remember the drawings she found in Shards of Honor). Aral, in revenge, uses her as the subject for much of his work. We would recognize a goodly portion of these; for example, the title of one of them is "Shopping."

The other vision was a formal portrait of the Vorkosigans: Aral in full Admiral regalia, Cordelia in something expensive, and Miles between them in his ImpSec uniform (all sitting down). Standing behind them are ghosts, the most recognizable one is standing directly behind Miles and is obviously "Piotr Miles Vorkosigan" (even has the same expression on his face as Miles). His siblings are ranged beside him; one of the girls appears to be wearing a Beta Colonial Survey uniform.

This vision has an update (but still before Memory). There are not very many changes: Aral is now in his Count Vorkosigan uniform, Mark is sitting besides Miles, "Piotr Miles" is not directly behind Miles (but has edged a bit toward Mark), and there is a new ghost (female) sitting on the other side of Cordelia. I think this ghost is wearing a blue uniform. Oct 22, 2000 note: This was sparked by a comment by LMB once made about Cordelia going home to Beta Colony and brewing up a daughter after Aral dies.

This inspired a third vision; the scene is an office, an aide comes in and announces: "Count Aral Vorkosigan, Admiral Naismith is here." This is NOT the scene in The Vor Game but is decades later; this Aral Vorkosigan's Betan grandmother was his Paternal grandmother. Oct 22, 2000 note: To be specific, he is Miles and Ekaterin's eldest son and, while she is younger, Admiral Naismith is his aunt, the youngest Admiral in the history of the Betan Navy. Wouldn't it frost Miles if a much delayed sister was the one with the successful military career?