As a choice of first sign, it shows such a perfect understanding of Claudius's angle and intentions that Claudius can't help but smile at it. He feels a kindling hope for this project -- he knows how to wield spoken words too well and to one purpose, like an archer who has to forget all his old distancing habits in order to fight with a broadsword. If he can put down words as weapons altogether, and learn another way of speaking, he may be able to say something new. He and Galahad might find new ways to speak to and understand each other. "We'll have to go through them one at a time, I think," he says. He has, at least, precise control over his fingers, stretching them out before attempting to recreate the first sign Magnus showed him.