open post.

[higginbottom]

Esther has, well, only sort of gotten used to the Mansion and its ways. She's still frustrated by being stuck there - after all, she survived almost dying. Doesn't she deserve something better than a small room with a small window?

Still, she's thankful to be alive. One morning, when she opens her window and looks out over the Mansion grounds, the air comes in, shockingly cold, and Esther remembers - she's here, alive and awake and ready for anything. She breathes in and out, and sighs with a sort of strange contentment that probably won't last long, but hey. She'll take it.

She gets dressed, wearing slacks for once (she decided to try it out, as she is in fact, a very modern woman, thank you very much) and a pretty floral blouse. She makes her way downstairs, her saddle shoes tap-tap-tapping against the stairs.

"I feel very much in a good mood today," Esther announces, to no one in particular. "Is that strange? Should I be worried?"

Comments

[temnota]

"Indeed," Aleksander agreed. "I admit to finding that to be difficult some days. My current project is wood carving so should you ever wish to take that up, I would be glad to share my hard-won knowledge."

[higginbottom]

"Oh, I know nothing about that sort of thing." She's trying to be polite, but it's a little obvious she feels awkward. "I'm no good at anything with my hands."

[temnota]

"It is all right," Aleksander could see the awkwardness and hastened to reassure her. "I did not mean that you ought to take it up. I only meant it as an example. I was drawn to it because I work with my hands anyway and well... I wanted to do something nice for Sunny."

[higginbottom]

"That's very kind of you," she says, feeling less awkward now that she doesn't need to, you know, build a bookshelf or something. "What did you make for Sunny?"

[temnota]

"Toys," Aleksander admitted, slightly sheepishly. "She likes to bite and I thought she might like something that could stand up to her teeth. I made her a duck first and she liked it so much that I kept at it. I keep waiting for her fathers to tell me to stop or that I have to help them build a new room for all of the animals before I am allowed to make more."

[higginbottom]

Esther laughs a little.

"That's very sweet of you," she says. "I think you should keep making them. I'm sure she appreciates them."

[temnota]

"I will make them as long as she keeps wanting them," Aleksander promised. "Is that not what uncles are for?"

[higginbottom]

"Of course, yes! It's very kind of you."

[temnota]

"Every child should have a happy and safe childhood full of love and toys. My own childhood was... precarious and I do not want her to ever feel as I did."

[higginbottom]

Esther nods solemnly. "I agree completely. Every child should be safe and feel loved."

[temnota]

Did Baghra ever love him or was he just a means to an end? This was something Aleksander had never dared to ask her and he supposed he would never know now. She had shown up once and they'd spent their time fighting and he could not imagine the Mansion letting her come again or that she even would if offered the chance.

"I was on my way to get something to eat," he said, attempting to distract himself. "You are welcome to join me if you would like."

[higginbottom]

Esther nods, realizing that she's hungry all of a sudden. Food sounds like a good idea.

"Thank you," she says. "I think I will."

[temnota]

Aleksander offered Esther his arm with a charming smile. "Shall we then, my lady?"

[higginbottom]

Esther is mildly taken with his chivalry.

"We shall indeed," she says, a touch grandly, and takes his arm.

[temnota]

Was he being a bit ridiculous? Absolutely - but it made Esther smile and that was not nothing. He grinned then escorted her quite grandly to the kitchen.

[higginbottom]

She laughs - not at him, just the silly chivalrous nature of the interaction - and will start looking around for something to cook with once she reaches the kitchen.

"What are you in the mood for?" she asks.

[temnota]

"I could eat anything," Aleksander said. "Which does not help in this situation, I know. The perils of being a soldier - if the food is even remotely edible then it doesn't matter what it is."

[higginbottom]

"Well, I can hopefully make something better than what you'd have in the trenches!"

[temnota]

Aleksander laughed. That was a low bar, he thought, considering the circumstances but he had faith that Esther could pull something wonderful together.

"Shall we each make something to share? This kitchen is big enough for both of us to work in."

[higginbottom]

"Yes, let's!" She's already looking for ingredients to make a big salad, enough for the two of them.

[temnota]

Aleksander considered his options then decided on stroganov as something that would be hearty and a good complement to Esther's salad. The cupboards and cold box were kind to him for a startling change and he took advantage of their bounty. This would be the finest stroganov he had ever made.

"There is something calming about cooking, I think," he said as he started to cut the beef into cubes. "I should have become a cook instead of a general."

[higginbottom]

"I agree," Esther says, smiling. "I used to struggle with it, but since I came here, I've learned to like cooking. It's strangely soothing."

She looks over at him.

"What was it like? You know, being a general?"

[temnota]

"Hard," Aleksander answered after a moment. His expression turned weary and his shoulders slumped with the memory of the weight of the world he'd carried for far too long. He didn't know Esther well enough to feel comfortable enough to tell her everything but he felt as though she should know a little of the truth.

"It ground me down though I didn't realize how much until I was pulled here. I had made a deal with Yevgeni, you see - the tsar at the time. I'd thought then it was the best way to keep my people safe, to keep Ravka safe. I'm not so sure it was now."

[higginbottom]

"I'm sorry," Esther says simply, partly because she can't think of anything else to say, and partly because she really does mean it.

"I shouldn't have asked, I guess. Didn't mean to make you feel rotten."

[temnota]

"No, it is all right," Aleksander said gently, trying to reassure her. "It is an undeniable part of my past. I can't change that anymore than I can change the seasons or turn back time. I have lied about who I was and what I have done but I will not do that here."