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

[vineleaves]

"I'm very glad to hear it," Dionysus says as he rounds a corner, very much aware that she didn't expect him to hear it at all. "I think you should celebrate," he says in his usual warm voice. "It's good to see you, my dear, how have you been settling in?"

[higginbottom]

"Oh, hello!" Esther exclaims, perhaps a touch too loudly (mainly because she was surprised by him). I've been well, mostly. What about you?"

[vineleaves]

Dionysus is not one to complain about someone being too loud. Considering he has several epithets dealing with how wild and loud he is, it would be downright hypocritical of him to say something about someone else not using their inside voice.

"I've been-- well! I've been well." As this conversation is happening shortly after he had to say goodbye to his wife again, he undoubtedly hasn't been doing well, but he tries not to let on exactly how unwell he has been¹. "I'm glad to see you out and about, did you have any big plans for today?"


1. Mostly because such threads have yet to be played out...

[higginbottom]

"Plans? No, not at all," she replies, shrugging a little. "I might try to write, but who knows? I've been more interested, lately, in living life, not writing about it."

Though, she thinks, she really should work on her novel. Hm.

[vineleaves]

"Oh, that's wonderful!" he says, and actually gives her a genuine smile at that. "Life ought to be lived to its fullest, you never --" he cuts himself off, because he doesn't feel up to getting all weepy in front of her, she doesn't deserve to have to deal with that. Besides, he made up his mind today to go out and actually try to do something other than mourn Ariadne again. "Well -- anyway. What have you been occupying your time with here, my dear?"

[higginbottom]

"I've been working on my novel," she explains, smiling softly and sounding a touch proud of herself. "It's hard work, but I like it. I do love to write, after all."

[vineleaves]

"Will you let me read it when you're finished with it?" When was the last time he read a novel??? Great question!

[higginbottom]

"Sure! It may take a while, though."

Because Esther's a perfectionist, of course.

[vineleaves]

"You're in luck, my dear," he says, cheerful, "I have all the time in the world to wait for it!"

[higginbottom]

"Oh, thank God," she says with a laugh. "I was worried you'd want to be my publisher and start bugging me about writing more quickly."

[vineleaves]

He laughs. "Isn't the saying that good things take time, or something like that?"

[higginbottom]

"Well, you obviously haven't met a New York City publisher," she says, amused. "They would beg to differ on that saying."

[vineleaves]

"Then it's a good thing we aren't in New York right now! You take as much time writing as you want, dear. Even if it takes a thousand years, I'll be here to read it when you're ready."

[higginbottom]

"You're really swell to say that, you know," Esther replies, clearly relieved. "I'll show you my writing when it's ready, then."

[vineleaves]

"I look forward to it!"

[higginbottom]

"Thank you!"