tailor_made | The Principal's Office

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The Principal's Office

The door to the principal’s office is open at all hours, although you will only find Hester at the receptionist’s desk from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. This is primarily where you can have private conversations with her. Though there’s an actual office in the back, it is always closed and locked.

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[Well, at least she's much less panicked than her last foray into the principal's office.]

Mademoiselle? May I have a minute of your time?

-Oh.

Barber's tools. For Mr. Barker. Mr. Barker's barber tools. Barber tools...for Benjamin Barker. [Hester purses her lips, a flash of concern playing across her face, but it's quickly replaced by another bright smile.] I'm sure I can get him a set of them. They won't be as nice as his actual razors but they'll get the job done.

[....what was that look of concern, and also those repetitions??? ]

...wonderful. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to give them to him myself, if possible.

[ Eurydice shows up at 8am sharp on Monday, and it looks like she means business. ]

Hello, Miss Hester. May I speak with you?

Hi.

[Is this normal? It sure feels kinda chilly. The Balladeer sits anyway.]

I feel like we got off on the wrong foot back there. I...don't know what happened, but I'm sure I didn't mean to come into any shows uninvited.

[Technically, he'd meant to stop the show before it could begin, so this is true!]

Mmhmm, mmhmm. [She nods, just a hair too quickly.] I might actually be able to get them to you before the end of the day since this will be a lot easier than mead supplies.

[...listen, Hester, he may not be genre savvy at all, but he is fairly decent at reading people.

So that nodding, combined with her earlier reaction from before, is enough to catch his attention. He steps closer to the desk, a slight frown appearing between his brows]

I...do appreciate the promptness, however...is there something that is strange about this request?

Monsieur...Mr. Barker is a perfectly sweet man. Most of the people here are nice people. [Discord not withstanding.]

You've been very nice to me, all things considered, so I want to return the favor with a little advice: be smart about who you trust. That's all.

I know. I trust you.

[And she does. More than anyone else she's ever met. He'd taken her in, showed her things she couldn't even have dreamed and how broken everything had become- and he'd asked her to help him fix it! Her, little Hester who'd had no one for so long suddenly has the most powerful man in the universe taking her under his wing.

How could she not trust him?]

I'm...a little nervous about it. I know it should be fine but they were all so angry and I wasn't sure how to answer some of their questions and... [She trails off, anxiously fiddling with her necklace.] I'm so afraid of messing it all up.

[Fashionable! Unfortunately, that's not why Cassandra's here.]

Sorry for dropping in unannounced. You know how it is.

[Dropping everyone in. Unannounced.]

I just wanted to ask if this experiment is anywhere near over, yet.

[Salieri pauses, then, taking a moment to study Hester, looking for any details in her expression, where she's looking, what her hands are doing, how she's holding herself, as if such a thing might give him insight as to her motivations for telling him this. ~~If this were dungeons and dragons, he would be rolling an insight check~~.

It's quiet in the office for a moment as he does this--though he's not going to let the silence linger too long. But he's certainly making no effort to disguise the fact that he's studying her and weighing her words]

[Monday morning, once again promptly at 8am, Salieri will be knocking on the door again.]

[Hester is a difficult person to read, even for someone as well-versed in insight as Salieri. It doesn't look like she's making any real efforts to hide her intentions though. Her mouth is set in a small frown of concern, dark brows slightly furrowed, hands laid flat on the desk instead of neatly foldes in front of her.

For all intents and purposes she seems completely genuine in her concerns for him.]

Keep in mind I'm not saying everyone here has ulterior motives at this moment but things can change on a dime.

[Hester is a little preoccupied behind her desk when Eurydice comes in, busy patting a powdery foundation across her nose and cheeks, but she looks at her with a bright smile nonetheless.]

Eurydice! Good morning, I was wondering if you'd come to see me. Come in, come in- would you like some tea? I have some extra.

It's fine, come in. Feel free to have a seat. [She gestures to a polished wooden chair across from her closed-in receptionist's desk.]

Over? No, no, it's been less than a week. We're fully expecting a full six to eight weeks. Eight and a half at the very most.

[ Why would someone spend their time applying makeup when they have a school to run, honestly --

No. Miss Hester is in charge, and it's not going to do Eurydice any good to criticize the people in charge. She's here for information, and information only. ]

Sure. Thank you.

[ When Hester offers the tea, Eurydice will not drink it, but she will smell it discreetly. ]

Nice, uh, makeup.

[ There! Manners! ]

[She's genuine. That is...surprising, and not at all what Salieri expected. He folds his arms, a furrow in his brow, but after a moment, he nods]

...I see. In that case, I will...give your words some serious thought before I decide whether or not to give them to him.

[She nods and her smile returns, this time softer than the overly bubbly, borderline intense grin she had before.]

Good. I'll leave it in your hallway locker, you should have it tomorrow morning at the latest.

Thank you again, Madame Hester. [he will give her a small bow, then] I wish you a good day.

You as well, monsieur.

[But while we're on the subject of insight checks...this could very well be whatever universal translator fuckery is going on but the way she says "monsieur" is pitch perfect French pronunciation despite her clearly American accent.]

[....interesting. He'll note that, and then move to take his lead]

Good morning, Monsieur~! [Hester's voice sing-songs from behind the door. There's a momentary pause and, before he can open the door himself, she opens it for him. She looks genuinely pleased to see him this morning, even holding a fancy-looking black and white tea cup on a saucer in her free hand. It's steaming gently.]

I recognized your knock so I went ahead and poured you a cup of tea.

[Salieri blinks, a bit startled when the door opens just as he's about to open it--and is further surprised to find Hester already standing there, holding a cup of tea. He, as well, is holding a cup, but this one is a bit taller and thinner]

Ah, Madame Hester. Good morning.

[he looks a little surprised still, but pleased]

That's very kind of you. And, what a coincidence? I happen to have brought a beverage for you to try as well.

[he'll step inside, though, so she doesn't have to keep holding the door open.]

[She gently closes the door behind him, raising her eyebrows in pleased surprise.]

You did? That's so sweet, thank you! [She motions for him to have a seat in the chair across from her desk and, instead of stepping behind it, she leans against the front of it.] What is it?

[oh, well, in that case, he'll sit, placing the cup he's brought on the table]

It is a sampling of the finished honeyed short mead. [he tilts his head to look up at her, sitting back in the chair so he can look at her easily]

I would not have been able to make it without your help, so I thought who better to be the first to try the finished product, other than myself?

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The Principal's Office

Sunday Afternoon

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week two; monday

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this is what not being able to sleep gets me

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Monday Morning

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