Oh of all the equines on these godforsaken islands, of course it is him that walks up. She hadn’t even realized it was truly Sigurdr, so used to seeing him in every vaguely silver stallion that walks by. Her mouth drops open in shock, and for a few long seconds Esther is frozen. He speaks, and her ears flick back in annoyance. Whatever he has to say, she isn’t really interested in hearing it. What excuse can there be for abandoning her and Oren?
He steps in closer and that familiar, beloved scent fills her nostrils. Esther closes her eyes against tears, not wanting Sigurdr to see just how much it hurts. He is standing before her, but their son is still gone. “Where were you?” she demands, proud when she doesn’t shout and the tears only break through on the last word. She barely bites back a sob, but cannot resist it when Sigurdr steps in.
Esther closes the last of the distance between them, muzzle brushing over his black-marked shoulder. She shouldn’t, knows she should rage or run, not just melt before him as easily as the snow does come spring. But she is weak, and she missed him. Esther shifts back then, glancing away and saying, so softly the words are barely audible, “Oren left me - he headed for Salem.” Perhaps it should not sting so much, her child striking out on his own. It is, after all, natural isn’t it? Children grow up, they grow apart and start families of their own. But their parting was not a kind one, did not inspire much confidence that she would ever see him again.
Finding Sigurdr again is a poor balm for that wound - part of her blames the distance from her son, the loss of whatever close relationship they have on Sigurdr’s own absence. It isn’t something that she will readily get over. “I haven’t been back to Atlantis since I realized you weren’t coming home,” she adds. “What did I do, Sigurdr, that was so bad you had to leave me and our son? I just - I don’t understand. And I need to understand.” She is crying now, voice breaking and fat, hot tears rolling down her cheeks to freeze in the snow below.