She was emotionless. Or rather emotionally drained, she did not know which was worse. The conversation she had had with her sister that morning echoed through her head. As well as the other conversations that had occurred before and after the rather tense discussion of her future. Darcie sat, carefully positioned, upon the edge of her desk chair. Papers, crumpled into tight balls, littered the floor. Dropping the quill back into the small container of ink, the woman rose and began to pace about in the small room that she called a study.
Rufus, her ever faithful dog, sat close to the stairs, observing his master. Truly the canine had witnessed the young woman in many moods, but this current one, was new. He was used to her being lively and with bright eyes, talking to him animatedly about a new project or someone new she had met that day. She used to be filled with life, but now…? Now her movements were stiff and her face held no makeup, revealing the fact that her features were sharper in particular places. Her normally bright sea blue eyes held a sort of blank expression. She almost seemed lifeless. Almost.
She squeezed her eyes shut and placed her palm flat to her forehead; a conversation from that afternoon slipped into her mind, or rather a part of one.
"No longer prey but the predator."
"A wolf in sheep's clothing more like it."
She opened her eyes and lifted her hand from her forehead. Her eyes flicked down to her other arm, wrapped firmly up in bandages and held in place by a sling. A disgusted sort of expression flicked over her features and she untied the sling, tossing the fabric to the floor. Rufus whined and lowered his head, covering his muzzle with his paws.
"I need a change. I must be… Like a snake. Shedding it's old skin to start anew, what do jou think, Pup?" She turned and gazed toward the whining animal. Darcie's expression softened and she padded toward her pet. Lowering herself, she stroked a hand over his head soothingly. She made soft hushing noises, attempting to calm the animal.
"It's alright Rufus, my dearest pet. Jou'll be able to recognize moi. Just a small, little change now… Maybe a tad drastic, but small." The woman murmured, going to press a kiss to the dog's head and she rose to her feet. Rufus lifted his head slowly, watching as she slipped out of the room before he heard her call for him to follow. And so, ever the faithful dog, he would rise and follow after her.
She had gone upstairs and was now seated at her small vanity, gazing into the mirror. Her fingers combed slowly through her deep brown curls. It was shoulder length and she had always enjoyed playing with it when it was not pulled up into a tight ponytail or braid.
A pair of scissors lay just within arms reach. Darcie closed her eyes and reached over, picking up the scissors. She opened her eyes and studying her hair before she began to cut. Rufus sat beside her, watching as she did so. His eyes followed as the large strands of hair fell onto the floor.
It was a tad choppy, but the job was done. Darcie set the scissors down and began to run her none injured hand through her hair. It was much shorter now, curling around her ears and face. It was uneven in places but she would deal with that in the morning. The woman raised one hand and tugged upon a curl, nodding her head in approval. It was different, uneven and choppy; as well as it was completely different from the hairstyle she once loved so dearly. She rose from the chair and cleaned up the fallen hair, going to toss the cut strands into a small fire that she had started in the fireplace downstairs. She watched as the hair caught fire slowly and closed her eyes.
"Start anew. Be like the snake. Sly and cool, Madame. Sly and cool." Darcie murmured to herself and opened her eyes, gazing into the flames.
Rufus, her ever faithful dog, sat close to the stairs, observing his master. Truly the canine had witnessed the young woman in many moods, but this current one, was new. He was used to her being lively and with bright eyes, talking to him animatedly about a new project or someone new she had met that day. She used to be filled with life, but now…? Now her movements were stiff and her face held no makeup, revealing the fact that her features were sharper in particular places. Her normally bright sea blue eyes held a sort of blank expression. She almost seemed lifeless. Almost.
She squeezed her eyes shut and placed her palm flat to her forehead; a conversation from that afternoon slipped into her mind, or rather a part of one.
"No longer prey but the predator."
"A wolf in sheep's clothing more like it."
She opened her eyes and lifted her hand from her forehead. Her eyes flicked down to her other arm, wrapped firmly up in bandages and held in place by a sling. A disgusted sort of expression flicked over her features and she untied the sling, tossing the fabric to the floor. Rufus whined and lowered his head, covering his muzzle with his paws.
"I need a change. I must be… Like a snake. Shedding it's old skin to start anew, what do jou think, Pup?" She turned and gazed toward the whining animal. Darcie's expression softened and she padded toward her pet. Lowering herself, she stroked a hand over his head soothingly. She made soft hushing noises, attempting to calm the animal.
"It's alright Rufus, my dearest pet. Jou'll be able to recognize moi. Just a small, little change now… Maybe a tad drastic, but small." The woman murmured, going to press a kiss to the dog's head and she rose to her feet. Rufus lifted his head slowly, watching as she slipped out of the room before he heard her call for him to follow. And so, ever the faithful dog, he would rise and follow after her.
She had gone upstairs and was now seated at her small vanity, gazing into the mirror. Her fingers combed slowly through her deep brown curls. It was shoulder length and she had always enjoyed playing with it when it was not pulled up into a tight ponytail or braid.
A pair of scissors lay just within arms reach. Darcie closed her eyes and reached over, picking up the scissors. She opened her eyes and studying her hair before she began to cut. Rufus sat beside her, watching as she did so. His eyes followed as the large strands of hair fell onto the floor.
It was a tad choppy, but the job was done. Darcie set the scissors down and began to run her none injured hand through her hair. It was much shorter now, curling around her ears and face. It was uneven in places but she would deal with that in the morning. The woman raised one hand and tugged upon a curl, nodding her head in approval. It was different, uneven and choppy; as well as it was completely different from the hairstyle she once loved so dearly. She rose from the chair and cleaned up the fallen hair, going to toss the cut strands into a small fire that she had started in the fireplace downstairs. She watched as the hair caught fire slowly and closed her eyes.
"Start anew. Be like the snake. Sly and cool, Madame. Sly and cool." Darcie murmured to herself and opened her eyes, gazing into the flames.
