Behind the curtain

She was drowning in this room. The arrival had been overwhelming, and sweet. The castle was so big, she knew she was going to be lost in it for some time. There had been faces she had tried to memorise, though she knew the first day would be hopeless for it. Her Mistress had picked out her room - she plasted on a smile and pretended to be gracious at their hospitality. She had never had a room to herself before. Slave pens, her Mistress’s room. Here, she was so far from her Mistress she wasn’t even on the same floor. She realised then that she had begun to cling to Briar as a safety net. Ever since that day her Mistress had chased off her attacker. Had made true on the promises Art had spoken of. She had acted, and Lia loved her for it. She didn’t just obey her, she loved her. Now that safety net was taken away from her, and her paradise became deep shadows and isolation.

She had pulled her bedding onto the floor, finding the strange sleeping contraption lifted above the floor too soft and strange. Too much ‘new’ for her to handle. She could hear the wind whistling through the chimney of the fireplace as she huddled sleeplessly on the floor. She didn’t know how long she lay there on the stone, listening to the wind, and watching the shadows. The scents around her foreign and strange. Occasionally, she heard the sound of footsteps as a wolf moved around on the floor beyond. Her past life had beaten the spirit out of her, and Briar and Art had tried to rebuild it. Now, she was stuck somewhere in the middle. Not listless and cold inside enough for the changes to mean nothing. Not secure in herself to trust these changes, either.

Finally, she got to her paws, slinking quietly to the door. At least she was close to the stairs. On quiet paws she padded down to the second floor. Catching a hint of Briar and Art’s scent here. She cast a longing glance in the direction they had vanished into when night had fallen, before making herself continue on again. Down to the ground floor, and then out into the garden.s the cool night air rifling through her coat, sending strange scents her way. She huddled in the grass, watching the stars, and wondered what she was becoming.


"Speech"