Name: Darcy
Nicknames: D or Dar
Gender: Stag
Age: Mid 30's
Pictogram:
Here
Loves: Forever, a peahen.
Official Color: #C76114
Personality:
Darcy is a pretty complex guy and is extremely hard to describe in a short amount of space, but I shall try!
There are many layers to his personality, and no one layer truly stands out against the rest yet as he continues his journey to find his true self within a sea of emotion. I suppose it would be a good idea to start with Darcy’s positives. One thing that has always stayed steady about the stag however is his friendly, self-sacrificing nature. His level of outgoingness changes with his mood, but he is always willing to offer a smile and kind words to any who are friendly in return. For his friends, he’s willing to offer anything. In a constant search for approval and belonging he takes his relationships quite seriously and tries not to hold any one person above another.
He is creative and loves to work with words, often speaking poetically, philosophical about everything in life. Open and willing to try out new ideas and activities, when in a good mood he can be a fun guy to be around. His hobbies, likes and interests are broad, and unlike some it’s hard to pin point just exactly what sort of individual he is through them alone.
Honest but considerate, he is often stuck between the truth and what might not want to be heard. It is however well known that he is a bad liar and easy to read once his emotions get the better of him. Being plagued by a somewhat guilty conscience he often takes on more responsibility for a wrong done then he needs to or is at fault for, but he is always sincere and looking out for the best interests of others in whatever he does.
What may seem simply humble to some, however, can translate into a darker side in Darcy. Haunted by past and present events and mistakes, Darcy often struggles to move on from things that have caused him stress, or worse, especially if it has caused others the same illness. His mood will sour at any trigger of a bad experience, or at random if his mind is not properly distracted, and may often seem confusing and hard to understand to those around him. These fits of depression are extremely varied in their levels of intensity, the smallest being a simple standoffish sadness that keeps him distant and quiet for a short period of time, to the worst, in which his mind is so overtaken he seizes to function as himself and ‘loses his mind’, in a sense, temporarily switching off from the world around him.
And lastly, apart from sadness…anger. Darcy can at times, well…snap. One can only be gracious for so long, after all. He has always had a wild side as a younger stag and an affinity for starting fights, and while most of that former rowdiness has dulled, he is no less eager to lower his antlers when he’s anything from annoyed to protective to outraged. Especially when in a bad mood, his patience can be worn quite thin and he is easily provoked, while on another day he might tolerate the irritation better. Despite his looks, which certainly don’t mirror that of your usual tough guy image, he knows how to fight and wont back down from a reasonable challenge.
Appearance:
The buck has taken a strong liking to the orange butterfly pelt and the spiky brown antlers that curve down towards his back. His mask of choice is the Real Deer mask, not just because it’s a fine look but he very much enjoys the sound it makes. Rarely ever will he change appearance finding himself quite handsome as he is, thank you. When he's feeling silly or depressed though he might change things up for a little while. When he's sad he either turns into a mini deer (small and insignificant) or wears one of the real deer pelts (ordinary, not flashy).
Darcy is a bit on the short side for a buck, compact and sturdy in body yet lithe in features. His legs are thinly built but they are quite muscular and agile. His eyes are an amber color, only slightly lighter than the orange of his pelt. There are tusfts of hair at the ends of his longer-than-average ears like a lynx, as well as a bit of extra fuzz, streaked with premature graying, growing from his forehead that look curiously like bangs as it hangs over his mask. Scars dot his frame, some destryong hair pigment and causing new growth to come in white, and on others hair refuses to grow at all. He doesn't like to be 'naked' because of this, as the default pelt tends to show them better. His face too bears the many reminders of past harm, self inflicted and resulting from numerous battles. He's quite ashamed of them, and therefor will not allow himself to be caught without a mask that properly conceals them. If these long healed injuries can be overlooked, he has a pleasant face, his features very soft and subtle, all but his eyes which are deeply set, and while kindly, have a constant look of weariness in them. A short bit of stubble grows along his chin and jawline, helping him to have a more masculine appearance his otherwise softness may not allow...
Human Appearance: H e r e
Likes:
-Darcy’s favorite past time is making himself dizzy. When he finds he likes a certain someone or is really just feeling quite bored and idle, he’ll start circling. Around trees, rocks, the Twin Gods, mushroom circles or other deer, it doesn’t much matter to him, but round and round he’ll go. He's also start circling in place when he's nervous or anxious.
-Being transformed into small animals. He’ll stay in this form for hours, finding the reaction of others highly amusing, and appreciates the new perspective of the world.
- Helping others with their masks and pelts. Once given the honor of being asked, Darcy is dedicated till the correct combination is found.
-Playfighting. Unlike a lot of other deer who might find this behavior rude, he gets a thrill out of challenging others, though it's rarely ever serious. When another deer actually engages him, it makes his day ^^
-Sitting near the pond under the willows, letting the long drooping branches caress him.
- Dancing! He loves putting together new steps and combinations in his dance.
-Fawns. Fawns are his weakness, and he'll do his best to befriend them all and try to include them in his activities.
Dislikes:
-He doesn’t really care for ‘spell games’ too much, as he likes his appearance as it is and always ends up changing it back. He’ll play along for a while but if a spell caster is especially persistent he can get a bit agitated. He ESPECIALLY hates being ‘sneak attacked’ by the magical white pelts given by the Twin Gods. Unless he’s with good company, he’ll become quite aggressive or intimidated by this and will flee the area.
-He especially hates Mask spells, as he's very sensitive about his appearance and likes to keep his face concealed. If someone casts a spell removing his mask or if he loses it on accident he'll often flee the scene and present company till he can get it back.
-He doesn’t really like overly large, rambunctious crowds. He’d much rather break from a large group and go looking for a lonely deer to hang out with then remain in the chaos of it all.
-Any of the halloween sets. Not only does he find the skull appearance unsettling but he finds that the owners of these sets are often proud and aloof creatures. Still, he gives all the benefit of the doubt.
-Deer who don't know the meaning of PERSONAL SPACE. Darcy is very sensitive about his space, and while he'll tolerate close contact for a little while he might become agressive if a deer he isn't close to does not let him have it.
-When deer sit on other deer, usually in the case of gaining pelt spells from a sleeping deer. He finds this to be very rude and will often try and get the offending creature to move.
-The Drinkplaats. Getting naked = not fun at all. If friends enter he'll wait at the edge of the mushroom circle anxiously. If he really wants to take part in the fun he'll wait till no one is looking, dash in and transform himself. Only on rare occasions does he linger in deer form.
Location?: While he isn't particularly picky about where he is, he is fond of the pond, as well as his daughter's grave. He can also be found basking in sunspots.
What's Darcy trying to say in the forest?
Understanding Darcy
Darcy Art By Me:
X X XX
THANKS GUYS ^^ Hope I haven't forgotten anyone...
I wont USUALLY ask for fanart...maybe on occasion. To me though the best fan art is the one given in surprise! -hinthint- XD
His emotions were getting the
“Don't apologize. I should be thanking you for keeping me busy,” he reassured her, his smile finally warm and genuine beneath the shadow of his worn mask, “I am only sorry at the cost it is to you...Come now, no more of that okay?”
He carefully stepped around her before lowering himself on her off side facing the opposite direction. Darcy's scarred body cradled hers. He could feel the quickness of her breath and slowed the rhythm of his in attempts to calm her.
“I...hear you have adopted a fawn? The little one you're always with? I hope you have some assistance with such a task.” He spoke idly, trying to distract her...or perhaps he was trying to distract himself. His rage at Reed still brewed in the pit of his stomach and left a sour taste in his mouth and an itch in his restless limbs.
Suzer – Hello there!
Cailyn – Seeing Lin has made him so happy! .__. She is his pride and joy, you have no idea -snugs- And yeah I sort of figured it was a computer problem...I'm sorry he keeps running off but you know him XD' He's always into something he should be, oi. I wonder if there's anything you can do to make it better? Either way, we're happy to just sit and frolic, as long as she's understanding when he suddenly has to bolt off to check on something XD' I know our activity here has been sporadic... and I'm not even going to promise it wont continue to be -sigh- But for now we're here...as long as Darcy has a reason to be.
The stag froze at the little doe's words. The muscles in his chest painfully constricted. She may as well have kicked him in the gut...but he deserved it. He deserved the real thing, and much much more for everything he'd done. He didn't want to meet her eyes, so like his own, but he did, swallowing the sickness that rose in his throat as he studied the complex emotion on her young face.
“Oh Lin...” he whispered, his voice strained. Heaving a sigh, he gave his head a quick shake, freeing the mask from his face so that it slid down his neck on a fine red ribbon. Shifting closer, he craned his neck around her, minding his antlers, and buried his face in the small of her back. Breathing in her scent, he closed his eyes tight against the moisture threatening to gather there.
“I don't deserve you...”
Herla looked up at Darcy with
“Ciel is precious. But he is a handful.” and here she actually giggled. “Darcy, I feel funny.” and she giggled again.
He didn't know what to think
Her answer was amusing. A brow rose beneath his mask, a small laugh escaping his lips as the tittering sound of giggling escaped hers. Sheesh, he wished it worked on him that fast! The high strung little doe no doubt absorbed and processed the mysterious properties of the fungus like a greedy sponge.
“That's normal...lets hope it's the drowsy sort of funny and not the 'Lets run a marthon' kind, ” he jested, watching her closely with a small glimmer of weariness in his eyes. He hadn't let her overdo it had he?
“And yes...they're all precious at that age. They need guidance though...” he continued, lifting his head and staring off toward the distance shore of the pond where a small group of youngsters played. Guidance...he had failed at that part, hadn't he?
Herla was feeling quite
((Herla is quite nicely stoned now! LOL!))
Yup, she'd definitely
“Oh dear...it seems I've forever tarnished your innocence,” he chuckled softly, laying back his ears at the thought though his eyes brimmed with amusement. It seems he had forgotten about his anger.
“You should sleep, now.” It was more of a demand than a suggestion. On cue, he snuggled closer to her, curling more tightly around her in persuasion.
Heya. xD I was the fawn that
((Can’t just let an
Herla sighed contentedly, and did just as the stag suggested. She drifted off the sleep, nestled close to him.
((Thanks for putting up with
When Herla found Darcy that evening, she was full of energy, dancing and frolicking around the stag, prodding him to play. It was never too difficult with Darcy. She laughed and giggled at his antics. She raced around him, darting under him and around, speed and agility packed into a small form. She was quick. The small black doe was not strong and had no antlers, but she was a blur when she wanted to be.
She “challenged” him to a duel. Taunting, then rearing up, her dainty hooves flashing in the air, before lowering her “antlers.” She shook her feather mantle like the stags shook their massive racks at each other. Then she would charge and feign attacks, laughing and giggling all the while. Diving around him, nipping at his flanks or even darting in with a kiss to his cheek, then bounding off again. “You can’t catch me, Darcy!” she giggled, rearing up again and bounding forward.
It was a side of the little
He might have...
But the male's mind was in a fog that day. It was most inconvenient, but ultimately nothing new to the meloncholy stag. Herla didn't know this Darcy, a fact that he was well aware of - and a fact he didn't want her to be aware of. So as she began to race around him he plastered a grin on his face, rose from where he sulked and gave chase with as much gusto as he could muster up. It was a struggle, keeping his dim thoughts on the game. Darcy allowed her to stay several strides ahead. He backed down to her challenges after little more than a bow-and-shake or two of his own antlered head. Her laughter was infectious as always, and she made it easy to smile and laugh along.
"You can't catch me, Darcy!"
"I bet you're... right!" he chuckled dryly, spinning around around as she circled him, darting in and out like a restless fawn at play. The monarch-pelted male was tiring. He charged after her, following her path as she weaved in and out between the trees, but he slowed as she bounded off through the the tangle of wild flowers, trying to take wing with the butterflies. A dull pain began to throb in his right tendon, warning him of his negligent clumsiness. Coming to a stop, he watched her play as he caught his breath, giving his head a hearty shake.
...Track....
Herla was full of boundless
She played. Darcy reared and lowered his antlers at her in mock battle. It made peals of laughter fall from her. She continued her game of kissing, then running away again.
When she realized he had fallen behind and was now just standing watching her, she turned back to him, cocking her head in bewilderment. It was then that she saw how he favored the one leg and looked…tired. A rush of concern flooded her and she quickly trotted back to him. He still had a smile on his face for her but he looked…unhappy. She wondered if she had angered him. She slowed when she neared him those last steps. “D-d-darcy?” she said, a tentativeness in her speech. Surely she could not have harmed him? She knew he got into scraps quite often with other stags, perhaps he was hurt. She felt suddenly very bad for pushing him to play. “A-are you alright?” she asked, leaning forward to peer at him with concern.
Spirited laughter and
”D-d-darcy?”
He blinked, sending the whirlwind of thoughts scattering as he tore his amber eyes from the distant children to stare down at the little doe. Darcy wasn't surprised by her voice, subconsciously aware she had ceased her play and approached him - it was the look in her eye and the tremor in her small voice made him appear startled. His ears swiveled forward, immediately alert, and he stepped back to get a better look at her, forgetting his tender leg. A sharper pain traveled up the back at the awkward motion, but he merely clenched his teeth and quickly shifted his weight off of it again, forcing the pain to the back of his mind as his eyes swam over her wearily. Had she hurt herself? What was the matter? Before he could open his mouth to ask, she spoke again.
Was...he alright?
Suddenly her expression made sense. Her studious gaze ticked to his leg before jumping back up to his eyes. She seemed to be searching for something in them. It was...uncomfortable. He was afraid of what she might find. Despite missing a beat, his lips ignited into another smile, but his careful eyes betrayed him. They always did.
“Yes, of course,” he reassured her automatically, “I'm sorry, I ... got distracted. I don't have the energy I used to have, I guess.”
He lowered his head, looking a bit sheepish at this confession. Despite his avoidance, this wasn't dishonest. He was in his prime age yet the strain he'd put his body through for years was catching up with him. The mental strain was evident by streaks of premature grey and the deep furrows around his eyes.
“Just, uh ...don't tell Sorog, ok?” he chuckled, his ears twitching back. Lowering his head, the stag reached out and bumped her nose gently with the tip of his mask, attempting to convey his good humor.
Darcy had a far away look in
((ugh, lousy post length on my part, I fail!))
She stepped closer, and once
“Herla,” he whispered, his words gentle laughter even as they mockingly scolded her, “you're apologizing again.” In a swift motion he grabbed her lobe in his lips and gave it a gentle tug before he lifted his antlered head once again out of reach. The glimmer of amusement in his downward gaze was sincere these time.
“It's just an old injury that acts up from time to time,” he attempted to reassure her, “sometimes just walking irritates it, it wasn't your doing. Look, it's already feeling better.”
The stag gingerly sidestepped away from her ready support. Looking down at the scarred appendage, he briefly flexed it, concealing a wince with the knitting of his brow before carefully returning it to the ground and steadily shifting his weight upon it. It took a few back and forth motions before the sharp pain began to numb into a dull ache again. He knew what would help it. Keeping pain at bay, physical and mental alike, was something Darcy had become quite practiced at. But he couldn't go that route...not with Herla around. That left the other, slower approach. He glanced back at the tree she had attempted to prod him towards before letting his eyes shift to find the crying idol once again. The fawns had fled.
“Come now, don't let me dampen' your fun. I'm more than pleased to see you so well! How about a little dip? Is that a fitting compromise?”
He grinned and didn't wait for an answer, turning his body toward the stream and carefully stepping after it. As reasonable as Darcy often was, he was in no way immune to the ego of stags and had a stubborn streak to compete with the best of them.
[I think mine are just too long XP]
Herla tensed when he tugged
When he suggested a swim and headed towards the water, she grinned and bolted ahead. The weather was hot and dip in the pond sounded the best thing, she still had energy to burn. She leapt around him, darting in for kiss on his cheek, and skipped about in the shallows, making more splashes then were strictly necessary. Laughing again, she plunged into the cool waters, momentarily submerging her head entirely before coming up with a leap, porpoising like a dolphin through the deeper waters. The coolness felt wonderful and she sighed in pleasure. Standing in the waters up to her chest, her feather mantle now lay plastered to her neck. She held her head high and smiled at Darcy warmly before lowering her head to take a deep drink.
Oi...what was he getting
The descent had been a tricky one. The bank was steep and muddied by the fawns, but tucking his tender leg towards his chest he sat back on his haunches and slid carefully into the churning waters. It was a shocking chill, but one that subsided quickly enough. His hooves kneaded the muck, kicking up billowing clouds of sand to obscure his view of the weedy bottom. Well, Herla was already doing a fine job of that everywhere else. He stood quietly and blinked at her spectacle, leaning back and turning his head to avoid her splashing. It didn't work. The cool liquid sprayed him in the face, seeping behind his mask and rolling down the jagged contours of his skin. The stag snorted and shook, then laughed along with her, lifting his sound leg to smack the water's surface to send a counter-splash her way. He doubt she even noticed, already wading out to deeper waters. His tail twitched in amusement, but his attention was drawn in the opposite direction as the white-noise of the fountain began to drown out the doe's splashing. The tears poured steadily from the Idol's dark, hollow eyes as he vacantly watched the two deer. His smile faded, and after a respectful pause he bowed his head and muttered his usual quiet greeting. The buck felt the urge to approach the great rock and bow his head beneath the torrent, letting the weight of the water crash down upon him. Letting the sound drown out the world. Lifting his head again, he forced himself to step back, then turned to to wade his way back to Herla.
“You know if I didn't know any better I'd think you were meant to grow scales and not feathers at all,” Darcy jested, eying the way her beautiful plumage now lay plastered and scattered about her slick neck. Somehow she managed to look even more charming that way. The buck stepped carefully past her, moving slowly towards the bridge, enjoying the sudden lightness on his limb as the water crept to his elbows, than belly, than shoulders. The pain was subsiding, the chill of the deeper water numbing all four of his legs. He turned in small circles, lazily enjoying his new found buoyancy with a crooked smile.
“You should drag that goat of yours down here every once in a while. Would do those nerves of his a world of good, among other things,” he spoke offhandedly, then let out a dry laugh of surprised once the words left his lips and settled. Sorog snuck into his thoughts far more often then he'd every like to admit. He quickly tried to change the subject.
“I never really liked water, funnily enough. Always tried to avoid it when I was young...”
Oh boy, some subject change that was.
[-rambles off into own little world-]
At the stag’s jest about her
His comment about Sorog surprised her slightly but she laughed with him. “A good soaking is good for healing wounds…and sore joints,” she said. “Why didn’t you like it when you were younger? I’ve always liked the water…I’m afraid to go too deep by myself though. There might be crocodiles,” she said, wrinkling her nose.
Finishing another wading
“Can't say I've seen a croc anywhere near here before, I think you're safe,” he teasingly reassured her, shaking his head to deter a dragonfly as it made to settle on his mask. It buzzed its irritated disapproval before flitting off.
“As for me...” Darcy paused, his expression growing a tad bit guarded again as he seemed to carefully consider his answer.
“Well...lets just say I...wasn't a very popular kid. Some of the...razzing got out of hand by the river one day. Kids will be kids... Don't look at me that way, I'm a big boy now, I'm quite over it!” he laughed softly.
Herla watched perplexed as
“Well I’m sorry you had such a time as a fawn. Children can sometimes be cruel. I had no mother to look after me. The forest can be a dangerous place.” She said, almost off hand. Shaking again trying to fluff her mantle up and preening. She squinted up at the hot sun, then closed her eyes enjoying the warmth on her face. “But there are many wonderful things here too.” she murmured.
((I am reminded of when I was a kid and we went to a lake to go swimming. There was a tame deer there that hung around us all day. She was so sweet. I took an inflatable boat out across the lake and she followed me. She swam all across that lake like it was nothing. So deer can swim very well! ))
He shook as head as he
“I'm sorry to hear that,” he commented softly about her mother's absence, a strange feeling of uncertainty swimming in his gut at the thought. He wanted to tell her she was lucky - that sometimes mothers were vastly overrated. After all, he would have been much better off without his. He didn't say that though, keeping his lips pressed tight as he watched her lift her face to the sunshine. Suddenly, his whole body felt numb, envious of the warmth as darkness threatened the boundaries of his thoughts again. Darcy shook off a tremor that carried down his spine before turning and wading back towards the shallows. He searched for a place where the bank was the least steep and hoisted himself up the side. His leg surprised him with one last shot of pain before quieting again as he clumsily regained his balance. The buck snorted, dipped his head and shook himself, causing his wet coat to stand awkwardly as water flew off of him in all directions. Standing straighter, his long ears swiveled curiously about as he briefly surveyed their surroundings. Seemingly satisfied, he glanced knowingly toward Herla before turning from the bank and wandering silently towards the nearby meadow. He eventually collapsed in a thick, warm tangle of timothy grass with a satisfied grunt.
[Aw! That sounds like a really neat experience. It's amazing that they can with such bony little legs haha]
Watching the stag climb out
B'aaaw, that makes us so
She felt him tense up beside her, and risked a glance his way. Her eyes widened upon seeing his face--his real face, usually concealed from prying eyes, revealed to her for the first time--and blinked. The simple act of removing his mask had startled her, yes, but she was really taken by the face hidden behind it. Human, of course, but far more distinctive than her own. Handsome yet pained, so unfamiliar with what she was used to. His eyes, bright and playful, held a dull gleam as he looked over her. She felt a twinge of sadness as she met the eyes of the stag, the one whom she considered to be much like a father, and wished to offer some words of comfort, but was at a loss.
He spoke first, though, and she leaned into his gentle embrace and buried her face into his fur, instantly soothed as her eyes began to glaze over, being lulled by the gesture. However, at his next words, her eyes snapped back open and she stiffened, misinterpreting them.
"W-what do you mean...?"
Tracking this ♥
Hey there :3 Lol, well those
Lol, well those two are off to a tense start eh? -chuckle-
Lmfaooo, omfg, I was sitting
"Psh...pushy, overgrown
BE NICE! >8C
"I am being nice. Look. This is me - being nice. "
-eyes-
Aww, and now Darcy created a
"Of no consequence... If he's here, I'll protect him. If not, I won't. If my little one is tied to him, so will I be."
...Internal dialogue battle, GO! >D
My brown doe with the gazelle
"Who says I need protecting?
D8 -flail- CAN'T WE ALL JUST PLAY NICE?
uwharrie: Nice to meet you two :3 Your doe is fiesty D8 She got D pretty good in the chest lol. ALL GOOD THOUGH, we had fun!
Lol, shame on her... She had
"He is my business. There is
NEVAH! >:C
rofl
Cailyn: (SORRY THIS TOOK SO
Not too negative an impact I hope... XD' And yes it is definitely better than nothing! Aw don't feel like you're holding him back...he certainly wouldn't stick around if he didn't want to. She's pretty high on his list of priorities, just the last two times she was on a lot of drama was occurring and he was all over the place XD But keeping busy is good for him...he feels his best when he's serving a purpose ^^
Feeling her lean herself into his embrace, the stag nearly let himself go. It had been quite a while since he'd truly relented to his emotions...but he wasn't about to start now. No...not with her. She had seen enough of that already. He had to be strong for his family now before he lost what was left of it. He nuzzled into her neck wiping away any trace of the tears that had gathered, but he felt her muscles harden beneath his touch. Darcy paused, then pulled back as she spoke, her soft voice filled with apprehension. The glimmer of fear in her eyes startled him. What? What did do? What had she... Slowly his brows knit and his mouth frowned, all the deep furrows in his face – age lines and deep, jagged scars alike – intensifying.
“I... Just that I...haven't been what I should have been. You deserved more than me. You still do... Tell me what you're thinking?”
Pffft, I'm seeing Darcy all
My mini deer, Nanetta is Standing with him, Phobos and HoneyFur...
She's usually not that sad or paranoid but a deer tried to eat her the other day, bit her, and injected venom into her so she's acting odd from it.
Honeyfur's met him more than
I think Pride (the mini with
Track Attack Mauv was
Mauv was trying to explain that she had gotten in a scuffle with Leviathann because Lev won't let her near Six.
Aw, how come Darcy didn't
The little black doe watched
Darcy was far away. How long
And not at all pleasantly.
Herla's quiet attempts at getting his attention were beyond his current consciousness...but his subconsciousness alerted him to the sound by somehow incorporating her voice into his fitful dream. His body gave a little shudder in response, muscles tensing, then relaxing again in a stuttering sigh of air...
Darcy did not answer. She
Toxins battled their way
He didn't react as the little doe crept closer to him. Didn't react as she settled down against him. He shifted away as she touched his masked face...then suddenly curled into her. His tormented body wrapped around her, sensing her heat and her pressure and desperately – instinctually- clinging to it. His fur was damp from sweat.
“Rrrm...Rowan,” he murmured as he nuzzled into her chest before sighing in a little sound of comfort.
[....-shoots Darcy- ]
His face felt hot beneath her
He had jerked away from her initial touch but then curled into her as she’d settled next to him. It felt good to have him accept her next to him…even if he might not be conscious she was there. Knowing he’d been angry with her, that he’d turned his head and would not look at her when she approached, that he had rejected her when she’d come to him…it had been a terrible pain. She clung back to him now, wishing it would not end. But then he whispered something…”Rowan…”
Herla stiffened. The words…the name…it sliced into her like a sharp icicle driven through her heart.
”Of course…” she thought.
A dead, cold feeling spread through. She wished to disappear and never be seen again.
She was such a fool. But she had known. She had known. Who was to blame?
She would stay with him. Until he was well. She would not leave him like this. But her heart had been shattered. She pressed her face into his neck and squeezed her eyes shut against the tears. She would keep her heart cold now. It would not hurt as bad if it was frozen.
I saw you :3 I was that fawn
[Shika: Nice to meet you
He briefly saw her face. Her large, icy eyes and her playful smile were a beacon in the fearful madness. She stood atop a hill, peering down at him...then grinned from ear to ear playfully, spinning away and disappearing on the other side. “Rowan...Wait!” he called out, leaping after her. A song of tittering laughter was left in her wake, tangible in the air as ribbons of green and blue. Except it wasn't her laughter...it was too high and too sweet for even her voice. He barely gave it any thought though as the ground fell away and all that was left were ribbon-like walkways of sound. They spiraled around each-other, green and blue, then red, then...black. Somewhere in the distance, a baby cried.
“Shh, my love, shh...”
Rowan? Where was Rowan? He ran and ran to catch up.
“Shh...Be still!”
Not Rowan's voice. His mother's voice. The cries became muffled. His mother was...she was killing her!
“No...Mari...”
“Darcy...over here”
He spun around. Two white, hollow eyes stared at him from the dark sockets of a bird skull crowned in peacock feathers.
“Isn't he beautiful, Darcy?”
At the feet of the doe's rotting corpse stood a fawn with a brown and gold-striped pelt. It had his brother's face. It grinned madly up at him as it approached, slowly, and when it finally reached him it was no longer a fawn. The adult stag leaned in and nuzzled into his neck...then began to laugh. Darcy was frozen-
Then he was awake.
The scene shifted quickly as his eyes snapped open. A bright light immediately washed the darkness from his consciousness and stung at his hazy vision. The stag immediately shut his eyes against the white hot pain as it shot through his eyes to throb within his skull. He shifted in discomfort, then froze when he felt breath on his neck. Darcy started and flinched away...but he didn't get very far. His head swam at his quick attempt to lift it and he immediately laid it down in the dirt again, groaning.
“You win, okay? You win!”
Herla stifled her tears and
As soon as the words escaped
“Hey...you.”
It was all he could conjure to say. His mouth twitched into a tiny smile that fought not to be a grimace. The stag's muscles trembled, another cool shudder snaking down his spine. He felt cold, then hot, then cold again. The wood of his mask was digging painfully into his face and obstructing his vision of her. Darcy's face twisted in discomfort and annoyance and he began moving his head up and down against the dirt, struggling to free himself of it.
The little black doe clung to
His body shuttered and trembled against her, and she looked back at him. He was rubbing at his mask, trying to dislodge it. She made to help him then hesitated, unsure. It was not her place. She felt that perhaps she should leave. But his struggles could not be ignored, she couldn’t leave him like this. She reached forward to clasp the ribbon that tied the mask on, pulling it over his ear.
The stag was growing
“Hey, why...why are you crying?”
The stag frowned, his brows furrowing above his dark, sunken eyes. The smooth, light colored flesh of the deep scars that tore down his face wrinkled and pulled at his skin awkwardly as his expression shifted to convey his concern. He thought nothing of them now...his only thoughts were for her.
The doe watched as Darcy’s
He was…beautiful. His face was strong and handsome, the scars enhancing the ruggedness. And his eyes. Without the mask to obscure them, she saw them clearly. Focused on her now. Seeing…her? She wanted to touch her lips to that face and stare into those eyes.
”Why are you crying?”
The concern in his voice made her heart leap. She wanted to settle back next to him, feel his warmth against her and press her face to his. But she pushed these feelings down, building a cage around her heart to protect it., and squelched the longing seeing his face had renewed in her. It couldn’t be. She knew it now. His heart belonged to another and would never be her’s. There would only be more hurt. And she couldn’t take it.
“I was worried…” she said, trying her best to keep her voice even. “You seemed very ill.” She looked away from him, swallowing her tears. “I’m sorry…I was worried…but...I can go.” she said, fighting back more tears.