Not the Right Shade

Questioned

As Jane left, Sybil couldn't help but ask, "You're going to wash my clothes?" as she descended into the hot water.

"I'm going to have your clothes incinerated." She responded, and Sybil could feel Jane frowning down at her pile of clothes. Sybil chuckled at Jane's statement and grabbed a bar of baby blue soap from the tray, steam gathering to droplets on her ice cold skin.

"If anyone other than me comes in here, scream. Though I doubt that anyone will bother you. My brother will be along shortly to guard your door." Sybil stopped suddenly mid-lather and her gut twisted in nervousness. Of course it would be Alec to guard the door. Because the universe hated her.

"I'll bring towels and blood upon my return. Don't leave the tub." Jane instructed before the sound of a closing door left Sybil in silence.

'Oh well. Best start scrubbing.' she thought forlornly, looking down at the already browning water. 'God, I really do need a bath'

---

While in the bath, Sybil tried reasoning with herself about Alec as she cleaned herself and stared at the wooden vanity table on the other side of the sink, its dark color soothing Sybil's overstimulated eyes.

'He' was unfairly attractive but also apparently evil and creepy. So what if you feel wrong without him? It's not like you're staying here much longer after the trial. And as if he's remember you.'

Unfortunate, Sybil was never very good at convincing people at anything.

---

Sybil supposed it was a good thing she couldn't feel superficial pain anymore, because if she did she'd be grunting distress as Jane combed her hair. Her nest of dark colored hair was really in quite a state, but Jane was hell-bent on brushing it out straight. Three empty glasses with reminiscences of blood lined the vanity's counter edge, proof that she finally was allowed to eat after her 2-1/2 hour long bath. Jane insisted (read: forced) Sybil use every drop of shampoo and conditioner, and spend the whole bar of soap. Sybil thought Jane was kidding.

Sybil was very wrong.

After the bath, Jane more or less wrestled Sybil into a red silk robe to keep herself decent as Alec came and went several times into her temporary room to deposit parcels of clothing, shoes, garments, and jewelry. The violet eyed vampire was a little overwhelmed with the thought of even owning these things for the meanwhile. Jane looked at her strangely when she said this, a peculiar look of surprise, pity, and something else that Sybil couldn't place. (It was a look she often sees when she tells other about her past- well, lack thereof.) The guard said they were the bare necessities and the roper clothing to wear at the trial "Nothing extravagant."

'Yeah, because a silver necklace with a ruby the size of my thumb nail is a necessity.' Sybil thought sarcastically.

After an embarrassing long amount of time, Jane finally placed the comb down. "There. Took me an hour, but now its knot free. In a strange display of friendship, Jane rested her chin on the crown of Sybil's head, the guard's pale fingers raking through the dark tresses of Sybil's mane. The other girl thought it was sweet in its own way, until Jane gripped the hair and glared at Sybil through the mirror. "Muddle up my work and you'll regret It." she hissed.

Sybil nodded frantically as Jane began to bind her hair into a braid. "Your hair is very strange. Far away it looks black. Closer it looks brown, and closer still I see all sorts of colors." Braid finished, Jane moved Sybil by the shoulders into the bedroom, boxes emptied and their contents put away in their proper places, with Alec standing in the corner of the room, silently watching the two girls. a wooden trunk now laid at the end of the bed, apparently to hold all of Sybil's new shoes.