Love is a Sleeping City
Crouched in a dark corner in the castle of Brennenburg, Daniel struggled to stay conscious. He was exhausted, hungry, and frightened. He was in one of the upper levels of the castle, wandering blindly from both terror and lack of a proper light source. Several times he'd had to duck into a dark bedroom to escape an approaching monster, the haunting calls making his heart stop momentarily in his chest.
It was in one of those moments that Daniel had found temporary sanctuary in Alexanders' room. He was in the farthest corner by the bed, hidden mostly by shadow. The window over the desk on the wall to his left offered some light, and he found a small comfort in it. He concentrated on the wall in front of him, desperate to think of anything else besides the disfigured and mangled form as it approached the door to Alexanders' bedchambers. There wasn't anything particularly fascinating about the stone wall, he decided. It was like every other wall in the castle. Alexander had told him that the castle's walls were his pride and joy, but Daniel didn't understand the older mans' fascination. Yet it wasn't quite the same as all the others. There was a hole in this wall, a dark shape he had first assumed was merely a shadow. He stared at it curiously, always a man of science. He couldn't think of a single reason for such a hole to occur naturally.
As he studied it, he was very much aware of the Grunt lumbering towards the door. There was a pause, and Daniel tried not to cry out as the door was suddenly attacked. Daniel prayed silently to any and all the gods of the universe.
Please, don't let him come into the bedroom. Please just let him look around the middle room and be satisfied. Please, God.
For once, the powers that be answered his prayers. The Grunt walked into the room, let out its strange roar, and left without checking Alexanders' sleeping chambers. Daniel let out a relieved sigh. The constant fear was a strain on his sanity, and he was always on edge. He hurt everywhere, the stress of being in the castle making him tense and sore. He needed sleep, but he couldn't afford to stay in one place for too long, and if he did sleep, there was no guarantee his dreams would be monster-free. He had gathered from his scattered notes that he'd been having nightmares before he lost his memory. Why should they stop now? No, he couldn't afford to rest. And yet...
That brutish monster won't think to come back here, or at least I don't think it would be likely. A few minutes here won't hurt.
He made up his mind. He would rest here for a few minutes. As long as he didn't close his eyes, everything would be alright and he would move on, delving deeper into the mysteries of his past and the task his former self had assigned to him.
He blinked slowly in his fatigue, and when he opened his eyes again, he could hardly believe what he saw.
Mayfair. There it was. There he was, in the middle of it. He was standing on the street he lived on, the houses of his neighbors lined up perfectly to both his right and his left. It was nighttime now, and only a few lingered outside, as it was quite late. A carriage rolled up to a house across the street and two women stepped out of it and into the house. He could see the roofs of other buildings on neighboring streets, some of them familiar to him, yet some of them foreign. The people, at least. As for the buildings themselves, none of them were a stranger to Daniel. Before his trip to Algeria, Daniel was quite fond of walking throughout his home city, exploring every corner and shack in it.
The sights were a relief to see, a welcome change from the dark walls of Brennenburg, whose stone walls were coated with the red mark of the Shadow as often as not. But that all seemed a dream now, a nightmare he had finally woken from, fading away to the depths of his mind. All the fear he had felt washed away, replaced by an elation that only Mayfair, his precious Mayfair, could provide.
Daniel was standing in front of his house, but he had no desire to go inside. He wanted to roam the city he so cherished. He did not mind that the streets were mostly deserted. For the first time in a while, he was grateful he was alone. He loved Mayfair by daylight, of course. During the day the city was awake and brimming with life, full of people going about their daily lives. He loved that energy. Yet it was at night, when Mayfair and its occupants slept, that Daniel truly loved his city. Without another glance at his home, he walked away, not wishing to go anyplace in particular. He was already where he wanted to be.
Mayfair.
Daniel didn't know how long he wandered the streets. It could have been hours or minutes. He did not get tired; in Mayfair, he felt positively alive. Being here, under the stars, feeling the wind brush against his clothes and in his hair- he felt a stirring inside him. A stirring familiar to all men, yet this was different for Daniel. This stirring he felt- this excitement- it belonged to no woman, yet at the same time the most precious woman to him. And that woman was Mayfair. Another breeze flew by, and he could smell the perfume unique to his city. The undertones were earthy, but there was also the smell of the nearest restaurants, the smell left over from a busy day, the sweet fragrance of the small gardens kept by the more financially prosperous. It was the smell of his home, and the smell of his one true love.
Mayfair...
Daniel.
Daniel spun around, looking behind him. He was in Berkeley Square, and he was quite alone. Yet, we swore he heard a voice- a woman's voice- call his name. He tried not to think too much of it. It was a trick of the wind, surely. Nothing bad could possibly happen to him in Mayfair. His Mayfair.
My Mayfair, Daniel thought contentedly.
My Daniel, the voice said again.
He froze. There was no mistaking it. A woman was calling to him. He listened, straining his ears to catch the voice again. He would confront this entity. He was not long in waiting.
Daniel.
He'd heard it, as clearly as the clock tower would chime to mark the passing of another hour. He ran towards the voice, not caring where he was going, just knowing it was extremely important that he locate the woman speaking to him. The voice led him on, begging him to find the source.
Daniel.
Daniel.
"Yes- I'm coming for you, whoever you are" he panted.
Daniel. You know me.
He didn't have much time to question what that meant, for he soon stopped in a large park area, full of trees and bushes and all sorts of flowering plants. The ground was covered with a lush carpet of green grass. Somehow he knew this was where the voice wanted him to go, but...why? He continued walking until he was in the middle of the lawn, the stars bright and twinkling overhead. He was alone, and it was peaceful. Daniel sat, enjoying his surroundings. He wondered where the woman who lead him here was. Well, she'd show herself when she was ready, he decided. So he laid back and stared at the stars.
Mayfair.
Daniel.
There it was again. Yet the voice did not seem to come from a physical source. I t came from everywhere around him.
...Mayfair?
Daniel, the woman responded warmly.
Are you... what I think you are? But you can't possibly be... Mayfair?
Are you not Daniel? If you are not Daniel then I am not Mayfair.
I don't understand. You're not alive.
I am not alive? That is where you are wrong. I am all around you. In the grass, the trees, the air. I am in every stone in the road, every brick in every building. I live in the hearts of every person. I am the Mayfair you know and love.
Daniel could hardly believe what he was witnessing, yet he knew all of this was true. It felt...right.
Undress, Daniel. Let me return all the love that you have shown me.
He did as she said. How could he refuse his one love, his Mayfair? Soon he was naked, and he reclined once again on the grass. The effect was immediate. The grass was soft, and it stimulated him, massaging his skin gently. It only served to make his cock yearn for attention even more. The wind came next, flowing over him, touching him lighter than any human woman could. One moment it was cool, making goosebumps pickle his skin. A second later, and it would be warm, sending his blood flowing even faster towards his painfully erect organ. With the wind came the familiar fragrance he loved, the perfume of Mayfair, comforting and familiar, and at the same time arousing. He opened his eyes- when had he closed them?- and gazed up at the immense sky above him, blue-black and littered with stars.
Daniel writhed on the ground. It was all so overwhelming. The tickle of the grass against his bare flesh, sight of the stars above him, the smell of Mayfair that he loved so much, and the caresses of the wind against his body. His cock responded to everything, the stimulation almost too much for him to handle. It was better than anything he had experienced before. His whole body had become hypersensitive, every inch of flesh burning with desire. He was close, so close. Soon, he would become one with his Mayfair, the Mayfair he had always loved, always yearned for. The pressure became greater and greater. Soon, he would-
Daniel jerked awake, once again on the floor of Alexanders' bedchambers. His cock strained against his pants, begging, weeping for a release. Quickly, he undid his trousers and brought out his manhood, ready to burst. With a few quick and desperate strokes, he released himself onto his stomach and hand. Spent, his muscles fell limp and he found it hard to catch his breath. When he did, he calmly cleaned himself off on Alexanders' bedsheets. Its not like he needed them anymore anyways. He noticed that he didn't feel tense anymore, or not as tense as he had been. His 'episode' left him better rested and slightly euphoric. It had been exactly what he needed. He picked up his lantern and journal and carefully opened the door. The door leading out to the dark hallways was completely shattered, and the darkness beyond was not inviting in the least. But he had a purpose. He had to continue.
Mayfair... Mayfair... my sweet city. My love. He wondered if he would ever see his beloved again.