Chasing Rainbows

…a Sandman fanfiction by dreamkin…

…characters property of Neil Gaiman and various others…

Chasing Rainbows

Lucien sighed as he stacked another pile of unwritten books on the endless bookshelves of the Library of Dreams. Looking around him, he felt the warmth of a billion billion stories enveloping him, comforting him, strengthening him. The Library was the very core of his existence, he couldn't imagine living without it. And the memories he held of when he had been forced to do so, when the Library had disappeared, were locked up tightly inside himself, and he never allowed himself to re-experience them.

Climbing down the spindly ladder, which was supporting his meagre weight, Lucien crossed the main chamber of the Library to his desk. This was his most private possession. Save the volumes, this desk was the most important object in Luciens existence. It was filled with notes, half-read books and knick-knacks, small gifts from various dreams or nightmares throughout the aeons. And, carefully, he removed from the bottom-most drawer, the most precious of these items. It was a picture frame, with a photograph inside. For the Prince of Stories is not the only one in the Dreaming to love another, and Lucien harbours many secrets.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hearing the Library door open, Lucien replaced the photograph and rose from his desk to see the Dream Lord entering the chamber. He looked at Lucien, and the Librarian felt those strangely beautiful dark eyes scrutinising his soul. Embarrassed, and mildly irritated, he said

"Is there anything I can do for you, Lord?"

Little enough, Lucien, little enough. However, I have need of a distraction and it seemed an appropriate time to visit the Library. So. Is there anything I can do for you?

Lucien felt slightly perturbed that the Dream King would seek to pry into his private affairs for a 'distraction', and he stiffened his stance.

"No, Lord, I do not believe that there is anything I would need your help with."

The Prince of Stories said nothing to this, but he stared at his librarian thoughtfully. After some time, he said

I am sorry Lucien. I did not mean to offend you. I have no right to inquire into your affairs. You have been a good . . . friend . . . to me . . . haven't you? I shall leave now, if it would make you more comfortable.

Lucien instantly felt a stream of remorse for addressing the Dream King in such a way.

"No Lord. You are right, there is a small thing troubling me. However, begging your pardon, I think I would prefer it if I were allowed to tackle the problem myself, rather than allowing you to do it for me.

Again the Dreamweaver surveyed Lucien, read his face and his emotions and understood that it was important to the librarian that he be allowed to solve his own problems. Smiling slightly, Dream nodded his head.

Indeed. Your problems are your own, and they are yours to solve as you will. Would you tell me of them?

Lucien thought, and then nodded also.

"You have been most gracious, Lord. I feel that perhaps you deserve an explanation. This is most irregular behaviour on my part, after all. In brief, my lord, in recent years I have slowly come to realise that I am experiencing deep feelings towards another. I have not felt this way since I was a raven to Eve, and I do not know if this girl returns my love. But I must contact her and find out, for my work is becoming affected. However, if I were to go looking for her, it would mean abandoning my duties for a short while, for she does not reside within the Dreaming."

I see, replied Dream. He considered for a moment. I could give you one month to find this girl, Lucien, if that it what you truly want. But speaking from . . . previous experience, it may be better for you simply not to know.

"No, lord. I must find out. It will drive me to your youngest sister's realm if I do not. I shall accept your offer. When may I leave?"

Whensoever you wish. Do not hesitate to contact me if you wish to return to the Dreaming prematurely.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later in the Dreaming, for there is no true sense of time in that place, Lucien knocked on the throne room door. He was dressed for travelling on Earth, wearing a long coat over his suit and carrying a few possessions in a duffel bag. He wore heavy boots and held a long, thin, black umbrella.

On hearing a muffled response from inside and pausing for only a moment, he pushed the doors open and walked in.

Dream was stood with his arms crossed on the steps up to his throne, staring at the multicoloured glass windows that hung motionlessly in the air. He was no longer wearing formal dress, rather, a plain white shirt with white trousers. Lucien was reminded briefly of the Corinthian. His spiky hair was hanging loosely down his back. As Lucien walked closer, he noticed that his expression was slightly sad, and that he was fingering his emerald pendant.

"Lord, I am ready to leave."

Lucien saw him drop the pendant, and the sad expression vanish instantly, to be replaced with his master's usual serene calmness. Dream turned to face his Librarian and started to descend the stairs.

Of course. Where is it you wish to go?

"Earth. London in England."

Indeed? The home of . . . John Constantine, I believe. Very well, you shall be there momentarily. Shall you be needing transportation whilst you are on Earth?

Dream had now reached the floor, and stood facing Lucien. 'He seems smaller than before, when he was Morpheus,' thought Lucien. 'Smaller, and more vulnerable.' He said,

"Perhaps Lord. But there is no need to trouble your friend Pharamond. I shall sort myself out."

Very well Lucien. Do not forget to contact me if you need any help.

Lucien gathered his bag and umbrella in his left hand. "Of course lord"

Dream held out his slim white - so white! - hand and they shook. Then Dream concentrated for a second, and a hole appeared in the air. There was no other way of putting it. The air molecules parted and - there was a space, a grey gap in the room. Lucien walked towards it.

I shall see you in one month Lucien. Good luck.

And Lucien stepped into the hole and was gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He unfolded himself from the floor in one fluid movement, wiping perspiration off his forehead as he did so. He was inexperienced at travelling through dimensions, and the journey was never pleasant. It was raining, typical London weather, and he put up the umbrella. In his pocket were the English coins and notes that he had found in his desk. Their total came to about forty-five pounds. Lucien was not sure whether this would be enough, and knew that he might have to rely on his powers as a Dreaming inhabitant to see him through the month.

Looking left and right, he took in the busy street. Cars crawled along the congested road and gloomy people hurried past him, anxious to get out of the rain. Putting his bag on his shoulder, Lucien walked down the pavement and began his search.