The dream of the Serpent Charmer

She sat in Pro. Bruttenholm's office, leaning against Abe's tank. She kept caressing the cool glass with her fingertips secretly hoping he would appear. She didn't know why she was there exactly. Abe had shown it to her once, but to her it would have made more sense if she was in his library. The one where he had kissed and made love to her. Not the one that she had no emotional connection to at all. Darren said that Abe loving her had made it difficult, for his plan to progress as he wanted it. She had to laugh at the irony. Darren had put her with Red, Liz and Abe, to make her feel more alone than ever, only for her to feel less so. She wondered how he would have known that the B.P.R.D. would place her there, but after all this she wouldn't put having premonitions past him. It was even more ironic that he wanted her to feel less loved and with each attempt, he had pushed her into Abe's arms. She knew everything that had happened. She remembered it clearly. This was nothing but a dream, but in this state it almost felt as if she could control it. She had started giving into her jealousy. Searching through memories to recreate and see the love between Nuala and Abe unfold. The things she had seen so far had been sweet, almost disgustingly so. She wondered if it was the poor romantic in her or her jealousy that made it seem as such. He had fallen for her so quickly. Louise could even see it in his eyes as it happened. She wondered if it had happened as quickly with her. After seeing nothing more than two memories, she had decided against seeing anymore, while her heart was still capable of beating. If that was even what it was? Perhaps that was why she came here. It was a way of being close to him without being haunted by memories. She looked around the room and her eyes caught the statue of an angel slaying a demon. An apparition of herself and Abe appeared. Her apparition was looking at the statue.

"It's from the 1500'dreds. The professor was granted it as a gift, after the end of the occult wars. A beautiful peace of art." Abe explained.

"I was actually wondering about the symbolism. We are taught that it is wrong to kill and that angels are the purest of us. Yet here we have the purest of all creature's performing the most horrible act." Louise looked at him and his gaze turned curious.

"An interesting observation." Abe replied.

"But you are right, it is beautiful... Just don't let an angel see you admiring it, or you will receive an angelical scolding of doom." She teased with that childish mischief in her eyes and that expression alone made Abe chuckle.

She sighed as she looked at the memory, part of heartache and part of her own ridiculous nature. It was a wonder he fell in love with her at all. She wondered if her sarcasm, teasing and deflection of emotions made her come off as stupid and ignorant. She hid her face in her arms crossed and resting on her knees. She felt ashamed and mortified. Then that morbid curiosity punched her chest again. She needed to know. The apparitions of Nuala and Abe appeared. She was reading a book as Abe came down the stairs.

"Of course she is reading a book." Louise grumbled to herself missing the beginning of the conversation.

"No need." Abe said with understanding as his eyes were enraptured by the princess in front of him. She swallowed looking as shy and innocent as he. Then she looked more closely at him.

"You look… different." She said looking at him.

"Oh, perhaps my hair?"

Louise roared with laughter. Not that it was that funny, but she needed so much to laugh and Abe's humour always worked. She looked at Nuala, who stood completely still, not even a hint of a smile on her face.

"Aaaawww... Come on! That was funny and you don't have a single come back? Not even a giggle or a smile?" Louise almost scolded the apparition.

"Well, she had just lost her father and her brother was hunting her." An old kind voice explained. Louise turned to see an old man with a beard and a cane looking kindly at her with a smile.

"Yes, of course. It's just... he just always manages to make me laugh. Seems odd when it doesn't work on someone else. I'm Louise Moran by the way." Louise smiled kindle as she was still sitting and leaning against the tank.

"My name is Professor Trevor Bruttenholm. It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Moran." He smiled kindly and rested his shoulder against the tank.

"Your Red and Abraham's father." Louise stated looking at him with a confused expression.

"I have never known Abraham to call me father. He was already a man when we found him, but I guess in a sense I am." He replied the kind expression on his face never leaving.

"Am I dead?" Louise asked looking up at him with tears in her eyes.

"No. You are caught in a state between life and death. That is why you cannot die, but that also means you won't truly be alive either." He explained with a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"So now I am stuck in limbo. Great!" She grumbled sarcastically.

"Fate, destiny and premonitions are strange and unpredictable things. They never turn out as we assume."

"Isn't that a contradiction?" Louise looked up at him with a sceptical expression and the professor just chuckled.

"It does sound like it, but who would know more of contradictions than you. Now if you excuse me. I have to find my son." The professor said as if worried.

"I'm sorry, that I helped push him to this." Louise said as she dried her eyes.

"You are not responsible for other people's actions. Only your own." He said kindly as he rested his hand on her shoulder. He then walked out the door and Louise was left alone to her thoughts. The apparitions disappeared long ago without her seeing the memory to an end. Just as well.

- OOO -

Red looked at the crystal were Louise was trapped. She looked like a sleeping angel with the pearls in her crimson hair, the silver dress, red lips and closed eyes. He could see his own reflection in the crystal. His were horns fully grown, his breath showing in the air as if it was a cold winters night, his crown of fire above his head and his eyes burning with fire. At this moment they were each other's opposite in every way. The next night, when the 20'th December becomes the 21'st, Rasputin would be reborn and help him fulfil his destiny. He would open the gateway that Louise had become the beacon to. His children would never have to fear the world, because no one in the world would fear anything or anyone more, than their father. They would have full lives not dictated by others and Liz would never have to feel out of place ever again. Everything would be put right. This was his obligation as a father. Creating a world where his children would be safe from prying eyes and threats. He walked out into the tower and looked down into the courtyard. Darren creatures were getting ready to depart. Being send all over the world, making ready for when the human world would be forced into the abyss. From the tower he could see a city in the distance. It had once been a peaceful and prosperous village belonging to magical creatures, but now it had been taken over by humans. Poverty, sickness and greed had transformed it. Humans claim to create, when what they really do is destroy. They were the true curse upon the world.

- OOO -

Louise was still sitting in the professor's office. Watching that same memory over and over again. Each time it hurt just as much. Each time it shattered her heart. Each time it reminded her that Abe would be happier with Nuala than her. That her choice had been the right one.

"This cannot be healthy for you." A kind concerned voice said sweetly.

"Well, I am stuck in limbo for eternity. Thought I might as well start out by going mad. It must make it more entertaining." Louise said sarcastically still starring at the memory.

"You desire insanity?" The voice asked confused. Louise turned her head and looked at a very confused Princess Nuala. Louise got up, completely mortified and the memory faded.

"Your highness… I am sorry I know this is private, but…" Louise started to explain completely flushed.

"You miss him and are uncertain if the choice you made was the right one." Nuala smiled kindly.

"Yes… wait shouldn't you be alive?" Louise said in sudden horror. Of course Darren would have lied to her.

"That cannot happen until tomorrow night, when the beacon is lit and the veil to the heavens severed." She explained sadly and Louise nodded with understanding.

"Will you tell him that I wish for him to be happy?" Louise asked trying to prevent her eyes from tearing.

"I promise… Will you follow me, please? I want you to meet my brother." Nuala gestured Louise to follow.

"Your brother? The man, who tried to destroy the world, killed your father and you took your own life in order to kill him. That brother?" Louise asked wide eyed. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Yes, I want to show you the other life, your sacrifice has bought." Nuala explained.

"Other life? Of course! His life is connected to yours, so of course he will live as well. Why did I not think of that? I am just an ignorant, idiotic, foolish simpleton!" Louise cursed herself and Nuala looked at her with sympathy.

"If that were true, Abraham would not admire you as he does." She soothed and Louise gave a small smile. Louise looked around and they were in the Indian ruins, but they looked new and beautiful like in her dream. For a moment it all flashed and the building seemed old and broken again.

"What was that?" Louise asked surprised.

"They closer we get to the end, the weaker the barrier between realms become. We who are trapped in this one will be able to see theirs and they will be able to see us." Nuala explained.

"So this is the realm of the dead? Sorry if I seem confused." Louise asked.

"That's understandable. This is the realm of dreams. Spirits of the dead sometimes come here, to guide those left behind in what you call the living realm. Others are not able to let go of the living realm and are stuck here until they learn how." Nuala said in a kind voice.

"So you have been stuck here since you died." Louise stated and Nuala gave her a curious expression.

"What makes you think I have not moved on?" Nuala asked.

"Because your brother cannot." Louise stated sadly.

"You are as wise as I had hoped you would be." Nuala smiled.

"As you hoped? As far as I knew I am not special at all… well, except from my Zodiac sign."

"We awaited a Serpent Charmer, it was uncertain who of them Darren Connor would find. You are here by chance, but I am grateful that fate chose someone wise." Nuala smiled and Louise felt her head spinning. On minute everything was fate and the next chance. It seemed as if both were intertwined with one another, as if some things were predetermined and others were several fates that you could choose from. That left you never knowing, when you could change things and when you could not. No wonder life can be confusing.

They came to the courtyard and Louise could see a blonde pale man standing in a golden suit. He turned and the cold sinister glare he gave Louise made her tense.

"Why have you brought her here?" He growled at her sister.

"She has made a sacrifice for us. I wanted her to know what that meant." Nuala explained.

"You mean you want to change her mind, so she can break free. No... wait..." Nuada went towards her sister and reached to touch her. She cowered at his touch and Louise didn't blame her. He was as sinister as she was innocent.

"You want her to turn our people against those who would free us." He laughed with condescension.

"She is nothing, but a human. A frail, pathetic, hollow little creature. Her race is fuelled by nothing but greed and you hope for her to inspire hope in others. You are as much their pet as father ever was." Nuada spat and Louise felt anger rise in her. Her body language change and she became strong and determined. The fear Darren had place in her heart evaporated and life returned to her eyes.

"Do you think that just because I am human, that makes me incapable of seeing our shortcomings?" She went towards him with fury and bravery shinning in her eyes. The barrier shaken slightly at her words.

"Do you think that I do not see the injustices done to you kind? That I do not realise the implications if your world is lost to us? That if you are lost that I will not only mourn for your kind, but my own as well?" Louise said sternly.

"You would speak to me of loss and mourning? You know nothing beyond yourself, even as you claim that you feel for our suffering! Greed burned a whole in your kind long ago. That will never change!" Nuada roared.

"Like hatred has burned one in yours?!" Louise growled back. At the understanding of her words he struck her and she could taste the blood leaving her mouth. Yet she felt no pain and she did not waver. The barrier shook again.

"Look at what you have made yourself? You act as if you are better than us and still you will perform the same crimes as us. Both our people belong in this world and we should learn to share it. My race is learning this slowly, but we are learning. Show us that you are willing to teach us, if we are willing to listen!" Louise argued with determination and the barrier shook again. She looked around and could see the creatures from the living realm staring at her and then it all disappeared. Both Nuala and Nuada were gone and she was trapped in the office again.

- OOO -

As Red looked over the courtyard he could feel a curios sensation. It was like a wind picking up and as if you had seen the lightning and were waiting for the thunder. The creatures standing in the courtyard must have felt it too, cause suddenly the made a circle in the middle. Apparitions appeared and Red knew them all too well. Nuala, Nuada and Louise. He could see Louise and Nuada yelling at each other, but could not hear the words. It lasted for merely a minute before it disappeared. They creatures, which had not been created by Darren, seemed suddenly confused and uncertain. Yet when the Erinyes shrieked, they returned to what the task at hand. He heard the flickering of soft wings and turned to see an old pixie hanging in the air.

"And so the serpent Charmer gave the snakes the courage to both hope and dream. I hope you are ready, child, for the path ahead will not be easy." It said in a low mournful voice.

- OOO -

She was back in professor's library, but to her surprise she saw Darren standing there. He had a smirk on his face and was wearing nothing but his trousers.

"Darren, I see your aversion to clothes remains consistent." She said sarcastically and crossed her arms. She was done being afraid of this man.

"Aahh, I see you spirits have lifted. Not that it matters. You are after all stuck here. And yet even as you sleep you can prove yourself a nuisance. I don't know whether to be impressed or furious." He said walking closer to her. That cruel desire was burning in his eyes, but Louise refused to move. She was not going to let him control her. Not this time.

"I'm truly sorry about that, I will endeavour have less troublesome dreams." She replied in the same cold sarcasm.

"So tell me, was it always your plan to use me to get the royal twins returned to life?" Louise asked calmly.

"Not at all. I couldn't care less. That just became convenient, when Abraham fell for you. Why would ever give your affections to such a creature?" He walked closer to her still.

"Well after meeting you, the fact that he wasn't insane seemed to be enough" She said with a satisfied smirk. He grabbed her neck in the front, sinking his nails into it. She hissed with pain and he pulled her forward for a bruising kiss and licked the blood of her lips. Her arms were still crossed and didn't seem to fight.

"You are repulsive!" She spat when he pulled away.

"Now, Louise. We both know how this game ends." He cooed as his free hand started to touch her. She gave an almost calculating expression as she looked at him.

"You forget something. This is my dream." She said with a smirk and mischief shinning in her eyes.

The tanks glass walls broke and the room flooded with water. Darren looked around curiously as the room filled entirely with water. It was then he saw the giant sea snake in black and blue. Terror showed in his eyes and the snake swallowed him whole. Louise knew that he was not dead, since this was merely a dream, but now he could not torment her in them any longer. The water retreated and the snake twisted around her gently, careful not to crush her. It lowered its head to her and she placed her hands on either side of its mouth.

"You are such a good snake and such have a lovely colour." She cooed before kissing it between its nostrils.