"Facets, Matthew. Each facet catches the light in its own way. It glints and sparkles and flashes uniquely. It would almost be possible to believe that the facet *was* the jewel; not just a tiny part of it. But then, as we move the jewel another facet catches the light."
~Morpheus, "The Kindly Ones"
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Chapter 2 - How Things Change
Author's note: Yes I am aware of how I have paraphrased or nearly quoted a few lines from The Wake in this chapter. Don't flame me for it. They sound good, they fit well (who am I to try and "improve" Neil's words?) and it's not like I'm plagiarizing the whole thing so..calm down.
Also, if Dream seems OOC...well that's the point. He doesn't act like Morpheus because he's not.
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"Greetings, Drusilla," Dream said in a voice much warmer than I would have expected. I expected the icy chill of iron doors barred shut in my face. My shoulders relaxed even as the butterflies in my guts intensified their frantic dance.
"My lord," I replied shakily, thinking to bow. He rose from his throne and walked to me. I remained bent low, my head raised to look at him. His touch startled me, his cool hand gently lifting my chin. I rose to stand before him, and he swept me into a friendly embrace.
"It's good to see you again," he whispered. I froze, my arms around this almost-stranger. This was not the Dream King I remembered. This was not Morpheus, who never would have greeted me so warmly, embraced me so tenderly, or *gasp* spoken in contractions.
He drew away from me and nodded, understanding. "Things change, Drusilla. I know this is strange for you, but not nearly as strange as it is for me."
He half turned and gazed into the distance, and I knew that I was in for one of his musings. I smiled, my mouth a half-curve, finally on some familiar ground. He spoke: "I am still me. I always was and always will be. Before I died, I told myself many things. One of those things had to do with facets. The facet is still of the same jewel, but no facet reflects light in the exact same way as another." He fingered a large emerald pendent as he spoke. "Do you understand?"
"I-- I think so," I stammered. "Did you tell yourself of..."
"Of you and me? I didn't have to. I know. I am a facet, still part of the jewel. The jewel is where the knowledge, memories, and power resides. Oh, not this jewel," he clarified, indicating his pendent. "I speak metaphorically. This jewel is merely a tool. I know that one day I will have to smash the emerald. You like it, do you? You always liked emeralds better than rubies." He smiled again. All this smiling was throwing me off. I can't remember Morpheus ever smiling, no matter how pleased he was. Nor was he ever this pleased to see me, at least not outwardly.
He stood still in a patch of light that streamed from the window. All this white was blinding me, but there was something clean and pure about it, as though all of the angst Dream collected as Morpheus had been washed away, a fresh start. Dream himself was pure white: pale skin as always, but his ragged mop of hair was platinum, his eyes still deep and shadowed pools of night. He looked a bit younger, fresher. His robes were immaculately ivory. I felt out of place, a black speck marring the perfection. Suddenly I missed the old Morpheus, missed him fiercely, and the castle where I blended in quite well among the shadows.
"Come," he said, beckoning, "let us have something to eat." I took his offered hand and we stood suddenly in a banquet hall. At least he still had a touch for the lavish and overwhelming. I felt disoriented by this blend of old and new; details that were familiar and comforting contrasted with things that clearly did not represent the Morpheus I knew.
Taramis did not so much as blink when I asked for a goblet of warm blood. Dream ordered a small garden salad and toast. Then we looked awkwardly at each other, waiting for the food to arrive. I wondered what he thought when he looked at me. Did he see the woman he once loved? Did he even feel like the same being he was then? And what exactly was I looking for, anyway?
Dream laughed. I was stunned. His laughter was beautiful, and I knew somehow that it was the same laugh he always had, only he never used it before. "This is so strange, forgive me," he apologized. "It's so strange meeting people for the first time, people I have met before. I met my brothers and sisters, and I was so afraid. It has become easier. Death has been wonderful to me, even though I know she feels perhaps the most out of sorts about this.
"And now I meet you again, and I know you do not know what to make of me," he said. I nodded and said nothing. The food came, and Dream picked at his thoughtfully. I sipped my blood, the captured vitality of it relaxing me a bit. "Why did you seek me out, Drusilla? And how?"
I bit my lip. "I missed you, to be honest. No matter what you had done in the past, or what had transpired, I missed you."
"And you return to find me changed."
"No, it is still you." I was certain of that now. No matter how he looked or how he acted, it was still the same Dream. I could see it in his eyes. The mere fact that he hadn't brushed me off, citing excuses such as pressing matters that needed dealing with, made me think that maybe the thing that needed changing the most had changed. "Even though I expected you to be deep in your work by now."
"I am," he replied. "Death has been good to me, and she gives me much advice. I met with... the Prodigal... during my wake. He gave me advice too, and for the first time I have been listening." He rested his fingers against his chin and gazed into the distance. "My sister is right. We have all the time there is. And Destruction is correct also. Things will not fall apart if I shift my notice from them. I have my responsibilities, and I become quite consumed in them, and I enjoy them, but they do not rule me." He smiled again, and this time I smiled back.
"You rule dreams, they don't rule you," I said. The blood in my goblet had gone cold, and I pushed it aside.
"I think perhaps I was too burnt out and set in my ways before. But I am...well reborn, you could say," he mused. "It forced me to change, to rethink. I have spent much time examining my past mistakes. I believe that the path I am following for now is best."
"I'm glad to hear it," I replied. I was grinning now. My heart began to flutter, and suddenly I realized I was falling in love with him all over again.
"It is approaching nightfall in your part of the waking world," Dream said softly, almost regretfully. He stood, pushing out his chair. I stood as well.
"I ought to leave. I'm working with Thess again." As soon as I said it, I regretted it. A flash of pain crossed his face at the mention of her name. "You still love her, don't you?"
"No... I just regret. I should not, but I have been regretting many things lately that I did."
"Do you still love me?" I whispered, half hoping he wouldn't hear me.
"I-- I think I must do," the Dream King replied, his lips curving slightly.
"Even after what I did? That's how I found your place again, you know." I looked at my feet, sheepish. "I used the blood."
"Drusilla," he began, taking me in his arms again, "It is past. Yes, you stole a bit of me, but I forgive you. I was angry at the time, but, as I said, I have been thinking much lately."
"I have to go," I said, leaning my head on his chest, closing my eyes, amazed that I was here again. It was like a dream. It was a dream. But it was real, still, somehow.
"Will you return?" Dream asked. I nodded. He inclined his head and softly pressed his lips against my forehead. "I am glad."
My eyes opened and I was in my room once more, Dream's kiss still warm on my forehead. Thessaly was not going to believe this.
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To be continued...eventually :)
~Morpheus, "The Kindly Ones"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 2 - How Things Change
Author's note: Yes I am aware of how I have paraphrased or nearly quoted a few lines from The Wake in this chapter. Don't flame me for it. They sound good, they fit well (who am I to try and "improve" Neil's words?) and it's not like I'm plagiarizing the whole thing so..calm down.
Also, if Dream seems OOC...well that's the point. He doesn't act like Morpheus because he's not.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Greetings, Drusilla," Dream said in a voice much warmer than I would have expected. I expected the icy chill of iron doors barred shut in my face. My shoulders relaxed even as the butterflies in my guts intensified their frantic dance.
"My lord," I replied shakily, thinking to bow. He rose from his throne and walked to me. I remained bent low, my head raised to look at him. His touch startled me, his cool hand gently lifting my chin. I rose to stand before him, and he swept me into a friendly embrace.
"It's good to see you again," he whispered. I froze, my arms around this almost-stranger. This was not the Dream King I remembered. This was not Morpheus, who never would have greeted me so warmly, embraced me so tenderly, or *gasp* spoken in contractions.
He drew away from me and nodded, understanding. "Things change, Drusilla. I know this is strange for you, but not nearly as strange as it is for me."
He half turned and gazed into the distance, and I knew that I was in for one of his musings. I smiled, my mouth a half-curve, finally on some familiar ground. He spoke: "I am still me. I always was and always will be. Before I died, I told myself many things. One of those things had to do with facets. The facet is still of the same jewel, but no facet reflects light in the exact same way as another." He fingered a large emerald pendent as he spoke. "Do you understand?"
"I-- I think so," I stammered. "Did you tell yourself of..."
"Of you and me? I didn't have to. I know. I am a facet, still part of the jewel. The jewel is where the knowledge, memories, and power resides. Oh, not this jewel," he clarified, indicating his pendent. "I speak metaphorically. This jewel is merely a tool. I know that one day I will have to smash the emerald. You like it, do you? You always liked emeralds better than rubies." He smiled again. All this smiling was throwing me off. I can't remember Morpheus ever smiling, no matter how pleased he was. Nor was he ever this pleased to see me, at least not outwardly.
He stood still in a patch of light that streamed from the window. All this white was blinding me, but there was something clean and pure about it, as though all of the angst Dream collected as Morpheus had been washed away, a fresh start. Dream himself was pure white: pale skin as always, but his ragged mop of hair was platinum, his eyes still deep and shadowed pools of night. He looked a bit younger, fresher. His robes were immaculately ivory. I felt out of place, a black speck marring the perfection. Suddenly I missed the old Morpheus, missed him fiercely, and the castle where I blended in quite well among the shadows.
"Come," he said, beckoning, "let us have something to eat." I took his offered hand and we stood suddenly in a banquet hall. At least he still had a touch for the lavish and overwhelming. I felt disoriented by this blend of old and new; details that were familiar and comforting contrasted with things that clearly did not represent the Morpheus I knew.
Taramis did not so much as blink when I asked for a goblet of warm blood. Dream ordered a small garden salad and toast. Then we looked awkwardly at each other, waiting for the food to arrive. I wondered what he thought when he looked at me. Did he see the woman he once loved? Did he even feel like the same being he was then? And what exactly was I looking for, anyway?
Dream laughed. I was stunned. His laughter was beautiful, and I knew somehow that it was the same laugh he always had, only he never used it before. "This is so strange, forgive me," he apologized. "It's so strange meeting people for the first time, people I have met before. I met my brothers and sisters, and I was so afraid. It has become easier. Death has been wonderful to me, even though I know she feels perhaps the most out of sorts about this.
"And now I meet you again, and I know you do not know what to make of me," he said. I nodded and said nothing. The food came, and Dream picked at his thoughtfully. I sipped my blood, the captured vitality of it relaxing me a bit. "Why did you seek me out, Drusilla? And how?"
I bit my lip. "I missed you, to be honest. No matter what you had done in the past, or what had transpired, I missed you."
"And you return to find me changed."
"No, it is still you." I was certain of that now. No matter how he looked or how he acted, it was still the same Dream. I could see it in his eyes. The mere fact that he hadn't brushed me off, citing excuses such as pressing matters that needed dealing with, made me think that maybe the thing that needed changing the most had changed. "Even though I expected you to be deep in your work by now."
"I am," he replied. "Death has been good to me, and she gives me much advice. I met with... the Prodigal... during my wake. He gave me advice too, and for the first time I have been listening." He rested his fingers against his chin and gazed into the distance. "My sister is right. We have all the time there is. And Destruction is correct also. Things will not fall apart if I shift my notice from them. I have my responsibilities, and I become quite consumed in them, and I enjoy them, but they do not rule me." He smiled again, and this time I smiled back.
"You rule dreams, they don't rule you," I said. The blood in my goblet had gone cold, and I pushed it aside.
"I think perhaps I was too burnt out and set in my ways before. But I am...well reborn, you could say," he mused. "It forced me to change, to rethink. I have spent much time examining my past mistakes. I believe that the path I am following for now is best."
"I'm glad to hear it," I replied. I was grinning now. My heart began to flutter, and suddenly I realized I was falling in love with him all over again.
"It is approaching nightfall in your part of the waking world," Dream said softly, almost regretfully. He stood, pushing out his chair. I stood as well.
"I ought to leave. I'm working with Thess again." As soon as I said it, I regretted it. A flash of pain crossed his face at the mention of her name. "You still love her, don't you?"
"No... I just regret. I should not, but I have been regretting many things lately that I did."
"Do you still love me?" I whispered, half hoping he wouldn't hear me.
"I-- I think I must do," the Dream King replied, his lips curving slightly.
"Even after what I did? That's how I found your place again, you know." I looked at my feet, sheepish. "I used the blood."
"Drusilla," he began, taking me in his arms again, "It is past. Yes, you stole a bit of me, but I forgive you. I was angry at the time, but, as I said, I have been thinking much lately."
"I have to go," I said, leaning my head on his chest, closing my eyes, amazed that I was here again. It was like a dream. It was a dream. But it was real, still, somehow.
"Will you return?" Dream asked. I nodded. He inclined his head and softly pressed his lips against my forehead. "I am glad."
My eyes opened and I was in my room once more, Dream's kiss still warm on my forehead. Thessaly was not going to believe this.
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To be continued...eventually :)