Disclaimer: I do not own Dream/The Sandman or any of the Endless. The thoughts of these beings belong to all. As far as the actual stories and artwork goes, it is all property of Vertigo Comics and Neil Gaiman for dreaming of a Dream for us to relate to. Thank you Neil.
Chapter One: Circular Lives
Dream, after his funeral, sat on the throne in the heart of Dreaming and put his face in hands. The doors were locked and bound, he was unreachable by anyone. Dream scratched his head and looked down at his feet. This was starting to seem like old times. He snatched a lock of his hair in pale fingers and looked at how startling white it was. He managed a small smile and let the lock go. This change is good. His mind reflected the memories of the past evening. Each remembrance dropped on his psyche like lotus petals dropped on a pond face. He sighed deeply and sat up. He could hear his sister's voice call to him faintly, "I stand in my gallery and call to you brother." Her voice was soft and hesitant.
"Yes sister, you are welcome here." He walked over to his gallery and stood in front of Death's frame. She leaned through and looked at the ground. "You may enter; do you wish to speak with me?" His voice was as deep as ever with a slight undertone of echo. She stepped through the rest of the way and leaned on one leg, her hands clasped behind her back.
"I just wanted to check on you, that's all" She still hesitated in looking up. He turned his head to one side, his feather light pale hair floated to the side slightly.
"I am fine, thank you for your concern sister Death." He took a step towards her. She quickly took one back. His brow furrowed ever so slightly. "You have no reason to fear me. I am your brother as I have been before, only new again."
She shook her head and peered up slowly to look at his face. His near white skin blended nicely with his mess of hair, something's never changed. His white clean kimono was neatly creased and the emerald shined in the candlelight. "It is just strange, ya know?" her voice still near a whisper, "I took you away, but you never really left. Are you really Dream or are you Daniel now?"
"I am my self as I always will be. I only took back a part of me that which was lost. I am still Dream, but, my titles will have to start anew, to suit my new form." Dream looked to the floor for a moment with his elbow resting on his other arm and hand at his chin in thought. "It is "strange" as you said. Since my death…or maybe I should say cleansing, I have seen things in a bit of a new light. I suppose like when we were children ourselves. The universe was still young then, and our attitudes more gentle than these current days." She nodded at the last comment. "'The Dreaming is as much of me as I am of it', I have said this before. In essence I will never truly rest unless the last dreamer is slain, even then I will wait. As will you and the others." She looked at the top of his white mane and stared while she listened quietly. "I knew that this day would come. I knew that it had to. There were simply too many people who had grievances against me and too many mistakes that I had made. Now, things are different. I suppose I will have to explain this to the others as time goes by. I am patient with new eyes, new thoughts and a revived soul. I am glad to be alive once again." She nodded again and smoothed her dress down absent mindedly. He then looked to her with his depthless eyes, the stars twinkling in the far reaches of his psyche.
"I missed you." She turned on heel and walked out of the heart of the dreaming to rejoin her family. He watched her go, and thought to him self that, in time, they will once again understand. Despair understood. She knew how it was to reshape and reform. Now, he thought, he understood how she felt when becoming of life again. Despairing herself as she met them all with uncertain looks.
Just then, Matthew flew in through the window. Matthew then began talking about speaking at his "boss's" funeral, and how he felt that he would not be able to be his raven, but since he was "just a kid" he would give advice and guidance. Dream took note of this and proceeded on quietly letting Matthew talk trying to quell his fear of meeting his family again. Although the thought did slightly shake the Lord of Dream, he remembered that he was not alone.
Dream then opened the door; he hoped his hands were not shaking. This feeling was so new to him, to fear his family. Before he was always so confident and quick to anger, once again his heart shook and leaped into his throat. Very quietly he entered the banquet hall, its warm lighting relaxing his nerves a little. The room was a terrible silence except for his movement of pulling the seat out and sitting to face them all. Death looked at him thoughtfully, her face a little softer than earlier.
All sat staring at him. He leaned forward on the table with his elbows and spoke softly his voice lingering in the air, "I'm sure you all have questions, or situations to settle." He looked to each of them, his face placid and unreadable. Desire leaned back in It's chair and puffed on a cigarette dangling from ruby lips. It snorted, "Well, new face, old games." Desire sneered, "Good to see your new form is not terribly in bad taste." Death frowned at Desire and then Destiny spoke up.
"I welcome you brother, to our family again. It is good to see you are well." His voice was careful. Dream nodded to him.
"I jUsT wANted tO Say hI. sO…uHhhhMMmm, HI i MisSed YoU sO MUCH!" Delirium smiled to him and little pink butterflies wiggled their way out her hair and over to him where they sat on his shoulder. He grinned and nodded to her. He took note of the little butterflies as they flittered and huddled all the while sprinkling fine gold dust on him. Despair sat quietly while the others spoke, looking only at the table. A tear rolled down her cheek and she quickly smacked it away cutting herself with her hook. Despair then stood and walked out of the great room. The rest looked to one another for answers and then back to Dream who was already standing. "Well, I bid you all good night and safe travels. We will speak more when…" Desire stood and walked over to Dream.
"So, what do we call you now? Danny, Dan, Kiddo?" It looked at him close to his face. He turned his head to face it while a smile crept on his icy features.
"You may call me Lord of Dreams, Lord Shaper, or Dream. Which ever you prefer…Desire." His tone was soft with a hint of stern authority. He smiled a fanged smile, one that made Desire's eyes wide. It retreated through the door after Despair. He continued to smile but more gently now. Dream looked to the others. Death stood along with the remaining three. Delirium chirped that she was going to walk the halls of the dreaming and find some fun stuff to play with, and Destiny had to get back to his gardens and his duties. He bid them a good evening and warm wishes. Death approached him once again. She put her hand on the side of his face and tears began to fall from her chin where they had been collecting. Dream wiped them away and embraced her. So shocked was Death that she stood unmoving not breathing till he pulled back and looked to her. "I have embraced death once already. I am young again, yet some things will not change." He looked at her for a second more, then turned heading back to the heart of the dreaming.
There he found Despair waiting for him at the foot of the throne. He walked to her and sat beside her. She looked to him, the cut still bleeding down her cheek. "Sister, what troubles you so to come here?"
Her voice scratched through the air, "I have lost two brothers, both of which I have taken for granted. You both had taken me back into the family with open arms when I was reborn, as you are now. I wish you more peace in this life, than in the last." And with that, she faded back into her realm.
Dream sat for a while, the dreaming was enveloped in the darkness of night. He breathed a little easier. Matthew hopped out of the shadows and flew down to perch on the arm of the throne. "So, are you doing okay?" Dream nodded, lost in thought.
"Matthew, please do not be so casual with me. Even though our friendship is now unstable, I am your Lord none the less." Matthew blinked and opened his beak in protest but Dream cut him off, "My friend, you doubt so much, but you know very little of the "deaths" of our kind. I thank you for mourning my previous aspect, but I am completely still the Lord of Dreams. I cannot rest no matter how many times I am remade." He looked to the little raven now as he stood. Matthew did not move, nor did he try to speak again. "Go back to Eve and slumber my dear friend, come to me tomorrow and we will begin with new plans." With that, Matthew left quietly and returned to Eve's cave.
The Lord of Dreams sat on his throne, his white robes lapping at his feet like alabaster waves. He settled in for a very long and new night.
…..to be….con….t….inue…..d….