Following Morpheus through that maze of absolute splendor made me feel like an explorer rediscovering God's earth anew. Those Elysian Fields made it seem as though I had never seen color, never breathed, never smelled the sweetness of a flower before. Everything was heightened beyond what we usually surmise as beautiful.
Morpheus never uttered a single word to me as we continued to walk for what seemed several miles. Upon reaching a wide expanse of virgin land, Morpheus stopped and turned to me saying, "Welcome to your new home, the home you have always wanted." He swept his arm gracefully over the bare and empty land, which unlike everything else I had seen until now, contained not a single tree nor flower on its surface. It was simply a sea of green grass.
The idea of me living in a field with no shelter was so ridiculous to me that I could not contain myself, and let out a boisterous laugh.
"So you are telling me that my dream home is an empty stretch of land?" I asked him sarcastically. "At least you could have given me a flower or two to give it some color, or a tree for shade perhaps?"
Morpheus did not seem much amused with my comments, and rolled his sharp gray eyes ever so slightly.
"You need to learn about being more open minded," he said quite wearily, "otherwise you will soon bore me to tears with your dullness."
Angered by his insult, I felt my hands start to clench shut. I was not used to being called "dull" by anyone who enjoyed having their health. But before I could voice my anger to him, I found that he had suddenly appeared behind me! What sort of being was he?
"Let's try this again, shall we?" he whispered in my ear. Placing his hands over my eyes, he continued saying ever so softly, "Now, try to imagine your home…make it come to life in your mind. Do you see it? Good. Now, look." He commanded, immediately releasing his hands from my eyes.
I still expected to see nothing but that blasted grass, but where once stood only nothing but meadow now stood a marvelous house…the very house I had seen in my mind!
The architecture was exactly as I had imagined, standing several stories high and looking like an ancient French châteaux. There before me was the castle I had seen inside my mind, with its many towers, intricately carved stonework, expansive gardens and a grandiose courtyard. Surely, Louis XIV's Versailles couldn't even compete with the marvel that stood before me.
I walked towards the great door in total disbelief. I slowly put out my hand and touched the door, feeling the grain of the wood beneath my fingertips. It felt real…it was real.
"Are you going to stand outside ogling the door all day, or are you going to open it and go inside?" Morpheus asked me with a slight chuckle detectible in his voice.
Placing my hand on the cool brass doorknob, I gingerly turned it with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Finally pulling the door open, I received my first look inside, finding myself in an exquisite foyer. As I stood in that great entrance hall, I felt as though I stood in a palace. My eyes were immediately drawn to the centerpiece of the room, which was an artistically carved mahogany staircase. Ancient tapestries and portraits bedecked the cherry wood walls, and the ceiling seemed to be painted by the hand of Michael Angelo himself, rivaling those of the Sistine Chapel. It was everything I had ever wanted.
The sudden appearance of an elderly man however, diverted my attention. The man was of small build, slightly balding and gray, but possessed a kindly face. Yet though he seemed a lively man, his eyes appeared to hold no life in them.
"Welcome Master!" The old man exclaimed dutifully to me.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"Please forgive me for not introducing myself. My name is Ellis, Martin Ellis, and I am the head butler of your manor." He replied, giving a slight bow.
"Why don't you show your Master around, Mr. Ellis?" Morpheus said with all the charm he could muster. "I am sure he would love to see his new quarters."
Before I even had time to move my feet, Morpheus placed his hand on my shoulder and said to me, "Erik, I am glad that we made this little agreement. I truly hope that you enjoy your time here. If there is anything more I can do for you, you only need to ask." A rather wily look overcame his fine features. "Just remember to live everyday like it is your last. For whoever spoke those immortal words was very wise indeed."
"Agreement?"
But before I could even get the words through my lips, he was already gone.
"If you will come with me, Sir. I will show you the more major parts of the manor."
With that, Mr. Ellis bid for me to follow him. He showed me several wondrous rooms, each being more grand and beautifully appointed than the next. The dining hall was fit for a king, and the music room was what every composer wished to have! I can only imagine the works that Mozart or Bach could have produced had such a room been available to them. Pianos, violins, guitars, sheets upon sheets of musical staffs, and shelves filled with thousands of musical works and compositions by the greatest musicians and composers of all time.
Mr. Ellis almost had to force me to leave that room, so he could show me the rest of the house. I believe had he not, I could have spent hours in there simply exploring and immersing myself in it all.
Next he showed me the magnificent gardens that surrounded the manor, preceding an expansive deep blue lake, unlike the dark murky Averne that my former abode was built upon. The perfectly manicured gardens exploded with color. Along with meticulously pruned trees the gardens were laid out geometrically around a huge fanciful fountain with every pathway leading to new vistas. It was the very epitome of what a garden should be.
Finally, after going back inside, Mr. Ellis showed me into my room. A roaring fire emitted light in one corner of the room, pouring warmth from its hearth. The room was decorated with inviting colors of reds and golds, contrasting my former dark and cold cellar. On the opposite wall stood a great four-poster bed, which looked extremely friendly to me, as I was exhausted from all that my mind had taken in.
"I hope that Master has all the he desires at present?" Asked Mr. Ellis.
"Yes," I replied, "Yes, at present I have no more needs."
"That is good, Sir. Should you require anything, just simply ask. I bid you goodnight, Sir."
He then left me to my lonesome self once more. I immediately lay down on the bed without even the will to undress. Sleep claimed me quickly, as my thoughts of what I desired turned to only thoughts of Christine.
A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update, but between finals at school and the holidays I have been swamped! Now that my life is going back to normal, I hope to update more often agian. I also want to giveaBIG thanks to everyone who reviewed! There are going to be some more interesting things on the way for Erik, which may or may not be a good thing... ;-)
