A/N: Hey everyone! My apologies for the delay, I had hoped to put this up in 2012 but life and work interfered, so sorry! I hope you enjoy the new chapter and that you all had awesome holidays! Have fun reading!

Faolain waited for Caithe in the shadow of the trees at the edge of the field, as she often did. She watched the other Firstborn run around with the Valiants, sparring and training them for what was out there, beyond the Grove. A small frown shifted her features as her eyes followed Caithe's slender frame move. She briefly contemplated walking towards her this time, make herself known to the group, but she stopped herself. There was no need for it. Caithe would come to her of her own accord.

Faolain had been annoyed with the blurring connection between them, which only seemed to get worse with every new Sylvari that was born. She remembered the days where even her thoughts had been intertwined with Caithe's, but those days were long gone. The most she could make up now was strong emotions, if any, and only if she was close by. She dared not admit to herself that it had frightened her, at one point. Yet she shook the feeling from herself like snow from her shoulders. Caithe was near. She could sense her clearly. Her excitement, her enthusiasm, and her light, ringing laugh echoing over the field.

The Valiants liked Caithe. They played with her like they did with their own generation. Even though they respected her, they saw her as one of them. Faolain felt her teeth grind together as she tried to keep in her frustration. Her sharp nails dug into her arms as she held herself, twitching and pinching herself every time a Valiant laughed at Caithe, or came too close, or touched her. She was silently fuming with jealousy, but she remained still, and calm, on the outside. She would endure it, for now.

Forcibly, Faolain relaxed her tensed shoulders. She was merely waiting, yet she had been fixating herself like a hunting Jaguar. When Caithe eventually casually strolled towards her, Faolain had masked her thoughts and transformed her body language. She stood relaxedly leaned against the tree, picking at her nails, only her blazing eyes threatening to betray her troubled thoughts. Caithe was in a good mood, and didn't pick up on it. Faolain felt all her troubles melt away as Caithe interlaced their fingers and pulled her close, and as she leaned her forehead against her lover's cheek, there was a genuine smile on her face.

.

Cadeyrn sat with Canach, not far from the Grove in a makeshift tent. They had been assigned to a scouting party, accompanied by a Firstborn, to make sure the area around the Grove was safe. Canach had a cup in his hand, swirling his alcohol as he thought. They sullenly counted the number of rounds Aife made around the Grove, carrying her bow and guarding the exits. She had not once acknowledged them. With every time she walked by, every twenty minutes or so, Canach felt Cadeyrn grow more and more annoyed.

'It's not fair! How long is she going to make us wait?' Cadeyrn growled out, kicking away a pebble in frustration.

'Apparently it's not safe, Cadeyrn. You can't go patrolling when there's so many threats about.' Canach sighed, as he repeated the same reason again to his friend. Cadeyrn was great, but could be stubborn and unbelievably persistent. He was like the raptor, who would hold onto its prey until it died. Cadeyrn would never let go without a fight.

'Then what is the point of patrolling if we already know there's enemies out there?' Cadeyrn threw up his hands in sheer disbelief. 'We should attack! We should-' His rant was cut off by the soft sound of leather boots approaching the tent. Aife walked by the entrance, threw once glance inside, then readjusted her bow and walked on. For a moment, it was completely silent, then Canach braced himself as if he knew Cadeyrn was going to explode.

'She ignored us again!' Cadeyrn, as expected, yelled, and he jumped up and stomped around. Canach sighed and took another swig. It was going to be a long night. Cadeyrn was not about to stop screaming, and he kicked around the tent with clenched fists.

'By the tree, Cadeyrn, they're going to be able to hear you on the other side of the Grove.' Canach sighed, and flinched when his friend suddenly turned and screamed 'I DON'T CARE!' . It left both him and Canach heaving. The tentflap moved and Sariel walked in with a look of disbelief on her face. Canach lifted a hand in greeting and smiled at her. Cadeyrn turned his back, crossed his arms and refused to look at her.

'It's just you two? Thorns, I thought something finally killed Cadeyrn.' She smirked at Cadeyrns shocked expression and then grinned as his cheeks burned red in offense. 'Would have been nice and quiet. Besides, you were screaming like an animal being skinned alive. What's up?'

Cadeyrn slumped down next to Canach, sulkily leaning on his shoulder, and Sariel elegantly sat across from them. Canach threw one look at his friend, but allowed the proximity with a grin and another swig of his drink.

'It's just that she is ignoring us,' Cadeyrn whined, drawing out all the vowels. 'Aife is ignoring us! And I hate sitting inside being excluded from all the fun!'

'You call preparing for battle fun?' Sariel mocked him, one hand on her sword. 'You should have been a Warrior, like me.'

'And team up with you? Never.' He hissed, an arrogant smirk on his face.

'You'll never get a battle with that attitude.' She retorted, and his smile fell. Canach chuckled, and Cadeyrn mock-punched his shoulder. 'You should be on my side!' He cried, but Canach just shrugged.

'Cadeyrn?' A feminine voice asked, and another figure entered the tent, blocking the light coming from the entrance for a few moments. The three youngsters looked up, Sariel turned her shoulders to see who entered.

'Firstborn Caithe!' Cadeyrn stammered out, and stood up, then sat down again, then decided that sitting on one knee was probably the best way to answer her call - until Canach picked him up and put him on his two feet, hissing 'Behave, would you?' in his ear.

'You were one of my Valiants, weren't you?' Caithe asked. Her tone wasn't unfriendly, then again, she seemed unsure of her statement. When Cadeyrn nodded ferociously however, she smiled. She need not have doubted her memory. 'Ah, yes.'

'You remember me, right?' Cadeyrn asked. Caithe chuckled lightly.

'Yes, you always were an exceptional troublemaker,' she said, obviously amused, while Cadeyrns' expression changed slowly from excited to surprised to less than happy. His lower eyelid twitched as Sariel tried not to laugh, and hissed under her breath 'Well, at least you were exceptional at something, then.' Caithe looked at her amusedly, but then her expression turned serious and she turned to Cadeyrn again.

'I got a complaint from Aife. You go on like this, and we'll never need scout parties again - everyone will already know where we are. Behaviour like this could get you taken off the squad, Valiant.'

'Y-yes Caithe. It won't happen again.' Cadeyrn stammered again, but then recovered himself a bit. He stepped forward and asked her in a low, sultry voice, 'Is there anything I could do to make it up to you?'

Caithe looked at him once, then raised her eyebrow and simply answered, 'No,' before turning on her heel and leaving the tent. Sariel's blurting laugh was the first thing to break the tensed silence. Cadeyrn stood for a moment, mouth agape, Sariel's menacing laugh ringing in his ears, and then he shook off his confusion and ran after Caithe.

.

'Caithe, wait!' Cadeyrn shouted, dashing through the low foliage and reaching Caithe. He grabbed her wrist and turned her to look at him as he came to a grinding halt. 'You're just going to leave? Just like that?' He asked, panting. She just raised her eyebrows in surprise.

'Yes?'

'What about Aife?' He asked, even more confused.

'She will decide on further activities?' Caithe slowly answered, taking on the same surprised and confused expression as Cadeyrn was wearing. Cadeyrn growled in frustration, tried to speak but couldn't find the words. Finally he ground out, 'then what about me?!'

'What about you, Cadeyrn?' Caithe asked, exasperated. She shook her head in utter confusion. Cadeyrn's brows furrowed together as he hissed between his teeth and he tugged Caithe's wrist again, which made Caithe narrow her eyes and try to pry her hand free, but he would not let go.

'What about us?!' he almost yelled. Caithe freed her hand and smacked Cadeyrn's away.

'There is no us!' she answered, getting really worked up as well, even though she wasn't quite sure what she was angry about. The tension seemed to bounce back and forth between them and grow stronger with every minute. Cadeyrn's voice tore as he broke into a frustrated scream.

'You, you Firstborn think you know everything!' He cried, pointing accusingly at Caithe. 'Telling us what to do! Whom to be with! How to act! Just because you are older!' He breathed in sharply before continuing, almost sobbing, 'You are not the only ones here! Your ways aren't the only ones! You all being close with the Mother Tree and thinking you are special-' Cadeyrn yelled and heaved until Caithe interrupted him there, her gaze cold as ice, she seemed twice as tall all of a sudden.

'We are,' she said, her voice like needles, piercing sharp. 'We have explored, cultivated this world, for the likes of you, Cadeyrn. You weren't there. You know nothing of this world. If you are not one of us, if you are not Firstborn, then you are simply Sylvari.' For a moment, it was totally quiet. Then Caithe huffed and stepped back, hissing, 'We know what is best for you, Cadeyrn. You would be wise to heed our advice,' before disappearing in the shadows. Cadeyrn kicked a nearby tree in sheer desperation, and cried out when it didn't solve anything.

.

It was a good twenty minutes before Cadeyrn could think clearly again. He had been walking aimlessly through the forest, not even caring if he or anyone else was in danger. His head hurt, as did his heart. It ached with a feeling he could not quite describe, but it resembled disappointment and frustration and, to his surprise, fear. Caithe's face kept reappearing before his mind's eye, and he could not shake the cold feeling that accompanied it. She, of all Sylvari, should have understood him. She should have realized whom she'd had before her. That he was special. That they need not act like this to him.

He was one of them, even if they didn't think so. Cadeyrn's teeth ground together as he silently vowed never to be 'simply Sylvari'. Caithe just didn't understand yet. But, with time, she would see reason, of course, and then she would submit to him, and apologize and give him all the attention he deserved. He was first of the Secondborn, after all. He was the first of the tidal wave of Sylvari to touch the ground, the first of the many that would follow, the fastest, the best developed, the first... He sighed. The first, but still late. Twelve had surpassed him, and built the Grove from the very ground. As they told him, they even developed how to communicate with one another, developed the society they were today.

To Cadeyrn, it meant nothing. He had been born with all the knowledge the Firstborn had collected. He had never left the Grove, yet he knew what a stone wall felt like, and he knew the taste of snow. He would never understand what it was like to speak to one another, to open up, for the very first time. And so, he questioned the Firstborn, time and time again, until he started questioning himself.

Perhaps they were right not to acknowledge him. But on the other hand.. Cadeyrn sat down on a rock and rested his head in his hands, closing his eyes and sighing deeply. He thought back to his very first moments, to opening his eyes in a world with dimmed colours, where everything was blurry and ghostly figures walked beside you. Faces out of focus, except for the ones that mattered. The world lit by spotlights that accentuated what needed to be seen. The Dream. His Dream.

Cadeyrn had dreamt of many faceless Sylvari. He had heard their cheers, their roars, he was born to be a leader. He was at the front, leading them, a shining sword in his hand. The faceless Sylvari followed him like a majestic, giant shadow. They had roamed and conquered, fighting other faceless Sylvari, while the dragons roared above them. And then Caithe had appeared, with cold, disappointed eyes and he wanted, needed so badly to change that expression on her face. He wanted to make her smile at him, no, adore him, but she looked not at him, she looked at something behind him with that sad expression, and as he slowly turned around, the only thing he saw were blazing, frighteningly bright eyes.

After that, his Pod had opened, and Cadeyrn had pronounced his name and earned his freedom. He had heard of other Dreams, of joining a community, or finding a certain other Sylvari, or restoring a nation, like Trahearne's Dream had been. None had been like his. Some had been as vague, but none had been as disturbing, or frightening. Dagonet had found it most interesting, but had been unable to decipher it any more than he could. Cadeyrn shook his head in defeat again. If only he could talk to the Pale Tree, but no, he was not quite Firstborn enough for that. She had never even appeared to him, the Mother Tree, while the Firstborn slept at her feet. What injustice had he done to deserve this? Was his very existence the reason they treated him so?

No, something had to change. Cadeyrn slowly opened his eyes, staring at the forest bedding. His voice was a fleeting whisper in the wind as he murmured to himself.

'If the world stays like this,' he said, still staring at the ground, but his fingers had interlaced and he squeezed his hands until the knuckles shone white, 'then my Dream will be nothing but a nightmare. It will haunt me for the rest of my existence, but I will never get to fulfill it. And even if I do, it will all end in misery. '

The wind picked up in strength, forcing the cold onto his arms. Yet something made his skin shiver, that was not the cold. Not far from him, a dark figure stood half hidden in the shadows. He recognized her shape as she stood, motionlessly blending in with the environment, and he wondered how long she had been there. Cadeyrn swallowed thickly and tried to ignore the cold, fearful feeling that had suddenly emerged in his stomach. A single sweatdrop ran down his neck onto his back.

'Firstborn Faolain?' He asked, but it was barely a whisper, and the wind stole the sound and took it. Had he not moved his lips, it would have been impossible for anyone to know he had spoken, but Faolain picked up on it, and slowly moved towards him.

'Secondborn,' she said, her voice also low, and thoughtful, 'I might have known it was you. And yet, I did not.' They looked at each other with mirrored curiosity.

'What was me? I mean, how did you know I was here?' Cadeyrn asked, a little louder. He looked up at her from where he sat, and contemplated standing up, but on the other hand, it felt like making sudden movements was a bad idea.

'I sensed you,' Faolain answered, never breaking eye contact. 'I sensed hurt and angry and unfair and something else,' she spoke slowly, trying to recall and name the feelings she had experienced. 'Something dangerous. Something familiar. It drew me.' She carefully extended her hand towards him, as if to touch his face, but drew it back before she reached her goal. Cadeyrn followed her fingertips with wide eyes, edging back slightly when she reached out, but when she retracted her hand, he stood up with a stammering, involuntary sound, as if he had been pulled up by an invisible thread.

Cadeyrn stood eye to eye with her now. He looked at her, her dark, leafy skin, so different from Caithe's. She was so ragged and striped and tree-like, where Caithe was smooth and light and soft. And then it struck him. This Firstborn, looking at him with the curiosity of a child, possessed everything Cadeyrn had ever yearned for. Respect. Privilege. Power. Swallowing, he added the last item to his mental list. And Caithe.

As he looked into her eyes, he felt he shared her fascination. Why did Caithe desire her above all others? Why did she, of all Sylvari, acknowledge him all of a sudden?

'You spoke of a nightmare,' Faolain stated softly. 'Your Dream is a Nightmare.' Cadeyrn's eyes widened and his throat went dry. A thousand panicky thoughts raced through his head, of how, what he should respond, what would happen, he could barely breathe. Then thin fingers grasped his own, and his searching eyes focused, focused on the woman before him. The overwhelming feeling of the connection felt like a tidal wave over his senses, as if she poured her soul into him right then and there and he drowned in it. When she spoke, it made the world go deadly silent.

'So is mine.'

.

Cadeyrn's breathing was ragged and he was trembling. His fingers had closed around the long, feminine ones in his hand, and he felt the warmth of her palm burn upon his skin. There were so many questions, but he dared to ask none. He saw her shoulders tremble too, and he felt her excitement, but it was soaked in confusion, in concern. He felt incredibly naked, stripped of all barriers, laid bare for her to read, and it was a frightening state of mind. The only thing that made him not pry himself free and run, was the fact the she felt the same, and it was in a strange way comforting to hold their bleeding souls together like this.

'My Dream is also a Nightmare,' she breathed, 'and you are the first,' she hesitated and swallowed, squeezing his fingers in a twitching motion, 'the first to understand.'

Cadeyrn drew a shaky breath. He vaguely wondered if this was all an hallucination. He tried to form a sound, failed, but then stepped closer and asked her breathlessly, 'How is your Dream a Nightmare?'

'I dreamt I searched, and I found, but..' she looked away from him for the first time to cast her gaze to the side. 'But in the end I must lose it. It cannot be mine forever.'

'What cannot be-' Cadeyrn tried to ask, but Faolain snarled and interrupted him , hissing 'That doesn't matter!' Cadeyrn's brows furrowed and he grabbed her other wrist roughly, pulling her close and staring into her eyes again. Now that she had given him power, now that she had initiated this, he would not be cast back to the lowly rank of generic Sylvari. He would make her his. And then he would possess Caithe through her.

'You will lose what?' Cadeyrn growled low in his throat. Faolain's eyes burned as she hissed her response.

'I will lose her.'

Cadeyrn took a shaky step back, letting go of Faolain's hands. She drew a shivering breath that resembled physical exhaustion. They were both overloaded with emotions and burdened with a connection that had reappeared clearer than ever. Cadeyrn's voice was tormented with Faolain's sorrow as he asked her, 'So that is your purpose then? To suffer?'

'The Dream is corrupted. We could heed its warnings, prepare ourselves, avoid these terrible fates from happening.' She was heaving now. 'But what do we arm ourselves with? Peacefulness? Forgiveness? Vulnerability? ' Her voice was heavy with old sorrow, pent-up fear, and long repressed frustration. Cadeyrn's eyes shone as suddenly all his feelings clicked into place. Suddenly he saw reason behind all the injustice done to him.

'Ventari. It's because of Ventari.' Cadeyrn's eyes were wider than they had ever been, and he rubbed his forehead as he tried to take it all in. 'Ventari's rules make us act like weak little victims, which makes the Dream come true,' he shook his head even though he started to understand. Faolain nodded slowly.

'Yes, even though the Dream makes us believe we should fight for it, instead of against it. But it's useless to fight for our Dream. Caithe will never survive fighting an Elder Dragon. And Trahearne-' Cadeyrn interrupted her as he began to understand, saying what she had been planning to say, what she had never been allowed to say. 'Trahearne's destiny of reviving the lost nation of Orr? It's impossible. There's no way he could do that.' His voice trembled with the graveness of this realization.

'All Dreams are Nightmare,' Faolain said, and Cadeyrn joined in with her, 'and Ventari spirals us down into that despair.' For a moment, they just looked at each other, so relieved to have found someone that shared their thoughts. When Faolain suddenly stepped forward and embraced him tightly, Cadeyrn closed his eyes and smiled. The tables were finally turning.

.

The rain drizzled lightly a few days later, and formed little droplets on Caithe's skin and in her hair, and although it was warm enough, it still made her sticky and uncomfortable. She stood at the edge of the field, now empty, as the Valiants had long gone back to the centre of the Grove. She crossed her arms and sighed in annoyance, impatiently tapping her foot on the ground. Finally the shrubbery rustled and Faolain appeared, walking towards Caithe in a hasty pace. She grasped her hands and tenderly interlaced their fingers as she greeted her with a smile. Caithe frowned at her for a moment before letting go of her annoyance and warmly greeting her back.

'Where have you been? You are never late,' Caithe asked, while pressing their foreheads together.

'Oh, I was with Sariel and Cadeyrn,' Faolain said, waving it away like it was nothing, but Caithe lifted her head and peered at her lover.

'That troublesome Secondborn again? I did not know you.. liked him,' Caithe said, disbelief in her voice, she could hardly imagine Faolain being able to bear with him at all.

'It is not like that,' Faolain said, 'he is just interesting.' Caithe looked at her with narrowed eyes, until Faolain leaned in and kissed her concerns away. A small smirk appeared on her face and Caithe grabbed Faolain's hand to lead her away, and playfully, they disappeared together in the dark, secluded forest.