Daydreamer

Part 1: Beginning

 Katarina heard the jingle of the bell and looked up from the book she had laid out on the counter, a smile on her face as she greeted the customer who walked in. She recited her usual greetings, asking if there was anything she could do or anything she could help look for and as the customer waved her off, her attention returned back to her book. It was a simple message sending spell that her grandmother had assigned to her but for whatever reason, this one was difficult for the young girl - the young witch - to get down, the spell always failing at the last second. Katarina blew her strawberry blonde hair from her eyes as she continued re-reading the same passage, trying to find exactly what she was doing wrong but to no avail. She didn't realize how much time had passed, the sun was long and the light slowly dimmed within the bookstore. The bookstore owner, a family friend, came through the front door and he waved the young girl off, handing her pay as she passed by him, waving goodbye with a smile. As she made her way home, she stuck her belongings into her satchel, taking the paths off the main road to not attract attention.

When she made it to her home, she looked up at the lights that illuminated the windows and she pulled her satchel closer as she walked up the cobblestone path. The front door creaked at her entrance and she peeked around, not sensing anyone within the main area.

"Your father has left," her grandmother said and she let out a sigh of relief, taking a seat across the table. "How was work, dear?"

"It was alright," the young girl pulled out the pouch, pouring the contents, "I still do not understand what I am doing wrong with this spell but I had plenty of time to read and reread so I shall try again tonight. Will this be enough?"

"This as well as what your mother could contribute should be enough to get the medicine and herbs. Thank you, baby."

"Of course, grandmother. Anything for her," the sound of coughing could be heard from upstairs, the two women looking up in sadness at the violent sound. "Hopefully it works..."

"All we can do is hope, young one. Now, go rest. Quickly before your father returns." Katarina nodded and collected all the coins into a pouch, bending down to give her grandmother a kiss on her cheek before she made her way upstairs. Her body seemed to weaken the closer she was to her bed but she forced herself into a quick bath, washing away her stress if only for a moment with a whispered incantation. When she stepped out, she dressed herself in a big t-shirt and made her way across the hall to her room, stopping only for a moment in front of the door before hers.

"Good night," she whispered against the door before entering her room, closing and locking it behind her before she crawled into bed. She rested on her side, her eyes gazing at the picture on her nightstand before she turned off the lamp and let them close, sleep to overcome her. Little did she know that was the night when the Dream Lord himself would find himself imprisoned and like many of those in the Waking World, she would fall victim to the sleepy sickness, some not being able to wake up while others could never sleep. Katarina was one of those who found herself a prison to slumber but unlike what was assumed of others, who were forced into a comatose state, she felt she was conscious as she traveled the mysterious world that she was walking through, her eyes scanning her surroundings.

When she first realized she was dreaming, she was quick to rid herself of her pajamas, opting for jeans and a shirt, a jacket covering the skin her top left bare. Lucid Dreaming. Not an uncommon skill for one to have but Katarina was unlike any other, having more control over her dreams than anyone has ever seen before. It was a gift she's had since she was a child that she honed in on as she grew up and clearly it was beneficial now that she was forced to sleep for unknown reasons, her eyes scanning the area around her. No...this isn't actually new, Katarina thought to herself as she looked around, studying the somewhat familiar buildings of a village she remembered her younger self would frequent. Her hands brushed against one of the small huts with mushrooms for a roof and she marveled at how much smaller everything was now that she was older.

"I can't believe this exists after all these years," she muttered to herself as she passed the building that stood taller than the rest, her palm pressing against the bark. "My own little hut." A small smile made her way to her lips as she opened the door, marveling at how the home looked exactly as she left it all those years ago. The hut was shaped like a mushroom, similar to all the others but the roof was purple instead of red and the inside was as round as it looked on the outside. Inside was a bed, though she didn't sleep when she was here, a desk, a round table and shelves of books. Her fingers brushed against the books that laid across the tables, glass bottles of random substances scattered about the room. She picked up one particular book with a purple leather cover and she flipped through it. Her spellbook.

After she was done running through memory late, she walked back out into the empty village. She let her hair flow freely, pulling her fingers through the strands and she adorned combat boots that were too expensive for her in the waking world so she no longer had to walk barefoot through the gravel. The Waking World. She was unsure of where the title for the world she used to inhabit came from but left the question in the air with the many others as she looked around her surroundings. As the days seemed to pass she met many beings, human and not, along her path and found they were all also affected by the Sleep Sickness, many of them talking about how their world is falling apart. Well, for the ones who knew. A few of the people she had passed paid her mind and she slowly discovered it was because she was not part of their dreams. They were living their lives just in a dream, unaware of the fact that they're probably one of the many others who were basically forced into a coma.

It felt like she was walking for what felt like forever before her boots slipped into sand, an enormous castle now standing before her. Although gorgeous, it seemed as if it was slowly but surely falling apart, debris decorating the ground. Her eyebrows furrowed as she felt the wind suddenly blow in a different direction from where it was, her hair almost feeling like it was being dragged to the castle with it. She raised her hand up, as if she was able to touch the wind and her eyes widened as some of the debris seemed to respond, rumbling against the ground. It didn't move very far but she was able to clear a path for her to step onto the entrance of a bridge that crossed the vast mass of water, which led to the castle. A giant gate was left to stand between her and the castle, her fingers brushing against it as she wondered if it would open. Loud enough to startle her, the gate creaked loudly as she pushed her way in and she made the long trek across the bridge, the water glistening around her. When she made it to the entrance of the castle, she was left surprised as it opened without her even having to do anything, flinching away at the dust that spilled in front. She stared at the debris at the entrance for a moment before shrugging her shoulders and holding her hands out. With her hands guiding the debris, she willed it to move back to its place against the archway of the ceiling and hers widened as it seemed to work, though the pieces not exactly fitting together like they were supposed to.

"My lord?" a voice called and Katarina looked over as a woman adorning a white button up and vest, a matching black coat with tails flowing behind her on top walked up. Their eyes met from across the room before moving to where Katarina's hands were up in the air, the archway a shambled mess but somewhat put together above the entrance.

"I am unfortunately not your Lord.." Katarina muttered as she lowered her hands, "But I'm gonna go ahead and assume that him missing is the reason all this is happening."

"...You would be correct, Katarina," the woman said slowly as she nodded, "I am Lucienne, head librarian and the current guardian of the realm while our lord is away."

"I'm Kata- wait, you already know my name?" the young girl asked but it sounded more like a statement to which the librarian nodded, her hands holding up a book with her name written in beautiful cursive letters.

"For the moment, I am in charge of keeping track of all the entities that travel to and from the Dreaming and these books are records of every dream that everyone ever has. I have been following your progress here in the realm since you first landed."

"Oh.." Katarina said and she slowly nodded as she let the new information sink in. "So you know...?"

"Yes, as far as what you have dreamed for all your life and especially now, I know about it. Now, seeing as I gave you some information will you return the favor?" Lucienne asked though Katarina knew it wasn't really a question so after a thought of her options and swallowing her flight and fight response, she nodded and moved to walk with the librarian as she led her deeper into the castle.