Three Futures Enslaved | Dream Team

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Dream sat by himself in the cell, his back pressed firmly against the cold wall behind him. Two more stood on either side, glass on iron, with a barred gate in front. Directly in front of him, across the circular ground, was the open staircase he had come from, leading back down to the rest of the castle.

Dungeons on rooftops. It was strange. Yet somehow, Dream hadn't been surprised.

Maybe I've been here before, too, he thought as he rested his chin on his hand. I've certainly been to this castle before; even if I don't remember it, I know it's true. Maybe I visited the dungeons while I was around.

The thought didn't make him totally happy. No one would visit the dungeons for no reason. 

Dream let out an irritated sigh and gazed up at the curved roof directly above the center of the place. The dungeon was at the very top of the south wing of the castle, a large gilded birdcage, completely open to the outside world. He could see the blue sky through the glass between the iron bars spreading out from the apex.

At least it's not grey anymore, he reflected. 

He was the only one in the dungeon. When he had been marched in a month ago, he hadn't seen a single other person in the cells. Now, a month later, he had still yet to see anyone join him in the place.

Sometimes he tried singing. He gave it three tries on three different days before he accepted the fact that he absolutely could not sing. Birds had literally flocked to the dungeon bird cage, not to sing with him like some sort of fairy tale, but literally to peck at the glass to make him stop.

When even the birds are telling you to stop, it was probably a sign from nature.

Dream spread his legs out in front of him, stretching his limbs. He frowned to himself, shaking his head slightly. A part of him felt angry at Lexerial and Alarie that they had locked him up after he'd done everything for him, but another part understood why they had done it. He would never forgive himself if he hurt someone close to himself.

"I'm bored," he said with a sigh, just for the sake of it. There was no one around anyway. "I want to leave. Let me out." He hesitated, then said, "Please."

He pulled his legs back in again and glared at the ground. He could feel his patience drifting away from him, getting further and further. He wanted out. He just wanted to go back to a normal life. 

His finger tapped impatiently on the hard stone floor. They'd given him a good, firm cot and four blankets, as well as the fluffiest pillow Dream had ever seen in his life. He'd arranged it all carefully on one side of his cell. Actually, he'd arranged and rearranged multiple times in his boredom. He wished they'd given him a book or something. 

"Helloooooo," he said with a huff. "Come onnnnnn?"

"Be quiet," a voice snapped.

Dream's eyes widened, then narrowed as he recognized who it was. "Sorry," he said indifferently. "Well, actually, I'm not."

The warden stepped up from the stairs, calmly making his way over to him. His steps were slow and deliberate, as if driving home the fact that he was free to go wherever, whenever he wanted, while Dream was stuck in a cell. Light fell over his blue-green hair, highlighting each strand. His odd-looking eyes scanned over Dream as he stopped right in front of him. If it weren't for the bars between them, Dream would've strangled the man. 

"You could go back to singing," the man offered, though his expression didn't offer any indication that he was joking. "It would be better than calling aimlessly for someone to help you when no one will be coming."

Dream's eye twitched. "I hate you," he growled. "I hate you so, so, so much."

Sam simply smiled. He turned away, glancing up at the top of the cage. Dream flexed his fingers. He really wanted to strangle him.

"I'm used to it," the man said off-handedly. He turned around again, meeting Dream's eyes. His square mask hung from the side of his head. Usually, he had it on fully, refusing to let Dream see his face. 

"Good. I'll be saying it every time I see you," Dream said. 

The warden shook his head. Dream just wanted someone to have an actual conversation with, and the guy wasn't giving him it. The man was so chilly that he made Dream shiver. It was like talking to a wall. At least walls didn't respond. He'd rather have that than to hear Sam and his cold remarks.

"Dream," Sam said suddenly. 

Dream frowned. "What?"

"They said you have amnesia." The man looked him over scrutinizingly. "You don't remember anything. I don't believe that."

An irritated sigh escaped him. "Believe whatever you want," he said. "I honestly could not care less."

Sam crossed his arms. "Dream," he said tightly. "I want an answer."

"Sam," Dream said back, smiling, happily irritating. "You won't get one."

He watched a muscle jump in the man's jaw. Sam stared at him for a second, then turned and stalked away. At the top of the staircase, he stopped and turned around to give Dream one last hard look. Dream just smiled prettily and raised a hand, fluttering his fingers at him in goodbye.

Dream dropped his hand as the man disappeared, his smile falling too. It was fun playing around with him, but Dream needed company. He needed someone real to talk to. He was losing his mind all by himself, in the small, cramped cell.

It was a bird cage. He was the bird. And even if he had wings, he would not be able to fly away.

***

A hopeful smile out of a crestfallen face. Tears staining pale cheeks. The sun directly above, shining down luminously over the cells. His ragged, torn clothes. The sound of their voices---

Dream sat up with a gasp. His heart was pounding, the sound echoed in his head. He screwed his eyes shut and inhaled deeply, trying to slow it down his heartbeat. 

He coughed, doubling over. Slowly, he straightened up again, opening his eyes to see dark storm clouds billowing in above his head.

"Gah," he groaned, massaging his temples. The dungeon made his head hurt like crazy. With the images he had just seen, he was definitely sure that he had been there before, probably in the cell over or something. 

It had been both a good memory and a bad one, if it was real. He had no way of knowing, unless he was able to find the two from the memory and confirm that they really did exist. He had seen the brown-haired boy --- George --- when he had first woken up, but he didn't know if he'd actually seen that or if it had been yet another thing his mind had conjured up.

Dream got up onto his feet. He stretched his arms up and shrugged his shoulders, testing his joints. He felt like an old man as he listened to the sound of popping with every movement. 

The sooner I get out of here, the better, he told himself. Lexerial and Alarie will find a way to get rid of the threat of someone tampering with the... the restraint. Then I'll be free. 

It's all for a good reason.

They always have a reason.

He reached out, gripping the bars of his cell. The cold metal sapped the warmth out of his hands, but he held on anyway. If only he could simply pass through the bars... the lock didn't even look that strong... the other side was his freedom.

No.

Dream stepped back, guilt washing over him. He couldn't do that. Not if it would endanger the two royal siblings.

He sat back down again and rested his head against the wall once more. He'd wait. 

It wasn't as if he had any other choice, anyway.