The Hymn Of Forbidden → dream of the endless, the sandman

PROLOGUE

2021 - London

The weather is surprisingly warm and sunny yet there is a slight cold in the wind which is almost unnoticeable.

Morpheus, the Lord of dreaming finds himself sitting on a British park bench, lost in deep thoughts and pigeon-feeding. His thoughts are mostly occupied by his lover as usual. Is she doing fine and happy without him in her life? He is craving her presence. Maybe he should visit her. Just visit her, keeping his distance this time. Just a glimpse. But will he ever be able to keep his distance?

Once he sees her, he forgets everything around him and chases after her like a thirsty man in the middle of a burning desert, thriving on the last drops of water in his possession just to feel left out and empty handed at the end with regret. He will never get enough of her.

To Morpheus, Ravenna is both a beautiful curse and a gift. She is the missing half of his puzzle and vice versa. Yet, they are never meant for each other at the end. It is tragic beyond the limit his Endless beating heart can handle.

"For once I thought you'd be over this state by now. Yet, I find you mourning and pigeon-feeding." A dark skinned woman approaches him, taking a seat beside him, pulling out of his thought bubble to land back into the cruel reality. "Again, I might add. Is this a habit of yours nowadays?"

Morpheus's frown deepens with a sad sigh following behind. "This is what I did for the last few centuries, my sister. Mourning and weeping over and over again every time I witness my Ravenna dying in my arms. It is nothing new for me."

"So this is about the mortal girl. Committing the forbidden? What were you thinking, you overgrown bubble headed, rebellious specimen?!" Death questions, dramatically throwing her hands in the air.

"Ravenna is an ephemeral bliss. I can't help but feel overdosed." Morpheus speaks. His eyes are glued to the pigeons munching the breadcrumbs with delight.

"And you're mourning here as if your world has crashed down to the ground."

"It is. My entire being depends on her. Without her, I feel lost. Dreading. Empty. Nothing. It gets worse every time I try to distance myself from her."

Death stands on her feet, feeling slightly annoyed. She deeply cares for her younger brother and she will happily knock some sense into his head if it helps him to get over his foolish fantasy. "Do you hear yourself? This is utterly madness."

"You call it madness. I call it love."

"You are rooting for the mortal deep. I find this quite fascinating. Yet, I do not approve of it."

"Yet you are here, my sister?" Morpheus asks in a low voice.

"You seeked for my support, Dream. I appreciate that for once. So I will have to leave the self-centered part out this time." Death says and snatches the bread out of his grip to grab his undivided attention which he seems to be giving to the bread instead of her at the moment. "But you're still the stupidest, pathetic excuse for an anthropomorphic personification on this or any other plane."

Dream finally looks up. His face is torned with heartbreak and anguish. And the sight of his suffering itself melts her heart to the point she gives in. She is going to regret this later.

Death sighs and shakes her head in disbelief before throwing the bread back at her brother which for her unfortunate, he catches in the mid air before it hits his face. "I can't believe I'm encouraging the wrong. Why don't you do something about it without sittin' here, moping all over, pigeon-feeding?"

"Keep my distance and do nothing is what I should do. It is the way to keep her alive. It is the better way. Yet, I do not wish to let her go."

"I don't believe it."

Morpheus raises an eyebrow at his sister's remark. "What do you propose?"

"I cannot change a sealed fate. But Destiny can. If we find a loophole, there might be hope." The woman suggests, watching her brother experiencing through a series of emotions at her words. It seems that he hasn't considered it before. This is why she is known to be the wisest and the coolest of the family.

"I'm afraid Destiny will do a thing. He isn't fond of me." Morpheus says, sinking back in his sorrow.

"I'm quite sure he won't. That is why I'm doing all the talking. He will listen to me." Death pats on his shoulder to bring reassurance and comfort. "You better keep some hope for yourself, Dream. You deserve that much."

"Hope." Swallowing back the tears threatening to escape, Morpheus looks at his sister with a soft smile. "I like the sound of it."

A smile craves on her face with joy. "I bet you do."

"I thank you, my sister."

"Aw. That's what family's about, little brother."