The Keepers

A Tale Of Dreams

Of all the master's Dream and Destruction gave their servants the most power over their realms going so far as to give them parts of their gifts.

Nyx was gifted a small piece of her master's ruby and an hourglass filled with his sand. Her ability to control the dreaming made her one of, if not the, most powerful of her siblings.

And over time the bond between Master and Keeper grew, and before long Nyx was the best friend Dream had. She was beside him when his sister died, and while her other siblings joined Gloom as he mourned she stayed by Dream's side.

When he fell in love with Queen Nada she smiled and listened as he told her everything about his love. And then Nyx went to her siblings for their family gathering, and the twins both realized what was wrong.

"Why so gloomy sister?" Gloom (whose mistress had recently been re-incarnated) asked his dark eyes meeting her own as Cupid moved up beside them.

"Can't you see brother? Our sister desires her master and yet he believes himself in love with another."

Nyx shook her head "No, he is my master and that is all, you should not speak such blasphemous things... A lion does not love a lamb."

Enyo heard all this and spoke "You are not a lamb sister, we both know you can almost best me in a fight.. And you are the most powerful of all of us save perhaps Fate."

All of the siblings spoke encouragement to their sister but she simply shook her head "He is my Master.. And I am but a lowly servant.. Why would he look at me when he could have a queen?"

Fate went back to her master and bowed before him "Will my sister see happiness or is she doomed to yearn for eternity?"

Destiny did not look up from the book before him as he replied "She will see happiness, but not before she suffers much heartache and pain." At the silence from his Keeper, the ancient glanced up and softened slightly "My brother is a fool, but he will see clearly in time, even if it takes many centuries and catastrophes for that to happen. All things must happen in accordance with destiny."

Before long the first catastrophe struck, when both Dream and Nada gave in to their love for each other. Nyx felt the disturbance immediately and worked hard to right the upset that occured in the Dreaming. So focused was she on her own world that she did not notice the harm that was being caused to the world of the young queen.

The queen found her own country destroyed and Dream for the first time turned on his Keeper "Why did you do nothing for her kingdom?"

Nyx held her head high looking up into Dreams' endless eyes with her own "I was far too busy making sure yours did not fall apart Master."

Dream blinked slightly at the anger in her voice, the anger he knew was there but had never heard directed at himself. He stood "Nevermind, I am going to go and collect my queen."

"She will not come here Master, she has given up far too much for you.. She will not give up a peaceful rest."

"Silence!" Dream moved forward until he was face to face with Nyx their breath intermingling "you are far too candid for a mere servant... When my queen returns we will have a discussion about what your duties will be diminished to henceforth."

Nyx said nothing standing tall until she felt her Master leave the realm, then she allowed herself to break down. She felt the raven Lucienne appear behind her and quickly stood dashing the tears from her eyes. "Hello, Lucienne."

"Mistress, is everything alright?"

"Why does it hurt Lucienne? Why does it hurt so much?"

Lucienne tilted her raven head before she spoke "I do not know much of love mistress, but perhaps it hurts because it is so real."