The Keepers

Dream a Little Dream

Nyx remembered the day she had been born, she had appeared in a flash of light and her Master had been there to greet her. It had been a strange feeling being born, like a pleasant burning sensation.

The feeling as she and her Master catapulted back to the Dreaming was a million times worse. Nyx groaned in pain as she hit the ground barely able to each out and send a message to Lucienne before her world faded to darkness.

Lucienne had been waiting for a hundred years when she finally felt it, the feeling of her mistress sending for her. Lucienne ran as fast as her feet could carry her outside the walls of the Dreaming she found them "Sir! Ma'am!"

She knelt beside her Master who held Nyx tightly in his arms as though scared someone would rip her away. Lucienne could tell how weak they both were, but she knew that Nyx was naturally the weaker of the two so she reached out shaking Morpheus.

"Oh, my goodness. Sir. It's me. It's Lucienne."

The Endless gasped awake ttaking in his second eldest servant, he panicked for just a second wondering where Nyx was when he realized he still held her in his arms. Smiling slightly he looked to his Librarian and gasped weakly "Lucienne."

"You're home, my Lord. You're both home."

 "We are."

After a moment Dream got to his feet, and Lucienne moved to pick up Nyx, she was stopped by her Master. "I will carry her."

Lucienne frowned "My Lord, you are weak, perhaps it would be best..."

Her masters scowl halted her words as he leaned down taking his Keeper in his arms with some difficulty. He looked to Lucienne and motioned her on, they began walking towards the gates. As they neared Morpheus moved ahead gently repositioning Nyx so he could touch the gates. As they began to open he looked down with a frown "She should be healing, her power is connected to the Dreaming."

Lucienne bit her lip as she responded "Forgive me, sir, but... the realm, the palace... they are not as you left them."

Dream shot her a curious glance before he looked forward and had to stop the gasp that arose in his throat. He stalked forward taking in his kingdom "What happened here? Who did this?"

Lucienne sighed "My Lord, you are The Dreaming, The Dreaming is you. With you gone as long as you were, the realm began to... decay and crumble."

"And the residents? The palace staff?"

"I'm afraid most have gone."

"Gone?"

"Some like Nyx went looking for you."

"And the others?"

"They thought, perhaps, you'd grown weary of your duties and..."

"What?" Asked Morpheus shock in his voice "Abandoned them? Had they so little faith in me? Do my own subjects not know me?"

"If I may, sir. It wouldn't be the first time one of The Endless had just..."

"Enough." Dream interrupted hating to speak of his prodigal sibling "I will not have Dreams and Nightmares preying on the waking world. I will bring them all back. I made this realm once, Lucienne. I will make it again."

 "I knew you would return. You and Nyx."

Dream glanced down his eyes softer as he took in his Keeper "Wake up Nyx, the Dreaming must be restored."

Lucienne again bit her lip before speaking "My Lord," he glanced her way as she spoke "My Lady, she is connected to the Dreaming, her strength is drawn from it... Without it being whole, it makes sense that she herself would not heal."