Dancing on Strings

Clockwork Boy

Her rested his head down against her shoulder, his soft hair brushing against her jaw as he slid one arm under her and the rested the other over her before pulling her in tight against him, holding her tightly and safely.

"Close your eyes and you'll see," he muttered.

So Mai closed her eyes.

Only to open them moments later to see the starry skies above her, feel soft grass below her and a warm breeze around her.

Griffin released her and sat up, stretching widely.

His back was to her but she could see his clothes had changed slightly.

He still wore his black shirt, but a black and gold embroidered waistcoat was now fitted over it, along with boots on his feet.

Mai sat up, looking down at herself.

Her huge, starlight dress was gone, replaced by another version of starlight.

This one like starry satin, hugging her body, with a long train that billowed away from her tailbone and small off-the-shoulder sleeves that that trailed down to the floor.

No thousand ornaments covered her hair this time, just a dash of sparkle interspersed between the loose locks, glittering as she turned her head to look around her.

They were across the lake from the palace, further back than normal, on the side of a grassy dune.

She could see the spot she usually woke up in, along with the golden swan boats lined neatly along the shore.

The castle stood in its ever-present splendour.

Griffin was already of his feet and walking away from the palace, up the small hill to stand at the top, his hands sliding into his pockets as the breeze blew his hair out around him.

Mai got to her bare feet and followed him, looking over the crest of the hill as she reached the top.

Her eyes widened.

Suddenly the dream world didn't just consist of the shore, the lake and the palace.

Suddenly there was a world beyond it.

Stretching out ahead was a flat plane of grassland that was cut through by dozens of glass-smooth rivers, their surfaces shining with the moon. They led into a vast forest that rustled and whispered in the wind, leaves and birds taking flight into the night. And beyond them lay a snow capped mountain range that reached up to touch the stars, their snow like sugary diamonds.

Mai's mouth opened in soundless wonder, the feeling of claustrophobia suddenly leaving her. She hadn't even realised that that was what she'd been feeling until it was blown away.

That same wind raced back towards her as she walked down the other side of the hill, pulling her hair and gown out behind her.

"What is this place?" she asked, "it's different."

"This is the true World of Dreams," Griffin said, still on the crest of the hill.

She turned back to him, holding her hair behind her ear as she looked up at him and blinked, her hair escaped from her loose fingers as she stared up at him.

His face.

It was... it was human.

The golden cogs, wheels and plates were gone.

Before her was a young, handsome man who looked almost exactly like the Griffin she knew, minus the mechanics. Both sides of his face matched and he gave her a small smile as she stared at him.