I have a story to tell you, we begin... in the waking world, which humanity insists on calling the real world... as if your dreams have no effect upon the choices you make. You mortals go about your work, your loves, your wars, as if your waking lives are all that matter.
But there is another life which awaits you when you close your eyes... and enter my masters realm. For he is the King of Dreams......and Nightmares. And I am their Keeper. When the waking world leaves you wanting and weary, sleep brings you here to find freedom and adventure. To face your fears and fantasies in Dreams and Nightmares that my Master creates... and which we both must control, lest they consume and destroy you. That is our purpose and my function.
But perhaps I get ahead of myself, perhaps I should begin at the beginning when the Endless were created and were each given a realm to control. Yes, that is where I must begin, for strong as they were the young Endless soon discovered that it was not easy to both fulfill their duties and protect their realms. So, there were helpers made for them, each the perfect match for their Master or Mistress.
First, there was Fate made to be the helper of Destiny, her eyes glowed as she looked upon them before she knelt before her master. Then came Anubis kind eyes flashing and white hair shining, he moved towards Death kneeling by his sister's side.
Dream watched all this in anticipation expecting his to be next but instead, two figures emerged side by side. Cupid a gorgeous dark-skinned, red-headed female, and Gloom a handsome dark-skinned male. They took their place kneeling before Desire and Despair, and Dream frowned looking again towards the light the figures were coming from, surely he was next.
Instead out came Enyo a warrior female who moved forward drawing her sword to kneel before Destruction. A young girl with a smile came out, her name was Euphrosyne and her Mistress was Delight.
Desire looked to their older brother and smirked "Well Dream it seems you were forgotten."
Dream looked down, wondering why he had been overlooked when he worked harder than his siblings. Then suddenly the light shone brighter and a figure emerged.
Her name was Nyx. And now dear dreamers, I will let you see this story from the perspective of one looking in, as one watching this all play out. Dear Dream knew her name right away though he would later have to ask the names of the others. As she curtsied instead of kneeling Morpheus grinned because he knew, this was his helper, his partner, he knew her and she knew him.
But the others tilted their heads slightly confused, all of their helpers were the perfect match for them in looks. Fate was mysterious and her eyes shone with destiny inside of them. Anubis resembled the personification of death, with white hair and pale skin.
Cupid was seductive her entire body emanating desire, while Gloom himself was true to his name.
Enyo was a warrior the perfect companion for Destruction, and Euphrosyne had what seemed a constant smile on her face and a sparkle in her eyes.
But the woman before them save for her pale skin was the exact opposite of Dream. Her hair shone as white as Anubis's own, and her eyes sparkled with kindness and mischief. While Dream was cloaked in darkness, Nyx was cloaked in light and on her side a sword hung, and then she spoke with a laugh like bells in her voice "Greetings Master, it is wonderful to finally meet you!"
And Dream gave a small smile before he replied "Greetings Nyx," he reached out taking her hand "come, we have much work to do."
And that was the beginning of a beautiful partnership, one that many of the other Eternals envied. Over time Nyx and her siblings would come to be called the Keepers, for they kept their master's realms while they were away.. Or for some too lazy to keep them for themselves.
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."
Before long Nyx had gathered herself together and went about her duties per usual, then her master returned. Nyx found him on the floor of the throne room head in his hands, Nyx rushed forward pulling him into her arms as he continued to cry.
"I banished her." He didn't have to say where, he didn't have to say anything, Nyx knew..
Time passed and those who are immortal tend to get bored, none so much perhaps as Desire who loved nothing more than picking on their brother Dream.
A plan came to their mind that made them smile, and turning to their Keeper they spoke "Your sister is in love with my brother is she not?"
Cupid hesitated for a moment before she spoke "Yes Master, but your brother shows no signs of the same."
Desire gave a Cheshire grin "Oh my dear Cupid, believe me when I say my brother desires your sister.. It wouldnt take much for him to give in to those desires."
Cupid didn't answer, she knew her master well and she knew this would not be a trick that she enjoyed.
Within a few weeks Desire put his plan into action, he visited his brother and while doing so snuck some fruit into the kitchens. The fruit was served at the dinner and Desire watched as his brother and Nyx ate it. Before long both Dream and Nyx were staring at each other, then they moved their chairs closer.
Cupid watched all this helplessly as a Keeper could not interrupt their master's plans. So, when her sister and Dream both left the room hand in places on the other that they never would have been otherwise Cupid looked to her Master.
"Your brother will be furious, as will my sister, and it is not wise to have either's wrath directed towards you. You know this Master."
Desire approached his Keeper leaning down to nuzzle her ear "Oh my beloved Cupid, why should my brother not have as fulfilling a relationship with his Keeper as you and I have?"
Cupid swallowed thickly as her Master began to seduce her, it would work it always did, for Cupid desired her Master.. Who didnt?"
Nyx awoke slowly the next morning, she groaned wondering why she was so sore and why her head felt funny. That was when she felt something heavy and cold draped over her waist, cold in a way that she knew well.. It was the same way that her masters... She jumped back away from her master in fear and disbelief, he would be so angry.
Dream awoke as he felt his pillow move away, sitting up on instant alert he found his Keeper in the corner covering herself with a sheet as she cried. And suddenly Dream realized where he was and what had happened, he closed his eyes before opening them and taking in his Keeper.
She noticed that he had woken up and instantly got to her knees bowing her head low "I am sorry for this indiscretion Master, I swear this was not my fault..." She stumbled over her words and Dream stood summoning clothes over himself and his Keeper before he moved forward kneeling before her "Worry not, I know who did this to us, it is not your fault and you should not be ashamed of this."
Dreams fury upon his sibling was swift and fierce, so much so that he forced Desire to apologize to Nyx. Then one day Anubis and Fate journeyed together to visit their sister in the Dreaming, both having felt something that Nyx herself did not feel.
"We wanted to be the first to congratulate you sister!" Anubis cried out as they approached their sister who stood looking out across the Dreaming. She turned in confusion "Thank you... But for what are you congratulating me?"
Fate instantly realized that her sister did not know and she tried to silence her brother but it was too late.
"For your pregnancy of course! I am going to be the best uncle ever!"
If Nyx had not been an immortal being, she probably would have fainted right then and there. Months later a child would be born, a son whom Dream named Orpheus, the boy became a bard to the Greeks. His story was tragic and when he passed away his parents mourned him, but unwilling to admit their love for each other they could not mourn the way they truly needed.
Thus the seasons passed, days turned to weeks, weeks to years, years to decades, decades to centuries, centuries to millinia's.
Them one day after a visit with Desire, Dream knew, his Keeper was not safe and never would be, not while she was so close to him. So he came to a decision, one which hurt his very soul, he decided to banish his Nyx.
"I no longer have need of your services, you are hereby banished from the Dreaming."
Nyx for the first time fell to her knees before her master "What have I done?" When no answer came she looked up her eyes taking in the being that held her heart in his hand. But the coldness of his eyes was one she knew well, her master had made his decision and there was no changing it.
And so Nyx diminished and went to the Earth, there she traveled about watching the civilizations that arose. Her siblings visited her from time to time and it was Anubis that introduced her to the man whom would become her best friend.
"Why are we here Ani?" Nyx asked as they walked into a pub, the year was 1889 and Anubis had shown up on Nyx's doorstep and transported them to the middle of England. Her brother simply grinned "You'll see."
It took a moment before a loud argument was heard between two men, one of which gave Nyx pause. He felt... Strange.
Anubis looked to his sister and grinned "That my dear sister is Hob, he is a pet project of your former master."
Nyx tilted her head recalling how right before her master had sent her away he had come home with a large grin on his face telling Nyx that he had a sure bet going against his sister. A hundred years later he had come home slightly frustrated yet still optimistic. Nyx had been banished before another hundred years had passed, and considering the man before them was definitely an immortal she had the feeling Dream was still losing his bet.
Later that night Nyx leaned outside the pub patiently waiting for the immortal man to exit. When he finally exited he was severely drunk and Nyx watched in a mixture of amusement and disgust.
"You know," she said drawing the drunks attention "that stuff will kill you.. Or at least it would, if it was possible for you too."
In a moment the man became almost sober as he glared at the woman before him "I dont know what you mean."
Nyx smirked stalking forward her white hair in full display for the first time since she had been banished "Please, you demean me by thinking me stupid. I believe you know my master... A dark, brooding gentleman, with a penitent to estrange the ones whom love him the most ."
The immortal man blinked "You know that pompous arse?"
Nyx nodded "I see he pushed you away too."
Hob watched the woman before he grinned knowing that this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
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1916-New York
Nyx looked up from her book as the phone rang she answered it "Hello?"
On the other side Hobs English accent rang out "Hello love, miss me?"
Nyx rolled her eyes in amusement at the Englishmen about to reply when a sudden pain hit her causing her to gasp and fall to the ground clutching her head in her hands.
As she closed her eyes she realized that the pain she felt was jot her own, it was her Masters... It was Dreams pain. From the phone Hob frantically called for his best friend "Nyx! Nyx!"
Then ancient Keeper picked the phone up silently and whispered "I wont be meetin you as planned, somethings come up."
Hob was quite for a moment before he asked "Its him, isnt it?"
Nyx didnt need yo ask who "him" was, she knew and so she answered "Yes." Then she hung up standing to her feet her eyes shining in a way they hadnt shone since her son was killed. There was a darkness that resided in Nyx, there had to be a darkness in all of the Keepers. For they were their masters friends, and their helpmeets, but above all they were their protectors.
First Nyx sent a message to each of her siblings via the link they shared then she closed her eyes and snapped her fingers. In a moment she stood in the courtyard of the Dreaming, for a moment Nyx stood feeling her power return to her and relishing in the beauty of her home.
Then she moved forward entering the castle where Lucienne stood waiting for her "Mistress, its wonderful to see you again, I hadnt realized you would be returning."
Nyx observed the librarian for a moment before she spoke "Something is amiss in the Dreaming, and our Master is not where he belongs."
Lucienne stared at her mistress in silent astonishment a the woman entered the throne room heading to her own judgement seat that had remained empty since her departure.
Sittng for a moment Nyx glanced upwards to her Masters throne then she spoke "Bring me the Corinthian."
Lucienne bit her lip slightly before answering "He's not her Mistress."
Nyx glanced down sharply her eyes landing on Lucienne with the spark that Lucienne knew to fear "What do you mean, he's not here?"
"He went to Earth Mistress, our Master had gone to trick him down before you showed up."
Nyx considered the librarians words before standing "Take care of the Dreaming Lucienne, I will return with our Master."
The Librarian nodded bowing her head "I know you will Mistress." As the ancient disappeared the Librarian looked around silently knowing that if their Master was in trouble, they were all in trouble.
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Paris-1926
"When will you give up this foolish crusade sister? Your Master has been gone for ten years, he much like mine has abandoned his duties."
Nyx sighed as her sister Enyo appeared behind her with their brother Anubis. Enyo had once been the most loyal of all the Keepers, but when her master had abandoned her to live the life he wanted, Enyo had abandoned her faith in the Endless.
"I will never abandon my master." Nyx stated her voice full of conviction as Anubis stepped forward his normal grin missing for once as he spoke "Are looking for that nasty nightmare?"
Nyx turned to her brother and nodded seeing the look in his eyes that said he had seen a death that had shaken him.
"I think I know where he is... Or at least where he was last."
The three siblings travelled to a morgue in Chicago where Anubis entered with intent his eyes travelling through the room before landing on one of the bodies that was draped in a sheet. Motioning his siblings forward he drew the sheet back and Nyx looked at the body in disgust. Beside her Enyo stared in horror "What kind of monster destroys their enemies in such a fashion?"
Nyx said nothing as she took the wounds in, where the eyeballs had once sat were now empty sockets. Around about the eye sockets were strange bite marks that Nyx was sure astounded the local police. For these bite marks were like human teeth but miniature, these were the teeth of the Corinthian which meant he was close.
It took two more days before Nyx found them Nightmare whom she sought, and when she did it was in a hotel. She waited patiently on his room for him to arrive.
The Corinthian entered the room followed by a handsome young man who Nyx could only guess was the Nightmares next victim. Nyx made her way out of the corner causing the young man to jump "Whose she?"
The Corinthian glared at Nyx in hatred, the two had never gotten on well but their jobs as the most powerful of Dreams servants had forced them to play nice. That time was now cover and it showed on faces of both the Dream Keeper and the Nightmare.
Nyx glanced to the human "I advise you too leave, this one doesn't play nicely with his food."
The man looked to the Corinthian who motioned him towards the door "Leave." When the man hesitated the Corinthian reached up removing his sunglasses to reveal his rows of teeth in place of eyes. The mortals eyes widened in horror before he turned and fled the room. The second he was gone the handsome blonde nightmare turned to Nyx "Hello Nyx."
Nyx didnt move a muscle as the nightmare moved to pour himself a drink, she simply replied "I believe the better question is what are you doing here?"
Cor said nothing not bothering to replace his sunglasses back over his teeth filled eye sockets. Instead he just laughed in derision causing Nyx to bristle in hatred "You belong in the Dreaming, Nightmares and humanity are not supposed to mix."
"As I told Morpheus, isn't this why he created me? Why should we confine ourselves to their sleeping minds? Here, in the waking world, we're unstoppable."
Nyx tilted her head taking slow steps towards the window as she spoke "How easily you address our Master by his given name, a though you think him no longer worthy of your respect.... Tell me Cor, how long have you known oyr master was missing, and what hand did you play in his absence?"
Corinthian laughed "You think I had a hand in our Masters disappearance? Much time in exile has driven you too madness Nyx."
Nyx now had her back to Nightmare as she stared out the window, he voice grew heavy and for just a moment you could hear her age... Heavy as the weight of mountains and more tumultuous as the waves of the ocean was her life.
"I remember the day he made you," The Nightmare smirked, he did so love hearing about himself. "he was younger then, and I was inexperienced. He wanted a nightmare that reflected all of humanities flaws, all of their darkness. I helped him, did you know?"
Corinthian froze, his mind racing as he heard Nyx's last words, for no, he had not known.
Nyx remained turned to the window but she knew that the Corinthian in shock as she continued "He took a bit of me and put it in you, my wish to constantly learn and to fight against anything holding me back.... I knew you were a mistake though, the second you awoke you knew too much... None of others had ever asked the questions you did, none of the others were near so powerful.. I warned him, I warned him so many times to destroy you, but he never did."
Corinthian finally spoke "You have no power here Nyx, you were sent away."
Nyx smirked in amusement "Oh, my dear, dear old friend, you have no idea how much power I have." She turned her hair that she has changed to brown to blend in witch the humans slowly began to change back starting from her roots and going down. Her skin began to turn back to the pale white that she had been so known for.
"I will only ask this once Corinthian, where is Dream?"
Corinthian shook his head "You dont scare me Nyx, you are nothing without him."
Nyx sighed and reached up revealing thw necklace she wore around her neck with a small piece of Morpheus Ruby. "I dont recall ever giving you permission to call me Nyx." With that the Corinthian began to back away pleading "Nyx... Mistress... Please... Don't." As he felt himself begin to disintegrate his pride left him and he screamed out a name "Burgess!"
In a moment the pain ceased and Nyx was back to her human looking self as she observed the creature before her "Burgess?"
Corinthian nodded "His name is Burgess, he has our Master."
Nyx raised her hand about to snap her fingers and disappear but she left one parting shot "Dont forget what you are Corinthian." With that she was gone and the Corinthian groaned in pain before a small smirk took over his face. He walked to he phone and dialed a number, a moment lasted before someone answered "If you want the one that will weaken him, I suggest you start the ritual."
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Sussex
Dream didnt look up as they entered his prison, he didnt look up when they started to chant. He didn't look up until the sound like a thundering broke through the room and his gaze went upward as a small storm appeared in the room. Suddenly a shower of shining sand drofted down and inwardly Dream screamed, for he knew who would soon appear.
Like himself they fell from the vortex completely unconscious, revealing Nyx, Keeper of the Dreaming... His former lover, the mother of his only child, his best friend, the woman he loved. And yet he allowed none of this to be seen by the mortals as his face remained stony.
The mortals removed Nyx's vestments and clothing, they bared the woman who always tried to be so modest. And yet Dream said and did nothing, Burgess laughed "You act as though she doesn't matter to you, and yet I know the truth.. This woman bared you a son, which means you have some loyalty to her.. And I will use that."
Dream still said nothing, though inwardly he wondered who had informed the man of such. Most ancient tales still imagined he had a fling with Calliope, which was ridiculous.
The man roughly chained Nyx to the wall with chains made of what Dream could only imagine was Nth. For you see The Keepers were where the tales of the Fey came from and the allergy to certain metals was very true. He watched, his inner being writhing in pain at his uselessness, he had sent his beloved Nyx away to keep her safe, and now here she was in more danger than he had ever imagined.
Nyx had left Corinthian with a snap of her fingers sending herself to Egypt the place she had always loved most when her Master would take her to mortal realm. She stared out across Luxor, the Valley of the Kings, and she inhaled sharply in pain, her powers had been dormant for so long that the display of power she had just used had weakened her.
Still, even in her pain, she thought about the name Cor had given to her, Burgess. She believed the Nightmare, for at heart the Corinthian was nothing but a coward, in pain he would tell her the truth. Closing her eyes she was about to call for Anubis when she felt it, a calling so like her masters and yet not quite right. She knew it was wrong so she fought against it, and yet her weakness meant there was no hope, and so she fell into darkness and shadow.
When she awoke it was to pain, the pain that she had heard described by her brother Mania, yet had never felt herself. It was around her wrists, her ankles, her neck, it hurt like a million needles being jabbed into you on repeat, like an open flame constantly roving over your skin with no water to cure the sting.
Nyx drug her eyes open as a voice spoke to her "Look at you, a mere servant of the Endless, and yet so beautiful... Tell me can you grant life?"
Nyx considered the man before her as the waves of pain rushed through her body in a never ending cycle. He was old, mortal, and he sought what all mortals sought, he sought immortality. Her eyes looked into his and she saw pain, anger, and fear, and Nyx smirked at him but said nothing, he feared her, he would not touch her.
Eyes drifting from this bitter old man they moved across the room to a clear orb, the sight of what it contained almost made her gasp, but an almost unnoticeable shake of Dream's head withstrained it. Nyx looked away from him and back to her own prison, she was chained to a wall, and her master was chained by runes. There was no hope for either of them unless someone fell asleep, or touched them, then and only then could they escape.
The man whom Nyx now could only assume was Burgess was speaking as though he had won "You are his weakness, you are the one who will cause him to give everything to me!"
Nyx realized in a moment that The Corinthian had not been idle, she should have killed him when she had a chance. This was a thought that rang through her mind for the rest of her imprisonment, as she watched the humans enter, some gawked at her, and some of the male guards stood before her and gave in to their fantasies. She could not look at her master for days after this happened the first time, she didn't look until for the first time they were left alone together in the room.
"Nyx, look at me." The voice of her Master spoke, thick with disuse and yet as powerful as ever, Nyx raised her tear-stained eyes to him in shame and saw the murderous look in his eyes. "I will kill them, I will kill them all."
Nyx smirked through her tears knowing this was his way of saying he still cared for her "Not if I kill them first, Master."
Dream smiled just slightly at his beloved Nyx when she whispered "I've missed you."
Dream said nothing but his eyes softened and for Nyx that was enough, for the eyes were the window to the soul, and Dream's eyes showed more than anyone else's. He said only one thing "They killed Jessamy."
In a moment Nyx felt a fury like she had not felt in centuries, Jessamy had been her gift to Morpheus. She had watched over the dreamers who had died in their sleep searching for the perfect one, and she had found her. A young girl barely seven and ten, she had cancer, and she had always had the best of dreams. So Nyx had gone to her and offered her a chance at a new life, the girl had accepted and so she became Jessamy the Raven. Jessamy was kind, and even after Nyx had been banished the young Raven would drop in on the woman she considered to be a mother figure. The one who did this deserved worse than death, he deserved sleep, thousands of years of sleep, the kind only her Master could give.
The doors came open then and the two looked away their eyes watching the doors, both knowing they would not get a chance to speak again for a long time.
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1947
They had not been able to speak in nearly fifteen years, and now they watched as the old man stormed into the basement. He glared between the two before he spoke "The woman who lives with me has gone and robbed me of my fortune. She's also robbed you, both of you. She's taken your helm, your sand, your ruby, and your woman's sword. Now, I can unlock this, you can go after her.."
For just a second Nyx allowed her eyed to stray to her master and she saw him raise his head slightly before the man continued "if you give me what I've been asking for. Wealth, youth, immortality. Oh, you're a god. These things are nothing to you." At their continued silence he asked "Don't you want your weapons and your freedom? Dont you want your woman to be freed?" Nothing, no words spoken by either the Endless or the Keeper, and Burgess grew angry "Speak to me! Speak to me! Speak to me! Come on! Speak to me!"
The boy approached then laying a hand on his father's shoulder " It's all right, Father."
"Get away from me. If you were any kind of son to me..." Nyx watched as the two fought amusement in her eyes that the old man's fear and anger drove him to push away the one person that cared for him. The two came to blows and the boy pushed his father backward causing his head to strike Dream's cage, the servants ran forward checking on their master who looked at his prisoners "You're never getting out of there. Never."
Then the words were said that caused a smile to cross Nyx's face "He's dead."
The following days brought changes and with those changes things were forgotten and allowed to slip through the cracks. The guards missed a shift and the two prisoners were finally allowed to speak again
"Does it hurt?" Dream asked glancing at Nyx's chains with worry, his Keeper smiled slightly "No more than I can bare."
Dream considered this before he said, "It drove your sister to madness."
Nyx laughed "Mania was never exactly sane, to begin with, and her Mistress needed her insanity for her to become an able servant of Delirium."
"My sister was in the wrong, to treat one who trusted her so in such a way."
Nyx shrugged as best she could "We are Keepers, subject to our Master's whims."
Dream felt those words pierce him, for in a way had he too not subjected his Keeper to his whims when he sent her away. If she had been at her full strength would she have been able to refuse the call Burgess had made? He watched her for a moment, his eyes taking in her form that he knew as well as he knew his own, her body was growing weaker as the years passed without being able to draw strength from the Dreaming. His was as well but it was for her that his worry rested, for she was his to protect and provide for.
"I am sorry Nyx." He whispered causing his Lovers head to shoot up in horror at his words "You have nothing to apologize for Master, it is not your fault that they imprisoned us."
He was about to correct her, to tell her that he was sorry for exiling her, sorry that he had been too weak to admit he loved her, that he still loved her to this day. But the doors opened and the guards entered and his chance was taken from him.
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Alex or the Boy came to them not long after with his lover Paul, and stood before them with a plea "Hello. This is my friend, Paul. Paul, this is our unwilling guest." He looked between the two his eyes pleading "Look, we've been talking, Paul and I, and if I let you out, will you promise not to harm us?" Silence came from the two immortals who stared down the one who had killed Jessamy, but the boys friend continued "If you could just speak to us."
Alex sighed "You see, I told you."
Paul shook his head "I'm telling you, you have to keep trying. Show him that he can trust you. Show him that you mean it."
" I do mean it. Just promise that you won't harm me or Paul, and I will let you out."
"I wondered then should my Master and I have believed him this time? Should we have forgiven him for murdering our raven? Perhaps. But in the end... we could not. For you see while we were so different, we were also the same, and forgiveness did not come easily to either of us."
More years passed, more time slipped away, more guards came and went. Some guards simply ignored the creatures they watched, some of them liked to watch, some liked to stand before them with lust and give in to that lust (these were the ones most marked by the two, for they would one day be punished.) And yet, all had been warned, do not fall asleep, do not touch the woman.
Rarely were there slip-ups in the guard's schedules but when there were the two would talk about things, sometimes simply asking how the other was. One time Dream dared to ask "What did you do? During.." His voice faded away and Nyx smiled slightly "While I was away?"
He nodded "Yes, while you were away."
Nyx considered for a moment before she spoke "I was lost for a time, I drifted across the world, then I found a purpose, I was able to help people.. The ones who were lost, I could help them find peace in their dreams. After I found that I traveled the world with purpose, I made many friends, even met one of your friends."
Dream frowned "I don't have friends."
Nyx giggled causing Dream's pulse to jump slightly at the sound he hadn't heard in centuries "He said you would say that."
Dream's frown turned to a scowl "If you mean that annoying human that I gifted immortality to, he is hardly my friend, nor is he someone I suggest you be friends with."
Nyx raised an eyebrow in amusement "Why because he's handsome?"
Dream looked away not liking this discussion nor liking how the woman he loved was talking about Hob "He is a blackguard with no..." his words were cut off as Nyx began to outright laugh in amusement "Oh Master, please, Hob is hardly a blackguard, he's my best friend and a good man... He asks me to marry him every fifty years."
Dream growled to himself in annoyance he would kill that cad, he was about to stick his foot in his mouth when the guards entered ending the conversation.
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"I could have asked you for wealth or power like my father did. But all I ever wanted was to be free of you." Alex had gotten old, he sat in a wheelchair wheeled by Paul as he spoke "Surely you want that too."
"Alex, darling, please."
"Take me upstairs, Paul. I won't be coming down here again."
Nyx saw her master lean forward looking at something she could not see, and she saw a flicker of something like hope cross his face. And Nyx knew, they were leaving today.
One of the guards laughed "Old Dracula and his Bride here's not givin' an inch."
"Why do you call it Dracula?" The other guard asked "Cause I think it's one of them Draculas. What do you think it is?"
"I try not to. You know what I think about? Majorca. Four days... and I'll be on a beach. Stinking of suntan lotion."
"Lucky bugger. I was on Corfu on holiday once. I met this right fit type at the hotel in the morning..." And Nyx knew, they had him, for Morpheus did not just command the dreams of the sleeping, but also those of the waking. She watched in amusement as the guard stood suddenly gun drawn and began to shoot towards Dreams cage, and as the glass busted her master moved like a phantom rising from mist.
He raised his hand and the two guards fell to the ground in a deep sleep, then he turned and moved towards his Nyx. He smudged the runes that encircled the wall she hung on, then he reached out and the chains that held her fell and she followed. Dream caught her in his arms, while he had been able to move she had not and her body was weak, clothes appeared on the two, his black as night hers white as ivory.
For a moment Dream leaned his head against hers allowing her to soak in a fragment of his weakened power, it was enough as she made to move but he held her still. Looking into his fathomless eyes Nyx knew, they werent going home just yet.
They stood in a dream and waited patiently, Dream was in the form of a cat while Nyx was in the form of a wolf pup, they watched as Alex moved towards them. Upon seeing them he smiled calling out "Well, hello. Where did you come from?"
The two led him away further into their world until they stopped Dream sitting on a chair with Nyx standing beside him. As Alex approached they shifted to their true forms, as pale and dark as the moon and night.
"Hello." Morpheus greeted his voice full of darkness as he looked the mortal over, the mans eyes widened in fear "It's... it's you. You're... you're free."
"We are. And you, do you have any idea what it was like? Confined in a cage for over a century? Do you understand the damage you've done to your world?"
"I'm sorry. I... I didn't know. Please."
Dream stood stalking forward his specter-like companion following behind "Your punishment, then, shall be a gift. I give you this, the gift... of eternal... sleep."
Nyx glanced to her Master as he turned away from the boy, he held out his hand to his Keeper as he always used to and she took it.
"Lets go home."
"More than a century of tortured sleep, of Dreams and Nightmares running riot was coming to an end. My Master and I had returned, and we would not allow this to continue."
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Authors Note: I am super excited about this one let me know what you think!
Disclaimer I own nothing but my OC's