Who: Chloe and Dream What: Visiting Dreams Where: In Chloe's Dreams When: Monday Night
Chloe was having one of her less scary dreams. She was sitting at a table that was stacked with books and books seemed to be in all of the chairs around her. She wasn't sure where she was, but she knew that she wasn't feeling any panic so hopefully this wasn't going to turn into some kind of nightmare where zombies attacked her.
She reached for one of the books and gently pulled it to her. She didn't recognize the title, but in a way that she couldn't explain, the book seemed to be something that was left here for her. She hoped that it was just a coincidence that she felt like that and it wasn't the start of any new powers she was developing. The powers she had were enough to keep control of.
She settled into the comfort of the chair and relaxed as she began to read.
Being separated from the Dreaming made it far more difficult for Dream to venture into the dreams of others in Madison Valley. That and most of those who inhabited the town seemed to be mentally stronger, with far better shields and defences against his abilities. Yet, Dream managed to infiltrate some dreams, particularly those of the people who’d come to capture his attention in Madison Valley.
Chloe happened to be one of those individuals and tonight Dream decided to pop into her unconscious mind and see what he could learn about her. Perhaps even converse with her.
Upon arrival, Dream immediately shaped the landscape simply by his presence alone. Crafting it into the library he’d spoken of when they’d had their ‘date.’ The blond was seated at a table, opening one of the many books piled upon the surface, when Dream approached, black coat billowing about his thin frame.
“Hello, Chloe,” he greeted.
Chloe looked up when she heard her name and smiled as she recognized Dream from Speed Dating. “Hello, Dream, it’s nice to see you again.” She stood up and moved some books off of one of the chairs and put them on the table so that he could sit down. She was telling the truth, it was nice to see him again as she had enjoyed the few minutes she had gotten to talk to him. “Is this your doing?”
She didn’t seem at all upset, merely curious as she gestured to their surroundings.
“As it is good to see you.” Dream watched as she cleared the books from one of the chairs so that he could sit. He knew her words to him were sincere. After all, he had access to her unconscious mind, the feelings, the thoughts, that flowed through this dream and he could read them as easily as any book.
He took a seat in the now empty chair, facing her, and his pale hands folded upon the table. “It is my doing. I can shape dreams, nightmares, into anything I wish.” For her credit, Chloe did not seem alarmed at the surroundings. No, if anything she seemed curious about them.
He was also curious. About her. “Do you like the setting? It is a replica of a space in my vast library in the Dreaming. Very few humans have ever seen it. Unfortunately, due to the limitations brought on by entrapment here, I cannot show you the real place. I am afraid this version is all I can grant you.” For now. Dream still had plans to escape Madison Valley. He refused to simply accept captivity; he’d done that for a hundred years and lost almost everything. Never again.
“It’s beautiful,” she said looking around and then back to him. “I thank you for being willing to share this with me. There are so many things here that I want to read and that I have never had access to before. You have some great histories here that I know they didn’t have anywhere back home.”
If Chloe knew he had once been a captive for so long she would be sad that he was once again held against her will. When she had been trapped at Lyle House it had seemed like the worse thing ever and she had been there only a few months. Granted, for her it had been long and terrible since she was being told she was insane and then she found out that she had been experimented on before she was even born.
“Is this a place that you like to spend time? Not Madison Valley, but among the books in your library?”
He actually smiled. It was rare such an expression made an appearance on the face of the Lord of Dreams. “You are welcome,” he replied. “And yes, there are many histories here. The likes of which your world has never experienced and probably never will. For my library houses not only published works, but those of which have never seen the light of day.” For Dream had access to the unconscious mind. To the inspiration of dreamers, he knew all stories long before the potential author ever had the courage to record them. Make them real.
Dream was snatched in place of his sister, Death. In a way, it was fortunate. The consequences of Death being ripped from Earth would have been far worse. Still, it was unfair, unjust, and Dream had relished unleashing his wraith on those that had stolen his freedom for nearly over a century. For taking the life of his beautiful raven. Now, they slept forever. Unable to wake unless the Dream Lord deemed it so, Morpheus had no plans of making it so.
The Lord of Dreams nodded. “I prefer spending time within my own realm to ever venturing to Earth. In my library. With my books.” Dream was not a social being; he preferred solitude. His own company. A thoughtful expression crossed his face and he leaned forward slightly in his chair.
“Would you be more…comfortable if I switch my form to a being closer to your age?” Dream asked. As of now, Morpheus appeared as a man in his later twenties; he didn’t wish to make her feel uncomfortable. She’d been kind to him at speed dating, sympathising with his siblings' cruelty. Sketching him. He still had the drawing on a napkin. He kept it in his room, among his meagre possessions.
“Oh wow,” she said, looking completely entranced. “So, if you and I become good friends, would you invite me here to read from your library again? I bet you also have some amazing art books.” She couldn’t imagine him having the access to books that had never been written, yet. But, she did understand how hard it was for a writer to get a book published since she had looked into that once.
At his question, Chloe tilted her head and gave him a thoughtful look. “Dream, what form or age are you most comfortable being in? I’m nineteen, so I know that I am probably really young compared to your true age. However, the form you are in right now doesn’t make me uncomfortable at all. But, I want you to be as comfortable in your own skin as you can be. I don’t want you to ever think that you have to keep up any kind of persona when you are around me.”
She wanted him to find her company enjoyable, and wanted them to get to know each other, but she wanted him to be comfortable above all.
“For your kindness, I would,” Dream replied honestly. “During our ‘date,’ you gave me a drawing and tried to understand my displeasure rather than find it…amusing or distasteful.” As others had found and, obviously, Desire had relished in Dream’s discomfort. While Chloe was compassionate. Even though he didn’t enjoy being in the human realm, he recognized how rare it was for someone to be compassionate to, basically, an utter stranger.
And she continued to express such compassion now. A thoughtfulness Dream was unaccustomed to when it came to humans (aside from Hobb). The current form Dream inhabited was indeed the form he was most comfortable in. However, he recognized the rather vast age difference between them. Dream had decades, centuries, and beyond over Chloe despite his form appearing a little less than thirty. But if she was comfortable with this form, he had no desire to change it. “This is the form I mostly wear. However, I can appear as anything I wish,” Dream said. “Changing my age would be simple. A mere thought. But if you are comfortable with me as I am, then there is no reason for me to change.” Though, he was slightly curious as to what it may be like. Another time.
“Then if you are comfortable as you are, so am I.” She gave him a smile that then turned to a look of dismay. “Were people giving you a hard time at the event because you weren’t comfortable? That’s the complete opposite of what the organizers want to happen.” She shook her head. “Your emotions are your own and no one should try to make it about them. For myself, I enjoyed speaking to you and doing the sketch. My only complaint was that we had so little time to talk or spend together.”
She had enjoyed spending time with him and had been glad that he liked her quick sketch she had done. She had been unhappy that he had been signed up against his will for someone else’s amusement, but had found him to be an enjoyable companion.
She didn’t pay too much attention to ages due to the things she had been through. Even here in Madison, most of her friends were older than she was.
He held up a hand, palm open and pale fingers curled up. “I believe it was more so that I was there to solely spite Desire. I wasn’t embracing the concept of meeting new people,” Dream explained. If he had been allowed to make his own choice to attend, he would have embraced this concept. He would have tried. However, because Desire forced him into it, he had only thought of avenging his damaged pride.
“As I enjoyed speaking with you. You are quite talented, Chloe.” Dream folded his hands upon the table once more, watching her intense grey eyes. “Your compassion is why I am giving you a glimpse at my library. Allowing you the opportunity to read the titles here. It is a gift.”
To an immortal, age was indeed pointless. However, he’d wanted to offer her the same respect that she’d offered him that night at Speed Dating.
“I am very thankful for your gift, Dream,” Chloe said with a smile. “I appreciate it more than I have the words to express.”
She nodded. “It can be hard to talk to new people and add to it being forced to interact with people in a new situation like speed dating, I get how uncomfortable it can be. I am grateful that I got to meet you, though.” She smiled at him. “Thank you. I have always loved creating. After my mother died it was where I found my happiness for awhile -- art and writing.”
Dream offered the blond woman a rare smile. “Then you may come here whenever you wish. Simply focus on it as you drift off to sleep and you will be here.” Dream could not promise he would always make an appearance. There were others in Madison Valley that required his attention as well. However, he trusted that his library contained enough ‘entertainment’ to keep her occupied and, hopefully, fulfilled.
He shrugged. “Perhaps if I made the choice myself the outcome would have been vastly different.” Perhaps if there was another event like this ‘speed dating,’ he’d have the opportunity. If not, well, Dream wasn’t upset about it either.
“But I enjoyed meeting with you. Yes, art can soothe the soul as well as the souls of others. It is truly the gift that never stops giving. Besides with myself, do you share your art, Chloe?” He understood if she didn’t. Many artists chose to keep their creative endeavours to themselves for a variety of reasons.
“Thank you, Dream. I promise that I will treasure this gift and be respectful of it.” Chloe gave him a shy smile. “Mostly my friends Savannah and Alyssa. I showed my mentor, Dorian, some of my art while he was here but he was taken back to his world.” Her smile turned sad. “From the things he used to say, I gather his world wasn’t a good one for him and he was much happier here.” She gave a slight shrug. “Honestly, except for my closest friends, it has never occurred to me to share my art with anyone. I shared it with you just because it felt right to do so when you sat down.”
She gave him a thoughtful look. “I don’t know how it works, but if you do ever find you need a friend to talk to and we haven’t been able to meet up during the day, you are welcome to come into my dreams and talk to me. I don’t usually have any private type dreams. Sometimes I have nightmares, but they don’t happen too often the longer I am in Madison.”
He nodded. Dream felt as if he could trust her to be respectful of this space even if it was nothing more than a dream version of it. The Lord of Dreams could understand why Chloe kept her gift mostly to herself, choosing only to share it with close friends and family if she did at all. It was a concept he was familiar with, having inspired and been around many artists during his long existence.
“It seems, along with your artistic talents, you possess great empathy, Chloe,” Dream replied. “I have been around many artists in my long life, some who have shared their gifts and others who never did. It is truly a personal choice, but I always felt fortunate that I was able to experience their inspiration. As I felt fortunate to experience yours.”
Nightmares, unfortunately, were a necessity for the psyche to express itself. To allow a dreamer to face their fears, to learn about themselves, and to hopefully overcome them in time. “Nightmares are a necessary part of human existence. I can take them away, but, oftentimes, your fears will find other ways to manifest themselves during your waking hours.” It was a double-edge sword truly.
He was planning on visiting her regardless, but her offer touched him all the same. “I do appreciate your generosity, Chloe. I will visit you as much as my time allows. You have my word.” Dream stood, long coat billowing as he did, and offered the blond a small bow.
“I must be going. Please, enjoy your time here. If I do not see you around Madison Valley, I will see you in your dreams.”
She gave him another small smile. “I have learned that about nightmares. The problem with some of mine is that I don’t know if they are better or worse than the things I have actually seen or been through during my waking hours when I was back in my world.”
There were a lot of things back in her world that she wished she hadn’t been through, but then she wouldn’t be the person that she was. The whole thing with being a necromancer and learning how to control her powers had definitely been a learning experience.
She gave him a nod and a smile. “Again, thank you for this, Dream. I hope that you enjoy the rest of your night and I look forward to talking to you again.”
She watched as he left, and then returned her attention to the book she was reading.