𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞 | 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐮𝐬

II - Chateau

♡

I found myself standing on a special place of a large bridge. It was the same place I'd jumped from all those years ago, releasing my inner fear of my disease: Sleeping. Until then, I'd thought it a curse. Then I discovered my Dreams.

Now, even in reality during hot summer nights, when I was aware that seasons could only be felt in the waking, I'd long for the ocean spread around the castle in dreams.

My mind was picturing the waves crashing against my body with no harm. In my dreams, I was able to breathe down there, at the bottom, in the quiet of the deep. And maybe I would jump again once winter passed. I wasn't afraid to do so anymore.

I looked back at the other figures passing by, throwing me glances. There were two little kobolds rushing, bickering and nudging. One of them tumbled back, hitting his back against my knees.

"Pardon." I said unnecessarily.
He ran into me. Yet the creature turned around, its red eyes inspecting me carefully. "Watch out, Newcomer." Newcomer? That's new. I frowned, walking over to the castles entrance, when a pair of butterflies were chased above my head, an obsidian blackbird playing with them like a cat with a mouse.

It was a Raven, its feathers shining like polished metal in the sun. I walked up the long steps, leading to a huge opening hall, its interior designed with flourishes, church glass windows and a marble floor so clear, I could mirror myself in it. It wasn't long until the sound of flapping wings catched up.

The Raven landed on a lonely pillar before me, its dark black eyes on mine, his head tilting to the side. "How can I help you?" I blinked. Once, twice. He talked. The bird talked.

"You are talking to me?" He nodded. It was quick movement, but I caught it.
"Well it seems so, doesn't it?"
I took a step forward, eyeing him. Was I dreaming of him because of my visit to the park a month back? Ravens sat wholesale on a dying winter trees branch. Had the image affected me this much?

"Do you have a name?" He asked, though he should know who I am. He's in my dream. "Lolita. And you are?" He creaked, hopping off the pillar, landing before me.
I sat myself before him, ready to converse with a literal bird. "I'm Matthew. Also new here. Okay, not so new, but a year or two in the waking is pretty long." Have I dreamed of him before? Matthew- I couldn't remember. And I remembered all my dreams.

"I don't remember you." I told him and he nodded. "Why should you, aren't you new as well?" I leaned back, still shamelessly staring.

"Not really." He flapped his wings again, it seemed apologetic.
"Oh, sorry, my mistake. I hadn't seen you in the castle yet. Lord Morpheus isn't much fond of newbies, should've known you are local.
Just after that whole thing with the Vortex and all, you know, he doesn't-" He kept talking, whilst I was trying to recover from what he spoke about sooner.