Chapter Text
dream of the endless shook out his cuffs as he walked through the dungeons. 'dungeons' was too soft a word, really. 'dungeons' suggested dark and damp and crude iron bars and rusty shackles and torture. dream's dungeons were scarier than that. dream's dungeons became whatever kind of imprisonment you feared the most. and those that went into dream's dungeons rarely came out.
morpheus detested visiting the dungeons. since he had returned and the whole business with the vortex went down, the cells had held nothing but dust. and morpheus had had every intention of keeping it that way. until her.
he had barely stepped foot in front of the cell, a sterile steel box with one heavy door containing a tiny reinforced-glass window, when the laughter began. so loud and so manic even morpheus heard it from outside the cell. he narrowed his eyes and pulled a key from his belt. the key was small and rusted, and compared to the industrial lock that sealed the door shut, looked frankly pathetic. but when he raised the tiny key and slotted it in an invisible keyhole in the centre of the door, ignoring the lock completely, it turned with ease and the heavy door swung open.
achlys; half-demon. born out of the experiments of a Lilith-worshipping cult to breed mortals and demons in the late seventeenth century. she had spent many years after that trying to find the cult that caused her birth and killed her mother, but she was so far unsuccessful. one day, after many years of searching the waking world, she stumbled upon the dreaming, entering it's borders illegally. it wasn't, in morpheus' eyes, a serious crime, but old laws dictated that any outsiders be immediately imprisoned. laws he intended to change.
he stepped inside the barely lit cell and a bright white light flickered on, illuminating the woman who sat cross legged on the shining white floor, arms chained above her by thick silver shackles.
"hello achlys," morpheus greeted her. her eyes flickered up to meet his
"lord morpheus. i would bow but," she shook her hands and her chains rattled "have you come to get me out then? to tell me, 'no achlys, it was a mistake, please don't tell your demonic father to invade my kingdom'?" when met with cold silence, she continued
"come now, king of dreams. i'm expecting apologies here. grovelling at the very least," she grinned
dream reconsidered changing those laws.
"achlys, i am aware that you have no knowledge of your father's identity, let alone his whereabouts. do not make empty threats," her smile dropped and morpheus crouched down to look her in the eyes "the law that imprisoned you here is an old one, left over from a bygone age. do you wish to leave this place?" she looked at him, and he saw the fear that hid behind her bravado,
"oh, no lord morpheus. i wouldn't dream of leaving this place. not after the kindness you've shown me," morpheus raised his eyebrows. he made to leave, but panic evidently took over and she called after him
"no, please, it was a jest, nothing more. i meant nothing by it please!" he turned around and snapped his fingers. the shackles dissolved into shadows and she brought her arms down to her lap, rubbing her wrists.
he offered her a hand and she grudgingly took it, climbing to her feet and brushing off her black tail coat. in doing so, she subtly grasped the ruby-hilted dagger tucked into her waistcoat pocket. when morpheus turned around, she pressed it's thin sharp blade against his neck. he raised his head, surprise flashing across his features for a moment before he waved his hand and her dagger evaporated into a swarm of black and red butterflies.
"a brave move from a prisoner," she folded her arms
"it was worth a shot," she smiled, but there was no joy. morpheus opened the door and together they walked out of the cell. behind them, the space rearranged itself to it's default setting; a room with walls and a ceiling of blank canvas.
morpheus escorted achlys back through the dungeons, keeping a firm grip on her arm. they reached the door that led out of the dreaming palace's dungeons and morpheus stopped.
"any other weapons you wish to draw on me before i let you go?" he asked her as she snatched her arm away from his grip.
"no, but you're welcome to check, just in case," she whispered, leaning close to him. in the cramped passageway of the corridor, her smell was intoxicating.
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pov: achlys (not really a pov switch just will tell more of her emotions now)
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when she had first come through to be imprisoned, she had been blindfolded, so seeing the palace's sweeping interior, the marble steps that led up to the throne, she couldn't help but be amazed. alas, she didn't trust morpheus one bit. even if he was the king of dreams, she doubted he would actually let her go. that cold, pale face of his, the sharp jawline, crystalline eyes and raven-feather hair, and those lips...but that was besides the point. all these features told her this man was anything but forgiving.
she looked up at the palace's stained glass panels that seemed to move as if they were alive, and kept her back to morpheus
"this place is beautiful," she told him, her hand reaching for the knife hidden in the lining of her coat.
"thank you," he replied bluntly, but she could hear the subtle notes of pride in his voice.
"also," she continued, careful to keep her tone unreadable, "about those weapons..." and with that she spun around, knife in hand, only to find morpheus ready for her.
he grabbed her wrists and slammed her into the nearest wall, squeezing her wrist until the knife tumbled out of her grasp. she yelped.
"i truly cannot trust you, can i?" he asked, disappointment clear in his voice,
"why," she asked "were you hoping to?" she saw anger on his face for the first time, as if all her jests and mockery's were finally paying off.
then he kissed her.
she was so surprised she barely registered the soft press of his lips at first but when she did her mouth softened almost of it's own accord and their mouths slotted together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. he tasted like spun sugar, soft and sweet as he slipped his hands round the back of her neck. she leaned into his touch, their bodies now flush against each other. before she could stop herself, her hands found their way into his hair, threading though the smooth strands and she opened her mouth slightly, asking, inviting. but then, his mouth hardened.
he shoved himself off of her, his eyes darting around confused. his face was flushed, his lips slightly bruised. his eyes, dark and accusational shot towards her
"what enchantment has desire placed on you?! on me?! did they believe i would fall for their trickery again?!" he was shouting now, his voice fierce and loud but fraught with despair. achlys flinched with every syllable, backing slowly away towards the entrance. she had a feeling this was going to require an emergency escape. then, a small figure appeared in the doorway, adjusting her glasses on her nose. she stopped in her tracks when she saw morpheus in his rage, achlys edging slowly out of range of any unprovoked attacks
"i'm sorry lord morpheus," she apologised, wide eyed "am i interrupting something?"
morpheus turned his furious gaze to her, but she did not cower, not even under the full might of his horrified glare. and then achlys saw why. his face may have been furious, but a single tear trailed slowly down his face. confusion clouded her mind, tiredness both emotional and physical flooding her veins after being locked in her worst nightmare for twenty four hours, kissing her captor and then being accused of enchantment.
morpheus' eyes flew back and fourth from the mystery figure and achlys, who reached for her final needle-sized dagger from her boot. he opened his mouth as if to say something, but no words came out. he closed his mouth again and threw down a handful of sand. it burst up, swirling like a sandstorm, and when it settled, he was gone.
transfixed by the magical sandstorm, achlys didn't even realise the person had moved until she stood right next to her
"i'm lucienne," she greeted and achlys jumped but smiled as best she could and shook the offered hand
"achlys," she replied. lucienne looked out at the spot where morpheus had stood just moments ago.
"i think we'd better talk achlys. it seems we have much to discuss," lucienne's voice was friendly, so when she offered achlys her arm, she gladly took it and let lucienne lead her down to the library.