#beauty and the dreaming | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ansxit · 2 years

Text

The Beauty and the Dreaming

[Morpheus x Reader (Beauty and the Beast Au)]

a/n} Yesyes I did post about the Howl's moving castle au,,, but this came first in my brain so here it is! i assure anyone who will read this though, the hmc au is on the way !! (will probably post it later this week lolol) btw comment if you want to be part of a tag list for this series !

(Also!! Please reblog + like!! It would really mean a lot to me !! <3)

Prologue, Part 1

- The cruel King of Dreams is cursed by a witch, doomed to be a beast forever and to be forgotten by humanity. But what happens when a determined woman finds herself in the abandoned halls, and happens to fall in love with the unlikeliest of people.

TW] Small Description of bone disfigurement

~Prologue~

There are trivial things known to the world, many mortals dedicate their lives and lineage seeking power, glory, fame. It's a deep concern as to why beings with no need for the shimmering stones or acknowledgment within history would want. But maybe in their anthropomorphic personification’s hearts lay the same greed a dragon has to their hoard. Or in the way a king will still demand everything from nothing; either way, beings such as the endless decided to want, and the frivolous things they surrounded themselves with became the utmost important in society.

One of these beings was none other than the King of Nightmares, ruler of the dreaming; Dream of the Endless. His kingdom in the mortal plane was grandiose and, to put it simply, beautiful. Ivory walls, golden inlay held just the support of the palace’s walls. The gardens were vast and endless, with blossoming flowers stretching towards the horizon, their soft petals drinking in the bright sun. The knowledge held between the walls of the palace was more than what could be gathered in several lifetimes. There was a nearby village, one full of his citizens who he liked to call Dreams, amongst them lived his creation called Nightmares. Together they lived to serve him and the grounds, and in return lived peacefully amongst the flowers and trees.

No mortals were permitted past the kingdom's gates, however. It was the one law the King enforced with an iron will, but eventually under the threat of his siblings, they were finally permitted past the gates for one night and one night alone.

On this fateful night, the sun was shielded from the kingdom, the dark clouds murmuring bringing upon an unwelcome storm.

“You act like you are going to a funeral.” Jessamy stated dryly. She moved to the other side of Dream, taking another pin and not-so subtlety stabbing him in the elbow with it. The suit he adorned was black, with the subtlest hints of gray when the candlelight struck. Each seam was pressed neatly, and just below his collar lay a glinting red ruby.

“I might as well be,” Dream declared, side eyeing her. Her dark skin blended beautifully with the black garbs she donned for that night. The patterns on her skirt matched the ones on his vest. It was a familial sign, perhaps even one of trust. “A party, inviting simple mortals into my palace.” He shook himself and Jessamy sent him a glare.

“Those ‘mortals’ are your people too; All of them dream, therefore they belong here just the same.”

“They are insects, crawling and destroying any life they are granted with. Let it be a miracle to them they are even permitted past the gardens.” The Lord of Dreams squared his shoulders, daring her to even attempt an argument. Jessamy lifted her chin, defiance glimmering in her clever eyes.

“My lord, if you will-”

“Sire,” a voice interrupted from the door. Standing there was a woman in a blue vest, with a pocket watch held out like an offering. “Forgive me for the intrusion, but there is a woman requesting your presence.” The Lord of Dreams stepped off the podium, not sparing Jessamy a single glance.

Enchanting music swirled around him as they exited the West Wing, making their way to the main hall where the party was commencing. Servants bowed as the Lord of Dreams passed, and many of the partygoers below the bannister whispered at the shadows that followed behind him. Outfits with stark white frills floated around the room, the chandeliers casting bright light above them all, and the musicians sat in the far left corner of the room, their director joyfully conducting the tune. The King looked down at the dreamers, the smallest of smiles gracing his lips.

How could mortals beat the beauty that were his citizens, it was a question that needed no answer; they could never compare.

“She seeks an audience with you,” Lucienne whispered, motioning towards an older woman, gazing at the golden decor with wonder in her eyes. The longer the king stared at her, a feeling of uneasiness slipped through him, and the dreamers that surrounded her appeared to sense it too.

The rain beat like a steady drum against the windows, lightning flashed as the cloaked woman side-stepped into three, all holding the same cutting eyes. But when the thunder roared to follow, it was the one beggar woman, knelt in front of him.

“Your highness,” The woman whispered, her gnarled hand reaching out to grab at his lapel. “Please, let me seek shelter from this storm- there will be no trouble amongst your realm, I will leave when the sun breaks.” Dream slowly took her hand off of him, and his lips curled in disgust.

“You have no right,” He paused, his tone laced with poison, “to lay your hands upon me.” Old anger as hot as burning stars shot through him, and the shadows that danced behind him grew taller and leaner.

“My lord please, I beg of-”

“You shall beg nothing of me,” He sneered, “You will leave my palace at once, and my realm for that matter. And if I ever see your face again, you will live to regret it.”

The woman knelt to the floor, dejected. The Lord moved to walk away, finished with the events of the party, but stopped when what sounded like laughter began to radiate from her weathered bones. The King of Dreams watched the one woman revealed to be three, and for the first time in his existence, He felt afraid.

Wrenching gasps and screams filled the room as most of the party goers watched the women orbit around their king, all cackling as he spun to protect himself. The harsh rain rattled the windows, threatening to break them.

“One shall not turn down the fates that lead you,” The Crone sneered at him, her eyes piercing his soul like a sharpened blade, twisting deeper into the grooves of his very being.

“You are still young and foolish, Endless.” The Mother tutted, reaching out to grab his chin before shoving Dream away. “Appearances are deceiving, but you won’t worry about that anymore.”

He fell into the shoulders of the Maiden, who giggled and kicked him to the ground.

“You shall be cursed with a beast as cruel and ugly as your heart,” The Maiden said, her black eyes shimmering as the mist began to swirl around Dream. “Since you act like a monster, why not look like one as well.” The air became heavy in the circle casted around him, and Dream found himself

“A wall will be cast, the mortals will forget you and your pitiful prowess.” The Mother stalked around him, cackling as he tried to stand, but invisible forces shackled him to the ground, as if his own shadows strangled him.

“It will stretch as far as your gates, so no one may ever find you again,” The Crone sneered, “You will be forgotten, and maybe then you shall learn humility again.” The one that was three began to circle him, a gray mist swept through the ballroom, the guests all but gone as the magic ran to capture them all.

The sounds of bones popping and crunching competed with the symphony of the storm raging outside, as well as the loud cackling from the Fates. In the distant halls, Dream could hear the cries of his servants and citizens. The dreams and nightmares that brought meaning to his realm, swept into the storm of his mistakes. As his collarbones cracked, he finally caved and let out a horrid scream- one that felt to shatter the windows and crack the mountains holding his realm together.

Many centuries passed, and the people outside the kingdoms forgot about the Sandman and his realm. Nightmares ran rampant through the waking world, and mortals fell into fitful dreams, terrorized by the fears that followed them.

“Y/n!”

A voice broke you out of your reverie, and warm hands pulled you out of the way of an oncoming wagon. With a beating heart, you turned to find your younger sister, Rose and behind her, Jed who was flushed from trying to pull the both of you back onto the sidewalk.

“What on earth were you thinking?” Rose chastised, “You’re going to give me gray hairs, and we’re not even thirty yet!” Her tone was playful, but the way she gripped your hand told you she was terribly worried; well, for good reason, You supposed.

“Oh, just daydreaming I suppose.” You squeezed her hand and smiled down at Jed. “I dreamt of a fantastical castle, with gold everywhere the eye could see.” He broke out into a grin and you eagerly continued on. “There were these two little raven’s concocting mischievous plans.” Rose Simple rolled her eyes and, with you and Jed in separate hands, walked you both through the traffic and into the markets.

“Like those ones?” Jed pointed, and you followed his hand to some black birds perched on one of the building's roofs.

“Hm, I believe those are crows, but it’s a common mistake to make. In my dreams the ravens were accompanied by…” You trailed off, and watched two men walking together in the distance, the happiest of smiles on their faces. Your heart tugged as they reached to hold each other’s hands, faintly remembering wisps of black hair. “A beautiful prince.” You finished, and Rose turned back to give you a questioning glance.

“And this prince was very kind,” A soft smile crossed your features and you reached over to grab Jed’s hand. “He treated his subjects fairly and there was never a cloudy day in their kingdom.” He hummed and they lazily swung their interlocked hands.

“Well what happened next?” Jed asked, letting you lead him out of the way of other pedestrians as Rose hurried on to hit all of the needs from the grocery list.

“I dunno, I suppose I’ll find out tonight when I dream again.” You grinned.

“Rosie, I want to dream too!” He exclaimed, running up past them both and climbing onto the fountain’s edge. “I want to be a prince with a castle and ravens.” Kids and adults alike stopped what they were doing to watch Jed balance on the fountain. The nearest people covered their child’s ears, while most hurried to move away from him. Some noticed you as well, averting their gazes and keeping a wide berth away from You and Rose.

“That’d be lovely, wouldn’t it bud,” Rose said, turning to give you a hard stare and motioning towards the vendors. She went up to him and held his hand as he walked along the side, “But we have Y/n’s dreams, and her stories— so it's better that she tells them, right Jed?”

You sighed, choosing to ignore whatever convincing argument Rose said to satiate Jed for the evening, instead beginning to pick out some fresh fruits from the bin. Dreaming was a finicky thing nowadays, with some falling asleep and never waking up, as if in a coma; Which made people fear everytime they fell asleep. Most simply never dream, just drifting through the nothingness for the hours until they awoke. But you had been one of the lucky few, if not only, people who still dreamt. While they weren’t as much as the fantastical adventures you would tell to Jed before sending him to sleep, they were still special in their own right. But nothing was wrong with a little extra imagination every now and then.

The golden kingdom still tugged at your mind as you purchased the fruits, thanking the man and going to find Rose again, hoping she wasn't as furious as she pretended to be. As you walked away, you noticed an annoyingly familiar face jogging to catch up to you.

“Y/n, wait up!” Rowan called, briskly passing people and giving you a cheeky grin the closer he came. Now, you were not a hateful person; but Rowan was absolutely the exception. He was vulgar, loud, obnoxious, and somehow the prized jewel of the town you and your siblings resided in. According to every other woman in the village, he was the handsomest, rugged, and had everyone tripping over themselves to even get his attention. He had money to waste, and one of the most skilled huntsmen in the town. Beside him was “Hey,” He greeted, “What're you doing here?”

“Oh, Hello,” You greeted with a grimace. “We’re getting groceries, like many others are today.”

“We?” Rowan’s eyes narrowed and he began looking behind you. “Have you been holding out on me N/n? Last I heard you weren't interested in anyone.”

A warm hand slid into yours and you looked over to see a very pissed off Rose glaring up at him. Behind her was Jed, holding her basket of vegetables from earlier.

“We, as in her family. Besides, it's not your business whether or not she’s courting someone.” Rose squared her shoulders and if it was even possible, Rowan narrowed his eyes further.

“He's not worth it,” You sighed and as you moved to walk away, Rowan’s hand shot out like a snake and grabbed your wrist.

“Come on, Y/n, just let me take you out for one night— I can make it worth your while.” You grimaced and wrenched your arm away.

“No offense, but I wouldn’t consider it even if you were the last man on earth.” You took Rose’s hand and started walking back to the path home, with Jed walking two paces ahead.

As you walked off, one of Rowan’s hunting buddies came up beside him, and clapped him on the back.

“I don’t see why you leave them alone, you said it yourself on how you despise her spitfire of a sister.”

Rowan smiled at your reatreating figure andturned around to face his friend.

“That's where you’re right, but oh so wrong. It's the evasive prey that make it the best hunt. She'll come around, and that's when I'll make her my wife.”

“I don’t like the way he talks to you.” Rose grumbled, holding open the door for Jed with her hip. You sighed and grabbed the basket from her arms and set it on the table inside. “I mean who does he think he is? The king of England?” You snorted and Jed started giggling.

“He certainly has audacity where he lacks brains,” You mused, lighting a match to get started on dinner. “I'm thinking some stew for tonight, how about you?” You looked over at Jed, who was sorting through the fresh produce. He looked up and nodded at you, and Rose walked over to join him— getting a pail out to wash the fruits in.

Jed started to hum as he worked, with you and Rose joining in occasionally. It was a song their mother had taught them, and eventually found it's way to you when you were all younger. Between the three of you, You had a different mother than them, being born just weeks before Rose was due. There was a little strain on your family relationship, but once your guys’ father left the picture, the hurt became easier and there became no blur between you and your siblings anymore. While you and Rose were similar in age, you took on the responsibility of caring for the two of them when their mom passed away. Of course, Rose wouldn’t let you take all the responsibility, and together you tried the best you could to give Jed the best childhood he deserved.

At times it became difficult, but when there were moments like these, it made everything worth it.

But what none of the siblings realized, that this would be the last peaceful dinner any of them could have for a long, long time.

Despite what Rose had said, Jed always knew the stories Y/n were actually just her dreams. He had tried to read the same books as her, trying to find the ending to whatever bedtime story he sought that night, but they weren’t the same, and his imagination couldn’t do it justice. But he didn’t quite understand

His teacher wasn’t too pleased to have him tell the wonders of dreaming to his classmates, and after Rose found out, Y/n stopped talking about the Sandman. Instead, she talked about day-dreaming, using her imagination to create her own adventures to tell to her little brother.

He desperately wanted to dream, he wanted to go on incredible journeys he imagined and go back to his sisters and get to tell them the stories of his adventures. But his wish remained ungranted, and sleep became a very disappointing venture.

But then, one fateful night, he found himself wandering a lush garden, with hedges twice his height, and flowers that bloomed colors he had never seen before. A childish joy overtook him as he ran through the gardens, wild animals and butterflies took off as he chased the breeze that flew around him. He finally broke through the garden and his jaw dropped in amazement as Y/n's storytelling voice drifted through as a reminder.

A grandiose, golden castle sat in the center of the garden, with a fresh snow falling from the skies above. With the castle was clearly in disarray, it meant nothing to the young boy who could finally find an adventure for himself.

The grand floor was completely deserted, and no candles were lit as far as Jed could tell. “Maybe the prince had found a different castle.” Jed thought to himself, running his hands along the ivory railing and sneezed at the dust that flew into his face. Soft whispered trailed behind him at he climbed the stairs, but he couldn't care less; First he wanted to explore.

Jed managed to find a ballroom with the windows shattered in it, many many guest rooms that he believed could house the entire village if it wanted to. He also found a dining hall and kitchens, and then finally he stumbled upon the master bedroom.

While the rest of the castle appeared to just lack some dusting, this room seemed to have been pillaged- or as if a wild beast was set free to destroy everything in its path. He found a painting of a pale man with wispy black hair and equally black eyes, but it's face had been slashed and it's frame was cracked in many places. Jed grinned as he began to imagine whatever prince owned this castle facing in a terrible battle to defend his citizens and the final showdown happening in the very room he stood in.

In the far right of the room, lit perfectly by the moonlight was a rose protected by a glass dome.

“The treasure the prince was protecting,” Jed whispered excitedly. He reached out to touch the glass but a giant clawed hand grabbed his wrist painfully before he could do so. Gold shivers wracked his body as he looked up at the beast that had caught him.

He'd couldn’t find the words as he stared at the monstrosity that towered over him. It must've been at least seven foot, with black, matted fur draped over its hulking form, feathers protruded from the creatures should blades into giant wings, and it stood on hind legs, like a person would. The creature wore tattered royal clothing and a glinting, red ruby hung from it’s neck. The scariest thing about it though, Jed thought as he saw the pointy fangs protruding from the creatures mouth, was it's incredibly human-like eyes. Intact, they looked just like the dark eyes in the painting of the prince Jed had seen.

“What are you doing in here, mortal,” It snarled, and Jed whimpered as the grip on his wrist tightened. “You trespass into a realm that is not meant for your pitiful existence.”

“I'm- I'm sorry!” Jed cried, and fast crocodile tears rolled down his face. “I just wanted to have an adventure, I didn’t realize—!” He broke off into sobs as the creature bared its razor-sharp teeth again.

“You should have known better, boy.” He hissed. “You mortals are all the same, destroying any good thing we have left. Maybe if we lock you up for an eternity you shall learn your lesson.”

“I didn’t mean to!” Jed cried again, and the beast wrenched his arm hard enough to pop his shoulder. The boy let out a terrible scream as he was dragged deep below the kingdom. His cell was small, and there was little moonlight that made it through the bars.

“It's just a dream, it's just a dream.” Jed told himself, but when he opened his eyes, he was still in the prison. He pinched his arm, nothing. More sobs wracked through his body and he curled up into himself. Rose was right, dreaming was too dangerous for him, and now he'd never see his sisters again.

a/n} Please reblog + like!! It would really mean a lot to me !! <3

#fanfiction #dream of the endless #the sandman #morpheus x reader #the sandman x reader #the sandman x you #dream of the endless x reader #beauty and the dreaming #beauty and the beast Au #lucienne #morpheus x y/n #morpheus x you #the sandman netflix #morpheus fic #morpheus fanfiction #rose walker #jed walker

526 notes · View notes

ansxit · 2 years

Text

Beauty and the Dreaming

[Morpheus x Reader (Beauty and the Beast Au)]

a/n} HOLY COWS THE SUPPORT ON THIS SERIES ALREADY😭😭 you guys are seriously incredible thank you all so much oh my goodness !!!! If you want to be added to the Taglist just lmk!!

(Also!! Please reblog + like!! It would really mean a lot to me !! <3)

TW] Rat bites, arm disfigurement, dissing of the color orange, Matthew slander, Rowan

When you had fallen asleep, you expected to be greeted with the rolling fields of green. You had sweetly imagined the raven’s calling out to you as they led you back to the golden castle. It was there you could dance in the dazzling ballrooms, with wondrous chandeliers illuminating in your presence.

But, no such glittering dreams greeted you. Instead, you were in a small forest clearing, with dead hedges circling the brush. The leaves on the trees closest to the bushes were in sad heaps on the forest floor, but you could see others’ lush greenery just a few yards away. This wasn’t the first time you had a weird dream like these, and you briefly paced- wondering how you could spin a tale out of this to Jed tomorrow morning.

As you kept looking around, you noticed a large marble door hidden between two trees. A mass of prickly-ivies crawled around it, keeping the door well hidden from immediate sight. The carvings in the marble felt familiar to you, and you realized it was the same carvings in the castle you loved to explore. Jubilant whispers emanate from beyond the gate, and you once again checked your surroundings. There was now a path reading out of the clearing and in the distance you could see the twinkling lights of the village.

‘Is this real?’ You thought to yourself, excitement flowing through your veins. You put your hand on the gate and gently pushed. The vines resisted, but with a harder push, they gave way and the gate swung open. A room of black . You gingerly put your hand up to it, but not even a whisper of breeze echoed from the darkness. The energy hummed the closer you got to it, and the familiar feeling of drowsiness lapped at your subconscious. “A dream within a dream.” You laughed aloud, and with one last look at the surroundings of the forest, you charged headfirst into the void.

Then there was nothing. You felt suspended into the pull of the void for what felt like years. No breath left your lungs, your heart didn’t even beat. There was just you in the nothing, and you had to fight the urge to curl up into it. The tiredness you felt before was much stronger now, and the fatigue settled into your bones. Determined to see where it led, you took a small step and—

There was an abrupt temperature change, as the void suddenly became warm and stuffy. The sound of rats squeaking filled your ears, and you quickly opened your eyes. It didn’t do much use, as the room you were in had practically no natural light, other than a singular window with iron bars covering most of the sun’s stare. A curled up figure sat below it, their soft whimpering sound barely heard over the rats. As one of the animals scampered over to them, they let out another cry and moved away, and the little sunlight finally illuminated their features.

“Jed..?” You whispered, already running towards him. His eyes flew open and he scrambled away from you, not recognizing your voice.

“Y/n?” He cried, crumbling into your embrace as you wrapped your arms around him. “I was so scared, I thought it was a dream, but.” He broke into more sobs. You had just seen him barely a few hours ago, but it looked as though he aged for months. His shoulder was slightly disfigured, and he had many little rat bites along all of the exposed skin that you could see.

“Who did this to you?” You whispered, as though anything louder would break him. And you moved his face to look at you. “What’s wrong, where are you?”

“You need to find me,” Jed cried, his hands digging into your nightgown. “Please, the castle is real. He’s real, you need to find me.” Another sob fell out of his mouth and he met your gaze. “Please, He’s- He said he was going to kill me.”

“Who, Jed?” You whispered, your own tears filling your eyes, but you could feel your subconscious pulling away from the dream. “Jed, who did this, I need to know.” His hold on you felt distant, as though you were watching him through someone else’s eyes. His lips moved, but you could no longer hear anything. And just as suddenly as you arrived in the nightmare, you were gone.

Your sheets were damp with sweat when you finally awoke. You could still feel the warmth of the room coating your skin, and you ripped the blanket off of you. Adrenaline shot through your veins as you spirited out of the room, frantically avoiding running into the walls and making it to Jed’s room as fast as possible.

‘It had to have been a dream,’ You pleaded mentally. ‘Jed can’t dream, it can’t be real.’

There was shuffling downstairs, and you knew Rose could absolutely hear your desperation as you tried to open the locked door.

“JED?” You shouted, pounding at the door. “This isn’t funny, wake up!” He had never locked his door before, you didn’t even realize it had a lock. His door was always open, to get to you and Rose as fast as possible if necessary. You slammed at the door again, and finally it flew open, smacking against the wall as you ran inside. Your heart stopped beating at what you had seen.

Jed’s room was in perfect condition, not a single speck of dust in sight. His bed was made, something he had never done without influence, and the window was wide open. The morning winds blew lazily through the curtains. A sob escaped your throat, and you fell to the floor on weak knees.

“Y/n!” Rose called. “What the bloody hell is-” She stopped, taking in the sights you had just accustomed yourself to. “Where… Y/n where is Jed.” She grabbed your shoulders and looked into your eyes. She didn’t seem to like the answer she found, because she whipped around and started tearing apart everything he could find. “He was here last night, we put him to bed.” She suddenly ran out into the hallway, her steps creating a symphony with your sobs.

You crawled out after her, tripping on your own feet as you stood on shaky knees. Rose was running in the backyard, checking all of the places Jed could, and logically couldn’t hide. The sun seemed mockingly bright, and you wondered if it was the same sun Jed was seeing now.

“He couldn’t have run off,” She mumbled, and you wondered if she even knew you were beside her. “I know it’s been hard but he wouldn’t just run away from us, right?” Rose ran back to the shed, desperately checking everywhere she could. You remembered the gate from before you had seen Jed, and a heavy weight fell on your chest.

“Rose,” Your voice broke. She turned to you, her own tears falling down her face. “I think I know where he is,” You breathed out, slowly reaching out to grab her hand. “I had… a dream, he was there– It felt real, I can go and find him. I’ll bring him back home.” Your voice broke and she squeezed your hand, pulling you into a tight embrace.

“I can’t lose him again,” She cried, sinking into your shoulder. “Either of you, and I swear-” She inhaled sharply, and pulled away to look you in the eyes. “I need both of you, you're my sister.” Rose sobbed. “We’re a family, you have to come back to me.”

“I will, Rose,” You swore, holding her face with your hands. “I promise.” Your sister pulled away, wiping her face with the sleeves of her shirt. You could see she was trying to stay strong, whether for your sake or her own you weren’t sure.

The sun was still high in the sky when you set out to find the gate. Rose had demanded you take hunter’s gear with you, but you didn’t have to worry about protecting yourself. If you followed what you remembered, you could find Jed and make it back home safely.

A nagging thread of doubt echoed in your mind, one that questioned if you had imagined the gate entirely. It threatened to unravel your thoughts as you pushed through the brush, determined to find the decaying trees. The question of the gate's existence would be something to worry about later, for now you were looking for the path. Besides, if you failed, you could try to dream of the clearing again.

You never bothered to lucid dream, you were certain you could, but it was more fun to see what was thrown at you. The stories to tell to Jed were much better when you didn’t know the ending. You briefly stopped from moving away a tree branch.

It was your story telling that put your family into this mess. It was better that you really did stop talking about it to Jed. You gave him ideas when you thought you were giving imagination, and now he was suffering in the dreams he loved to hear about. It was then you made a promise to lock that part of yourself away, if it kept Jed safe from harm, then you would have make it.

As you moved another bush away from your path, you noticed a small first path leading to your right. With a burst of energy, you started to run alongside it, dodging hanging dead branches and vines. You pushed through one final wall of thorny bushes, and you were back in the deserted clearing; But this time, the gate was wide open.

The thrumming energy felt louder this time, and whispers of wrongness tried to lure you away from the door. You shook your body, remembered how desperate Jed had sounded, and ran through the open gate. The trip through the void was faster than in your dreams.As if it was already accustomed to your presence. While you still felt the pull of sleep, you quickly managed to run through the emptiness and emerge into a sunlit area.

You were standing in the familiar hills of the castle garden you explored when you slept. With a sigh of relief, you started heading to the path you’d walked for most of your life. The soft grass below you slowly started to fade into dirt, with some patches barely clinging to the life they held. You stopped when you encountered a lump of snow by the gate; It was always sunny in your dreams, snow was supposed to be a wistful thought in the green hills.

A feeling of dread crept up your spine, as you started to look back at the fields you appeared in. Nothing but dead grass and hedges with empty branches remained where beautiful rose bushes and thriving wildlife once lived. The beginning of tears began pooling in your eyes, and you quickly ran out of the garden. Suddenly the vast world was terrifying; For an infinite plane meant infinite places for him to be held. ‘Oh gods,’ You thought, horrified. ‘Jed, where are you?’

The grand staircase crumbled under your shoes as you ran to the front door of the castle, throwing your shoulder against the marble. Your shoulder exploded in pain, but the stone didn’t budge, and you let out a frustrated cry. With no other options, you began hitting the door with your palms.

“Please!” You cried out, the worry that no one could hear you was nonexistent to you. “Please, my brother is in there! He could be hurt!” A raven with white markings watched you from the railing, its head tilted as though listening to your cries. It flared its wings, and hopped back and forth. “Can you help me?” You whispered. It cawed at you, almost in disbelief, and flew through a cracked window on the side of the castle. Only a few moments later, the large marble doors opened before you.

You quickly ran inside, trying to remember the castle’s layout. Distant sounds of screaming sent shivers down your spine, and lights suddenly illuminated a hallway, one you had never explored before. Even though every aspect of your being demanded you run, you squared your shoulder and followed it. Eventually, the lights had led you to the same dungeon room you had dreamt about.

“Jed?” You whispered, it was hard to see if he was even breathing in the dark cell.

“You found me.” Jed cried, the sound of chains clinking as he moved around. You tried to grab onto him through the iron bars, but he was too far away.

“I’m here,” You sobbed. “I found you, you're safe now, it’s going to be okay.”

“I want to go home.” He whispered, and You took notice his shoulder seemed worse than before, and the bites and scrapes not looking any cleaner. “I miss Rosie, please take me home. Before he comes back.”

“Whose He?” Your voice shook, daring to ask. Whoever this man is would have hell to pay for doing this to your brother. “What did he do to you, Jed?”

“He trespassed into a realm not meant for mortal eyes. And attempted to steal something of mine.” A deep voice circled around you, seeping slowly into your veins and immobilizing your muscles. “Perhaps thievery and invasion run in the family.”

“My brother has been wrongfully imprisoned.” You argued. “He’s just a boy, he’s done nothing wrong!”

“Mortals are not welcome in my realm.” The voice hissed. “I am king here, and my word is law.” Out of the corner of your eye you could see a hulking figure. It was well-above your height, and the way it moved seemed almost animalistic.

“A king should not hide in the shadows.” You accused. “Come into the light, I’m not scared of you.” What sounded like a huff escaped from the darkness, and two glowing eyes illuminated from the nothingness. You let out a breath as it stepped closer to you. Black fur draped across his lithe body, and two dark wings protruded from his back, sweeping against the dusty floor. As you stared into his face, you noticed the long fangs enunciating his glare. He almost looked human-like, and there was a distant feeling of recognition as you stared into his eyes.

“You are not welcome in my kingdom.” He repeated, rising to his full height. You had to lift your head to stay in eye-contact with him. “You will leave, or suffer the same fate.”

“Not without my brother.” You defied, and a burning white rage filled his white eyes. As quick as lightning, his arm lunged out and gripped your forearm with such force you thought he would crack it. You let out a cry in alarm, the pain almost bringing you to your knees.

“You don’t get to make that decision, mortal.” He concluded. “This boy has committed a crime, and he will rot here like others have before him.” Jed let out another sob, and you fearfully glanced over at him.

“I’ll take his place.” You said. “He doesn’t deserve this punishment. Let him go.” The beast paused at this, clearly surprised at your boldness. His grip lessened,

“You would.. take his place.” He stated, glancing at you in such a way you felt as though he were examining your soul. “Even if you never see him again; You would never leave this cell.”

“If he can even have a chance, I’d take it no matter the circumstance.” You thought about your promise to Rose, and shook it off before the tears could form. She can survive without you, soon Jed can help out more and they’ll thrive. They will be okay.

“Then you are foolish.” The gruff in his voice returned, and just before your eyes you were looking at the same scene but this time, you were inside the cell. Jed crumpled to the floor outside of the room, and with no care, the beast picked him up by the wrist.

“He’s hurt,” Your heart tugged as Jed let out a weak whimper. “Please, be careful with him!” Your little brother’s body dragged horribly along the floor, and the creature reached up towards the ceiling to pull a lever. Light flooded the dingy dungeon and you fought the urge to cover your eyes.

“Y/n,” Jed cried. “We’ll find you, I’ll get-” But the door abruptly slammed shut, and darkness coated the room once again. Now, you were alone. In only a day you had lost and found, then lost your brother again, and left your sister. And you weren’t even sure you would ever be able to see them again. Tears welled in your eyes as you sank to the floor, out of anyone you thought your dreaming was a great thing. The stories you concocted were meant to make him happy, distract him from the problems you and Rose faced as adults in the provincial village. But they've caused irrevocable damage, and noe you were imprisoned in the halls you once loved to wander in.

“Excuse me, miss.” A voice intruded from the barred window, “Why are you crying?”

“Oh my gods Matthew you can’t just ask her that.” A female voice this time, added on. You looked up, and to your confusion, saw two ravens perched on the ledge, easily hopping between the bars. “It’s very insensitive, you know. Obviously she's upset.” You saw the familiar gleam of white feathers and you gasped.

“It’s you!” You exclaimed. “From outside, you let me in. But, how can you talk?” The other raven scoffed as the girl raven hopped down to the floor.

“There’s many things you don’t yet understand.” She concluded, tilting her head to stare at you with her intelligent eyes. “But you won’t learn much from inside this dingy place, come!” She flapped her wings and walked through the gate that trapped you.

“I thought the…” You hesitated on the word, “king, said that I would rot here. For all eternity.” The raven, Matthew? on the ledge cawed strangely, and you had the feeling he was laughing.

“His highness? Oh please, that mopey thing growls more empty threats out of his maw than-” The raven by your feet crooed in warning, and he shook out his feathers. “Er- What I mean is, he changed his mind! Hooray!” Matthew flew down, over to where you had seen your brother get ripped away from you. New tears began to form in your eyes and you couldn’t help but sniffle.

“Now you’ve done it.” The other raven rolled her eyes and flew up onto your shoulder. “There, there, mortal. It will be okay.” Matthew cawed in audacity and flapped his wings.

“What did I do?” He shrieked. “Did she want to stay down here with the rats? Sorry I don’t remember how to comfort mortals, Jessamy, considering it's been a long dAMN TIME SINCE I’VE-” He broke out in a series of caws and stamped angrily on the ground. Jessamy sighed and rubbed her head sympathetically against your neck.

“I’m sorry miss, it’s been a while since we’ve had guests. But since my associate is a feather-brain, I must do everything myself.” Jessamy flew over to the side of the wall and pecked at it for a few moments, the bars that caged you swung open, and you quickly stepped outside. You ran to the lever and yanked on it, another door opening and bringing light to the dungeon once again.

“You're very clever.” Jessamy complimented, flying ahead as the three of you exited the room. “And I’m sorry about your brother, Miss. We tried to help him but…” She glanced back at you and quieted upon seeing your expression.

“He can be safe now,” You sighed, wrapping your arms around yourself. “As long as he gets back home, I’ll be okay here.”

“Well this can be your home now!” Matthew crowed, flapping up to sit on your shoulder. “The whole castle is yours to explore.” Jessamy cawed and stood on the top step.

“Except, the west wing, Miss.” She glared at Matthew who squawked and joined her on the floor.

“Right! But Your room will be in the east wing and we’ll be here at your immediate disposal so no need to bother going to the old west wing. In fact I think we should pretend it doesn’t exist, I will inform Lucienne immediately that there will be no talk of a west wing…” He rambled on, and the two birds led you towards a far side of the castle you hadn’t explored in a while. You didn’t have the heart to tell them you had been here many times before, but also things had obviously changed, you were not entirely sure the castle was the same as when you had dreamt.

In your dreams, the west wing was just another hall of bedrooms, nothing dangerous. But considering you weren’t aware of a whole dungeon beneath the castle, you had the feeling you didn’t know everything just yet. You also weren’t aware of the giant fucking monstrous beast living in the castle as well, so maybe it was best if you let the birds lead you for now. You would just have to wait for them to leave you alone until you could try to escape.

The three of you were walking down a dusty hallway when Jessamy walked into one of the open rooms and flapped her wings.

“Here you are Miss, welcome to your new room!” Other than the buildup of dust, the room was actually very lovely. You assumed it was once used as a suite for the richer guests of the palace, with the gilded decorations hanging from the chandelier and incorporated all throughout the room. “Please forgive the dust, I’ll have the canaries come and clean it for you in just a moment.” Matthew flew up to a wardrobe adjacent to the bed and squawked loudly.

“Madam Constantine!” He called. “Wake up you old witch!” You were about to question what he was doing when the wardrobe suddenly came to life; The doors opened and shut, and the curtains inside the vanity moved in a circular motion. A strange sound came from it, and you realized she was yawning.

“Speak to me like that again, bird-brain, and I’ll make sure your feathers end up in my next fashion statement. Perhaps I’ll tell the king we’re having bird for dinner.” Matthew crowed and flew away from her.

“Please be civil, you two.” Jessamy sighed from the post. “We do have a guest.” Constantine’s drawers rapidly open and shut and two decorative handles reached out to grab your face.

“Oh what pretty eyes!” She exclaimed. “You hold yourself strong, this is good, you will be a perfect model for me.” Fabrics flew out in an array of colors as You stood awkwardly in front of her. “Orange isn’t popular again is it? Oh Sandy hated it when Corinthian convinced the staff to wear orange, absolutely dreadful I tell you. Lucienne was so mad when she realized what he had done.” Constantine let out a boisterous laugh and Matthew chuckled from behind you.

“I remember that!” He cawed. “It was strictly black uniforms after that, although no need to tell me twice. I believe it suits us quite well.” He wiggled his feathers and you couldn’t help but laugh a little with him.

“Your feathers are lovely.” You complimented, and a sliver of happiness entered your heart as the birds preened in delight. Another roll of fabric tumbled out of her drawers as Costantine held them up next to your face, turning you back towards her to check what matched and what didn’t.

“How about this!” She exclaimed, and pulled out a giant rococo styled dress that had far too many ruffles and bows for your liking. It was a glittering black and had white feathers adorned along the underside of the dress. Matthew let out a strangled caw and you turned to see Jessamy beating him with her wings. She gave as close as she could to a smile at you.

“Well it looks just perfect.” She rushed out. “We should be off now, I hope you find your room to your liking. The canaries should arrive soon to clean the dust away.” The birds flew away, and you could hear Matthew’s caws of laughter echo down the hallway.

“Ungrateful birds. They don’t realize what it takes to be fashionable nowadays.” She sighed, and gave you a long look. “Something ails you, and you should talk about it now or else it will eat you alive.”

“They intended to leave my brother to rot here.” You spat, but immediately regretted it. The birds had been kind to you, and while you didn’t fully trust them, you knew they’ve done nothing but treat you with kindness thus far. “A child can rot in prison but I am allowed to wander the halls and have a suite? I’m sorry, but I just don’t understand the thought process here."

“That is because, well, birds do not think.” A new voice shouted down the long hallway. You turned around to see a candle walk in the room. Well you had already spoken to talking ravens and a wardrobe, what else could possibly happen in this castle. “Hello Madam Witch, Madam…?”

“Y/n.” You answered him.

“A beautiful name for a beautiful lady!” He shouted, a wave of white canaries flew into the room behind him. As they cleaned up the dust that lingered in the room, the candle walked over to you. “You will have to forgive my intrusion; I am Hob Gadling, at your service.” He bowed low to the ground, the flames on his head and arms nearly scorching the floor. “And for the ravens, I offer my apologies in their stead, we have not dealt with mortals in a long time.”

“What do you mean by that?” You looked to Constantine, but she immediately closed her drawers and drew her curtains. Hob gave a sheepish look but did not answer you.

“Sadly, I am not here to answer that question," His metallic mouth quirked your into a smile. "However I will ask: What are you hungry for?” His candles flickered with the hum of the canaries.

“I'm not hungry.” In that exact moment, your stomach decided to betray you and rumbled ferociously. You shuffled on your feet and looked away from him.

“I shall tell the kitchen to surprise you, then.” He grinned. He raised one of his candles to his lips and whistled, and the canaries in the room cleared out. “I hope it will be to your satisfaction, Miss Y/n.”

The journey back to the waking realm was startling to say the least. Jed stumbled back into town, his shoulder hurting with a pain he had never faced before. His hands trembled as he held himself, trying to find the path back to his house; With luck though, he managed to fall into a familiar face.

“Rowan?” He reached out to grab the huntsman’s sleeves. Rowan gave him a scalding look and shook him off.

“What do you think you’re doing?” He hissed, looking him up and down. “You look like hell, kid. Where’s Y/n, or… Rose.”

“Y/n is in danger,” Jed cried, reaching out for him again. This seemed to get Rowan’s attention, and his eyes glazed over into something far more sinister.

“Who has her?” Rowan demanded, and his buddies behind him looked over curiously.

“A beast, in a castle past the woods.” The stench of the dungeon and rats sent shivers down his back just thinking about it. And now his sister was down there too.

There was a moment of silence before Rowan’s friends bursted out laughing. The huntsmen grabbed Jed’s hand and forcefully tore it off of him. A wave of disgust rolling onto his features.

“You must think you’re hilarious.” He sneered. “Did Rose put you up to this? That hag is always trying to mess everything up.”

“What..?” Jed whimpered, and Rowan grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

“You know, maybe I should really get her back, this time.” He snickered, and his friends circled around Jed; All sharing the same sickening smile. “Maybe that will finally teach her not to get in the way again.”

“Please, I’m telling the truth!” Jed cried. “You have to help me!”

“Of course I’ll help,” He teased, but then his eyes became serious. “Tie him up boys.”

—

Taglist:

@thecrazytealady

@boofy1998

@eat-a-pillow

@parker-natasha

@seninjakitey

@intothesoul

@heboottoobig

@bellajg21