the kingdom of the night

[Helbaworshipper]

"Mary, you have to promise me. That you won't tell anyone about her." Mary's hand clenched a bit at the fabric beneath her. She knew he was bleeding and on the verge of death. "No one can know about her, not even our parents." She could hear her voice begging for him to tell her why her parents would kill him for such a thing. She held onto his wound, as if to futilely attempt to keep it from hindering him.

"Please! You have to rest. I'll reason with them!" The red haired male shook his head, kissing the top of her head.

"You've done a lot for me, Mary. I'll make sure that Theodora never finds out. If she did, she'd kill us all." He used what remained of his strength and she felt weak, so weak that she woke up by the time he was close to death. She could see it again, her running as they were about to take his body back to headquarters to interrogate the secret. Her hands holding his body on her back. They were closing in with their-

She was awake now. She slowly lifted her body up, a little confused. She felt tears on her cheeks with one hand. Slowly, she realized she was still in Xander's office. She had fallen asleep there and a nightmare ensued. Every day since the incident she would have these dreams. These strange, lucid dreams about the world if she had done something more. The only thing she could do now is say nothing and hope she would never have to reveal it. There was a door still open, so she headed towards it while keeping the dream from her mind for now.

[kai the pkk]

Raven: elma what are you saying?.....

Elma: its simple your incompetent and you can't control your power your weak lately...

Raven: I can handle myself back off

Elma: thats an order RAVEN!

Raven: dammit....

Elma: as of know your going under MAry and Xanders Direct watch the plan is MAry is going to train you...maybe help you...that is all dismissed

Raven: { he storms out as he finds himself in his room as he plops onto the bed} *sigh* *what is this they want me to train with mary as if I need to learn how to kill vampires I allready know this*

[GamerKale]

A white rabbit hopped around Mary's legs once and them continued on into the room, stopping by Xander's sleeping form. A black haired child, looks to be around four or five years old, stumbled through the door after Mary. He chased after the rabbit who jumped into Xander's head, escaping the child. "Aw, he got away again." The kid climbed on top of a pile of pillows and looked up at Mary. "Hello May, I fogot you was heh, how ah you?"

[Helbaworshipper]

Mary was a bit surprised, confuses a little. "I apologize for falling asleep in your office. I will be leaving in just a moment." She looked a little embarrassed for being tempted to do something childish. It was hard to keep from hugging cute things at times for her. He had always made fun of her for it. She then realized she was using her voice. She couldn't say much without worrying about what would slip out. She bowed her head and began to move out of the room.

[GamerKale]

"Don't apologize. If I cahed you would be gone. And apologies, but I can't unlock the dooh foh you until I'm awake." Called the kid. "The cwystals won't let me, you see?" The crystals on the wall near the door shined blue briefly. "And without knowing wheh they all ah and telekinesis, you will have a hahd time opening it. So, you might as well sit." He rocked back and forth on the pillows, upon closer inspection it became more apparent that he wasn't there, due to the lack of impression from weight. "Oh, you could wake me up. And if you want a snack, you's animals ah in the fwidge."

[Helbaworshipper]

Mary sat down near the boy, her hands coming together. It seemed like it would be best not to wake him up yet. She had a bit of time before the sun rose, and it felt comfortable not having to be at guard at the moment. "He loved Jack and the Beanstalk." She spoke, smiling as she put her arms around her legs. "That book was so worn by the time he died that the pages were covered in fingerprint marks." Tears were forming in her eyes over the memory.

[GamerKale]

"I can't say that I do." He said, uncertain of what he was supposed to say in this kind of situation. He wiped her cheek, to no avail given he had no physical presence. He glowered at his hand and then mimicked Mary's motion and wrapped his arms around his legs. "IA weminds me of Jack. They take what isn't theihs and ah wewarded for it." He glanced down at his physical form briefly and then back to Mary. His breathing pattern had changed slightly.

[Helbaworshipper]

"This place is the witch's house in Hansel and Gretel." She answered, lowering her head into her legs. There were times she fell asleep like this in the corner of her room. As if sleeping there would keep her from ever having to be found out. She closed her eyes and let what tears had formed fall. "All it gives me is bad dreams."

[GamerKale]

"I agree, but since the sun was taken, it's the only house I've known. And leaving it would be dangerous." He lied down, his head beneath Mary's, the tears passing through his eyes. "Would you like to shahe a dweam, a happy one? It can be about anything we can well dweam of."

[Helbaworshipper]

Mary nodded, her eyes opening while she made a small smile. She used to love fairly tales, she remembered. She would have them read at night all the time. She closed her eyes and found herself starting to stretch out on the floor. Even if she couldn't hold the figure, she could at least imagine she was while she dreamed.

[GamerKale]

Mary found herself sitting at an impossibly long table brightly lit by the morning sun, a brown rabbit wearing a petticoat and a tophat was pouring her a cup of tea. A familiar voice came from the head of the table asking, "Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?" Dressed in bright spring colors and wearing a ridiculously large hat was Xander talking to the cartoon Alice straight out of the Disney movie. He looked down the table laughing madly and noticed Mary. "Donnely? It must be you. I certainly wouldn't have dressed you so...typically, maybe a stetson. I didn't hijack your dream, did I?"

[Helbaworshipper]

"No." She spoke, her expression relaxed as she held her hands in her lap. "I usually have bad dreams." She'd probably be able to sleep if her dreams weren't all nightmares. This was one of the few things that surprised her. The ability to dream about something else. "This is a good diversion." She picked up the tea cup, taking a sip of it. She knew that she couldn't say much usually. For right now, she could talk as long as she didn't say anything she shouldn't.

[GamerKale]

"Of course, this is Dreamland, a land of wonder and magic." Xander took off his hat and spun it through the air, fireworks shot off the sides and the hat turned into a rolling teacup when it hit the table. "This is a place for escape from reality." As he spoke Mary's typical dreams started to encroach. "Mary, you have to promise me. That you won't tell anyone about her." "This memory really does haunt you." He said solemnly. Xander walked across the top of the table to Mary, the table fell away behind him as he walked. "This is a shared dream, which means your dreams carry as much weight as my own. But, on the upside, this is a dream. If you want this world to change, you simply will it." Xander offered her his hand. "I'll help, but I can't do it without you."

[Helbaworshipper]

Mary could feel it begin to start. If she didn't do something, she'd have to share something she promised never to share. She concentrated, the area becoming what seemed to be a snow like palace. She was dressed in a regal attire and looking at the ceiling. It was her favorite story, the Snow Queen. She remembered it being something that surprised her. The queen was never truly evil in the story. She just had a way of becoming something that could take away even the youngest of men.

[GamerKale]

Xander found himself really dressed too; he was wearing fall colors now. "An interesting choice, oh." He pulled off the crown and shook it out, transforming it into his hat. "There, I feel better. May I have this dance?" He bowed, the hat miraculously stayed in place.

[Helbaworshipper]

It felt strange as she began to relax in this dream. It was quite a dream and she couldn't imagine how he was able to pull something like this off. She began dancing and it became so surreal that she didn't notice when the world was starting to go back to normal. All she could feel was that this world was helping her relax just a little more than usual. So much that she considered telling, but then remembered she couldn't. She had promised with the highest thing at stake.

[kai the pkk]

Raven: { he looks at the ceiling as he slowly closes his eyes} * I wish it was this quiet all the time* I'm too tired { Raven slowly drifts off to sleep} I...guess i'll take...a ....na-ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

[GamerKale]

The spinning ultimately gave to the real world. The crystals began shedding light again and Xander pushed himself onto his knees. He looked at the girl and smiled, but the smile seemed to be one of sadness. "I'm sorry Mary." He stood without explanation and went to his office. He pulled the apple carvings out and munched on them while he poured two bowls of cornflakes with banana slices mixed in.

[Helbaworshipper]

Mary didn't quite understand why he was apologizing for nothing. It was a good thing she had a dream without the memory haunting her for a little while. She exited the room and walked towards where Xander seemed to be preparing breakfast. "Thank you. It's the first time in a long while I wasn't reminded." She spoke, sitting down with her hands in her lap.

[GamerKale]

Xander handed her a bowl and sat in a chair across from her, smiling properly now. "You are quite welcome to join me for a dream anytime you like, Donnely." He glanced over his shoulder, "It seems you and I will be training Raven for a while. Helping him to control his powers better or something like that."