And then Julien broke up with him. Technically, it wasn't breaking-up with Morpheus, because they hadn't officially been anything to each other. It still hurt fiercely. It hurt more that Morpheus hadn't quite seen it coming.

Morpheus woke, blinked open his eyes, and saw Julien nearby, haloed by the setting sunlight coming through the window behind him. He looked beautiful. Julien's eyes were shadowed, but Morpheus made out a tight smile on his face. "How do you feel?" Julien asked.

"Thirsty?"

Julien handed him a bottle of water, still sealed. He wasn't dressed, though he was draping himself in a bedsheet, so it didn't look like he had left to go get it. Wherever it came from, Morpheus was thankful. He sat up a little, unscrewed the plastic cap, and drank. The night before started to come back to him.

"You remember?" Julien asked, "last night."

Morpheus hummed an affirmative around his bottle.

"Sometimes it doesn't all come back to me at first."

Morpheus knew how that felt. Ever since he'd eaten Jibril's cherries in that garden with Daniel Never, Morpheus had this lingering sensation that there was something he had known and then forgotten.

"It's not like coke, with the recall effect," Julien said.

"No...I remember..." Morpheus say up straight, as he realized it. "Amadeo is Thierry's father!" he said aloud.

Julien didn't seem to pay attention, he was already speaking. "Murph, about last night. I've been awake a while, thinking and...."

Morpheus moaned.

Julien continued, "This room, it's like Vegas. You know what I mean?"

There was that saying. When in Vegas.... No. That was Rome, which, in some ways, also seemed to be applicable here. "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas."

"This," Julien wagged a finger between their two bodies, "doesn't go anywhere. We don't have a repeat. We don't tell everyone."

"You're...Julien. You're breaking-up with me?"

That was when Julien explained how it wasn't technically breaking-up, and Morpheus tuned him out, not wanting to hear.

"I care about you," Julien said, after a time. He continued when Morpheus didn't respond. "I know how you feel about me. I do. I've had some clue for a long while, but I always expected, before, it was just a kind of infatuation. I knew I was using you. Faye and Athen were right to call me on it."

"I don't care."

"Well, I do, and I know this hurts, but I think it'll hurt us both more if I don't say it. You deserve to love someone who can be available to you."

Morpheus drew knees knees up toward his chest. "Don't." He shook his head. "Don't say what I deserve, like someone who can judge my soul! I love you and it's not a choice! It's not- you're not some reward I deserve or not."

"Maybe I'm just- obtuse."

"That, maybe, I deserved," Morpheus muttered.

Julien reached for Morpheus' hand. He thought about withdrawing his hand and refusing Julien's touch, but he still wanted so much to hold onto him. Their fingers entwined. "In my heart, I want you to be happy, and I feel so much regret that I can't...." His voice trailed off. Julien was no more specific.

"What do you mean? You would rather have nothing from me, if you can't give me everything? Call it arrogance, but what are you going to do without me? Amadeo is coming here next week."

Julien pulled his hand away. "That's not what you should worry about. If there's anyone else that can make you happy...."

"Don't do this, again." Morpheus shook his head, and then he looked pleadingly at Julien, who turned to avoid his gaze. "Jean-Daniel. It was Jean-Daniel that time, and all we did was talk...OK he gave me a massage, but that was it! He's just obligated to give me shelter or hear my petitions because he's Prince of the Sidhe."

"Is he hot?"

"Yes. He's a real life faerie-tale prince, who looks like an some bishy anime guy with Liz-Taylor-Barbie-Doll violet eyes; of course, he's hot! And he's gay, in so many senses of the word. Still not trying to get with him. And you're changing the subject!"

"Nothing left to say." Julien turned his head to regard Morpheus. His eyes seemed sad.

"So, what? You really don't even want to hang out?"

"It's not a matter of wanting. And, it's your choice what you do."

Morpheus slid from the bed and stood beside it, forming a folded cloak about his waist. "This is so you, you know? It's self-sabotaging, and, like, selfishly sacrificing the way you try to save me from yourself, while saving yourself the guilt of cheating!"

"I'm making the right choice, if you can view breaking of vows so lightly."

Morpheus didn't, not really, but they were Julien's vows, and it had seemed he was already intent on breaking them the night before. "I love you, Julien, but, I'm pissed you're telling me this, now. Perhaps it is better that I leave for a while."

He left. Morpheus made a few preparations, first. He teleported into his own suite, where River informed him, "Murph, you got something in your hair, there." Morpheus was so accustomed to feeling how his body looked, that he hadn't realized he was wearing something on his head. He glanced up, into the mirror.

"We were pretty high," he told River, "sorry." Morpheus sat down on his couch and just breathed for a while. He snatched the wreath from his hair; it was like a flower crown woven of variously colored poly-foil condoms. It looked ridiculous and pretty, and like some kind of student work.

River made his way over from the table, "And not putting those to better use? Not smart, Boss."

"Nothing about it was smart." Morpheus tousled his own hair, just to make sure nothing else was stuck. "We need to talk to Dream."

Morpheus got up and packed his things. He did not take everything with him, but closed most of his belongings in the closet, so they would be out of the way should staff visit. He left his collection of flowers on the balcony, but put his three bottled Djinn into a backpack, along with several mirrors, and the queer flower crown. He had one peacoat and a biker cap that were separate from his body, and wore these. His mobile he kept in the right coatpocket.

Morpheus lifted River to his shoulder, formed boots, and then walked from his room.

It was night. Shio was off duty. He did not wish to see Athen. Most of the family would be heading to dinner. Morpheus walked past the grande staircase and into the west hall, where the Vampyres kept their rooms. He could hear the movement of water in the walls, probably indicating at least one of them was showering. Morpheus stopped at Shade's room, and knocked.

Shade called from inside. "Morpheus?"

"Yes."

The reply came silently. Hands are occupied. The door is open. Please enter.

Morpheus opened the door and looked inside. He did not see Shade within view, so he walked further into the suite. He saw Shade then, sitting at a dressing table, styling his hair.

"Should I come back?" Morpheus asked.

Shade turned away from his mirror, fingers in the process of untwisting a lock of hair; a few sections at the back were still bound in leather thongs. "Now is better for you, isn't it?" When Morpheus focused on Shade's eyes, he understood Shade had already guessed why he was there. Maybe he didn't have Faye's particular range or precision with telepathy, but he was very likely the most all-around powerful Vampyre on Earth, now. Mad Sarah was dead, and no one had heard from the Old Fathers since before the hunts.

Morpheus sighed, relieved he wouldn't have to explain as much. "I need to go away for a while, and I don't know when I'll be back, but I want to be able to come back."

"The palace is your home, too." Shade removed one of the leather ties, then began to gently separate the next twisted lock of hair. "Sit for a while."

Morpheus saw a cushioned, wooden stool within a few steps of the vanity. He sat down, removing his cap, and setting it and his backpack on the floor. "Thanks," he said, "I mean it. For everything."

"Do you need to talk about it?"

Morpheus sucked in a breath, and released it unevenly. "A Vegas rule has been enacted."

Shade said something, only a whisper, but Morpheus thought he might have cursed in some unfamiliar language. "Leaving is your choice?"

"Yes!" Morpheus replied quickly, still wanting to defend Julien. "I mean, no one's making me. It's just for space. For now."

"I used to quarrel with Star then go sleep on my ship," Shade said. It looked like all the ties and twists were out of his hair. He straightened some items on his table. "It was intense when he and I were together, physically, but we differed greatly in philosophy and our view of our relationship."

"But, you did separate?" Morpheus was uncertain of the details, but he thought this fit what he knew.

Shade nodded, then lifted a wide-toothed comb to pick at the roots of his hair. "He fathered two beautiful girls. I found a wife. Yet, I was there at his death bed with the rest of our family. We were still family. There was still love." He paused then spoke in Greek, "Έχετεμάθει τη γλώσσα?" Had Morpheus learned the language he was speaking?

Morpheus nodded. "Ναι, από Raphael," he explained, then continued, assuming Shade meant to speak of the many forms of love described in the language, "Υπάρχουν πολλές μορφές της αγάπης."

Shade switched back to English, laughing softly. "There are. Your accent is more ancient than mine, though you are young."

"Relatively." It occurred to Morpheus then that the switch in language had been intended as guard against eavesdropping. "Does ἐρώμενος μου not speak the language, yet?" He used the term "my beloved" instead of Julien's name.

"Correct. Are you...the elder?"

"Getting to be." Morpheus felt like he'd misunderstood that last question. "Did I say it wrong? I can speak it, but I don't always understand jokes or puns, except the horn and ivory thing."

Shade laughed aloud, likely knowing the lore of the Gates of Dream. "I do not always know which it is with you. But, to answer: to some, it would make a difference whether one is called 'lover' or 'loved'."

Morpheus considered, "Such as Remiel or Hyacinth were beloved of their lover Raphael, even though they were followers, even pursuers?"

Shade pointed a finger, briefly, toward Morpheus. "Now we are speaking the same language. Star was exactly that kind of boy, even when he wasn't a boy anymore."

"I switch." Morpheus grinned.

"That makes sense," Shade said, with a wave of fingers toward Morpheus' person. "I am not one to submit easily. But, we are digressing." Shade lifted a cosmetic pencil from his dressing table. "Will you not be at the Ball this year?"

"I think it would be too soon."

"I have been distracted with my own friends these past couple years," Shade admitted. He drew a black line just below his lower eyelashes. "I will keep an eye on him."

"I didn't mean to suggest somehow that he requires watching, like...." Morpheus hadn't spoken a request at all, but Shade seemed to know all the same.

No sign he would harm himself? Shade probably knew as well as Morpheus that there had been attempts in the past.

"No," Morpheus answered aloud, "I don't want to break his trust, but I would tell you if was as bad as that."

Shade smiled as he looked at Morpheus. He spoke in Greek then, "Είναι πιο...διορατική, όταν τη λήψη φαρμάκων." Morpheus wasn't sure in which sense some of the words were intended, but he thought Shade said that Julien actually had greater telepathic ability when under the influence.

"How can that be?"

"Your friend never lacked the ability itself. He lacks the ability to consciously focus the...quantity...the level he has. This is how he sometimes accidentally enthralls Humans. I do not ask you to break a trust, but if you by chance partied, he may know more than either of you meant to share."

"Night's eyes!" Morpheus whispered.

"Here," Shade said. He got up and went to a desk. When he returned, he gave to Morpheus a leather-bound journal. "You may find this useful. Take some time. See how you feel. Then come back to us."

Morpheus stopped by the music room to collect a few guitars that had come into his belonging, and then he went to Dream.

Morpheus arrived within the Allegory, which here appeared to have open skies, though proper entrances to the region were through lake and cave. He saw Daniel Never nearby, followed by his usual flurry of butterflies. The ghost boy parted ivy with his slender, translucent hands, and looked beneath.

There were a number of hidden rooms and gardens along these paths, and sometimes dreamers found their way here, as well as visitors from neighboring regions, though most dreamers remained in shifting architecture through the Portals the other side of the Heart of the Allegory.

The path shifted from stone to grass, as enclosing walls shifted from stone and fence posts to sculpted hedges. "Ribbon Lady!" Daniel sang, and seemed to pass through a hedge.

Morpheus followed, pulling the soft, guitar cases in after him. The enclosed space was both freshly-mown meadow and orchard of fruit trees. There were some blankets lain out, a striped canopy, and a large umbrella. Maeve sat in dappled light, on a floral print sheet, with litter of fox cubs about her, and what looked to be crafting supplies.

"Hello, Maeve," Morpheus greeted her.

"I recognize you, House Cimmerian," Maeve whispered, "And Master Fortnight." Maeve smiled. She did not pass for Human as easily as some others who were half Angel, with her upturned nose and pointed ears.

Morpheus sat himself on a vacant section of bedsheet. "Lady Pallador."

Maeve hugged a struggling fox to her breast, as she looked toward Daniel, "My little boy had violet eyes like that," she said, "My foundling Jean-Daniel."

"Daniel is named Daniel!" He chased after the platinum-coated fox.

"I see him, now and then," Morpheus said.

"He's grown now," Maeve said in her soft voice. She lifted a bit of pink ribbon and tied it about the tail of the white fox in her lap. "This Daniel looks grown, but he is young."

Her fox ran away.

Maeve reached a hand toward Daniel. "Come rest your head in my lap, Daniel."

"Daniel is not hungry," he laughed.

"Maeve," Morpheus sighed, "He doesn't need a nurse."

"Perhaps just some tea," Dream said, even as he appeared before them in his usual pale robes. He carried a tray, which he set between Maeve and Morpheus on what now served as picnic blanket.

"Sar Jibril," Maeve greeted the Angel.

"Grandfather-uncle," Morpheus said.

"Queen Maeve. Morpheus. River." Dream looked across the orchard, "Come, Daniel." Dream then vocalized from his throat to call the foxes. He gestured toward Morpheus to pour the tea, while he passed around the snacks.

Morpheus lifted the large, white ceramic teapot and poured into the various vessels.

A lemonbar was set before Morpheus, a cupcake topped with flowers before Maeve, three tea biscuits for Daniel, barbeque avocado sushi rolls for River, riceballs for the foxes, and white chocolate truffles for Dream.

Morpheus saw Dream nod to him, and understood it as permission - or maybe a test - to assign the teacups. The painted, clay bowls seemed to best fit the foxes; they didn't even have thumbs to hold handled cups. The #1 Mom mug was tricky, but Morpheus decided this was Daniel's, because he was the only one who could not - even theoretically - be a mother. Maeve still sighed when she saw it didn't come to her. The thimble was for River. Of the remaining three, one was glass, one was painted with dancing muses, and the last was plain white. Morpheus was uncertain who should receive which. Finally, he passed the muses teacup to Maeve, and handed Dream the glass cup.

"I heard someone say once that there was one muse for one dream," Morpheus said, "Is that true?" He took a small bite of lemon bar.

Daniel began singing, voice high and thin, "...I'll be there as soon as I can, but I'm busy mending broken pieces of the life I had before...."

Dream patted Daniel on the shoulder. "We were in favor of formal systems for inspiration when we were Maeve's father," Dream said. It was curious use of the royal we, but Morpheus understood Jibril was speaking of Raphael and himself collectively being - or having been, or to be - Regent of Dream.

"I do not believe this is law, only the most common circumstance," Maeve said.

River spoke up, "It's from Xanadu."

Morpheus looked down at River; he had never mentioned this. But, then, Morpheus had not specifically asked River about muses.

"Yes," Dream agreed, "A movie. One of Absinthe's favorites.

"Oh!" Morpheus had that sense of dawning realization, "it's a dance movie."

"Among other things," Dream said, with a soft laugh.

"There was something else I wanted to talk to you about."

Dream gave a nod, then sipped tea.

"Actually, it's something Daniel told me once- Oh, did you know your cherries are in The Empty World?"

"Interesting," Dream said, which was neither confirmation nor denial. "What about Raziel's Tears, the morning glory seeds?"

"Not that I know." Morpheus shook his head. "Daniel told me once, when I was in the other secret garden, that he had been told to watch over Thierry, who is a boy in the Empty world, and the son of someone named Amadeo."

"I am aware of this event."

"Daniel told me of it here, when I was...tripping."

"You ate cherries recently? In The Empty World?"

"He didn't take me with him," River said.

Dream nodded. "Morpheus, you cannot help River, if you do not also allow him to help you."

"I already apologized," Morpheus said. He looked down at River, "I did tell you I was sorry. Anyway," he looked to Dream again, "Don't I have affinity with opiates and hallucinogens? They're not going to hurt me."

"You are immune to opiates given the fact your body produces similar substances, Morpheus, but this is not, evidently, the case with hallucinogens, at least not all of them."

"It could just be that they were mixed with Vampyre blood, and it wasn't even-"

River cut him off. "Don't mix drugs!"

"Sacred substances are intended for ceremonies of communion," Maeve said.

Morpheus shrugged. They were getting off track.

Dream lifted River and lifted him on the palm of his hand close to eye-level, then whispered to him. When he set River down, he focused on Morpheus with shimmering eyes, "Walk with me."

Dream lead Morpheus to one of the hedge walls, where a partially overgrown wooden gate was revealed at a close distance. They passed through into one of the other secret gardens; the one with the swing and cherry tree. "I altered your memory," Dream confessed, "the cherries must have brought it back."

Morpheus walked away from him.

"Morpheus, I am willing to explain, why I, alone, acted without your knowledge and consent, and make amends if you wish, but first answer me: How much Vampyre blood did you drink and were there apparent effects?"

"My eyes changed," Morpheus admitted, remembering. He did not look directly at his grandfather as he answered. "It was Athen's blood - I knew when I tasted it, they were his eyes - in a bottle, pre-mixed with refined dream cherry. I drank, maybe, a pint. I could make my eyes change back, with a little effort."

"Do not do it again. I do not say Vampyre blood can harm or change you. Very likely it cannot. I only say, use caution, because the viral strains carried in their bloodlines are not Gabriel's genetics, but spontaneous mutation - fusion - of Eyrim and Human base codes."

"Meaning even the Archangel of the Cherubim cannot cure Vampirism." Morpheus turned to look at Dream. He stood, seemingly calm, near the swing. "That was why...the flood."

Dream nodded. "To prevent a greater biological disaster, the population - all populations - had to be reduced. Perhaps you see the importance of Shade to our people."

Morpheus was beginning to. He knew Lucifer had long claimed to have planned Shade to be his agent in The Empty World. He knew also Zerachiel, Death herself, considered Shade someone of special, maybe fated, birth and had personal fondness for the Vampyre. He knew also that Gabriel and Raziel, both archangels, as Zerachiel, had long had dealings with Shade. Gabriel had suggested that maybe Lucifer was not the only one to have planned him.

Morpheus nodded. "He is the most powerful Vampyre on Earth, now, maybe also the oldest surviving. But, expanding numbers outside of turning loved ones would be unlike him. Even if it does seem some of Lucifer's claims have been made reality - Shade is in a sense leading all the Darkling - Shade's own goal seems a peaceful co-existance. Steven has a lot of influence over him."

"But should there be a time when an army of Vampyres becomes useful, or necessary?"

"Why would it? The Human hunters were only so successful because Angel helped them." That was part of the answer, Morpheus sensed. "But they are not all dead, and it's possible they sent out data before their copies could be destroyed. It means they may have an advantage - No, more, like there is a balance in ability to destroy each other. The only imbalance is in numbers. The number of Darkling to Humans is incredibly small, there, now."

"And so...."

Morpheus whispered, "Angel could do it. Blade - her personality. She could make, even lead an army of Vampyres. So, love aside, there are powers who do not want her dead...."

"If she were killed, it would give Lucifer an excuse for righteous vengeance against her killer, as, technically, they married. It may be that no one but Shade could safely do it, being Lucifer also finds him useful."

"Shade won't do it," Morpheus decided. "I believe he's accepted they will never be as lovers again, but there is still love. It is like with Star. They separated, but there was still love there."

"He trusts you."

"They all do," Morpheus said, hoping this did not lead to him being asked to betray them any more directly than he already had with all his father's secrets. "She's asleep!"

"Yes."

"There's no spell in the tower. I was there. It all vaguely looks like ritual, but it isn't."

"Correct."

Morpheus looked into Jibril's eyes. "Someone ordered Father to do it?"

"I cannot tell you that." Morpheus recognized the language. Dream was prevented from telling Morpheus directly, but should Morpheus happen to figure it out, that was another matter.

"For how long?"

"Let us say, until there is a knight available to take the queen, should there be need. Of course, positioning such a knight without detection requires a complicated series of feints and maneuvers and is not without sacrifices."

"Like the flood?"

"Not so many at once."

Over time, then. Someone with sharp teeth, Daniel had said last time Morpheus was in this garden. He plucked a cherry from the tree. "A Vampyre. One with the power and will to kill Blade, if needed, but who is not themselves more of a threat to the balance of powers. One who cannot be easily removed, even by Shade."

Dream said nothing.

"This is all related!?" Morpheus shouted. "Father has been plagued with this fear that Metro should lose her vision while she is in his care, but her ability see visions comes from you!"

"From Dream, yes."

"Are you- Sar Jibril, are you including yourself among the sacrifices?"

Dream walked closer to Morpheus before answering, he seemed a little shorter than Morpheus, even here. "My life is not in danger, however, am I to accidentally allow something of Dream to become out of control, there are to be repercussions."

"How much had I realized last time?" Morpheus asked. He held the cherry between them, in his fingertips.

"Not so much as this time."

"Do you make me forget again?"

"I need to trust you with the knowledge, Morpheus, just in case."

"No."

"Should I fall, the Regency will pass to another of the Children of Night. To you, or Absinthe."

Morpheus nodded, not that he agreed he ever wanted the responsibility of Dream. "You hate similarities with the comic."

"I prefer Absinthe, naturally, no offense," Dream smiled, even laughed, "But there are not a few Regions you would be qualified to govern, should we have need." Sleep, obviously, though Laudanum was already Heir Apparent. There were others, including Mother's place, and one he didn't really want to think about.

"If it's not to protect the Regency, why trust me, now?"

"Joy has to be the one to turn our knight, and it is not specifically in my power to know what more that takes from her."

Morpheus understood. If Joy was the one to turn Amadeo Jewel - already an exceptional talent and a Jewel - she would create a powerful immortal under the protections Gabriel and Zerachiel, Shade and Athen had all placed upon his family...and tied to Dream. The embodiment of Joy was already a Vampyre, what might change if she committed to bringing another soul into that life - with that blood made of Humanity and Fallen Eyrim?

What would be required of her son? Had Morpheus inspired her to save him from Neverland only to be a servant to witches of the Jewel family?

Already, the prospect of turning Amadeo had fractured Joy's relationship with Julien.

And Morpheus? The very one who had taken Julien's blood from that refrigerator and brought it to Joy, so that she survived her death, as a Vampyre, without choosing it.

Morpheus saw he was already entangled in this series of feints and maneuvers.

"I've seen Danjel Poznanski, but it felt like something that might yet be."

"The past informs the future, but sometimes the future determines our present."

Morpheus knew this too well. He had for years lived knowing, wanting Julien's future to be his past, but he had not let himself think about what came after that moment. Morpheus had retreated from the mirage to Mother and years of scrying at Julien's younger self, but Julien had left that tent to go find Joy.

Morpheus had always been working toward the future where something bad would happen with Joy.

"I'm sorry," Morpheus whispered.

Dream embraced Morpheus, and the cool, blue fire of his Angelic, Hashmallim Order radiated from his body and seemed to penetrate Morpheus. "Sometimes dreams are dark, but we need them to face reality."

-----

[The lyrics Daniel Never quotes are from Unintended by Muse.]