Haley Thistle
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The Sandman: Part One (rough draft)
🕑 Added 2021-10-12 20:01:01 +0000 UTCPleasance had given birth to a boy. The news spread like wildfire all across Miror. When it reached me, I was already aware. I knew it in my bones, so once Dee and Dum delivered it to me, I was not surprised.
“This changes nothing,” I told them. “We keep moving forward.”
“This will make it harder to claim your legitimacy, Alice.” Dee was trying to be the voice of reason. “There are those who will say because he’s-”
I turned sharply and glared him down. “Because what?”
“Because he has a penis,” Dum spoke in a soft tone.
I sighed heavily and dropped my shoulders. I rubbed my face between my palms. “Yes, Dum. That’s the crux of the problem.”
Dee narrowed his eyes upon his brother who just stared back. “It’s ridiculous, yes,” Dum continued. “But you surviving death is also....” He hesitated and made a face. “A tad bit ridiculous. So they sort of even out to be the same, you know? People will follow you for being a goddess, others will go along with what exists because of your brother.”
That struck me hard through the heart and my gut began to churn. I had never thought of the creature that Pleasance would give birth to as a sibling. It never even crossed my mind. He would be my father’s son though, and as such, also my brother.
“What’s wrong?” Dee came close.
“I just had a bad thought,” I murmured. “I need to talk to Somnus. Excuse me.” I left their side and went out. Somnus never lingered long with the camp. He always drifted away somewhere else. I never knew where to find him, yet I always did find him.
I climbed a hill and I could smell him in the breeze. Standing next to a tree, I looked out over the countryside that expanded before us. Tea Country was beautiful and full of nature and life. It was becoming the epicenter of all the tea in the world.
“Your kingdom is much more than people, but it’s a kingdom because of people.” Somnus lay stretched out in the tree above me. He was combing his fingers through his long, shimmering hair, and his eyes focused far beyond the horizon I could see.
“I have a brother.” It sounded so simple, but it was also difficult to comprehend.
Somnus’ eyes shut and his long, pale lashes lay against his glistening cheeks. “Yes. I know. His name is Pepper.”
I frowned at what a stupid name that was. “Pepper?”
“Yes, Pepper.” Somnus’ eyes opened again and he looked down upon me. “What is the problem, Alice?”
“He’s my brother,” I stated again. “He’s family and I-”
Somnus came down from the tree, stretching out his legs that seemed too long for his body. He landed before me and stood, gazing out upon the land as I fretted over this detail. He moved with such elegance and ease it made me jealous.
“He’s your main obstacle in taking back what is yours. What is there to be concerned over.” His pale eyes fell upon me.
I pressed my lips into a firm line. “Will I have to hurt him?” I asked.
Somnus placed his hand upon my head and stroked down my hair. “You’re worried about blood that is shared and spilled.”
This filled my heart with dread. “He’s my brother. Isn’t there some way I could spare him? It’s Pleasance I despise.”
Somnus knew something I didn’t. He would never tell though, that I knew already. “If he lives, he will always be used to question your legitimacy.”
I had been so ready to hate this child as much as their mother. Now I felt sorry for him. “I will have to hurt him then?”
Somnus placed his hand upon my shoulder and turned me to look back over the lush countryside of Tea Country. “Only you can answer that question. When the time comes, I believe you will know.”
“I don’t like your riddles or your mystery, Somnus,” I huffed.
He chuckled softly and his palm upon my back pushed ever so slightly. “Why do you trust me so, Alice?”
The question seemed so strange. “Because the twins do.”
“Is that all it will take for you? Because the twins say so?” Somnus’ hand left me. He walked away from me so his back faced me. “I am genuine in my curiosity when I ask you this. Why do you trust me?”
“You took care of the twins, you saved them.” I stopped and hesitated with continuing on. “You’re very wise and-”
“Wisdom can come to the just and the wicked.” Somnus tilted his head up and his long hair fell from his shoulder and draped down his back.
I scowled, tensing up my jaw. “Why are you asking this now when we have come so far? We have followers. Pleasance knows about us. Why are you questioning me like this now?”
Somnus extended a hand out. “Those with influence will be questioned all the time. That is why I am asking you to question me, Alice. Do I not have influence over you?” Shimmering particles rose and collected in his palm. They moved like sand in water; rising, falling, dancing as a glow grew between them.
The answer was obvious. “Yes.”
Somnus cupped both hands around the glow. He faced me again and his eyes glowed from behind. “Think, Alice. For once, think for yourself.”
“I have! I-” My breath stuck sharp in my chest. I started thinking, and as far back as I could remember I had always followed whatever I was told. My father. My tutors. The twins. And now-
I furrowed my brow as I looked at Somnus.
Somnus took a step closer to me. “What do you know about me?”
“You raised the twins, kept them alive,” I murmured. I swallowed painfully and though I wanted to turn my eyes away, I kept them focused upon Somnus. “You have them dig up dead bodies for you.”
“Based on those things alone, would you trust me?”
“Somnus,” my voice caught in my throat.
Somnus smiled at me, he bent down and placed his forehead against mine. “I want to help you. I want you to think for yourself, rather than going along with everyone else. You are going to be a monarch, the beginning of an epic dynasty. Your history should be carved by you.”
My breath shuddered as I tried to speak. “I want to trust you.”
Somnus took my hands and placed inside them a large pearl. “A pearl of wisdom for when you need it most.”
I rolled the sphere around in my hand. The light shone off it in blues and pinks, sometimes a dash of yellow. “What do I do with it?”
“Whatever you want,” Somnus chuckled.
I watched the pearl for a moment as I rolled it back and forth between palms. “Somnus, what are you?”
A smile spread across his face. “That, dear Alice, is a long story.” He placed his palm against my back and walked me back down the hill. “And one I cannot quite tell you yet.”
Come dawn, we moved the camp. Although we had plans to cut through Tea Country, I felt in my gut that we should avoid it all together, and go a little further south which would take us partly through Tulgey Wood.
“We had a plan,” Dee said in a stern voice. “Tea Country will get us there faster. Not to mention the terrain is much smoother.”
“Just because it is easier doesn’t mean we should,” I stated as calmly as possible.
Dee furrowed his brow. “But you said yesterday-”
“I changed my mind. I thought about it, and I think this way will be better. Less people will see us. It will not be expected. And I think overall it will be safer for everyone with us.”
“Tulgey Wood, Alice!” Dee fussed.
“Only a small portion of it.” I stood, signaling my mind was made up and would not be changed. “Am I your goddess?”
Dee’s shoulders slouched. “Yes, you are.”
“Then trust me.” I gave him a kiss upon the cheek, then left to go deliver the change of course.
During the journey Dee and Dum flanked either side of me. Somnus always traveled in the rear, far away from us near the front. We were coming close to where we would enter Tulgey Wood and I could sense that Dum and Dee were worried.
“It won’t be the most awful thing we do,” I assured them. “In fact, I will promise that, should anything happen, I will take every bit of responsibility.”
“Your safety is what matters,” Dee scoffed.
I smiled down at him from my horse. “To me, it’s yours.”
His cheeks blushed and he looked away.
“You both have spent a lot of time with Somnus, right?” I asked. This question had been building inside me since my talk with Somnus.
“Yeah, ever since we were little,” Dum answered.
“He’s so mysterious to me,” I murmured. “I was hoping you both could share a little about him with me.”
Dee sighed. “Like what?”
I shook my head. “I’m not sure where to begin.”
“He’s always been mysterious. That’s just who he is, I think,” Dum sounded confident. “I mean, he raised us, kept us safe. I think he’s kind, but he also has us dig up dead bodies. So I can only speak from my experiences.”
At least Dum put it in a sort of balanced way.
“He’s never been open about his past,” Dee continued. “I’m not sure who or what exactly he was, or even is. I just know that, for me, he’s admirable for his intelligence and concern for life. But that could be a fault to others.”
“He never talks about himself?” I was surprised. “Not even with the two of you?”
“I know he likes scones and chamomille tea,” Dum sounded excited. “But then again, those are also some of my favorites. So he could just be eating what I like to make me happy.” he then snapped his fingers. “He’s very nice to people he likes.”
Dee chuckled and shook his head. “I think Somnus just likes being alone. Even when he raised us, not much was spoken of aside from us. Even graverobbing was a huge question mark aside from his research.”
We came to the trees and the breath of the caravan was held. The air felt tight around us as we began to enter. Shadows clung to our forms and eyes peered from unseen corners. I reached up to my neck where I hung the pearl. I rolled it around my fingertips and breathed slowly and even.
“It’ll be alright, we are just in a small portion of the wood. Nothing can hurt us. Nothing will try.” I murmured this over and over to myself. I then glanced forward and before us there was an oasis in the dark forest. There was a clearing of trees, perhaps made by fire or man. Sunlight shone in bright and warm, and within it, life sprung up thick and lush. The colorful flora spread out, extending towards the very edges of the dark wood.
I slid down from my horse and walked towards it. I knelt down before the oasis, plucking a single clover from the edge. The leaves of the clover held a radiance to them that shone even in the dark. I stood back up, walking into the oasis where the world smelled like honey.
“My, my,” a soft voice laughed. “What a strange flower you are.”
I turned and saw a massive sunflower to my right. I could see the underbelly of its brilliant yellow petals. It was so massive in size I felt as though I could lay in its center and be comfortable.
“Hello? Is someone here?”
Dee and Dum came towards me, stepping into the oasis where suddenly, the colors on their skin illuminated.
The sunflower tilted down, revealing a smiling face in the center. “It has been a while since I last saw a flower as strange as you.” The sunflower’s leaves reached out like hands and touched my face. “But how warm you are.”
“Alice!” Dee hissed.
I stared into the sunflower’s face and smiled. “I’m afraid I am not a flower.”
The sunflower recoiled. “Are you a weed?”
“No. I promise. My name is Alice, I’m a girl.” I then took my canteen from my belt. “Can I offer you some water?”
The sunflower marveled for a moment. “You can bring water? Like the clouds?”
Flowers started turning and rising up, revealing small, pretty faces that peered from inside the petals.
I spilled some of my canteen upon the ground and the sunflower’s petals rippled and fluffed. “I don’t have much with me now. But I am happy to share.”
“What wonderful water it is!” The sunflower sighed. “Girls like you must all be so wonderful!”
I chuckled softly. “Most of us.” I then saw Somnus from the corner of my eye. He stepped inside the oasis then knelt down. Flowers came to him, reaching out for him with vines and leaves.
“Father!” the sunflowers exclaimed.
Dee and Dum exchanged surprised looks before they focused on Somnus below them. Somnus was smiling, greeting the flowers who reached for him. “Thank you, Alice, for bringing us here.” He smiled up at me. “It has been a long time.”
“It has.” The sunflower bent down to see Somnus. “What has been keeping you?”
“I forget how time works,” Somnus chuckled. He reached up and held the sunflower in his palm. “But look how big you’ve become! You’ve exceeded all my studies.”
“This was a study too?” Dee asked.
“Oh yes,” Somnus rose. “In my search to preserve life, I was able to make this garden. The soil in Tulgey Wood has never been touched by man, so it is fertile and magic. It was the perfect place to watch life grow and spread anew.”
The sunflower inched closer. “We’ve been waiting for you, father, you told us we would have a special purpose upon your return.”
“That’s right. I do have a special request for you all.” He smiled up at the sunflower. “Would you like to join us?”
The sunflower looked worried. “But we cannot leave our garden.”
“Yes, you can,” Somnus said gently. “Simply rise from the earth, like a second blossoming. I know you can do it.”
I watched Somnus with a keen eye. He said he could dream, and within his dreams he could see different paths. He had seen this before, and I was growing aware of how he was gently directing all this time.
“You knew I’d bring us here,” I said hushed.
Somnus nodded. “You only needed to choose for yourself.”
The sunflower fretted, but it began to grow, inching its way from the ground. The leaves coiled together, forming arms and hands that pressed against the ground. The sunflower plucked itself from the ground, rising and standing as tall, or even taller, than Pleasence herself. The sunflower shuddered and looked around in fright.
“It’s alright, love.” Somnus approached them. “Breathe deep and enjoy this freedom.”
Around us, other flowers began to rise from the ground. A white rose took my hand and bloomed into the world. Dee and Dum each helped a flower grow and pluck from the ground. New life had sprung, rebirth from Somnus’ work.
“It’s a miracle,” I whispered.
“It’s life,” Somnus beamed with pride as he watched the flowers bloom and pluck. He clutched his hands over his chest. “Pure, beautiful life.”
The flowers gathered around us, waiting for Somnus’ next command. The sunflower knelt down on the ground just to be at eye level. Somnus then waved his hand out to me. “From now on, my flowers, this is the one you will listen to. She is your goddess, your eternal mother. From here on out, you are hers.”
The flowers all turned, looking at me with a wide expression. The sunflower stood and picked me up off the ground.
“What’s going on?” Dee snipped but Somnus held him back.
The sunflower held me close, hugging me then letting me sit in their arms. The rest of the flowers lifted their new arms up towards me and they started to sing. The light of the oasis grew brighter and warmer. The glow stretched out beyond the wood to where people all around Miror could see.
The sunflower set me down amongst the flowers who crowded around to hug me and touch me. I smiled upon them and held my hands out. “I promise you all, I will care for you. I will give you water, and see your blossoms never fade.”
Dee looked to Somnus with a serious glare. “An army of flowers?”
“What a perfect vision for a goddess. Prim, demure, and romantic. There will be no questions now.” He returned Dee’s glare with a knowing look. “Trust me. This will work.”
Because of Somnus’ words, I called them my Prim Army, or just my Prim for short. It suited for many reasons, especially since most were once primroses. They led us from the wood, taking us back out along a path just as the sun was beginning to set. As they stood outside from the wood for the very first time, it began to rain.
“Oh, mother! Thank you!” A rose gasped. The flowers rushed out, running and dancing in the rain.
Dum and Dee came to stand beside me as I took in the sight. “Life,” Dum murmured.
“So he wasn’t just playing around. He has some results.” Dee’s brow was still furrowed.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered. I then turned. “We have to hurry and set up camp. Come now!” I started guiding the rest of the caravan as we set up camp. It continued to rain lightly, and the flowers circled the camp like a ring. They were protecting us, while also making us seem beautiful.
