The Dream Keeper

[princessvenus]

::Author Note:: I had this strange dream one night and I only remembered bits and pieces of it and I used that to put this story together. Now, I know some of it kind of sounds like some other book/movie--you'll understand which one if you've seen or read it before--but I wrote this before I ever saw the movie and I haven't read the books. But i'm trying to stear away from it now so bare with me...hope you like it and all. Feel free to comment, I don't mind. I only have up to chapter 3 done, sorry if you think it's all too long.


Chapter 1 Bad Dreams

It is said that there is one truly pure thing in the world, besides love. But when you think about it, not all love is pure, love in another person maybe, but love for money, power, items that’s when love is tainted. No, the one pure thing in the world is the dreams children often dream at night. Whether it is about being a princess or a king, about flying on the wings of some mystical creature, even down to the nightmares about some type of monster chasing them. Every dream, whether a nightmare or not is innocent, because they are so unreal and seem harmless. But some dreams, even those of small children aren’t so innocent; they can feel so alive, real even harmful. Though no matter how scary, dangerous, beautiful, or fantastically wonderful; it’s all just a dream in the end….right?

The bedroom of the Brenwell children was quiet. The hour was late and all the children had gone to bed several hours prior. Mr. Brenwell was out on a business trip as he usually was, and the nurse Mrs. Mercy was left to watch over the four children. She never had much trouble with them for the children didn’t cause much and were well behaved indeed. However there were those occasion when Mrs. Mercy had to scold the two boys for fighting and even once in a while use the strap to straighten things out.

Mr. Brenwell was a very wealthy bank manager and attended parties and business conferences at least twice a week. Sometimes he would be gone for two weeks a time, and the times he was home Mr. Brenwell was looking over bank sheets and balance checks. This all meant he hardly had time for his four children.

Mrs. Brenwell had passed away of the flu about 4 years back. She was a loving mother and wife who had become a very successful seamstress. After she died the children as well as the rest of the house (the maids and cooks) noticed that Mr. Brenwell had started coming home later then before. The children never mentioned it to his face they knew what his response would be, “I am a very busy man and I have a lot to take care of.” There was truth in that but along with the truth was a small hint of a lie.

The window of the bedroom rattled slightly as the cool wind blew outside. For a while that was the only sound in the room, until young Casey Brenwell, of age 8, woke up screaming. Casey threw her covers off of her and begun to kick and scream wildly.
“Casey!” Kristin Brenwell, of age 15, ran over to her sister and tried to calm her down.
“Casey what’s the matter?” Seeing her older sister Casey stopped screaming and flung her arms around Kristin’s waist sobbing.

“What’s going on?” The eldest Brenwell Andrew, of age 17, turned on one of the oil lamps and rubbed his eyes. He saw Kristin and a very distraught Casey wrapped around her. “What happened?” he asked walking over to them. Kristin shrugged and pushed Casey away from her.

“They attacked me!” Casey cried.

“Who attacked you?” Andrew asked sitting down on the bed next to Kristin.
“The bezils!” Casey gasped.
Kristin and Andrew exchanged a look, Kristin saw Andrew was trying not to laugh she elbow him. “Casey what…what are bezils?”
“They’re like beetles but they have tails like weasels and they came for me!”

Kristin looked back at Andrew who shrugged, “They sound made up to me, I’ve never heard of them.”

Kristin sighed, ‘Casey you have to stop telling these stories as if they were real.”
“But they are.” Casey said “It’s real it wasn’t a dream Krissy, they were here in my bed!”

“Casey Kristin is right you have to stop lying.”
“I’m not!” Casey said now getting frustrated with her brother and sister.
“Father and the doctor said they would have to take you away if you kept this up.” Kristin said gravely “Do you want to go away, away from Andy, me, Evan, and father?”
Casey sat there wiping the tears from her eyes. “Kristin I’m not lying I swear. Why won’t you believe me?”

Kristin didn’t reply right away, the look on her sister’s face made her want to cry. Casey was usually making up stories such as this, but never did she wake up screaming before, perhaps she was telling the truth then.
“Listen Casey.” she began slowly. “There are some things in this world we keep to ourselves, things adults won’t understand. Your dreams for example they--”
“They’re not dreams.” Casey interrupted.
“Well whatever they are, adults like father and Doctor Simon wouldn’t understand. So that’s why we have to keep these, events secret to ourselves.”

Casey sat there starring at Kristin; she looked up at Andrew who was still looking doubtful. But the look on Kristin’s face was different,
“So you believe me Krissy?”

Kristin looked bewildered, “Well I ,” she looked to her brother for an answer he shook his head no but Kristin said otherwise.
“Yes, Casey I believe you.” she said slowly.
“Really?”
Kristin nodded; once more Casey wrapped her arms around her sister in a tight hug.

“Alright, now get some sleep.”
“But what about the bezils?” Casey asked frightened. Kristin smiled, “You know what I think you scared them off when you screamed like that.”
Casey smiled and covered herself back up. Kristin smiled and stood up heading back over to her bed. Andrew sighed and grabbed Kristin by the arm, “Why did you do that?” he asked in a fierce whisper.
“Do what, I didn’t do anything.”
“You know what. Why do you encourage her Kris?” he asked desperately. Kristin sat down on her bed. “You can’t honestly believe her, do you?”
“Of course not.” she whispered. “I want to believe her though. I don’t want to tell her she’s crazy I don’t want father to put her away!” Kristin said trying not to raise her voice. “Maybe if we say we believe her she’ll stop acting this way.”

“Kristin you know as well as I that Casey isn’t--“
“Don’t say it.” she warned.
“Right in the head.”
Kristin scoffed and laid down in bed almost to the point of tears. Andrew sighed heavily and walked back over to his bed turning off the lantern. “I love her Kris, but we both know Casey is special.”
”Shut up and go to bed.” she spat her voice breaking.

Andrew laid there in bed for several minute thinking about what just happened. Suddenly he sat up in bed, he realized something. He got out of bed and walked over to Kristin’s bed and shook her awake. “What do you want now.” she said angrily.
“Kristin did you notice anything odd just a second ago?”
“Besides Casey waking up screaming.’
“I said odd.”
Kristin scoffed and rolled over away from him. Andrew walked around to the other side, “No, Evan he didn’t wake up from the screams.”
There were still for a moment and then both quickly moved over to were Evan, of age 12, was a sleep. He was the lightest sleeper of them all, surely the screams would have woken him. Something wasn’t right. Kristin turned on a lantern and held it over Evan’s bed.
“Evan?” they both pulled back the covers. Kristin shrieked and jumped back dropping the lantern. A mass of larger beetle like creatures swarmed over Evan’s bed. One started to make its way up Andrew’s arm snapping its thick sharp pinchers. “Get it off!” Andrew cried. Kristin bent down and grabbed the lantern which thankfully hadn’t gone out, she then grabbed a doll from the floor and threw it at the creature advancing up Andrew’s arm. The creature fell off and onto the bed. Andrew ran around to where Kristin was, they starred at the strange things, they looked like a beetle but had long furry tails, like a weasel.
Kristin and Andrew looked at each other, “Bezils.” they said in unison. Kristin looked around, “Where’s Evan!?”

“Where you can’t get him.”
A strange voice spoke, the melody made shivers run up and down Kristin and Andrew’s spin. It was shrill and cold and had an evil tone. They turned around slowly to where the voice came from.

The source of the voice had come from the most unlikely creature Kristin or Andrew would have imagined. A beautiful young blonde headed women wearing a long strapless ball gown with ghostly black tattered wings that held her in mid air, floated behind them holding and unconscious Casey in her arms.
“Casey!” Kristin cried.
“Let her go!” Andrew shouted. The creature grinned reviling two rows of sharp black teeth.
“You want her, come and get her.” she challenged. Andrew stood there for a second then charged the creature. The creature raised its long staff and pointed it at Andrew. He suddenly froze and after a moment went flying backward into Kristin. This time when she dropped the lantern it went out, darkness surrounded them.
“Andrew? Andrew are you alright?” Kristin asked rolling Andrew off of her. He didn’t move. “Andrew!”
“I’ll take him as well.” the creature said. Kristin felt Andrew floating off of the floor. “No.” she said trying to pull him back down but he flew away form her. “No!” Kristin screamed scratching the air hoping to grab Andrew. She started to cry, scared about being unable to see and knowing the creature now had both of her brothers and her sister.

The creature began to laugh, “You’re next.” it said.
“I don’t think so.” a bright golden light suddenly lit the whole room. Kristin rubbed her eyes, a tall glowing figure with three pairs of feathery wings came into focus.
“Put the girl and boy down Lamia!” he called.
Lamia hissed, “This doesn’t concern you Seraphim!” Lamia raised her staff in the air, a large swirling black hole opened behind her. The glowing, what Lamia called seraphim, figure drew a large sword that was about 6 feet long in length form hilt to the tip of the blade. Lamia stepped back into the hole and vanished with both Casey and Andrew. The seraphim flew after his sword raised high. “I said let them go!” Kristin heard him shout from with the swirling vortex. “Andrew! Casey!” she called out. Before Kristin realized what she was doing she followed the two strange creatures. A couple of seconds later the hole shrunk until it was nothing, leaving the bedroom of the Brenwell children quiet and still once more.

[princessvenus]

Chapter 2 The Seraph

Kristin fell through darkness for a minute she tried to scream but couldn’t. She closed her eyes and a few seconds later she felt herself hit the ground, lying on her back she opened her eyes. She was starring at the dark cloudy sky above, after taking a couple deep breaths Kristin rolled over and pushed herself up from the ground. She brushed herself off and fixed her nightgown,
“I can’t believe this.” she muttered noticing the bottom of her dress was torn slightly, “I just got this--“ she stopped now aware that someone, or something was standing in front of her.

Kristin’s eyes slowly moved up from the two bare feet all the way up to its head. The thing looked human, all except the 3 pairs of wings it had on its back. The creature was male, had short blonde hair and green eyes. His head seemed too big for the rest of his body which was skinny and small. But he was handsome, oh yes this creature was handsome indeed Kristin blushed as her eyes met his. She stood there with this stupid look on her face, a mixture of awe and fear. The creature starred back, it looked her up and down for a second then clearing it’s throat he spoke, “Hello.” he said quietly, he sounded like he could be no older than 16.

“Hello.” Kristin said back her voice squeaked a little; the creature smiled for a second and then whipped his head around. He ran back and forth looking both high and low for something. Kristin watched him for a minute, “Umm excuse me?” she said softly. The creature ignored her, “Excuse me?” she said again a little louder. The creature passed by her muttering to himself. Kristin went over and tapped him on his shoulder, “I said excuse me.”

The creature’s wings opened up suddenly Kristin shrieked and jumped back holding her hand to her heart. He turned around to Kristin looking a tad bit annoyed, “What do you want?” he asked suddenly.

“Well. I wanted to know who you were,” she said slowly, “and where I am.” Kristin glanced around, they were certainly standing in an open field next to a forest but where she still wasn’t sure. The creature sighed, “I’m Xander.” he said, his hand rested on the sword that was now sheathed again at his side. “And who are…you?”

Kristin blushed a little, “Uhh, Kristin Brenwell.”

“If you’ll excuse me Kristin Brenwell I’m a bit busy looking for something.” Xander said turning away from her. Kristin followed him, “What are you looking for maybe I can help, I’m always helping Evan find his…” she paused her eyes widened in terror. Xander looked over his shoulder at her. “What?”

“Evan…Andrew.” she muttered, “Casey.”

“Who?”

“My brothers and sister!” Kristin suddenly remembered them, she had completely forgotten about what happened in the bedroom only several minutes prior. How could she have forgotten about them? Xander sighed and nodded his head, “Oh yes, well that’s who I’m looking for I guess.”
“You guess? What happened back there, who was that women, what did she want with Evan and Casey, what did she do with Andrew!? And what are you, where am I, how am I going to get them back!?” Kristin said starting to panic; she started muttering frantically and pacing tears welling up in her eyes. Xander jogged over and took her by the shoulders and shook her a little, “Hey.” he said trying to calm her down.

“What if Evan’s hurt, what if they’re all hurt, what if they’re dead!?”

“Listen to me!” he said forcefully, Kristin stopped talking and looked at Xander. “They’re not dead.”

“How do you know that?” Kristin asked fiercely.

“Because two of them are lying over there” Xander said looking over Kristin’s shoulder. Kristin’s expression changed she broke free of Xander’s grip and looked behind her, there in the grass lay Andrew and Casey. She rushed over to them kneeling beside them both. “Andrew, Casey!” she cried shaking Andrew and then Casey. They both stirred and began to wake up.

Andrew opened his eyes and sat up holding his head, “Kristin?” Kristin starred at Andrew for a moment before flinging her arms around him. He sat there in confusion, not quite aware of what was taking place. “Krissy, Andy?” Casey looked at them both, Kristin let go of Andrew and hugged Casey next.

“I’m so glad you’re both alright!” she gasped.
“I’m fine, why what happened?” Andrew asked he stood up, “And where are we?”
“Oh that I’m not sure of. But don’t you remember, that horrible white ghost lady?”
“Well yes but that doesn’t explain how we got here; where ever here is.”

“It’s Savina.” Casey said in awe getting to her feet. Kristin and Andrew looked down at Casey.
“It’s what?”
“Savina.” she said again. Xander’s ears perked a little, he walked over to the group of three.
“How do you know of this place?” he asked, Casey screamed when she saw Xander and leapt behind her brother. Andrew began to back away, “Stay away from us!”
“No, it’s alright.” Kristin said, “That’s Xander, he’s on our side; I think. This is Andrew and that’s Casey.”
“I’m sorry to have frightened you but you know the name of this place.” Xander continued. Casey poked her head out from behind her brother, she nodded.
“Have you been here before?” he asked.
“Of course she hasn’t been her before none of us have.” Kristin said crossing her arms. Casey stepped out in full view; she raised her hand in the air a little.
“I have.” she said meekly.
Andrew and Kristin exchanged looks, “You have?” Andrew asked.
“Yes, before in my dreams, but I’ve never seen anything like you here.” Casey said pointing at Xander. “What are you exactly?”

Xander sighed and flexed his wings, not saying a word. “An angel?” Casey asked.
“If he was an angel Casey, he’d have a halo.” Andrew said simply. Xander shook his head, “No she is right, well partially right.” he said.

“You are an angel?” Andrew said in disbelief, Xander had a pained expression on his face. “I was an Angel, I am--in a manner of speaking--a fallen angel.”

“A fallen angel, what did you do?”

“I’m confused.” Casey said, “What’s a fallen angel?”

Kristin gave a weak smile at Xander who looked at Casey clearly hurt. “He has been--“ she paused and looked up at Xander. Casey waited for Kristin to continue, “Kristin, he has been what?”

“Banished.” Xander said unexpectedly. “I was banished from heaven.” these words sat heavily on Kristin’s heart for some reason. She felt sorry for him, he looked so sad.

“I was a seraph, the highest choir of angels. Because I am fallen there is no need for modesty, my face and feet need to be covered no longer.” he explained. Andrew, Kristin, and Casey looked at Xander who tried to avoid their judging eyes; he looked away to the forest.

“Come on, we have to get away from here before night fall.” he said.

“What about our brother!” Kristin said, the other two noticed their brother’s absence and looked after Xander wanting an answer as well.

“We’ll look for him in the morning; there is nothing she can do at this moment, not while you three are here.” Xander said over his shoulder.

“Who is she, and what has she done with Evan!?” Kristin cried following him. Andrew took Casey’s hand and headed after.

“The Queen Rhea will have him by now. I’ll explain more when we are under some cover; it looks like it is to rain soon.” Xander said looking to the sky. The dark grey clouds above began to rumble, Casey held her brothers hand tighter afraid of the thunder. He smiled down at her, “It’s alright, come on.”

Kristin walked behind Xander enchanted by him, just being near him made Kristin forget her worries, he made her feel safe. She liked the feeling, but in the back of her head was a voice shouting at her to remember about Evan and how they were going to get him back.

[princessvenus]

Chapter 3 The Room Beyond the Door

Evan came to his head spinning and the rest of his body ached. He moaned and held his head, he then felt the floor beneath him; cold stone. Evan opened his eyes gradually and the darkened room came into focus. He panicked a little and tried to stand up but his feet were in shackles that were chained to the wall. Evan made an attempt to break them off, but after a couple tries he realized it was no use without the key. He squinted in the darkness trying to get a good look at his prison. All he could tell was the walls and floor was stone, it was dark, and he seemed to be alone.
He sighed and leaned back, Evans hand hit some cold piece of metal, a plate. Evan looked to his left, a small plate with some kind of gooey mush on it sat there for him. He dipped his fingers in it and raised it to his nose to get a smell, he sniffed the substance. Evan jerked his hand away and gagged a little; he wiped the mush off on his pants and sat there looking around in the dark helpless.

“Get out of the way!” said a crazed voice. Evan looked up he heard a crash, a pause and then the sound of a door opening. Light entered the room giving Evan the first real look at his cell, and his captor. The ceiling seemed to go on forever upward grey stones all the way up. There were no windows, but several cracks in the stone where some light could show through. And there standing by the door was the women dressed in white holding a lantern. She sneered at Evan, “Get him up Gorg.” she hissed. A tall heavy set, yet thoroughly built man trudged in behind the women. He went over to Evan who backed away in fear as far as he could go. The beast like creature, clearly named Gorg, bent down and simply tugged on the chains connected to the wall. They broke as if they were tissue paper. Evans legs were still shackled and the chains still dangled from them, but he was free from the wall.

“The Queen wants to see you.” sneered the women. Evan took a deep breath not taking his eyes off of her. The man bent down and grabbed the chains and gave them a firm tugged, Evan knew to get to his feet. He walked slowly toward the door glancing back at the man all the way. The women curled her lip at Evan and gave him a swift kick in the back as he left the cell. “Get moving!”

Evan was pushed up a case of winding stairs, then into a long dark corridor only leading to another set of winding stairs. Evan stopped in her steps when he came to the top of this case. The corridor they were now in was splendidly furnished with tapestries, and rugs and odd pieces of “artwork”. Stone statues of different types of people and animals littered the halls. Evan took a second to look around only to be shoved in the back with some kind of staff the women was carrying in her other hand. He staggered forward and kept walking.

They turned right once, left twice, up another set of stairs, and headed right again ending up at a pair of over sized steel doors that reached about 30 feet high. The doors opened slowly with a creek, seems they needed oiling. The room beyond the doors was the largest and most desolate room Evan had ever seen before. The room was dark and the walls were painted red, old gothic cathedral windows gave light to the room (10, Evan counted, on each side), the only items in the room were a few suits of empty armor, one or two giant vases full of large dead or wilting flowers, one large red and black thrown with a black and silver carpet leading from the doors to the thrown; which they were walking on now. The chair was empty though; Evan hoped they’d just turn around now and take him back to the dungeon. From the looks of the grand room, he’d much rather would have taken his chances alone in the dark than meeting the person who lived in this place. They stopped at the bottom of the 5 steps leading up to the empty thrown.

The women growled a little and pushed Evan aside and knelt on the first step. “I have brought you the boy your majesty.”

There was no reply, and for a minute Evan thought the women had gone mad. But after a minute of silence a voice spoke out from the wings hidden by black curtains.

“Let me see him.” the black curtain drew back and from the right corner stepped a tall slender women, dressed finely in a very dark purple silk dress, the color almost looked black but when the light hit the dress just right it shined purple faintly. Her silver hair was drawn back into a tight bun at the back of her head, and few strands of hair fell on her face and stuck out from the end of the bun. On the top of her head sat a dark ivory crown, in her hand she carried a long white scepter which threw Evan completely off. He figured with all the black and red, why switch to white. It looked most odd but because it was so bright it was all he could stare at.

“Where are the others Lamia?” she said coolly. Lamia glanced up at her and winced a little, “The seraph has them.”

The queen’s eyes flared red, “The seraph!? How did you let that happen!” she shrieked her voice echoed throughout the hall. Lamia cringed and stood a little, “I am most sorry Queen Rhea but I have brought you one.”

Rhea gave a quick glance to Evan, “And what am I supposed to do with one child!?” she spat pointing her scepter viciously at Evan, his impulse was to back away but the man behind him gave him a shove forward.

Lamia looked back at Evan and then to Rhea, “Your queen, surely the others will come looking for him! We’ll have them soon enough.”

Rhea stood there and considered for a moment Lamia’s point. “Yes,” she said slowly “But did I hear you right when you told me the seraph was with them?”
Lamia nodded. “Then what makes you think he won’t be with them when they come into my castle!?” she shouted.

Lamia whimpered and got back on her knees to bow. Rhea raised her scepter as to hit Lamia but she stopped and took a deep breath. “Fortunately Lamia you have not completely failed me.” she said calmly as possible. “You have brought me one boy, “ Rhea turned her attention to Evan. “Tell me boy, what is your name?” she asked now taking a seat on her thrown. Evan didn’t speak, he was too afraid to. Rhea looked at him waiting for an answer. Gorg gave a sharp tug on the Evan’s chains causing him to fall forward, he caught himself before his face met the ground.
“Answer the Queen when she speaks to you boy!” he spat in a low deep voice.
“Evan.” he said quickly not glancing up at her. “My name is Evan Brenwell.”

“Evan is it?” she asked, “Well Evan, tell me a bit about your family. Your brother and sisters, what are their names and what do they look like?”
Evan looked up, “No you’ll only hurt them.”
Lamia sneered at Evan and struck him across the back with her staff. “How dare you refuse the queen?”
“No Lamia, it’s perfectly alright.” she said, “If he doesn’t want to answer, then he doesn’t have to answer.”

Lamia looked at her with a bit of shock; Rhea drummed her fingers on the arm of her chair. She stood up and put on a fake smile and walked over to Evan. “Now, Evan.” she said helping him to his feet, “What can I do to prove to you I’m not a bad person?”

“You could start by letting me go.” he said coldly. Rhea let out a tiny laugh, “How cute.” she messed his hair and then wiped her hand onto Lamia’s dress. “You heard him Lamia, Gorg.” she said “Let him go.” she said sitting back in her chair.

“But you majesty.” they both said. “DO AS I SAY!” she shouted. Gorg bent down and unlocked the shackles from Evan’s feet. Lamia stood there glaring at Evan with utmost hatred.

Once the shackles were off his leg he ran up the steps to get away from Gorg who made an attempt to grab him. He looked to Rhea who sat there with a smirk on her face, “There see, all better.”

“Thanks.” he said awkwardly.

“Now Evan, tell me your brother and sisters.” she said eagerly. Evan surveyed her for a second.
“Why do you want them, why do you want me?” he asked.
“You ask so many questions for a boy of 8--“
“12.”
Rhea froze and looked at Evan with a twinge of annoyance, “Excuse me?”
“I’m not 8, I’m 12.” he said carefully, Rhea sat there for a second she smacked her lips and sat back in the chair.
“Of course, forgive me. Now, what about--“
“Where is this place?” he continued. Having had enough Rhea grabbed Evan by the collar of his shirt and held him only inches from her face. “Your tongue will cost you your life someday.” she spat. “Take him back to the dungeon, chain his arms as well.” she said throwing him at her feet. “He’ll talk about his family sooner or later. Until then Lamia, go into the forest of Savina and find Echo she will help you locate the seraph.”

“What if I can’t get her to speak majesty?” Lamia asked. Rhea gave a half smile, “Persuade her.”
Lamia grinned and bowed, “As you wish.” and with that Lamia dissolved from view.

“Gorg, get this human from my sight!” Rhea said shoving Evan with her foot. Gorg came up the steps and grabbed Evan by the back of his shirt and lifted him into the air. Evan struggled to get free. Before they left the hall the Queen called out to them,
“Evan,” she said “you should have told me when you had the chance.”