𝓢𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓶𝓪𝓷'𝓼 𝓓𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓶

𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝑯𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒀𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔

Twenty Four

1489

As agreed, Morpheus and I went back to the waking world to meet with Hob Gadling in the White Horse tavern.

"How did you know... that I'd still be here?" Hob asked Morpheus. "Who are you? A wizard? A... a saint? A demon?"

Morpheus smirked, glancing at me who was seated next to him as he was across from Hob.

Hob did not take our exchange lightly. "Have I made a bargain with the devil?"

I couldn't help but chuckle at that, making the long strands of my pearl white hair fall in front with my movement. "Apologies. The said assumptions were just too ridiculous not to laugh."

"No." Morpheus replied to Hob's last unanswered question.

"Then why aren't I dead long since?" Hob asked. "Is this some kind of a game?"

"No game." Morpheus said.

"But why?" Hob asked again.

"Isn't this what you wanted, not to die and to continue living?" I said, raising my brows when his eyes met mine.

"It is," He said. "But I have a lot of questions. To start, who are you?"

"Gods," I chuckled once more, hearing that yet again for countless times already from him this evening. "Call me Katrien and this man here wishes to remain unnamed and mysterious so I won't tell you his name."

Morpheus sent me a small frown at how I addressed him.

He nodded, taking all of what I said in. "Why are you here?"

I looked at Morpheus, silently telling him it's his turn to answer the questions now.

"I'm here because I'm interested." Morpheus said.

"In me?" Hob asked.

"In your experience."

"What about the lady?"

"She's with me," Morpheus said. "For every century we'll see one another, she will be here."

"Just to provide more company and nothing else." I clarified.

Hob nodded, accepting my additional presence. "What do I have to do?"

"Nothing. You live your life as you choose. Then, on this day every 100 years, we will meet." Morpheus said.

"Because you want to know what it's like," Hob said. "All right. I'll tell you what it's like."

Morpheus and I stared at him, urging him to start his narration.

"It's fucking brilliant." Hob exclaimed after sighing. "It's all changing."

I chewed on my lower lip to refrain laughing or even smiling at how Morpheus looked utterly surprised by Hob's declaration.

"In what way?" Morpheus asked.

"Um... Chimneys," Hob pointed to the nearest hearth space, filled with woods burning in flames, that's plastered on the wall near to us. "Not having your eyes watering all the time from the smoke," He chuckled after seeing me nod in approval and continued talking when Morpheus looked disinterested. "And now we have these little cloth pieces for your nose. In the old days, we just used our sleeves. Oh, and playing cards."

"What will you people think of next?" Morpheus mocked.

"With any luck, something to get rid of fleas."