La Mechancete De La Vie || Morpheus

V. Tensions.

Life doesn't see much of Dream after she settles in his chambers. She doesn't want to push, knowing he's struggling with his affections conflicting with his sister's warnings about her. Something she understands is difficult. The opinion of his beloved sibling is rather harsh when it comes to Life. So she lets him stew, waiting for him to want to know if everything Death said is true.

She's glad of the time, to be honest. It gives her room to sort out some things that have been bothering her, like her situation with Lucienne, who seems to think she knows something about her if the librarian's nervousness at her approach was anything to go by.

Life whistles a repetitive tune as she wonders about the many rows of bookshelves, her nails lightly dragging across the spines of the books as she gets closer to Lucienne, a nervous cawing reaching her ears, suggesting Matthew knows she's on her way as well.

"I've always wondered, do I have a book here?"

Lucienne jumps, not realising Life walked up behind her. "Not as far as I can tell."

Life hums, walking, so she's in front of Lucienne's desk and standing next to the chair Matthew is perched on, "Hello, Matthew. I don't believe I've made your acquaintance. I'm Life."

Caw! "It's nice to meet you, uh, My Lady." The raven inclines his head, "Oh, uh, sorry, the boss is calling."

Life smiles, amused, as the raven flies away, "He's not a very good liar, is he?"

"How do you know he's lying?"

"I see everything, Lucienne." Life stares at her, making the librarian shift nervously on the spot before her posture straightens, and she stares Life defiantly in the eyes.

"Everything?"

Life tilts her head, "You don't like me. Why?"

"So not everything." Lucienne raises an eyebrow at her, her expression slightly smug.

Life resists the urge to roll her eyes. No, she didn't know for sure, but she had a feeling it had to do with her reputation. And her relationship with Dream, who she senses entering the library. "I wanted you to tell me yourself."

Lucienne scoffs, "You're dangerous. A threat to the realm. I don't know what kind of spell you have Lord Morpheus under, but I know what you are."

Life chuckles, feeling Dream stop in his tracks, "Oh, do you? You'd be the first. As for being a threat. Yes, I am, but not to Dream or his realm."

"You expect me to believe you? After everything you've done?"

"Everything I've done?" Life chuckles at that, suddenly understanding where her animosity might originate from, "Okay, I'll ask you this. Did Dream have anything to do with Death's betrayal and my imprisonment?"

Lucienne shakes her head, incredulous, "No, he didn't know you existed. But what has..."

"Then you need not worry. About Dream, his realm, or his subjects." Life feels Dream's eyes flicker intensely between her and the royal librarian.

"How can I not worry!? You murdered over thirty people!"

There it is. Life chuckles, not letting on that she knows Dream is there, "Did I? How did I do that exactly?"

Lucienne scoffs, "You took their lives before it was their time."

"And who told you that? Death?"

The uncomfortable look on her face confirms it, Life seeing a brief flash from Lucienne's memory of her talking with Death.