How the Joy wanes

004

Morpheus sat back down on his steps; cloak spread out. Matthew jumped from his shoulder to hop in front of him. "You banished your wife again, after you swore to never again banish her?" Dream looked down at him, "she is not banished, she not currently welcome. She was working with Desire who meddles in my affairs. They are trying to rob me of my wife, ordering her away from my side to fill her head with poisonous notions against me." Matthew gaped at him as well as a bird could, he flapped his wings in annoyance. "So, you give them what they want?" Morpheus levelled Matthew with a slow blinked glare. Matthew opened his beak to speak again when Morpheus heard his sisters speak. "Dream of the Endless we stand in Death's gallery holding your sigil, we wish to enter your realm." Morpheus granted both Delirium and Death access. Death stared at her brother, "what were you thinking?" Death spoke her voice tight and even. Morpheus started to answer but Death didn't even let him begin. "Euphrosyne is the Goddess of Joy, an element that exists within all of us Endless. But I suppose more importantly she is your wife, and you swore to never banish her again." Morpheus stood, but Death continued. "Banishing her is what Desire wants, you're an absolute moron of a personification." Morpheus looked over at Delirium who rocked back on her heels. "Dear little sister what brings you to my realm." Her wild hair danced around her head. "The joy is waning." Both Death and Dream blinked. Death turned to their youngest sister. "I'm sorry, what?" Delirium looked her siblings, "the joy is waning." Morpheus caught the meaning the second time and his face looked like thunder. Delirium looked up at her brother, squeaked in terror and covered her face with her hands. Her form went into greyscale as she tried to hide from her brother. Morpheus reached out open palm towards his youngest sister to show he meant no harm. "I am not angry with you little sister. I am mad at what has occurred that I fell for Desire's tricks." Delirium dropped her hands; she stayed as greyscale and Morpheus held out both his hands palm up. Nervously she gave him one of hers, he pulled her towards him gently. Delirium shifted and sensing she was not wanting physical affection, Morpheus changed tactics. Letting go of her hand, Morpheus removed his coat of stars, the one that you loved, and that Delirium would always try to steal at family dinners. He draped it around Delirium who flopped down like a young child whose feet were sore and couldn't walk another step. She dragged it over her head to hide, the arms of his coat hung out from her head reminding her older siblings of rabbit ears. Morpheus' lips twitched and he conjured a small rabbit to hop about in front of his youngest sister.

Death turned back to her brother, "you really are the biggest idiot of a personification." Morpheus glared at her. "You fell for Desire's tricks; Desire only needs joy once it has been achieved, not when you feel desire. This idea of yours banishing her for offenses that can be communicated and understanding the other is toxic. You banished her for doing her duty. She waited a hundred years for you, housing your subjects, allowing her power to wane while attempting to enter the Dreaming multiple times a day over those years. She used her memories of you to bring joy to the Waking World. You! She loves you! She has since you met her, since she married you. You will lose her if you do not go to her." Death continued as her brother began to look chastened, "your marriage should have been a good match, you the personification of dreams and her joy." She pointed at her brother, the older sister role coming forward. Morpheus looked down at his hands, turning them over before he flexed his pale hands, "she is Joy itself; she should not be able to be commanded by Desire. Should she not be under Delight." Delirium bobbed her head, making the arms of the coat flutter and shake. "She was for a time but then..." Delirium trailed off, she titled her head to look at her older brother. Delirium's now grey hair entwined with the stars, "I can't protect her as much as you think. She is under Aphrodite's domain and always shall be." Morpheus looked down at his younger sister, her colour was beginning to come back.

He crouched down so Delirium no longer had to crane her neck up at him, his hand hovered by the collar of his coat. Delirium flinched slightly and he dropped his hand back to his side, "I would never hurt you, dear sister. My anger shall never turn to you." As her colour slowly grew stronger, Delirium smiled toothily, "are you going to bring back the joy?" Morpheus nodded, Delirium continued, "could she take me dancing?" Morpheus smiled this time, "she would love that, she loves to dance with her sisters, all of them." Now Delirium was almost as vibrant as she had been when she arrived. "Would you join?" Morpheus held his hand out to help her stand. "Yes, dear sister if you wish it." Delirium now standing, with Morpheus' coat still over her head and the rabbit in her arms. "May I have my coat back?" She twisted shielding the bunny in her arms, "if I can keep the bunny." She pouted at her older brother, widening her eyes to pay on the sympathy he held only for her. Death almost laughed at the sibling's interaction, "you may." Delirium allowed Morpheus to sweep the coat from her shoulders and flick it around his own. She skipped out of his throne room singing snatches of songs under her breath. Death looked at her brother, gaze softening. "What are you going to do?" Morpheus whose head was tilted down, flicked his eyes open looking through his lashes. He moved off towards the doors to his throne room. Matthew took flight and followed.

Your sisters were visiting you during your second banishment, while you all enjoyed the small teases that a sibling relationship afforded you, you all still cared deeply for each other. When your power had waned during your first banishment, they had taken advantage of your inability to sense others entering your realm to leave you nectar and ambrosia. They had tried to bring back your joy the first time with small gifts, pranks, and festivals to continue it in the Waking World. Desire had had other intentions, ones that had led to this moment. Now Thalia and Aglaea were concerned for your ailing condition, you were the strongest of the three, the oldest before Thalia, with Aglaea being the youngest. Curled on your bench with your sparrow Claire and the other sparrows by your side, Constance was filling your siblings in on your condition and banishment, both willing to cross to the Dreaming and make an enemy of the Nightmare King if it meant you would once again bring joy to the world. They could not decide if one should stay with you, but when the wind grew colder it made their choice. They would go together, while their dealings with your husband were stilted and there were times when they did not get along, you were more important. When they turned to leave, they were met with the Nightmare King himself.

Both your sisters took a small step back when faced with the Nightmare King. They tried to keep their emotions balanced not only for the sake of the Waking World but for yours. As the youngest knowing that Morpheus had a soft spot his own younger sister, Aglaea spoke her voice light and aiming for civility. "I thought you could not enter another's realm without permission." Morpheus faced her, "while there are protocol's that we must follow, and a monarch cannot enter another's uninvited, Euphrosyne is my wife, my equal, and my queen. We can enter one another's realms without invitation." Thalia twisted her fingers together before flexing them, "why did you banish her this time?" Clouds descended over his face as he gave her the answer, "my jealously." Your sisters were shocked at his admittance, "I intend to correct this matter. Would you allow me to visit my wife?" Constance recovered first, "she is at her bench, my lord." Morpheus nodded, and he turned to leave. "Lord Morpheus?" Thalia darted forwards, he stopped. She held out two amphorae's, "nectar and ambrosia. Can you please take these to her?" Morpheus nodded, taking them from her. He paused and turned to face them. "I apologise for the consequences of my actions and the danger it placed you in." He turned and left them. Thalia mouthed a curse, Algaea stared after him and Constance simply blinked. "By my goddess, who yelled at him?" Thaila muttered. Matthew piped up from the ground as he had not yet followed Morpheus. "Death." Thalia nodded, a grin threatening to take over her face. "Delirium guilt tripped him too." Algaea grinned, throwing her hands up, "younger sisters for the win." Matthew then took flight and followed his boss.