She chuckled ruefully. “Of that at least, I have little doubt. Donum, you walk through the fabric as chaos given life. I have never seen anything like it, and for a long while, I had thought you broken. But I see now, you are not. It is your genuine nature.”
I just stared at her. Chaos given life? What kind of gobbledygook is that? “We are talking about dreams though, right? Aren’t everyone’s like that?”
“No. They’re—scrotum sweat!” She flinched at her own outburst, apparently annoyed at her inability to maintain a sombre mood. With a delicate clearing of her throat, she continued, “They are not. And when those of the kinds have them, they remember them just as you might a common workday.”
I pursed her lips thoughtfully while digesting that information. I mean, it was… interesting. But what was I supposed to do with it? It was not like I had any control over my subconscious. Nor could I see any real benefit to being able to remember dreams after the fact.
“Donum,” she murmured quietly. “How much of the dream do you remember? You were clearly embarrassed, so you must recall something.”
I shook my head. “Not really. It’s just muddled images… more impressions than anything.”
“But you remember holding Ahnbe in your arms? The way She was kissing you?” she persisted. “Could you describe Her?”
“I mean… I have a vague notion of what happened,” I said, struggling to recollect anything at all about the encounter. “But to describe her? Not really.”
“What about your own actions? Do you have control—“ She paused to reconsider. “Or no. I suppose you wouldn’t. Or even if you had, you would have forgotten that, as well.”
I nodded. Again, I could not see why this was so important, but at least it seemed to be leaded somewhere. I would take what I could get. “Where I’m from, some people claim you can train yourself to remember and eventually control them. I’ve never bothered, though.”
“Why not?” she asked intently.
“More interested in getting a good night’s rest, I guess,” I replied with a shrug. “Besides, I wouldn’t want to remember all of them. Not all dreams are nice ones.”
“Yours aren’t, that’s certain,” she said seriously. “I’ve never seen a Clan that could field great hovering geometric-crafts like that, much less attempted to clash against them in battle. And all in shades of pink? Absolutely revolting.”
I blinked. “Say again?”
She made a dismissive gesture. “Never—stop tonguing my clit! Ahem… never mind, I mean. The point is Ahnbe’s supposed Claim on you rests on a very tenuous foundation. She cannot have made contact with you save for within the fabric, and thus, whatever offering you made to Her…” She trailed off expectantly.
“Had to have been while I was asleep!” I finished. “Watcher’s black eye… no wonder! That makes so much more sense now.” I fell silent for a moment as I thought over the implications. But then I had to eventually toss my hands up. “I still can’t see what difference it makes. I mean, what am I supposed to do about it? It’s not like any of the other goddesses are going to intercede on my behalf would they?”
“You are probably right, though Maeve is ever one for a sympathetic ear. And my other half almost certainly would have had She known prior to—fucking herself right in the ass!” She let out a resigned sigh before dipping her head to one side, apparently deciding to let her outburst stand as it was. Then one corner of her lip curled up, and a scheming twinkle lit her eyes. “However, my aim was not to suggest you attempt some futile struggle against Her. Quite the opposite. She could eventually be made a formidable ally… if you can bring Her to heel.
“Bring Her to heel?!” I repeated incredulously. “To say nothing of the fact that She could snap me in half like a twig—“
“She won’t,” Mia assured me. She seemed quite confident of that.
“Maybe not on purpose,” I allowed, grudging. “Even so, She can and has injured my lilim out of petty jealousy. That alone makes Her no friend of mine.”
Mia furrowed her brow and stared at me for several long seconds. “Donum…” she began slowly. “I realize She may have bungled a few things, but do not be so hasty to spurn Her advances. She… may not take it well.”
I snorted. “You don’t have to worry about that. I’m a lot of things but suicidal is not one of them.”
Mia made to argue the point, but then she seemed to reconsider and nodded. “Still… I never even considered that you might cast Her aside over your lilim. I doubt She will have either.”
“I don’t see why not,” I replied. “Bullying the people I love is no way to win me over.”
She made humming sound deep in her throat. “And you don’t love Her?”
“I barely know Her.”
“But She’s a goddess.”
I blinked in confusion. “I don’t see how that enters into it.”
“You don’t see how near limitless power and incomparable beauty might be a factor?” she asked, incredulous. “Interesting. Well then… since those things aren’t important to you, I wonder what is. Simple conversation? A few teasing remarks? By that metric, even I would rate above Her…”
“That goes without saying,” I replied before I had time to consider the implications. But from the grin spreading over her face, it was abundantly clear that she had not missed them.
“Well then… I may have just discovered a fascinating new hobby,” she said before swiping a pen from somewhere and writing a note. Which she helpfully recited. “Project: Remembering… Dreams…”
I blinked. “Uh…”
“Now,” she said briskly. “Let’s take a look at your skill-ups, shall we?”
Seleroan
Hey there, gentle reader.
Enjoying the content? Well, why not drop by my Patreon? It helps me keep this show running, and allows me to afford great things like editors, cover artists, and food!
Each chapter is now being personalized with some... passable chapter-inspired AI generated art. I try. But it gives things a bit of color. And you can read ahead!
Come on down! We'd love to see you.
She chuckled ruefully. “Of that at least, I have little doubt. Donum, you walk through the fabric as chaos given life. I have never seen anything like it, and for a long while, I had thought you broken. But I see now, you are not. It is your genuine nature.”
I just stared at her. Chaos given life? What kind of gobbledygook is that? “We are talking about dreams though, right? Aren’t everyone’s like that?”
“No. They’re—scrotum sweat!” She flinched at her own outburst, apparently annoyed at her inability to maintain a sombre mood. With a delicate clearing of her throat, she continued, “They are not. And when those of the kinds have them, they remember them just as you might a common workday.”
I pursed her lips thoughtfully while digesting that information. I mean, it was… interesting. But what was I supposed to do with it? It was not like I had any control over my subconscious. Nor could I see any real benefit to being able to remember dreams after the fact.
“Donum,” she murmured quietly. “How much of the dream do you remember? You were clearly embarrassed, so you must recall something.”
I shook my head. “Not really. It’s just muddled images… more impressions than anything.”
“But you remember holding Ahnbe in your arms? The way She was kissing you?” she persisted. “Could you describe Her?”
“I mean… I have a vague notion of what happened,” I said, struggling to recollect anything at all about the encounter. “But to describe her? Not really.”
“What about your own actions? Do you have control—“ She paused to reconsider. “Or no. I suppose you wouldn’t. Or even if you had, you would have forgotten that, as well.”
I nodded. Again, I could not see why this was so important, but at least it seemed to be leaded somewhere. I would take what I could get. “Where I’m from, some people claim you can train yourself to remember and eventually control them. I’ve never bothered, though.”
“Why not?” she asked intently.
“More interested in getting a good night’s rest, I guess,” I replied with a shrug. “Besides, I wouldn’t want to remember all of them. Not all dreams are nice ones.”
“Yours aren’t, that’s certain,” she said seriously. “I’ve never seen a Clan that could field great hovering geometric-crafts like that, much less attempted to clash against them in battle. And all in shades of pink? Absolutely revolting.”
I blinked. “Say again?”
She made a dismissive gesture. “Never—stop tonguing my clit! Ahem… never mind, I mean. The point is Ahnbe’s supposed Claim on you rests on a very tenuous foundation. She cannot have made contact with you save for within the fabric, and thus, whatever offering you made to Her…” She trailed off expectantly.
“Had to have been while I was asleep!” I finished. “Watcher’s black eye… no wonder! That makes so much more sense now.” I fell silent for a moment as I thought over the implications. But then I had to eventually toss my hands up. “I still can’t see what difference it makes. I mean, what am I supposed to do about it? It’s not like any of the other goddesses are going to intercede on my behalf would they?”
“You are probably right, though Maeve is ever one for a sympathetic ear. And my other half almost certainly would have had She known prior to—fucking herself right in the ass!” She let out a resigned sigh before dipping her head to one side, apparently deciding to let her outburst stand as it was. Then one corner of her lip curled up, and a scheming twinkle lit her eyes. “However, my aim was not to suggest you attempt some futile struggle against Her. Quite the opposite. She could eventually be made a formidable ally… if you can bring Her to heel.
“Bring Her to heel?!” I repeated incredulously. “To say nothing of the fact that She could snap me in half like a twig—“
“She won’t,” Mia assured me. She seemed quite confident of that.
“Maybe not on purpose,” I allowed, grudging. “Even so, She can and has injured my lilim out of petty jealousy. That alone makes Her no friend of mine.”
Mia furrowed her brow and stared at me for several long seconds. “Donum…” she began slowly. “I realize She may have bungled a few things, but do not be so hasty to spurn Her advances. She… may not take it well.”
I snorted. “You don’t have to worry about that. I’m a lot of things but suicidal is not one of them.”
Mia made to argue the point, but then she seemed to reconsider and nodded. “Still… I never even considered that you might cast Her aside over your lilim. I doubt She will have either.”
“I don’t see why not,” I replied. “Bullying the people I love is no way to win me over.”
She made humming sound deep in her throat. “And you don’t love Her?”
“I barely know Her.”
“But She’s a goddess.”
I blinked in confusion. “I don’t see how that enters into it.”
“You don’t see how near limitless power and incomparable beauty might be a factor?” she asked, incredulous. “Interesting. Well then… since those things aren’t important to you, I wonder what is. Simple conversation? A few teasing remarks? By that metric, even I would rate above Her…”
“That goes without saying,” I replied before I had time to consider the implications. But from the grin spreading over her face, it was abundantly clear that she had not missed them.
“Well then… I may have just discovered a fascinating new hobby,” she said before swiping a pen from somewhere and writing a note. Which she helpfully recited. “Project: Remembering… Dreams…”
I blinked. “Uh…”
“Now,” she said briskly. “Let’s take a look at your skill-ups, shall we?”
Seleroan
Hey there, gentle reader.
Enjoying the content? Well, why not drop by my Patreon? It helps me keep this show running, and allows me to afford great things like editors, cover artists, and food!
Each chapter is now being personalized with some... passable chapter-inspired AI generated art. I try. But it gives things a bit of color. And you can read ahead!
Come on down! We'd love to see you.
