Fallen Angel

Chapter 26.2

The Lord of Dreams sat leisurely on the balcony, swirling the wine in his cup as he looked out into the starless night. Recent developments made him second-guess his decision to back the Devil, even though it was the wisest, less painful option. 
Fear spread through the Mortal Realm much faster than expected as the Horsemen travelled the Earth. Nightmares thrived, which was good, since Morpheus drew his strength from terror. But he found that the humans who survived the Horsemen's terror were no more than husks, exactly as Michael had predicted. Their souls were sucked out of their still-living bodies. And without a soul, their sleep was as empty as their existence. If this was humanity's fate, what would be his?
A ruckus outside the throne room pulled Morpheus out of his musings. He jumped to his feet when the Fallen Angel walked in, without the slightest regard for proper decorum or the simplest hello.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, as Joan walked straight toward him.

"A word please, Kyrios Morpheus."

"Can't you see I'm busy? Go away. Go on, shoo!"

"This can't wait."

Morpheus scowled at her, but the girl didn't budge. It was clear she wouldn't move until he heard her. And since she was the Devil's precious guest, he couldn't use any force on her.

"Tch, what could possibly be so important that you have to disturb me?"

"Why did you give me that dream?" asked Joan.

Her question threw Morpheus off guard. "I beg your pardon?"

"The dream. Why did you do that?"

"My dear girl, I'm afraid I had nothing to do with whatever you dreamed about."

"I don't understand." Joan tilted her head inquisitively. "Aren't you the Lord of Dreams?"

"Indeed. For mortals. You may be a Fallen Angel now, but you still have a hint of divinity. Thus, whatever you dream about comes directly from the big man upstairs."

Morpheus's eyes narrowed when he noticed the pensive crease at Joan's brow. He casually walked to his throne, throwing her a glance over his shoulder.

"Just out of curiosity, what exactly did you dream about? I may not have given you the dream, but I can still interpret it. Dreams are all about symbolism and I do happen to be quite an expert in that field."

"I was in the Vale. With my friends and my mother and... everyone."

Morpheus hid his disappointment. He had hoped for something more interesting than this. Bored at Joan's simple reply, he plucked at the grapes on the table next to his throne and said, "You long for home. It's natural for someone who has lost everything and is in your current state. I believe they call it a nesting urge or something. Anything else?"

"I saw the Lord Protector."

The Lord of Dreams choked on a grape at the mention of the Archangel he had stashed away in the heart of his palace. 

"P-Pardon?" he uttered in a coughing fit.

"Michael. I saw him. He said something about a bell chiming thrice. That's what confused me. Do you perhaps know what it means?"

Morpheus stared at the Fallen Angel.

Does she know? No, of course not. How could she? How could God even? My Realm is not part of His domain. It's something else. Yes, something else, of course.

"T-That is," he cleared his throat, "peculiar indeed. To hear a bell usually means that something will happen. The number of bell chimes could indicate a period of time. Perhaps it's to do with your um... due date? Some supernatural creatures give birth in three months. That might be it."