Life After Death

Truth at Long Last

Dream swallowed thickly.. "Hello."

"I believe we have some catching up to do," the boy, whom Dream had never bothered to learn the name of, said joyfully. Dream straightened his back and held his head up. "In a moment."

He shut the door and ran. "George," he whispered quickly after entering the bedroom. George stepped uneasily out of the bathroom. "George. You must hide now. The Snitch is here and i'm going to talk to him."

"Dream I can-"

"No you must hide. I am positive he is the vampire behind the killings and I don't want you near that. Please."

George stood still for a moment. "Okay." Dream smiled and rushed towards him. "I love you George," Dream mumbled against George's lips where he'd hastily pressed a kiss.

He turned around and flattened out his shirt before walking back downstairs towards the front door. He opened the door and the boy was still standing there.

"Come in," Dream said leisurely, gesturing beside himself. The Snitch walked in and looked around, "I see your flare for decor hasn't changed."

"I see your tendency to defy me hadn't changed either," Dream muttered casually, closing the heavy wooden door. The boy snickered.

"Yes, well. You were always one for grand gestures. Thought you would appreciate it," the boy chided. Dream followed him into the living room. They sat.

"So, tell me King. What have you been up to beside being this towns golden vampire? Been killing anyone for doing something you didn't agree with?"

Dream's eye twitched. "Treason is something any king would not agree with, boy." The boy's head snapped towards Dream. "I'd hardly call having differing opinions treason, King."

"Plotting to overthrow me was treason."

The boy stared for a moment, "Hm.

"We'll have to agree to disagree on that one I suppose."

"I suppose so," Dream said bitterly. He stood, "Do you want a drink?" The boy looked up at him, "..Yes ill take one."

Dream walked to his liquor cabinet and pulled out one of his finest bourbons. "So. Please, tell me, what's your story?" Dream asked quietly as he poured.

The boy sighed. "Let's see, where to start? I'll begin where it's most important. I was helping my father in the field as best I could. See, when I was human, I was anemic. I was weak and feeble, which didn't serve my father very well," he paused bitterly, "he said to me 'Orion you're no more help to me than that fat donkey over there. Go in the house with your mother.'

"He needed someone strong enough to work. Someone reliable enough to pass the farm on to. So off he sent me to find a farm hand in the next town over."

Dream thought for a moment. Percival was once a farm hand, so this could be the moment they met.

"I met a man called Klyde there." Dream's eyebrows raised. "He was looking for a job and said he could help me in return for the position. Wasn't too sure what he meant by that, but he seemed nice enough so I showed him the way home.

"When we got there Klyde immediately took a liking to with my father: he was basically my brother by that winter. Anyway, my health was getting worse by late winter and Klyde asked me if I remembered him promising to help me."

Orion stopped to take a drink of his bourbon, eyebrows drawn and mind far away. "Anyway, in the long run he ended up turning me. Then he met Percival." Dream's interest peaked again. "Percival was working at the farm down the hill. Somehow Klyde and he had met and become friends. And when we found out he was like us.. Naturally we all three became closer. When Percival told us he knew a king...

"Someone whom he considered a father... And that he was leaving us to go join him at his side. Well you can understand how that might have affected us. We couldn't just let you steal him."

"I stole nothing. I put Percival working on that farm. I turned him. He chose me."

Orion closed his eyes for a moment, glass pressed to his lips. "Klyde felt betrayed that the only man he considered family, considered a brother, had left him."

"What about you?" Dream asked, leaning back in his chair. Orion smiled, cheeks flushing fleetingly. "Well I wouldn't call our relationship brotherly."

"Oh."

"Yeah.. Another disappointment to my father, but by that time I was done caring about his opinion. Anyway, by spring we'd come up with a plan. Your crown for our brother."

"The worst day of my life all because you two couldn't be bothered with my rules?"

"The worst day of your life because you listened only to yourself!" Orion slammed his glass down on the table. "And poor Percival- Poor Percival couldn't see that! He was never going to go along with the plan- I mean we had to use leverage to convince him to join us!"

"Leverage?"

"The idea of your head served on a golden platter finalized the plan. Percival only joined us to save your neck."

Dream felt the world rushing around him. Years of laying awake at night. Years of mourning. All because of this boy in front of him and his rebellious boyfriend.