(Untitled)

[honest_johns]

It's well past midnight.

Alain's asleep.

In his dream, he's talking to Cuthbert at Milliways -- except Milliways looks like the Traveler's Rest in Hambry.

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[awesome_lilly]

The Traveler's Rest was never next to the ocean, but that doesn't really matter in the Dreaming. It is now, and outside its windows there's a stretch of golden sand and long, rolling waves breaking upon it.

There's a girl sitting on the sand, watching the waves.

[honest_johns]

"I'll ask the lookout," Cuthbert says, his face solemn and his eyes dancing with laughter. "Aye, cully, what do'ee say?" he asks the Big Bert kooshball hanging from a chain around his neck. After an appropriate listening silence, he shakes his head sadly. "He says there's no help for it. We'll have to get Jamie to plan it."

Grinning, Alain turns away from his table -- empty now, Cuthbert faded in the way of dreams -- to the window.

Sea-breakers and sun, and Lilly.

[awesome_lilly]

In the space of a wave, Alain's beside her. She knows it's him without looking, the way you do in dreams.

"Wei," she says softly, still watching the water.

[honest_johns]

He settles down next to her on the sun-warmed sand, slipping an arm around her.

He's barefoot, though he wasn't a minute ago -- this is Lilly's dream, even if now he's dreaming it too, and in Lilly's world workboots are not acceptable beach wear. He digs his feet into the sand, feeling it sliding between his toes, and waits for her to talk.