Brother Haugen gently drummed his fingers on the goblet before him, silent as a concerned look overtook his face. He bit his lip and glanced up to Jacques, who sat across the table with his hands cupping a similar goblet. Neither one spoke as they sipped on the wine within the goblets, waiting for the other to speak. Around them, a procession of people waving the new flag of France paraded by, shouting slogans and passing out pins. One woman threw two of them onto the table they sat at, walking off before she could see them roll off the other edge of the table.
As the silence between them carried on, Jacques eventually reached into his overcoat and pulled out his small notebook, flipping it open to the last page with his scrawl. Mere moments after the disturbing dream last night, he had hastily written down everything he could remember about it. He cringed at the sloppy handwriting, thinking his tutors would've given him ten lashes across his knuckles for his poor penmanship, but a cold shiver ran up his spine as he glanced over the words again. Part of him wanted to burn the book for the scene he had written about the attack on the gala. A small twinge of pain stung his left shoulder, right where he had been stabbed in the dream protecting Celestia.
"My son, what you tell me is most troubling," Brother Haugen finally said, laying his hands flat on the table. "To be assaulted in your dreams while in the presence of divinity does not bode well."
Jacques grimaced as he reached for his cup. "I sensed that too, Brother."
"From what you have told me, it would seem this 'Celestia' is not quite the angel we assumed she was," Haugen continued. "You said she acted as if she had no prior knowledge to the attack on you and her?"
"I remember her screaming when I woke from the dream," Jacques replied, wiping the remaining wine from his mouth.
Brother Haugen folded his hands in front of his mouth, pointing both index fingers at the tip of his nose as he thought about what the meaning of this event could be again. He had prayed about this matter several times since he last saw Jacques earlier this week, but he hadn't yet received a sign that could interpret what could be happening with him. His studies now somehow seemed very far away and cloudy, as if something was preventing him from remembering exactly what he was missing.
"Brother," Jacques said, leaning in and breaking his train of thought. "Can you please tell me about this dream? Anything will do. I haven't slept peacefully in two days."
Brother Haugen sighed. "I presumed this 'Celestia' was an angel, but now I fear she may be something more sinister. Have you heard the legend of the succubus, my son?"
The color drained from Jacques' face as he nodded slowly. "Demons who lure men away from God by enticing them with beauty and sexual advances. You don't think...?"
Haugen placed a hand on his chin. "I cannot say for sure unless God answers our prayers, but this situation may be far dire than I had pictured. Has anything else happened to you? Do you feel your strength is leaving you?"
Jacques shook his head. "No, but not sleeping has made me lightheaded."
Haugen nodded. "Do you think about her often?"
Jacques curled his hand into a fist. "Yes."
"How often?"
Jacques glanced away from Haugen, staring at the orange sky. The wispy clouds hung over the magnificent blue roofs of the chateaus around them. Small shades of pink and blue were forming at the edge of the orange sky, the exact same colors of her magnificent hair. In the clouds, he could see her perfect smile and wonderful eyes. "I look around me and I see her. In the sky, among the people, everywhere."
Brother Haugen took a sip of his wine, his gaze pensive. "Do you feel an unnatural attraction to her?"
Jacques looked back to him and then glanced down at the table, pondering the question. Nothing about this felt unnatural. She was a ravishing woman, a beacon of beauty and wisdom, much like other women he had felt this pull towards. However, he had barely any idea who she really was and, if she was an angel or succubus, it would be disastrous for him to attempt to meet or court her. He knew all too well the stories of the Nephilem from the Bible.
"I don't think it's unnatural, but am I sinning against God by feeling this way to a divine being?" he asked.
"If you are sinning, only you and God can know that," Haugen said, pointing at Jacques. "We are all too familiar of those who preach on the outside, yet blaspheme on the inside. I can say that God is generous to those who follow his ways, but to those that defile themselves... well, death is not a pleasant event for them."
He nodded grimly as Jacques looked down at himself, staring at his hands. Perhaps he was courting a succubus, but why was she so beautiful? Why was her smile so warm if she was wanting to condemn him? How could someone like her be evil enough to tempt him with everlasting fire, yet not show a single flaw on her face or eyes? And if she was indeed an angel, why allow him to get so close? If she had a message from God, what could it possibly be?
Questions whirled around his mind as his hands shook. He slammed them onto the table, causing his goblet to jump and he breathed quickly, feeling his chest tighten. A hand closed around his fist, though, and he looked up to see Brother Haugen smiling. "Forgive me, my son. It was not my place to imply what you are doing is profane, nor do I believe God is going to punish you. If this 'Celestia' were something darker, like a succubus, things would be much different than they are now. While I am still baffled by this, I do believe God has sent her to you for a reason. His purposes are grand and unknowable, so it may be a while before you understand why she was brought to you, but once you do, God will bless you as he blessed those in the past."
A small smile grew on Jacques' face as the questions died down, placing his other hand atop of Haugen's. "Thank you, dear Brother."
Haugen nodded, releasing his hand and lifting his goblet. "The Lord may be a keeper of secrets, but he is also a revealer of them. I will keep praying about this matter, but do not hesitate to come to me with anything new about her. Who knows? Maybe when you return, God will show me the meaning of your dreams as he did for Daniel."
Jacques clinked his goblet against Haugen's. "And with any luck, he may help me in my search."
"Ah, yes. I've been meaning to ask you about that," Haugen replied, scooting his chair closer to the table. "Perhaps I can be of some help with this search. What are you looking for?"
Ice pierced Jacques' heart as he thought about his goal. He leaned forward and said in a low voice, "I am looking for my young cousin, Beatrix. She disappeared when her parents were killed."
"Oh dear, I shall pray for her to comforted as well. If I may ask, why were her parents murdered?"
Jacques gulped and looked back down at the table. "Because they were nobles."
The guards outside of Princess Celestia's chambers stiffened as they heard the shuffle of hoofsteps. They immediately lowered their spears, snarling as three servants froze in their tracks, each carrying a small plate of food.
"Names," one guard barked while three others descended upon them.
"I'm Floral, that's Shocktop and she's Sunny Day," the lead servant replied as the guards glared at the food.
"Where are your orders from?" the guard asked, his tone harsh.
"P-Princess Celestia asked for us to b-bring her some nourishment," Sunny squeaked, shying away from the guard towering over her.
"What is the airspeed velocity of an unlaiden swallow?" the lead guard asked.
The door to the chamber flew open, causing everypony to jump as Princess Celestia glared at her guards. "I appreciate your enthusiasm, Sergeant Spark, but I did indeed call them to me. Now please stop asking them nonsensical questions."
Sergeant Spark, along with his group, snapped off crisp salutes. "I'm terribly sorry, my liege, but since you reported intruders in the castle, we have to be especially careful who approaches you."
Celestia forced back a cutting remark and shook her head. Ever since her nightmare, she had gotten little sleep due to the tension in the castle. Guards rotated even more often than before and had become increasingly harsher to the staff, sometimes forcing the poor ponies into prison before she came and released them. Without realizing it, writing pardons had become a part of her daily routine.
The worst by far, though, was the new sleep regimen Luna had forced her into. Her hysteria after seeing the nightmare had nearly delayed the raising of the sun, followed by strict supervision of any dreams Celestia had. Luna's interference made sure Celestia woke at least four times a night.
Shaking her head, Celestia forced a smile to her guards and nodded. "Thank you, brave guards. I let my emotions get the better of me. Please come in, Floral Tail, Shocktop and Sunny Day."
The trio of servants skittered past the guards and into Celestia's chambers. Without a word, they dropped the plates onto her dresser, bowed quickly and bolted from the room and back down the hallway. Celestia rolled her eyes and willed her door shut, trying to tune out the now irritating rubbing of the guards armor plates. She absentmindedly lifted a plate and trudged over to her bed, laying on the rumpled sheets before munching on a carrot. She stared at the ceiling of her room, her mind foggy. This would eventually blow over and she would get a proper night of sleep again, but Luna had pointed out something in her hysteria that stuck with her.
Something was amiss about this Jacques she met in her dreams. He certainly was no ordinary figment of her imagination, especially with his ability to hold that wineglass. Luna had pointed out that the space around him in her dreams was warped, as if he might even be forcing his way in. While occlumency was a somewhat lost art in Equestria, Luna's return had reopened the pathways between dreams. It certainly was possible to enter the dreams of others while guided by a master of occlumency, such as Luna, but for somepony to force their way in was indeed a worrying measure.
Celestia rolled onto her side and stared out the window at the gray clouds of winter. The snow was set to fall any day now, but her thoughts turned back to Jacques. Despite his quirkiness, she rather enjoyed his company in her dreams. Their first encounter had been little more than a friendly chat and the second meeting seemed to be going just fine until the nightmare took over. He certainly was kind as he was handsome, which brought a small blush to her cheeks.
His reaction to the nightmare seemed true enough, as if he didn't expect it. His actions to warn her of the impending attack and subsequent leaping in front of her to protect her made little sense if he meant to bring her harm. Foes like Tirek or King Sombra surely wouldn't have hesitated to drive a blade into her themselves, much less let a dream being kill her, but Jacques was different than their ruthlessness. He was charming, sincere and treated her like he truly believed she was an angel.
Celestia grabbed a pillow and pushed it into her face, trying to stave off her thoughts of him. Luna had claimed thinking about him allowed easier access to her mind should he be using occlumency, which in turn made her more susceptible to any attempt at mind control. She had made it a point to remind her that the nightmare had infected her thoughts through those means.
"Sister," came Luna's voice.
Celestia pulled the pillow off her face and turned to see Luna standing in her room, a small frown on her face.
"Are you thinking about him again?"
Celestia groaned and rolled over, hugging her pillow close.
"I see," Luna said, looking down at her hooves and kicking the carpet. "I've already told you how dangerous that is."
"Yes, Luna. I am well aware how dangerous his attempts on my mind are," Celestia said, her temper fraying.
"I'm reminding you of this for your own safety, sister," Luna said, looking back up. "If somepony is attacking your mind through dreams, we need to find him and seal off his entry into your thoughts."
"You say that like he's intentionally trying to hurt me," Celestia replied.
"Are you sure he's not?"
"Does taking a knife to the chest not say that?"
Luna pressed a hoof to her forehead. "Sister, we've been over this. Dreams are malleable. He could've taken the knife to earn your trust without any damage to himself."
Celestia pressed both hooves to her face and rubbed her eyes. "You also said if that blade would've stabbed me, I could have been seriously hurt! Which is it, Luna?"
"It is both, dear sister!" Luna shouted. "That is why occlumency is so dangerous! It can both happen and not happen simultaneously!"
A tense silence filled the room as each sister sulked, stewing over the words hanging in the air. Inside, Celestia knew Luna was right about this. She had always had a gift with dreams of others and occlumency, mastering the craft while she still struggled to restrain herself within her own dreams. Eventually, Celestia heard Luna's hoof drop and a sigh escape her.
"Sister, to find out more about this being, I must be there when he is present. That's why I'm going to be observing you as you sleep tonight from the far background," she said.
Celestia rolled over slightly and raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"
"You're going to be free to dream as you wish, sister," Luna said, taking a step forward. "Since he has not infiltrated your dreams since the nightmare, he may be able to sense my presence in the ether. I am going to let you dream freely in the hopes he will appear and, should he show himself, I will capture him and find out where he is from."
Celestia frowned. "You're using me as bait?"
"If you wish to put it bluntly, yes, you're bait to trap him in a dreamscape. I do implore you to not wake once he's captured, though. Since he is invading your dreams, he will demand for you to wake up once he's caught. If you do, he'll escape my grasp and probably find a way around my occlumency next time."
Celestia looked at the floor and nodded meekly. Luna was still under the impression he wanted to harm her, but she couldn't convince herself Jacques wasn't anything to be worried about. His presence in her dreams, while soothing, had given her perhaps the most vivid picture of a murder that anypony had seen in recent memory. Besides, she had her own questions for him as well, like how he gripped that wineglass and, should he prove to not be a threat, if he was single.
"Okay, Luna. Sundown is in about three hours," Celestia said, looking up. "Have you ever done this before?"
Luna smiled. "It sounds harder than it is."
Celestia shivered. "I don't like the idea of my mind being used to entrap a pony."
Luna's smile faded as she took another step. "I won't say it will be easy, Celestia. If he is as powerful as I am, he may try to hurt you in order to force you to wake. I will do everything in my power to stop any harm from coming to you, but I cannot guarantee anything."
Celestia frowned again as she bit her carrot, giving Luna a sideways look. For as long as she had known Luna, she was the confident one in her abilities. From flying to magic, she had never doubted her skills, even when she had gotten a nosebleed from moving the moon for the first time. Hearing the unease in her voice was almost alien, as if there was more she wasn't telling her.
"Luna, what can happen if he does attack me?" she asked.
Luna looked away from Celestia, rubbing her foreleg. "Well, um, I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. I've seen ponies react to dream induced pain as if it had happened to them in the material realm, but a direct attack on another's mind is something I have not been privy to."
"Can you guess?"
Luna sighed. "At worst, it could potentially cause death."
Celestia's eyes widened when Luna realized the folly of her words.
"No! No! I will do everything in my power to prevent that! What I mean to imply is that this could be extremely dangerous if he does attack you. Some records speak of memory loss, possession and sometimes ruptures of the brain, but those are under extreme circumstances!"
"And just how far is it considered extreme?" Celestia shouted, the panic rising in her voice.
"Like, direct mental attacks! Destroying the dreamscape, taking control of the dream, things that I will ensure do not happen!"
"Have you done this at all, Luna?" Celestia demanded.
Luna gave an awkward smile. "Yes, over a thousand years ago."
Celestia's mouth hung open, her words completely lost. She was bait for a possible occlumency master and could be crippled or even killed should he attack or forcibly take control of her dream while her sister planned to trap him with some trick she hadn't done in over a thousand years. Doubts about this idea began to overwhelm her senses when Luna's smile smoothed out.
"Sister, you trust me, correct?" she asked.
"Well, yes, normally when my life isn't on the line," Celestia replied.
"Then trust me once again. Whoever this is, he is no master of occlumency the way I am, or else he would've done much worse to you than a startling nightmare. Trust me to protect you the way I trust you to protect me. The dreamscape is, after all, my realm."
Celestia gulped. This would either go very well or end very badly, but Luna's confident smile somehow reassured her that she was in the care of the most capable hooves in Equestria when it came to dreams.
"Okay, sister... I trust you."