canon is Sarah Monette's 'Doctrine of Labyrinths' series

[labyrinthique]

Dearest mundane of mine, if you think I'd prefer to trade one mess for another, you are sorely mistaken. The Mirador at least is a chaos I know and have allies in. And no, I don't care that 'the oneiromantic implications are wonderful'. I'll keep the Khloidanikos for my dream-forays, thank you very much.

Comments

[lord_wizard]

[Well, isn't this interesting?]

Are you sure we aren't dreaming now?

[labyrinthique]

....Entirely possible.

[Though now he's not sure if this is just an ordinary, albeit weird, dream, or someone is fucking with him. He doesn't like that possiblity much]

[lord_wizard]

[It wouldn't be the first time something like this has happened, though Malkar chose the image of another person to deceive him.]

Though with Malkar gone...what purpose could this serve?

[labyrinthique]

Strangely enough, I was wondering the same thing myself.

[There's a careful lightness to his voice - enough that it might be a joke - but the wariness hasn't left his expression]

[lord_wizard]

Oh, not so strange when you think about it...

How about a test. Something Malkar wouldn't know.

...

Who taught you to control your dreams?

[labyrinthique]

[There's a quiet moment as Felix weighs the risk before replying]

Iosephinus. And to turn the test around - you ought to know what his last name was.

[lord_wizard]

Pompey. Does that satisfy?

[labyrinthique]

[He relaxes a bit at that]

It does - on that matter, anyway. You're... me. Which I suppose could be an elaborate dream-projection of myself, but that's not ususally something I dream of.

[lord_wizard]

No, certainly not.

What did you mean, by the way, by oneiromantic implications? [Maybe that's the reason for this]

[labyrinthique]

A different - and far less pleasant - dream construct, it seems. Anything more than that is 'spoilers', apparently.

[Who doesn't like not knowing what's going on? Felix, that's who]

[lord_wizard]

Powers forbid we ever get a say in any of this.

[labyrinthique]

No. That would be convenient.

[choirboy_clerk]

Is this another thing you've forgotten to tell me about, Felix? [The angry tone is a little half-hearted]

[labyrinthique]

[It's enough to rub at Felix's already frayed temper, though]

This wasn't my idea, Gideon.

[choirboy_clerk]

[Gideon is hardly fazed by that flash of temper. He's far too inured to it by now.]

I didn't mean that. I meant...what is the Khloidanikos? You've never spoken about it before.

[labyrinthique]

[He makes a vaguely dismissive gesture]

Nothing important.

[choirboy_clerk]

So why not share a little?

[labyrinthique]

[Because it's his, damnit, and he selfishly doesn't want to share that little space of peace he has. Not even with Gideon]

Why does it matter?