To Walk Through a Dream Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven With Wavering Footsteps Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Stone Song Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three A Tale of Winter Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Destiny Inescapable Prologue Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Epilogue The Cycle's Continuing Beginnings Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Two Spirits Akin

[A/N: I have to write a disclaimer? Another one?!? ;-) Okay, I admit it. I am now officially knee-deep in my own fan-fic world, and to understand this story, one needs must read all the others I wrote before it see left side bar. I think this will most likely be true of anything else I write after this (and believe me, there's more.). I know it's been awhile since I wrote any HoND fanfic, so I hope people haven't *entirely* forgotten my other stories. In case this one confuses you, I'll warn you here and now: this isn't really a story in and of itself, it's more of a lead-in to the next one (which you'll have to wait for me to write). Hang in there, I'm not finished yet...] The Cycle's Continuing By ~Reya Cil~ A cold rain fell over Paris, and in the midst of it a tall, wiry figure leant against the bridge railing, gazing out over the Seine. The sound of approaching footsteps was drowned out by the steady rhythm of the rain, so Clopin did not notice he had a companion until the cloaked figure came to look out over the swollen river beside him. He did not recognize who it was at first, yet still felt oddly at peace, unsuspicious of the other. They stood wrapped in their own thoughts silently, each shrouded in their cloaks, calmly aware of each other's presence. The harsh winter was nearly at an end, and most of the gypsies in the Court of Miracles had survived tolerably well, though not without some outside assistance, but Clopin pushed that particular thought to the back of his mind for the hundredth time. Soon it would be spring, and with the Feast of Fools everyone's spirits would brighten. His thoughts strayed from the near future to the recent past, skipping over the most recent event of this winter, lingering on the early autumn, the time of nightmares, the hunting of the dream-beast. Thank whatever gods there might be that was over.... "Nothing is ever over. Nothing ever ends. The world is an infinite cycle, the patterns repeating endlessly, but they are too large for us to see...." Clopin turned then, knowing his fellow gypsy by her voice, although for a moment she reminded him of someone else. You sound more like her every day... Marya lifted the hood slightly to peer up at him through the rain, and he was struck momentarily by the intensity of her eyes. "Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt your thoughts...." She looked to the stony bridge beneath them, suddenly a shy young girl. He simply watched her in silence, his reverie unbroken by her words. When she sensed that he was still lost in his own thoughts, Marya turned to look out over the Seine once more. She could feel it's dark pull, the turbulent rush of nature, exuberant and wild with the coming spring. Marya closed her eyes and tried to push her senses deeper into the river, but it seemed foreign to her in this wild state, and that feeling in her own mind was a barrier to her senses, her own mind locking her out of the world. She opened her eyes and sighed raggedly in frustration, pushing her frustration back inside. When in the stone's mind, she knew eternal patience, but now she was just a simple human girl who had yet to learn how to manage her stubborn temper. As she drew her mind away from her newfound abilities, so too did Clopin draw his mind back to the physical world. Simultaneously they realized the rain was coming down much harder now, and with a mutual glance between them, they ran together for the nearest shelter, which turned out to be the eaves of a tavern. From there they made their way towards the cemetery and the safety of the Court, walking side by side beneath the eaves when they could, and dashing from one building to the next whenever their overhead shelter gave way to open sky again. Neither quite realized just how futile this was, since they had both been completely soaked even before the rain had begun to pelt down harder. Clopin stood panting just inside the catacombs entrance, and Marya slid to her knees beside him. After they had both regained their breath, they took their time walking the labyrinthine path to the Court, Clopin making signs to the guards every now and again. As they walked, he finally brought up the question that had been nagging him for many months now. "There was a girl in the Court some time back who was very determined to leave us." He looked to her for a reaction, but received none that he could see. " Perhaps you knew her? Very stubborn, headstrong. Defensive. About so tall," He held up his hand to her head level "long black hair, dark green eyes. Seen her around?" "She's still here. She just changed a little." He didn't have to look this time, he could hear the smile in her voice. "Why? And how?" "She found what she was looking for. She found her place in the world." He shook his head, smiling a little sadly. "And she became a mystic. Clopin could swear you sound more like the DreamWalker all the time." He turned back when he realized she had stopped walking. She was back a few paces, a mildly puzzled, but not unhappy expression on her face. "Do I?" She muttered softly and, seeing him waiting for her she came to walk beside him again. "I'm still not sure what I am though. I've been having visions more often than I used to, but I still can't seem to interpret them until they've already come to pass, and what good is that?!" They both heard the frustration creeping into her voice and she struggled to calm herself again. It was several moments before she spoke up again. "And sometimes even then I'm left confused. There was one vision I had, just befo-" She cut herself off, remembering that when last she had seen the DreamWalker, no one else had. She wasn't quite ready yet to admit to anyone what had transpired that night. "A while back." She said lamely. "And part of it I understand, but there was something about a beetle...." Clopin gave her a look of mixed confusion and amusement. Marya shrugged in response. "I have no idea what it meant. But the other parts of the vision came true, so I don't know if it has to do with something that hasn't happened yet, or if I'm just not interpreting it right." Clopin shrugged nonchalantly as they entered the Court. Most of the other gypsies were asleep in their tents, oblivious to the rain far above. Marya's mind lingered on the vision she had seen shortly before she'd nearly run away, but suddenly there was a flicker of.......something.....just on the edge of her consciousness. Something golden... Clopin noticed the slight change in her demeanor and waited until her eyes refocused on her surroundings. She struggled for a moment to piece together in words the swirl of sensations that had bombarded her mind moments before. Whatever she had felt was too strong, she couldn't hold it inside her. Silently she reached out to the stone for assistance and it's words flowed through her. Clopin moved back a little, startled. Then shook his head. Must have been a trick of the light. But he could have sworn for a moment there she actually glowed. Then her voice came, and he shivered slightly as the words of prophecy were spoken. "He is nearly here." ~*~ Chapter One of Beginnings