Cass somehow managed to push her horse faster as she galloped through the city. The reasonable part of her heart knew it was no use, that this wouldn't be any different from any other time she had tried to convince someone that she really was seeing the future. But she couldn't just give up hope.

The streets were barren given the hour, so there was no one around to try and stop her as she pushed on to the city limits. The wind whipped around her and made her eyes stream. She pressed closer to her grey stallion's neck as she pressed on. They turned a corner sharply and she had to dig her knees into the horses flank to gain purchase so she wouldn't slip from his back.

She saw the group she was looking for riding out of the city limits at a leisurely and raced up the road to the side so she could cut them off. She tightened her hands in the reins and pulled her horse to a stop in front of the group, causing them to have to do the same and several of the horses whinnied in protest.

"Paris! Do not do this!" She said.

"Sister, you have no idea about which you speak." Paris pulled his horse to the front of the group.

"I know you are going to Sparta with the intention of convincing Helen to leave with you." She reeled her horse around to face him properly. "Paris, it will cause an all out war and Troy will fall."

"She was promised to me by the Gods. Troy has the favour of Zeus. No one would dare stand against us." Paris's words were met with noises of agreement from his men.

"It will not matter! Troy cannot stand against the full might of the Greeks! Paris, brother, if you do this, you will damn us all. Please, listen to me." She pleaded, holding onto a single glimmer of hope that she could get through to him.

"She was promised to me by the gods. And by the gods, no one will interfere. Move out of our way, Cassandra, or I will make you." He reached towards the hilt of his sword and she had no choice but to concede. "Thank you, sister. I will see you upon my return with my new bride."

She watched them go before turning her horse around and making her way back through the city. The images of everything around her burning wouldn't leave her mind and by the time she slipped back into the palace, her anger at Apollo was roaring in her chest once again.

***

Cass made her own way to Fiddler's Green as soon as the fell asleep, the anger and grief in her heart still growing, even in the calmness of the meadow. Her influence over the dreaming became more apparent as the sky began to darken, not that she noticed, she was too engrossed in her own thoughts. She couldn't stand to just stay back and watch as her brother fulfilled the prophecy that preceded his birth. Yet, there was nothing she could do to stop it. She had no choice but to-

"Cassandra!" Morpheus's voice cut through the air like a whip, succeeding in knocking her out of her own thoughts.

She glanced around the darkened meadow and immediately reined her emotions back in. The sky began to fade back to its usual soft blue as she took several deep breaths and screwed her eyes shut. "I am sorry."

"You have become better at controlling it." He sighed. "What happened?"

"It is starting. Paris rode to Sparta. He would not listen to me when I tried to warn him about what his actions would cause." She buried a hand in her hair and tugged at the strands, grounding herself in the slight sting, as she turned to look at him. He flinched ever so slightly, as if he was in pain, and his hand moved towards his head before stopping abruptly and dropping back to his side.

"I would like to introduce you to some people." He said after a moment of silence between them.

In the few months since she had started working with him, he had never introduced her to any of the residents of the dreaming, other than Fiddler's Green, who after the first month, he had told her was actually sentient being who could take the form of a man, and Alexander the raven.

"Who?"

"They are brothers. I offered one a place here after his death, and the other at the firsts request." He explained, his hands clasped in front of him. He still wore the same black robes he had the first time she saw him, but other than the colour, her dress never changed in the dreaming either.

"They live here?"

"Yes."

She wondered what it would be like to never have to leave, to spend eternity living in dreams. "Why are you introducing me to people now?"

"You have proved to me that you can control the affect you have here, yet I still do not know why you have an affect at all." He held out a hand for her, something flashing quickly through his eyes when she took it, and started walking. "I wish to see if you have any influence over the residents of the dreaming. I know you can throw my creations out of the dreams of others, but I wonder what you will be able to do in the dreaming itself."

"I can influence Fiddler's Green." She pointed out as he led them out of the meadow and down a paved path towards a bridge, which led to an island with two houses sitting on it. As the terrain under foot changed, she waved her hands until her feet were covered by her usual sandals.

"Fiddler's Green is not like most of my creations." He said without further explanation, and she knew by now that pressing the issue would not get her any further.

They carried on towards the two houses in comfortable silence. Until something large with wings dropped out of the sky and landed in front of them.

Cass yelped and locked the hand that wasn't already in Morpheus's grip onto his arm. She positioned herself partially behind him as she looked over the green, scaled, winged creature. It was taller than them both when it stood on its hind legs and she gripped Morpheus's arm tighter in anticipation as it grunted at them. But when she glanced at him, he was watching her with amused eyes.

"This is Gregory." He explained.

"What is he?" She asked, moving with him as he stepped towards the creature.

"He is a gargoyle. I made him specifically as a gift for the brothers." He reached out his free hand and stroked it down Gregory's nose before turning back towards her. "He will not bite."

"My brother said that about a horse once." She murmured under her breath, not missing the amused look he gave her. She hesitantly unlatched her hand from his arm and reached out to stroke the gargoyle's nose. He nudged into her hand much like a horse would, clearly enjoying the attention.

"Gregory! Gregory!" An enthusiastic voice called from over the bridge.

Gregory turned towards whoever it was and made a noise of greeting.

"Lord Morpheus." The man smiled widely before turning his attention to Cass. "And... friend."

"Abel, this is Princess Cassandra of Troy." Morpheus introduced her.

"She...she is a mortal." Abel stared at her with wide eyes.

"A mortal here with my blessing." A sudden hardness unlaced Morpheus's words.

"Of course, my lord." Abel quickly said. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady."

"Likewise." Cass smiled.

"I have tea if you would like some?" Abel was already walking across the bridge before either of them could reply.

Morpheus followed him, gently tugging at Cass's hand to get her moving. Gregory momentarily disappeared before reappearing with a ball, that he dropped at their feet, and looking at them expectantly. Cass glanced at Morpheus but he looked as stoic as ever again, so she kicked the ball across the garden herself. The gargoyle went bounding after it happily and she couldn't keep the wide smile off her face, the worry of what had happened earlier leaving for a little while. She wondered briefly if that had been Morpheus's plan all along.

"Lord Morpheus." Another voice greeted.

"And his friend, Lady Cassandra. This is my brother Cain." Abel introduced.

Morpheus went to correct the title but Cass cut in. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"You too, my lady." Cain said with a small nod.

"Cassandra has power here in the dreaming. I hope you will be happy to welcome her if ever I am unable." Morpheus said, sounding more detached than he usually did when it was just the two of them in Fiddler's Green.

"Of course, my lady. The House of Secrets is always open to you." Abel gestured to the house on the left of the bridge.

"I think you mean the House of Mystery will always be open to her. My lady." Cain gestured to the one on the right.

"I am sure I will have the opportunity to visit both." Cass smiled.

As they both started arguing over who would bring them tea and biscuits, Cass turned back to Morpheus. "Can I ask a favour of you?"

"Mortals generally do not ask favours of the endless." He said, as cryptic as ever.

She smiled softly. "I hoped you might consider mine as I have already done it for you." He raised his eyebrows as she turned into him. "Call me Cass? Cassandra is the cursed seer and I do not wish to be that here, in the only escape I have."

His lips parted slightly as he considered her words. "Very well, Cass it is."

Her smile grew wider. "Thank you."

He gave her a stiff nod before pulling her in the direction the brothers had disappeared in.