Part III: The Meek Shall Inherit, and Those who Follow the Path of the Righteous Shall Have Their Reward.

The Raven cawed unkindly. Javert snapped his attention away from the dazzling sparks in the eye-sockets of the man in white, with the shock of hair as white as Valjean's.

"In what capacity?" He managed to inquire. The man seemed to smile without moving a facial muscle.

"I have need, it would seem, of an institution of law within my realm. There has been... confusion of late as far as certain Rules that has nearly resulted in the destruction of the Dreaming. You would be charged with preventing this." The man seemed to include Valjean as well, but the latter was not sure.

"Monsieur le Re´ve´," for he gathered that the man he addressed was, indeed, The Dream, "What of me?" The man Regarded Valjean with no little surprise.

"It is you that I mean, Monsieur Le Maire." He looked at Javert, "You, Monsieur L'inspector, will be subordinate to Monsieur Valjean." Javert looked from the man in white, to Valjean, to the sweet mam'selle, who stood a little to the side. He inclined his head, having nothing to say. Even this did not ruffle his eerily imperturbable calm.

"What if I decline?" inquired Valjean. Mlle. La Morte shifted.

"You can come with me."

"What will happen to me then?" She smiled reproachfully,

"You've gotta go to know."

"if you wish to go with Mlle. LaMorte, I will understand." Said the man dans le blanc-matineaux. Hitherto we will refer to him as M. Le Révé, following M. Valjean's example.

"If you want to come with me, then take my hands." She held her glove-buttoned paws out to the two men. Valjean took a step towards her.

"Wait!" Javert could not help the sudden alarm that welled up in him. "You decline M. Le Révé's offer?" Valjean looked at Javert with a gaze full of weariness and surfeit.

"I am tired, Javert." The late inspector looked up at M. Le Révé.

"If he goes with the mademoiselle, then what of me?"

LeRévé looked thoughtful.

"Because you were dreaming when you died, You are entitled to a place in my realm should you so choose. But I am afraid that given your nature; you are too severe to rule the House of Law alone. Severity must be ruled and balanced by Mercy... there are two brothers, from one of the oldest stories of your kind. One was the very first victim, to him was given a house containing Secrets, and he was charged with their protection. The other was the first murderer, and to him was given the House of Mysteries. But his untamed hatred festered so within the House that it burned itself down. He is no longer in the Dreaming-- the elder brother. This is the result of the decay of the Rules of my lands. But Cain will return-- for there must be balance. If M. Valjean goes with my sister and you choose to come with me, you will become a Nightmare."

Javert nodded, satisfied. This too, seemed fitting. Valjean stared at him, turned away from mamselle LaMorte.

"I thought you quite mad, that you-- Inspector Javert-- released me when you had me caught."

"You had me caught first, Valjean." Valjean nodded.

"And then you committed suicide. A mental aberration, said the papers."

"That could be said." mused Javert.

"And that madness has carried into death?" Javert started, regarding Valjean curiously.

"How do you mean?"

"You have committed suicide, and you have no wish for oblivion?"

"I never said anything about oblivion." Mlle. LaMorte reminded them. Javert shrugged, an altogether unnatural action.

"I will take what I am given. We have been offered a position of responsibility in the court of a king. I have failed at enforcing the laws of men, and yet here I am granted the opportunity to enforce those of..." he did not say a god, but looked at M. LeRévé, who shook his head.

"I am not a god. I am Dream of the Endless. I am the King of Dreams." Javert bowed deferentially.

"But it seems," he added, "that I am once more in your power, although this time my hands are not bound and you hold no knife. I will go with Le Roi de le Révé. I am content to be a nightmare, if you are set upon going with La Riene de Morte. I am content to be your subordinate in the court of the Dream-king. I have learned something, since Montreuil-sur-Mer." And then Javert did another unnatural thing. He smiled.

Valjean looked at Le Roi de Le Révé.

"Monsieur le Roi- what would be my duties in your court?"

"You would be charged with keeping the Books of the Rules, in maintaining a relative tranquillity within the ordered chaos that is the dreaming, and maintaining the safety of the Dreamers and the other dreams. You may be called upon to settle disputes that I have not the time for. The sort of things you did as Mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer. Except in my realm you would be Monsieur Le Prefect."

"Not exactly. We are in a Soft Place, at the borders of the Dreaming. We are also near the Sunless Lands, which are the realm of my sister."

"And we must step it up." interjected his sister, tapping her foot impatiently, "You are not the only deaths I must attend today."

"How many do you see to personally, Mademoiselle?" Inquired Javert. Mlle. La Morte grinned at him.

"Why, all of them!" Valjean had another question for M. LeRévé.

"Should I become a Dream in your realm... would my daughter... would Cosette dream of me? Would I be able to visit her in her dreams?" M. LeRévé stared at Jean Valjean, one twinkling eye seemed to grow to a brilliant star of Bethlehem in it's socket.

"Perhaps." Valjean dropped his head, his white locks flowing in his eyes.

"I am a fool."

"You are merciful and just. This is why I sought you for this position. But I must add that it requires the both of you. Should L'inspector Javert have declined, and just Monsieur Valjean accepted, he would have found a place among my palace staff-- Palace Matinance, Mervyn, is always in need of assistance. There is a Library, where I am sure you will find works that you yourselves have written. Among other things. You will each have rooms within the House of Law, and a Garden. Will you consider it?"

"Quickly, if you will." remarked Mlle. LaMorte.

"What will you do for your House of Law if one of us declines?" Asked Javert.

"I will ask Pontius Pilate." He seemed to be joking, but it was unclear all the same.

The raven on his shoulder looked confused; Mlle. LaMorte reached out to stroke her.

"I think..." Valjean cocked his head to listen to the little gamin voice,

"So never kick a dog, because he's just a pup! We'll fight like..."

and another, glorious, more manly,

"Do you hear the People sing? Singing the Songs of...."

higher, more raspy,

"I don't feel any pain, a little fall of rain, can hardly..."

And Fantine,

"And tell Cosette I love her, and I'll see her when I wake...!"

"I think, Monsieur le Roi de la Révé, that I, too, will come with you." He turned to Javert, who could not suppress a feeling of relief. "Perhaps you are mad, perhaps not. But I do not think you deserve to become a nightmare."

"Bravo!" Exclaimed Mlle. LaMorte, clapping her hands. "Well then, It's been lovely, but I've got things to attend to. Good luck Jean Valjean; M. Javert. Bye Dream." She kissed her brother on the cheek. "Bye Tethys."

"FAREWELL" cackled the Raven. Mlle. LaMorte waved to them all finally as she disappeared into the mist,

"Be seeing you..."

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