Hannibal's house in Baltimore, Sunday evening

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal had decided to forego the dinner tonight; after returning from the zombie play on the island, there wasn't time for anything elaborate, and he had a feeling Raven might not want much anyway.

So instead, there was a bit of wine and some very good cheese in the study, and he sat waiting in a very comfortable chair.


[OOC: waiting for one! NFB]

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[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal answered the door smiling, dressed more casually in a sweater and slacks. "Hello, Raven. Please, come in." He held the door for her.

[trigons_child]

"Thank you," Raven said as she stepped inside. "I have been looking forward to this all week." In a nervous sort of way.

[sharp_as_knives]

"I hope I can live up to such expectations," Hannibal teased. He led her into the study, which was dimly lit, with a fire in the fireplace regardless of the weather outside and two plush chairs pulled close together.

"You should start by being as relaxed as possible. I thought this would suit?"

[trigons_child]

Raven sat down in one of the chairs and smoothed her skirt over her knees. "Yes," she said. "It is very comfortable here."

[sharp_as_knives]

"I am a big believer in comfort," Hannibal confided. He poured them each a glass of the wine - light and not too sweet - and handed one to her. "How have you been this week?"

[trigons_child]

"About the same," Raven said, staring down at her glass. "I try to keep myself distracted by keeping as busy as I can. I spend much of my time traveling to villages in Glacia to make certain the people are well, and to heal any who are sick or injured."

[sharp_as_knives]

"And how are they doing? How is Glacia, and Karla and Warren?" It seemed only polite to ask. "And Jono was going to visit there, I think?"

[trigons_child]

Raven took a sip of her wine. "They are well, and the Territory has been relatively peaceful," she said. "I have not seen Jonothon, however." Or Karla's new pet snake for that matter.

[sharp_as_knives]

"That's good to hear." Hannibal leaned forward. "Although I'm sorry to hear you're still not doing well. The nightmares continue?"

[trigons_child]

"They do," Raven said, nodding. "The details differ, but it is always pain and suffering. At my hand."

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal nodded. "And you would like to try the visualization?" He looked at her seriously. "It will involve going through the nightmare in detail as a start. Can you do that?"

[trigons_child]

"If it will help, I will do my best," Raven said. She wasn't exactly looking forward to it, of course, but she was willing to try. She had to confront it somehow.

[sharp_as_knives]

"I hope that it will." Hannibal gave her a reassuring smile, then sat back and gestured at the fire. "I generally use a blinking light as a focus. But if you prefer, we can use the flames instead." Somehow she struck him as preferring the organic option."

[trigons_child]

Raven returned his smile with a soft one of her own. "Thank you again for helping me, Dr. Lecter," she said. "I very much appreciate you taking the time to do so."

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, willing her body to relax as she turned her head to the flames, staring into them. She used candles when she meditated, so she was used to focusing on their flickering lights.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal murmured the instructions to her in a soothing voice, encouraging her to move deeper into trance.

[trigons_child]

She sank back in the chair, hands folded in her lap. Meditation was easy, though it was different holding on to Hannibal's voice as she fell into a trance.

The dreams always began the same: peaceful, surrounded by friends. Nothing to fear, not yet.

[sharp_as_knives]

"Move through the dream," Hannibal encouraged her. "Tell me what you see. What you feel."

[trigons_child]

"I am in Glacia," Raven said, looking around. The sun was high in the sky, and the temperature was mild and pleasant. "It is a very nice day. So many of my friends are here."

It had to be a celebration of some sort, but she was standing apart from her friends, just watching instead of joining them. Despite the cheer of the day, she could feel unease settling on her. "I am happy to see them, but am nervous as well," she said.

Without exactly meaning to, she pulled Hannibal into her mental landscape. He wouldn't be able to feel what she felt, but he could see what she saw now, as if he were standing beside her.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal blinked, then took a moment to orient himself and realize what had happened. It was a little disconcerting, but very promising.

He stepped close behind Raven and continued speaking in a soothing voice. "What makes you nervous?"

[trigons_child]

Raven wrapped her arms around herself. "They are so happy," she said wistfully. Karla and Warren's children were laughing and shrieking as they played tag with Bobby and Sookie's children. Jono was there as well, and Dinah and Momoko and other friends, even ones who had long left Fandom behind.

"I want it to last forever for them. But it will not."

[sharp_as_knives]

"Nothing lasts forever," Hannibal noted. "Why does that make you nervous?"

[trigons_child]

"Because I am the spawn of the demon Trigon," Raven said softly. "Buried within me is the will and the ability to wage evil and death. And that nature, on more than one occasion, has overpowered me to become one with the darkness. And I can feel it growing inside me again."

[sharp_as_knives]

"What does it feel like?" Hannibal asked. "What makes it stronger now?"

[trigons_child]

"I do not know," Raven said, shaking her head. "It comes and goes...no, it is tied to my emotions. Anger, fear...but I do not feel those now. Pride, perhaps. Envy."

[sharp_as_knives]

"What are you proud of?"