21.

dignity

Among the dreaming world, among the large dreamers, the ones who had their own hall, there was no sense of humility. These people, if they even were anymore, were tall, proud and graceful. They had become so used to their station, playing with the hopes and despair of all humans that they thought themselves above it.

In truth, they never slept. Their duties were too pressing, and their bodies had evolved to process the pressure. They were always sending out dreams, thoughts, feelings, even when they were in a class, debate, or meal.

They would absently dust pillows, shuffle apprentices from one hall to the next, and they never seemed to trip, fall or run into anything. Some of the younger dreamers would try to pull pranks on them, but the head dreamers always seemed to know about them. Ignore them, step around them, and whap the culprits on the head with a soft object.

The head dreamers knew of many things, but nothing so much as dignity.