To Dwell In Nightmares and Dreams

Epilogue

After the meeting, they laughed a bit together in the Throne Room, they stood next to his throne.

"His face, I wish I could have done that for hours" Stiles chuckled, though letting their laughter die down.

He had loved watching the Lord of Power squirm the entire meeting.

Alicia and Madam Rucia agreed, smiling warmly at him but then Alicia's smiled started to wane and her voice became serious, Stiles suddenly wished he'd continued to talk about the council meeting, his insides twisting uncomfortably at what she brought up.

"This might not be the right time or place but I noticed you don't seem yourself even though you try to act like it...are you okay?"

Stiles felt like his insides had turned to vipers, eating up his insides at what he'd done. How could he even talk about it? How could he even process it? He still hadn't really, it felt like a nightmare.

"I heard that you went through some struggles to get the cure, you don't have to talk about what happened if you don't want too, we won't push you" Madam Rucia said comfortingly.

He felt himself relax a little "Thanks, I'm not really okay and I don't want to talk about it, I...just need some time, thats all"

Time to forgive himself?

Or simply make peace with what he'd done?

No, for now he would just do whatever he could to make up for it...

Maybe if he made everyones lives better here and made sure Alicia didn't regret him choosing her as the New Lady of Mind, then Daisy wouldn't hate him from beyond the grave?

He couldn't talk about it all but... maybe some things twisting and evolving in his mind would help?

"Lets just say, I've had a lot of my mind and what happened made me..." Feel like guilt was eating him from the inside but also "Think a lot about the werewolves that abandoned me here"

He still hated them.

His heart still felt like it had turned to ice whenever he thought about them.

But maybe...

"I think I've been too harsh on anyone who reminded me of them. Its true that we don't usually get along with werewolves but I didn't even try and think rationally and just let my instincts and my emotions control me" He looked over at Madam Rucia and said grimly"I even hurt you and my district when I got too upset, I think I...just need time to think about a lot thats happened and to clear my head"

"You weren't used to your new status, you still aren't, I don't blame you for that but I'm glad you're thinking about all this" She responded.

He honestly didn't understand how someone could be so kind.

Alicia stepped in as she said helpfully, smiling sympathetically "If you want, you can give me and the other Lords and Ladies some more responsibilities while you take some time off. It has been a bit crazy since so I understand that you need a break, everyone does now and again"

A break from all this?

At first he wanted to quickly say no, of course not!

He was the Grand Master, he couldn't just drop everything. He wanted to disagree it straight away but instead what came out of his mouth was...

"A break?" He asked warily.

"Yes, I think you might need one. As long as you want though I assume no matter how much we say you wouldn't be away too long" Madam Rucua said, sounding a little amused but very reassuring.

His hands he realised, had been clenched all this time, when did he start doing that during this conversation? He didn't remember, slowly Stiles unclenched them.

His body suddenly felt very worn and just ready for some rest.

Since how long had it been until he'd had some proper sleep?

His voice cracked slightly as he spoke, the emotional exhaustion seeping through that he couldn't hide "A break...would be nice"

Many years later Stiles stood next to a window, staring out of it while trying to get his thoughts in order.

He remembered everything so clearly it was almost like it hadn't been years.

He remembered that he'd only taken a weeks break but he'd felt so rested afterwards and willing to jump back into everything again.

His ice heart had started to creak and crack since then.

They were here...

He sensed them as soon as he felt them enter his realm.

Stiles eyes glinted dangerously as he awaited them.

The fire he'd locked inside himself began to leak out once more, threatening to consume everything.

He very much doubted they'd pass the test he had set out for them.

He hoped that the broken bond between them was still causing them pain.

Prove to me that you regret what you've done.

Prove to me that you've changed.

Prove me wrong.

"Stiles..."

That voice made him feel anger rush through him but he was able to control it a lot better now.

"I haven't been called that name in a while"

It was usually Mieczyslaw or Grand Master after all...

He crossed his arms, trying to keep the anger at bay, he'd learnt to keep his negative emotions more underwraps but that didn't mean they didn't slip through now and again if something enraged him, which didn't happen often.

"Believe it or not but I do have things to do"

He could feel their emotions and knew what they wanted him for something, though he ignored the the strange longing feeling there as well. That...couldn't be possible.

Instead he focused on what they wanted which made he feel waves of fury run through his body, he was barely containing it, he didn't want to cause trouble for his district with an earthquake.

Seriously? They hadn't come because they wanted him back but because they needed him for something.

Stiles gritted his teeth together as he growled "Now tell me what you want wolf!"

Prove me wrong.

I dare you... 

Hello! This is the end! It feels very odd as I've been with this story so long. I won't lie this story has given me some trouble and I've had a lot of writers block however I've had lots of life struggles throughout writing this too.

I hope whoever is reading this has enjoyed this! So sorry its taken me a while to get through. Thank you for reading, voting and the lovely comments. I'm honestly surprised I didn't get some angry comments when I took such a long time to update. Thank you so much, I couldn't have finished this without you all. Everyone who reads my stories helps motivate me to do more. This story is sort of a prequal, so if you enjoy this and haven't read the other story connected to this, its called Deception, I recommend that one. 

I have also have a website I'd love to promote. I won't be updating it in a while as I am doing  a lot of drafts first. If you like anime and enjoy commentaries on them then I reccommend my wordpress blog  https://pipercharms.blog/  

I got the test idea from a show I used to watch when I was young called Merlin, a BBC show where King Arthur had to go through tests to heal his land that had been cursed after he killed a Unicorn. I also thinking of the scene when Merlin drank poison for Arthur when I wrote Alicia drinking the poison for Stiles. 

A serious and honest special thank you to everyone who's stayed on until now. 

The world has gotten very crazy, I hope you are all safe and well!