regency au } { of frustrations and broken hearts

[impetere]

Stiles: [and while he wants to ask her to go for a walk with him, he is going to be a good boy and just go back to his room and relax in the sitting room with a book]

Cora: [and Cora will not be able to sleep again, so she'll just be wandering the hallways until she gets frustrated enough to go outside]

Stiles: [and he will happen to look out the window when he sees her leaving and, being concerns, pulls on his boots and a jacket and goes to follow her with a lantern] Lady Cora, is everything okay?

Cora: [glances to him and frowns before nodding] Yes. I just needed some fresh air.

Stiles: Oh. Well, you still should not be out here on your own this late.

Cora: Thank you for your concern, but I can take care of myself.

Stiles: [he licks his lips, then nods] Okay. [and he's going to sigh, and then turn to go]

Cora: [and now she feels like she's said something wrong and she closes her eyes] I'm sorry. I didn't mean ...

Stiles: No, you are capable of taking care of yourself. I didn't mean to insult you, M'lady...

Cora: You didn't. I know that looking at me it is easy to forget.

Stiles: It's not.... I know you can take care of yourself. I just... I just want to know for myself that you are safe.

Cora: [she eyes him carefully for a moment, before looking away] I just need some time to think, that's all, and I do better when I am thinking outside.

Stiles: [he nods] I understand. I will leave you then to think, m'lady. [he holds out the lamp] Would you at least care for the light?

Cora: [she shakes her head] It will more likely impair my vision than anything. Werewolves can see in the dark.

Stiles: Oh. Well, then I guess I will just go back inside.

Cora: [she nods] I'm sorry, again. Good night, Stiles.

Stiles: [and he's going to turn and the lamp light is going to reflect on two eyes. Two eyes that are towers above him as a bear gets up on it's back paws] Oh God... Cora... [he takes a step back as the bear growls]

Cora: [moves faster one hand reaching out to pull him back as she shifts, pushing him to the ground as she snarls at the bear, claws out and ready to defend him]

Bear: [snarls back. It's baby is missing and she's an angry bear]

Stiles: [yup, behind Cora, and he's so not going to complain.] There any way you can get it to go away?

Cora: I don't know what it wants. [and she's just going to take a step back, trying to make herself bigger, make herself look like a threat] Go get Laura.

Stiles: I'm not going to just leave you here!

Cora: [turns on him and snarls] I need Laura! Go!

Stiles: [and he takes another step back, and then just runs for the castle, running to Laura’s room and pounding on the door]

Laura: [hears the pounding on the door and moves to it, pulling it open to find Stiles there] Stiles?

Stiles: Bear. Big... big bear. Cora... [out of breath] Needs you.

Laura: [and that's all she needs before she's taking off for the woods and her sister. When she reaches the scene, Cora is trying to fight the bear off and she can smell blood and that's all she needs to roar in the bear's direction, throwing all of her weight as alpha behind it]

Stiles: [and he is going to try and follow, but he will wait out of distance by the manor and only see the shadows but her hears that roar and watches the bear roar back. It's at that point where there is a tiny fuzzy thing nosing his leg and Stiles looks down] Oh you're what it wants. [and he's picking up the baby bear and walking down] Wait... wait she's just looking for her baby.

Bear: [growling, eyes on Stiles]

Laura: [glances back over her shoulder and her eyes widen] Stiles, put it down.

Stiles: [nods, putting the bear down] Go back to your mama, little one.

Baby Bear: [bounds off to his mother, who is back on all fours and hovering and picking the baby up and going back towards the forest]

Laura: [waits until the bear is clear before rushing to her sister's side] Cora?

Cora: [there's a wince of pain as she tries to sit up] It's healing. I'm fine.

Stiles: Healing means you have something to heal from. [and he's on her other side, worried]

Cora: [there's a nice bloody gash in her side that Stiles probably can't see in the dark, but Laura can smell the blood]

Laura: [to Stiles] Help me get her inside.

Stiles: [nods, his arms going to gently get under Cora, going to lift her] I've got her.

Laura: [nods] Take her to the sitting room. I'm going to get Dr. Deaton.

Cora: Laura, I'm fine.

Laura: I'm not speaking to you.

Stiles: Yes, M'lady. [and nope, Laura is the alpha, he's supposed to follow her orders. And he will take Cora there, laying her gently on a couch and kneeling beside her] I should get something to clean that out.

Cora: [she shakes her head] It's already healing. I'm fine. [though it hurts. a lot.]

Stiles: Healing doesn't mean that it should just be left unattended. Please. [it was his light that drew the bear to them. He's worried] Please, I need to do something.

Cora: [she closes her eyes before leaning back against the couch] Fine.

Stiles: [and he is going to grab the cloth and handwash bowl, coming back to rip apart her dress more, and dab the cloth along her wound gently.]

Cora: [she moves her hand to her dress, using it to keep the fabric in place so that he doesn't see more than he's supposed to see]

Stiles: [and he's taking care not to cause her any pain as he does it] I'm so sorry. If I hadn't brought the lamp…

Cora: Stiles, it is not your fault.

Stiles: No, it is. You were distracted by me. You would have noticed the bear if I hadn't been there. I brought the light. I distracted you...

Cora: [her free hand moves to cover his, trying to draw his attention. Her voice softens as she speaks] Stiles.

Stiles: [he looks back up at her, nervous]

Cora: [she curls her fingers around his before pulling them back so that he can see where her skin was already sealing back together] Look. I'm fine.

Stiles: [he holds her hand tightly, watching and licking his lips before slowly nodding] But if you didn't have that ability. If you couldn't...

Cora: But I do. [squeezes his hand] I do. And I'm fine.

Stiles: [he just nodded again, but his eyes were watching her heal, his hand shaking a bit in hers]

Cora: [pulls his hand in, watching him just as intently]

Deaton: [comes in with Laura] Stiles, may I?

Stiles: [nods and shifts to let Deaton closer, his hand locked with hers]

Cora: [glances away from him and to Laura and Stiles] I need another dress.

Stiles: [looks up at Laura. He really doesn't want to move from her side]

Laura: [glances over to Stiles] I will stay with her. Go to Erica, she will get what you need.

Stiles: [he nods, moving to stand up and squeezing Cora's hand one more time before he goes off to find Erica. He's still in a bit of shock at just how fast everything was moving, his own breathing and heartbeat still not coming down from the high yet]

Laura: [will just move and sit with her sister while the wait]

Erica: [is asleep. Possibly with Boyd. We just don't know]

Stiles: [knocks on the door] Lady Erica....?

Erica: [mumbles softly as she picks her head up off Boyd's chest] Who is it?

Boyd: [his hands just hold her tightly] It's Stiles. I know that voice anywhere.

Stiles: It's Stiles, M'lady. Cora was in a bit of a... she needs a new dress and Lady Laura sent me to find you...

Erica: [sighs, before leaning in to brush a kiss to Boyd's lips] Don't move. I will be back. [and she will scramble to pull a night dress together and make her way to the door - thankfully, her bed is out of the view of the door as she opens it] A dress?

Stiles: Yeah... She um... hers is slashed.

Erica: Slashed? [now she's a little concerned]

Stiles: [nods, his hand tapping against his thigh nervously] She's healing... she just needs a new dress.

Erica: [nods and goes to move down the hall to Cora's chambers]

Stiles: [follows her, looking around nervously] I almost got her killed, Erica. I...I was just wanting to make sure she was okay and I just brought her pain.

Erica: [she turns and glances back at him over her shoulder] What happened?

Stiles: She was alone outside. I just went to see if she was okay and a bear... it was attracted to my light. She... she put herself between it and me and it hurt her.

Erica: If there was a bear, it would have hurt her whether you were there or not.

Stiles: But it came... it came because of me. [his shaking is starting to get a bit worse]

Erica: [notices that and she turns to face him, shaking her hands] Stiles. We live in the woods. Wild animals come out of them all the time. It could have happened to anyone.

Stiles: But it happened to her... it happened to her and I couldn't help her...

Erica: Stiles. We all have things that we cannot help. [they reach Cora's chambers and she makes her way inside, heading right for the wardrobe] Cora is a wolf. She'll heal. Worrying and feeling guilty will not change the fact that it happened.

Stiles: But what does that mean for the future I can give her? If I can't protect her? If I put her at risk?

Erica: And why do you presume that you need to protect her?

Stiles: Because.... because I love her. And that is what you do to those you love.

Erica: There are other ways of protection.

Stiles: I don't understand what you mean.

Erica: My lady has never required protection of her body. She has been a werewolf her whole life, and she learned to fight when she was very young. She has no need of a knight to rescue her when she can rescue herself. What she needs is someone who will protect her heart.

Stiles: [he takes a deep breath] She already protects her heart well enough from anyone.

Erica: She doesn't trust anyone with it either.

Stiles: I know. And she's too afraid to trust me with it either because she's afraid of the pain it will cause her if she loses me. And I can't convince her otherwise.

Erica: My lady was very young when she lost her mother. And it wasn't just her mother, it was also her alpha, which is a pain all it's own for werewolves. I was not part of the pack at the time, but grief is incredibly strong for us. In some ways, it is like losing a limb. Add to it, the pain of lost parents and it's understandable why the idea of a mate bond would be terrifying for her, because it is so much more.

Stiles: But they have all started to move on. Why won't she?

Erica: Because she is scared. Because living in the pain that is familiar is easier than facing the new and unknown.

Stiles: [nods] I should um... get that dress to her and Lady Laura.

Erica: [nods and pulls off the robe] I will run a bath for the blood. It should be ready by the time she gets here.

Stiles: Thank you. [and he takes it and turns to head back]

Laura: [when he gets there she reaches to take the robe from him] Thank you, Stiles.

Stiles: Erica is also drawing a bath for Lady Cora.

Laura: Good. [she opens the robe, holding it to shield her sister from the male eyes in the room. Cora gets up, shedding the tatters of her dress and slipping into the robe, tying it around her waist. It shows far more of her curves than any of her dresses ever do, and she uses her hand to keep the top closed]

Stiles: [looks away, keeping his focus on his feet] I should probably retire to my room and let the lady rest...

Cora: [she nods some before moving forward, letting her hand rest on his arm before she presses a soft kiss to his cheek] Thank you, Stiles.

Stiles: [he looked up at her, his eyes still worried but he nodded.] Goodnight, m'lady.

Cora: [and off she will go to take her bath and then crawl into bed to sleep away the rest of the night]

Stiles: [and he's going to stay up in his room, fretting and unable to focus on sleeping]

Cora: [will probably miss breakfast and not reappear until lunch if she's left undisturbed]

Stiles: [he's probably just going to stay in his room for the day, taking his meals there and laying on his couch, holding a book in his lap but not really reading]

Cora: [and when she figures that out, she will make her way to see him, knocking lightly on his door]

Stiles: Come in. [he closes the book, shifting to greet his visitor]

Cora: [opens the door, giving him a small smile] No one has seen you all day.

Stiles: [he shrugs, moving to stand] I haven't felt like being outside today.

Cora: Are you alright?

Stiles: I'm not sure, to be honest. How are you feeling?

Cora: Fine. A little tired, but that's normal after I need to heal.

Stiles: But you'll recover, right?

Cora: [she nods] I'll be good as new.

Stiles: Does it still hurt?

Cora: No. Not at all.

Stiles: That's good.

Cora: [moves to sit next to him] Is it still bothering you?

Stiles: I'm fine, m'lady. I didn't get hurt at all.

Cora: That's not what I'm asking.

Stiles: [he looked at his hands] I'm fine, m'lady.

Cora: No you are not.

Stiles: ... I will be fine, m'lady. I just need some time.

Cora: [sighs softly, before nodding] Of course. I will leave you, then.

Stiles: [it took him a moment before he spoke] You know, pain always fades away when you let yourself heal. When you heal, you find that you can do things again you felt you couldn't do when all you could feel was the pain.

Cora: [she pauses for a moment, because she knows he's talking about her.] Some wounds take longer to heal.

Stiles: Maybe, but all wounds heal with time, treatment, and then working the muscle again to give back its strength.

Cora: [glances away again, eyes focused on her hands]

Stiles: And if you don't use it... the muscle won't heal right, and you will always feel pain. And it'll make you afraid of the pain so much, you refuse to use it at all. And I don't want you to ever be in pain, m'lady. And I don't want to be the cause of it.

Cora: You are not the cause of my pain. Not at all.

Stiles: No, but my affections are.

Cora: So what are you saying?

Stiles: You've been through more pain that I can understand. And you're afraid that you will go through it again losing me. I don't know what to do, m'lady. I.... I am in love with you. To continue on this path... I will hurt you because either you will come to love me and one day, far from now, you will lose me... or you will lose me soon for not wanting my love at all and I will have to leave. I just don't know which you will choose, and I... & he moves to look out the window] And I don't want to keep trying to make you love me if it's not something you wish to have from me

Cora: [her eyes fall to her hands because this is what she was afraid of. He wants something she's not capable of giving him and she loses him as a friend.] I don't know how.

Stiles: We can work with that, Lady Cora. But only if it is what you want.

Cora: I don't know what I want.

Stiles: [he lowers his head] And that puts us at an impasse that I don't know how to fix.

Cora: I'm sorry. That I can't give you what you're looking for.

Stiles: Then perhaps it would be better if I leave then, so that I am not the cause of any more confusion to you, m'lady.

Cora: [that isn't want she wants. She doesn't want him to leave because she knows she'll never see him again] What about your uncle's agreement?

Stiles: [he shrugs] I don't know. I'm sure my uncle will find another knight that would be willing to take me in. [there is sadness in his voice because he doesn't want to leave. Hale Manor is more his home than any he has lived in]

Cora: You shouldn't have to leave. [she pauses, considering] I can go to the summer castle with Peter.

Stiles: You shouldn't have to leave either. This is your home.

Cora: It's yours as well. [because she knows how much this means to him] My leaving is less complicated. And the summer castle is my home as well.

Stiles: The lady will do as she wishes. I will let her make her choice then.

Cora: [she nods as she gets up, making her way to the door] I'm sorry, my lord. I wish I could give you what you're looking for.

Stiles: I know you can, M'lady. That's not the problem. I just don't know how to pierce through the walls around your heart so that you can see loving me back isn't going to cause you pain.

Cora: [softly] If I knew I would tell you.

Stiles: Part of it I know comes from you being willing to trust me with your heart, m'lady. But that is where you choice begins.

Cora: [she nods, closing her eyes as she reaches for the door. She could. She could jump and let him catch her, but every time she thinks about it something seizes in her chest and she can't push herself forward. Everyone tells her not to be afraid of love but it is so much easier said than done.] You deserve someone who can love you in return. I am not sure I can.

Stiles: Pardon my frankness, m'lady, but if you allow yourself to always hide behind you fears... how will you find anything in your life that makes you truly happy?

Cora: I was happy! [because that makes her angry and she turns to face him again] I had my family and friends and my pack, and that was all I needed and you ... you had to change everything!

Stiles: But I am your friend! And I want to be your family! How is what I offer you any different from the loves you already allow yourself to feel!

Cora: Who says you weren't already?!

Stiles: You hold me at an arms length, my lady. You always have.

Cora: You were my family. It just wasn't the way you wanted.

Stiles: [he reached up to rub at his eye, pushing away the tears] I just wish I could understand why my loving you is bad.

Cora: [her teeth grit] You were my best friend and you were my pack. Why wasn't that enough? [now she has too many feelings she doesn't understand and too many complications. She was happy with things as they were and now she doesn't know what they are anymore]

Peter: [and before Stiles could respond, then door is opened on them and Peter walks in, not at all happy at either of them. He glares at Stiles first, who lowers his eyes, and then looks at Cora] I believe that this lover’s quarrel has gone on far too long.

Cora: [glances between the two of them, before going to try and move past her uncle] I was leaving.

Peter: [puts his hand across the doorway] No, I believe you are going to stay for a moment, dear niece.

Cora: [her eyes dart to him but she stops, taking a step back and keeping her eyes on the ground]

Peter: [watches them both a moment, trying to decide what he was going to do.] Lord Stilinski, for the time being, I think it will be best if you confine yourself to spending your time with the knights with your lessons, and taking your meals with them so that you can better get to know them. Perhaps that will help you with your focus more on your lessons.

Stiles: [nods] Yes, m'lord.

Peter: And you will refrain from contact with Lady Cora until she wishes to reinitiate her relations with you. [looks at Cora] And in which time, I hope she will use to reflect on the questions you have asked her and that she can come to seek out answers for you with console with her family so that she can better understand herself.

Stiles: Yes, m'lord.

Peter: [and he looks at Cora, an eyebrow raised]

Cora: [she doesn't make eye contact but she nods] Yes, Uncle Peter.

Peter: Good. You may leave now. [and he moves to let Cora go]

Cora: [which she does, as quickly as she can]

Peter: [and he will leave as well. And from that, Stiles is going to obey the orders of the Lord of the mansion, and the next time he will probably be around Cora will be at Laura's wedding untless she initiates contact before then]

Cora: [probably not. it will depend on who she talks to, but for the most part she just wants to curl up in a ball and cry]