A.N-FORGIVE ME!!! PLEASE!!! I'm sooo sorry it took so long for me to get this out but I started university and have been super busy with work and the like. Please take this epilogue as a token of my apology!!!! Thanks to everyone for bearing with me….and thanks to FilmMaker, Kyla45, abelXesther4ever, celestial lelila, catbuddy, jumira-wings, SilverWinter18, Hatake Sienna, HoodiesRsoft, Linkfangirl01, puppy444219, moongirlSelene99, LadyPyr0, Timorth, InnChan, sana-chan9, JenKM1216 and Josephine yang for reviewing the last chapter. Read and Review!!!

Epilogue

Howl decided just after Helios left us in that clearing where he was summoned that he would wait until my system was entirely cleaned of the potion designed to make me forget him before we would go visit Aeolus. He sent Calcifer with a message yesterday and returned with a message so exuberant that Howl all at once became anxious and excited as a little child. Now we prepare to visit the father Howl hasn't seen in years.

"I must admit I'm nervous Sophie. I haven't seen him since before I swallowed Calcifer. I communicated with him yes, but what kind of son would be if I didn't? I knew that he'd know instantly that I had swallowed the star and that I had given up my heart."

I lay the hand that glitters with Helios' ring onto his sleeve. "Even if he had known Howl, he would've been mad yes but you are his son, he would have loved you nonetheless."

He looks at me and covers my hand with his own. "I know."

He opens the door, dial turned to my meadow, and steps out. "I need to transform and you need to fly with me there. The wind surrounding my father's castle is so strong that only one who is a skilled flyer can get through, or a powerful magician."

I stop him before he transforms. "Howl wait. You say that Aeolus is your father? I thought that the combination of half human half god made the person like Circe-cold and uncaring for anyone except themselves. And yet you and Sulliman…I mean Hedira…you're nothing like her."

Howl turns and looks at me, considering this. "For the most part this is true. The child inherits the powers of the god but none of the wisdom and the ambitions of the human but nothing of the mercy and compassion, a deadly combination. Hedira I believe is merely an exception to this rule. If you think about it she actually isn't…she is ambitions otherwise she wouldn't be a court magician. However she has wisdom and a degree of human mercy and compassion, despite being fully half human half immortal."

I notice that he passed over himself in this, something I will not allow. "And yourself? You inherited the powers and wisdom of the gods, the compassion and mercy of humans and the vanity of both. Are you an exception too?"

"There is no rule for me to be an exception to. I'm not fully half human half god. And I'm not," his voice becomes injured. "Vain."

Frustration wells up inside me. He's playing games with me and he knows it. "Then what are you? If your father is Aeolus…"

"My mother, Helena is the granddaughter of Eros and Psyche, a god and, at the time, a human. My grandfather on that side, Karus, was born half human even though Psyche had been made immortal by the time he was born. He offended Zeus badly with his ambition-he was exactly like Circe- and was subsequently put to death when he was discovered trying to figure out a way to dispose of Zeus and take over the ruling of the universe, but not before he had my mother in an attempt to create a son. Needless to say my mother didn't think highly of her father. She is a quarter immortal and ¾ human, so I'm about 60 god, 40 human as far as I can figure it, causing me to have the power as well as the wisdom."

I take over for him. "And the compassion and mercy came because of the fact that the god-like wisdom negates any human ambition the power may give you. The vanity is explainable, you're a descendant of the famously vain goddess of beauty, wasn't Eros her son?"

Instead of confirming what I just said he merely looks at me grumpily. "I am not vain."

"Whatever you say love," I smirk back at him. "I should mention you told Aeolus 10:00, and it's 9 now."

In response to my point Howl transforms and takes to the sky for a moment, stretching his wings.

I should say at this point that I am not at all fond of flying with Howl…indeed I try to avoid it if the portal will take me where he's going, but no portal can take us to Aeolus' castle so flying it must be. I will gloss over how it was however, redescribing it will only make me further nauseated that the flight itself did.

Once we get past the wind barrier a path leading up to a beautiful castle confronts us and it surprises me that this is where Howl grew up. It's a classic fairy tale castle palace, with pointy towers and pennants snapping in the wind. The roofing is made of a blue tiling, the walls of the castle appear to be cold white marble and the doors look like paneled mahogany.

Two figures stand in the door.

As Howl and I walk down the path I get increasingly nervous and I can tell that my nervousness throws Howl off because I'm usually the strong one in the relationship. We get closer and I can start to make out features.

The woman is stunningly beautiful. Her hair is a light brown and she has Howl's eyes, the bluish gray. Aeolus is ruggedly handsome, and doesn't look a day over perhaps 35. The oddest thing about him is perhaps that his hair and trace of beard are the same shade as Howl's natural color is his blue–black hair.

Howl freezes about 5 meters away from his parents. I drop into a curtsy, a mortal amongst the immortal but Howl remains frozen. Looking up from my curtsy, I look from one face to another. Helena's eyes sparkle with tears and Aeolus looks so proud and happy that he's practically beaming. "Welcome home Howl," he says, his voice rumbling slightly. Helena steps down from the threshold of the castle and hurries to her son and embraces him.

"I'm so proud of you for standing up to Circe. Helios told us all about it of course…and who is this young lady?" She raises me to my feet.

"My name is Sophie Hatter milady." I look her in the eye as I say this.

She smiles. "Congratulations Howl, you found one who speaks for herself. Sophie, dear, you can call me Helena. I realize that a wedding is not far off and I have my dress from when I married Aeolus. I realize it may be a little dated however, I think it would suit you perfectly."

And at once I know I've been accepted. I walk into the castle with Helena leaving Howl behind to converse with his father.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

It's a week after How saw his parents again and the castle of the winds is decked out with elaborate decorations for a party…my wedding reception to be precise. Noises come from guests in the great hall and I stand in the entrance way with my husband.

Because this morning on the front step of the moving castle, in front of Medea, Hedonia, Helena, Aeolus, Helios and my entire family, Howl and I were married.

The dress Helena lent me is an older dress, with a long train. White of course, with flower patterns sewn into the bodice. The center of the flower glints oddly and upon further inspection when I first wore it I discovered a small perfect diamond in each of them.

Howl, I have also subsequently discovered is immortal. It makes sense considering that he is more than half a god. But Helena has assured me that when I consummate my union with Howl I will be tied to him. As long as he lives, so will I.

He leans down and kisses me as Aeolus announces us to the assembled Immortals and mortals and I pull back and smile at him.

My life is a dream from which I never want to wake up.

A/N-There, Dreaming's finally done. I can't believe I procrastinated this for so long…read and review for one last time