Chapter 1: Strange Reunion
I'm sitting outside on the patio of Howl's castle; we have been traveling through Ingary for a couple of hours now. Judging from the sun it's pretty early in the morning, no one's up yet. I've come to visit Sophie, Howl, and of course their darling son, Morgan.
I hear a voice coming from inside,
"Charmain! Oh come on! CHARMAIN!" it's Calcifer, I wonder what he wants now. Fortunately, he's recovered quickly since the giant explosion that occurred while he was destroying the lubbock eggs a few months ago. Unfortunately, so did him massive ego.
"Oh please hurry, I'm starving, I don't think I can hold on… very much…longer…oh…I'm so weak...Charmain?" Calcifer whimpers dramatically.
"Calm down you crybaby! I'm coming!"
I walk in the door to find the fire demon sitting in the hearth. The log he's burning could last him at least another hour, hardly such an emergency to be so demanding!
" You know, it wouldn't do you any harm to learn some manners!" I say while placing two more logs under his fiery body.
"Me? Manners? Pah! Fire demons don't have manners!" he says smartly with a smug grin on his face.
Wizard Howl descends the stairs wearing his best suit of scarlet and gray.
"Now Calcifer, don't be so mean to our delightful guest! Charmain I'm terribly sorry for my demon's horrid behavior. " Howl says politely with his usual dazzling smile, "You shouldn't even bother Charmain! You are free now, remember? You can get the logs yourself, you lazy bum!"
"Papa! Papa! Papa!" Morgan squeals while thumping down the stairs.
"Good morning Morgan! How'd you get out of your crib?" Howl asks, surprised.
"Mikey helped me!" Morgan responds, an enormous smile spreading across on his beautiful face.
"Mikey? Who's Mik—
" Hello! It's been too long Howl!" says a tall, lanky man with an excited and kind expression standing at the top of the stairs.
"Michael? Is that really you?" Howl exclaims, running up the stairs to embrace the strange man, "I haven't seen you in years! How've you been?"
This is very strange; even though Howl is a truly loving person he rarely shows it with such enthusiasm. I don't think I've ever seen him so genuinely shocked and ecstatic.
"I was passing through Market Square when I spotted your castle in the distance. I simply had to drop in! This young man, is he your…SON?" Michael asks, disbelief in his eyes as he points towards Morgan.
"Why yes it is my son! Morgan, he's now three years old." Howl says proudly.
"What's all the racket? Howl you'll wake up the bab—MICHAEL? What are you doing here? How've you been?" Sophie runs down the stairs and plants a big, messy kiss on Michael's forehead.
The three of them kept talking and filling one another in on what's happened in their lives since they last saw each other. I sat there listening and from what I heard, Michael used to be Howl's apprentice. He fell in love with Sophie's sister, Lottie and they moved away to High Norland where they got married. Michael is now a respected wizard who heals his patients, like a doctor. It's now lunchtime and Sophie is cooking lunch on the protesting Calcifer.
"Michael, you look preoccupied, is there something bothering you?" Sophie asks, concerned.
"Well, there's something I must warn you two about," says Michael. The mood has changed suddenly from excitement to worry.
"Yes Michael, what is it?" asks Howl seriously,
"It's the Witch of the Waste…"