This story is currently under reconstruction, bare with me please. :)
Disclaimer; All Howl's Moving Castle characters go to their rightful owners. Anyone not from the movie are my brain babies. I make no profit from this story.
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The Prince had come back, like he said he would. He had done everything he could to win Sophie's heart. After a while her attentions where pulled from Howl and she started having feelings for the Prince. Eventually love. Now she was gone. He didn't blame her she needed a steady home. One place to stay where she could raise a family and be constantly tended to. He couldn't give her that. But he felt no sorrow, he was happy for her and the Prince. She had invited him to the wedding even. And a pleasant wedding it was. That was 3 years ago she now had 2 children both boys, twins in fact. He couldn't remember their names at the moment but Sophie had named them so they must have been good. Howl sighed. The Prince was right hearts do change. So has mine. He still loved Sophie in a way but he also loved her enough to let her go and let himself move on.
"Having a heart is a tough business."
Howl blinked out of his daze and glanced over at Calcifer. "Yes it is." Howl said smiling to himself. "You know Howl.. Sophie's been gone for a long time now. Maybe its time to get some new help for around the castle." Calcifer knew he was pushing the subject. He himself was irked a little by the thought of a woman other then Sophie in the house. Still he knew it was best, Markl and Howl wouldn't clean and he couldn't leave this hearth. His question -if it could be called that- was met with silence. "Howl?" Calcifer said a bit uneasily.
"You're right. This castle has gone to hell since Sophie left we need new help." With that Howl headed up the stair. Odd no bath? Cal thought. "Oh, Calcifer heat up some water for my bath will you." Howl called down the stairs.
"YOU'RE A SLAVE DRIVER!" Cal wailed back.
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Markl walked in with an arm load of brightly coloured papers. Excitment radiating off him in waves. "What's up kid?" Cal called out curiously from his hearth. "These are the fliers for the new help." The young apprentice said with a smile. He was so excited soon there would be another person in the castle. Master Howl is always gone or stuck up in his room and Calcifer can only do so much. He thought ran over to the hearth and flashed one of the colourful fliers at the fire demon. "See!" He said grinning ear to ear. "With colors this bright someone has got to notice."
"Just remember kid don't get your hopes up. Lots of people are still afraid of Howl." Calcifer didn't want to crush the kid but he also didn't want him to be heart broken if no one showed up. "I know.." A serious look fell upon the boys face."But we could really use some help around here, plus I kind of liked it when everything was clean. Ya' know?"
"Yeah I know" Calcifer smiled up at the kid. He knew the truth, Markl missed interaction. He had been very close to Sophie and when she left it crushed him. The silence was broken by the sound of the colour knobs turning and Howl walking in the door. "Master Howl look at the fliers I'm going to put up! " Markl jumped up with the pile of papers. Howl took one and looked it over. He nodded his head in approval and walked up the stairs uttering only three words "Calcifer my bath."
"Calcifer do this Calcifer do that blah, blah, blah." Cal blew a huge cloud of steam out his ears in irritation. "Ok well I'm going to go and put up the fliers bye Calcifer!" Markl said barely glancing back as he ran out the door. "Bye kid." Cal called out to a now empty room.
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Markl was walking down the street putting fliers up everywhere he thought people would see. He'd been out for about two hours and was finally reaching the bottom of the stack when someone tapped his shoulder. "Excuse me but are these your fliers? " Said a light and sweet sounding voice.
"Yeah duh why do you ask lad-" Markl turned around his eyes landed on gorgeous midnight black hair, so dark it shimmered blue. From behind blue black bangs forest green eyes looked down at him. Flecks of gold sparkling in them. "Please say you are asking about the job." Markl blurted.
"Why yes I am." The woman giggled. "You got it! " Markl said excitedly a smile plastered to his face. "Hehe, my name is Nemo" She said putting her hand out towards him. "Mine's Markl." Happily giving her hand a quick shake. "Come on you have to talk to Master Howl before you can actually work for us." Leading the woman called Nemo back to the shop connected to the castle. Every now and then he'd look back and get glimpses of the girl. She was shorter then him, maybe 5'3. Her hair reached past the middle of her back in a french braid. Her bangs the only bits of hair not in the braid. She wore a dark blue dress with corset pattern ribbons in the back and black boots. Her eyes are eerily bright though. He shook his head. It was probably just the contrast from her dark hair and clothes. Suddenly he stopped walking.
"Here we are." He said as he opened the door.
