Disclaimer - i don not own howls moving castle. sigh... what a bugger Enjoy! This is a cross between the movie and the book so bear with me people
Howls Moving Castle.
Start at them dropping off Markle for his first day of school. Sophie is hired by Prince Justin to do some seamstress work. Wanting something to fill her day, (Howls doing his work and Markle's now attending a school in Kingsbury) she readily accepts, but with Justin has a plan. To make sophie his.
"Did you remember everything Markel?" Sophie asked as she straightened up the compulsary bowtie that matched his new uniform.
"Yes, Sophie." He smiled. Markel was genuinely excited to be going to school. He was home schooled for the first two years and Sophie thought that it was bad for his childhood development if he didn't have friends his own age, and because Sohpie had to sweet-talk Howl into letting Markel go, Howl still wasn't 100 percent happy, but it was what was best for his apprentice.
"Howl or I will be here at 3 o'clock to take you home, okay?"
Nodding his head, Markel cried "Okay. Because we really are a family now right?"
"Right." Sophie agreed as she stood back with Howl and watched Markel run off into the school yard.
Placing a hand gently aroung her waist, Howl led her away.
"They grow up fast don't they?"
"Yeah," Sophie sighed as she enjoyed Howls half embrace. Resting her short starlight-silver hair in the nook between Howls shoulder and his arm, revelling at his touch on her arm and across her back. Sophie loved every moment they spent together, even if was as simple as getting some groceries to something like helping with another one of his crazy magical experiments.
The young couple walked to a store with 'Wizard Pendragon' emblazon over the door and walked in, but no sooner had Howl gotten back to work and Sophie had sat down to a decent cup of tea, that there was a knock on the door.
"Kingsbury Door!" Calcifer the fire demon shouted from his place in the hearth of the fire place.
Opening it, Howl was not overly happy to see one of the kings messengers.
"Good afternoon sir," he began with a curt bow. "Would Miss Sophie Hatter be here by any chance?"
"Depends on what you want?" Howls brow knitted together in suspicion of the stranger who came looking for his Sophie.
"I am to deliver this letter to her immediately." Holding up the letter, the messenger was clearly starting to shake in his boots under the glare of the wizard.
"I'll be sure to see she gets as soon as possible." Howl said with an evil smirk as he took the letter and shut the door in the mans face before he could anything about it.
"Howell Jenkins! That was very rude indeed." Sophie snapped, her hands on her hips.
"Well, you would get mad, and jealous, if random, strange girls started showing up on our doorstep looking for me so why can't I do the same thing when guys come looking for you?"
"I suppose. But can I have my letter now?" she asked sweetly, looking up at Howl with puppy dog eyes. He had no choice but to give in. She was just way too damn cute when she looked at him like that, so, smiling and acting like a gentlemen, Howl held the letter out to her. When she went to get it from him, however, he threw his hand back and using his free arm, menuvered around her waist pulling her up against him. Sophie tried to pull away, but it was futile. He had a strong grip.
"I thought you were going to let me get my letter."
"Oh yes, but I didn't say it wouldn't come at a cost, my dear." he said smiling slyly at the girl in his grip.
"And what, Mr Jenkins would that cost be?" Sophie asked with a sly smile of her own.
"I'm sure I could think of something" And with that Howl lowered his head and kissed Sophie passiontely. He wouldn't have stopped anytime soon, except for a moaning Calcifer.
"Would you guys get a room already?"
"Sorry Cal." Both faced the fire demon and apologised. Sophie was blushing.
"Here you go, Cariad." Howl handed her the letter and placed himself over by the kitchen table to continue whatever he was doing before they left to take his young apprentice to school.
Sophie looked over the letter. It was folded in thirds with the royal seal in a velvet red wax, holding the letter shut.
Breaking the seal, Sophie scanned the letter.
"Hey, Howl." he turned to face her. "Listen to this...
Ms Sophie Hatter, I request your assistence at the palace. News of your remarkable sewing skills have reached my ears and I now ask you to sew me a suit. I need it for a grand occasion and wish to commision you. You will, naturally be compensated with a decent sum. I would be pleased if you would come to the palace as soon as possible to discuss this arrangement, that is if you agree to it. Thanking you in anticipation, Prince Justin of Ingary. Well, what do you think?"
"I think that if you want to do it you should. But demand decent hours, like when Markel's at school. He would ge very unhappy if this temporary job of yours got in the way of 'family time' as he calls it."
"yeah, maybe your right."
The very next day, Sophie saw Markel to school, kissed Howl goodbye and went to the palace to see the prince.
Entering the giant halls, her name echoed off the walls as she was announced.
"Ms Hatter! I'm so glad you came." Justin walked right up to Sophie, who politely curtsey.
"I'm accepting the offer you proposed in your letter."
"Marvelous! Simply marvelous. I'm so glad you did, otherwise I would have to get some secound rate seamstress to do it." Justin had a smile going from ear to ear. Sophie couldn't help but smile back. "Please, come with me." He held out his arm, which Sophie graciously took as he lead her down several corridors and into a room where Sophie took measurements and drew the design to the princes specifications.
It was clearly going to be a grand suit, there was no doubt about that.
"So, Sophie. What would you be doing right now if you weren't here?"
This totally random question caught her slightly off guard.
"Well, I suppose I would be cleaning or..." Sophie looked at the time and shrieked. "Om my goodness! I'm so sorry but I have to go." Grabbing her things, she headed towards the door.
"But, why Sophie?" Justin asked slightly confused.
"I have to get Markel from school, if Howl gets him, he won't be able to eat any dinner because he'll take him to a cake shop or something."
Then Sophie made her escape, Running out of the palace and down the stairs, all the way to the school, just as the bell rang to dismiss all the students.
"Well, that was unexpected" Justin said to himself as the door closed behind the starlight haired women. But who's Markel? Her son? Nephew maybe? And Howl... I know that name... Of course! The wizard Howl! But what would a sweet girl like Sophie be doing with Howl? Justin left to wonder the palace gardens. It always seemed to help him think more clearly.
"Sophie! I'm glad you came!" Markel cried as he ran to give her a hug.
"It's good to see you too Markel. Who knew 6 hours could feel like an eternity?"
"I know, you had to go see the prince today right? What did you do? Did you give him a time out like you give me?"
"No, I didn't give him a time out because he is the prince and also he doesn't copy the rude things that Howl says when an experiment goes wrong."
"Oh you mean like..." Markel decided that the death stare he was recieving was more then enough reason to keep his mouth shut.
After a few more moments, the pair arrived back at Wizard 'Pendragon''s shop. But before they could open the door, Howl had swung it open and admitted Markel before sweeping Sophie into a huge hug and another passionate kiss.
"You have no idea how much I missed you." he said before giving another bonecrushing hug.
"Likewise. But with any luck I should only be a few more days at the very most."
"Good. I don't think I can bear to be with out you." he said as Sophie began to laugh, Markel came outside to hug her again and drag Howl inside to start his magic lesson.
"The prince isn't going to like this very much." The voice came from someone hiding around a corner, she and her partner had been asked by the prince to follow Sophie and find out as much as they could about this 'Markel' boy and her relationship with the wizard Howl.
"I know." her partner replied. "But if there is anymore bad news after this then your telling him."
"Are you afraid of the prince, sir?" she curtly asked.
"No, I'm not afraid of the prince, just of being out of a job."