Chapter 1

The poor fools. They think this war is going to end in their favor. These people, this war, are going to come to an end. Especially if too many witches and wizards get involved. That reminded Howl that he needed Calcifer to move the castle again. The Witch's henchmen had found him. He needed to go to a whole other town, but that would be a pain as well. He would have to come up with new stories to ruin his name, new girls to go after, and a new hiding place to get away from Madam Suliman as well.

"Hi little mousy. You're a cute one. Hey Joe come look over here."

"What is it? Oh she's a cute one. You lost? We can take you somewhere even more fun."

Oh come on. This girl could surely handle herself. Just stand up against them. She was a cute one, but these soldiers had no right to do that. Howl couldn't get involved. Not now. He couldn't make himself known, but the more he listened to these soldiers, the angrier he got. The only thing that kept him from attacking those soldiers on the spot was telling himself that she would be able to andle it.

"No thanks. I'm not lost. I'm going to the bakery to find my sister."

Good. She'd told them. Now those soldiers would surely leave her alone. Her voice had become steadier as she spoke. What those soldiers standing there? She'd told them to leave.

"Oh look, you scared her. Your mustache scares all of the girls."

What?! The girl's courage had only encouraged them. Howl didn't know how much longer he could last without rushing out to help her. The angry flame within Howl was now roaring for him to do something about these idiots.

Stepping with a light step, he laid his arm lightly across the girl's shoulders and said, "There you are honey. I've been looking everywhere for you. Come along."

"Hey! We're busy here."

"Oh. I thought you were just leaving."

Howl twirled his finger and with a few flicks of his wrist he had the soldiers marching down the alley to another post, and away from any other vulnerable girls. If anyone was to be accused of eating girl's hearts, it would be them.

Giving the girl's shoulder a light squeeze. She was trembling, but thank God she had gone along whit his little play. "It's alright. They won't be coming back anytime soon. Don't be alarmed, but I'm being followed. Act natural." He couldn't help but smile at how she followed every word he said. He led her down some back alleys trying to lose the henchmen. The Witch of the Waste's henchmen was coming from all sides now. The girl was trembling. She was definitely scared out of her wits. He hated bringing her into this, but he couldn't have just left her there to be harassed by those soldiers.

"Hold on." With a little bend of the knees, they went straight up in the air. The only place they were safe from the henchmen.

"Now just start walking." With each step she became more and more confident and a smile even started to put a dimple on her cheek. He couldn't hold back the comment, "You're a natural." She blushed shyly and tried to keep her head down.

He continued to lead her through the air until he saw the landing at the bakery. They slowly drifted down until her feet touched down on the landing. She smiled up at him as if he had hung the moon. Then he realized uneasily, but he may have led the Witch's henchmen to this poor girl. He would do anything to keep them from her, but as he thought this he sensed the henchmen slinking away. That made Howl uneasy.

"I'll lead them away. You stay out of trouble now."

She nodded and he slowly floated down, touching down lightly on the ground and taking off without a second thought. He needed to speak with Calcifer on this. She might be the one.