In Which a Wizard and a Sorcerer Are Friends


Summary: Howl and Rhys. A wizard from Ingary and a sorcerer from Bamarre. Both equally flamboyant, both somewhat unsure of themselves when certain ladies enter the picture. How they contrived to meet and help each other along in their respective stories. Bookverse.

Disclaimer: This is a crossover of Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones and The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine (Sorry Ella Enchanted fans, there is no separate category as of yet, so I have to put this here. I will move it as soon as the category is up.) I own neither. I do not profit.

A/N: I intend this to be a fairly short multi-chapter story about Howl and Rhys' various meetings. This is just the prologue, so be sure to leave me a review to tell me what you thought, if I should continue it, if it was dreadfully boring, etc. etc. I wrote it months ago, and I was going to post it after I wrote chapter 1, but I am impatient to hear people's thoughts. So let me have 'em. ^^ Though I do want to mention the other chapters will be in third person, unlike the prologue. Just fyi. (I think first person is fun sometimes, don't you? And I was inspired by Susanna Clarke, so there.) Enjoy the ride!


Prologue

Most people are under the misapprehension that wizards and sorcerers are one and the same. Ask any inhabitant of Ingary to describe the difference and you will be greeted with a blank stare from a person who most certainly doubts your intelligence. This person will continue to explain that Ingary has many sorts of "wizards": Mrs. Pentstemmon, Sorcerer Jenkins, Wizard Norland, Mrs. Fairfax, Wizard Suliman, Wizard Pendragon, and of course the infamous Horrible Howl and Witch of the Waste. He or she will set you straight: it is merely a preference of title. They are all magical and that's what counts.

I must admit to having been under this fatal misunderstanding myself at one time. When I learned the truth of the matter, I resolved to set people straight. In actuality there are many classes of magical beings. These of course include – but are not limited to –sorcerers, sorceresses, witches, wizards, elves, nymphs, fairies, phoenixes, unicorns, centaurs, shades, dragons, specters, magicians, and warlocks. The only thing all of them have in common is that they can work magic of some kind. Not every land has every creature; Ingary, for instance, merely has wizards, witches, and fire demons. The land of Bamarre has everything from gryphons to dragons to fairies to sorcerers – but lacks wizards.

In fact, every land wizards inhabit is devoid of sorcerers and vice versa. It is no wonder, therefore, that the aforementioned confusions arose. To clarify once and for all, wizards are very much like humans, aside from being able to work magic (and aside from being infinitely cleverer and more handsome, but that has been a matter of debate for years, and probably stemmed from some vain wizard himself). In all appearances though, wizards are humans – but with a magical gift.

Sorcerers, on the other hand, could never be mistaken for a human. Be it their white eyelashes, bony feet, or their natural state of flying, sorcerers tend to stick out. Moreover, sorcerers' years are measured differently from human years – sorcerers live much longer. Their matter of birth is simply bizarre: a sorcerer will spring forth in the rare occasion that granite is struck by lightning. Rather than possessing a heart as humans (and most wizards) do, sorcerers have their "sorcerers' flame" located above their breast bone. They seem to have a special affinity for weather and clouds (they were born from the sky in a sense) and require a baton to wield magic. Indeed, sorcerers appear so different that it has been argued that they should be classified under a different race altogether.

After considering these facts, I believe it may excite some curiosity to learn how a wizard and a sorcerer contrived to meet and become friends; thus I have resolved to put pen to paper and record their story.


A/N: Reviews motivate me to actually write chapter 1. Heh heh ^^;