Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Howl's Moving Castle! I have been a fan ever since I was a little girl.
A/N: I hope you guys enjoy this! Thank you.
"My beautiful daughter, you have grown," He looked down at his daughter who was only a toddler, "I am so sorry that I have to leave you so suddenly."
He rubbed her head ever so gently as if he rubbed too hard she would break. Her pale blonde hair began to knot up, and her big blue eyes looking into her own father's eyes signaled it was time to go. He could not dare to waste any more time there. He would put them in danger, his own little family. No, he couldn't let that happen. He cannot afford to lose either of them. Not Sophie. Not Mia. He had to get moving to the West, and Howl had to make sure he was far away from them as possible. The longer he stayed the more he didn't want to leave. He turned on his heels and walked out the door before taking a quick glance behind him. My how his daughter looked just like him. His blonde hair had been given to her, and his charming looks were beautiful on Mia's face.
He surely was going to miss them, but it was too dangerous for him to stay there. He quietly stepped outside of his daughter's room and quickly made his way towards the front door. Slipping quietly by the fire known as Calcifer, but before Calcifer could say anything to the wizard he had already slipped out the door. Of course, no one knew the young wizard was leaving his family behind. He wandered silently down the streets in the cool of the night. The light of the moon showing his path. This began the new journey for Howl, and the new life for his daughter Mia.
Mia, who is sixteen-years-old, wanders the roads of the town her mother had decided to call home. She takes her time getting to the market because she knew her mother wouldn't be home for another few hours. She had gotten up early to explore the new location, her new home, she knew her mother wouldn't stop searching for her father who had abandoned her when she was such a young age. She never understood how cruel her father was to just leave her mother to take care of herself since she was only two. It was tough on Sophie, that it was, but her mother always made sure her daughter was as healthy as she could be.
Sophie taught her daughter major life lessons and major independence skills. Sophie had to make ends meet with her salary of a hat maker and house cleaner, but it still made Mia live a happy and unselfish life. Sophie had been distraught to awaken the next day when Howl had left so suddenly in the night. Not even a letter was left to tell her why! She could only think of the worse possibilities, but now she has moved on. She knew how he was, and she knew he wouldn't leave them without an explanation. She knew in her heart that he had a very clear reason as to why he had left them without notifying them. She knew that he knew if he told Sophie that he was leaving she wouldn't have let him leave her. Even after fourteen years of him being missing she has faith that he still is out there waiting for her to find him for that is what love does to you.
As for Mia, she has grown to despise her father even though her mother had tried to convince her that he loves her very much. Mia never believed it. If he loved her then how could he be so selfish that he left her and her mother? She could never understand that! How dare he leave her mother to be so…so broken apart? Her mother's eyes never looked so shattered. She hated him and every aspect that she could imagine of him. She hated him for the fact he left her mother so torn apart. She hated him because he was the reason his mother cried herself to sleep every night.
Regaining focus on the world around her; she had stumbled into the man before her. She was such a klutz at times!
"Kid, watch where you're going!" A man who looked no older than her screamed in her face.
Her temper was quick to rise, and she soon began to feel the heat overtake her face. Her eyebrows furrowed in frustration.
"How about you watch where you're stepping! I was perfectly fine until you just so happen to walk into my bubble of personal space!" She spat out with venom laced with every word.
"Excuse me, but I don't think that's how you treat people who are older than you!"
"Excuse me! Excuse you! How dare you scream in my face; I don't even know who you are!"
With a stamp of her right foot, she turned around and headed towards the market. Upon entering the market, she hurriedly got everything she needed. Her little run in with the stranger left her with little time to wander around the streets of this new town.
Mia walked inside her home to be greeted by Calcifer, the fire demon that kept their house in great shape. Mia put away all of the food, and decided that it would be a great time to take a nap before her mother got home.
An hour had went by before the door to her home had opened and small chatter had erupted in the house. Mia instantly thought Sophie, her mother, was speaking to none other than Calcifer, but it really wasn't. She had no idea she'd meet someone she had already knew before.
"Mia! Please come down here! There's someone I would like you to meet." Her mother called up the stairs.
Mia groaned as she threw herself off of her bed and trudged down the stairs. She looked at the man standing next to her mom and instantly knew who he was.
"You!" Mia and the man shouted at the same time.
"You two know each other?" Sophie's voice was masked with utter confusion.
"I had a little run in with her this morning, and she has quite the mouth on her. This is your daughter, Sophie?"
"Yes, Michael, that is my daughter Mia, and please just try to get along." Sophie rolled her eyes, but she was serious nonetheless.
Mia couldn't believe her day could get any worse, but oh dear, she couldn't be more wrong. Mia scoffed while turning on her feet to go upstairs, but something stopped her from going any further. As if something told her she needed to listen to what was about to be said.
"Michael, what did you need to tell me?" Sophie said with a hint of annoyance.
Micheal turned to Sophie and spoke quietly, "I know where Howl is."