Disclaimer: Howl's Moving Castle belongs to Dianna Wynne Jones (book) and Hayao Miyazaki (movie). I only own the original characters that will appear in future chapters, and I do not make profit from writing this fanfic.
A/N: I wrote this for a battle prompt. My friend suggested I should make my original character meet Howl. Mainly, I am writing this to improve my skills and become an author that can write whatever on demand. Also, this can be my piece for celebrating the nation-wide ruling on gay marriage in the United States. Constructive criticism is highly welcomed! If you don't like it, please say why and don't just flame. I hope you all enjoy!
"In the land of Ingary, where such things as seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, it is quite a misfortune to be born the eldest of three. Everyone knows you are the one who will fail first, and worst, if the three of you set out to seek your fortunes" (Diana Wynne Jones).
How many years had passed since his wife and son's passing, eighty? A hundred? He could barely recall. The memories of their smiles had long since slipped from his mind. He felt disgusted with himself, wondering how he even forgot about Sophie's beautiful face, a beauty laid to waste by death. If what he had with her was true love, then why did it seem as if she and their son had never touched his life at all? He feared he was losing more and more of whatever humanity Sophie's presence in his life had returned to him.
His home was nothing more than a maze of barren halls reminding him he had no one left. The castle was once filled with so much life, but he could hardly imagine it having been so. They had been barren for decades. He failed to understand why after having been alright with living alone, it felt unnatural for him to be. Well, he was not entirely alone. There was always Calcifer. At least the fire demon would not be dragged to the afterlife and leave him by himself.
For one last time, after perhaps a century of running from his past, he would travel back to the rebuilt kingdom of Ingary and let his castle roam its skies again. He would revisit the Market of Chipping where he had first met his late wife. He would go and burn memories of her and their child, Morgan, into his mind and heart.
Never again did he want to forget.