Chapter Three
In which Howl leaves his heart behind
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It seemed everyone was in shock. Every man, woman and child held long vacant faces as the trudged into town like the living dead. For the Pendragon family, the long walk home was filled with anxious looks and shot nerves. Sophie jumped twice when Morgan scuffed his feet, and Howl nearly blasted apart a dust bin when it rolled over in their path. Despite these events, the lack of conversation was affecting Morgan the hardest. There was nothing to cut out the horrible screaming that echoed indefinitely within his mind.
They entered Howl's Kingsbury portal just as the sun started to sink below the hills. Normally on Mayday, the coming of dusk was the cue for the fireworks to begin; however, only a blanket of gloom seemed present now. Mayday in Ingary would never be the same.
With in the castle, Calcifer was bobbing merrily in the hearth, having not wished to take part in the festivities due to any strangers that wanted to man-handle him – as they often did. When the family skirted into the house like ghosts, he propped himself up on a log and stared at them all suspiciously.
"What's going on? Did something happen? I heard screaming a few hours ago... and nobody is dancing in the streets anymore..." His charismatic voice was welcome to Morgan, who immediately threw himself on the sofa and answered Calcifer to the best of his ability.
"There was a... weird curse..." The boy began, yet he found that throat tightened. Normally he would have loved to fill in the fire demon on the latest event in town... but the face of the King... turning inside out... hung in his mind's eye. He suddenly turned a bad shade of green and Calcifer looked to Howl. "If he throws up on me I'm not the one that has to smell it."
"The King is dead, as is the future Prince of Ingary." Howl said with no warning. "Someone cast a terrible curse, black magic of the darkest kind." He talked as if he were reading from a textbook. His voice was lifeless, monotone and hollow. Morgan curled up and looked into his father's pale face. "Who could do magic like that dad? Who could do that to a person? Or even want to?" The boy's eyes shone like glass, "Can you do magic like that?"
The question even made Sophie pause in her path up the stairs to hear the answer. Howl lowered his eyes. "I could, it's not difficult to strip flesh off bone..." This made Morgan fight to keep the bile from rising into his mouth while Howl continued to speak. "But to do such a thing to a living person... only the most evil could keep their concentration while watching something as vile as that." The wizard slid a dusty book out from the shelf above the work bench. Morgan recognized it as the book his mother leafed through from time to time. It was full of protective spells and complicated wards. In Howl's hands it seemed to become more interesting to Morgan. The child sat up straight to watch what his father was going to do.
He was disappointed when Howl merely opened it up for a moment then closed it with a snap. "I think it's time we got ready to bed. It's been a long and scary day and I have a feeling that you're going to not sleep so well tonight Morgan."
"Can I sleep with you tonight?" Morgan asked timidly, anticipating a firm 'no'. He hadn't spent the night in his parents room since he was four. His father told him long ago that it was unbecoming of a wizard, who would be the next most powerful sorcerer in all the Ingary, to let something as silly as nightly illusions bother him. Morgan must learn to handle his own nightmares, knowing that if he did, his father would be proud.
But there was no denying Morgan was going to have a terrible time conquering his fears tonight. It seemed to take ages before Howl turned with a curious expression and said, "Yes. Yes... I think that would be for the best. Now go get yourself washed up and in your night clothes... and make sure your mother is all right for me while you're at it." He sat down at the work bench and started to pen what looked like a letter.
Morgan didn't give his father's instructions another thought as he flew up the stairs, suddenly feeling a lot better then he normally would given the situation. He found his mother in the master bedroom, her head was in her hands. At first Morgan thought she might be crying, but she looked up when he came in with dry eyes, though a very sorrowful expression.
The two of them looked at each other for a moment. Morgan sensed that there was a very heavy weight in his mother's heart. He tried to smile in an effort to comfort her, but the muscles in his face didn't seem to want to work. Sophie did a better job as her lips lifted slightly at the corners. "Are you all right?" Her voice seemed to Morgan like a dam trying not to burst with emotion. He nodded anyway.
"Dad sent me to check on you."
"He did, did he?" She stood and put a hand on Morgan's shoulder, "Well, I don't need checking up on, but you need a good wash and some comfortable pajamas. Come on." Her grip was strong again, and suddenly everything felt right. He succumbed to Sophie's mothering and in a several minutes came out of the bathroom with shiny skin and wet hair.
Howl came up the stairs looking weary as usual, though he paused to give one of his charming smiles. The three of them made the simple hallway seem very cluttered. Howl looked down at his son, "Taking good care of Sophie I see. Keeping her busy was a good tactic."
Morgan grinned, but Sophie's face fell as she seemed to read something in Howl's features that Morgan could not. "Morgan, can you pick out a story for me to read to you? I'll be there to read it after I get myself ready for bed..."
"No! Dad said I can sleep with you two tonight!" Morgan protested, as he clung to his mother's sleeve. It reminded him of the days he used to cling to her apron. This made Sophie look to Howl with a raised eyebrow; however, he looked away with an innocent look on his face. "Oh! I see the bathroom is free." In moments he bustled into the small room and locked the door behind him. Sophie let out a low hiss that sounded like, "Really!" before ushering Morgan into his room. "Pick out a book and as a treat I'll have Howl read it to you. I'm going to get to the bottom of this..." His mother rolled up her sleeves and marched into the hallway.
Morgan stared after her in confusion, then shrugged. These odd little scenes seemed to occur often between his parents. All he cared about was picking a long book for his father to read so that he could say up late with a viable excuse. After all, he was aiming to delay dreaming as long as he could.
He picked up a novel that Howl had given him last year as a birthday present. He said it was one of the most popular books in Wales at the moment... but Morgan was suspicious. How could any one with the name 'Harry' turn out to be a good main character? He'd give it a try though... it looked interesting, and like his father, Morgan did judge books by their covers.
Just as he thought that, he heard his mum yell something - most likely in the direction of Howl. Sure enough, his dad's soothing tones attempted to calmed the shouting woman down. It only took a few more minutes before Sophie re-entered the room and for Morgan chimed. "I chose one!"
As Morgan suspected, the length of it didn't fly with Sophie. She ruled that only five chapters at most could be read that night, and straight after that there would be no talking - just sleeping. Morgan agreed, excitement brewing as he sat comfortably between Howl and Sophie. His father opened the book.
Though the novel was more riveting then Morgan thought, as soon as Howl finished reciting the fifth chapter he was ready to nod off. He snuggled up to his mother, glad that she was so warm and relaxing, then tilted his face to watch his father. Howl was returning the glance with a sad expression Morgan couldn't place, but as soon as Morgan saw it, it changed into something neutral.
"I feel safe here." He felt himself say as he stared his dad in the eye with a grin. His smile was getting close to Howl's quality. The wizard copied it and whispered, "You should feel safe anywhere Morgan. You're a wizard, and with some practice you'll be a very powerful one."
Morgan's smile widened, "Like you?"
"No. Better. Definitely better." There was that sorrowful expression again. It shone through the false smile and made Morgan feel unnerved. His eyes looked to his mother, who was now sleeping, before going back to his father. They looked at each other before Morgan was forced to close his eyes from fatigue and adopted his mother's gentle breathing pattern.
Howl continued to stare. He waited for a few minutes before inching away from his family. He gave one last look at his slumbering wife and son before exiting the room.
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Morgan woke feeling dreadful. The haunted faces of the King and Future Prince scared him into consciousness. He sat up with a start, a bead of sweat trickling down his brow before he realized where he was. The word 'safe' came to mind. He turned to look at his father only to find that he wasn't there. His eyes widened and he frantically whipped around to find his mother. Luckily she was still sleeping deeply on the other side of him - her brow furrowed, but definitely asleep.
"Dad?" Morgan whispered as he slipped out from under the covers, jumping slightly at the shock of bare feet against the cold floor. When he heard no reply he ran quietly into the hall. The bathroom door was open so he wasn't in there. The boy's heart hammered and he whispered a little louder, "Dad?"
In the silence that proceeded the call, Morgan could make out the sound of whispering. He strained his ears and quietly tip-toed to the top of the stairs to make out the words.
"On my birthday make sure she doesn't leave the house... try to nose around for any information on what Ben is up to as well..." It was the sound of Howl, his whispers were very quick. Morgan thought he wouldn't be able to pick the words apart. He stretched his neck to peer between the ceiling and the first step.
"There's too much wrong with this plan Howl. We both know you can't do this." Calcifer sounded shaken. Whatever Howl was up to it must have stunned him. Morgan could see his flames, normally bright, were now pale. His glittering white eyes were following Howl's movements with anxiety. Howl, however, was chanting an incantation over a bowl of what looked like ash. "If you saw what she had in store for me... you'd run away too."
Morgan blinked in confusion. He must not have been following the conversation right, perhaps it was all the blood rushing to his head from his position in the hall. His head was trying to get a better vantage point through the bars of the stairs without actually touching any of the creaky steps which would give away his position.
"Sophie was always right about you. You are a coward." Calcifer grunted. "What are you going to do about her and Morgan? Just abandon them?"
Howl hesitated and stopped his spell casting. Morgan felt like the silence was going to kill him. Howl didn't answer in the end, and instead plucked Calcifer up with his hands. This made the fire demon call out in fear. "What are you doing Howl! Stop!"
"I'm sorry my friend, but this is the only way I can think of doing this. If you think about it... you'd see it too."
Calcifer suddenly understood. "No. I refuse to get into another contract with you. I was wondring how you were going to do it. If you keep your heart it will ache until you inevitably return. I'm not ruining Sophie's happiness no matter who scares you into being a spineless worm. She would say no, so I'm saying no."
Howl narrowed his eyes at the demon. "She really did a number on you didn't she."
Calcifer's little arms crossed themselves in defiance, "You would know"
The tension was suddenly palpable. In the end Howl sighed. "Calcifer. I beg you. You will understand in just a few moments if you pact with me. This is the only way." His eyes bored into the little flame and were so sincere that even Morgan believed him... though he wasn't sure what his father was getting at.
Calcifer seemed to appraise the look with skepticism. After a moment he asked quietly, "The usual deal?"
Howl nodded.
"We can just get Sophie to break it anyway... so fine. Whatever. I bind myself to you and you to me. Let's see what you're... or I guess we... are up against." Calcifer uncrossed his hands and wriggled them towards Howl's chest. The wizard took a deep breath and pushed the little demon into his torso.
This was about all Morgan could take. He dashed down the stairs and grabbed Howl around the waist. "Dad! What are you doing! Stop it! Stop it! You're hurting Calcifer!"
The wizard looked at his son in alarm. His chest was glowing blue, but before Morgan could do anything, there was a small flash of magical energy and Howl toppled to the floor. Calcifer hissed as he tumbled after, a large black lump burning within him. Morgan cried, but Howl grunted and heaved Morgan off of him, then knocked Calcifer into the grate with care. The fire demon clung to a log, burning a sickly green. His eyes seemed spaced out.
Morgan sniffled. "You're leaving aren't you.... I heard you... you're leaving! Why... why?"
Howl got to his feet, pushing Morgan away. "If you don't keep quiet you'll wake your mother."
"Why... why...?" Morgan now turned angry and grabbed his father by the shirt. "She'd stop you from leaving!" The boy's face was shiny with tears, but his father grabbed his wrist and held a hand over Morgan's face. "That's exactly why we can't have her waking. Take good care of her Morgan. She's going to hate me forever for this... but..." Morgan looked up between the spaces of his father's fingers, fresh tears already started to flow as he listened. "I'm just not cut out to be a father... or a husband. It was fun for a time, but now I've moved on."
The sleeping spell made Morgan's limbs feel like lead. He let out of a cry of despair then lost his grip on his father's shirt before he slumping to the floor. He vaguely remembered the feeling of a gentle hand brushing through his hair, before he fell into a dreamless sleep.
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Author's note:
Thank you all so much for the reviews. Someone mentioned that Valeria seems too young to marry since she is only a few years older then Morgan. This is an oversight on my part considering when I was originally planning out the last chapter... Morgan was ten, not eight. I meant Valeria to be wed when she was sixteen (which is Ingary isn't too young). So I suppose that makes her fourteen now... which is rather young. I hope that the majority of the readers in the future gloss over that mistake.
I do appreciate reviews with things that need to be edited or more mistakes in plot because I like to fix things for future readers. Thank you all for reading this far. My writing is getting progressively worse due to staying up too late to update as often as I can. I hope to keep this going for a few more weeks. Keep reviewing! It gives me the motivation required to continue... I hope to get 12 reviews before the next chapter!
- GinTsuki
