( 1 Week Later )
For the past week things have been pretty quiet, Howl help Bronté learn a few spells that she didn't already know and the witch taught her how to make potions. Bronté had become great friends with Anya and spent most of the time talking to her when no one was looking, but her parents were, they believed that somehow she was able to communicate with Anya and Anya understanding her. However, Sophie and Howl did notice that she had become a bit depressed, and wanted to know why. They both both walked up to her, while she was sitting in front of Calcifer, "Bronté, you ok?" asked Sophie, Bronté faced her parents and nodded, Howl smiled,
"I know you are just covering up your true feeling, come on, tell us" Bronté looked back at Calcifer and sighed.
"Alright, you got me, Ariana and Alex never noticed, I guess they were too scared to ask" Sophie frowned,
"to scare to ask? Why would they be?" she said, Bronté looked at Sophie,
"it's because they've always known I was different, I knew to, but not this different, I guess they were scared about me being the daughter of a very powerful wizard, that if they interfered, they might of gotten hurt." Sophie looked at Howl,
"I bet they never meant harm by it, you are very powerful, or so I have heard, and they fear that you could have hurt them severely, you're still young and may not have much control over you powers," Bronté suddenly shot up,
"but I have learnt to control my powers, well some of it" she cried. Howl smiled at his daughter,
"ok, so what's the real problem, why are you mopping?" he asked, Bronté stood quiet for a moment, then spoke,
"I'm just upset about the fact that I haven't left this castle in a week, and I want to go and shoot something" she said, Sophie began to relax taking that the problem wasn't big, she turned to Howl,
"well Howl, would you like to take her shooting, you can teach her a bit of magic as well" she said, Bronté gasped and smiled,
"oh please, I'll do what ever you say, I miss running in the woods, please!" she cried. Howl laughed,
"sure why not, Sophie if you want you could come to, or you could stay here" he said but Sophie shook her head and smiled,
"I'm alright, I'll stay here, you two have a father - daughter time okay" Bronté squealed happily and ran to her room, then came out with her bow and arrows,
"let's go" both her parents laughed,
"alright alright, bye Sophie" said Howl and kissed is wife goodbye on the cheek, "come on Bronté" he opened the door to her old neighbourhood, and she ran out.
"Bye" called Sophie and Howl left the castle and closed the door behind him,
"oh it feels so good to feel the earth again" said Bronté, Howl turned to see his daughter lying on the grass staring up at the sky, "it hard to believe that only a few seconds ago, I was up in that sky. Anyway let's go" she rose from the grass and walked along a path,
"is this the way you normally go?" Howl asked, Bronté nodded,
"yeah, I always like looking around this place".
They made it to the woods where Bronté normally practiced her shooting, it was a clearing surrounded by pine trees, it was beautiful, "so, do you actually shoot animals" asked Howl, Bronté just shook her head,
"no, I found this place 8 years ago, Ariana and Alex used to take me out to get some air, but one day I decided to go on my own and I found this place, they were worried sick when they found me, Ariana was crying, I guess they would think that you would kill them for losing your daughter" Howl shook his head.
"That maybe so, but I could tell they really loved you, I think some of those feelings were their own as well, not just for mine and your mothers benefit" he said, she just smiled and took her bow and an arrow.
"Now watch what I have learned in the 14 years you weren't there" she said, she grabbed a pine cone from a nearby tree and threw it in the air, Howl watched very carefully at her swift moving as she extended her bow, and set the tip of the arrow on fire and shot it at the cone. Howl gasped as he saw the arrow hit the pine cone and watched it blow up into tiny pieces. Bronté turned around to look at her fathers shocked face, "and that is what I can do" she smiled, Howl clapped and Bronté bowed,
"but do you want to do a much bigger explosion?" he asked, Bronté frowned,
"bigger explosion?" Howl nodded,
"yeah, I could teach you a bit more about fire, plus you could use other powers on the end of that arrow, have you ever tried water?" Bronté just shook her head,
"well, that is sort of a lie, I used it once but it wasn't very powerful, I use more fire than any other element, but I'll try water" Howl nodded and walked up to his daughter,
"ok, you need to imagine the water as a whip, it has to cut the cone into thousands of pieces" Bronté nodded and closed her eyes. Howl watched his daughter concentrate, then he heard something strange and turned around to find a huge wall of water, he gasped but was impressed. He continued to watch Bronté as she opened her eyes,
"throw a cone" she ordered, Howl did so, and Bronté's arm movement was faster than lightning, her hand cut through the air and the water from behind them aimed at the cone and shattered it into tiny bits. Howl was very impressed, she was very powerful for her age. The water vanished and Bronté squealed in excitement, "I've never done that before, that felt awesome, well apart from the fact that I forgot to use my bow" Howl shook his head.
"No, water doesn't really work on the end of an arrow, it's better to use your own power" she nodded.
For the past hour, Howl just watched his daughter enjoy herself, he never got to experience what it was like to be a real father; to heard his child's first words, to teach them how to walk. But he could teach her magic, maybe when she is free they could be a proper family. He hated the idea that his only child was being hunted just because of him. Suddenly he could hear a familiar noise, the sound of planes,
"shit" he said to himself, he grabbed Bronté's arm,
"what are you doing?" she said,
"we have to get out of here, you hear those planes? Their coming for you" he shouted, Bronté gasped. They ran for it with all their will power, but before they could exit the forest, a wall of fire was blocking their path.
"Why Howl, it has been so many years, and look you even brought me your daughter" said a familiar voice behind them,
"Suliman" he said before turning around to face the old woman, Howl grabbed Bronté and hid her behind him, "I won't let you have her, how could you ever think of killing a child just because of who her parents are, it's sick" Suliman just laughed.
"Yes, but it all depends on if the child wishes to join me, she is far too powerful to just be left aside. Why, didn't you realise while your little training session that you were being watch. My spy didn't even have to look at your faces to know that it was you, only someone like me and you and only a few others could do that sort of magic. Now hand over the girl and you won't be harmed" she said, Howl growled,
"never!" he shouted, but Suliman just laughed,
"wrong answer" she said before they were surrounded by 50 creatures. They all charged at Howl and Bronté, Bronté had her eyes closed the whole time, but her grip on her father was tight, she would not be separated from her family again, Howl thought the same thing. But the creatures still ripped them apart, Howl was pushed to the ground and Bronté was held with her arms behind her back. Suliman just smiled at her and walked towards her, "my what a pretty face, it would be a shame to ruin it" she said, but Bronté would have this, she spat in Suliman's face,
"don't give me that crap, let me go" she shouted. Suliman wiped the spit off her face and slapped Bronté hard, Bronté screamed from the pain but still stood strong.
"You should have raised your child better Howl, she is very rude, but what I would like to know is your name, I never knew it because you escaped from my hold before I got it. A child with such power should have had a name to equal their rareness" Bronté sighed
"and why should I tell you, what has anything got to do with my name" Suliman continued to smile,
"because I bet the world would like to know the name of an extremely powerful child and how she died" she said,
"don't make me spit in your face again" she said, Suliman laughed,
"what a strong willed child, but before you die it shall be broken, take her to my plane" she ordered the creatures.
"BRONTÉ!" shouted Howl as he watched his daughter being taken away, what would Sophie think, they just got her back and now she is being taken again.
"We will meet again Howl, I will make sure you watch your daughter die right in front of you, goodbye" she said before walking away.
"YOU BITCH" he shouted, soon Bronté and Suliman were both out of sight, and so was the plane. The creatures left and Howl was still lying on the ground crying. He managed to get himself up and before he was about to leave, he spotted Bronté's bow, he picked it up and held it to his chest still crying, "I'll get you back Bronté, that I promise" he said to the sky before heading home.
Oh, you probably all hate me, I'm so sorry for the long break, I have had other stuff, I really want to finish this story and don't worry, it will be finished. Hopefully I will update soon. Please review, I do love reading them, but for now.
Until next time.