Sorry for the late update, but here's another chapter.
Disclaimers: I don't own Howl's Moving Castle or any of it's characters.
Year 1919, Month of September, Day 16th.
Ben Sullivan was fuming, he was utterly frustrated. He wasn't known for his outburst, but he certainly was about to be. He never liked this job to begin with but now he was starting to despise it.
But fussing over it wasn't going to do him no good. Whether he liked it or not, it was still his job. Still he couldn't help but feel guilty. Keeping an eye on Howl and the Witch of the Waste was one thing, since they were a liability. But wanting him to court Lettie just to get a closer watch on them, was not his style.
"Do you understand?" a voice spoke through an orb.
Ben sighed at the figure in the orb. "Of course, mother."
"I told you to call me madam on you jobs."
Ben ignored her comment. "Why me?"
The figure rolled her eyes, "if that good for nothing dog of yours was doing his work, you wouldn't be in this mess."
"It's not just a dog. He has a name."
"Yes, yes of course dear. But make sure you don't fail me, you have a reputation to uphold."
"Duly noted."
"Don't sass with me. There won't be another chance like this. So do not disappoint me." With that the orb went dark.
Ben groaned. He was never the type that courted ladies on a whim. He never attempted to court anyone unless he was serious with the lady.
The young man rubbed his forehead in defeat. He wasn't even sure how his mother knew about Lettie, much less know the fact that she was Sophie's sister. But that was besides the point, because he most definitely wasn't the type man to play around with a ladies heart. To be completely honest, he was actually quite awkward with the fairer sex. Though he considered himself to be a gentlemen, that was only as far as manners went. Winning a ladies heart wasn't his forte. That wasn't his job, now that was Horrible Howl's job. His job was supposed to be just a magician at the palace that would, with enough luck succeed his mother as the Royal Wizard. But Heen just had to 'failed' to report back.
Which had brought him to another point. Where the hell was that accursed Howl. He couldn't get a glimpse of the man during his stay. Maybe his mother was right. Maybe he had to get closer to Lettie first. Ben let out a frustrated grumble as he eyed the store.
It took quite some time before Lettie shook herself from the initial shook. And then it took even longer until it she finally accepted that the grandma in front wouldn't eat her alive. But it was only for Sophie that she accepted that fact. Her sister was very adamant about the grandma's goodness. She didn't know how Sophie had even got to know the old Witch, but she was going to bet that the grandma had something very much to do with her sister's disappearance.
Lettie scrunched her eyebrows at the thought. First it was a wizard that may well have been Horrible Howl and now the Witch Of Waste. It certainly would seem her sister was some sort magnet for these types of people.
"Lettie!" A little boy shouted.
Lettie turned towards the boy sitting across from her. She smiled at the boy. "Yes Markl?"
"Grandma cheated!"
Lettie raised an eyebrow and looked at the sprawled cards on table. "Grandma? Did you?"
"Hmph," the grandma turned away. "Nonsense."
"She did, and I know it!" Markl cried distressfully.
Lettie frowned. "Grandma, are you sure you didn't?"
Grandma scoffed.
"She cheated for sure! She changed the card with magic for sure!"
"Markl!"
Everyone's gaze turned towards the figure at the door. Sophie stood crossed armed with a rather displeased frown dressing her often mellow. "What did I say about accusing people."
"I know for sure! She changed her card for sure!"
"And how would you know that?"
"Well I..."
Sophie shifted and leaned forward towards the boy. "You?"
Markl fidgeted, "cause I…I cheated too"
"Well then, you should apologize to her for that," Sophie huffed.
Grandma snorted.
Sophie sharply turned around and faced the older lady. "You too Grandma."
It wasn't long before they had apologised and had went on their own merry way. Lettie however lingered. She had viewed the whole spectacle with utmost interest. For one the boy was proving to be more deceptive than she had originally assessed. And two Sophie seemed much older than she appeared.
Lettie always knew that her sister was mature beyond her years, but this was not just in maturity. She would often seem old, much older like her mother, or maybe even her grandmother. Lettie would often find her sister in a rocking chair massaging her arms and legs after she finished her chores. Or find her on the bed looking older with wrinkles adorning her features previous young features.
And she was increasingly suspicious that this was due to her "adventures". She hoped her sister would tell her sometime soon. Whatever the cause. However her thoughts were cut shorts when her sister had found her fixed at the table.
"Lettie? Are you fine?"
Lettie looked up and gave Sophie a soft smile. "Yes, I'm fine."
Howl shifted uncomfortably on his bed as the boat shock from the storm. He was so glad that he had finally got onto a ship to port haven, which would've led him straight home. But if there was anything he learned while trying get his blasted goal finished, it was that nothing was ever easy for him. A bloody storm had to whip itself into shape. It seemed that the Gods had personally tasked themselves to make his life miserable.
The only reason the God forsaken ship did not topple over was because of his constant magic saving the it. But that had made him inexplicably exhausted. Fortunately the worst of the storm seemed to have passed. Unfortunately that was about it. The storm was still raging on and in the worst case scenario he would end up in a completely different port by the time the ship reached was something he was not very fond of. But he could feel his strength waning and his eyes drooping. It wouldn't be long til collapsed. He just hoped he could stay up for long as possible.
