"Close your eyes."
Sophie did, her eyes closed and her ears suddenly went on alert. Every noise, every creak, every breath was suddenly ten times louder than before.
"And just listen. Let your mind think and wonder and understand." The Witch instructed.
Sophie wasn't sure exactly what that meant, but she tried her best, thinking about her life and what her future might look like and trying to understand life with Howl and what not.
"Remember what is most important."
Happiness, she replied in thought. Her family, Markl, Calcifer, Heen, her sisters, the Witch, and ...Howl. These were the people who brought her true happiness.
"And remember your darkest secrets."
She definitely did not want to remember that time. She was ugly, she was plain, she was weird.
She was nothing.
This was hardest for her. She fought tears; actual, stinging tears. This thought felt like the longest thought she had ever experienced, but she dared not remember anything else; this had to work.
"And remember your hopes to come."
Living a happy life with Howl and their family, the life he had promised her and she promised him.
Suddenly Sophie was not sitting in her chair, and she was not closing her eyes. No, her eyes were wide open, and she was staring at Howl.
She looked around her, and she was not in a familiar place. In fact, it didn't seem like an place. Around her were weird stones and floating flames but no ground beneath her. Yet, she could stand.
She blinked, and suddenly the whole scenery changed except for Howl standing in front of her. Stars were shooting and flying everywhere, consistently and quickly shooting around them.
"Howl?" She gasped. "What's going on?"
"He doesn't love you." A voice muttered from somewhere behind her, although when she turned, there was no one there. "And you're foolish to devote your life to him, Sophie dear."
"Who are you?" Sophie yelled in the void, stars flying right in front if her eyes, her voice being swallowed by the shooting stars sound.
"Sophie, he's not the one. You must know better."
"Stop it!" She screamed, covering her ears. She turned to Howl again, who was just staring at her with empty, saddened eyes. "Howl? Howl, say something!"
Suddenly a star shot straight through him, and he began to fall through the space; his lifeless body tumbling amongst the billions of stars.
"No!" Sophie cried, forcing this void to allow her to fall too. She fell and dived after him, tears flew from her eyes and passed her face, staying behind as she continued to fight for him.
Suddenly it was dark. All was dark and his limp body was in her arms. His eyes were closed, and she looked to his chest. There was no blood, just a small hole in the middle.
"Oh, Howl!" She cried, her tears falling to his shirt. She must've cried enough to completely soak the white cloth, as she had never cried for so long in her entire life. "I'm so sorry!" She did not understand how any of this was possible, but for some reason, her mind was insisting this was not at all a dream. "Please! Please don't die..." She sobbed into his chest, her tears flowing with utter persistence. "It doesn't matter how you ever felt about me, I love you! With all my heart! And if you don't wake up right now..." She weeped with heavy breaths. She couldn't even finish her sentence.
She pressed her palm firmly on his chest, right where his heart would be, and murmured softly, "Oh, you child heart you, skip again. Skip and skip again until you're 142! But please, please, don't stop now. Not now." She felt mad, absolutely crazy, but it was all she could think to do. "And you'll be Howl once again, nothing will change. You'll still be chasing girls and be foolish and cowardly and you better not change." She sniffed, tears still flowing down her cheeks endlessly. She was absolutely insane, to say such things to a dead corpse. But it was all she could do.
Suddenly, his eyes shot open and he began gasping for air, sitting up in a jolt and holding his chest.
"Howl?"
The little hole where he was shot was gone, and he looked perfectly alive and well, like he had been moments before. His eyes sparkled and he grabbed her hands in his.
"Sophie!"
Sophie's eyes shot open and she was staring at the Witch. Out of the corners of her eyes, she saw Lettie and Martha staring curiously at their sister. "How long have I been out?"
"About a minute." Martha replied.
A minute?! Why did it feel like an eternity?
"Sophie, what happened? You were crying and wailing and screaming 142..." Lettie murmured, a concerned look spreading across her face.
"I'm not really sure what happened. I must've been dreaming...but it felt nothing like a dream, that's certain." Sophie growled, getting out of her chair.
"Well, whatever happened, it should have helped you connect with your magical abilities." The Witch smiled, her wrinkled face and red nose curving into a soft grin. "It always works for us witches and wizards."
Sophie looked at the rose, but quickly turned away and shook her head. "What I saw...it was nothing like that. It was like a horrible nightmare. I didn't get any answers."
"Are you sure, child?" The Witch raised an eyebrow, and Sophie knew in her gut that the Witch didn't believe her one bit.
But after that catastrophic event, whatever that was, she didn't feel like even trying. It scared her off into ever trying it ever again. Suddenly she didn't care how many dreams of the rose she had in a row; she would rather have annoying dreams than try to figure out that horrific event.
"Look, I'm tired. We've all had a long day. All the preparations are done, and I just...want to sleep." Sophie frowned. No one argued. She prepared sleeping arrangements for Lettie and Martha in the living room.
"Sophie?" Martha mumbled, tucked into her cot. Lettie, in the cot next to her, was snoring, also indicating she was fast asleep. The Witch was asleep, Sophie had tucked in Markl, and Calcifer slept in the hearth. "Are you sure it's safe here...?"
Sophie smiled. She didn't blame Martha for being frightened of staying the night. When her family was all living in the same household, the rumors of Howl eating the hearts of girls wasn't a secret to the Hatters. In fact, their mother was often reminding them every time they went out to be careful, any man could be the terrible Howl and they wouldn't know it.
"Don't worry. Calcifer's sleeping in the same room as you, and he's the most powerful fire demon I've ever met." She smiled.
Surprisingly, that did not scare her little sister one bit. In fact, the twelve year old smiled in relief. She closed her eyes, ready to finally sleep. Sophie grinned, amused that her sister was frightened of her future brother-in-law but not of a demon.
Sophie collapsed on her bed, snuggling under the blankets, not even bothering to change out of her dress. She. Was. Exhausted.
Despite her exhaustion, she still found her thoughts to be so demanding of her attention that they evaded her slumber. She wondered why Markl was hiding in his room the whole day...but then she realized Martha was just about his age and Howl was able to convince Markl some time ago that girls his age had koodies and it was best to stay away from them. She sighed. The man she was marrying was no more mature than his 12 year old apprentice.
Has Howl even come home yet? She wondered. The situation had gotten to the point where Sophie didn't even bother asking Howl where he had been. She knew he wouldn't tell her. All she hoped now was that he was safe and not getting himself into any trouble.
She knew that most women would be upset with all the secrecy, but this was Howl, and she knew she had to deal with things such as odd secrecy if she wanted to be with Howl for the rest of her life. And honestly, she was okay with that.
What made her uneasy is that this while situation seemed to be about her, that her life was in danger if Howl was not careful. But what could it possibly be? If it had to do with her than...was there a possibility that she could figure it out herself, without Howl's help? If it had to do with her, than it must be something about her or in her life that was causing whatever situation was happening.
But fatigue overpowered her, and she slipped into a deep slumber, unable to come up with a single idea.
Hello Readers!
I have some notes that I wanted to share before I continue on with the story.
1) This story is more movie based, in fact the first chapter takes place in the ending scene of the movie when they show the flying castle, the kiss, etc. (but I'm sure most of you already knew that.) Despite the story being more movie-based, I would like to point out that I have and will continue to add book elements into the story. Howl's Moving Castle is one of the few (if not the only) story of many stories in which I don't prefer the movie or book. I'm in love with both the movie and book equally, and believe that both their differences and similarities are absolutely wonderful and it's what makes me love the story so much. Yes, I'm adding Wales and Megan and Martha and other characters into the mix, but most of the basic setting and story component is derived from the movie.
2) I apologize for Chapter 7 "In Which the Witch Helps Three Sisters". Maybe I'm just being my own worst critique, but I've reread it and it felt so rushed and I was disappointed in my lack of description for Martha and Lettie and the Witch. I might rewrite it, or I'll just try to do better in actually putting care into the story and actually describing new characters in detail in the future.
3) I'm really into this story, and have devoted a lot of time thus far. Honestly, I'm expecting this to be a long story with plenty of chapters, and though I might not be updating as much as I have been, I promise this story will be completed, and have made it my goal to complete it! I get so much inspiration from the soundtrack that I have been writing while listening to the wonderful music from the movie.
4) And most importantly, thanks for reading. I truly appreciate the views and support! (:
