Hearts Change – Chapter 10

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Author's note: I'm so sorry for the very late update! I sort of had trouble with this one, but here it is! I hope you like it! Enjoy! XD

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"'Pendragon'… Ah! Here it is!" Jack said as he knocked. The "Pendragon" door was very much alike from all the other doors to the left and right of him. He almost got confused as to which door to open. The left of the plaque or the right…

"I wonder if anyone's home…" The bartender mumbled to himself as he waited for the door to open.

"Click."

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"It's the Kingsbury door!" Calcifer yelled as the members sitting on the deep maroon couch heard a knock on the door.

"Is it Master Howl?" Markl excitedly asked as he ran to get the door.

"Click."

"Master Ho-Oh! How many I help you?" The apprentice didn't have to change his voice since he didn't put on his magic cloak.

"Are you with Mr. Pendragon?" An early 40's looking man with brown hair and a blue umbrella over his head asked with a smile.

"Uh…he's not here right now, so-" Markl replied as he took a step back to close the door, but what the "customer" said next stopped him in his tracks.

"Let me guess, you're…Markl."

"How did you…" Markl breathed.

"Justin told me a lot about you. He had always seen you with 'Sophie'-"

"Turnip Head?!"

"Ah! Yes, that rings a bell. He had told me once that 'Sophie' had named him that when he was a scarecrow."

The apprentice grinned as he furiously nodded, "Is Master Howl with Turnip Head?"

"Um…no. But do you have any other adult in this…house?" The bartender tried to look over the towering stairs behind Markl, trying to figure out how a certain raven haired's home could be so tall inside than the outside.

"…You can count Calcifer, but he's not exactly a person." The boy said, shrugging his shoulders.

"What do you mean…?" Jack carefully asked, trying to make sense of what Markl said.

"There isn't anybody else here except Heen and me."The apprentice said, changing the subject.

Just after Markl said "Heen", the bartender heard a strained bark behind the boy, "Hnh…!"

"Hm…well, I guess you could still come since you're with me…" Jack scratched the back of his head.

"Go where?"

"To Mr. Pendragon of course!"

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"Master Howl!" A certain brunette called when he saw the raven haired. On the way to Jack's bar, the two didn't say a word to each other. Only the light scratching of Heen's nails on the stone tiles and the pouring rain hitting their open umbrellas interrupted the deadly silence.

"…Markl-nmh…!" Howl softly groaned for he had suddenly sat up when he saw the boy. He cradled his cheek and his stomach as he tried to smile.

"Ah! Master Howl, are you all right?!" Markl said in alarm as he ran to his master's bedside, gripping the edge of the bed.

"I'm fine," The raven haired began before coughing a little.

"Are you sick?!" The apprentice gripped the bed even more as he leaned closer to his master, his eyebrows looking as if they were fused together.

Howl shook his head, "I'm fine-"

A familiar voice interrupted the older man, "Take his word. He got into a little trouble out there, but nothing to the extreme."

"Jack, I- um," The raven haired paused, "…Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Jack winked.

"Um…is there anything else you want to know?" The doctor asked, seemingly popped out of nowhere.

"Hnh…!" Heen barked at the newcomer then hopped onto the bed and into Howl's lap, wagging his tail in the process.

"Oh, right, right, yes." The bartender wrapped a friendly arm around the doctor's shoulders and led the man into the front room behind the counter.

"Everything's…all right, right?" Jack whispered once he knew they were far away enough for the next room to hear.

"Yes, everything's perfect. I've checked three times when you were gone." The doctor grinned as he nodded.

The brunette sighed with relief, "Thank you very much for your help. Here," Jack pulled out a couple of gold coins from his pocket, "this should be enough."

"Ah…thank you. Call me if you have any trouble." The doctor gladly accepted as he walked out from behind the counter, turning to leave.

"I will. Take care!"

"You too!" The doctor answered before closing the door behind him. Jack watched the doctor's figure disappear before peaking into the backroom. There, he saw Markl and Howl smiling. The apprentice was making hand motions, creating this light orb in his movements. The bartender saw the raven haired nod and Heen bark when Markl was done with his show, concluding it with a bow. Jack was about to clap when he remembered he had other things to do.

"Well, time to do my job."

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A week later…

"ACHOO! Nnh…" Howl groaned as he tossed his used tissue by Calcifer. There was a mound of soot, made by all of the used tissues, right in front of the fire demon. Calcifer sighed as he continued to hear the horrible bugle noise from a certain raven haired.

In the background, the disguised Markl handed a little bag of something to his customer, "Here, this should help your grandmother."

"Thank you," This little red headed girl bowed slightly as she gladly took the bag, "Um, is wizard Jenkins going to be all right?" She asked as she looked over the brunette's shoulder, glancing at the sick man.

Markl gave her a nod, "Oh, well take care Mr. Wizard Jenkins!" She smiled in relief then waved happily to a certain raven haired. Howl gave her somewhat a wave, for he was busy throwing his tissue in the pile of soot.

"Click." The wooden door closed behind the girl as she took her final step through the threshold.

"Business has been slow today…" The apprentice said as he slipped off his blue cloak. The "old man's face" he'd been wearing just a second ago immediately turned back into his own face once he took the cloak off.

"ACHOO!"

"Hey! You should go and rest, you know!" Calcifer blurted out when Howl had suddenly stood up, picking up his gray diamond, pale yellow coat and his tissue box whilst walking toward the main door.

"I have…something to do…" The raven haired coughed in between his sentence as he slipped on his coat.

"Humph!" Markl spread his arms out wide as he stood in front of his master, a determind expression on his face.

"Just like what Sophie had given me multiple of times… That same expression…" Howl softly smiled as he gently pushed the brunette to the side, "I'll be back soon." He gave Markl a light squeeze on the boy's shoulder before walking passed his apprentice and out the door.

"Zing." The dial turned to green; Sophie home.

"…Should we go with him, boy?" The apprentice watched the raven haired go before looking down at his dog.

"Hnh…!" Heen barked as he waged his tail.

"Alright! Come on, boy!" Markl grinned as he slipped his blue cloak over his head again before running down the stairs and out through the door.

"Hnh…!" Heen followed by floating down the stairs to keep up.

"You're all going to leave while I do all the work?!" Calcifer hollered out, but the two were long gone to hear the outburst. The fire demon mumbled to himself for a second before letting out a breath.

"This is going to be a long day…"

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A certain raven haired coughed into the tissue in his hand as he walked his streets of the common folk. He was disguised as some old man as he hunched into his jacket to hide his face a little, having no intention of standing out. In the background, a certain old man with a blue cloak on hid in the shadows, watching the raven haired's every move. The old man's dog calmly stood beside him, waiting to move out of the alleyway they were hiding in.

"Let's go boy." The old man whispered when he thought the sick man was far away enough to not notice their move.

"Hnh…!" The wheat-colored dog hoarsely barked as it quickly followed his owner.

"Ah!" The old man gasped as he quickened his pace, for the man he was following suddenly ran.

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"Sophie, Sophie, Sophie, Sophie…!" Howl screamed in his mind as he bounded through the street, quickly apologizing to whoever bumped into him.

"Augh!!" The raven haired yelled out his frustration as he gained momentum. He felt like his legs would fall off if he stopped to breathe.

"I have to find her…I would use up all of my energy if I have to…"

"…Hah…hin…ha-" Howl tried to slow his feet by leaning backwards as he, at the same time, threw a coughing-fit. He was in a weird position like that of a snake trying to warn off the predator as the coughing-fit racked his whole body. Once he finally slowed to a stop, he had to let his legs go, for he couldn't hold his own weight up any longer.

"No!" He yelled in his head as he wished for his cold to end.

"Um, sir?" A young, high voice asked to the left of the raven haired. He smelt some herbal fragrance on the being next to him.

Once the owner of the voice saw the sick man somewhat turn his head to her, she held a steaming mug out to him, "Here, this should help." Howl could only nod as he shakily took the mug. The steaming liquid smelt of ginger as he took a sip. Once he swallowed, his coughing-fit dwindled, allowing him his voice and breath back.

"Ah! Thank you Ms…"

"It's Sasha, and it's not a problem. Why don't you come inside? You look tired." Sasha said as she smiled, stroking her protruding stomach before turning around. The raven haired frowned as he looked down at his midsection. He felt subconscious suddenly about his ever growing belly even though his disguise hid most of it. He blew his nose in his sheet of tissue before following, or at least staggering, after the kind woman through a green door he noticed just then. In the background, a panting old man peaked into the woman's home through the window closest to him. His dog quickly stood beside him.

Once inside, Howl immediately took the chair he was offered and slumped into it, seeming that it was a long trek from the door to the chair. He sighed as he carefully put down the mug he was holding on the table in front of him, noticing mingled herbal fragrances around him.

"What's that sweet smell…?" Howl thought as he looked up. He saw on almost every wall cabinets full of herbs and spices. Each box was labeled with a specific name in neat letters. The room was overflowing with smells, but there was a specific smell he had gotten attached to. In the background, there was the sound of wood rubbing together and a light chuckle as the woman brought one other boxes full of a mix of herbs to Howl's table.

"I bet this is what you smell," She paused as she grinned, "It's a very popular tea here. Even this little one is content with it." She said as she lightly patted her stomach.

"Little one…" The raven haired gritted his teeth then coughed a bit, "I apologize, Ms. Sasha, but I best be going now." The squeaking of the chair's feet echoed though the empty tea shop as Howl abruptly stood up. He still felt weak but he couldn't waste time, also he felt a little annoyed at the moment.

"…Um…don't strain yourself!" The pregnant woman frowned as she watched Howl walk away.

"Hey, mistah? Don't go." A little voice said as he felt something hug his hip. The raven haired froze as he looked to his right. A little girl, no older than four, held him tight as she looked up at him with sad eyes.

"…I'm sorry, miss, but…I have to go." Howl whispered the rest of his sentence as he gently pushed away the little girl and continued walking, feeling a tinge of guilt tugging at his heart. He could feel those sad green eyes drilling a hole in his back as he hobbled like the old man he's disguised as, but he just kept on going.

"I'm sorry little girl, I have to get back to- Nnh…!" The raven haired's thoughts were interrupted by a shot of pain through his belly, making him fall forward.

"Master Howl!" A familiar voice gasped as the old man by the window pulled back his blue hood, returning back to the young brunette he is. Markl ran straight for his master's side, followed by his dog.

"Hnh…! Hnh…!" Heen barked, knowing something was wrong.

"Miste- oh!" Sasha gasped as she noticed that the old man she was talking to just moments ago had a dramatic "age-rewind".

"Mistah?" The little girl asked in her little voice, worry written all over her face.

"…Mar..kl…?" Howl breathed as he saw his apprentice right in his face, holding out his hand to reach for the boy. But soon after that, he breathed in sharply as he had to recoil his hand to caress his middle.

"Ah! M-Master Howl, is it…?" The brunette lowered his voice as he said the rest of his sentence.

"…I… Ah…!" That's all the raven haired could say as he breathed laboriously, coughing a big from time to time.

"I-I'll go find some help!" Markl jumped to his feet and ran before the speechless man could say anything.

"M-Markl…wait…!" Howl croaked as he used up all what was left of his strength before plopping his head and upraised hand down onto the cobble stones. He continued to breathe laboriously as he lay there, squeezing shut as he softly groaned. Heen lay next to his arm, waiting for the boy to come back. Sasha and the little girl watched the older man as they stood in worry, taking in all of the events that just happened.

"Mama? Is he…going where daddy went?" The little girl asked as she looked up at her mother.

"I… Let's bring him in where it is warm so he doesn't get cold just like daddy was, ok?" Sasha said as she smiled down at her daughter.

"OK!" he little girl smiled back as she stood next to the raven haired, ready to carry the sick man.

"All right, ready?"

"Mm-hm!"

"Ok…" Sasha slowly grabbed Howl's left hand, because of her obstacle, and her daughter gladly took his right hand, slowly lifting up their patient as they went. Since the pregnant woman was way taller than her daughter, obviously, Sasha wrapped the left arm she was holding over her shoulders and carried the man back into her shop, with the help and guide of her daughter.

"…It's too early…way too early…" Howl thought before he let go of consciousness.

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Author's note: More cliffhangers! Howl is in trouble again! Plus he got a cold from the storm! Oh no! XD Markl ran off in search of help! Who is he going to? Jack, Justin, or some side character?! Find out in the next chappy! XP