AN: Look, another chapter! Enjoy!
Contains implied mature themes.
I do not own HMC.
Chapter 11: In Which There is Confusion
"Oh, Sophie, Sophie! Guess what?"
Sophie looked up from the desk where she was counting money as Lia came skipping over, eyes filled with excitement. Sophie sighed and stared at her expectantly. "What?"
"Joseph asked me to the ball!" she squealed. Sophie couldn't help but laugh out loud at her ridiculousness. "What's so funny?" Lia glared, crossing her arms.
Sophie shook her head. "Oh nothing," she giggled. "It's just... You, ever-so-tough Lia, are squealing over going to a ball," she grinned.
"Well- that's because- I... You're just jealous!"
Sophie immediately stopped her chortling and her cheeks went pink. She cleared her throat and pretended to be counting her money again. Lia stared at her, confused. Then understanding dawned on her. "Wait a minute, are you going too?" she murmured in bewilderment. Sophie didn't reply.
Lia gasped. "You're going with that Howl, aren't you? I knew it! He has you wrapped around his finger, that wizard! Oh, but why didn't you tell me?"
"It's not that important," Sophie mumbled.
"Of course it is!" Lia argued. "It's your first ball and you're going with the royal wizard!"
"It's your first ball too," Sophie protested.
Lia shook her head. "Nah. My mom's taken me before. We went to the princess's first birthday ball a couple years back."
"Oh," Sophie said, pushing coins around distractedly on the desk.
"Mhm. Well anyway, have you got a dress yet? My sis's taking me to get one after work. You can come too, if you like," Lia offered.
Sophie shook her head. "That's okay, Lia. Howl and I went a while ago."
Lia shrugged. "Alright then. I'll see you tomorrow night. Can't wait!" she said as she walked out the front door of the stable.
"See you tomorrow," Sophie called back half-heartedly.
Truth be told, she was feeling rather put-out. Howl hadn't been to see her at all since the night they were together that previous Saturday, and it was Thursday now, the day before the ball. She was almost afraid he wouldn't even show up for the ball. Then she had to mentally slap herself. Of course he'd show up! He wouldn't just ditch her like that, especially after their confessions to each other. Not to mention he had taken part in setting up for the ball-well, she assumed anyway. He'd complained about it enough...
And as she gathered up her paycheck of gold coins and deposited them in her little velvet coin purse, she heard a voice coming from the passage that lead out to the pastures, along with the tell-tale clip-clop of horse hooves on concrete. Speak of the devil, she thought.
And there was her wizard, murmuring quietly to a worn-out Phoenix, who walked beside him. Sophie instantly smiled, and waited for him to look up and greet her. But Howl kept on walking, without even noticing she was there.
Sophie's smile faltered, and she flinched as a thought suddenly occurred to her.
Unable to shake this disturbing theory, she threw herself out of the chair and stormed over to the aisle he was in. She stopped in the aisle entrance and crossed her arms, waiting for Howl to reappear from the stall. Her eyes glared furiously at the spot where he would appear.
And when he did, closing the stall door and turning towards her, he was nearly shocked right out of his boots, for he did not expect to see her standing there, face contorted in rage.
"Sophie!" he gasped. "I had no idea you were here. You nearly gave me a heart attack!" He started walking toward her.
"Nice seeing you again. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were just in it for the sex," she said flatly, voice cold as ice.
Howl stopped dead in his tracks, a look of utter bewilderment taking over his sunny features. "Excuse me?" he managed to choke out in his shock.
"Oh, but maybe I don't know any better," Sophie continued in that same icy tone. "Why else would you be avoiding me?"
Howl's mouth fell open. "Avoiding you?" he murmured, anger and hurt welling up in his eyes. "Is that what you think I've been doing?"
Sophie didn't answer. She just stood there, rigid and stoney-faced. Howl marched angrily up the aisle until his face was mere inches from hers. "How dare you accuse me of such things? I've been incredibly busy preparing for the ball tomorrow. And how could you possibly believe I've been using you? What kind of a man do you take me for?" he spat.
"The kind that fools girls into thinking he truly cares for them then steals their hearts and virtue!" she yelled back.
A dangerous fire burned in Howl's dark blue eyes. "Where in Hell did you get that idea?" he seethed, barely holding back a flood of rage.
Tears were threatening to fall from Sophie's eyes any second. "I know it's true," she whispered.
And suddenly Howl wasn't angry anymore, just full of sorrow for the young woman in front of him whom he held dear. He sighed and pulled her tightly to him. She didn't resist. "I'm sorry if I let you think that I was using you," he murmured. "It... It may be true for the women of my past, but please believe me when I tell you that it's nowhere near the truth for you, Sophie. I love you with everything I am, and all that happened that night was evidence of that, I promise."
A tear rolled down Sophie's cheek. "I believe you, Howl," she said, and leaned up to kiss him. They kissed until the need for air was urgent, then they kissed again and again, neither had felt more happy in their entire lives than right now.
~.::.~
"Lettie, I really don't want to go into a filthy barn..."
"It's the royal stables, I hardly think it's going to be filthy. And besides, we have to see Sophie," the second oldest said, pulling her stepmother towards the front door.
"Oh I guess... I just hope Sophie won't fight us about going to the ball," Honey said, exasperated.
"Well, knowing Sophie, she will. But I'll make her see reason," Lettie promised.
They came to the front door of the stables. Letting go of Honey's hand, Lettie reached for the door handle and turned it. They stepped inside, calling for Sophie, but were stopped short by the sight of the couple locked in a tight embrace in the middle of the main passage. They stared at the newcomers with shock and embarrassment written all over their faces.
Lettie released a startled gasp. "Sophie?!"
Sophie did the same. "Lettie?"
Honey promptly fainted.
AN: Alright, so there's one more chapter after this, then this story is to be discontinued, as you all know.
~Leaf