A/N-Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter and put up with my prolonged absence. I will be updating Erased tomorrow, I just don't have the energy it takes to write another chapter tonight. Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter-Puppy444219, FilmMaker1690, libragirl93, prettyinpinkgal, Catbuddy, seragirlforever, moongirlSelene99, Link Fangirl01, Hatake Sienna, kiki, Siren of Time, HoodiesRsoft, Celeris, SilverWinter18, angie, lauraart123, and SakuraAngelchen. Read and Review.

Disclaimer-I don't own HMC

Chapter 12

Medea's golden tinged eyes shoot open. At the foot of the massive bed, Markle stands with a porcelain basin in his hands. A terry cloth is draped over the edge and steam rises off of it in curls. Before she can look she senses strong powers on either side of her. Turning her head slightly, she looks and sees Howl sitting on one side working a healing spell. Turning slightly the other way, she sees her relative, Suliman, also working a spell.

Upon seeing that the injured witch is awake, the older witch frowns. "You realize, my foolish cousin, that you would've saved yourself time and pain if you had come straight to me? I would've applied directly to grandfather and he would've stopped this." However, Medea knows her older cousin. Despite her critical words, there is clear cut relief etched into her face along with deep worry lines.

Medea tries to speak but all that comes out is a croak. A cup is produced and a straw pushed through her lips. Once she has water in her throat, she can speak again. "How long?"

"You've been lying in Howl's bed for nearly two days now. Medea, the phoenix nearly killed you. Now, why did you go to Howl instead of go to me."

"Same old cousin Suliman. You enjoy getting straight to the point. Okay, I went straight to Howl because I knew you'd want to analyze the situation politically before acting. There was no time for that, Medea wanted the journal. I knew Howl could act faster because it was his girl on the line. Even if it meant aunty coming after me."

"Was it worth it?"

"Yes it was," the pain from the claws of the phoenix is fading, becoming like a dream due to Suliman's spell. "The sheer fact that Circe came after me tells me that Sophie got a message in time. She's safe."

A look of relief crosses Howl's face. "That was something I was worried about. I'm glad to know that she's still safe." Suliman looked up from where she was tending to her cousin up to Howl.

"What are you going to do about the ball? It's the day after next. Prince Justin hasn't rescinded his invitation as of yet but I think he might. So, you do what you do best. Make a flamboyant entrance…just do it two days early. I'll stay at the castle and tend to Medea."

"What about the King?"

"I've put barriers up around his palace. Leave the king to me."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

The ball is two days away and preparations are almost complete. The main ballroom has been entirely decked out in colors that correspond to the season of fall magnificently. I watched, this morning, as huge crystal bowls loaded with specially bred roses were brought into the ballroom. They were bred, especially for this ball; to have mostly beige petals but the tips of the flowers were a sharp burnt red. There were special vases designed to go around her seat that had been specifically created to match her dress colors. Not silver, of course, but roses, white as freshly fallen snow mixed with roses the dark purple of twilight, almost exactly the same color as the velvet of my dress.

They will need to be watered, of course, before the event. Constantly, so they don't wither. However, I believe Justin's intent is to fill the room with their fragrance so that by the day after tomorrow, it will smell like a fresh spring garden. The maids –even my own, Ruth and Naomi- have been enlisted to help the decorators with the crepe paper, setting up tables with cutlery and plates and any other odd jobs that might need doing.

My dress is finished, the last fitting was, well, the last fitting. Several things have changed. At my request, the hoops have been diminished to a smaller size (from so wide I couldn't walk straight to a single smaller one designed solely to keep the dress flared enough so I won't trip over it. It is, by far, the most beautiful thing I've ever worn in my life.

Oh, before I forget to mention it, something about Circe. I recall her going out several nights ago in such a rage she refused to even speak to Justin. It seemed to me that angry power was arching out of her with such force it might've killed whoever rubbed her the wrong way. When she came back, she was much pleased and less angry, however she looked colder than I'd ever seen her before. I've made a point to avoid all contact with her since.

And then there is the troublesome order that Justin gave me. I can tell he is deadly serious, in enforcing this; he doesn't want me to see or speak to this wizard. I do not know how long he's had this vendetta against the wizard from the other country, nor do I care to know what it's about. However, I am absolutely sure of this –Justin's order will go unheeded.

It is probably not the smartest thing for me to be doing, considering the wedding, but if he orders me around before the wedding and I act in accordance with his will…. after the wedding, will he be worse? Will he continue to order me about and expect complete utter compliance?

Yes, he will. My mother told me a story, once, of a man who courted her before my father. They were close. He was a perfect gentleman, even in the several months after the engagement was announced. But as the wedding crept closer, he became more ordering, more domineering, it got to the point where mother couldn't do anything without going to him and asking permission first –and they weren't even married.

She broke it off…. then she met father. The rest is history.

Well, so to speak. The point is, I will never obey a direct order from a man. If he cares about me, he will respect me enough to ask that I do something, instead of order me as though I am naught but a pet.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Justin, my son, what you want to do is highly foolish. If you want to have political relations with our next-door neighbor further on down the road, you will reconsider. Do not annul your invitation to the wizard Howl."

"Even if I void the invitation, we'll still have relations," Justin speaks in an unusually confident voice. "I'm marrying one of their citizens. That should mean something."

"You are marrying a merchant's daughter from a little known border town. If she were a princess then maybe the marriage would carry some weight. In case of a war, they will eagerly abandon their former inhabitant if necessary. I…"

A knock comes at the door. Irritated, Justin leaps from his chair and strides across the room. Wrenching the door open, he is confronted by a knock-kneed page. "What is it?" he says in an impatient voice.

"Milord prince, Your Majesty," the page bowed. "A visitor from Lady Sophie's home land has just arrived in the main hall. He is dressed most flamboyantly, wearing one of those old-fashioned opera cloaks…but in very vivid, vibrant colors. He says his name is…"

"Howl Jenkins." The words rip from the prince's throat in a snarl. "Damn him. He must've realized I was going to withdraw my invitation…and I know he knows that Sophie is engaged to me. I've got to head him off before he can talk to her."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

I go for a stroll through the garden, a guard walking several feet behind me. It's so peaceful, so relaxing.

Suddenly, the relaxing ambiance is broken when; from down the path leading towards the palace, a valet comes running. He stops, and whispers something to the guard who promptly stands up straighter and looks around, as if scared for a sudden attack.

"What is going on?" I ask. I can see a frightful amount of activity going on back at the palace, now that I bother to look. The valet and guard glance at me, look at each other, and the valet cautiously responds.

"Milady, the wizard from the neighboring country, Howl, has arrived for the ball. He's early and we don't know what his intent is for being so early. Justin would want us to protect you."

"Howl's here?" If they're doing what they think Justin would want them to do, Justin doesn't know Howl's here, then maybe… before either of them could react, I am turned on my heel and running down the path towards the palace.

"Lady Sophie, wait!!!"

But I don't. In my dress brought from Market Chipping, I'm running immodestly, with the skirt hiked up to my knees. But I don't care. I must see this Howl person, before Justin can get to me to stop me. Pins tumble out of my hair and soon the short silver stands are swirling around my face.

I enter the palace and skid through the halls towards the entrance hall. There is a massive group, mostly women, crowded around. Once they see me coming, however, the move out of the way, in deference.

There, in the middle of the crowd…the man from my dreams…the one with black hair and blue eyes…

Is Howl?

Almost as soon as I think this, he looks up from the butler talking to him. Our eyes meet through the path created in the crowd. It seems the breath is stolen from my lungs by his piercing stare. A voice echoes through the entrance hall. "Howl, well met!!"

It's Justin. But it's as though he never speaks. Howl keeps his eyes on me, eyes connected to mine. He opens his mouth…and speaks.

"Sophie."

A/N-So, how did you all like it? Read and Review!!!!