She slowly walked out of the door and into the meadow. It had not changes a single bit. The same flowers were blooming, and the same house, where Howl spent his childhood, where they escaped to when life in the moving castle became stuffy, was right where it stood the last time.
She skipped out and spun around, trying to take in the scenery. "Thank you Howl!" She said breathlessly. "Thank me? For what? This was yours to begin with, Gladys…" He said, encircling her waist. She froze. so it wasn't a dream…
"What's wrong?" He asked, noticing the tension. "What… did you just call me?" She whispered. He spun her round, stared into her eyes and said in a firm tone, " I called you Gladys."
She felt light-headed. She knew what was going to happen next. "Why didn't you tell me?" He asked. And there it was. The question she all but dreaded, yet knew she could not evade. She took in a deep breath. "I… wasn'." She said in a rush. Howl stared at her blankly. "Repeat that slower, please." "I wasn't going to tell anyone till I could find the person who harmed us." She repeated, pronouncing each word distinctly. "You could still have told me. I could've helped you!" He argued back hotly. "All these years, I was trying to find you. And all you had to do was just contact me, Gladys…"
Something snapped. "Gladys… Stop saying Gladys!" She screamed. She wrenched herself out of Howl's embrace. "I'm no longer her! I'm not her anymore!" "Gladys…" Howl was speechless. Gladys, now enraged, stormed, "I'm not her anymore! Stop saying that name! Look at me! I'm no longer the old self! I'm stuck in this plain body, so much so that even my own husband could not recognize me at first glance! Look at me, and tell me if you could love me still. Gladys is dead! She has ceased to exist!" She sobbed, whispering the last part.
Howl was dumbstruck. He could not start to imagine the trials she had to go through. He suddenly felt guilty, not being able to empathize with her. "Gladys, it's fine. No matter what happens, I still love you. Remember our vows? I promised to love you, no matter what happens. And I do. No matter what happens, even if you're crippled, blind, ugly… I will always love you." Saying this, he passionately kissed her, a hand in her long hair, the other encircling her.
Gladys struggled a bit before sinking into the kiss. A white mist started swirling around her, starting from her feet. As it rose, she changed. She changed back to her real self.
They broke the kiss, both breathing heavily. Howl's eyes widened with surprise. "Gladys! You're back to your old self!" He said excitedly. Gladys was confused. She looked down, and her eyes widened. "Impossible." She breathed as she examined her long delicate fingers. "The curse should not have lifted unless she performs the spell to dispel it."
"Well, regardless, you're back to your old self. So it should be fine to call you Gladys, right?" Howl asked in a teasing voice, a sparkle in his eyes. Gladys threw her arms round Howl, smiling. "As long as you like. As long as you like."