With her bonds now broken, Gladys silently stood up, taking care not to alert anyone. As best as she could, she signaled to Howl to remain as he was. Years of acting like a playboy did not leave him without skills. He kept a stoic face, giving no indication that he knew of her gaining freedom. Instead, he stared cooly at Madame Suliman. " Frankly, I doubt that they'll say anything. It's not as if you're going to announce to the whole world that you lured me here with the usage of your daughter and are planning to kill me, right? Because that will only just reveal your true colours."
Madame Suliman's face contorted, and she struck at him. " How dare you speak like that to your elder!" She raged. She suddenly smiled, and blithely said, " This won't do. I certainly have to teach you some manners. How about… I know! Let me torture my daughter, right before your very eyes. That ought to teach you to keep your mouth shut."
Gladys quickly cast a spell, causing a double to appear, creating the impression that she was still tied up, and quickly ghosted her way behind her mum, not letting her mum find out. Her mum raised her staff and pointed it at the double. A red ball of flame erupted and hit the double. Of course, being a puppet, it showed no emotions. Her mom did not notice, and continued to shoot it. To play it up, Gladys made a gesture, causing the puppet to fall over.
Madame Suliman smiled victoriously and turned back to Howl, only to find him failing to keep a straight face. You could see he was breaking at the seams trying not to laugh. Madame Suliman was shocked. She did that and he was laughing?! "Why are you laughing?" She raged. Infuriated, she ordered her page boys to bind Howl to the very chair that had sapped the Witch of the Waste.
"Now, if you nicely apologize to me, I might make this less painful for you," She cooed. Howl coldly looked back at her and replied," Never. I will never apologize to you. And I am going to make sure that you will never harm my family again." With that, he snapped the bonds easily, as if it was made of sponge, and fired a ice-ball at Madame Suliman.
Super sorry for short chap and long time to update. School's been busy...with bad load of writer's block... Anyway, the story is going to reach an end soon... D: Hope you all can bear with it! Sorry! D: