Dear readers of this story... thank you for all the feedback and lovely words!

The story isn't quite over yet-there are still a few chapters left! But since the first draft is now finished, each chapter just requires just a little bit of editing before posting, so... well, here's another. :-)

Enjoy! :-)

Love,

BoMD

–––

In the most ideal of worlds, Sophie could easily have slept long into the afternoon. But only a couple hours later, she found herself drifting awake to the sound of a very familiar whispering voice inside her head, words softer than silk. "My dearest, sweetest Sophie… please, my love… can you please wake up for a moment? I'm so very thirsty… "

Slowly opening her eyes and adjusting to the mid morning light filtering in through the still closed curtains, Sophie realized that Howl was now lying on his side, facing her. He still looked exhausted, with his hair in a state of wild disarray, and despite the fact that he used to claim he'd never be able to grow a decent beard without the help of magic, a rather prominent stubble was now covering his emaciated face. But as their eyes met, Sophie felt her heart jump with joy and relief as she could definitely see that his old spark was returning.

"Please…" he pleaded inside her head.

"Master flatterer," Sophie teased, propping herself up on her elbows. Reaching for the water pitcher, she filled the bedside water glass about halfway, and helping Howl sitting up in a semi-reclined position with his head on a pillow on her lap, she offered the glass to his lips. "Slowly, now…" she urged.

Howl obviously tried to comply, but still drank with rather eager sips, draining the glass within a couple moments. "A little more, please…?" he begged.

"Of course, dear." Sophie smiled. "But you'd better wait just a moment to see how that settles first…"

Howl gave a small sigh. "One… two… three… there, a moment has passed and I'm still fine… but thirsty…"

Sophie shook her head. "Naturally. But I want no relapses now… you hear me?"

Howl didn't respond, but eyed the glass with anticipation as she was refilling it, managing a weak "Thank you" before she put it to his lips once more.

"You know… we should probably get you started on the tea… and then something salty… as soon as you possibly can…"

Howl gave a small smile. "Mhm. But not right now… I'm all right… but so very tired…"

Sophie smiled, putting the empty glass back on the nightstand. "Yes, you should go back to sleep again…"

Howl's lips twisted upwards as he laid back on the pillow on Sophie's lap once more. "Somehow," he slurred "…I don't think that will be a problem."

He was indeed asleep even before Sophie could help him back onto the bed. For a couple moments, she just sat there, softly stroking his hair and studying his relaxed features. She almost had to suppress a giggle when an inner vision crossed her mind–what his reaction would be should he happen to come face to face with a mirror in this state. And yet… he looked more precious to her than ever before…

Kissing his forehead, she helped him off her lap, and down on the bed beside her. Curling up against him, she covered them both with the blanket… and within moments, she was asleep again.

–––

This time, it hardly felt as she had put her head on the pillow before she was awoken anew. Howl was still sleeping peacefully, but it was Calcifer's shrill voice from downstairs that sliced through her consciousness like a razor. "Market Chipping door!" he announced, over and over again.

Untangling herself from her husband's arms that were now wrapped around her, Sophie made it to the bedroom door and yanked it open. "But for Goodness sake, Calcifer, let them in then, and ask them to give me a moment!" she called out in the direction of the staircase.

She could hear the door handle of the front door turn as she hurried to the bathroom for a quick fix up and a change of clothes. She didn't even bother to look into the mirror, just drew the brush a couple of times through her hair.

As she came halfway down the stairs, she was greeted with Dana's voice from the kitchen. Even before Sophie saw her, she knew she was about to get some good news.

"Sophie!" Dana was positively beaming as she met her on the bottom of the stairs, embracing her with her free arm. On the other, she carried a blanketed bundle. "I spoke to Calcifer… I heard… that's wonderful news! I can't say how happy I am for you… And I'm sorry, I heard you were sleeping… and I understand you must be totally exhausted… but I have someone here who just wants to say hello…"

Unfolding the blanket, Dana brought forth her baby girl to Sophie. Almost instantly, tears sprung in Sophie's eyes. The baby was so different from the last time she saw her, that she wouldn't even have recognized her. She was still a bit on the small side, but her yet chubby face now had a healthy color, her cheeks were red and her features pleasantly relaxed. As the light fell on her face, she opened up her deep blue eyes for a second and squinted at Sophie. Then, her little mouth formed a sound yawn… and she closed her eyes anew, snoozing peacefully.

As Dana spoke again, Sophie heard her voice as if it was coming from a great distance. "Merely hours after I got off the dairy products… I saw a definite improvement. And now… she's feeling well now… no diarrhea, no blood… no vomiting…" Her voice broke as she continued. "It was your advice that saved her, Sophie. Without it… she wouldn't have lasted long… and I am so eternally grateful, Sophie… there are no words…"

Carefully avoiding to squeeze the baby, the women embraced anew, both of them crying openly now. It took a long time before Sophie could stop the seamlessly endless stream of tears. Eventually finding her voice, she loosened her hold around Dana's back, moving her hand to her free shoulder instead. "Dana… I… I can't say how happy I am… that she'll live… I hope you're aware that I definitely consider you as a friend… and that you're still welcome to visit us any time you like…"

Dana nodded slowly. "Come to think of it… there might be something I could do to help… with Howl still on the mend… and considering that the rest of your family will be returning soon… maybe you can use an extra hand with the cooking for some days to come?"

"Oh really… you don't need to… with the baby and all…" Sophie put her hand up in objection, and shook her head.

"But it's not a problem!" Dana argued. "We need to cook for ourselves, nevertheless. And now… well… we have quite a lot of milk to spare these days too… and you have a fast growing eight year old…"

"Are you certain it won't be a problem? If I agree to this…"

"I am absolutely certain. Please, let me do this for you. But for now, there is one thing you should do, Sophie. And that is getting back to Howl and make sure that both of you get some rest."

Too emotionally spent and overwhelmed to argue, Sophie eventually followed Dana to the door. Dana promised to be back some time during the following day.

"Well, well…" Calcifer sighed as Sophie closed the front door after Dana. "Howl should get some rest. Sophie, and you should get some rest." He mimicked Dana's tone of voice. "But a fire demon is supposed to be standing at attention around the clock. 'Watch the door! Heat that water!'"

"Oh, Calcifer, please…" Sophie sighed, and felt an initial sting of annoyance… until she realized that it was probably a good thing that Calcifer was starting to sound like his old self again.

"Well," the fire demon cut her off. "I might just as well head over to your sisters at once. No use in trying to get some sleep here anyway."

Before Sophie had a chance to argue, he was zapping through the air and out through the funnel.

Rolling her eyes, Sophie headed toward the stairs again. Hopefully, she would get a few more moments of sleep before the next interruption.

–––

As Sophie woke up a couple hours later, (once again because of a very thirsty Howl) she realized there was little use trying to get back to sleep. And there was also… a disconcerting sensation in her gut… like something was missing, combined by a strange lack of energy… It had actually been so long since she last felt it that she hardly recognized it for what it was. She was hungry. Starving, in fact.

Fortunately, there was still much left from the food that Lettie had brought her a couple days before. Calcifer had yet not returned as she entered the kitchen, so she had to make a traditional fire. From the ingredients in the food basket, she made herself a quick bowl of soup, and prepared a new pot of ginger tea for Howl.

She had just finished her meal and was about to head back upstairs to administer the ginger tea to Howl when she heard the familiar swooshing sound from the chimney, and Calcifer came bolting into the kitchen. He was all out of breath, but this time he was merely excited. Apparently, Markl had been sharing a similar dream about Howl, Heen and Sophie, but he had not really dared to believe that Howl was actually all right until he got the news confirmed. He had been so overjoyed that Calcifer had had to physically block the doorway to prevent him from returning home at once.

Sophie felt a sting of guilt at Calcifer's words. Despite her exhaustion, she was very much looking forward to Markl's return. But yet, it was probably for the best that he waited just another day, or at least until Howl was well enough to handle liquid foods. She hoped he didn't feel unwelcome or unwanted in any way… but Calcifer soon reassured her that he'd already suggested that all of them, even her sisters, should accompany him as he returned to the castle the next morning.

Although weak, Howl was definitely on the mend, and in the evening, he even downed some broth, with no signs of discomfort. He was still too weak to move around, but Sophie managed to give him a very throughout sponge bath, that left him feeling much refreshed. She changed the bed linens and finally got rid of the protective sheets. It was a wonderful feeling to sleep in a fresh bed, and this night, they both fell asleep at once, and slept without interruptions until the morning.

–––

Yet again, it was the whisperings inside Sophie's head that eventually woke her.

"My sweetest, dearest, most beloved…"

Rolling over, realizing that she could easily have slept throughout the day once more, she grabbed a spare pillow and gave her husband a playful slap across his face. "Yeah, yeah, I know…" she cut him off. "You're thirsty. And hungry. And I'll see to that right away."

She tried to sound cross, but a giggle escaped her lips, and when she actually could hear Howl laughing out loud from behind the pillow, she knew the battle was lost. "Gaah, I hate you!" she blurted out. Grabbing his head, she placed a somewhat rough kiss on his forehead, before rising from bed.

She had just started the preparations for breakfast (aided by a somewhat grumpy Calcifer, who had obviously been planning to sleep in for a little longer), when there was a knock on the door. It turned out to be Dana and the baby girl–and a huge basket covered with a cloth.

"I hope I'm not too early," Dana apologized. "But my husband is aiding his brother and their family to rebuild their barn, so he left early and... well, I figured that, with the rest of the family returning today and all, you might appreciate a little help with the cooking?"

Sophie smiled. "Oh, Dana, you've done enough already... but I really do appreciate your help. I just got breakfast started, but as soon as everyone's got their fill, Calcifer will be on his way to pick them up."

"Calcifer this and Calcifer that," groused the fire demon from underneath the pot on the hearth. "Whadda you expect me, to carry him?"

Sophie laughed. "Somehow, I doubt it will be needed. He'll probably be bouncing all the way from there... you'll have to keep him from levitating... or whatever he calls it..."

Her assumptions turned out to be right. As soon as Calcifer had finished his breakfast (which, thankfully, seemed to have put him in a better mood) he shot out the door and down the street. Obviously thinking he was out of sight once he was on level with the house roofs by the first corner, he started spinning around madly, in what was definitely a sparkling, spiraling display of uncontrollable joy.

Sophie and Dana, still watching him from the doorway, both burst out laughing. Sophie shook her head. "Yes… he is, and will always be one of a kind…"

–––

Not two full hours later, the door was jerked open by a beaming and bouncing Markl. "Soooophie!" he exclaimed, running towards the kitchen area without even taking notice of the other woman who was assisting Sophie with the cooking. He drew her into such a fierce embrace that she almost toppled over before regaining her balance. Quickly placing the ladle she'd been holding on the kitchen counter, she swept him up in her arms. "Oh Markl… welcome home… I've missed you so much…" Her voice stuck.

"I missed you too, Sophie… so much…" Markl pressed his little face tightly against her apron, and she just held him for a few moments, stroking his back. Finally, she found her own voice. "Hey…" she said, laughing softly. "You're back now… and Howl's on the mend… and I thought you were bringing my sisters, and Heen?"

Markl spun around. "I… uh…" He looked genuinely surprised to see that they weren't standing right behind him. He shrugged. "I… guess I was too quick for them… or something. How's Howl?" he added demandingly, without having time to catch his breath.

"He's in bed, resting… or sleeping…" Sophie felt an unexpected warmth spreading in her chest at her own words. "But he'd never forgive me if I didn't let you get to see him…"

Markl's face lit up. "I won't tire him… at least not too much, I promise!"

Grabbing him once more, before he had a chance to slip away, Sophie placed a quick kiss on Markl's forehead. "He'll be delighted."

Squirming himself loose, Markl ran towards the stairs, but just as he was about to climb the first step, he suddenly froze in mid air. Spinning around, he stared at Dana with a look of bewilderment and poorly concealed anger on his face. "WHAT is she doing here?" he demanded.

"Oh, Markl dear, sorry… I didn't have the chance to tell you, but it's all right…" Before Sophie could explain, Dana interrupted. She put down the bowl she'd been holding and approached the sulking boy, her baby on her arm. "Markl… is that your name?" She knelt in front of the still sulking boy. "This is little Sophie," she explained, kissing her baby girl's sleeping face. "I've named her after your mummy. You see… had it not been for her… she would not have been alive today. She was very sick… and I've been such a fool… saying all those awful, awful things about your family… Yet, your mummy didn't care… and despite Howl being so sick and all she did everything she could to help me… and saved my little girl…"

Obviously feeling even more confused now, Markl sought Sophie's eyes for confirmation. Smiling, feeling her cheeks heating up at her words, and the fact that Dana was actually going to name her baby after her, Sophie turned to them both. "It was mere luck, Markl. No magic involved, nor medical skills, for that matter. I just recalled a similar incident from my childhood, that is all. But Dana is our friend now, and I can't even say how honored I feel–"

"Friend?" interrupted Dana. "Honored? I owe her my life! Naming my girl 'Sophie'–which is such a beautiful name anyway–will always remind me… that I should be eternally, eternally grateful. And helping her out with the cooking now and then is the least I can do…"

Looking at Sophie, then Dana, then Calcifer (who remained silent under the pot on the hearth), Markl shook his head. "Err… I…"

"Yes, go on," Sophie urged. "Go see Howl. Lunch will be ready in about half an hour. And you said it yourself–don't overtax him."

Markl gave an enthusiastic nod. "I won't." Spinning around again, he bolted up the stairs. The women watched him in silence until they heard the bedroom door close behind him.

"Oh, Sophie…" Dana suddenly looked apologetic, putting a hand over her mouth. "I just realized… I called you his mummy… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to–"

Bubbling with laughter, Sophie looked at Dana. "Oh for Goodness sake, Dana… I didn't even notice!" Suddenly needing to wipe her eyes on her sleeve, she marveled at her own words. "I didn't even notice… and neither did he…"

To be continued...