Chapter 6: The Mask Unveiled
The teapot hovering over Calcifer screeched its warning call for a few seconds before Howl made the notion to remove it. He walked it to the dining table and poured the hot water into two cups, both with an earl grey tea pack. He set the teapot on a towel and sat down across from his old friend, hoping the drink would ease his irritated stomach.
"Tea any good?" Howl asked as he took a sip.
"Very." The man across from Howl set the cup down, his muscular hands clutching around the base. Howl studied his face, watching closely as dusky brown eyes wandered all over the space. His dark hair covered the top of his eyes, but Howl still noticed the distress that lay inside Kenta Itō.
Howl cleared his throat. "We have a spare bedroom down the hall, and you can stay as long as you wish. My home is completely open to you."
Kenta nodded slightly, keeping focus on the cup of tea in front of him. He brushed the scruff that rounded his chin, barely paying any attention to Howl at all. Though they were close at one time, Howl still wished he could peer inside his friend's mind. He wanted to uncover their years of separation - and, if he were being fully honest, he wanted to know what Suliman had done to him.
Howl placed a hand on his arm, Kenta immediately jolting up with goosebumps. "You need to talk about it."
Kenta shook his head and pulled his arm back. "No. No, I'm sorry Howl... I just - I can't. I can't talk about that."
Howl held a crumpled piece of paper toward him. "The letter you sent me isn't enough information. I need to know what she did to you."
Kenta bit his lip and shut his eyes. He took several deep breaths before saying, "That's all you need to know. You were smart enough to get out when you did, and I should have followed. You don't know what we all went through."
"That's why you need to tell me, so I can help."
"That won't do anything." Kenta whispered, his eyes darting rapidly around the room. "She's always watching, always listening. She probably knows I'm here."
"If that woman ever came here, she would regret it. Calcifer and I locked this place up with more spells than I taught my apprentice." Howl debated his next sentence carefully. "You don't have to be frightened of Suliman anymore."
At the sound of her name, Kenta stood up and pushed the chair forward. "Don't say her name. Don't, ever!"
"Okay, okay." Howl slowly stood up, his hands raised. "Obviously, she did some horrible things to you."
"Horrible?" Kenta spat. "Horrible would probably describe how you felt before you escaped the apprenticeship. What I felt, what all the other magicians felt?" Kenta shivered at the memories, his visage hardening and his emotions blocked. "It was hell."
Howl nodded softly. He gestured for Kenta to return to his seat, hoping the tea would be of some help. He placed a spell on the water to increase the calming effects. A normal cup of tea wasn't enough to ease Kenta's nerves without a little bit of magic.
After a few more sips, the spell began to take place. Kenta breathed out in relief and, to Howl's surprise, almost smiled. Maybe he could get a little bit more information out of him now.
"Do you remember when you first reported to Su- to her?" Howl caught himself before speaking her name. Kenta was still unbalanced and full of rage, so certain word choices could break the spell on him.
Kenta bobbed his head to each side. "I remember reporting to the Palace after receiving my letter. King Roland said the other magicians from our apprenticeship were waiting for... her. I walked to a small room, and there was only one chair inside. I was still wary of what I had come there for, so I didn't sit. After a while, I heard laughing and I recognized the voice right away."
Kenta looked at Howl, submission in his gaze. It was just as the Witch of the Wastes had told him when she was stripped of her magic. "She said I was lucky, that I hadn't fallen for her trap. But she still wasn't going to let me go."
Howl twirled his tea bag in the cup. "And that's all you can remember."
"Of my human form, yes. Of when I was her slave..." Howl widened his eyes. He didn't think any of his comrades would remember their unnatural state. "We were disgusting creatures, working as lab rats and experiments for her twisted game. I couldn't tell you how many innocent lives I've ruined. I'm so ashamed."
"It wasn't your fault."
"But I knew not to go to her." Kenta said. "She told me not to go to her."
Howl blinked. "She? There's someone else you remember?"
Kenta smiled longingly, like the imprint of a graceful memory just swept over him. It was like he'd forgotten Suliman altogether. "I thought I was lucky to remember you, just one of my close friends, but she haunts my dreams in the most beautiful way."
"Do you remember her name?"
Kenta's smile faded and he sighed. "No. I can only see part of her face. She had such long, flowing hair. Blonde, like drops of sunlight flowed down from her head. Her eyes were a strange color, a color just like your fire demon over there. I've never seen anyone with eyes so daring. They were magnificent."
Howl nodded. He sensed a familiarity in the way he described this beauty. "You really care about this girl."
Kenta met his eyes with a newfound determination. "I think I was going to marry her."
Howl choked on his tea for a second. "Marry her?"
Kenta nodded. Howl coughed slightly until he cleared his throat. He twiddled his fingers then tapped them on the table in quick spurts. He'd known Kenta since their time in Suliman's apprenticeship. He'd only ever shown interest for one girl - a witch who studied with them. Though she grew to become a powerful nuisance in their lives, Kenta hadn't fallen for anyone since her.
Until now, apparently. "Wow, Kenta. I had no idea you fell in love. She must have been really special to you."
"She was - is. I know that much." Kenta looked up to Howl's gaze. "Once we free our fellow magicians, I'm going to find her. I will do everything in my power to find her and apologize. I hope she'll forgive me and accept my proposal."
Howl was at a loss for words. Kenta, even with the little memory he had of this woman, was still filled with dedication to find her and make her his wife. He was willing to risk everything for someone he only vaguely remembered. He had only ever seen that level of determination in one other person.
Sophie.
Howl had Sophie. He had had her for over a year now. They were happy together - at least, he thought so, but things had shaken up their steady lifestyle as of late. Secrets were overflowing like a tsunami and the more answers he got, the more he questioned everything else about them. Even though he loved her dearly, marriage still seemed like a ridiculous joke.
He had seen more failed marriages than successes. Though it wasn't the true reason why he left his homeland in Wales, it definitely helped to be away from the pain and anguish he experienced with his parents. They stayed together only for him and his sister, and that ripped apart the little ounce of love they each had left inside of themselves.
Marriage was not a true testament of love; it was merely a contract.
Kenta looked down at his empty cup. He offered to clean up, but Howl insisted. He wanted Kenta to feel more comfortable and take a moment to relax. Kenta sat on the couch, watching Calcifer reach for another log.
Kenta was always impressed with the way Howl kept his house. A fire demon, an apprentice, even the witch who tried to steal his own heart, all under the same roof. He noticed the house was very well-organized and tidy as well. This confused him. Howl mentioned the Witch of the Wastes lost her magic, and she was far too elderly now to do heavy housework. Markl didn't seem like the cleaning type of apprentice, either. Calcifer could only control as much as a demon's powers could from the restraints of the fireplace, and there was no way Howl was responsible for such cleanliness.
A gust of wind blew down the chimney, and Calcifer looked up with perplexity. He squinted up, noticing something falling at high speed. He gasped when he heard screaming and something growing bigger down the chimney until he realized-
That wasn't a something.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" Calcifer shouted. He breathed up a heavy gust of air like a tornado and eased her fall to a slower pace. It was enough to make her stop entirely. She fell until she was directly above Calcifer.
"Howl!" Kenta ran to the kitchen to retrieve his comrade.
"Calcifer, help me!" She cried.
"I'm trying!"
"Sophie!" She looked up and saw Howl walking toward her, a strange man standing behind him. Howl rushed to the chimney and grabbed Sophie. Calcifer ended his long exhale, taking deep intakes of breath. Sophie and Howl panted together, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. She cried into his shoulder, never wanting to let go.
"Howl, who is she?" Kenta asked, wary of this intruder he'd never seen before.
"This is Sophie, my girlfriend."
Kenta blinked. "Howl and girlfriend don't normally go in the same sentence."
Howl walked Sophie to the couch. He looked up at his friend. "Well, they do now."
Kenta refused to relax. There was something strange about her, something he couldn't pinpoint. For one, not many people fall through a chimney in order to come home. Though the more he watched his friend care for her, the more he witnessed the compassion he demonstrated for this girl in just a matter of moments, the more he believed Howl had possibly met his match.
"Sophie." Howl tried laying her on the couch, but she wouldn't let go of him. "Sophie, you're all right now. You can let go."
"No." Sophie whispered, her face pressed into his shoulder. "Nothing is okay."
Howl crinkled his eyebrows. "Where were you today? Where did you run off to that was so important?"
Sophie sniffled and looked up to him. She felt the tears coming, but held them back. She had to be strong. "I saw Suliman today."
"What did she say?" Kenta said sternly, his arms filling with goosebumps at the sound of the sorceress' name. He was unable to wrap his mind around the fact that this girl just saw the woman who ruined his life and the lives of their friends. The thought of that woman reappeared in his mind, forcing him to relive the horrors once more.
Sophie turned to him, still wondering who this stranger in their house was, but she was more concerned with Howl's reaction. His eyes were wide with disbelief. By seeing her, just spending a few moments with that sorceress, Howl was livid.
"Sophie, how could you?" He released his grip on her and she dropped to the couch. He clamped his head with flexed hands, pressing deep into the base of his skull. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?"
"I didn't mean to, I... I thought I was going to see Justin but he wasn't there so they sent me to Suliman and I couldn't get out of it and Howl... she was so frightening, she–"
"Why were you seeing Justin?" Howl asked, a wave of caution floating over his words.
"For Lettie's wedding." Sophie lied. His eyes were suspicious of her, but she continued. "Howl, there's something you need to know."
"There's something you need to know if you're going to be this careless." They both turned to Kenta, who was as enraged as Howl, if not more. "That woman is a menace. Just by visiting her, you've given her access to this place."
"No, I haven't." Sophie said. She turned to Howl. "That's not true, is it?"
Howl bit his lip and turned to Calcifer. The fire demon shook his head, pleading with his companion, but Howl simply sighed. "We have no choice."
"Aww, no." Calcifer whined, holding the grates that held his logs in place. "I like this place. This is the longest we've ever stayed in one surrogate before."
"I'm sorry, Calcifer." Howl turned to Sophie, his eyes narrowed in condemnation. "Suliman already knows too much."
Sophie crossed her arms. "So now this is my fault?"
Howl shrugged. "You went to her; you talked to her. What did you even say to her?"
"That she should stop framing you for things you haven't done."
Howl took a step back. "What?"
Sophie released a heavy breath, trying to calm herself before she shared such devastating news. "She has a warrant out for your arrest. She told everyone you kidnapped Prince Justin and turned him into a scarecrow."
Howl rubbed his temple and sat on the couch, his fingers trembling in fear. Sophie could hear him whispering softly under his breath, though his words made no sense. She couldn't tell if he spoke too fast or if he was speaking another language altogether.
Nevertheless, she sat next to him and rubbed his shoulders in a brief comfort. "I'm sorry, I didn't know how else–"
"How did you find out?" Howl whispered, not realizing his words had broken through the quiet and were loud enough for her to hear.
Sophie dropped her hand and instead glared at the man she thought she knew. He shook his head a few times before returning her gaze, noticing her anger rising like the sun.
"You knew?" Sophie said. "You knew this whole time and didn't think to tell me?"
"Sophie–"
"No!" Sophie stood up, pressing gentle fingers into her forehead as she attempt to analyze his hidden secret. All of his missions, no information to share - the puzzle finally started to fit together. "You knew... my God, you actually knew. Why doesn't this fucking surprise me? You knew this whole time and never thought to tell me?"
Howl cringed when she cursed. Sophie was proper; she spoke politely no matter the kind of conversation. Howl had never heard her use such a word that when she said it, he knew there was no going back from this.
"Sophie–"
"How long have you known? Since it started? Is that why I never saw it in the papers? Because you–" Howl sighed and covered his eyes. Sophie laughed, but not the typical laugh. She had been played. "You have magic; you can make the papers say whatever you want them to say, especially if it means I don't find out about this wizard hunt for you."
"I didn't want you to worry."
"Bullshit." Sophie slapped him across the cheek, and Howl willingly took the blow. "You just thought I couldn't handle it. You think I'm some weak, innocent human who got lucky because a wizard thought she was pretty enough."
Her voice faded with every word; she had no energy left in her, nothing left to fight with. He had lied for far too long and in such elaborate ways each time. She fell for each fabricated farce of truth and it was too much to bear anymore. It wasn't a fantasy nightmare that scared her this time - Howl had done that all on his own.
Sophie turned around and stormed over to the front door. There was only one person she could stand being around at a time like this.
"Sophie, where are you going this time?" Howl begged.
"To my sister's." Sophie said from the door. "She's a little more honest than you are." Howl winced at the sound of the slamming door. The entire house was quiet, the only sound coming from the crackling firewood.
Kenta sighed. "So. She seems lovely."
Calcifer closed his eyes and shook his head. Howl turned to him, his fists tight at his side and his jaw clenched, and walked away. "Shut up, Kenta."
Sophie is not taking any more of Howl's BS... but then again, why should she? All the lies and secrets are just too much to handle for all our characters. This was a long rewrite and if you read the story before my June 2021 updates, you'll definitely see some differences, but I appreciate all my readers and the time you take to join this story! :)
