By: ChocolateEclar
Disclaimer: All characters belong to the magnificent authoress, Diana Wynne Jones. I just borrowed them for a while.
Claimer: I do own Wyn though so please don't use her without my permission.
Author's note: Whoops, I'm glad someone caught the mistake I did with Valeria. If you want to see how I changed it just look back at the previous chapter. I got rid of the whole marriage thing for now, though in later chapters (when Valeria is a little older. Hehe.) I may put that idea in a more appropriate place. Sorry about the confusion (I really should have reread 'Castle in the Air' for the millionth time before I posted that.)
Oh well, thanks for pointing that out Adara and my other 'Anonymous.' I'd also like to thank them for being my first reviewers for this story so far.
To 'Anonymous': I do plan on having a dueling scene, and it will most likely be between Morgan and Kayla though.
To Amanda: I agree with you in that I should have picked a better name for Kayla, but I don't know if I think I like Katherine for her either.It was a good suggestion though. Maybe I'll get a name book..
To Calcifersgrl: I thought I should add to the amount of HMC fics. Hehe. Anyway, I agree with you in that poor Morgan's got both his parents faults, but I think it also makes him more fun for me to write about. By the way, have you read the newest HMC fic, Sakura's 'Ever After?' It's pretty cute.
To everyone who reviewed: Thanks for reviewing!
Chapter Two: In Which Morgan and Wyn Have Their Usual Quarrel
Bronwyn ran threw the streets of Market Chipping. She was getting breathless as she slipped threw the crowds of people as they looked in shops and courted. ' Looks like an average May Day in this somewhat peaceful town,' she thought smirking.
Her tiny leather boots clinked on the huge gray stones that the roads were paved with. She was six years old now, a gangly little girl, her hair was redder than ever and her eyes sparkled more significantly. Her pale blue dress blew about in the breeze as she rushed.
She had slipped out of the moving castle a few hours before to go play with some of her friends in the streets about two blocks away. She knew if she wasn't quick enough her father would start Morgan's and her magic lesson without her and that would be some more fuel to Morgan's vain jealousy.
Wyn and Morgan always competed to be the best. Both had inherited many of their parents' magic skills, which only meant they both tried to be better at magic then the other constantly. It was a known fact in the Chipping Valley those two would be the end of each other, and the rest of them too for that matter.
Wyn and Morgan often had fights that resulted in one of them (usually Morgan) to start using magic against the other, causing the other to use magic as well. These feuds usually ended with Sophie and Howl furious and several property damages. They may have been only six and eleven years old, but boy did they have devastating power. Their magic 'battles' were like Howl and the Witch of the Waste's Duel in Porthaven years before.
So as Wyn ran as fast as she could, all she could think about was Morgan learning a spell without her. She flew past the flower shop and with a quick mumbled spell was able to open the front door of the moving castle by herself.
Sophie was in the flower shop, but as for everyone else, Calcifer was sitting in his grate and Howl and Morgan were positioned at the workbench getting ready to start.
"Glad you could join us, Wyn," said Howl somewhat dryly.
"Sorry, Dad, I was having a lot ta fun and I forgot about the time," replied Wyn apologetically.
"She shouldn't get to learn 'cause she's late, Dad," said Morgan pleading slightly. Wyn scowled at her brother, but didn't say anything.
Howl smiled at Wyn and patted her head. "It's all right, as long as you're ready to learn what I'm about to teach you," he told her.
Morgan huffed at that, which received a sideward, frightening half-glare from Howl, causing the boy to shrink back a bit.
Sophie came in later, carrying a bundle of flowers that weren't sold that day, to find a debate going on between her children. It seemed Wyn had 'showed off accidentally' according to Morgan and had been cheating. He thought because Wyn had been summoning some of Howl's spell books from Howl and Sophie's room late at night and learning spells ahead of him that it wasn't fair to him at all.
Wyn on the other hand admitted she had done this and that she didn't see what was wrong with it. She claimed studying spells helped her fall asleep.
Sophie sighed and yelled over her children's bickering, "Wyn, next time ask before you take," she paused there because Morgan had stuck his tongue childishly at his sister. She gave her son a scolding glare and continued, "And Morgan be nice to your LITTLE sister; she's only six years old."
Wyn scowled when her mother had said 'she's only six years old.' She had been sure that because of all the spells she knew at her young age that it made her seem somewhat older. 'I guess it doesn't,' thought Wyn grimly.
Morgan was on fire now. "Why does she get all the pity just because she's a few yearsyounger than me!" he fumed.
"Be good, Morgan," said Howl, whilegently putting his hands on his son's shoulders.
Morgan pulled away. "Oh, just leave me alone. I can learn spells better than that beast!" he said angrily running up the stairs and into his room.
"A beast? Is that the best name he can call me?" mumbled Wyn.
"I heard that!" yelled a voice from upstairs. Wyn ignored him and proceeded to say goodbye and go out to play in her section of the garden in the backyard.
"Well, at least they didn't blow anything up this time," grumbled Calcifer after Kayla had gone.
THUD!
"You were saying, Calcifer?" asked Howl.
"Did Morgan just blow up one of Wyn's flower pots from his room again?" asked Sophie.
"MMMMMMMMoooooooooommmmmmmmm! DDDaaaaaaaddddddd! He did it again!"
"I guess that's your answer," answered Calcifer, smiling vaguely.
A/N: So did you like this chapter?
Please review. I'd really appreciate it if you did.