DISCLAIMER: I in no way own Howl's Moving Castle. However, the characters
in this chapter belongs to me.
A/N: I always wanted to do a HMC fic, and this is my first one. This happens quite a few years after 'Castle in the Air'.
Chapter one: In which a burial is conducted, and Kate is sent off to seek her fortune
It was the perfect example of a perfect day. The sky was as blue as a cornflower, with little fluffy white clouds floating serenely across. The sun, although shining brightly, was not at all hot. A soft wind was blowing, and the pretty pink and white periwinkle flowers were nodding and swaying gracefully in time with the wind. Songbirds trilled in trees and filled the countryside with beautiful melodies.
However, in Kate Baker's mind, today was the worst sort of day to bury someone. It was a rule, however, when people chose to die, the weather would be inconveniently horrible. Dark clouds would billow ominously, strong wind blow, and this would be followed by heavy torrents of rain that made people slip and get mud all over their heavy black clothes and boots.
But then again, no one chose to die during springtime. Everyone knew that the proper time to die suddenly would be in autumn or winter. Kate Baker's parents chose to die in the middle spring, when the flowers were in full bloom, and the weather was fine. Their manner of death was rather shocking as the mayor said. Mr. and Mrs. Baker died as a result of a pack wolves happened to attack them while they were out collecting mushrooms in the late evening. The news shocked everyone in the very respectable town of Periwinkle Hood, which was charmingly located smack in the middle of Strangia.
As the funeral procession trudged reluctantly along, Kate stole a glance at her younger sisters, Sally, and Elsie. The two of them were dabbing tiny white pocket-handkerchiefs at their eyes from time to time. Ahead of them, were their Uncle Jonas and Aunt Helga, who were dabbing at their eyes as well, but it was noticeable that they were walking with a slight spring in their step. Kate allowed a brief frown to flicker across her forehead, but she banished it quickly. Kate thought of herself as a rather sensible person, and sensible people do not frown at their only relations in the world. She just lowered her head, and trudged on.
After the burial service was read and conducted, the three girls went home with their aunt and uncle. Mr. and Mrs. Baker used to keep the only bakery in the whole of Periwinkle Hood. Upstairs, was the only home that they had known all their lives. To Kate's mind, it felt strange to go into the parlor with her see her aunt and uncle seated in the best chair and drinking tea from tiny china teacups.
"The bakery officially belongs to us now," Aunt Helga cackled. She could not speak properly, only just cackle. "The mayor had signed some papers, and the house, the bakery and all it's possessions belong to us." she let out a satisfied hiss and sipped her tea.
"But most unfortunately, the Mayor said that we had to keep the three of you," Uncle Jonas said glaring meaningfully at the three girls. "We expect the three of you to be grateful and to earn your keep."
Elsie who was red headed and hot tempered glared right back at her uncle, and was about to say something, when Kate dug her elbow firmly into her ribs. It was not sensible to anger the people whom were going to be looking after you from now on. She kept her face carefully blank, and listened to what they had to say next.
"We've decided what to do with the lot of you," Aunt Helga cackled again. "Since your Uncle Jonas and I are new to this whole bakery business, we'll take in you in as helpers in the bakery shop. You will have to make the bread and cakes from now on, and lend a hand with the clearing up."
"How very convenient," Elsie snorted. "We do the work and you get the money. It all works out very nicely for you doesn't it?"
"Elsie," Kate began warningly. Elsie took no notice of her eldest sister, and glared back at Uncle Jonas and Aunt Helga, as if she was challenging them to throw her out on the streets." Kate just stared helplessly at her strong minded sister, while Sally twisted nervously at her black gloves. They were well aware of their aunt and uncle's temper, and it would not do any good to get on their wrong side.
With what seemed like a miraculous effort, the two elder people managed to control themselves. "Sally and Elsie will be helping us out in the shop," Uncle Jonas finally said.
Kate felt her eyes widening involuntarily. "How about Kate?" Sally and Elsie demanded swiftly. "Why won't she be helping in the shop as well?"
"How old are you Kate?" Aunt Helga asked, ignoring the other two sisters. Kate hesitated a little before she answered.
"I'll be eighteen in two days time."
"Good," her uncle said decidedly. "Eighteen is the right age for a girl to go off and seek her fortune." He exchanged a crafty glance with his wife. "We've arranged for you to go to Ingary to do just that." Uncle Jonas then leaned back and looked very pleased with himself as the three girls stared at him in a kind of wordless horror. "My old friend Morton Maxwell will be heading of to Ingary next week in a travelling pack. He's off there to sell his tonics you know. He said he needed an assistant, and you were the first person I thought off. After all, I did hear your late parents, bless their souls, mention that you always wanted to see the world. Also because I know that chemistry was your favorite subject at school." he raised his eyebrows suggestively. "So be off to pack, you'll go next week."
"You can't do that," Elsie raged. "I know that's your way of just getting rid of Kate because you know she can't cook as we can!" It was a rather known and accepted fact that Kate's cooking was a sort of natural disaster, while the other two Baker sisters could make food fit for the King of Strangia.
Kate couldn't say anything, but just gape stupidly. Sally impulsively grabbed her hands. "It's just your excuse to get rid of her," she yelled as well. "All you're interested in is how much you'll make with keeping us, and just because you think Kate's not good at cooking, you decide to get rid of her so you won't have another mouth to feed."
"It's not right to separate us!" Elsie screamed back, her temper now out in full force. "You big fat-," At this point, she called her uncle something that made his fleshy face go a unbecoming shade of beet root purple.
"Silence!" Uncle Jonas thundered, and Aunt Helga cackled shrilly. "We've already decided, so there's no point arguing about it. All three of you leave the room now."
"We won't leave until you tell us Kate's staying you unfeeling-" this time, it was Sally who said that.
"No more arguing before I turn the lot of you onto the street," Uncle Jonas roared. "Leave immediately, all of you!"
Kate stood up numbly and went out, leaving her sisters to bawl at her aunt and uncle. No one actually noticed that she had left the room.
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"I can't believe you're doing what that fool told you to do," Elsie raved. "We did all we could to back you up, and you stupidly do what that-(she called Uncle Jonas something that made Kate frown hard) told you to do!" The time for Kate to leave came quickly.
"Elsie's right," Sally agreed tearfully. "Why are you actually listening to him? you could have backed us up you know. Do you really want to leave us?" her grayish eyes filled with tears.
"I don't know," Kate said, as she stuffed a few things into a pouch. She didn't want to admit to her sisters she felt resigned to do as her uncle said. "After all, Uncle Jonas is right, I've always wanted to see the world. I'll think of it as just going globetrotting." That was said rather cheerfully. Her two sisters just stared at her exasperatedly.
"You're just letting them bully you," Sally protested. "Don't tell me you really want to go."
"I don't, but things would work out better like that, won't it?" Kate asked sensibly.
"Things would work out. For those two ogres that is," Elsie snorted.
Kate sighed. "don't worry, I'll send you a letter from time to time, just to see how you're doing." A clatter of hooves could be heard downstairs. A few minutes later, Aunt Helga cackled loudly for Kate.
All of a sudden, Sally and Elsie looked scared. "He's here already," Sally said in a scared whisper. "You've got to go."
Kate swallowed the lump in her throat. "Why don't you come down and see me off," she said, her voice trembling a little, but she managed to pretend nothing was wrong by just grabbing her pouch and swinging it over her shoulder lightly.
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Mr. Morton Maxwell was a round person with quite a belly sticking out from under his waistcoat. He had balding hair, and his mustache somehow reminded Kate of the horns of a Tsapfan water buffalo, whose picture she had seen while reading a book. He had a huge travelling wagon with an old looking brown horse harnessed to it. His shifty eyes looked at the three girls as they came out into the street.
"My, my, what a fine lot of lovely ladies," he said in a way that made Kate think he was sly. It was probably to do with the fact that Mr. Morton Maxwell had a slippery sounding voice. "Which one is Kate? Ah, I thought I was you," he said as Kate stepped out. "You're the prettiest one amongst your lovely sisters." It was true people in Periwinkle Hood said that Kate, with her chestnut hair and eyes was the most good looking one among the three Baker sisters. That was because her good looks was probably to make up for the lack of Kate's non-existent cooking skills, the spinsters and housewives whispered amongst themselves.
Kate gave a small smile at that remark, thought she was feeling very uncomfortable at his praise. Morton Maxwell's slippery voice was making him sound slyly disagreeable. Sally and Elsie just folded her arms and glared daggers at him as he made some small talk with Uncle Jonas and Aunt Helga and has he loaded Kate's things into the wagon.
"Go inside the wagon first and make yourself comfortable, Morton Maxwell said with a wave of his hand. Quite unknown to him or to Uncle Jonas, Kate saw Morton Maxwell slip a small bag that jingled into Uncle Jonas's hand. Kate couldn't believe her eyes. She was actually being sold off!
Sally had also noticed the same thing, because when Morton Maxwell had shut up the wagon with Kate inside and flicked the horse to move, she could hear Sally yelling at her uncle. This was soon joined by Elsie screaming as well. However, Kate couldn't hear what they were saying, because the wagon was getting further and further away.
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well, that's chapter one. So what did you think? Good? Lousy? Drop me an review and let me know.
A/N: I always wanted to do a HMC fic, and this is my first one. This happens quite a few years after 'Castle in the Air'.
Chapter one: In which a burial is conducted, and Kate is sent off to seek her fortune
It was the perfect example of a perfect day. The sky was as blue as a cornflower, with little fluffy white clouds floating serenely across. The sun, although shining brightly, was not at all hot. A soft wind was blowing, and the pretty pink and white periwinkle flowers were nodding and swaying gracefully in time with the wind. Songbirds trilled in trees and filled the countryside with beautiful melodies.
However, in Kate Baker's mind, today was the worst sort of day to bury someone. It was a rule, however, when people chose to die, the weather would be inconveniently horrible. Dark clouds would billow ominously, strong wind blow, and this would be followed by heavy torrents of rain that made people slip and get mud all over their heavy black clothes and boots.
But then again, no one chose to die during springtime. Everyone knew that the proper time to die suddenly would be in autumn or winter. Kate Baker's parents chose to die in the middle spring, when the flowers were in full bloom, and the weather was fine. Their manner of death was rather shocking as the mayor said. Mr. and Mrs. Baker died as a result of a pack wolves happened to attack them while they were out collecting mushrooms in the late evening. The news shocked everyone in the very respectable town of Periwinkle Hood, which was charmingly located smack in the middle of Strangia.
As the funeral procession trudged reluctantly along, Kate stole a glance at her younger sisters, Sally, and Elsie. The two of them were dabbing tiny white pocket-handkerchiefs at their eyes from time to time. Ahead of them, were their Uncle Jonas and Aunt Helga, who were dabbing at their eyes as well, but it was noticeable that they were walking with a slight spring in their step. Kate allowed a brief frown to flicker across her forehead, but she banished it quickly. Kate thought of herself as a rather sensible person, and sensible people do not frown at their only relations in the world. She just lowered her head, and trudged on.
After the burial service was read and conducted, the three girls went home with their aunt and uncle. Mr. and Mrs. Baker used to keep the only bakery in the whole of Periwinkle Hood. Upstairs, was the only home that they had known all their lives. To Kate's mind, it felt strange to go into the parlor with her see her aunt and uncle seated in the best chair and drinking tea from tiny china teacups.
"The bakery officially belongs to us now," Aunt Helga cackled. She could not speak properly, only just cackle. "The mayor had signed some papers, and the house, the bakery and all it's possessions belong to us." she let out a satisfied hiss and sipped her tea.
"But most unfortunately, the Mayor said that we had to keep the three of you," Uncle Jonas said glaring meaningfully at the three girls. "We expect the three of you to be grateful and to earn your keep."
Elsie who was red headed and hot tempered glared right back at her uncle, and was about to say something, when Kate dug her elbow firmly into her ribs. It was not sensible to anger the people whom were going to be looking after you from now on. She kept her face carefully blank, and listened to what they had to say next.
"We've decided what to do with the lot of you," Aunt Helga cackled again. "Since your Uncle Jonas and I are new to this whole bakery business, we'll take in you in as helpers in the bakery shop. You will have to make the bread and cakes from now on, and lend a hand with the clearing up."
"How very convenient," Elsie snorted. "We do the work and you get the money. It all works out very nicely for you doesn't it?"
"Elsie," Kate began warningly. Elsie took no notice of her eldest sister, and glared back at Uncle Jonas and Aunt Helga, as if she was challenging them to throw her out on the streets." Kate just stared helplessly at her strong minded sister, while Sally twisted nervously at her black gloves. They were well aware of their aunt and uncle's temper, and it would not do any good to get on their wrong side.
With what seemed like a miraculous effort, the two elder people managed to control themselves. "Sally and Elsie will be helping us out in the shop," Uncle Jonas finally said.
Kate felt her eyes widening involuntarily. "How about Kate?" Sally and Elsie demanded swiftly. "Why won't she be helping in the shop as well?"
"How old are you Kate?" Aunt Helga asked, ignoring the other two sisters. Kate hesitated a little before she answered.
"I'll be eighteen in two days time."
"Good," her uncle said decidedly. "Eighteen is the right age for a girl to go off and seek her fortune." He exchanged a crafty glance with his wife. "We've arranged for you to go to Ingary to do just that." Uncle Jonas then leaned back and looked very pleased with himself as the three girls stared at him in a kind of wordless horror. "My old friend Morton Maxwell will be heading of to Ingary next week in a travelling pack. He's off there to sell his tonics you know. He said he needed an assistant, and you were the first person I thought off. After all, I did hear your late parents, bless their souls, mention that you always wanted to see the world. Also because I know that chemistry was your favorite subject at school." he raised his eyebrows suggestively. "So be off to pack, you'll go next week."
"You can't do that," Elsie raged. "I know that's your way of just getting rid of Kate because you know she can't cook as we can!" It was a rather known and accepted fact that Kate's cooking was a sort of natural disaster, while the other two Baker sisters could make food fit for the King of Strangia.
Kate couldn't say anything, but just gape stupidly. Sally impulsively grabbed her hands. "It's just your excuse to get rid of her," she yelled as well. "All you're interested in is how much you'll make with keeping us, and just because you think Kate's not good at cooking, you decide to get rid of her so you won't have another mouth to feed."
"It's not right to separate us!" Elsie screamed back, her temper now out in full force. "You big fat-," At this point, she called her uncle something that made his fleshy face go a unbecoming shade of beet root purple.
"Silence!" Uncle Jonas thundered, and Aunt Helga cackled shrilly. "We've already decided, so there's no point arguing about it. All three of you leave the room now."
"We won't leave until you tell us Kate's staying you unfeeling-" this time, it was Sally who said that.
"No more arguing before I turn the lot of you onto the street," Uncle Jonas roared. "Leave immediately, all of you!"
Kate stood up numbly and went out, leaving her sisters to bawl at her aunt and uncle. No one actually noticed that she had left the room.
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"I can't believe you're doing what that fool told you to do," Elsie raved. "We did all we could to back you up, and you stupidly do what that-(she called Uncle Jonas something that made Kate frown hard) told you to do!" The time for Kate to leave came quickly.
"Elsie's right," Sally agreed tearfully. "Why are you actually listening to him? you could have backed us up you know. Do you really want to leave us?" her grayish eyes filled with tears.
"I don't know," Kate said, as she stuffed a few things into a pouch. She didn't want to admit to her sisters she felt resigned to do as her uncle said. "After all, Uncle Jonas is right, I've always wanted to see the world. I'll think of it as just going globetrotting." That was said rather cheerfully. Her two sisters just stared at her exasperatedly.
"You're just letting them bully you," Sally protested. "Don't tell me you really want to go."
"I don't, but things would work out better like that, won't it?" Kate asked sensibly.
"Things would work out. For those two ogres that is," Elsie snorted.
Kate sighed. "don't worry, I'll send you a letter from time to time, just to see how you're doing." A clatter of hooves could be heard downstairs. A few minutes later, Aunt Helga cackled loudly for Kate.
All of a sudden, Sally and Elsie looked scared. "He's here already," Sally said in a scared whisper. "You've got to go."
Kate swallowed the lump in her throat. "Why don't you come down and see me off," she said, her voice trembling a little, but she managed to pretend nothing was wrong by just grabbing her pouch and swinging it over her shoulder lightly.
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Mr. Morton Maxwell was a round person with quite a belly sticking out from under his waistcoat. He had balding hair, and his mustache somehow reminded Kate of the horns of a Tsapfan water buffalo, whose picture she had seen while reading a book. He had a huge travelling wagon with an old looking brown horse harnessed to it. His shifty eyes looked at the three girls as they came out into the street.
"My, my, what a fine lot of lovely ladies," he said in a way that made Kate think he was sly. It was probably to do with the fact that Mr. Morton Maxwell had a slippery sounding voice. "Which one is Kate? Ah, I thought I was you," he said as Kate stepped out. "You're the prettiest one amongst your lovely sisters." It was true people in Periwinkle Hood said that Kate, with her chestnut hair and eyes was the most good looking one among the three Baker sisters. That was because her good looks was probably to make up for the lack of Kate's non-existent cooking skills, the spinsters and housewives whispered amongst themselves.
Kate gave a small smile at that remark, thought she was feeling very uncomfortable at his praise. Morton Maxwell's slippery voice was making him sound slyly disagreeable. Sally and Elsie just folded her arms and glared daggers at him as he made some small talk with Uncle Jonas and Aunt Helga and has he loaded Kate's things into the wagon.
"Go inside the wagon first and make yourself comfortable, Morton Maxwell said with a wave of his hand. Quite unknown to him or to Uncle Jonas, Kate saw Morton Maxwell slip a small bag that jingled into Uncle Jonas's hand. Kate couldn't believe her eyes. She was actually being sold off!
Sally had also noticed the same thing, because when Morton Maxwell had shut up the wagon with Kate inside and flicked the horse to move, she could hear Sally yelling at her uncle. This was soon joined by Elsie screaming as well. However, Kate couldn't hear what they were saying, because the wagon was getting further and further away.
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well, that's chapter one. So what did you think? Good? Lousy? Drop me an review and let me know.