Chapter Six: In Which Someone Proposes and Someone Else Leaves
Sophie was sitting on the table and leaning over a piece of parchment. She had to finish the draft for a healing charm before lunch. It had been a week and a half since her trip to Wales and life seems to have changed a bit. The air buzzed with emotion and little waves of feeling bounced against the wooden walls. A sharp bump from the closing door brought Sophie back to reality. Martha just left the castle after her daily visit. A few days ago she had gone back to Cesari's after pronouncing Michael healthy.
'Damn, she's forgotten to latch the screen again!' Sophie exclaimed, rising to do so though a bit stiffly since though she had not become completely used to the modern clothes of Howl's world, she liked them very much. She remembered the looks of Michael's and Calcifer's faces when she and Howl had returned with several shopping bags each aside from the brown paper packages containing the spell materials. Michael had a fit when he learned how much everything cost. But Howl was able to pacify him with opening up the packages and giving him a lesson on transporting curses. Sophie was about to try the spell out when steps thundered down the stairs.
'How many times have I told you both not to do that! That rickety stairway will collapse one day!' she yelled without turning. Howl and Michael laughed before sliding happily into the empty chairs. Sophie put down her quill and listened to them.
'Sorry, Sorceress-Mum, but we have something to show you!' One of them waved a slip of grey cloth in front of her.
'Look! I-' said Howl; 'WE' said Michael. 'Yes, we, have created a fabric that doesn't let any fatal magic or poisons through.'
'Right! So basically that gives the soldiers a greater chance of well, not dying!' added Michael enthusiastically.
'Very good. And I suppose the both of you are hungry now.' Sophie replied loftily. They looked at each other then at her and nodded, smiling as if they were puppies waiting to be rewarded. She sighed benevolently and took the shepherd's pie from the oven. Howl winked at Michael then launched into a discussion on how to make use of the fabric.
'You're right, we ought to have the uniforms made out of it. Sophie, could you?' Howl twisted in his seat to ask her.
Sophie said she probably could if she had at least a thousand hands. 'No one would be able to sew that many uniforms in such a short time!'
At that, a cunning glint shone in the wizard's green eyes. 'I think I know what could do it.' He said before jumping up and running upstairs to his bedroom. Michael shrugged, 'I suppose he's going to work on the idea. Better save him some lunch then.' So she did. Calcifer came a bit later, remarking that it was pouring in Kingsbury where he was spying on Wizard Suliman. When Sophie asked why he only said he was protecting his interests, whatever that meant.
Howl came down when everyone had finished, his new black trench coat covered in purple paint and tears near the sleeves. He looked very pleased with himself. Finishing the now cold lunch, he told them about his idea. 'Sewing machines, we'll use magical sewing machines like these.' Snapping his fingers, a large complicated metalwork object dropped on the table with a thud. ' Now this is how it works...'
Everyone in the moving castle worked very hard the next week. Sophie and her sisters who had come over expressly to help out quickly mastered the machines. But almost fifteen hours a day of churning out grey and blue suits had taken its toll (Lettie began to see buttons floating around, singing) and Howl decided that everyone needed a relaxing break. They were to trek to Fulton Forest for a picnic. Yes, no more sewing machines that had in time became instruments of evil!
Yet somewhere between that morning and the weekend, Sophie and Howl had a dreadful early morning row whose root was forgotten by both parties by the time it ended well into the night. So for the rest of the sixty-three hours, they avoided each other to death. Sophie refused to make Howl any breakfast while he would not teach her any more magic. Thankfully, Lettie and Ben were there to smooth things out. So by that Saturday afternoon, they could tolerate each other a bit more than they would have if they had been left alone.
Calcifer hovered around the wide chequered picnic blanket where Sophie was lying on her stomach, making daisy chain necklaces. He was telling her about the stars and their habits. She was saddened about the story of the Dogstar Sirius and his experience on one of the Earth worlds. Calcifer said he never got over his exile. Howl who was sitting nearby never said a word, being in deep contemplation.
'Well, after I fell from the heavens he drops down every so often to talk.' The fire demon ended.
'How terrible. Perhaps one day poor Sirius shall find some peace.' Sophie whispered. She heard Howl mutter, 'And when shall I?'
'Do you mean, when shall you get any peace from me? If anything, you're the one ruining my life!' she said with anger gnawing at the edges of her voice. She spun around to face him. The tension grew thick and Calcifer thought it was time for a more rapid than graceful exit. He darted off to the pine grove where Lettie Hatter and Wizard Suliman were strolling about.
Howl retaliated with a witty comeback, which made Sophie want to slap him. He then added, 'What life is there to ruin? You spend every waking hour of every day cleaning, doing housework, and nagging Michael and Calcifer to death! Don't you have any dreams of your own? Or were you brought up to live on the spoils of your two successful sisters?'
She glared harder than she ever did before. A small whirlwind picked up the leaves and tossed them around the two who were now standing confronting each other. Potent magic fizzed and zapped colourful lights. 'Don't you dare bring them into this. We both know very well that the real issue here is YOU. It was your fault I got stuck here in the first place, you just had to ditch the Witch of the Waste, didn't you? Yes, that got her screaming angry and stomping off to mix people's bodies up and enchanting girls old!'
'Oh, it's all my mistake then? Well, did you do anything about it? Did you try and get out of it, to find a cure to the enchantment? No, I think not- you resigned yourself to the curse and went off to slave for someone. And after it was off, did you got to find your fortune? No, you're still here and I'm stuck with you!'
'And what would you do without me, you selfish narcissistic bratty childish lying monstrous excuse of a two-bit wizard! I am honestly so fed up with you, Wizard Pendragon, Mr Bloody Nincompoop, Sorcerer Jenkins, or whoever you might think yourself to be!'
That was when Sophie thought she crossed the line. Her face fell and Howl turned several shades of red, 'Then leave, Sophie. Why don't you? Why don't you go off, away to find your sodding destiny and your dratted bloke whose pathetic house has flowers on the windows? Why don't you go and spare me the trouble of ever listening and bothering about you again? Yes, cariad, why don't you go?'
Her heart stopped and she closed her eyes. It was still happening, it was still true. She looked down at the ground where the grass was green and thriving. She could hear him waiting for her reply. Then she heard a voice close by speak.
'But marry me before you do anything else.' Sophie did not look up because she had fainted.
When she came conscious again, she was lying on the picnic blanket and was surrounded by her sisters, Michael, Ben, Calcifer and Him. Her mind was still groggy but she was able to recollect what had happened to her. Then she remembered what the voice had said. Why didn't she realize that what was going on was more complex and ran deeper? She should have expected it. Sophie grinned feebly at Martha who sat with a worried face and then at Michael who was torn between joy and anxiety.
'Congratulations, when shall the wedding be?" she said in the softest voice ever. Everyone sighed as a group in relief before bursting to give the rightful attention to Martha and Michael. In the babble of excitement, Sophie was lost. But she rose bravely then tugged at His silver sleeve and murmured, 'Fine, Howell Jenkins. I will.'
Sophie was sitting on the table and leaning over a piece of parchment. She had to finish the draft for a healing charm before lunch. It had been a week and a half since her trip to Wales and life seems to have changed a bit. The air buzzed with emotion and little waves of feeling bounced against the wooden walls. A sharp bump from the closing door brought Sophie back to reality. Martha just left the castle after her daily visit. A few days ago she had gone back to Cesari's after pronouncing Michael healthy.
'Damn, she's forgotten to latch the screen again!' Sophie exclaimed, rising to do so though a bit stiffly since though she had not become completely used to the modern clothes of Howl's world, she liked them very much. She remembered the looks of Michael's and Calcifer's faces when she and Howl had returned with several shopping bags each aside from the brown paper packages containing the spell materials. Michael had a fit when he learned how much everything cost. But Howl was able to pacify him with opening up the packages and giving him a lesson on transporting curses. Sophie was about to try the spell out when steps thundered down the stairs.
'How many times have I told you both not to do that! That rickety stairway will collapse one day!' she yelled without turning. Howl and Michael laughed before sliding happily into the empty chairs. Sophie put down her quill and listened to them.
'Sorry, Sorceress-Mum, but we have something to show you!' One of them waved a slip of grey cloth in front of her.
'Look! I-' said Howl; 'WE' said Michael. 'Yes, we, have created a fabric that doesn't let any fatal magic or poisons through.'
'Right! So basically that gives the soldiers a greater chance of well, not dying!' added Michael enthusiastically.
'Very good. And I suppose the both of you are hungry now.' Sophie replied loftily. They looked at each other then at her and nodded, smiling as if they were puppies waiting to be rewarded. She sighed benevolently and took the shepherd's pie from the oven. Howl winked at Michael then launched into a discussion on how to make use of the fabric.
'You're right, we ought to have the uniforms made out of it. Sophie, could you?' Howl twisted in his seat to ask her.
Sophie said she probably could if she had at least a thousand hands. 'No one would be able to sew that many uniforms in such a short time!'
At that, a cunning glint shone in the wizard's green eyes. 'I think I know what could do it.' He said before jumping up and running upstairs to his bedroom. Michael shrugged, 'I suppose he's going to work on the idea. Better save him some lunch then.' So she did. Calcifer came a bit later, remarking that it was pouring in Kingsbury where he was spying on Wizard Suliman. When Sophie asked why he only said he was protecting his interests, whatever that meant.
Howl came down when everyone had finished, his new black trench coat covered in purple paint and tears near the sleeves. He looked very pleased with himself. Finishing the now cold lunch, he told them about his idea. 'Sewing machines, we'll use magical sewing machines like these.' Snapping his fingers, a large complicated metalwork object dropped on the table with a thud. ' Now this is how it works...'
Everyone in the moving castle worked very hard the next week. Sophie and her sisters who had come over expressly to help out quickly mastered the machines. But almost fifteen hours a day of churning out grey and blue suits had taken its toll (Lettie began to see buttons floating around, singing) and Howl decided that everyone needed a relaxing break. They were to trek to Fulton Forest for a picnic. Yes, no more sewing machines that had in time became instruments of evil!
Yet somewhere between that morning and the weekend, Sophie and Howl had a dreadful early morning row whose root was forgotten by both parties by the time it ended well into the night. So for the rest of the sixty-three hours, they avoided each other to death. Sophie refused to make Howl any breakfast while he would not teach her any more magic. Thankfully, Lettie and Ben were there to smooth things out. So by that Saturday afternoon, they could tolerate each other a bit more than they would have if they had been left alone.
Calcifer hovered around the wide chequered picnic blanket where Sophie was lying on her stomach, making daisy chain necklaces. He was telling her about the stars and their habits. She was saddened about the story of the Dogstar Sirius and his experience on one of the Earth worlds. Calcifer said he never got over his exile. Howl who was sitting nearby never said a word, being in deep contemplation.
'Well, after I fell from the heavens he drops down every so often to talk.' The fire demon ended.
'How terrible. Perhaps one day poor Sirius shall find some peace.' Sophie whispered. She heard Howl mutter, 'And when shall I?'
'Do you mean, when shall you get any peace from me? If anything, you're the one ruining my life!' she said with anger gnawing at the edges of her voice. She spun around to face him. The tension grew thick and Calcifer thought it was time for a more rapid than graceful exit. He darted off to the pine grove where Lettie Hatter and Wizard Suliman were strolling about.
Howl retaliated with a witty comeback, which made Sophie want to slap him. He then added, 'What life is there to ruin? You spend every waking hour of every day cleaning, doing housework, and nagging Michael and Calcifer to death! Don't you have any dreams of your own? Or were you brought up to live on the spoils of your two successful sisters?'
She glared harder than she ever did before. A small whirlwind picked up the leaves and tossed them around the two who were now standing confronting each other. Potent magic fizzed and zapped colourful lights. 'Don't you dare bring them into this. We both know very well that the real issue here is YOU. It was your fault I got stuck here in the first place, you just had to ditch the Witch of the Waste, didn't you? Yes, that got her screaming angry and stomping off to mix people's bodies up and enchanting girls old!'
'Oh, it's all my mistake then? Well, did you do anything about it? Did you try and get out of it, to find a cure to the enchantment? No, I think not- you resigned yourself to the curse and went off to slave for someone. And after it was off, did you got to find your fortune? No, you're still here and I'm stuck with you!'
'And what would you do without me, you selfish narcissistic bratty childish lying monstrous excuse of a two-bit wizard! I am honestly so fed up with you, Wizard Pendragon, Mr Bloody Nincompoop, Sorcerer Jenkins, or whoever you might think yourself to be!'
That was when Sophie thought she crossed the line. Her face fell and Howl turned several shades of red, 'Then leave, Sophie. Why don't you? Why don't you go off, away to find your sodding destiny and your dratted bloke whose pathetic house has flowers on the windows? Why don't you go and spare me the trouble of ever listening and bothering about you again? Yes, cariad, why don't you go?'
Her heart stopped and she closed her eyes. It was still happening, it was still true. She looked down at the ground where the grass was green and thriving. She could hear him waiting for her reply. Then she heard a voice close by speak.
'But marry me before you do anything else.' Sophie did not look up because she had fainted.
When she came conscious again, she was lying on the picnic blanket and was surrounded by her sisters, Michael, Ben, Calcifer and Him. Her mind was still groggy but she was able to recollect what had happened to her. Then she remembered what the voice had said. Why didn't she realize that what was going on was more complex and ran deeper? She should have expected it. Sophie grinned feebly at Martha who sat with a worried face and then at Michael who was torn between joy and anxiety.
'Congratulations, when shall the wedding be?" she said in the softest voice ever. Everyone sighed as a group in relief before bursting to give the rightful attention to Martha and Michael. In the babble of excitement, Sophie was lost. But she rose bravely then tugged at His silver sleeve and murmured, 'Fine, Howell Jenkins. I will.'