Chapter Seven: In Which Howl Does Nothing
The Wizard Howl cursed himself, Sod what an idiot I've been. He sat in the yard tossing bits of steel around. Michael and Calcifer were quietly tidying up the mess he had made earlier. He reflected on what happened in the last twenty-four hours and was convinced that he was an utterly moronic fool. It was his fault, just as everything else had been his fault.
Then leave, Sophie... Yes, cariad, why don't you go?
What was he thinking? Sure, Howl had been exceedingly furious, nevertheless he did not really wanted her to run off. But she did, Sophie went and left him just as he ordered her too. Damn her, why did she always do as she was told? Then he thought, what if she left not because he told her to, but because she wished to? He shook his head. Why could he not have stopped her? Then he remembered- he had tried. Howl dredged up the last memories of yesterday, after they returned from the Forest.
'Look Sophie, I really didn't mean what I said back there. I was just horribly exasperated by- please, Sophie, don't.'
'It's too late, Howl. You're right, you're always right.' She murmured, closing her cupboard door in his face.
Yet once again, he thought- believed that he could stop her after all he wasn't a wizard for nothing. He locked the main doors and put protection charms around all the exits. Then he proceeded to coerce her to stay through her shut door but his usually sugar-coated charms did not work. So Howl yelled vociferously at her for being a stubborn ass that didn't know her own mind and stomped off to bed. Now that he thought about it, the action was a complete mistake.
He should have broken the door down and chained her up until she was sensible Sophie again.
He had awakened in the dead of night by an awful feeling from his pounding newly returned heart. Howl had lit the lamp and had seen a scrap of paper on the table with his name in neat curving penmanship. He had rushed downstairs and had banged on Sophie's door, demanding to be let in. By this time, Michael had woken up and Calcifer had begun bawling for sleep, and they had crashed open the door revealing an empty bed and a gaping window.
Howl flinched when the fact that he forgot to bewitch Sophie's window hit him. Without changing out of his red and blue spotted pyjamas, he had charged outside, searching for her. But dawn came soon enough and there was no trace of the infuriating redhead. After it was clear that all was hopeless, he commenced having a full-blown tantrum but broke off suddenly in mid-groan when he realized the only person who could stop him was not there. So there he was, bemoaning his idiocy and inability to do anything else.
And it was not only that the castle would soon be dirty again or he would have to wake up early to cook breakfast, Howl felt like a glass shattered into pieces. There- he was acting, even thinking so melodramatically! What was wrong with him? He should be happy that Sophie had gone. He was free, FREE he could breed spiders and silk cobwebs if he wanted to! But why, why in hell did it seem as if he was lacking something. Even when his heart was missing, he never really minded.
'Howl, what are you doing out there?' he swerved and saw Martha standing behind him. She did not know what had happened to her sister. Getting up rather unsteadily, Howl went in to tell her. As the door shut, a bit of parchment fell revealing some writing.
Howl. Do not come looking for me. Sophie.
The Wizard Howl cursed himself, Sod what an idiot I've been. He sat in the yard tossing bits of steel around. Michael and Calcifer were quietly tidying up the mess he had made earlier. He reflected on what happened in the last twenty-four hours and was convinced that he was an utterly moronic fool. It was his fault, just as everything else had been his fault.
Then leave, Sophie... Yes, cariad, why don't you go?
What was he thinking? Sure, Howl had been exceedingly furious, nevertheless he did not really wanted her to run off. But she did, Sophie went and left him just as he ordered her too. Damn her, why did she always do as she was told? Then he thought, what if she left not because he told her to, but because she wished to? He shook his head. Why could he not have stopped her? Then he remembered- he had tried. Howl dredged up the last memories of yesterday, after they returned from the Forest.
'Look Sophie, I really didn't mean what I said back there. I was just horribly exasperated by- please, Sophie, don't.'
'It's too late, Howl. You're right, you're always right.' She murmured, closing her cupboard door in his face.
Yet once again, he thought- believed that he could stop her after all he wasn't a wizard for nothing. He locked the main doors and put protection charms around all the exits. Then he proceeded to coerce her to stay through her shut door but his usually sugar-coated charms did not work. So Howl yelled vociferously at her for being a stubborn ass that didn't know her own mind and stomped off to bed. Now that he thought about it, the action was a complete mistake.
He should have broken the door down and chained her up until she was sensible Sophie again.
He had awakened in the dead of night by an awful feeling from his pounding newly returned heart. Howl had lit the lamp and had seen a scrap of paper on the table with his name in neat curving penmanship. He had rushed downstairs and had banged on Sophie's door, demanding to be let in. By this time, Michael had woken up and Calcifer had begun bawling for sleep, and they had crashed open the door revealing an empty bed and a gaping window.
Howl flinched when the fact that he forgot to bewitch Sophie's window hit him. Without changing out of his red and blue spotted pyjamas, he had charged outside, searching for her. But dawn came soon enough and there was no trace of the infuriating redhead. After it was clear that all was hopeless, he commenced having a full-blown tantrum but broke off suddenly in mid-groan when he realized the only person who could stop him was not there. So there he was, bemoaning his idiocy and inability to do anything else.
And it was not only that the castle would soon be dirty again or he would have to wake up early to cook breakfast, Howl felt like a glass shattered into pieces. There- he was acting, even thinking so melodramatically! What was wrong with him? He should be happy that Sophie had gone. He was free, FREE he could breed spiders and silk cobwebs if he wanted to! But why, why in hell did it seem as if he was lacking something. Even when his heart was missing, he never really minded.
'Howl, what are you doing out there?' he swerved and saw Martha standing behind him. She did not know what had happened to her sister. Getting up rather unsteadily, Howl went in to tell her. As the door shut, a bit of parchment fell revealing some writing.
Howl. Do not come looking for me. Sophie.