FIRST Notes: BOLD things are dream-sequence parts because to italicize them would be confusing since I try to save italicizing for individual's thoughts. And now, on with the show...please let me know what you think. One word, one line is much appreciated!

Beautiful Charm, Chapter III: Dreamscape

It was about a week until the Autumnal Gathering and Sophie could not sleep. Rather, she slept, but restlessly. Her dreams were more nightmarish lately than ever. She dreamt again of a war, of red flames and smoke that stifled the very essence of the earth, of death and a curse and her sleep was a deep one. This night, she turned fitfully, unconsciously clutching handfuls of bed sheet and almost, it seemed, crying.

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In her dream she saw the palace burning, and she felt the brush of silken cloth and smelled the smoke of the flames, singing her throat dry and making her eyes water. Frantically, she turned from side to side, as though searching for someone and she suddenly realized she was looking for Markl, or old Witch, even Heen...and of course, Howl.

But Howl was not there, and neither was any one else. There were people of course, and they all ran around her still form, screaming, shouting, losing all manner of calm.

And then, as though she had blinked and missed something very important, Sophie found herself inexplicably running through the fiery corridors, ash and soot making awful smudges and burns on her gown—it was a gown she had finally realized, a familiar one with deep green ribbon and a floor length, flowing skirt—but she did not notice it beyond acknowledging that it was there. She stumbled, tripped, fell, winced. There was a short, deep gash on her right lower leg and a scrape that seemed to be beginning to bleed on her forearm but these things were all only just barely noticed. It seemed her main focus to just push herself painfully up off the floor and keep running, keep searching.

What is this? Sophie wondered as she watched her dream unfold. Where do I think I am going?

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Meanwhile, on the outside of her dreams, as she tossed in her eventful sleep, Sophie did not hear the door creak open to reveal two worried blue eyes. Howl had been checking in on her lately in her sleep, sensing her unrest and each time he would just watch until she settled into something resembling a more peaceful slumber. The trouble with being a wizard is that you know too much sometimes, he thought blithely to himself.

If he hadn't been aware of what he was in fact aware of concerning nightmares or dreams, he would have just woke the distressed girl. This night he actually ventured in past the border of the doorframe, something he had not done previous nights, and he sat on a chair next to her bed, much like she had once done for him after a rather melodramatic hair-colour changing fiasco. The moonlight shifted down on her form through the window's glass and Howl found to his dismay that Sophie was now trembling.

To wake her would be to risk her losing part of herself in the dream, he knew, because it had evident grips on her even now. But to leave her like this, it broke part of him. What could he do but take her hand in his own and scoot the chair closer to the bed so he could rest his head on the covers over her, listening to her racing heart? What else? He could think of nothing, but to wait.

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Back inside her dream, Sophie had come to one of what she somehow knew was many outdoor courtyards in the palace grounds. There were flickering flames everywhere, debris still falling and scattering to all directions, some nicking her shins or hitting against her heeled shoes.

She was wearing heels?

What happened to her boots? Why was she so...and then before she could wonder further and figure out where and more importantly, When, she was, a hand grabbed her arm tightly. It was like a vice and as she let her eyes slowly, cautiously glance sideways, Sophie saw red nails, long curved like daggers and the same red as the fires. Lifting her gaze, she found herself facing a woman—well she didn't seem like a woman, but she looked like one—and she was not a happy looking one.

"You are in my way," the strange woman thing spat and Sophie cringed, trying to wrest herself away from the claw-like grasp, but failing.

"What are you talking about?" Sophie asked, confused, and also angry. "What is going on?" She quickly picked up her foot and brought it down hard on its heel on the woman thing's foot, taking that moment of distraction to dash down a hall to her left. "What is this?" she asked no one, running as fast as she could. She wanted to kick off her shoes but the questionable rubble everywhere kept her from doing so. The pain in her leg reminded her of the gash and she gritted her teeth. That would have to wait.

Rounding a corner, Sophie was horrified to come face to face with the woman-thing again. How...?

"You have no idea what you have in Howl, little girl. So either disappear from his life forever or stop running," her red lips left the unspoken just that, but Sophie had a feeling she knew what no more running meant this time—no more anything. Wait...Howl?

"Howl's not even here!" Sophie cried, a degree of vexation boiling up in her. "Just leave me alone!" she added and pushed her way past the demoness. Sophie didn't know how many corridors she made it down but without warning a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her in and a door closed. She was facing two very blue eyes framed with tousled, dirty, short hair. The face was smudged with smoke's soot from the fire and the man was worse for the wear, but...familiar? "Turnip-head?" she said out of habit and would have covered her mouth in shame but he did it for her, making a motion as if to say, "shhhh". So she did.

"Sophie," his whisper was the slightest she had ever heard...he sounded weak. Not just quiet. Sophie wanted to ask if he was hurt, but his hand over her mouth kept her from such things. "That thing out there, I am sorry. This is all my fault...if I had been stronger...Sophie I'm going to get you out of here. Just follow me and try not to make a sound okay?" She nodded wordlessly and followed his lead, creeping through an almost impenetrable darkness for an amount of time she was unable to discern. By the time they came out of the darkness, she was stunned to find herself at one of the three bridges that stemmed to the palace from the main surrounding city. She turned to him, opening her mouth to thank him but he shook his head.

"Don't, I've built up a reasonable shield from her, but you she could hear and find in an instant. I don't know how to say I'm sorry enough I—" he was cut off. Sophie had pushed him to one side, seeing something out of the corner of her eye and now for some strange reason she felt a stinging sensation and her legs didn't seem to want to hold her up anymore...and then Howl was there, cradling her. Howl? When did he get here, she wondered to herself just barely. She was getting cold...

"What is this? What have you done?" Howl seemed outraged and Sophie wanted to tell him it wasn't Turnip-head's fault but she couldn't get a sound out.

"I didn't mean for this to happen. I couldn't stop Her," and the Prince gestured wildly toward a direction Sophie could faintly hear a distinctly ghastly laugh coming from; it was more of a cackle really.

"Sophie, hang on okay? You're going to be fine," Howl looked down at her, and Sophie thought she could see stars in his eyes, like the night he met Calcifer, but her vision dimmed and the stinging sensation came back tenfold from before and she clenched her eyes shut before losing all awareness of everything but the smell of smoke.

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A bird was chirping. Definitely a bird, a small one too by the high pitch Sophie was detecting. Shifting a little bit, she found herself confused by the weight on her chest as she blinked herself into consciousness. The weight on her chest shifted and it wasn't just blankets, she realized, biting her lip to keep from the surprised squeak she almost let out. Howl's hand had her own in a loving clasp but aside from that his head rested over her heart and his eyes were closed, a worried expression on his slumbering features. Her jumping pulse and heart softened at the sight a little. He must've known she was having a nightmare...but what about?

She couldn't seem to remember anything but smoke and pain and a feeling she suspected with some chagrin might be heartbreak.

"Oh Howl," she whispered to herself more than to the sleeping form and brought her right arm around to rest on his back, trailing up and down in comforting motions. It was almost as though by comforting him—whether he needed it or not—she was able to calm her own racing mind and worried soul. Even just in that moment. It was another hour before Howl stirred into the waking world, and when he opened his eyes he was surprised and pleased to find two hazel ones watching him.

"Sophie," he smiled and pulled himself up off of her. "Sorry, am I heavy?" he asked childishly and she shook her head.

"You were fine. I was glad to find you here. Thank you for protecting me," she added this last part very quietly. A more serious look gracing his refined visage, Howl seemed to pause thoughtfully for a moment before folding his hands on the edge of her bed, leaning in close to her and peering at her curiously.

"Sophie, what disturbs you so in your sleep?" he asked and Sophie gave him a sad half-smile.

"I wish I could tell you, but I can't seem to remember anything specific, anything telling," and then as an after thought she said, "but it might have been about the war. There was definitely smoke and a lot of pain."

"Are you certain you cannot remember anything else?" Howl seemed possibly more preoccupied with her nightmare than she, and Sophie turned on her bed to better face him, leaning on her elbows.

"Yes, and don't worry yourself either, my wonderful wizard," she tapped him on the nose as though her were an insolent child, but the gentle smile in her eyes and on her lips told him she was teasing.

"I shall worry whenever and however I see fit," he assuaged and placed a fast and tender kiss on her mouth before winking at her and easing out of the room. Sophie shook her head, sliding out from underneath her covers to get dressed for the day, her nightmare still nagging at the back of her mind like shattered glass left unswept on the floor.

LAST NOTES: I shortened this one because I wasn't sure if I was making chapters too long, but hey...I don't know! Let me know though if you have time. Even though I did do that Howl x Sophie one-shot, this is still my first fic, perhaps better to say my first lengthy fic now that I have done "Such Great Heights." Again, your comments are most welcome. All my thanks to those already having reviewed! As a beginner, they mean the world to me.

-sofi