Author's Note: Oh my gosh, I actually did two stories back-to-back that followed the same timeline. I probably won't make a habit of this. Who to blame? Why the "movingcastle" LJ community for encouraging my muse. They make sure this stuff is good enough for public consumption, so I don't know what I would do without them.
Although, if anybody has any Brit-picking to do, please review and let me know! I'm attempting to use more UK terms (such as "trainers" instead of "sneakers"), but I'm just a silly American, so any help would be greatly appreciated. Especially if I've gotten the days UK children are off from school wrong. I wasn't sure, and couldn't find any information online.
Kiss theme #26 - If only I could make you mine
Rating: PG
Pairing: Howl/Sophie
Summary: In which Megan visits the Castle, and Howl's plans go awry.
by Mimea
Megan had just opened her mouth to reprimand her brother for leading her on a wild goose chase. Why was he doubling back to the front door of her house? Had he been making a fool of her the entire time, merely spinning a yarn about this girl who had supposedly captured his fickle heart?
But the words died in her throat when the front door didn't open onto the normal, staid entryway she had spent so much time decorating. In its place was a rather cozy-looking main room. There was no fire in the hearth, but warmth still seemed to permeate the place. The furniture had a decidedly lived-in look and the impression she got of a massive, well-worn workbench and overstuffed shelves in the corner reeked of her brother's chaotic organizational skills. The walls were whitewashed, but the wooden beams holding up the second story were nearly black. Four doors were set into the opposite wall, and a sturdy staircase led upward. Overall, it was a cheery hodgepodge.
Then she noticed her brother's appearance was changing. His "Welsh Rugby" jacket shifted out of focus. It became more form-fitting, but the sleeves became trailing masterpieces of scarlet and grey. His rather baggy trousers tailored themselves into something much more flattering that matched the jacket perfectly, and his trainers shifted into some sort of odd-looking slippers.
Megan had no idea how to respond.
Howl turned back with a twinkle in his eye to see his sister's reaction. "Didn't know I've been living right under your nose, did you?"
"Wh... what is this place?" Megan managed to gasp, looking a trifle pale.
Howl took her hand and led her inside, up the handful of steps into the main room. He bowed with a majestic flourish as he announced, "Welcome to my Castle."
When Megan could find her voice again, it held a tremor of skepticism. "Castle?"
"Actually, if you go out the front door, it looks like a shop building. But if you go out the proper back door, you can see the outside in all its glory."
Megan jumped and let out a squeak of horror as a small blue ball of flame sped down from the second story. She almost fainted dead away when it opened its mouth to show vicious-looking purple teeth.
"Howl! Thank heavens you're back! You forgot to lock your bedroom door before you left! Sophie's cleaning everything!" Calcifer ended miserably.
Howl sighed. "I'm amazed Fanny and Mrs. Fairfax left anything to be done."
"I should have been more clear. She's not dusting or scrubbing. She's ORGANIZING!"
Howl let out a moan. "Botheration! That woman's nose is longer than Pinocchio's!"
Calcifer wondered what a Pinocchio was as Howl charged across the room to the staircase to try and salvage any trace of privacy Sophie had left intact.
But the sight of her figure on the stairs stopped him.
"I think I've found all that's left of those maidens' hearts you've eaten." She held up the biggest pile of dustdevils either Megan or Howl had ever seen. "Except mine. I think this is the poor thing's remains." She dangled a massive, grotesque hairball as big as her palm from between her index finger and thumb.
She was truly a sight to behold, her dress of drab grey, her dusty apron, her kerchief firmly wrapped around her head, holding her ginger-colored hair out of her face. Not to mention the foul oddities she held in her hands.
It was then Sophie noticed Megan. Her eyebrows snapped down in disapproval before she remembered she was no longer the old woman who had talked down Megan Perry. Then she plastered the most gracious expression she could manage on her face.
Which made Howl quake in his metaphorical boots. A friendly Sophie was never a happy Sophie.
"Oh, Howl, you've brought a guest?"
Howl cleared his throat, hoping his voice would stay level as he spoke. "Yes. Sophie, this is my older sister, Megan Perry. Megan, this is my assistant, Sophie Hatter."
"Sophie Hatter? Wasn't that the name of that old woman you had with you the last time you came for a visit?" Megan asked suspiciously.
Before Howl could reply, Sophie's face brightened and she fibbed as naturally as could be, "Oh, so you've met my great aunt? I'm named after her."
Howl gaped like a fish as Sophie deposited her finds in the dustbin, untied her apron and draped it over the banister, wiped her hands thoroughly on her skirt, then crossed the room. She held out a hand without losing the welcoming smile on her face. It was stunning. Radiant, almost.
"It's SUCH a pleasure to finally meet a member of Howl's family. I was rather jealous of great aunt Sophie up until now."
Megan met Sophie's outstretched hand, obviously unsure of what to make of the effusive young woman in front of her. "Likewise. Howell's told me a bit about you."
"Has he now? And I bet it's all about what a horrible witch I am."
"No, not at all," Megan demurred, nonplussed by Sophie's choice of words. Her brows knit together in confusion as she tried to reconcile the image of the woman who had invaded her yard and that of Sophie, but found she could not.
"Well, isn't this cozy? So this is the dreaded Megan, huh? She doesn't look so tough to me, Howl."
Megan's hand had gone stiff as she fought not to cry out at the reappearance of the talking, disembodied blue flame. Sophie threw a withering glance over her shoulder as she released Megan. "You didn't think me much of a threat when I first came, did you?"
Calcifer wavered. "Okay, point taken. If I'd known I'd let in a cleaning demon, I would have told Michael to push you right back out the door!"
"What in the world is THAT?" Megan asked as the last of her color seeped out of her face, her eyes fixed on the hovering creature that had just spoken.
"That, my dear Megan, is a fire demon," the all-but-forgotten Howl explained. "His name is Calcifer."
"Fire... demon?" his sister echoed faintly. This newest revelation was nearly too much for Megan as she felt her sense of reality quietly shattering around her, leaving her with a dizzying sense of vertigo. "I really think I need to sit down."
Sophie led her to a comfortable chair, the spitting image of a proper hostess. Megan's eyes were still wide as she rested one elbow on the arm of her chair and cupped her forehead with the same hand. "This can't be real. It's all a dream... OUCH!"
Megan jumped and shot a glare in the direction of her left arm. She was about to reprimand her brother, but the only one she saw there was Sophie. "Miss Hatter?"
"I thought that might help you grasp things a little quicker. You're not dreaming if you can feel a pinch," Sophie explained quite reasonably. "Now I'm going to put some tea on to help you relax, but please don't faint in the meantime. I'm not given to vapours, so I don't have any smelling salts handy. And neither of us probably want to know what Howl would come up with as a substitute."
Megan was completely nonplussed, and she didn't like it one bit. She looked to Howell for help, but the only thing he did was mouth "oldest sister".
"If you think I'm getting in the grate for just a cup of tea, you're even crazier than I thought."
Sophie huffed in irritation. "Of course not, Calcifer. A normal fire will do. I'm trying to calm her down, not have her worrying what boiling water over a fire demon would do to the tea."
"Then I'll go out for a bit, since you obviously don't need me," Calcifer sniffed and shot up the chimney like a tiny comet.
After he did so, Megan's shoulders slumped a bit in relief. While Sophie worked on getting a plain wood fire started, Megan took the opportunity to grill Howl. "So, anybody or anything else live here?"
Howl took a seat beside Megan before responding. "Just one more person, and you have met him before. My assistant, Michael Fisher. Or, I should say, my apprentice."
"Apprentice?"
"Of course. Every wizard should have an apprentice. Or two."
"A wizard," Megan echoed dully. Her brother was claiming to be a wizard. But that would explain all the inexplicable things she had witnessed since she crossed the threshold into this new world. She just couldn't bear to fully digest it at that moment, so she abruptly changed tack. "That's it. I knew you should never have been allowed to choose your own educational path!"
"Psychology is a perfectly fine field..."
"Until you decided on 'spells and curses' as the subject of your doctoral thesis! Of all the frivolous, wasteful--"
"Sophie! What's taking so long with that tea?" Howl jumped up to join the redhead who was standing over the fire.
"It takes a bit longer to start a fire from scratch, you know," Sophie replied with only a slight edge to her voice. "Besides, I so rarely hear of your life before you came to the Castle."
"You know, you've been working hard today already. Let me do this. I know how she takes it, anyway."
Sophie gave him a sideways look, but decided to help him slither out this time. Or so he might think. She let Howl watch the kettle and made her way to the chair he had vacated.
"Anyway," she began conversationally, "Michael's been here much longer than I have. He's engaged to my youngest sister Martha."
"Is that how your great aunt met Howell?"
"Oh no, that was purely by accident. Michael had no idea she was even related to the girl he was courting at first."
"Accident?" Megan asked, her voice dripping with skepticism.
"Yes, she was looking for work and stumbled onto this place. Apparently it was a disaster, so she hired herself on as a cleaning lady. Howl didn't kick her out for some reason, and she's quite stubborn. But now she's getting on in years, and her health started to go, so she sent me to take her place."
Sophie could feel Howl's amazed, approving stare on the nape of her neck and she felt her face heat slightly.
"Unwise of her. Don't tell me Howell has a stellar reputation here?"
"Depends on who you ask," Sophie replied honestly. "But if you're about to warn me about him, thank you, but there's no need. I already know he's cowardly, disorganized, a cad, and he could out-slither a snake. I'm used to it."
She snuck a glance at Howl. There had been a strange light in his eyes until he caught her looking, then he turned up his nose and contrived to look as affronted as possible.
"The question is whether I'm used to such a nosy, bossy young woman trampling through my life and turning it topsy-turvy," Howl's voice rang out dramatically.
"You haven't tossed me out yet."
"If I did, my apprentice's fiancée would take great exception. I don't need to suffer at the hands of yet another Mad Hatter."
Megan coughed, and the bickering couple fell awkwardly silent.
"Sorry," Sophie apologized sheepishly.
Megan smiled in satisfaction. "It's quite all right. I'm just happy to see that you're not letting him take complete advantage of you. I'm also glad there's someone to keep him in line when I'm not here."
"Keep ME in line? I like that. My own house, and I'm being oppressed. I suppose I should just move out to the Waste. Maybe take up where the Witch left off--"
"The Waste?" Megan asked.
"A very hot place, full of sand. Rather ghastly," Sophie explained before sending another barb in Howl's direction. "At least there'd be plenty of material to soak up your next fit of green slime."
Megan raised an eyebrow. "Dare I ask?"
"No, you don't," Howl cut in, having finished with the tea and bringing it over to Megan and Sophie. "Black with just a drop of cream for you, Megan." He handed over a delicate porcelain cup and saucer, which his sister accepted with a grateful nod of her head. "And even though I shouldn't be so kind after the beating my feelings have been taking while I've been slaving over here, two lumps of sugar, no cream for you." He handed Sophie a sturdy tea mug with a small chip in the rim.
Sophie closed her hands around the cup, allowing Howl to unwrap his fingers from around the handle. "Well, if you'd been a good host and entertained your guest, you wouldn't have had to 'slave', as you put it," she replied evenly, taking a sip when she'd finished speaking. "Besides, you're the one who offered."
Megan took a ladylike sip of her tea, slowly letting it slide down her throat. She took a deep breath before her next mouthful, then exhaled through her nose to savor the aroma. He'd made her favorite flavour and brand. The warmth and taste helped ground her, and made her feel a little more as if she could handle this bizarre experience. If you could make Earl Grey in this world, it really couldn't be that bad. Having recovered herself satisfactorily, she returned to her interrogation. "So, Howell, what is it exactly you DO here?"
Howl opened his mouth to speak, but Sophie interrupted. "Why he's a Royal Wizard of Ingary. Didn't you know? The King relies on him quite a bit."
"Sophie!"
She continued on as if she hadn't heard. "Michael mostly takes care of making potions, and I run the flower shop next door. But a man of Howl's abilities--"
"That's quite enough!" Howl cried.
Sophie and Megan looked at him, Sophie obviously startled.
"I don't know what you're babbling on about, filling my sister's head with this idea I'm somebody big and important. Just because the King thinks I'm clever is no reason to brag."
Sophie stared at him incredulously. "You're always bragging about how clever you are, so I decided to do it for you this time!" She turned her attention back to the cup in her hands, frowning into her tea. She seethed for a moment before her temper got the better of her. She fixed him with a glare that if he had been any less of a wizard, he would have been reduced to ash. "You're absolutely impossible! Half the time you're all but begging me to praise you, but when I do, you jump all over me!" Defiantly, she raised her mug and took a huge swig.
Howl looked alarmed for a moment, but she swallowed to no ill effect.
"It's times like this," Sophie continued, having warmed quite a bit to her subject, "that I feel as if I understand you perfectly, Mrs. Perry. I thought having two younger sisters was hard, but MEN seem to be even more difficult."
Megan watched as Sophie took another great gulp of tea.
Howl snorted indelicately. "Difficult! Now there's the pot calling the kettle!"
Just then, Sophie's eyes widened as something in the cup nearly went into her mouth. She quickly took the mug away from her lips, and stared down into it as something clinked against the bottom.
"Howl! Sophie! Calcifer! I'm back, and I have company!" Michael's dark head appeared in the doorway that used to be the broom closet, the fairer figure of Martha just a few paces behind him.
"Ah, Michael," Howl greeted. "Impeccable timing, as always."
Michael came the rest of the way into the room, eyeing Howl suspiciously. "Do I want to know?"
"Sophie!" Martha exclaimed, running to where her sister was still mesmerized by her tea. "Are you all right? You look a bit pale."
Sophie shook herself, snapping out of her stupor. "I'm quite all right. I think the tea maker over there lost something in the process. At least, I haven't died yet, so I'm assuming it was him." She swirled the cup around, making the clinking nose clearly audible to everyone in the room.
Now both Michael and Martha looked worried. "Should I cast an item composition spell to see what it is?" Michael asked.
Howl seemed almost pained, and an amused smile tugged at the corners of Megan's mouth.
"Maybe you'd better Michael, since it seems Horrible Howl doesn't care if I end up poisoned or cursed."
"You've already drank most of it," came Howl's petulant reply.
Something about the way Howl was acting made Sophie stop and think. He wasn't behaving normally at all. Normally for Howl, that was. She had expected him to snatch the cup out of her hands and examine it for just the types of things she'd described, or at the very least come over to see out of pure curiosity. If it was something of Howl's in there, why didn't he just come over and fish it out? Yet he was stubbornly refusing to go anywhere near her, acting as though she were spoiling some sort of plan of his.
"You're right, Howl. I have drunk most of it. Why not polish it off?"
All other occupants of the room stared at her as if she were completely insane, but she didn't give any of them time to stop her. She threw back the remainder of her drink, calculating how to catch the object. She held the liquid in her mouth just long enough to locate the item and lodge it in her right cheek before swallowing.
Around her, pandemonium broke out.
"You didn't swallow it, did you?" Michael asked in horrified fascination.
"Sophie! Sophie, speak to me!" Martha cried.
Megan was just as taken aback, but did her best to remain calm. "Are you all right, Miss Hatter?"
"Of all the harebrained, reckless things to do!" Howl's cry overpowered everyone else. He rushed over, bracing his hands on the arms of Sophie's chair and staring into her bright blue eyes. "Spit it out!"
Sophie shook her head as she wedged the object more firmly between her cheek and jawbone. "Nothing doing. I knew it was yours."
"I did buy it. Now give it to me."
"I said no. You didn't come claim it while it was in my cup, so it's mine now."
"I simply didn't think you wanted my filthy fingers swimming around in your tea."
"Your fingers aren't filthy, and you didn't even seem to care what was in my tea. Finders keepers."
A heated, mischievous glint lit up Howl's green eyes. "I won't argue with you about that. But I'd like a chance to present it to you properly."
"Wha--?"
Sophie's question was forestalled as Howl quickly became a blur. The overpowering scent of orange blossoms filled her nostrils and made her gasp a little too long when she pronounced her letter "a". Howl took advantage of that moment to cover her open mouth with his.
Michael turned a deep shade of red, while Martha's jaw hung open in fascination. Megan was perfectly scandalized. She knew she should have expected something like this from him, but that didn't make it any less embarrassing. She hid the lower half of her face behind her teacup, but she found she couldn't tear her eyes away from the scene.
As for Sophie, she tried to push Howl away, her hands pressing on either side of his collarbone. He didn't budge. She could feel the blood rush to her face and her nerves begin to tingle as his tongue searched her mouth. But he didn't seem to be in much of a hurry to find whatever she'd discovered in her mug. Instead, he seemed to be trying to tease her, his tongue passing in brief strokes over hers between forays along her gum line.
Finally, he seemed to become more serious, darting over to caress the inside of her right cheek before reclaiming the prize. Then he finally released her, stepping back to take in her mortified expression. Her face was flushed and her eyes were dark with an emotion it was clear she could not quite identify.
Sophie was still stunned. It had been an odd sensation, but not unpleasant. Rather the contrary. If she hadn't been caught in the heat of battle, she probably would have giggled. Was that the kind of kiss she'd heard the girls in her classes whispering about in scandalized, envious tones? The ones with a touch of the forbidden?
Martha's voice snapped her out of her reverie. "Oh my. Things are going that well?"
"Well?" Sophie blushed even deeper. "They're not going well at all!" She finally brought herself to look at Howl. He was still close to her, but he had straightened then slouched backwards as he stood in front of her in what he hoped was a nonchalant pose. "As for you, you, you BEAST! That was my first kiss you stole!"
Martha blinked. "You can't be serious, Sophie."
"I bet she is," Michael interjected.
"I AM serious!" Sophie turned a shocked, betrayed expression on her sister. "I've never had any desire to do so, and now..." She fisted her hands and looked down in her lap, her arms shaking with the effort of keeping from punching Howl square in the jaw.
Michael, Martha, and Megan watched Howl spit the cause of the whole fiasco out of his mouth and surreptitiously dry it with one trailing sleeve. Megan held her breath.
"Then I suppose I must atone for the grievous affront I seem to have committed," Howl announced.
"I'm not speaking to you," Sophie replied.
"That's all right. Just nod 'yes' or 'no'."
Sophie raised her eyes, then the rest of her head followed in astonishment. Howl had knelt down on one knee before her.
"It may be a bit worse for wear, but I underestimated your ability to act without thinking again. Although it may be to my detriment, please think hard on your answer." He opened his palm to reveal the diamond ring he had bought just a few hours ago.
Martha gasped, Michael goggled, and Megan let out the breath she had been holding.
"It's beautiful," Sophie said, "but I don't..."
"I wasn't joking when I proposed that we live happily ever after. In Wales, a ring signifies a betrothal agreement."
Sophie's breath caught and her heart hammered against her ribs. Was he really asking..?
"Miss Sophie Hatter, molester of my spiders and my clothing, the most irresistible, irritating woman I ever met, and who I already know I'll still love when she's older than the hills. Will you become my wife and torture me the rest of my days?"
Sophie tried to find the words, but there was a curious lump in her throat preventing them from coming out.
After a few moments, Howl began to fidget.
"Sophie?" Martha prompted.
Megan sat completely still, attempting to hide her sudden case of nerves on her brother's behalf under a veneer of calm.
"Of course, if your idea of happily ever after is joyfully living in sin for the rest of our days..." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively in a desperate attempt to keep the overwhelming fear he could feel rising up within him at bay.
Sophie's continued silence sank his hopes further every moment. He'd probably gone too far. He should have waited until she'd calmed down. But he was doing something that took infinitely more courage than facing the Witch of the Waste. He didn't think he'd regret overcoming his cowardice for once. After all, she had responded favorably to his original offer. Then again, last time he had just saved her and the kingdom from the Witch. What had he done this time? Forced himself on her like a callow schoolboy.
The light in his eyes died. "A coward should just stay a coward," he thought. He rose to his feet, clenching the ring in his palm.
His action caused a chain reaction in their audience.
"Sophie! Say something!" Martha cried. "I know he stole your first kiss, but don't you want to give him the rest?"
"He's actually asking you to marry him. Just imagine! Howl, settling down! Do you realize how brave he's being? I barely had the courage myself to ask Martha!" Michael rejoined.
Megan knew it was down to her. She was tempted to stay silent, to allow Howl to run away this time. But she had seen the way her brother looked at Sophie, and the way the couple interacted. If she let him retreat now, she was convinced he would never be the same. If that bossy, rude slip of a girl was the one who made him happy, then she supposed she had no choice.
"Miss Hatter," her words dropped into the middle of the room with a thud. "Please consider this. I think Howell really and truly means it."
A wan smile touched the corners of Howl's mouth at Megan's tacit approval, but nothing anyone had said seemed to have any effect on Sophie. Howl closed his eyes so no one would see the misery reflected in them. He heaved a great sigh and began to turn away.
When two small, work-roughened hands caught the fist holding the ring.
Sophie gave him a moment to pull away. He couldn't bring himself to. He was afraid this might be the last time he would ever feel her touch.
Her words came out so quietly, he almost didn't hear them.
"I haven't said 'no' yet."
"And I, as you have so often reminded me, am a coward."
That struck Sophie. Howl was a man who never did anything straightforwardly. In fact, the more convoluted a path he could contrive the follow, the better. Especially when it involved doing anything remotely brave. Now he was standing before her, being terrifyingly honest, his heart disturbingly exposed in front of not only his sister, but her own sister and Michael as well.
She remembered the feel of that heart, warm and pulsing faintly, surprisingly soft for a man of Howl's reputation. Now she was doing what Miss Angorian had, squeezing that heart until it nearly stopped.
"I just... I need a moment," she breathed. "This is an awfully serious thing you're asking me."
"Don't I know it," he said ruefully.
Megan's eyebrows snapped down as realization dawned. But the main players were too involved in the situation to see clearly, just as she had been. Her own hesitation at the same crucial moment over a decade ago when Gareth had proposed to her had nearly cost her the man she loved. Her voice carried unnaturally crisp and clear across the room. "You have doubts, don't you, Sophie?" she offered.
Everyone looked at the matron, Michael and Martha aghast, Howl eerily vulnerable, and Sophie as though she'd taken an arrow to the chest.
"Not about Howl," Sophie explained.
"But you do have doubts," Megan prompted.
"What in Heaven's name do you doubt?" Howl burst out.
"Myself, all right!" Sophie cried. "I'm just plain old reliable Sophie. You need someone prettier, more flambouyant, to compliment you!"
"Someone like that would compete with me. And you're perfectly lovely, except when that ugly self-doubt of yours rears its head," Howl retorted. "I could have had scores of beautiful damsels at my side, but for some reason, my heart only wants the shrewish redhead who mixes up my hair potions and even makes me ASK where I should put up new portals for the castle so that SHE will be most comfortable!"
During his tirade, Howl had turned back to her, confronting her with the full force of his sincere feelings. Sophie stared, mesmerized by the power of the emotions he radiated.
Michael and Martha shifted uncomfortably. At length, it was Megan who broke the heavily-charged silence.
"Do you know anything of the peacock, Miss Hatter?" she asked quite casually.
Sophie tore her gaze away from Howl with an effort to focus on Megan. "Yes. It's a bird with beautiful plumage. My family used to run a hat shop. The tailfeathers were always exceptional for hats."
"Ahh," Megan replied, "but that is only the male of the species."
Howl blinked as if he'd had a revelation and a slow, grateful smile stole over his features as he looked at Megan.
Megan gave him a patronizing smile in return. "The female peacock's feathers, however, are all white, black, or brown. The male peacock's plumage is to attract his much more drab mate. The more beautiful the feathers, the more females will accept his advances until he finds the proper one. Therefore, it stands to reason that the perfect mate for Howell is someone rather like you imagine yourself to be. Not a flashy blue jay or cardinal."
"He did call me a 'little grey mouse' the first time he saw me," Sophie admittedly almost shyly.
"AND he picked you out of the May Day crowd!" Michael added.
"Out of pity," Sophie told him, her mouth twisted in a sardonic smile.
"Perhaps. Of course, it wouldn't have had anything to do with your vibrant hair or the wild magic just pouring off you," Howl said tiredly. "So, are you going to hold onto my hand all night?"
"I'm still thinking. And if I let go, you'll run away before I can answer."
Howl turned slightly red about the ears, but didn't say anything.
The tension in the room reached a fever pitch. Howl was just about to pull his hand away and cut his heartbreaking losses when Calcifer streaked back in.
"I know Market Chipping isn't as bad as Porthaven, but I certainly don't like the look of those clouds! I just know the sky is going to open up any... Hey, what're the long faces for?" His orange eyes took in the tableau before him. He focused on where Sophie was clutching Howl's hand for dear life. "Ah... this is a bad time, isn't it?"
"Howl just proposed to Sophie, but she's still thinking about it."
"Michael!" Sophie hissed, distracted just long enough for Howl to pull away. He made for the door, but he wasn't fast enough. Megan was surprisingly spry for a housewife. She had gotten out of her chair, set her cup and saucer down, and blocked the door by standing in front of it with her arms crossed over her chest. Of course, Howl's slowness had absolutely nothing to do with the flame-like arms lapping at his ankles.
"Stop that, both of you!" Howl roared.
Megan looked him dead in the eye. "No. I'm not letting you run away from this."
Howl turned eyes full of betrayal on the fire demon. "Her I understand, but you, Calcifer?"
"It's not like I want to. Love scenes make me ill. But you keep forgetting I used to have your heart. I feel rather responsible for it. If a fire demon could return it unscathed, you can keep it that way. Now you..."
Sophie had been trying not to think of her situation by focusing on the question of how Calcifer could be holding onto Howl without burning him. But as soon as Calcifer turned his lamp-like eyes on her, she could feel all the self-doubt come right back to the surface.
The fire demon released his hold on Howl to bob over to Sophie and hover at eye level. "I've existed long enough I can see right through you, and I'm going to tell you exactly where his heart stands."
"Calcifer, no!" Howl commanded.
But Calcifer paid him no heed. "You really want to know why I let you in the castle in the first place, Sophie?" She nodded. "It's all Howl's fault! That heart of his insisted that you could break our contract from the moment we sensed you outside the castle. Even though I told him someone caught in their own curse couldn't help, he bothered me until I let you in. Then what does he do?"
"CALCIFER!"
"He falls atria over ventricle for you. Be thankful you never had to endure all the bad poetry I was subjected to. He was so proud of you each time you used your magic, I'd hear about it for days on end. The Howl who would court ladies until they fell in love with him, then drop them cold..."
Howl flinched.
"...was the one without a heart. In fact, it's scaring Howl senseless to find himself so intensely in love with you. He wanted you around before, didn't mind making you comfortable or content. Then you took his heart in your own two hands and commanded it to keep beating. In essence, his heart truly belongs to you. It has your magical signature on it, so only you can command it. Not me. Not Howl. You. In addition, neither of you noticed," he gave them both a reproachful glare, "since that little trick curing Sophie's heart murmurs, your hearts have been beating in unison. I've been waiting for either of you to get hiccups to see if the other caught them!"
"You joined our hearts back then?" Howl demanded furiously.
"I didn't. Your heart was just using its own beat to regulate Sophie's, and once they were attuned, there was nothing I could do without killing all three of us."
"Hold on, is he saying your heart was once outside your body, Howell?" Megan asked, her eyes and tone filled with disbelief.
"Yes, and I survived. It kept Calcifer there alive until Sophie increased his lifespan by a thousand years."
As Howl was explaining, Calcifer floated out of the way so that Sophie could creep up behind the unsuspecting wizard. She slid between the siblings, and Howl jumped as she put her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest.
"S... Sophie?" His newly ruddy complexion clashed horribly with the flaxen color of his hair.
"Shhh, Howl. I'm having a little chat." Sophie closed her eyes and focused on the steady thudding she heard under her ear. Then she realized that indeed she was hearing it in stereo, from both Howl's chest and her own. She reached out in silent communication.
Howl's heart seemed to recognize her. Howl gasped as it leapt unexpectedly. He felt as if he were about to have a heart attack, and he involuntarily clutched Sophie desperately, as if she were his only lifeline. She didn't even seem to notice. Her eyes were closed, but her breathing was as erratic as his. He felt soul-searing sadness, followed by knee-knocking uncertainty and near suicidal desperation. Then all at once it was over. Or so he thought, until a tidalwave of pure, unfettered joy flooded through him, his blood singing merrily through his veins. Over the roaring in his ears, he heard Sophie murmur:
"Yes, Howl. I'll marry you."
"You... you will?" he stammered, uncertain if he had heard right.
"I said so, didn't I?" She shifted in his arms just enough to be able to lift her head. "I suppose I'll put up with your airs and your tantrums and your spiders for the rest of my life."
Slightly dazed, it actually took Howl a moment to formulate a comeback. "It's only fair. I've already resigned myself to your curiosity and your cleaning and the fact it's a wonder I haven't started sprouting grey hairs looking after you."
"YOU looking after ME?"
Howl gave her a deadpan look. "Witch. Waste. Miss Angorian."
"Oh."
None of what Howl was saying made any sense to Megan, and she secretly wondered what Neil's former English teacher who had mysteriously disappeared had to do with anything. Then she realized she really didn't want to know. But she nodded in approval anyway. If they were already intimate enough to speak so cryptically yet understand each other so well, there was nothing she could do about it but wish them luck.
"FINALLY!" Calcifer burst out.
Howl reluctantly released his betrothed and stepped out of the circle of her arms just far enough so he could extend his hand. "Then, you'll accept this?"
Sophie gathered up her courage, then looked. It was a beautiful ring made of silvery metal and a finely-cut blue gem as the centerpiece. She had a feeling Howl had used his magic to clean it up after its tea bath, but it was lovely. "Yes."
Howl took up her left hand almost hesitantly. Something about the way his fingertips brushed her lightly callused palm made her turn a pretty shade of pink, and her eyes sparkle to match the diamond he slid onto her ring finger.
The moment was broken by Martha nearly knocking Sophie over with an overenthusiastic hug. "Congratulations, Sophie!" she crowed. "I'm so happy for you! Although I'm a little jealous, you being able to start a family before me."
"Martha!" Sophie cried, scandalized. "I am older than you, after all."
"I know, I know." Martha turned to regard Howl. "Now you take good care of her, you hear me? And I'll know if you don't, because I'll be asking Michael for regular updates!"
"Martha!" This time it was Michael who was protesting, looking highly embarrassed.
Howl chuckled with an air of resignation. "I expect no less from the sister of my charmingly nosy Sophie. I won't hold it against you, Michael. How can I when I am also under the thumb of a Hatter sister?"
"Under her thumb? Pah! Not you, Howl," Calcifer tossed in, as he was feeling a bit neglected.
"How else do you explain the fact I have shackled myself to one woman? Just don't let this get out. It may ruin my reputation."
"It'll be all over Ingary within a fortnight, anyway, you know," Calcifer said with a slight yawn. "Even I'm not strong enough to stop the rumor mill. Neither are you, for that matter."
"I suppose you're right. And I doubt I can keep my tarnished reputation intact in Wales, either. For I know my dear sister will be shouting from the rooftops as soon as she gets back that her good-for-nothing brother has turned respectable."
"Respectable? I doubt that very much, Howell," Megan replied magnanimously. "Even when I do tell everyone my brother is getting married, they won't believe me. Besides," Megan forced herself to be honest, "I doubt your bride-to-be would like it if you even tried. She obviously fell in love with you with all your faults intact. In fact, if she does try to change you, she'll have to answer to me."
Howl stared at her slack-jawed, while Sophie met Megan's eyes and an understanding passed between them.
"I'd think someone had kidnapped him and put a golem in his place if he all of a sudden went prim and proper on me," Sophie said aloud. "He is the youngest, after all."
"No fair!" Martha whined.
Michael's lips twitched, his loyalties severely divided, while everybody else except Howl burst into hearty laughter. Howl simply put on his best long-suffering look.
"It's better than having to face the responsibility of being the eldest," Howl sniffed.
"You can say that again!" Martha agreed, pulling a face at Sophie.
In the midst of all the clamor, Calcifer had wended his way between Howl and Sophie, frizzling the ends of Sophie's hair.
"So, any idea for a date yet?"
"I'm still getting used to the whole idea I'm betrothed!" Sophie protested.
"Couldn't agree more," Howl added.
"Just be sure and send me an invitation, or it'll get pretty chilly in here this winter."
Howl raised an eyebrow. "As though you wouldn't crash the party anyway."
"There is that."
"Sophie! Your hair!" Megan cried, noticing the curling, blackened ends of her future sister-in-law's coif.
Sophie sighed. "It's what I get for freeing a fire demon."
"Free the fire demon, and capture the wizard," Howl sniffed, before he broke into a grin. "I think I may be getting the better end of the deal."
Calcifer fizzed dubiously as Howl ran a hand through Sophie's hair, restoring it to perfect health. Megan inhaled sharply at the blatant display of magic.
Howl gave her an "I told you so" look over Sophie's head. Megan went a little white.
"So, Sophie," she said in a mildly shaking voice, "do you have magic powers, too?"
Sophie shrugged. "I'm not nearly as powerful as Howl." Her fiancé made a sound of reproach. "But I can work some magic."
"Then I suppose there's nothing I can do but say 'Congratulations' and... when shall I bring Gareth and the children?"
Howl opened his mouth to speak, but Sophie beat him to the punch yet again. "Sometime next weekend, perhaps? Children in Wales have off on weekends, too, don't they?"
Megan nodded. "We have dinner with Gareth's family on Sundays. Saturday, perhaps?"
"I can close the flower shop early, and--"
"You ladies do realize this is still my Castle, don't you?" Howl interjected in an attempt to halt the lumbering, inexorable wheel of feminine plotting.
They ignored him completely.
"And I'll be doing all the work!" Calcifer whined.
"Oh no. You'll have the day off, Calcifer. Much as we appreciate you, I still don't think Megan or her family would be comfortable if they knew their meal was cooked over a fire demon," Sophie reasoned. "I spent fourteen years cooking over a regular fire, so I'll simply have to make do."
"Fourteen years? How old are you, Sophie?" Megan queried.
"Eighteen," Sophie replied.
Megan glared at Howl. "Cradle-snatcher."
Howl put up his hands to ward her off. "When I'm sixty and she's fifty-one, it won't make much difference at all."
During the exchange between the Jenkins siblings and the newest addition to their family, Martha and Michael had edged backwards toward the safety of the door leading to the flower shop portion of the Castle. A look of impending doom crossed their faces. They turned to each other for reassurance.
"Eloping is sounding better and better to me, Martha. What about you?"
Martha gave another rather terrified look to the chaos surrounding her sister. "It's sounding wonderful right now."
"But for now, how about getting some ices from Mr. Emeri down the street?"
"Perfect!"
And they beat a hasty retreat, leaving Sophie, Howl, and Megan to settle things on their own.
Author's Note: You've made it this far? Wow... This is the way to double a word count in one post, but there was just so much material to cover and so many characters wanted to have a say, I couldn't make it any shorter.
As always, feedback of all kinds is greatly appreciated!