Howl woke up to the sound of a door closing, he tried to get up, but something held him down by the shoulder.
"Howl, what happened to you? You got beaten up pretty good. You better not get up, or Sophie will kill us." He heard Michael say as he relaxed back into his bed and opened his eyes. He saw Michael looked very disheveled and as though he just woke up.
"You look awful, but I suppose I don't look much better, do I?" Howl asked as he got up into a sitting position before his apprentice could tell him not to. He felt like he had had his heart squished again, but it wasn't as bad.
"You look much better than you did a little while ago when you came back. Sophie has been in a right state worrying and trying to clean you up with hurting you too much." Michael told him, getting up and going over to the door. "I better go tell her before she dies from worrying so much."
He left to go find Sophie and fill her in on Howl's present state of consciousness. Howl lied in his bed trying to ignore the pain, and trying to not feel so bad about making Sophie worry so much, but he knew she would get over it and then hurt him for breaking his promise. He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard light footsteps approaching his bedroom door, and saw Sophie come in.
"Howl Jenkins, you'll kill yourself one day soon and when you I'll kill you." She joked half-heartedly, though she was very glad he had woken up. She walked over to his bedside and sat down next to him on the bed. As he put his arm around her, she asked, "Are you going to explain yourself, or do I have to make you?"
"My Princess, you need not threaten me, an injured man. I will tell you anything you want, if you make it worth my while." He said "seriously", as he laid back with her in his arms, marveling at how someone could be so warm and perfect.
"Howl, doesn't me just being here make it worth your while?" she asked, snuggling up to him and wrapping her arms around his waist. She was relieved that he was alright and that he had his playful attitude back already.
"You are correct, but maybe something a little more worth my while." Howl said with a mischievous smirk coming across his face that made Sophie giggle. She knew what he wanted, but she would play with him before giving in.
"You mean this, Howl." She as she brought her lips up to his. She teased him a little with simple brushes of her lips before he pulled her into a passionate kiss. They stayed like this for a while before breaking apart for air.
"Yes, that's what I mean." He said as he pulled her closer. He loved have her so close, knowing that she was his and only his.
"Howl." He heard his name come out from her parted lips and looked down. "Will you tell me what happen, and why you came home covered in cuts and bruises?"
"Alright, but if I think that you can't handle any of it, I'll stop." He said, looking into her eyes and saw that she was determined to hear it all. She nodded and he started to explain.
Flashback
Howl had just finish up at the castle and was on his way home when he heard some ruckus from a shop nearby. He ran over to help, but got knocked out as the shop exploded.
He woke up chained to a wall, and he saw Galen, a well-known servant of the wizard who had started this second war. Behind Galen he noted that there was a wall filled with torture devices (whips, knifes, potions, etc.) but he didn't care, his mind was on getting home to Sophie. Just as he started to form a plan, he heard a door open, and footsteps approach.
"Well, well. I guess it isn't impossible to catch the great wizard Howl." He heard a cold voice say. He knew that voice belonged to Gregorio, the wizard who Galen served. Howl saw Greg come down the steps and over to him.
"What do you want Greg? I want to go home and you are not exactly helping." Howl said lazily, pretending not to be intimated. Greg was a tall, lean man with orange short hair.
"Well, Howl, I will let you go after you tell me which enchantments you put over the castle. I need to know, because I can't seem to get in." Greg said calmly as though they were talking over tea, instead of in a dungeon.
"Sorry Greg, won't tell. Mostly because I only did half of them." Howl replied, noticing that Greg had pulled out a knife. Howl had to put his plan (yes he has already made a plan) into action. Just as Greg started to plunge the knife towards Howl's stomach, Howl spoke the words of power to transport him home. He appeared right outside his Kingsbury door, and you know what happens after that.
Flashback ends
"Oh Howl, are you okay?" asked Sophie, looking up worriedly into Howl's blue eyes. He could only kiss on the nose and say, "Fine, now that I'm home with you, but I know Greg won't stop until he attacks the King. Yet, for right now, lets sleep." Sophie agreed and snuggled up into him, but she knew that she would not be able to stop worrying. They fell asleep a little while later.
Greg's Castle
"Damn that Howl! I was so close to getting rid of him!" Greg shouted in his study. He had been so close. "Don't worry Howl; I will get you, as soon as I find your weakness." He said with a smirk as he started coming up with plans to get Howl and Ingary.
