Greg's Castle

"Hmm. What could his weakness be? He still as heartless as ever, so it can't be a girl, but I'm going to keep a close eye on him anyway... GALEN!" Greg shouted his servant's name, knowing that Galen could hear him even if he was at the other side of the mansion.

Seconds later Galen appeared, bowed, and asked, "Sir, what is it you need?"

"Galen, I need you to bring me my crystal so I can 'check in' on Howl. Then I will need you to make a tracking spell, to find Howl's castle in the Waste." Greg ordered lazily, still thinking about what Howl's weakness could be.

"Yes, sir, right away." And with that Galen was gone from the library where his master was.

Howl's Castle

"Howl, you shouldn't be up, you're going to hurt yourself. Go back to bed." Ordered Sophie worriedly, as she saw Howl descending to the bottom of the stairs.

Howl simply went up to her, and put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her in close.

"I'm fine, Sophie, just a little hungry. Is Michael out?" He said, looking around, and not seeing his energetic apprentice anywhere.

"Yeah, he went down to the market to get some more food, since you never seem to want to, and since you don't let me go anywhere farther than twenty feet of the castle entrances." She told him huffily, getting up and starting to make Howl lunch.

"Sophie, my love, you know that I would die if anything happen to you, and it isn't safe anywhere due to this war." He said smoothly, following Sophie over to the hearth, and hugging her from behind. He loved how she always spoke her mind, even if it wasn't always to reflect on happy things.

"Yes, I know, Howl, but I'm so bored here." She said, putting down the pan she was going to cook in and turning around in his arms. "I have nothing to do here and it is really starting to annoy me."

"Well, we can't have that. Don't worry, I'll think of some..." He stopped abruptly, and looked around. 'No, that's impossible. How did he find me?' Howl disentangled one of his arms, and waved it in the direction of the disturbance.

"Howl, what's wrong?" asked Sophie, knowing that Howl wouldn't stop and cast a spell if it wasn't important.

"Someone was watching us." Howl said simply, letting go of Sophie and going over to Calcifer, who was watching them with slight interest.

"So, you felt it too." It wasn't a question. Though they weren't in contract anymore, Calcifer and Howl still connected.

"Yeah, Calcifer, put up a shield, I don't them to spy on us again." Howl said, before stopping, sitting down on the couch, and patting the place next to him, beckoning Sophie to him.

"Howl, what do you mean someone was watching us?" Sophie asked, walking over to the couch, and sitting down next to Howl.

"Do you remember that wizard that attacked me yesterday?" Howl asked, wrapping his arms around her waist, and laying down with Sophie on top of him.

"Yes, but I don't see..." She trailed off, getting distracted by Howl rubbing small circles in the small of her back.

"He was also an apprentice of Madame Suliman, but he turned evil before I met Calcifer. When we were in school, we were always competing with each other. He always got mad, because I was always the stronger one." Howl started to explain, knowing that Sophie would be confused if he didn't start at the beginning.

Flashback

"Howl! How could you do that to me! How do you keep beating me!" Screamed a younger version of Greg at a younger version of Howl. It was the day that Greg had left the Royal Sorcerers Academy.

"I'm better, that's just it." Howl said simply, not turning away from the book he was reading, getting tired of having this argument all the time.

"You think you're so good, but you're not!" Greg screamed at him, then turned and traipsed angrily out of the room, but not before screaming at Howl, "One day, I am going to get you and this entire kingdom, too."

Flashback Ends

"Oh, Howl. That's terrible!" gasped Sophie, snuggling into Howl, feeling as scared as she had on the day that Howl had saved her from the soldiers, incidentally the same day that she first met Howl.

"Don't worry, Sophie. I will never let him touch you." Howl swore sharply, as if he was talking to someone other than Sophie. He pulled her closer to him, and they both drifted to sleep, unknowing that something horrible had just happened.

Greg's Castle

"Hmm. I was wrong; Howl has found a woman to protect. Too bad for him that now I know, so I can use her against him." Greg said to himself. In his head, he started forming a plan to capture that Sophie girl, and what he could do to her to get Howl to do some deeds for him.

"Hmm. So many things I can do with Howl, but maybe I can also have some fun with the girl, she is pretty. Hmm..."

Howl's Castle

Howl awoke suddenly, but made sure that Sophie didn't wake up. Something was going on, and he and Sophie would be in trouble if it went according to plan. Getting up, and then laying Sophie back on the couch, he went to the door and turned it to the black side, and left, but not before saying to Calcifer,

"Calcifer, Greg's up to something, and Sophie is part of his plan to get to me. Make sure she stays here, and don't let anything in, except Michael."

And without waiting for an answer he left, not hearing Calcifer mutter, "You better think of something quick Howl, or else we'll all be in trouble."