Chapter 2: In which something happens to Sophie.
After the rain had stopped, which took 4 hours, the skies cleared up, revealing a beautiful evening. Sophie, who had started cleaning the minute she went inside, finally sat down, exhausted.
"Sophie, are you okay?" asked Howl. He had been sent to clean his bedroom, and bathroom, but Sophie knew he probably hid in his garden, studying new spells. Markl had not been so lucky. He had been asked to clean by a pleading Sophie, but had now regretted it, since the amount of soot was huge.
"Ah my dear Sophie, what would I do without you? I would die a slow, painful death alone, never to see your beautiful smile or face again. No one shall touch or harm you while I live." As Howl said this, he waltzed Sophie around the now clean living room, while an amused Calcifer watched.
"Now Howl, really, you must stop saying this nonsense," she said as he spun her around. When he stopped, she looked up into his blue eyes. He has the most extordinary eyes, she thought, as she started to lose herself in his eyes.
"Why do you think I am saying nonsense, when it's coming from my heart?" he said with such a sincere look, it make Sophie nearly cry. But her thoughts were interrupted when Markl got closer to her and said, "Um, Sophie, I'm kinda hungry, and there's one problem, we ran out of food."
"Markl's right Sophie, we are out of food," said Howl as he took his head out of one of its cupboards. "Besides" he said as he put his hands on the top of the chair Sophie was sitting on, "I'm hungry, and all that cleaning made me hungry."
"Howl, you cleaned!" asked Sophie surprised. "I thought you were hiding in the garden! I'd never thought you would really clean!"
"Anything to please you," he whispered into her ear, making Sophie shudder with delight.
"Or in other words, he feels guilty for the fight earlier," said Calcifer, peaking from his logs in front of Sophie. "Sorry for all the soot. It got up my nose when Howl backed up against my chimney."
"What! There's soot on my shirt? Where, where?" Howl asked as he twisted and turned, trying to find it.
"Howl, don't be silly, it will come out with a wash," she said as she tried to comfort him.
"You're right, besides are you going to start on dinner soon, because I'm hungry." Ever since Sophie joined Howl's castle, she got better at cooking (with Howl's help of course).
"I'm going to have to go shopping if we want to eat soon," she said as Howl was nuzzling against her neck.
"Come back safely, okay?" Howl said as ten minutes later, Sophie was at the door, a basket in a hand, the other holding Markl's hand.
"I'll be fine, and besides, I have Markl with me. What could possibly go wrong?"
"Still, be careful," he said as he gave her his pendent. "I'll know if anything happens to both of you. Besides, you can never be too careful." The war was nearly over, but there was a bombing once in a while.
"Stand by" Markl said as he turned the doorknob. Once both of them were gone, Howl went back to work, thinking of Sophie.
Sophie and Markl found themselves in Market Chirping. Things were peaceful now, but Sophie couldn't wonder if she would ever live peacefully. The thought of going back, and living an ordinary life made her laugh. "What's so funny Sophie?" Markl asked as the stood in front of the fish stand.
"Nothing in particular, just thinking about how life has turned upside down ever since I meet Howl," she said with a smile, remembering what had happen a month earlier. Markl interrupted her thoughts, to say that he thought someone was following them. But when Sophie looked at where Markl pointed, no one was there.
Sophie's POV
After looking where Markl was pointing, and finding no one there, I told Markl to be on the look out. But as we finished shopping, I couldn't get rid of the feeling that someone was following us. Heading back, I relaxed, not noticing the stalker getting closer, and closer. All of a sudden, Markl pulled on my dress.
"They're coming closer" Markl said, a trace of fear in his voice.
"If anything happens to me, run back to the castle and tell Howl." No sooner had I said this, two people walked out of the shadows, right behind us.
"Run," I whispered to Markl, who refused to move. Taking my hand, Markl started to run, dragging me behind him. I looked back, then realized I shouldn't have. A third person had joined them, pulling out a deadly looking knife.
"Markl, let's split up. We meet back at Howl's castle."
"No, if Howl ever finds out I left you behind, he won't forgive me."
"But Howl needs to know what happened to me. He might never find out or find me. Besides, I don't think they want you they want me instead."
"Sophie, good luck. I'll be back soon with Howl, I promise. But still… I don't want to leave you."
"Markl, you have to do this. Tell Howl I love him very much. Now, run!" As I said this, I shoved Markl the other way, before running the other way, to distract them from Markl. Their shouting of "Leave him behind, he only wants her" reassured me that Markl would reach Howl. Soon, I ran into a dead end.
"What do you want from me, I have no money." Trying to act brave while Howl arrived, I failed to notice that one of them sneaked behind me, placing a handkerchief to my nose. After several moments of struggle, I stopped, the drug taking effect. As I slowly lost conscious, I heard one of them say, "Too bad she's pretty. But you know, what he wants is what he gets." As darkness came over me, I hoped Markl reached Howl by now. As everything became dark, the last thing I remember was thinking of Howl, and his beautiful blue eyes.
So what do you think? Please, please review, or I won't post the third chapter. Thank you for reading, Lady moon dragon.
