CHAPTER 3
I Love You's and the Sad Truth
Knock knock knock
Sophie tapped on the door to the bathroom lightly. She heard soft gasping sobs from the bathroom.
"I'm sniff going to sniff be down in about sniff sniff ten m-minutes..." Howl said from the bath, trying to steady his voice in fear it might be Markl or the Witch. Surely being so insecure would throw both off. How could a master be so sad? It was his duty to be the strong master, after all.
"It's just me." Sophie said, leaning against the door but pulling back on the knob so it was only open a crack, so he could hear her more clearly.
"Oh, well sniff I'll just be a little sniff longer. Sorry, uh, I have a cold..." Howl said, trying to straighten his voice a bit more, getting a better grip on his sobbing.
"I just wanted to come in to talk...It's not like I haven't seen..." Sophie cut herself off, opening the door enough so she could come in all the way.
Howl had his eyes buried in his hand, which was propped up by his arm, which leaned against the cold bathtub. He cried silently.
"Howl...I—What's wrong?" Sophie asked helplessly, wishing she could do something for the forlorn wizard.
"So—phie...sob I love you so sob much...I never want to lose you...But..." Howl said, pausing from a sudden outburst of tears.
"Howl...What is it? I love you, too...Just tell me, I'll understand..." Sophie said, still totally helpless, not liking where this was going.
"Sophie, do you remember the scarecrow, Turnip-Head?" Howl asked Sophie, sniveling again, knowing what he was going to say would cause many tears from both of them.
"Yes, what about the old bloke? He's the one who turned into the prince...Oh, poor little guy. I did turn him down..." Sophie said, her voice dying down, as she saw Howl mouth prepare to say the next thing.
"He caused the war. When he got back, he found his father dead, out of the shock of losing his son. So, the prince was hailed king. As first order of the new king, it was to find Miss Sophie Hatter, and bring her to him to wed him in the royal palace for you to be queen...And the orders were: 'Get Sophie, preferably with the wizard dead.'" Howl said, then just exploding into a fit of cries. When he opened his eyes to look at Sophie, his baby blue eyes were soiled by the bloodshot veins in his eyes, caused by profuse crying.
"I love you Sophie, and I'd die for you. Anything. I just want you to be with me..." Howl said, crying even harder.
Sophie ran over to the bathtub to comfort Howl. As shocked as she was, you couldn't tell, because she was too busy comforting her true love. She laid her head on the ridge of the bathtub (as uncomfortable as it was) and reached up and stroked his raven hair, which was dripping wet all over her good dress, although neither of them seemed to notice.
"Sophie, I don't know what to do with myself...Why aren't you worried about being Sophie-napped? It must be horrible..." Howl said, crying even harder, his tears and water making a puddle on Sophie's dress.
"I'm not worried about that, because I'm too busy caring about you. Don't worry, I can fight my way out of being stolen by that prince...I can't do that with you. Seeing you like this worries me more than the prince and the war, just because you are what matters the most." Sophie said, stroking his hair, his eyes smiling at her.
"Oh, Sophie. What would I do without you? I'd be a lost, messy old wizard looking for "love" in worthless blondes...You are so much better than everyone I've ever dated...They never mattered to me as much as you do. Never leave me, Sophie. I love you." Howl said, crying again.
"Oh, Howl, you poor thing. Stop those tears. There's nothing to cry about but how sad you make ME feel when you look like this, all sad and lonely. Did you know you look just as handsome even when you are sad like this?" Sophie said grinning and kissing the poor wizard on the lips, then grasping his hands. "All right, let's get you into some clothes, and then we'll go to bed. Mind if I have a sleepover in your bedroom tonight? My room DOES have a bit of a draft..." Sophie said smiling.
"Well...Let me think that one over..." Howl said, grinning playfully. "Hmm...Uh, YES."
"Thank you!" Sophie said. And like a love struck thirteen year old girl going home from her first real date, Sophie left the bathroom, her spirits lifted, as well as Howl's.