Chapter: -to the readers: any suggestions?-

Disclaimer: I don't own Howl's Moving Castle - Gibli does

A/n: Thanks to helikesitheymikey, RedBrick and Masked-Inside-and-out!

The next day, she shop was as busy as the market. Sophie woke hearing Camilla thumping on the sliding door.

"Miss Sophie! Miss Sophie", she rose suddenly. She looked around and saw Camilla's silhouette jutting left to right.

"Oh my goodness!" she tied her silver grey hair back and adjusted her gown, she looked wide-eyed and gasped to herself, "Oh my goodness, I fell asleep here?" Rapidly she slid the door open.

"Yahh!" Camilla stammered back. "You look a fright" she giggled, "You scared the peace out of me!" She began laughing.

"Camilla what time is it?" She asked barging pass Camilla who was now holding her stomach. She ran outside to the counter and saw that customers were piling up.

"Miss!" Camilla cried after her, "Yesterday, the customers placed orders for the tropical flowers, like the Vandila and Laelia just to name a few, but they couldn't be sold on the spot, because" she took a breath, "because for some reason the tropical room was locked, and I assume you knew because, hahaha, you were in there just now"

"Camilla, how many?" Sophie asked, smiling and greeting customers as she walked through the line into the décor room. She tried to hide her face as much as possible.

"How many what? It's 8:10 by the way" she replied watching Sophie tear the through the list of memos. Sophie frantically ruffled through papers.

"How many customers?" She asked loudly, she took out orders form her pocket and pulled a list of the orders from yesterday from the pile on the desk.

"Oh you mean yesterday for the tropical's? I told Heene to go home by the way, last night I mean, I just sent him out this"-

"Camilla!"

"Oh you lost about twenty-three to be exact and about forty and a half placed orders. Come to think of it, tropical flowers would do very nicely in homes especially at this time of coldness."

"Okay, that's okay, here" she thrust the papers at Camilla, "Call these numbers and have them come in, here are Sundays orders and yesterdays. When the other employees arrive tell them to make these in ascending order, and then send out the GG's to inform the customers of their orders." She placed her hands on Camilla's shoulders, "I'm very late now, I know you can do this, I'll be back at four okay?" And with that she walked out the door greeting and smiling.

"Markl, is Howl home?" She asked running upstairs to Anne.

"Sophie, your back!" Markl exclaimed. He ran downstairs to greet Sophie who was taking Annes temperature. "Where were you? Howl went looking for you at Bloom's" Sophie thought for a moment as Markl gave her a hug.

"It was really busy, he must've missed me" she replied. Going to the kitchen for some tea she asked flatly "Did you feed Anne yet?"

"Yeah about that, Howl said it was best if she stayed sleeping." He looked up at her, "Sophie what happened to your eyes? They're all swollen"

"Oh- the pollen in these flowers, I think its finally getting to me." She rubbed his head and walked to her room.

"Calcifer, could you please make me some hot water for my bath. Oh, and Markl, I dare you to make me the best breakfast I'll ever have" she said cheerfully and disappeared to the bathroom.

"Something's definitely wrong" Calcifer said as Markl placed the kettle on Calcifer.

"Yeah, no doubt."

Sophie sank into the bathtub. "I can't do this anymore!" she screamed into the water. Closing her eyes the water consumes her. She rose and let the water splash over the sides.

"Good morning baby" a smooth voice spoke. Howl kissed the cheek of a pretty girl at the counter. He wore a black suit and had changed his hair to a brown short suave style. "You smell great"

"J.P! I'd thought she'd never leave!" Camilla grinned and gave a customer their change.

"I got your GG" He said staring at the line of customers.

"Meet me at Leslie's Coffee Lounge in fifteen minutes", she whispered. "Louisiana could you please take over I'll be back, when I'll be back" she chimed.

"Not again Cami, Sophie won't be pleased, where already short of staff already!"

Sophie came downstairs, looking very refreshed.

"Sophie your hair!" Markl slopped the scrambled eggs on the new set of plates.

"Do you like it?" She came running down the stairs, she was wearing the dress Howl gave her when she officially moved in. The yellow really made her silver pink hair stand out.

"I love it! Can you dye my hair too?" He asked enthusiastically as he went to fetch Calcifer. On the centre of the table was a thick clay plate, Markl placed shovel of bark on it and sprinkled it with purple dust. "Here you go Calcifer", Calcifer popped onto the plate.

"What's that purple dust for?" Sophie asked at she went to get the knives and forks. "This smells great!"

"It's to keep the bark from releasing the charcoal smell" Calcifer said making a three-sixty spin around the place. "It's really comfortable too!" Since Calcifer was no longer restricted to live on the fire place, he was able to be placed anywhere in the castle and it was mostly the dining table.

"Take a seat and dig in Sophie" Sophie sat down and braced herself, her stomach growled.

Ding dong

"Prince Justin at the castle's door!" Calcifer said grasping at a sausage, he sprinkled it with broken egg shells.

"Why is he here?" Sophie asked rising from her chair.

"I saw him wondering around Kingsbury, and he asked if he could visit you" he jammed a sausage wrapped in a fried egg into his mouth, "so I said come and join us for breakfast tomorrow morning." Sophie gave Markl and Calcifer a greasy.

"That explains the breakfast" she opened the door.

"Lady Sophie!" Prince Justin piped. He cleared his throat and gave a deep flourishing bow and banged his head on the door. He got up quickly hoping she didn't notice. "Ehem, good morning, you look exquisite" There was a moment of silence, " I've brought you a basket containing bottles of fresh orange juice and croissant's from Leslie's coffee shop, I heard those were your favourite." He thrust them into her face giving another shy bow.

"Good morning Prince Justin, please come in" she said warmly as she grabbed the basket. She stepped back as he walked in.

"Thankyou, please call me Justin", he looked around the castle.

"Here I'll take your coat, so nice of you to join us" he took a seat unaware it was next to Sophie's. Calcifer eyed him suspiciously.

"You get used to Calcifer's brightness after a while; the good thing about him is that he keeps the food warmer." Sophie said taking the seat beside Justin's.

"Yeah, except the ice-cream" Markl giggled. Prince Justin watched as Markl and Calcifer dug into plates of scrambled eggs, slices of thick bacon, sausages, pancakes and donuts. She got up to get another plate.

"Here have mine Justin" Calcifer breathed pushing the plate towards him, after all what use was a plate for a fire demon, who sat surrounded by food.

"Thankyou" Justin said taking the plate. Markl leapt up and automatically started filling the plate with food.

"So Justin, why'd you want to see Sophie?" Markl asked, handing him a knife and fork. Justin's face flushed. Sophie was peacefully cutting at the bacon.

"I came to see Sophie", he turned to her and waited until he got her full attention. "Sophie, come with me" The table went quiet for a moment then loud slurping and chewing sounds resumed. This was the fifth attempt this year. And every time, Sophie replied the same. "No".

"Meet me at Red Brick Pier this time next week" She said cheerfully.

"No matter" The Prince stood up to leave. He pushed back his chair and made a polite bow, before turning away. Suddenly he whirled around, his eyes wide, "Excuse my hearing Sophie" he began, "But did you just say yes".

"Yes" she answered. He took her hand and puffed his chest out in great satisfaction. Sophie began to giggle as his eyes began to water. "You can let go of my hand Prince Justin", Markl, for the first time stopped grabbing for more food during meal times, that is, if you don't include the time when Prince Justin made his first attempt.

"Great, perfect, excellent, great" Prince Justin stammered. "I'll be there on the dot, shall I bring anything?"

"No, just bring yourself and-"

"Yes!"

"You can let go of my hand now" He looked at his hand clasping hers, and made a nervous laugh as he let go. Sophie gave him his coat as they walked to the door.

"Good day gentleman" he managed to say before the door was closed on his face.

"That was quite a show" Calcifer said, "I'm going to take his plate, I don't think he'll be eating it now."

"Why the sudden change Sophie?" Markl asked, as Sophie sat down.

"Markl could you pass me the basket the Prince brought?" Calcifer asked. Markl handed him the basket still waiting for Sophie's reply.

"Markl, Calcifer, I have an announcement to make", she emptied her plate on Califer's then got up. She walked towards the pantry. Opening to doors, she faced them and calmly said, "I'm leaving the castle". Calicfer made a crackling noise.

"Why?" Markl exclaimed.

"Not permanently" she said hurriedly, "it'll only be for a month or two." Markl got up and ran towards her.

"You can't leave, you promised"

"She looked a mess this morning!" Camilla squeaked.

"Who did?" asked Howl.

"My boss, she looked horrible, I can't imagine why though…" She took a sip of her espresso.

"Isn't that a worry, have you tried asking her what's wrong?" Howl asked, trying not to show concern.

"No, I don't like her very much, seems as though she always looking down on me, anyway, we only have fifteen minutes, if Miss Sophie finds out that I've been sneaking out, it'll be the end of me, that wretched bossy cow!" Camilla said behind her cup.

"DON'T!" Howl shouted. "Ehem, don't, I mean you shouldn't say things about people that way." Camilla was wide-eyed.

"Since when were you so high horsed?" She asked, drawing back into an innocent tone, she pouted her lips. Howl smiled and pulled out a box.

"Here, I got you something."

"Ohhh", she squealed, she pulled out a pair of peacock diamond earrings. Suddenly a GG landed on her lap. It resembled green slime in a shape of a frog. It burped out a note and disappeared hopping out the shop door. "This notes been stepped on" she giggled. The note read:

'Camilla, there's been an emergency and we've told Sophie to come down immediately, so you'd better get here a.s.a.p.!'

"Oh golly, I have to leave", she leapt up and kissed Howl on the cheek, "I love it" she said breathlessly as she ran out of the shop. The note attached to the earrings had fallen out, Howl picked it up and burnt it in his hands.

"Here you go Anne." Sophie said as she fed her a spoon of porridge. "I know you don't practically like this, but it's all your body can digest at the moment."

"Where's Markl?" she asked unable to move.

"He's studying in his room." Sophie replied giving Anne another spoonful. Anne relaxed and ate contently.

"Could you make me tea?"

"Sure I can, but after you finish this", she said making the last scrapes of porridge.

"So I heard," Anne began, "That you're leaving?" Sophie made a sigh.

"Yes, but not until you get better and walking again." She replied heartedly.

"I know that face, what's the real reason, hmmm?" Sophie put the bowl down and placed her hands on her lap.

"It's not that I don't care for you, it's just that… that, aww, I don't know" She looked around Anne's room, "It's so cosy in here", she said smiling weakly.

"It's about Howl isn't it?" Anne asked trying to catch Sophie eyes. Turning to her, Sophie burst into tears and sobbed into Anne's arms.

"I feel so immature, so stupid! I think to much don't I?" She muffled.

"A man's heart is hard to decipher, it can only be understood when it opens wholly to you."

"That's the thing, it's been two years, I don't even know how he feels anymore, about this relationship or me, I can never have him alone, his always flying off, either defending the kingdom or working to become as strong as he was when Calcifer had his heart!"

Tap Tap Wheeeeeeeeeeeeze

"Heene?" Sophie sat up straight away and wiped away her tears. "What's going on?" she asked sliding the window open. Heene came wheezing in and dropped a note.

'The tropical flowers have all wilted, they seemed to have rotted overnight'

Sophie pocketed the note. "Anne I have to leave, I'll get Markl to make you tea" she said as she ran sped towards the door. "Oh, and thankyou" she said softly and smiling as she left.

Sophie worked the rest of the day, helping her staff catch up to the business demands. She talked the flowers back to full strength and told them of her upcoming vacation. She hadn't seen Howl all day and came home to see Anne face down on the foot of the bed.

A/n: I thought it would be different if I ended with an actual narration. Otherwise the chapter would've gone on and on…. Anyhow, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter, please tell me if I'm dragging or you think the plot isn't taking off! Thankyou for reviewing and see if you can spot your pennames! (If I didn't mention you I either used your review as inspiration or you'll be mentioned in the upcoming chapter!)

Cheers B.T