Disclaimer: I don't own HMC

"This should be quite easy for you Sophie." Francis walked her to the storage room, and slid open the doors. He pulled on a lever which skated a round wooden cap off the roof, the light poured in the walls. Inside were barrels of sequins, feathers, replica jewellery each and all in every colour imaginable. There were large and tiny spools of thread, and endless spindles of fabrics.

"Amazing!" she gasped, her eyes travelled through the numerous shelves, and boxes stacked upon the other. Francis chortled.

"Beauty isn't it? It took me ages to find the perfect suppliers. My daughter and I travel time to time to other countries to look for threads and materials, until we find the perfect one, I'm not complaining though, it's quite a privilege to meet the fine makers." He walked up to a spindle, "Here feel this one," Sophie placed it between her hands.

"It feels wonderful, like silk."

"Like silk from a spider."

Sophie looked amazed, "I never knew."

"Hahaha, you're going to learn quite a few things here" he laughed.

"Why is it so dark in here?"

"I want to keep the material and colours as they are when first purchased, too much sun isn't good and there are small vents all around this room so they don't moisten up too." He waited a while then escorted Sophie to another room. "This is the sewing room, you can practice modelling here, and sometimes you will have customers who want you to adjust the clothing on the spot."

"Francis, I think I'm going to enjoy working here," Sophie said smiling at the mannequins that were standing along the mirrored walls there were also stands holding hats and tables covered in piles of masks and left over materials. She gaped when she saw the draws labelled with all the equipment possible.

"Father!" Ivy called from the front, he voice seemed, if possible more excited than ever. "Look father, the Prince is holding a ball, called Masked-Inside-and-Out." She held up the message, "He wants us to design his ball gown and as if that wasn't good enough we're invited as guests!" Francis beamed with pride.

"That's absolutely wonderful!" Sophie said giving Ivy a hug. "Congratulations to Highland!"

"Do you know what this means, its means that our shop will get a lot of publicity, we'll probably have to employ people soon!"

"Damned old hag," he sneered looking at his hands, "at this rate I won't be able to walk in a month." He looked in the drivers rear-view mirror.

"What did you say your name was?" the driver tipped his head and watched his passenger in the back seat. The passenger was a tall young man, probably in his early twenties, "You look tired," It was natural for a cab driver to examine his passengers. The young male had long brown hair that streamed across his face and was wearing a large cloak so he couldn't see anything else.

"Oh, I am tired, have you got any pick-me-ups?"

"Sure do..."

"The names Markle."

"Markle huh? Sounds familiar." The driver leaned forward and fiddled around for his coffee chews.

"I highly doubt that we've met," quickly he placed a small box under his seat and made a small click as the driver closed the glove box.

"Right-o, here you go."

"Thanks." He took the offering from him and leaned back unwrapping it. The driver watched the young mans hands moved and tried to hold back his confusion.

"Something happen to your hands?"

"You know the saying, curiosity killed the cat?" Markle smiled and leaned forward chewing, "You seem trustworthy so I'll tell you" the driver gulped and gripped onto the steering wheel. "I just came back from visiting my grandmother in hospital, and I hated her, she was a free loading cow and she should be dead by now."

"You-"

"Listen!" Markle demanded. "I know you have a gun in that compartment there, so I'm not going to try anything. Anyway, I didn't kill her, the nurse did, so don't get any thoughts. I wanted her dead though and she knew it, she put a curse on me, that when she dies I will slowly take her age."

He put his hood back on and stopped the driver. "Here is fine."

"Here? We aren't even half way to your allocated place, and this is in the middle of nowhere."

"How much?" He payed the driver and walked into the road side so the driver could make a u-turn.

"Watch out for the night crawlers and lay off the alcohol!" the driver called as he rode off.

"More like you should." He waited a few seconds then there was an explosion. "That was cooler than I expected," he stood there and held out an open glass bottle, slowly a white mist seeped its way into it. "But as long as I can prolong her effects" He squeezed a yellow droplet into the bottle and saw it choke with the white mist. Shaking it he opened the cap and inhaled it. He looked at his hands as some of the lines disappeared. A rustle could be heard in the distance. "Great the cops," he waved his hands and a portal appeared in front of him. He stepped in and disappeared before anyone could see him.

Howl was in the bathroom fixing his hair, at least that's what Calcifer assumed. "Howl! What the heck are you doing? Watch out kid, don't put that there!"

"Don't tell me what to do demon." He went to the kitchen and found a fork. Holding it angrily and jabbed it at Calcifer, "Where's your butler?"

"Whoa whoa, we don't have a butler, sit down!"

"Where is my room? There no space up stairs, it's full of girlie things! And the other one is a pig-sty, I just shiver staring at them." He froze up and rubbed his arms, "And you aren't doing a good job at keeping this place warm or tidy for that matter."

"Ooooh, I don't know who you think you are, but nobody tells me I do a shoddy job!" Then there was a ding at the door, "Markle's back, hey kid open that door for me will you?" The blonde kid looked at the door a smiled.

"Father! Is that you?" He went for the door handle, and was met with a gust of wind pushing him to the ground. Markle had forcefully opened the door and was now rushing upstairs to his room with the hood dramactically over his face

"Owwww, you smell horrible!" the kid got off the floor and threw the fork at Markle which bounced off the stairs.

"Wow, he's gone through a growth spurt!" Calcifer closed the door, before a moment had passed the bell rang again.

"Why if it isn't Cody," Howl said walking down the stairs looking more fresh than ever. The little boy stubbornly sat down on a chair. "You're here under my guidance and training blah blah blah," Howl read this from a letter, "so in other words you are now my newly appointed apprentice." Howl let out a laugh, "I wonder what Markle's going to say about this."

"Speaking of which, he doesn't look so good, and he's gotten really tall too, might outgrow you." Calcifer gave Howl a cheesy grin before announcing that someone was at the door. Howl gave the letter to Calcifer to read.

"Great, it's under Sulliman's contract, oooh and the paper looked so yummy too." Calcifer said this while keeping an eye on Cody who was picking a splinter off the dining table. Howl walked over to the door and opened it.

"Excuse me I'm Mr. Remington's staff, we were asked to deliver some belongings of Cody." The man at the door was wearing a ridiculous purple uniform, he peeked in and bowed to Cody, "Where shall we put these?" Howl smiled and directed them into the lounge area.

"Just over there thanks, Califer it looks like we have to do a little renovation." The man walked in and stood stiffly in the room.

"Egh, I don't think this is suited to young masters' taste, if you don't mind.." The purple uniformed man continued to talk as he directed at least a dozen men wearing similar matching purple uniform into the lounge area, they finally finished after several minutes, the cases and parcels almost reached the ceiling, "...so I will have some men come over to help set up young masters' room," he then traced his finger on the wall nearest him, "and I'll send over a cleaner."

Howl slightly dropped his smile, "No need my friend, I'll set up his room, if you don't mind I'm quite busy, as you would know." Howl shooed the men out the door, when Cody finally stood up.

"Where is my teddy Jeeves!" The man wearing purple turned around, and hit the other man across the head.

"Go get it," he hissed. The man scooted off and came back with a fluffy white bear with a golden heart in the centre. Jeeves nervously handed Cody the bear. "Pardon the tardiness young master."

"Jeeves."

"Yes young master?"

"Come closer." Jeeves bent over to receive Cody's bear slung into his face. "Now say you're sorry." Jeeves smiled and apologised backing away with the other men. Howl closed the door, behind it Jeeves was evidently yelling at the men.

"Right, let's change this place." Howl didn't waste a second, he picked up a piece of chalk and began drawing out the new dimensions of the house.

A/N: Many people have been aasking me to update and I don't want to disappoint so here it is! This is only the first part of the chapter – I will post up the next half ASAP. Thanks for reading!