A Magical Addition

Chapter 3

Hello again, wow thanks for all those reviews it's so encouraging and that's why I've been updating so quickly. Hope you enjoy this next chapter. Read & review please.

3am…

'He probably won't be back until after dawn Sophie,' Calcifer stated wearily, a yawn leaking out of his small fiery mouth. 'Why don't you just head on to bed and he might be back when you wake up.'

Sophie sat slumped in front of the grate, a yarn blanket draped around her shoulders reminding the fire demon of the days when she resembled an old pensioner.

'What if she's imprisoned him…' She whispered, her eyes wide and red rimmed from sleep deprivation, 'What if she drains his powers?...it's all my fault!' Calcifer sighed wishing he could just tell her but he felt it wasn't his place, he wanted them to find out for themselves. 'And tonight I had plans to-' She suddenly turned a very deep crimson realising she was in fact at the point of worry where she was blurting out all her thoughts as they arrived in her head. Calcifer sniggered.

'I bet you did.' He retorted, shaking his head and thinking back to the first night he heard them, knowing that this situation would become inevitable. Sophie's mind also began to wander…

His lips…his touch…sigh…

'Calcifer…are you sure you don't know anything about this?' She asked again hopefully, but being his stubborn self, Calcifer simply closed his eyes and muttered something incomprehensible.

Much to Sophie's surprise at that very moment the door swung open, a surprisingly energetic wizard marching up the steps and moving swiftly over to his beaming girlfriend. As she sat up the blanket slowly slipped off her shoulders, her eyes glinting, her hair slightly dishevelled.

Her lips prised and ready to question him were suddenly meshed into an urgent, hungry kiss. Howl slithered onto the couch and pushed her up against the arm, their lips moving almost violently against each other.

'Ahem…' Calcifer cleared his throat awkwardly at the spectacle, but Howl was completely unperturbed. It was when he began taking actions with his hands that Sophie released she had to protest, for Calcifer's sake anyway.

'Howl…' She moaned against him, meekly trying to push him off although not really trying at all.

What has provoked this? She thought, grins spreading over both their faces.

'Come on you two…not here!' Calcifer groaned hiding beneath his bed of logs.

'Howl…' Sophie repeated, a few giggles escaping. Eventually the wizard paused, their foreheads pressed together as they both gasped for breath. 'What was that all about?' She asked him breathlessly as she lay limp beneath his heated body.

'I need to speak with Calcifer for moment, I won't be-'

'You won't be long…I get it.' She smirked with her kiss swollen lips, struggling to sit up as he moved off her to sit properly on the sofa. She hauled herself up onto her feet stretching her arms above her head and yawning. Usually she would be highly irritated that she wasn't allowed to sit in on their conversation, but Howl's plan had worked and all she cared about was that he had made it home safely.

'Oh and if I find you in your own bed one more time I'm going to have to take serious actions!' He chuckled teasingly as he watched her move towards the stairs.

'Hmm, is that a threat?' She threw back as she mounted the first step receiving a low growl from the wizard as he lay back on the sofa and crossed one nimble leg over the other.

When she was out of sight Howl turned to Calcifer and smiled smugly.

'When were you planning on telling me?' He asked the fire demon in a surprisingly casual manner spreading out his fingers and glancing at his nails. It appeared to be that he was so full of delight nothing could anger him.

'I wanted you to work it out by yourself…however I guess it would've been better me telling you rather than Suliman. How did she know anyway?'

Howl simply shrugged as he pretended to be relaxed although Calcifer could see the glimmer of ecstasy in his eyes.

'She seemed to know straight away when I explained it all to her. It's also probably the only reason she let me away without any hassle! I can't believe I couldn't work it out myself though…'

There was a moment's silence. Howl closed his eyes peacefully as Calcifer continued to crackle in the hearth.

'So what are you gonna do?' The flame asked, his eyes focused on the wizard's face.

Howl sighed.

'I'm going to ask her to marry me.'

…

The following morning…

The sun shone brightly amongst the clouds, the castle continuing on its journey across the sky, where and when it would land was completely up to Calcifer.

Markl was busy chasing Heen around the small lawn, the boy's cheerful laughter echoing around the castle walls. The former witch of the waste sat in her rocking chair peacefully watching whilst sipping over a cup of tea.

Inside Sophie and Howl sat at the kitchen table. The wizard flicked through one of his many books, occasionally pausing to lick his finger to turn the page and glance up at his love who sat quietly across from him mixing a bowl of porridge, every so often consuming a tiny spoonful. She finally set her spoon down gently with a heaving sigh, Howl's eyes slowly tearing themselves away from blur of smudged words to stare at her rather pale, weary complexion.

'You do realise that's the eighth time you've sighed in the past five minutes my love.' He stated with a smirk. 'Is everything alright?'

Sophie let her head fall into her hands and massaged her temples slowly.

'I'm so tired.' She groaned faintly, so faintly that Howl could barely hear her.

The wizard closed his book and added it to the enlarging pile which sat prominently on the edge of the table. As he set it down he glanced quickly back to Sophie waiting for her reaction which would surely sound like 'Howl! That doesn't belong there!' or 'I'm not your mother Howl! I'm fed up reminding you to clean up after yourself!'…nothing. She continued to sit slumped over with her head in her hands, her fringe almost dangling in the porridge.

'Maybe you should go back to bed.' He suggested, beginning to sound a little worried.

Sophie sat up suddenly, a rather loud gurgling noise from her stomach alarming both of them. Howl raised an eyebrow, Sophie's gaze dropping.

'Sophie are you sure your-' At that moment she clasped her hand over her mouth practically tripping over herself as she lunged off her chair towards the sink where she threw up severely. Howl was suddenly behind her, holding back her silvery hair.

Calcifer emerged out of the logs, stretching out of the grate to see what was going on.

'Calcifer we need to land as soon as possible! Sophie needs a doctor!' Howl stressed as Sophie continued to be sick, his nose wrinkling at the smell that had hit him.

'I'm fine,' Sophie panted 'It's probably just a bug or something.'

Markl then appeared in the doorway.

'Master Howl, is everything okay? I heard a horrible wretching noise.' He asked glancing around the room, his eyes widening at the sight of Sophie hunched over the sink.

'I don't believe this…I never get sick.' She croaked as she straightened up smiling sheepishly at Howl whose expression was horrified. She turned on the taps and wiped her mouth, her cheeks gradually becoming redder and redder.

'Sophie…are you okay?' Markl asked worriedly as Howl led her by the hand towards the stairs, his ringed fingers intertwined with hers.

'I'm fine Markl, don't worry.'

'Go back outside and play Markl.' Howl ordered in the same strict tone he had used the previous night.

He helped Sophie back into his bed placing a kiss on her slightly sweaty forehead.

'Get some rest,' He cooed 'I'm pretty sure I can hold down the fort until you recover.'

Sophie smiled sweetly at him as their arms stretched held together by their joined hands as Howl moved away. At that moment Sophie caught a glance of his left hand which hung by his side, four fingers laden down with rings but one completely bare. At this her heart sank a little, would it ever have a ring?

'I love you.' She whispered softly as they parted, her body sinking down into the mattress.

'Love you too.' He replied with a wink as he left the room, closing the door gently.

…

'They're just normal symptoms of pregnancy Howl, stop worrying.' Calcifer explained wearily as he puffed on a small stick as if it were a cigar.

The dramatic wizard paced up and down in front of the hearth, one arm across his chest the thumb and fore finger of his other hand in an L shape on his chin.

'Did I hear pregnancy?' The old witch's voice crooned as she hobbled into the room removing her sun hat and hanging it on a lower hook of the hat stand.

Howl and Calcifer froze staring towards her, neither knowing quite what to say.

'Eh…y-yes I guess you did.' Howl stammered dropping his arms and sighing.

'So Sophie's pregnant…already? You sure got busy.' She chuckled creepily causing Calcifer to shiver and simmer down a little. Howl laughed weakly flopping down onto the sofa. 'And she doesn't yet have a ring…that could be classed as a town scandal Howl.'

These words began to swirl viciously in his mind.

Town scandal…

Suddenly the wizard's childish wit took over.

'Ah!' He said raising a finger 'But technically we're not in a town, we're in the sky,' He sighed feeling quite pleased that he had just gotten the better of her. 'Problem solved, now…eh, what was I saying?' But he knew the problem wasn't solved, and the witch's words and definitely woken him from whatever sort of stupid dream he was living in. She was right, he needed to marry her whether he was ready or not as this was not something he could just slither out of.

'You were str-' Calcifer began.

'Proposal…ring…' He leapt off the sofa and headed towards the door. He pranced down the steps and changed the portal to yellow before disappearing out of it leaving the witch and fire demon chuckling to themselves.

Thanks for reading, as you can predict the next chapter will include the proposal, I wonder how that will go? Anyway please keep reviewing, remember the more reviews I get, the faster I'll update.

~*Sarah*~