Chapter 3

Sophie woke early but felt like someone was watching her the feeling soon disappeared as she picked out some cloths to wear for the day she took out a set of white silk bandages and a pare of shorts she cleaned up her room then went along the corridor for the bathroom she was about to open it when it opened before her revealing a wet Howl wearing nothing but a towel, Sophie gasped and bowed her head then sunk to her knees "your servant kneels before you" she said quietly she felt a warm wet hand on her arm she was being pulled up gently, she risked looking up fear stricken brown met bottle blue.

"Good morning"

Sophie then realized he was starting some form of convocation with her.

She looked at his torso a small blush creeping to her cheeks she looked up into his eyes again. "Good morning Master Howl"

"And how are you this morning?"

"Fairly well, sir, um Master Howl, I have…. A favour to ask"

"Ask, and I will grant it so long it is within reason"

"Right well, I'll tell you at breakfast if that ok"

He nodded once and stepped out of the bath room so he was right in front of her because of his height her lips faintly touched his upper torso she blushed and stepped back so he could go to his room, Sophie went into the bathroom and started to ready her self for the day: half an hour later Sophie came out of the bathroom and was dressed in a pair of turquoise jinni trousers and a long sleeved tank which was a light blue in colour. She slipped on the matching light green slippers then let her hair down.

She went down the steps and looked at Markle and Calcifer Howl was sited on a chair Sophie decided on something she knew of an old witch, she walked over to where Howl was seated. She then knelt at his right side her face facing the wall "your servant kneels before you, I have a request Master howl"

"Umm" he said as he drank from his cup

"I humbly ask to go to market chipping after I have visited my family"

She hoped amongst hope he couldn't read minds at that point in time

She so desperately wanted to go she wanted to know if a certain spell could be used on her, for when she could use it.

"Will you return, or will you try and deify me"

"Master...I-" she shut up as the suggestion came to her she could run away she could be free but would she really no he'd know where she was where she would go

"I see no point in it Master Howl"

Well he wasn't expecting that one at all he cast a glance at her and instantly she looked down. She felt a cool finger lift her chin up brown met blue she looked deep in his eyes they were so full of something but, what exactly were they so full of?

"You may" he said after a while of looking into her eyes

She stood bowed her head then started to make breakfast "I wont be long" she said as Markle opened the correct the pathway for her to step out.

Sophie looked at her wrist "Master howl what are, these for?"

"It's so I know if you are…safe" he lied she nodded then descended down the steps and through the door

Darkness pitch darkness swirled in her mind nothing but utter darkness. Why, was like this what made it become so dark? Why was she shaking with fear was it because she knew what she was about to do would proberly get her beaten, then why, why was she doing this. The answer is fairly simple she desired to be free.

Bright brown eyes scanned the streets, the wielder of these warm eyes headed into a familiar hat shop with her second name on it. Reaching for the door handle she walked inside where she was met by her mother and her sister.

"Sophie! Sophie is that you where have you been what's going on; lettie said you had gone missing" Sophie shook slightly tears falling down her face "im sorry, mother. I came … my master said I could, come visit"

"YOU'RE WHAT!" Sophie's mother exclaimed

"That could only happen if-" realization hit Fan (Sophie's mom)

She snapped her head to Lettie "You! You sold my daughter, why lettie why"

"it doesn't matter any more mother, look I just came by to say goodbye and I love you dearly there may be a time where I can come visit again, but until then I just wanted to see you again"

"His name who is he"

"He's a wizard, Howl"

"HOWL. Sophie! How is this possible" Fan started to erupt in tears she cried for her daughter "Mother he looks after me and Markle all he asks is our loyalty and obedience" Sophie said a little bit bitterly

"I have to go now I need to go to a shop"

"Sophie im so sorry" said fan, Sophie shook her head

"No mother I am, goodbye, grandmother has passed away I didn't think Lettie would tell you,"

With that Sophie was out of the hose and down in the shop where she would need to be

"Will it work?"

"Yes, but it will never undo, and you say you want you mind erased of this encounter so your, master dose not find out?"

Sophie nodded "well, can you tell me who he is?"

"Howl" Sophie replied

"I understand drink this now by mid night they would have grown and be ready to take you where you go but you have to study flight magic understand wind elements alike, but you have a good heart I fear not of what purpose you may ever use them for"

Sophie nodded then lefty the small shop she shook her head not really remembering why she was stood outside a small shop which had she come out of? She didn't know.

Sophie walked to the sea market and brought some fish so she could serve for dinner later she started to make her way back home if that was what she could call it. It was getting dark Sophie opened the door quietly then crept inside as she could tell calcifer was sleeping, she didn't want to wake him he and Howl had an argument nasty. That's all she could say.

Putting the fish in a bowl of salt and lemon water she went up stairs to put the personal items which she had brought from her old home "SOPHIE!!!" Sophie looked over to the stair way and saw a rather angry looking Howl "I thought I told you NEVER to go in to my room" Sophie looked frightened as hell she didn't go into his room she didn't. Looking over to markle she decided to take one for him he was so scared and it looked like he had been slapped across his face there was a red mark it looked like a hand mark.

She coward under the star he gave her "WELL!" he shouted

Sophie swallowed hard, "f-forgive me I let my curiosity get the better of me" she felt the breath Markle was holding hitch.

"Is that so, well this is where your curiosity will get you" with that he dragged her to the door and turned the dial so the circle on the wall turned red he opened the door and shoved her through. "When I get back I want this room cleaned, calcifer move the castle east to angel falls and markle go to bed, I don't want to hear any thing when I get back understand"

"Yes master Howl" calcifer said quietly the little fire demon was scared for the girl

Markle hiccupped and said the same.

Howl turned his attention to the door after going though the door and slamming it violently the room he left behind became very still.

"What have you done!? Why did you go into Howls room?!" hissed calcifer,

"I don't know" Markle sobbed he started to clean up it had became dark quickly he cleaned the kitchen and put the fish away he ran up the steps and buried him self under the covers although where Sophie and Howl had gone was another dimension away the screams of her pain would soon eco throughout the whole castle.

XXxxxxXxxxXxxxxXxxxxXxxxX

Sophie faced Howl she didn't meet his eyes she stared fearfully at his chest which was clad in his white silk peasant's shirt with his usual coat which had patterns of pink and grey with gold threading. When she did summon the will to look at him with fear stricken brown eyes his bottle blue ones pinned her there he took her arm and roughly turned her around so her back was facing him. He flicked one of his fingers her bandages and shirt sprang clear from her leavening her in nothing but her skirt she covered her chest with her arms then fell to her knees she felt her hair move away from her back and she couldn't move.

She felt two sharp pains jolt through her back she screamed out in pain "was your curiosity worth this?" he asked then continued beating her with what he had in his grasp. The shrill cry of pain reached the real person who had ventured into Howls room he felt sick as he continued to hear Sophie cry, he knew she was protecting him from the raw wrath of their master.

Sophie felt warmth only slightly it tickled the sensitive skin as it trickled downwards.

After an hour of punishment Howl let the tool of punishment fall to the floor in front of her, her eyes widened in horror it was a whip with six tails all with what looked like little pieces of sharp stone in each one.

And this is what a little boy of 8 was going to face?!

"I-im sorry" Sophie whispered

Her reply was a growl "Don't let it ever happen again"

He left with her slowly following behind

When they returned Howl went straight upstairs "Get to bed"

He commanded she went over to the sink quickly and filled it with water she gulped it away and was about to do as she was told when she was suddenly stopped. "Thank you, for taking the blame for Markle"

Sophie shook her head" I couldn't let him do that to a little boy cal it's no right"

With that she went up the stairs and went in to the bathroom where she found it really hard to tend to herself, that was till small hands lifted her hair away from her back Sophie turned and saw Markle she smiled. Together they cleaned her up as best as they could. "Thank you, im so sorry Sophie"

The small boy began to sob again "Shhhh" she took him into a hug they stayed there for a small time but it was long enough for the small boy to fall asleep on her lap pulling the black silk night dress over her head she summoned all her strength and picked him up, and carried him to bed after tucking him in she placed a small kiss on his forehead. She quietly walked out of his room and down the corridor only to bump into her master. She froze she was caught and she was very afraid