Chapter 3 'A serious decision.'
Disclaimer- I don't own Howl's Moving Castle, all its rights go to Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghilbi and the chick that wrote the book.
By xoxBra's Unrequited Romancexox
"Howl?!" Sophie cried, lunging at his fallen body, "Howl speak to me! Calcifer," Sophie turned her head to the open door way, "Calcifer something's wrong with Howl!"
"What, what do you mean?" Calcifer cried back up the stairs, "What's happened?"
"I don't know, he just blacked out!" Sophie called and checked if Howl was breathing. Thankfully he was.
"Okay, come get me, I'll have a look at him," Calcifer commanded, he could get out of his hearth, no problem. It was just getting up those stairs and getting to Sophie and Howls room which was the problem.
In a matter of seconds Sophie had picked up Howl's little friend who perched easily upon her shoulder and ran back up into the bedroom.
"Howl, Howl come on wake up," Calcifer commanded, sitting on Howl's chest, "what have you done to yourself?"
"Howl, come on, wake up! You had better not be pulling this so you can get out of this get together," Sophie warned, tears pricking her eyes.
Howl didn't move a muscle; he slumbered, breathing in and out slowly.
"Sophie," Calcifer said, turning his attention to the wizard's lover, "You have to tell me what he said before he passed out."
"I… I don't really know what he said, some sort of weird mumbling in another language before he passed out. I remember a bit with the word 'ai' in it, but that's it," Sophie said, tucking a stray piece of silver hair behind her head.
"Okay, Howl's just resting, he should be fine," Calcifer concluded, "The doctor recommends that you should, well, let him sleep for a little while, the get together isn't for another few hours."
"What happened to him?" Sophie asked, moving a strand out of dark hair out of his face, and running her hand on his cheek.
"I have no idea," Calcifer said, "I'll have a better idea when he wakes up, now take me back down to my hearth please, I want to go to the beach and the castle isn't going to move it's self you know."
Sophie giggled a little as she took Calcifer back down stairs that jumped back into his hearth, grabbed a log then stared to power up Howl's Moving Castle. A gentle rock was felt as Sophie maintained her balance. The Castle creaked before it started moving and exhausting gasses as it walked along a valley bordering on the wastes.
Checking her watch, Sophie walked over to the heavy bolted portal door that served as the castles front door. Twisting the knob, the turnstile switched from blue to yellow.
"I'm just going out for a little while, okay Calcifer; keep an eye on everyone would you?" Sophie asked, walking out the door into the field.
"Not that I didn't do that anyways when you weren't here, who do you think kept Markl alive while Howl was out gallivanting around?" Calcifer called back when Sophie was closing the door behind her.
"I don't doubt that you did!"
"Calcifer…?"
Calcifer's eyes looked up the staircase to find a very weary Howl walking down them, each step lethargic.
"Howl you're stupid."
"What!?" Howl exclaimed taken back.
"I said you're stupid, Howl, you are the most unintelligent ignoramus I have ever met," Calcifer concluded, taking a log and munching on it.
Howl chuckled as he sat down on the wooden chair opposite the hearth, putting his feet in Calcifer's face. "I have no idea what you're talking about," Howl concluded a slight smile on his face.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about mister!" Calcifer said a little loudly, which made Markl hop down the stairs in curiosity.
"What? What's happening?" Markl asked, swinging around the bottom post of the stairs.
"Nothing Markl," Howl said, "Go back up stairs, could you check on the north tunnel of the Castle, it's been having some problems lately."
"I thought Calcifer…"
"Calcifer's busy right now, could you go, please?" Howl cut the young boy off.
Markl sighed the stereotype 10 year old boy sigh and trudged up the stairs.
"Howl you're stupid."
Howl's interested eye wavered back to the fire demon before him, "Why am I so stupid?"
Calcifer looked at him bluntly, "I think you know why."
"Because I love her?" Howl asked with one eyebrow raised.
"It's not only because you love her," Calcifer sighed and started, "It's because."
Suddenly the colour changed on the turnstile and the door swung open. Stepping through the doorway came Sophie with a bundle of wild flowers in her hand and looking down at the ground making sure she didn't tread any mud in that she would have to clean up later.
With her back to Howl, Sophie locked the door the clutched her chest. Leaning on the wall and groaning, Sophie clutched her chest.
"Sophie?" Howl called her name worriedly as he arose from the chair.
"Argh, Howl my chest!" Sophie groaned hitting her head against the door.
"Sophie, Sophie don't do that, it doesn't help! Howl done it against the door when he was rejected by a girl, he had a purple bleeding bruise on his head for five weeks!" Calcifer called.
Sophie couldn't help but choke out a laugh.
"Sophie, come sit down," Howl said, picking the fragile woman up bridal style and placing her in the lounge near Calcifer.
"Mmm… No… Sit with me," Sophie protested when Howl tried to unlatch her fingers from his neck.
"Okay," Howl gave in with a smile, which meant that he obviously didn't mind giving in. It was after all, for his Sophie Hatter.
Sophie's head rested against his chest as she instantly fell to sleep, leaving Howl to caress her face and Calcifer to tut.
"Howl you're stupid."
Howl rolled his cerulean eyes, "so I've heard."
"No, Howl like, really stupid," Calcifer said, his body lurching upward, "is she asleep?"
"Yes, Sophie's asleep," Howl confirmed for the fire demon.
"Howl, I had your heart, I felt every single bit of emotion you could ever imagine yourself having. I knew when you were angry, depressed, confused everything. I also felt that one jump that your heart made when you saw her. Howl, I know that spell, I can't believe how dumb you are sometimes!" Calcifer exclaimed, "You've tied your hearts!"
"I know," Howl said, looking down at Sophie affectionately.
"Howl, she'll feel everything you're going through! Everything! Have you thought this through? What if she doesn't accept?" Calcifer asked.
"I have thought this through thank you, I think about it every second of my life. She won't reject me, Calcifer, I know she won't," Howl confirmed more to himself than Calcifer.
"Howl, I know how you seal that deal, I know you probably made the standards a little lower. Howl she'll never do it! All I could ever see her doing is giving you a peck on the lips. She'll never do what you done to her when you made that tie and now you're in the 'pending acceptation' state! Howl, you just proposed to her for crying out loud!"
"Shh, not so loud Calcifer, you'll wake her up," Howl shushed the fire demon from speaking anymore as he ran his fingers through Sophie's hair who sighed contently.
"I know you love her Howl, I know," Calcifer turned to a softer tune, "But Howl, if she doesn't accept this, you're going to die…"
Howl let out a sigh, "I know, but I'm sure my Sophie won't kill me…"
"You had better hope so, Howl… You had better hope so."
Oh, sorry this chapter's a bit short isn't it? Geez, sorry. Okay. New chapter coming soon. Having a bit of fun writing this! Please review and I'll leave you with a quote. Heh, if anyone knows what it's from put it in your review :D!
"This is my brother… And this is my brother's girlfriend, who is not a whore!"
That is one good movie ;)
-xoxBraxox
