The next few days were filled with preparing to open the shop. I barely saw Howl as he was doing DIY with Jim. I gasped as I saw the sign for our shop going up. It was black with the elegant midnight blue scrawl of 'Sophie's flowers'. Howl looked down from his position on the ladder to shout to Jim and ask if it was straight.

It made me smile and blush to see that he was putting so much effort into my shop. He caught sight of me and called out "do you like it Sophie?" "Yes!" I called back waving. At that moment I felt like we truly were a couple, maybe that's what we were.

Two days later I went flower picking with Howl and we had lunch in our windmill again. "Sophie I have something to tell you". I frowned and picked up an apple. "What's wrong Howl?" He frowned. "I have to go away for a little while." My heart sunk and I couldn't think of anything to say. "Sophie did you hear me?" I nodded my head.

Why? Why did he have to go away? Everything was going so well, the shop was opening the next day and then we would be settled. I didn't realise I had been quiet for as long as I had been and I came to my senses only when Howl lowered himself carefully next to me. I noticed how he had made sure that he was close without touching me. "Sophie I have to. I have been asked by the King. I can't refuse." I shook my head no. "It won't be for long, a month at the most, I leave tonight." I felt tears threatening to fall but refused to allow them.

After that we headed back to the house and I left straight away to arrange the flowers. Howl arrived shortly after to spell them with long- lasting effects and then we started to walk home. I still hadn't said anything to him and it appeared that he could take it no longer. When I got to my room I heard him following me.

"Sophie I can't take your silence, please talk to me." "And say what Howl? That I'll miss you? That I'm not sure I can handle life without you?" He looked at me gobsmacked. I turned my back on him and heard him leave.

I had to compose myself and speak to Markl about this before Howl left so I left the room five minutes later. I made my way to the living room and found him playing with a fire engine toy. The sight warmed my heart and I smiled warmly at him. "Markl honey, come over here for a second?" He ran over and jumped onto my knee. "What's up Sophie?" Howl walked out of his room with an intricately designed bag that he was busy shrinking as he walked towards us.

He sat next to me and grinned at Markl. "Son, I have some exciting news!" Markl wiggled off my knee and onto Howl's. "What is it?! Tell me!" Howl laughed and pulled out a box from inside his new cape. "I have been called up to go and visit the King!" Markl's eyes widened. "Really? The king?" Howl nodded. "I'm very excited about this, there is just one problem." Howl really did know how to approach this with Markl. "I have to go away for a while Markl, not too long, about a month." To an 8 year old boy a month was a life time; to me it was a life time. He was sad and I could see that he was about to cry. That's when Howl opened the box he had on his lap. A wailing siren sound was heard and Markl exclaimed "COOL!"

Shortly after that Howl left, he gave me a small hug and told me he would call often. Then he was gone. I wanted to cry but Markl called me over to play with his new wind up emergency vehicles. Being a junior wizard meant he had small amounts of magic and Howl had bought him a wizard toy. When Markl wanted to he could make the vehicles fly up into the air and this made it all the more exciting for him. Howl was clever to distract him from the fact that he was leaving, he was devastated.

That night I didn't sleep. I kept expecting to hear Howl's calls and cries but they never came and I had never felt so alone. At about 3am I did hear soft sobbing and a thump. I jumped up from my bed and ran to Markl's room. His bed was empty and my heart started to race. I ran from room to room before I found him sitting on the floor beside Howl's bed.

"Markl honey what are you doing awake?" In the glow of the small floating lanterns above his head his hair looked a fiery red and his eyes were streaming with tears. Picking him up only made him cry harder so I let him down and led him through to the living room. Calcifer came to life and was about to grumble when he saw Markl.

"Hey kid. What's going on? Sophie? What's wrong?" I filled a pot with hot water and put it on Calcifer to boil. Then I went to the freezer to get a cheeky snack for us… chocolate icecream with popping candy. I moved to the table that markl was sitting at and handed him a spoon. He looked at me with a question in his eyes and I winked and pulled the icecream from behind my back.

"Are you okay sweetie?" He nodded his head and rubbed at his eyes, effectively telling me the opposite. "Markl please tell us what is wrong." He put his spoon in the icecream and took a spoonful, giggling a little at the popping candy. I smiled and went to fix myself a cup of tea. Cal was looking at me accusingly. I shrugged.

"I Just miss Howl. If I have a bad dream he helps me but he wasn't there tonight and I got scared. Im sorry I woke you up Sophie" I walked around to him and gave him a hug. "Oh Markl"

I could tell how this month was going to be.

Thankyou! Natalie xxxx
I know it'd been ages since I last wrote. I'm sorry! So sorry! I'll make it up to you I'll write the next one really really soon!