2
In which Sophie finds out just how stubborn Howl can be, and how bossy
Sophie moaned a little and twisted, then she shot awake. The last thing she seemed to be able to remember was Howl…Howl asking her to marry him. Her face went white and she took a few deep breaths and prayed it was not a dream.
"Sophie?" Michel's voice said from beyond her door. Sophie cleared her throat quickly.
"Yes I'm awake." She answered starting to pull the blankets from around her when Michel walked in.
"Master Howl said, well he said not to get up just yet, he says your working to hard." Michel mumbled to the floor. Sophie blinked.
"Working to hard?" she said blinking again.
"Uh yes." Michel said glancing at the door as if he expected a protest, it was clear he would rather be out with his Martha. Sighing and taking pity on the boy Sophie nodded.
"Alright, I'll stay in bed a bit longer." She said though she was going to have a word or two with Howl. Overwork, HA, she was not overworked, well unless Howl and Michel blew something up with some spell as they tended to do late at night. Michel looked extremely relieved and moved towards the door before he stopped and turned grinning at her.
"I can't believe you and Howl are going to get married!" he exploded with glee. Sophie burst into laughter and had to laugh for several minutes before she could calm down enough to explain to Michel why she was laughing.
"I was afraid that had been a dream." She explained when she was calm enough to speak. Michel laughed.
"Yes it was rather sudden wasn't it? But Master Howl said he knew it was the right time." Michel said and left. Leaning back against the pillows Sophie stared at the ceiling and lasted exactly five minutes before she was fed up. Throwing the blankets aside she got to her feet and quickly changed into a light blue skirt with a white short sleeved top. She was not going to lay around in bed all day like Howl! With this in her mind she pushed her door open to find Howl and Michel drawing on the floor in chalk. Both men looked up, Howl scowled at her.
"I thought I said to stay in bed." He said grumpily. Sophie put her hands on her hips, feeling very much like her old self.
"And I'm not one like a certain lazy wizard who shall remain nameless, to sit about my bed all day long!" Sophie retorted with a slight huff. Howl straightened showing off his advantage in height and folded his arms.
"And you're going to work yourself straight into illness!" he answered as Michel went back to scribbling on the floor. Sophie rolled her eyes.
"I don't get sick unlike spoiled wizards! What are the two of you up to!" she demanded. Howl raised an eyebrow and seemed to debate whether or not he was even going to bother to tell her. Sophie glared at him and he just calmly looked right back at her.
"Master Howl…" Michel said as Calcifer burst into laughter.
"Howl better watch out she'll talk life into one of the frying pans and have it beat you senseless!" Calcifer crackled.
"What a wonderful idea thank you Calcifer I didn't even think of doing that!" Sophie said with a smile. Howl glared at Calcifer.
"Nice going you gas blower." He said but finally relented.
"As I told you before, I am getting rid of the Kingsbury door." Howl said a bit put off. Sophie nodded.
"So what are you putting in it's place?" she asked moving to sit down on the sofa as Howl bent over to help Michel finish the lines.
"Wales…again." Howl said with a scowl. Sophie nodded.
"Well while you're moving I'm going to go get the rest of the flowers I started to yesterday for the flower shop." Sophie said standing up.
"No." Howl said from the floor, that single word stopped Sophie in her tracks she turned slowly.
"Excuse me?" She said with a hint of temper in her voice. Howl stood up and faced her.
"I said no, you are not going out to gather more flowers, you are going back to you're room and going back to sleep." He said firmly. Sophie narrowed her eyes.
"And do you think just because I agreed to marry you that gives you the right to tell me what to do!" she snapped. Howl shook his head no.
"No, but none the less you are going back to your room, back into your bed and going to sleep." He answered. Sophie growled, she actually felt the growl come up from her throat and out her mouth. Never in her life had she growled at someone before.
"I most certainly am not going back to my room and sleeping, and I do not know what made you think that you could boss me around!" Sophie snapped. The idea of talking a frying pan to whack Howl was becoming more and more likable every minute. Howl calmly took a single step forward.
"Yes you are." Howl said stubbornly. Sophie snarled at him grabbing the empty basket and stomped to the door. A hand snaked around her waist and another pulled the basket from her hand tossing it away as it then in turn swept her off her feet. Sophie sputtered as Howl carried her back up the steps.
"Howl Pendragon, or Jenkins whatever your last name is Put me down this minute!" Sophie yelled but Howl just continued walking up them then instead of heading to her room he headed up the stairs.
"Howl where are you taking me!" she demanded.
"The only place I can be sure that you stay put." He answered and his own bedroom door swung open.
"Oh! Don't you dare!" Sophie sputtered but Howl did dare and dropped her onto his bed pushing her down. Now he actually looked angry.
"Sophie do not push me on this." He said quietly and for a moment Sophie almost let it slip by.
"Why are you acting like this!" She demanded of him. Howl shook his head.
"You honestly can't tell? Never mind then." He said and waved his hands over her legs the tucked the blankets tightly around them.
"What did you just do?" Sophie asked wearily. Howl kissed her nose.
"Sleep, or don't but you wont be able to move from that bed till I let you." He said and had the gall to walk towards the door as Sophie screamed in rage. He shook his head as he shut the door. And waited.
Sophie slammed back against the pillows angrily, he was treating her like she was some sort of child she thought then yawned. The bed smelled of him she realized as her eyes grew hooded, why did she always seem so tired lately. Shrugging and reminding herself to ask Howl she fell into a light sleep.
"Is she asleep Howl?" Michel asked from the bottom of the stairs.
"Yes." Howl said walking down them frowning.
"She doesn't know yet does she?" Michel asked worriedly. Howl shook his head.
"She'll figure out sooner or later why I am making her rest so much." Howl said.
"I didn't think that the old lady ailments would stay on her when she turned young again…" Calcifer spoke from the hearth his flame faced worried. Howl nodded.
"No matter, she'll be right as rain as soon as she gets enough rest, which means the two of us will most likely be arguing nonstop." Howl said sighing. Michel glanced up the stairs.
"Michel stop, let's just get this over with, Ms. Nose wont sleep for long she's too nosy to stay out of it for long even if she can't get up from bed." Howl said and Michel nodded.
A/N: alright tis going to take a little while for chapter three to be up. But please review!