Disclaimer: Howl's Moving Castle doesn't belong to me. Its original version belongs to Diana Wynne Jones and the movie version belongs to Hayao Miyasaki.

Note: This story is based on Miyasaki's movie and doesn't have any connection with the original book except for some names and small details references.

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First Waltz

By Eiko Makimachi

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Chapter 10: First Waltz

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Lettie noticed that a small agglomeration started to form where Howl and her sister were and nodded to Prince Justin. She was really nervous and afraid of anyone suspecting about their plan. Unfortunately, it seemed that Howl was born to call unnecessary attention.

Said wizard was now in front of Sophie, enjoying the discussion he was having with his old friend. Sophie, on the other hand, was torn between siding her love or just smack him in the head with her purse to see if he comes to his senses. As much as those two deserved to be terrorized by Howl, she didn't wish to call much attention either. Besides, her sister wasn't the kind of woman to raise her hand on any situation.

"Mom, it's that waitress!" she heard the daughter say in a mix of horror and disgust. "I wasn't wrong when I said she was lying about the prince inviting her."

When Sophie had figured out who that woman was and was about to snap at the smug-looking girl she heard her sister doing that for her.

"You are the liar here!"

Everyone turned to see Sophie Hatter and Prince Justin. Of course everyone knew how Sophie acted towards what she thought was not fair. But so did Lettie, Sophie knew. Still, she was afraid that Lettie might have forgotten that she was supposed to be impersonating someone else, so she quickly added her own comment to the argument.

"That makes you a liar as well, because it's clear that the prince chose my sister." She said, hoping Lettie had caught the hint.

"Not that you should complain, my sister. You've got a handsome man with you." Lettie quickly added, trying to sound like Sophie." But I just couldn't refuse an invitation made by a friend who I haven't seen for months, right?"

"No, I know the story between you three, I still can't believe Howl didn't kill Prince Justin yet, he seems to love you so much that he is afraid of losing you to anyone. I should thank Howl for being my pair today. And to think I used to be afraid of him..." Sophie added.

"And I love him as well. But I can't refuse a request from one of my best friends, can I?" Replied Lettie with Sophie's voice.

Howl always thought Lettie was one of those nave girls who only dreamed of her prince charming, but now deep inside he was thinking that he should have known better. They were talking about Sophie's sister, after all. He watched as they both managed to clear the situation for a good number of curious people and also let both daughter and mother speechless.

"Now, now, I DID want to blast this man when I've heard about the invitation, but Sophie would reprimand me for that." Howl said, joining the act and kind of scaring half the audience.

"Howl!" both Hatter sisters exclaimed.

"Howell Jenkins, I mean no harm to your person and our kingdom cannot afford to have one of our greatest wizards arrested for murder." Prince Justin joked. "I think we should join the others in the ballroom, Our Highness is already making his inauguration speech."

Indeed the king was already speaking and soon the four of them ignored the two women, who were still dizzy with all that had just happened. As they entered the ballroom they were greeted by a splendorous view of elegant dresses and hats illuminated by an enormous chandelier made of gold and crystals. On the main balcony the king and Madam Sulliman were waving to the crowd. Howl could immediately feel his former teachers gaze on him as he stepped inside. Of course he had also felt the warning magic that activated as his foot touched the shiny dance floor.

"And I would request Prince Justin to come to the center of the room and open the night with the first waltz!" the king declared. Heads turned to Prince Justin and Lettie, who followed the king's request, leaving Howl and Sophie behind.

"I feel Madam Sullimans gaze on us." commented the wizard without looking at his pair.

"So do I." said Sophie.

"I am also proud to announce that we have a very special guest here tonight. Although a polemic character our nation cannot forget his services during the war. I would like to ask Master Howell Jenkins, also known as Wizard Pendragon, to also join us on the first waltz."

Howl wasn't expecting to me mentioned by the king in public. Sophie was wondering if Howl was really born to just call attention wherever he goes.

"Howl, are you sure she cannot sense the change?" asked Sophie.

"Well, she didn't detect me when I disguised myself as the king."

"Are you sure? She didn't seem surprised when you turned back to yourself."

He smiled like a naughty kid. "Really, Miss Hatter, I've spent half of my apprenticeship time trying to scare that old woman. I had never accomplished that, but I know she hadn't noticed me because her magic power would have been pressing my own magical aura. It's what you could call an aggressive aura."

Wandering whether Howl referred to her like that as a way to annoy her or it was just acting as if she was Lettie, and not wanting to have a lecture about how wizards and witches could sense someone elses aggressive aura, Sophie opted to hold Howls hand and guide him to join the prince and her sister. It didn't matter if Madam Sulliman suspected about them or not, they couldn't do anything when all spotlights were on them.

"Orchestra, please, the first waltz!" announced a very merry king. As soon as he said that violins and flutes could be heard and Prince Justin did the first move.

Sensing a bit of nervousness between them, Sophie took Howls hand and smiled. "So, shall we start?"

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Surprisingly, Howl was dancing in such elegant manner that even Sophie couldn't help but be amazed at how he guided her with light movements. She even joked, asking if he charmed himself so he could dance well, but she knew better. That man was way too proud to consider that option, if it existed.

"Hahaha, but I cannot create abilities to myself, nor to anyone. It would be a bit too dangerous to mess with our brain to force it to learn abilities by magic, wouldn't it?" Howl whispered on Sophie's ear. The idea of messing with someones head sent shivers to her skin, it did sound really scary.

Prince Justin and Lettie were also giving quite a show next to them. Letties, or better, Sophies face seemed so radiant and the prince had a gentle expression on his.

"Howl, I can't believe you are doing so well so far. You look so confident, smiling." Whispered Sophie.

They did a turn, followed by a spin before their faces were near each one again. As they approached it other, Howl whispered in reply. "Actually I'm so afraid of making a mistake right now that I even forgot to keep an eye on Madam Sulliman" he said, his smile fading a little. "I think if we stop dancing my legs are going to be shaking more than a building in an earthquake" he said, showing a very embarrassed smile.

Sophie giggled at the comment. The first waltz was almost ending and nothing had happened so far. Glancing the balcony, she noticed that the queen had joined the king and both of them were enjoying the show. Madam Sulliman seemed to be content as well, but Sophie couldn't read her expression. She suspected something was going to happen though, because the Royal Witch had stood up from her usual wheelchair. Howl knew that his teacher was far from needing a wheelchair.

"Huh... I've been wondering something, Howl."

"I know, it's taking an awful amount of time for she to make a movement."

"Yes, I wonder if she noticed something or she is just waiting for the right moment."

"I'm curious to the fact that, although we've been dancing for a while no one joined us. I wonder if dancing is part of the spell."

"Maybe they are waiting for the second dance, it's quite common to not dance the first waltz, and it's reserved for the important people."

Howl heard a strange noise, like a whistle, yet it seemed that only he sensed it. "I think she placed a spell on us right now. My ear caught a whistle that is common on spells that are music related."

"I didn't hear anything."

"That's why I think it was a spell, it was pretty loud to not be noticed by everyone else. Well, unless it was a spell itself."

"What should we do?" asked Sophie, trying to not let the others notice how worried she was while dancing.

"I can't sense any curse on us yet. It seems the spell needs something to trigger it."

The first waltz was almost reaching its end.

"Maybe...?"

"Yes." Both Howl and Madam Sulliman whispered so low that no one could hear their thought.

Both couples stopped dancing.

Time stopped for everyone in that room.

Howl could feel his heart skip a beat, as he and Sophie continued holding each other's hand. Letties eyes were looking to Sophie's face, and both could see that something was going on behind each other's eyes before a strong feeling, unknown to the two of them, was forced into them.

Then the last thing stopped too, as the violins ceased to sing.

And both young ladies fainted on their new lovers arms as the first waltz ended, oblivious to Howl's and Prince Justin's worried voices calling their names. The king quickly requested to everyone to open space for the two men. Howl took Lettie's body in his arms, wondering what kind of spell was really cast on them and hoping Madam Sulliman hadn't found out about their plan and decided to curse them with something else.

Followed by Prince Justin, who was carrying Sophie's unconscious body also, Howl was guided by one of Madam Sulliman's assistants to the hospital wing. Howl thought his teacher had a very sick mind to create her assistants similar to his child self, except for the blond hair. The three boys were all just magical beings without soul, and therefore had to be near their master to a certain degree, otherwise they would disappear. Yet, each one of them had an independent personality and mind, and were also conscious of themselves, so it was easy to mistake them for normal humans. Howl himself didn't like the idea to create an assistant like that, because once the master dies, so will they, and if the master got bored of them he could always make them disappear.

"It's almost like killing them. It's a sad existence." He had said once to Sophie. He preferred to teach an apprentice, no matter how much tiresome and patience he needed for that. Markl was like little brother to him.

They reached the hospital wing and placed both girls on a bed. The young assistant remained there, probably to keep an eye on them and report Madam Sulliman of anything suspicious.

"Don't they sleep or eat, those children?" asked Prince Justin to Howl. It was getting pretty late already.

"They do. Probably when this one falls asleep or need to eat another one will be sent to check on us."

"How cruel of her to make children work like that", the prince simply murmured. He did not know that those children were not even human, and that food and sleep was only a way for them to recharge the magic that maintained them alive without asking their master to do so for them.

Both glanced to the beds where Sophie and Lettie were now sleeping. The blue eyes of the assistant were still fixed on them.

"When will they wake up?" asked the prince.

Howl didn't turn his gaze from the beds.

"I don't know."

And so the first waltz of Howls life ended.

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Author's note: No, this is not the last chapter, of course, but you can tell by now that First Waltz is reaching its end. I wanted to update this story three months ago, but not only college simply took all my time but I've travelled in July, so I really didn't have time at all to write the waltz scene (the first half of the chapter was finished by the end of May). I did not beta-read this time, for many people already sent me email requesting the next chapter and, as you know, I dont have any beta-reader right now. So, if you find any mistakes, please do point them for me so I can fix it later.