Disclaimer: I don't own Howls moving castle.
"Who does he think he is? I'm not going to stay here just because he said so."
Sophie proceeded towards the door but found that when she got near enough to turn the door knob she got an electric shock.
"What the..?"
"I'm sorry Sophie but Master Howl has put a spell on you. You cannot leave until he lifts it." Calcifer said.
"WHAT?"
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
"Sophie just calm down, I'm sorry my master has done this to you but it's for a good reason. He's right you know there are things out there that can seriously hurt you if you don't have any idea about magic." Calcifer tried to explain from the fireplace.
"I believe I can look after myself, and I'm old enough to make my own decisions. I'm 21 for heavens sake; I'm not a child any longer."
"Your 21?" said Calcifer shocked.
"Yeah why?"
"I'm sorry it's just you don't look 21, and your not married yet most women I know who are 21 have been married off by now. Especially one as beautiful as you."
"MARRIED! That's crazy, of course I'm not married yet I haven't even had a proper boyfriend. I've seen a few guys at University but none of them were serious, and for your information I'm not beautiful. If I am to you, you must have had a very poor viewing of what women can look like."
"Hey girly take a compliment."
"Ok, Ok whatever. Sooo what do you guys do around here for fun? It's certainly a state in here so I'm guessing it never gets cleaned."
"Howl clean, Heee heee heee heee." Calcifer was laughing to himself.
"What's so funny? This place is a state."
"Howl doesn't clean, when the place gets too bad he moves us somewhere new and someone else is left with the mess."
"That's terrible. Well I'm going to do something about this, even if it is just to keep me form going mad. Where is the cleaning stuff?"
"In the closet over to the right, be careful Sophie it hasn't been opened in a while."
Sophie tried to open the closet normally but found that she needed to use all her strength to get the door open. It finally flew open after a few minutes of struggling leaving Sophie with her legs in the air on the floor.
"There's not a lot in here but I suppose it will have to do. So where should I start? I have no idea where anything goes."
"Don't look at me."
"Oh well I suppose I will just have to figure it out as I go along. This could be fun, cleaning a room in a wizard's house; I wonder what I will find."
"I wouldn't be surprised if you find a whole other dimension under the rug."
Sophie started getting to work on the floors and shelves which surrounded to living room trying to organise like items together and get rid of the grime which surrounded the place. It was lunchtime by the time Sophie had made even a dent in the cleaning but the room was looking a substantial amount better. She had found a few odd items lying around the shelves, a wand, some odd looking spell books, dead animals, weird looking shiny objects and last but not least some things that looked like mini discs.
"Sophie you are doing wonders I don't know where you get then energy from and how you've managed to make everything look at least halfway descent if not better."
"I suppose that comes from working in a shop storeroom for a number of years."
"Well wherever it comes from I salute you."
"Is there any chance of some tea Calcifer I'm parched the dust from this room has gone for my throat."
"Sure thing Sophie, since you've done soo much in this room I will allow you to cook on me whenever you want."
"Aawwww thanks Calcifer your cool." Sophie blew Calcifer a kiss.
Calcifer blushed as much as a fire could do. "Sure thing Sophie, for what its worth I hope you will enjoy your time here."
"So do I, maybe I'll even be able to put your full of himself master into place. He is far too vain for his own good."
"Oh that'll be something I'd love to see."
"Well why don't we make a pact, I will ignore Howl and bring him down a peg or two if you help me when things get rough."
"As much as I would love to see him pulled down a peg or two I 'm afraid I can't contend against master Howl. There are certain things about us that you don't know and that I can't tell you about."
"Riiggght, well I suppose I will just have to do it myself then."
"You can try, but I think Howl has been built up soo much over the years that it may take something huge to make his ego deflate even a little bit."
"He's never met anyone like me before; he won't know what's hit him."
"Sophie what is it like where your from?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well you know how to fight and, well your not married or thinking about it anytime soon, you don't even wear a dress you seem to be perfectly happy in guys clothing."
"These aren't guys clothes, there girl's, Its what we all wear where I am from we don't have to wear dresses these days, we also don't need to have tea on the table at 5 or quit work when we have kids. Women can vote, go to University and have a career without even needing to be near a man. Women from my world aren't forced to marry young. We can marry who we want as long as we are over the age of 16. Some women don't even marry, and its not frowned upon. We can do almost everything men do apart from fighting in the front line of the army I suppose. We don't have wizards but I suppose technology make up for some of the things that they can do."
"Sounds different."
"Yeah well it has its ups and downs."
"Well I suppose every place does, I'm here for you if you need help."
"Thanks Calcifer you're the best, hey I'm kind of tired I'm going to take a little rest and have a lie down. I think I may still be in shock from all that's happened. Can you make sure that I get some peace and quiet please?"
"I'll do my best Sophie."
Sophie left the now tidy living room and went into the bedroom she had slept in the night before. She was soo tired that she just lay down on the bed and was asleep within a few minutes. Calcifer got on with what he needed to do, as protecting the castle and heating the water took a lot out of him, Sophie had been thoughtful and had left a number of logs right where he could just reach out and grab them. Normally he would have to wait until Howl got back to be fed more wood. He was certainly enjoying having Sophie around.
Howl stepped through the door with Markl around 2 hours later and both of them got three steps into the room before they were bowled over by the sight of the room.
"Master Howl, Its clean the room is clean, I've never seen the room this tidy?"
"Neither have I Markl." Said Howl just as shocked as Markl. "Calcifer, Where is Sophie?"
"She's in her room. Don't you dare wake her or do anything to her, she's worked her butt off today and I think she's still in shock so she is asleep."
"Since when do you care soo much for stranger's Calcifer?"
"Since when that stranger cleaned your pigsty and left wood in easy distance for me to eat."
Howl crossed the room to Sophie's door and popped his head round. Asleep on the bed was one for the most beautiful girls he had ever seen. He hadn't realised just how good looking Sophie was until she was asleep and not fuming at him. Not his normal vain peacocks, which he usually picked up but from what he had seen and experienced she was different. Strong and confident with a good amount of fight in her, she was unusual and perfect. Howl closed the door and silently planned about what to do next to win over his angel in the next room.
Dun dun Da. Please leave a review; do you love it or hate it. Is there any direction you would like to see the story going in?