I don't own anything

"That's better my dear, now where to begin? I suppose the beginning would be good. Sophie when you came to my world you fell through what is known as a dimensional crack. Effectively you fell through a hole between out two worlds, there seems to be a bit of a time lag in my world compared with yours hence the time differences. There is more bad news I'm afraid." Howl paused to gauge Sophie's reaction.

"More bad news? How on earth can things possibly get any worse Howl?" Sophie was gripping the bed spread with her fingers causing them to turn white.

"We can only stay three days in this world."

Sophie sat in shock for a good 20 seconds just contemplating what Howl had just said. There was no way he could have said what she thought he had, but there was nothing else he could have.

"NO, I've only just gotten back to my family I am not leaving them again no matter what the time difference is." Sophie's white face instantly filled with blood again as she became more and more angry. She started wriggling again under the blankets to try and get out of Howls hold.

"Sophie, please you need to listen to me. If we don't leave in 3 days time our bodies will start to literally fall apart due to the time difference. Our body cells will start accelerated division which will mean that we will grow old at an alarming rate. In a months time here we will be 50 and within another month we won't exist anymore as our bodies will just shut down."

"I don't believe you. If it's true something would have happened to me when I came into your world. So let me go and get out of my room and my life."

"No you WILL listen to me Sophie as I will drag you back to my world if I have to. The reason why nothing happened while you were in my world was that the time line is behind this one by a long way and therefore is anything your cell division will have slowed down. This may mean you live longer it may not but at least your cells have time to acclimatise and won't cause premature aging."

Sophie was shaking now as his words sunk in. 3 days or death within 2 months it was like something from a weird movie. Her tears had started to fall down her face as she realised the Howl didn't really have any need to lie to her about these things. He had helped her get back but this wasn't her time anymore things had changed.

"Howl I can't leave them three days isn't enough time and it will kill them if I just up and leave again." Sophie tears turned into heart wrenching sobs at the thought of leaving her parents behind forever.

"Shhh, dear one I will leave them with no memories that you returned so they can get on with there lives like they have been doing for the past year. They will have already been through the hardest part of the grieving process which is letting go. Maybe we will be able to find the right timeline when we get back to my world and you will be able to go home to your family like you never left but I'm afraid at the moment we cannot stay here unless you have a death wish and you want to put your parents through it all again."

"I can't do this I shouldn't have to make this decision they are my parents."

"I know and I am sorry truly I am but I can't change this as much as I wish I could it is beyond my magic to turn back time to this degree."

"So what am I supposed to do? Just act like everything is ok and I am happy to be home again. They will notice something is wrong."

"We will go places with them and make happy memories so that when we do leave at least the last few day of your time with them will stay with you always."

"3 days isn't enough time to say goodbye to them. I don't know if I will be able to just leave."

"I know it will be hard Sophie, if it helps I know what its like to lose your parents suddenly but I didn't even have the chance to say goodbye."

"How?" was all Sophie could ask.

"It's a long story but they short version is that they were murdered due to their political views about wizards and witches and how they were seen as effectively tools to be used in the kingdoms for wars. They fought for wizard and witches rights and were punished for it. I was seven at the time and had been staying over at a friends. This is in a way a blessing as they would have killed me as well if I had been in the same house as my parents."

"That's horrible. Who looked after you, you were so young?"

"I was taken in by Madam Sullivan as her apprentice shortly after their deaths and I was taught wizardry. A few years after beginning my apprenticeship I found out why. Madam Sullivan was training a number of wizards and witches so she gained higher standing with the monarch. She didn't wan to fight in the wars so she trained people to take her place. I rebelled and left not wanting to fight in the wars. I'm still being hounded to this day to take part in the wars that are tearing our lands apart. Calcifer is a good and loyal friend though and has kept me safe to this day inside our castle."

Sophie had tears in her eyes again but they were now tears of sorrow for Howl.

"Please don't cry for me my love I have dealt with my sorrow along time ago. I know this will be hard for you, but at least when we leave you will know that your parents are still living. I promise to look after you Sophie, I promise with everything that I am."

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