Important A.N.: Please read this before you start with this story. Actually, my Native Speak isn't English (it's German, and everyone keeps telling me, i write to german-like in english, im sorry), and I'm pretty bad at it ( I really do suck in this subject, especially in grammar -.-). I would really like it, if you would review the story, or at least tell me when I did some stupid error (like always). I really tried my best and I checked it, but I'm pretty sure that I did overlooked something.

A.N.: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,... (x 100), I'm so sorry I didn't update sooner, but school is so busy, I want to shoot me every sesond. I'm sorry if you read the preview and waited so long for the update. And I'm sorry if I disappoint you with my story.

Last time:

"From the two of us, you are truly the only one that deserves to be called heartless, Keyl Smith.", Howl said with a cool attitude. From this day on these two mages were archenemies.

10 years later…

Chapter 1:Visit

Howl closed his eyes. He was so tired. He had to do so much this past days. And there was something going on in the palaces. Even Ben Suliman didn't know what was going on, but he had warned Howl. There was something fishy.

The first war had ended right after Sophie had returned Howl's heart to him. He still had nightmares about what could have happened while Sophie was the witch of the waste's prisoner. That was his only fear. That something might happen to his beloved one. And now the next war was coming. The peace they had was only temporally and would soon be broken. It was like the calm before the storm. Everyone in Ingarny knew this fact and tried to prepare everything. Parents sent their children to their relatives on the land. Men prepared their weapons. Wives bought strong protecting charms for their husbands. And that's why he had to do so much lately.

He was worried too. At the moment, they were all in their house in Market Chipping. Calcifer, Michael, he himself… and Sophie. Recently they had fights about sending Sophie (along with Michael) on the land too. But Sophie refused. She didn't want to leave her family behind and she was so stubborn. And she didn't want to separate herself from Howl. She was stubborn and fearless and neat, sometimes short tempered and frightful when she was angry, she would give someone (most of the time Howl) a good piece of her mind and she would cut up his suit to make him regret. Yet she loved him with all her heart. He smiled at his stupidity. Sophie would go without resistance? His Sophie? Unimaginable. He chuckled. He sure had changed a lot since Sophie stepped like a vindictive goddess into his former "peaceful" life.

He heard Sophie summing while she was sweeping in the living room. He frowned. If she went now to the Bathroom she had cleaned yesterday…

"HOWELL JENKINS, WHAT DID YOU DO TO OUR BATHROOM?"

The wizard swallowed. Now she had seen it, his death sentence was set.

"GET DOWN HERE! NOW!"

Howl swallowed again. Maybe looks weren't everything if his life was at risks. He had dyed his hair again blond, since it had become black due to Sophie mixing up the ingredients in the bathroom. He went down very quiet, to not make her angrier than she already was. There she stood in the front of the staircase, his fiancé, hands on her hips, right food tapping the floor and a fiery look in her eyes. Her starry hair flew over her shoulder. It was the only remaining of that witches curse that wouldn't come off. He had tried it several times to cast it away, without result. But Sophie didn't mind it. She was used to it by now and she kinda liked it. And Howl thought it suited her.

Calcifer was looking from Sophie to Howl and back from the hearth. He quickly plunged down between the logs. Michael came in, caught a glimpse of Sophie's murderous glare and ran for his life. The last time Michael had seen Sophie like this she had thrown a half full bucket with weed killer at Howl.

"Do something about the exploded chaos in the bathroom, right now! My mother will come every minute. And after she said goodbye, you should be prepared, because, if I get you in my fingers, you will be dead," Sophie said with clenched teethes.

And with this the bell rang. Howl just signed and thanked god for rescuing him. Sometimes it was better to not do or say something, when Sophie was like this. With a quick gesture the bathroom looked like before he went in this morning. Calcifer just crackled with a meaningful laugher. He found it really funny to see Howl obeying Sophie. Most of the time Howl would just get one of his tantrums when he had to do some cleaning. Or laugh, what would drive the young woman into madness, which resulted that Howl's best suit was destroyed by her. Then he would try to repair it with magic, but that didn't work every time. Sometimes Sophie's magic would delete his.

But sometimes, he did things his way. He sneaked to her and hugged her close to him from behind. She was surprised. Howl brought his mouth to her ear.

"I'm sorry Sophie. I didn't mean to make you angry. I just wanted to look good for your stepmother, that's why I dyed my hair. I just forgot to clean it afterwards."

"Liar!", she said angrily, but her face turned bright red. Sophie hated herself for the fact that she was weak to his charm since she fell in love with Howl. He chuckled. She could see him smiling wicked right before her invisible eye. She broke free from his hug and turned around to face him. He still had his smile on his face.

"E-Either way, j-just be nice t-to her, o-okay? S-She hasn't given us h-her bles-ssing", and with that she ran towards the door.

But she didn't calculate Howl in. Before she could reach the knob, Howl turned her around and gave her a sudden kiss. Her eyes brightened.

"I will be nice, it's a promise"

Still with a satisfied grin on his face he walked away to their dining table. Sophie felt a sudden urge do punch him, but she felt too dizzy to do so. Her face had gotten an even deeper shade. She opened the door. There stood her stepmother.

"Oh, hello Sophie, it's such a long time since I saw you. Oh my goodness, why are you so red? Don't tell me you have a fever? Don't you get enough rest here?"

If possible, Sophie's face turned even more redder as she thought of how she got it.

"No, no, I'm not sick. Anyway, come in. I just made some tea. Do you remember Howl?"

"Of course I do. There are still rumours about him and he was the one who collapsed on the ground back then. Isn't he the one to fault why you became old?"

"It wasn't him who cursed me! It was the witch of the waste! Didn't I already tell you that?"

They talked about two hours, but only small talk. Then all three of them came to the main topic.

"So, you two are really …engaged?"

Sophie looked at Howl, who was standing behind her. He took one of her hands in his. Sophie looked back at the woman which had raised her.

"Yes. It would be good if you would give us your blessing, but even if you don't, I would still marry Howl."

Fanny closed her eyes and signed.

"Well then, do you really need my blessing, I wonder? You two made up your mind and it's not like I can stop you. Besides, you are already an adult. It isn't like I didn't have depths, but now that I have seen you Sophie I'm relieved. You seem happier than you were your entire life. And don't think I would not notice a blushing caused by an embrace. I give you my blessing. But I can't speak for your Stepfather. You will have to convince him, when you will meet him. He had more depths than I had. But I think it will all work out. And it's time for me to go. And Howl, please take good care of Sophie"

"Thank you," was all Sophie could say.

And with this, they said goodbye to each other. Sophie leaned onto Howls body, while he was holding her in another hug. She closed her eyes and listened to his heartbeat. They stood there a while, until Calcifer shouted.

"Hey, you two! I'm starving to death! Somebody should give me a log or two! And go to Howls room, if you want some privacy! Michael is still a kid!"

"I'm not a kid!", came a dull replay from the first floor.

"Calcifer, you idiot! And when I was just about to get some fun…"

Sophie signed walked over to the hearth to throw some logs at Calcifer.

"Men…"

Last A.N.: Thanks for reading, even if ya' didn't like it at all. And thanks for everyone who read the preview and wanted to know the next and hade to wait for so long. Also I would be pleased if ya' review, even if it isn't a good critic. I would like to know what I did wrong. And I also don't know when I will have time to write or update. I humble apologize for that. fantasyfreak17