Important A.N.: okay, okay I know it is tiring to hear this every damn time I update, I think every one of ya' knows what I'm gonna say next. I'm not a native english speaker, so ya' should be prepared for bad english spelling, hell sucking grammar errors and confusion sentences all over the end. I'm sorry to put ya' all through these but I can't do much about it.
A.N.: I'm so sorry I broke my promise to update last week. I humble apologize therefor and I'm prepared for any punishment I will reseive from you all. I shall be put into a barrel of tar, I will spread ashes on my head and I shall get only bred and water for a whole week. I'm really sorry I didn't update sooner T_T .
Someone might have seen that I changed the category from K+ to T. It's just that I think there are things younger kids should not read and as far as I have planned the story it really needs the "T", because from next or the one after the next chapter there will be blood, violence and bad words. And here is the long awaited chapter I promised:
Chapter Three: By Force
Howl woke groggily up. His vision was really blurry. Something felt unusual. After a few minutes his vision cleared. Now he could look right at what was unusual. Wait, no. Not what, who. Sophie was lying right beside him. But that couldn't be. Sophie was one of those Such-a-wonderful-and-pretty-morning people, who would wake up at an insane and freaking early time, while Howl was one of those Let-me-sleep-'till-noon-if-you-want-to-not-get-killed people. He looked outside the window, only to realise it was the window to Scotland. But still, it was a dark sky out there. He fell back into his pillow. He wondered why he woke up. He wasn't one person who would wake up early. And if Sophie wasn't up then it must be really freaking early. He sighed. Sophie had had a fight again. Not with him, but with the butler her new stepfather would send every day now. It started right after Fanny's visit. She almost cried last night when they went to bed. After that, Howl had been holding her 'till both of them fell asleep.
While he was looking at her beautiful face, Sophie woke up. Rubbing her eyes, she looked at Howl.
"Howl, why are up? This is not like you at all", murmured Sophie.
"It's nothing. Besides, it is really early, even for you. Why don't we go back to sleep. You need it. You're still exhausted from yesterday."
Sophie closed her eyes when suddenly Howl took advantage of her sleepiness. He kissed her forehead. And than travelled down to kiss her lips and massaging her shoulders. Immediately her eyes shot open.
"Howl! How can I go back to sleep, if you do something like this?"
"I was just thinking about something", said Howl while he grinned wickedly at her.
A pillow was thrown into his face. Obviously Sophie, with a red blush plastered on her face, had done this.
"Sometimes, you are really the worst type of man, Howl!"
"I know. And yet you still love me." And with this he kissed her again, not carrying anymore how early in the morning it was.
Later that day…
Sophie was making breakfast for herself and Michael. She knew Howl wouldn't come down until noon. She still felt dizzied what happened this morning. Like the 20th time a blush was seen at her face. Calcifer watched her closely. A nasty smile showed up at his face.
"Heeey Sophie, did you have some fun this morning with Howl?" he asked while trying to
look innocently.
Immediately Sophie turned bright red, embraced while anybody could read her so easily and angry, while Calcifer darted to ask her about this. Sophie turned around and walked to the sink, getting a glass of water. She returned to Calcifer, who gulped. Sophie didn't have to tell him her threat. He knew it untold. Howl was right. Sometimes she was really short tempered and frightful. Her nickname (Howl sometimes described calls her that) "Vindictive Goddess" suited her perfectly.
"Sorry 'bout that. Shouldn't have said that." Calcifer mumbled after the glass of water had been put down at the end of the hearth.
Sophie went back making the breakfast. Afterwards Michael rushed out only screaming "Sophie, I'm leaving, going to visit Martha!" and with that he was away.
"I think I will leave too. I need to be away from you for a while. You scared the heck out of me with your water. I think you need time to chill and cool down with that blush on you face."
And before Sophie could do anything to stop him, Calcifer left with a mischievous laughter. She inhaled angrily.
"If he keeps doing this, one day I will surely make my empty threat into a real threat."
Sophie just wrote a note for Howl that there were some leftovers from their breakfast on an extra dish and that she was going to the market to buy groceries.
Little did she know that she wasn't going to see anyone in the next time, especially Howl.
Howl woke up groggily. When he finally came down, he found a single note from Sophie, telling him where some leftovers were and that she wouldn't be at home for a while. Michael also wasn't here, probably by his precious Martha. One quick glance to the hearth told him Calcifer wasn't here either. He then saw a full glass of water on the hearth. It seemed Calcifer had left because Sophie threatened him. The firedemon must have said something awfully to her, when Sophie went so far to get some water in his near. And then he left because he was scared to hell and made a run for it.
One and a half hour later, after he had fixed his appearance, he made his way to the palace. Yesterday a signed letter from the king had arrived, telling him to come tomorrow as soon as possible. It had seemed urgent so Howl had told the courier he would come at one p.m.
"Master Pendragon, please follow me. I shall bring you to the room where everyone is waiting for your arrival" one of the many butlers said.
"Would you mind telling me why it is so urgent or why I should come here today?"
He saw the butler flinch.
"I-I'm sorry, but I-I am n-not a-al-allowed to t-tell you, Sir. You have to be patient. I-It will all be ex-explai-ined when y-you get there."
Howl narrowed his eyes. Something was fishy about this. He was suddenly called over to the palace, nobody told him why he had to come and the reaction of the butler… something just wasn't right.
Meanwhile Sophie was done with her shopping and currently humming a sweet and lovely song on her way back. She felt bad for pushing Calcifer so hard. Maybe, when he came home again, she would apologize to him. She wondered if Howl had woken up and if Michael was still in the Cecari Bakery with Martha. He sure loved her without end. Finally she reached her house. She slowly opened the door.
Howls suspicious grew stronger every minute he had to wait more. It must be two hours since he was lead into this room. When he entered, nobody was there. He had a bad feeling in his stomach. Even though he tried to push it away, he couldn't. Something was definitely wrong.
Finally a door was opened. A man, followed by six guards, walked in. He had a devilish smile plastered on his face. Howl noticed that the guards were mages like himself, but they were only third-rated. He stood up from the chair he was sitting on.
"I presume you are Howl Pendragon, am I correct?"
"Yes you are. If you would please have the kindness to tell me you name, Sir?"
"That doesn't really matter, but if you wish so… my family name is Smith, and I am his Majesty secretary."
"Smith…Smith… Where have I heard that name before?"
He was cut up in his thoughts when a voice brought him back to reality.
"Howell Jenkins, also known as Howl Pendragon, I arrest you for high treason against the crown and his majesty. You will be sent to jail until the final judgement. I think it will be either life imprisonment or death sentence. Nobody likes someone who told our enemies important details about defence, army and so on and when the jurors hear about this…"
Howls face had gotten angrier by every sentence. Now he understood everything.
"So that is what is played here. And I have been wondering all this time what it would be. There are no proves for your theories and what makes you think I would go without resistance to jail or did you forget that I am a first-class mage? Even if you would have a hundreds of those third ranked, low dogs of yours, they wouldn't be able to catch me or even stand a minute in a fight against me." Howl muttered
"I would prefer it if you would follow us without resistance. If not, we are forced to …um… use techniques which could hurt you-"
"Humph. There's nothing you can do to hurt me."
"Just because it says it will hurt you doesn't mean it will hurt you physically. More like an other person, maybe someone near you. Like your apprentice or…your beloved fiancée, Sophie Hatter?"
Every drop of blood turned to ice in Howls veins. His face went as pale as a ghost. His stomach was a knot of iron.
"IF YOU DARE TO HURT SOPHIE I SWEAR I WILL KILL YOU AND EVERYONE WHO HAS HURT HER!"
"I would like it if you would not scream. Even if you flee from here, you will never ever see her again. Right in this moment a special person is in your house to get her and force her to a hidden place where you will never find her. I finally found a way to get my stupid wife's damn stepdaughter away from you, Jenkins!"
Sophie suddenly got a bad feeling while the door swung open. She peeked inside the flower shop. But everything seemed alright and in the right place. Shrugging, Sophie went inside and made her way to the living room. But there in the middle stood someone. He was a tall man but seemed older than Howl and herself. He was wearing fine clothes and had shoulder length, dark brown hair and hazelnut brown eyes. Somehow, Sophie was scared. This smile that was on his lips and this glint in his eyes… everything from him scared her, told her that this person didn't have a single good thought. And everything inside Sophie screamed to run away, to hide, to wish her she would be at Howls side right now and not here.
"Who are you?" was all Sophie managed to get out of herself.
Last A.N.: I'm really thankfull that ya' read my story so far, it makes me really happy to know that. Hopefully my stupid errors and late update didn't upset ya' and I also hope I didn't disappoint anyone who read the story so far. If ya' are pleased with this story or just angry about it, please review, I accept every critic I get, 'cause I wanna know what I did wrong.
If you are new to this, hopefully ya' liked it all. And I'm also sorry that I can't update for a while again, 'cause I'm flying with my class to Berlin 'for our culture travel.
your fantasyfreak17