A.N.: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. I know I promised I would update sooner, but things are kinda troublesome at the moment. (They were the whole summer) But still that is no excuse, so you are all free to kill me for not updating. I really deserve it.
Okay, so this is a filler chapter since I think there isn't really happening something good and I am kinda stuck with a writher block. And I don't know where this all will lead to since the scene where I actually got the name for this story won't be able to take placein here since, well it won't be going with what has happened up till now. Sometimes it is so hard to write and sometimes you are so cought up with it that it makes itself independent. I might rename it, but first I need to find a good name...
Also, I got a good tip from 1LovesLatin3 to get a beta-reader to cerrect all my stories, or at least my english stories since stories in my native speak won't really need a beta-reader. So if anyone would like to be my beta-reader, I would gladly accept it. (And Shanzzanime, my native language is German;) ) And again special thanks to all of my reviewers, which many of them put me on their watch or even best list. You guys all ROCK!
Chapter 6: Alive
Sophie dearly wished she was still in the world of darkness. She did not care if she had been brought in there through an actual faint or through magic. She just wished to be transported back. Everything was better than this hell hole she was now living. At least there was no physical pain from her torture from her captivator.
-Flashback-
She was woken with a start as ice cold water was poured down on her out of nowhere. A bright light came from everywhere, making it impossibly for her already foggy and misty mind to make out any details about the shadow hovering over her lying body.
"Finally awake, eh, you rotten piece of trash? I am seemingly unable to understand what this bloody moron of a wizard would see in such a lowlife as you. Well, your starry hair is quite outstanding, but beside that, your looks are really nothing but common. How he can stand being around you is beyond my believe, you filthy garbage!"
He seemed to wait for any kind of reaction from her, but she wouldn't give him this satisfaction. Sophie knew nothing about him, the place she was held captive, the time or how this thing of a human being was associated with Howl, but she knew for damn sure she would never give him any kind of reaction. As goodhearted, nice and gracious she was, as strong, fiery and stubborn she could be. And even though fear was coursing its way in her veins and making its nasty way to her mind and heart, he just got on her stubborn side. It was her only way at the moment of not going insane.
But if it was good for her physical health was another story.
His voice was eerie low and held a dangerous tone inside of it when he started to speak again, getting frustrated more and more with every passing second of not getting a response
"So tell me, how did you do it? How did you make the oh so mighty, oh so great Howell Jenkins fall for you, hm, you little whore! Even after this ungrateful boy stumbled into her?"
There she saw it. The insanity lingering in his eyes, clearly visible for everyone to see. But still Sophie wouldn't give him the satisfaction of answering or cringing away in fear of him and his actions. That only drove him more frustrated and crazier.
"Well, answer the damn question you pathetic excuse of a girl. Now your place, will ya! I'm your fiancé, your master, your everything! And you should be grateful that you are even alive! Now answer how you got HIM under your spell!"
And finally she spoke. A simple answer, a straight one, a strong word. Only one word broke the heavy silence that had fallen in place after his with anger and hate fuelled rant. And somehow it sealed her faith, at least as long as she was in his care. It hung between them
"Never!"
A hit was sent to her stomach, pushing the air out of her lungs, making gasp out of pain and gasping for air. She hadn't seen the fist coming. Another blow was coming, this time aimed at her left temple. And then the beating really began.
-Flashback-
Every time her stepfather came into her cell, she would receive a "lection" on how to behave, knowing her place as an ungrateful daughter and atone for loving Howl. For her it all seemed to be only excuses for him to hit on her. He enjoyed it and took pride in the things he did to her.
But Sophie was grateful for one thing. Her stepfather could only harm her physically, while his brother, as he had informed her about her real fiancé, could do so much more harm to her mind in torturing her with magic. And since her first encounter she hadn't seen him again. But she knew he was watching over her. The young woman could feel his invisible eyes on her body all the time. Watching her like a hungry, gory vulture, circling above its prey. And it scared her to hell.
Sophie cell was deep down in a cellar in her stepfathers land house. She was chained around her neck, the short chain connecting her with the back wall. She had to sleep on a rotten ball of hay. They gave her little to nothing to eat and she was most of the time surrounded in darkness since there were no windows and the man who claimed to be her stepfather took the candle away with him every time when he went back after each beating season. He never told her how long she already was being held down here, but Sophie figured it had to be a couple of weeks, maybe a month.
Still, they didn't manage t break her will, as her will was fuelled by her love towards Howl and her hope that someday she would see him again. Even if Sophie had to wait for years. And meanwhile she could only pray that Howl and her family were still safe and sound since her stepfather wasn't done with her love. He was plotting something against the young wizard and therefore she feared for his life.
Howl wanted nothing but crawl in a deep hole and sleep for an eternity. The war prevented him of searching for Sophie. Bombs were falling nonstop over every town or village Howl, Michael, Martha and Calcifer were staying. It seemed as if someone didn't want him to rescue his Sophie. And he was more than hundred per cent sure it was Keyl. Since the falling bombs wouldn't stop he had to deflect many from preventing them to fall at their house. And let's not forget that many bombs were also falling at other houses. The people needed any help which was given. So Michael, Calcifer and he himself worked every day and through most of the night hours. Slowly, but surely the kingdom sunk into chaos. And the palace and the solders weren't doing anything to prevent it. It resulted in an exhausted, tired wizard with minimal time left to search for his starry haired maiden.
With every passing day he got more and more frustrated and angrier at himself. He should have never left her side. It had been five weeks since Howl stepped into the trap and Sophie disappeared. The only thing he had managed to find out was that she wasn't in a city, but nothing more. Keyl was blocking her aura and mind with his magic and deflected any try to find her with magic. And since Howl couldn't step more than five feet out of his houses without a bomb falling towards him, he couldn't search physically too.
Howl was beginning to loose hope of finding Sophie alive. She could be anywhere and god only knew what that bastard was doing to her.
"Howl! We are back from the market! Come down, we might have heard something interesting!" screamed Michael.
Sighing Howl stood up and went out of his study, where he had sat thinking. Making his way downstairs, he found them all by the table. They were whispering with serious faces. He walked quietly over to them and seated himself across from Michael and Martha. Tears were running over Sophie's youngest sister cheeks, dropping onto the polished wood. Calcifer was hovering over all of them.
"Howl, we found out something disturbing at the market. There has been an announcement. Every wizard and witch was called out to partake in the war for the king and kingdom. They have hung out a list of persons, who are recommended to see the king immediately. We brought a copy of the list with us. Your and my names are on it. But that's not all. There were some rumours whispered. One of it said that the palace has been cut off and the solders aren't protecting the civilians." Michael spoke with a dead voice.
"We already knew that the solders aren't doing anything to help or protect the people from bombs and attacks, but that the palace is cut off is knew and dangerous. And it doesn't make any sense. Why cut it off when you are expecting people to come to you? Wizards and witches have been called out before, so it's nothing new. They already did that in the first war a few months back. But why would they list you Michael when you are just an apprentice? You have yet to discover the full extent of your powers."
"I think it is because he is your apprentice, Howl why they listed him. Who knows what you taught him? And if you and Michael are going to fight for the Kingdom, there would be no one left to search for Sophie really, since I would have to protect the houses and Martha from the bombs. If you are looking at it from this point it does make sense."
"I suppose you are right, Calcifer. But we won't be going. You are my apprentice, Michael, so if you don't go to the King they would just arrest me, not you. And since I am already on the run it wouldn't make a difference. The moment I set one foot inside the palace I will be chained and thrown into a cell. We don't need any more complications right now."
"That's not all of it Howl," Martha finally spoke, new tears rolling down her face, "there has been a rumour that there is a new strong grand mage with amazing powers called Adrian Hills. Nobody really knows something about him but they say that he is engaged to a woman called Lady Sarah, who he just happened to rescue from enemies of the kingdom and a forces marriage. They whisper he holds her hidden out of fear they would come back for her and take her away like they did when she was just a small child. He wants to marry her as soon as the war is over with his gracious help."
"No doubt that is just Keyl Smith under a disguise and the woman has to be Sophie. She can't be someone other. That story just stinks of being made up! At least we know she is alive and it proves that he has something to do with the trap for me and the war."
"Howl, what can we do? If his powers are really equally to yours and he keeps her hidden, who knows what he will do to her? And just because rumours say he wants to marry her doesn't mean he won't kill her. I saw the blood on the walls and floor back then when you hushed us inside the house in Market Shipping. She might be dying right now while we are here debating if Lady Sarah is Sophie and if Keyl Smith would do something for her! For your all information he already did something to her! Wasn't the blood prove enough for you all!"
Silence fell upon them as Martha's words sank into their heads. Finally Howl looked up and looked directly into Martha's bloodshot eyes.
"Sophie is alive. He might do something to harm her, but he would not kill her. I am his real target, not Sophie. He wants to see me crumble under his foot, not Sophie. And as long as I am not there to see him kill Sophie like he swore to me, he won't kill her. That's the only thing that is keeping Sophie alive right now at the moment. He wouldn't gain anything out of her death if I am not there to watch it! And I promise you, I will find a way to get Sophie out of there alive, even if I have to sacrifice my life to save her!"
Last A.N.: Thanks again for reading this chapter till the end, I really appreciate it. And like the million times before (not really, but I think ya all get it) I gladly accept any kind of review, good as well as bad. Just don't be too mean. I will try this time to update really like I promised and sorry again for the long wait. And I'm sorry if I dissapointed any of my readers, but I have little to no influence if ya like it or not. But I hope I will see ya all again next time, so thanks for everything, fantasyfreak17