Finding me (Howl x Reader)

PART III TO THE WASTE

I reached the Waste in 5 hours. It was already a late evening. I contemplated whether I should go to Witches castle or stay somewhere for the night. "if I go now, she most likely will be there too" I murmured. "but if I set a camp for the night, I put myself in danger of being discovered by her". After some hesitation I decided to go in now. I had these strange flashbacks from the past, how I followed the boy who led me to Kingsbury, then, just like then I felt a huge need to go, to follow. So, I did.

I put myself under invisibility spell and entered the castle, it was dark. "Not surprised at all" I said rather unamused. I walked through long dark and cold corridors trying to figure out where Howl could be held. Perhaps there is a cell? But where could it be? I decided to follow my mysterious feeling. Intuition? After all, Witch of the Waste is not going to hand me a map of the castle... I walked straight most of the time until I felt I have to turn right, so I took my chances. At first glance I couldn't see any door or entrance of some kind. But when I came closer I noticed a door which was disguised as a wall. "That must be it" I thought. "Whatever she is hiding there, must be very important to her". I just hoped Howl was that important to her. I wanted to finish this as soon as possible and get out of the castle. I took my notes with spells and found three spells with disguise reversion. I tried first one, it didn't work. Now the second one – "oh, I think it is working" I screamed in my mind. Indeed, the door appeared, and I opened it without any hesitation. It was rather a big, hot room where I couldn't see much. I made some fire with my fingers to see if anyone or anything was here. My fire lit only space around me, not further, so I was very careful in my movements. Or so I thought as I stumbled across something big.

I was scared to death now. "oh my, I hope it is not the Witches horrible monsters or the Witch herself!" I thought , "Imagine what people are going to say "she wanted to get Howl but instead she wandered to Witch of the Waste's bedroom where she died in shame"" I thought as I prepared for the worst. "Howl..." I thought, "Could thet be him after all?".

"Howl?" I whispered. "Is that you?" I asked as I lit my fire again. Suddenly I heard a loud sigh and as I leaned closer, I saw a face. "It's a human!" I thought. "It must be Howl" I continued thinking as I examined this man's face. His dark hair was falling on his soft featured face. He definitely was dehydrated and exhausted. "And that's what you deserve" I thought.

"So, you finally came" he said.

"Huh? Do you know me? And were you expecting me to come and save you?" I whispered puzzled.

"Madam Suliman would never let Witch of the Waste to have my heart", he said, "and who else she could send than her great apprentice Y/N" he murmured. To which I rolled my eyes.

"You look quite annoyed with me, why so?" he asked.

"You know I have a permission to kill you?" I asked him back not wanting to explain why I couldn't stand him for past 10 years.

"Oh dear Y/N, you don't have guts to kill anyone" he laughed at me.

"Is that right? Maybe it is because I have a heart unlike some people, who in fact EAT hearts of these stupid pretty girls" I snaped at him.

"You don't seem stupid" Howl said and smirked.

"I know I'm not stupid. What that has to do with anything?" I asked.

"I am implying you are pretty, and I would your heart if you let me" he said as charmingly as he, perhaps, could.

I felt blood rushing to my face. Not sure if I was embarrassed, he called me pretty or I was angry he had the audacity to flirt with me.

"Now, be so kind and take of these handcuffs off my hands, they won't let me use magic" he asked politely but with a hint of concern in his voice.

It started raining heavily. "Good" I thought as I released Howl's delicate hands. "The sound of the rain will let us sneak out of the castle concealing most of the sounds. "To my regret, I forgot I worked both ways, which I learned the hard way. As Howl was completely free of handcuffs and I was ready to help him stand up and flee the castle, I felt a sudden and horrible pain in my back.

"And where are you going?" I heard woman's voice as I turned to see if it was Witch of the Waste.

It was, and I was too late to use any of my spells. She hit me the second time with some kind of spell. It hurt all over my body and I zoned out. For a second I saw Howl fighting with her. Then I couldn't see anything I only could hear rain drops violently falling on the castle's roof, as if they were attacking it. "That's it. I wasn't wrong. I die today. My very first mission failed. Perhaps Howl can get out and have some dignity to take my body to Madam Suliman... I want to be buried back home, in Wales" I thought to myself, perhaps mumbling it before it all went black. Not even a sound or a ray of light.