A Heart in Flames #2 (Howl's Moving Castle fanfiction)

Chapter 6: The End is a New Beginning

Dreams were better than reality. Dreams took her to unimaginable places and made the surreal seem attainable. She controlled what happened; she was the determiner. She could do anything and everything. But most of all, dreams made reality look like a nightmare.

Sophie sat at one of the round tables meant for the guests, though very few were seated. Most were still dancing to the orchestra, including Lettie and a few of the younger girls who arrived later in the evening. It was a relief to see girls their age to talk to. Sophie couldn't speak for her sister, but she felt so uncomfortable around the Princes and Owen; their age difference, their snarky comments, and especially their royalty.

Sophie had never seen the Royal Family before - not in person nor through photographs. She didn't even know why they were invited to their banquet.

Honey and Ellis stood next to a couple dressed in exquisite attire. The man's tie alone had blue diamonds crested along the edges. His partner's gown was so dark it reminded Sophie of the night sky. While most people wore something highly expensive and sophisticated, it seemed obvious that Sophie's parents weren't of high class. Honey's yellow gown was a piece she sewed weeks before the banquet. She added flowers and beads from the hat shop to alter the look, hoping to appear more extravagant and wealthy than they actually were.

A woman approached Honey and Ellis, her stunning green gown accentuating her curvy figure. She was gorgeous; her golden hair lay perfectly on her shoulders, while her back straightened to a poised stance and her visage was highly proper.

Honey had prepared Sophie and Lettie to appear this way at the ball. She ingrained the proper positions and stances to ensure that they conformed to the wealthy.

"Good evening." The woman said. "I hope you are enjoying the banquet."

Honey smiled wide. "Yes, thank you. It is truly a lovely gathering."

Sophie stood up and walked closer to them, hiding behind a group of elites much taller than she was. The woman was familiar. She was Owen's mother, one of the boys Honey forced them to converse with. She was, in his words, the most powerful sorceress in the land of Ingary.

"This is my husband, Ellis, and our daughter-"

"Martha, yes. I am very aware of your family, Ellis Hatter." Suliman smiled as baby Martha reached toward her with nimble fingers, an innocent aura surrounding the child. "I am Madame Suliman, the Royal Sorceress and founder of the Royal Sorcerer's Academy. I also know that you have two other daughters, Sophie and Lettie."

Ellis held Martha closer to himself and nodded. "Yes, they are my elder daughters from my first marriage."

"I noticed them talking to my son and the Princes." Madame Suliman turned to the three boys standing in the corner, Roland causing a ruckus as usual. "My son is wearing the traditional attire of the Mongurus, a nation of magicians who train their magic to adapt to the rainforest for survival. Owen recently spent a month living and learning from their prestigious masters."

Honey gasped. "My, that is certainly an amazing experience."

Madame Suliman nodded. "He will become a great magician, but with that he will need someone to carry his legacy."

"Where are you getting at with this?" Ellis asked sternly. Sophie leaned in closer, their voices muffled and murky from the conversations around her.

Madame Suliman turned to him. "Has anyone yet courted your daughter, Sophie? I noticed she and Owen were getting along quite well earlier, and come the right time, I think-"

"You want our Sophie to marry Owen?" Honey widened her eyes, the thought of marrying her daughter to a powerful wizard so tempting.

"Why our daughter?" Ellis asked with a curious tone. "There are many elite officials here with daughters who would continue your family legacy. Why ours?"