Fallen Stars [Howl's Moving Castle Fanfiction]

Chapter Six - Visiting Surprises

Chapter Six - Visiting Surprises 

The clock ticked. 
I blinked along with the sounds of it and stared in to the empty space. Nothing happened, and nothing seemed to happen either. I just waited for the time to pass, as the sun slowly rose outside the windows. My parents didn't tell me why they rolled down the curtains on every window in the house at dawn, even if I asked. I had a feeling it had something to do with my disappearence. Somehow, my mom and dad, didn't really talk about my disappearence, they just went on with the daily issues instead. I'm kind of glad and relieved that they choose not to talk further about it, because I had no idea of how to explain it. Many surprises happened, and I can't even believe them myself. 

The small breezes from the window blew in and filled the room with new fresh air. I tilted my head and stared at the clock. "Why can't time just go faster?" Strangly enough, by now at least five people usually would be here, though none of them were here today. Not even Ms. Darwin. Thinking about that, the boy in the hood haven't visited the bakery on a great while now. I think I've figured out why he haven't, but it can't possibly be true right? He can't be the boy in the castle, right? He can't be Markl? I frowned and cupped my face in my hands. "I might just be sitting here seven in the morning and overthink too much..." I mumbled and took a bite of my share peice of bread. Only one more hour until my parents wake up and I can get a break.

My gaze landed on my hands for some reason. I moved each finger and raised an eyebrow. Did I really do that magic back there? Was it really me? It couldn't have been. Me, being able to use magic? No, that's like saying that pigs can fly, and I'm pretty sure they can't. I mean, where would I have gotten that magic from? Could it just have appeared there, out of nowhere? I don't know and understand anything of my huge amount of questions, but there's one thing I know for sure. The meeting with the boy and Mr. Fireball, along with the sparkles flying from my fingers, were real. 

A sudden deep voice was heard outside the bakery and I raised my back. New costumers? Sure took a while this morning. Maybe Ms. Darwin oversleept from her daily round of buying bread? The voices came closer and the door opened with a swift movement. In came two tall persons, who looked like they were men in their midd thirty's. They marched inside the bakery and observed every little inch of it.  The small hats upon their heads, the customes and those hair-cuts sure seemed familiar, but from where? 

I sat awkwardly on my chair behind the counter and smiled. "Is there something you need help with?" I asked formally. Instantly, their gazes landed on me for the first time. I shuddered under their stares and gulped. I shouldn't have said that, should I? 

Within a secound, they stood in front of me with curious eyes. I shifted my green eyes to them with a short smile. "Eh, is there something you'd like to buy?" 

They didn't answer and just gave each other looks. I tilted my head. "Well, we have some of the greatest breads in the whole city and some special cookies to offer, would you like some?" 

They whispered to each other quietly and then turned to me with bright smiles. I smiled back. "So you want some breads or pastry?"

Their smiles widen. "No."

I raised an eyebrow. Wait what, so what are they doing here? Those things are basically what this bakery is all about, if you wouldn't like any of those... why visit the bakery? I stared at both of them with lightly. "So, what bring you two here then?"

"We're sent here from the king himself, as a message to the Curtis family." 

I nodded slowly, not even comprehending what they said at first. "Is that so-" when I realized it, I quickly shoot up from my chair and placed my hands firmly on the counter. "The king?!" 

The didn't show any facial expressions, other from those fake smiles. I'm guessing it was no joke then, these people are really working under the king. Like a lightbulb lightening upon my head, I finally remember those familiar appearences they had. They're wizards, working under Madame Suliman! Finally, sometimes it's so hard to remember everything around here. 

Feeling a bit embarrased from last act, I quickly sat down on my chair again. "So, what's it that the king wants to talk about?" I asked with a serious voice. 

"I'm afraid we can't converse with you about this, we need to talk to Mrs. and Mr. Curtis about this matter." They said at the same time, which made me feel uncomfortable. Not only do they look like identical twins with that appearence, they even talked like they were the same person. 

"And I'm afraid that I can't help you two with that, my parents aren't here at the moment, so I'll have to pass the message down to them later on." I said with just the same smile as they had, but still keeping it on the formal level. After all, I'm just as big part of the Curtis family as my parents are, so why couldn't I get to know it too? My parents always told me that the customers always were right, but they were no customers. So why not take the chance to talk back?

"No." They said again. "We're only said to speak with Mrs. and Mr. Curtis, and you are not one of them. Please show us them or we'll wait here until they come back." 

Hmm... to show the wizards in the house or to let them wait? Well, that's not too much of a decision.  I gave them a smile in return and tilted my head. "Why not wait then you two, one hour and they'll be here. I promise." 

They refrained from replying and sat down by a table in the corner. I exhaled deeply and sunk down in my chair when they were gone. It's not like I don't like wizards, I really don't have anything against them, but sometimes you can get a pressure from them that's not really so comfortable. Some of those who works under Madame Suliman, if not almost half of the workers, looks and acts like this. I really don't understand the point of it, isn't it better to have your own personality rather than someone else's? 

Smalls steps were heard in the entrance of the bakery. I glanced at it and my face brightened up in a genuine smile. "Mrs. Darwin!" I chirped with a cheery voice. She nodded at me and slowly walked over to the counter. "It's so hard to walk these days...." She mumbled to herself. "So what have you been up to, Alice?"

 "Oh, the usual, waking up by the sun raise and just sitting here by the counter." Mrs. Darwin chuckled lightly, while I continued. "Oh and I've also got a little visit from the kings and Madame Suliman's wizards." I finished and she instantly stopped chuckling. She stared at me with wide eyes, behind those glasses of hers. "Wait, is that true? When did they arrive here and why?" 

I leaned closer to the old woman and whispered in her ear. "They're sitting in the corner right now."

She glanced at the corner. "Sure is like I remembered... To think I'd remember them." Mrs. Darwin said with a puzzled expression. "They said they wanted to talk to my parents, but they won't tell me why and about what." I explained and she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Is that so?"

Suddenly, both of the wizards turned their attention to us, with those fake smiles. I backed away and hid behind my hands for a moment. Mrs. Darwin on the other hand winked at them with that smile only a old woman like her could manage. She took a peice of bread from the counter and walked over to them with the same expression. "If you're sitting here, why don't you two just as well buy something, maybe breakfast? I'm sure you'd like the bread here, it's good for you two!"

"No-" She interrupted them with giving both of them a piece of bread. "There you go, young people!" 

She smiled and walked over to me again, a winning smile upon her lips. "And that's how you distract people from interrupting other people's conversations, remember, give them bread either they like it or not." She said with a confident voice. I chuckled. "I'll note that down." 

"Oh and I'd like some bread too by the way!"