The Moving Castle: Howl's Moving Castle

Chapter 3

It was later during the day, the sun was beginning to set behind the mountain. Markl and Turnip-Head had brought in the laundry. But it was Delacy who folded half of it, of course with the help of Markl, who was scared that the task may be too big for Delacy. But the woman was adamant of doing some sort of work. But once Delacy saw the sun setting she knew it was soon going to become cold and windy, and she didn't want old Sophie outside. And so she sent Markl out to go get her.

"We got all the laundry folded, Sophie," Markl spoke stopping next to the sitting woman, who was watching the waves of the lake and the beautiful scenery in front of her. Turnip-Head was next to her, the scarecrow seemed to watch the scenery too, but it almost seemed to be watching Sophie too.

"Oh, thank you, Markl. I don't understand it; since I have grown old, all I want to do is watch the beautiful scenery. It's strange." Mumbled Sophie, a softness in her usually raspy voice. "I have never felt so peaceful before."

Shortly after that was said, Markl carried the chair back into the castle with Sophie walking beside him. But the scene that they entered into made the two begin to laugh, Deacy was holding an iron pan in one hand and a few slabs of meat on a plate in the other, while arguing with Calcifer, as he was being difficult again.

"Now, see here! You overgrown firecracker!" Delacy snarled down at Calcifer as she tried to put the pan over his head. "If you don't quit being difficult! I'm going to throw a bucket of water over you!"

"Don't you ever get tired of recycling the same threat?" Huffed Calcifer as he squirmed and pushed the pan away from him. "I'm Calcifer! The powerful fire-demon! I don't cook!"

It was in the end, Sophie took the pan from Delacy and bullied Calcifer into letting her cook over him again. Much to Delacy's dismay who found herself pouting in the corner as she watched Sophie cook.

*****

It was later in the night, and Howl could be spotted flying over a burning and destroyed town. He glared down at the burning houses, hating the sight that was in front of him. He saw a battalion of battleships in front of him, dropping more bombs onto the already destroyed town. He didn't know who's ships they belonged to, he didn't really care to find out.

Flying under them, Howl watched as the enemies battalion of battleships met the other battalion, flying under them. He watched as they suicided bombed into each other, flying through and dodging alight parts of ships. Howl turned away, but it was until he spotted former Wizards and witches being expelled from one of the king's battleships did Howl turned back. With a wide smirk, Howl flew towards the group that was hissing at him with their deformed and inhuman faces. They flocked together which made it easier for Howl to destroy them all, as he flew through them all, cutting them with his sharp wings and magic. The remaining ones he left there as he flew to his portal that would take him back to the castle.

*****

When the door chimed, Calcifer turned towards it as the panel turned black and Howl soon entered through the Porthaven door. Exhausted, he dragged himself to the chair that sat in front of Calcifer. Slumping into the chair, he raised his legs on the edge of Calcifer's fireplace. With closed eyes, he groaned and moaned as his bones cracked and relaxed.

"Wow, you okay?" Asked Calcifer. "You smell terrible."

Howl didn't answer Calcifer, but throwing his head back he began to moan and grunt as he made himself turn back into a human. Slowly with pained gasps, his wings became arms and fingers again, and his legs became normal again. Even though his suit was relatively clean, his skin still had dirt and ash caked on him. The scales and feathers on the side of his face disappeared and his dark hair transformed back into the platinum blond.