Howl and the Soulmate Stone

Part Three : Searching for Sophie

The sun was just above the horizon when Howl awoke again. The magician opened his eyes, he wondered where Sophie was. She usually got up just before sunrise, a habit from working all day in the hat shop apparently, and got him up at dawn. But it was past then now... It must be...

"Sophie?" he called out.

Hearing her name out loud it all came back to Howl in a rush of emotion and he sat straight up, hitting his head on one of the many things hanging above his bed. "Sophie!" he cried. She was gone, gone! He was all alone!

Leaping out of bed, leaving the sheets in a jumbled mess behind him (Sophie usually straightened them for him anyway). His pounding footsteps caused the stairs to creak behind him as the boy raced downstairs and through the kitchen to reach the magic door.

Spinning the dial until it was on green, he listened for the satisfying click before throwing it open. The instant he did it was obvious they were no longer in the wastes. However, they were also not yet at the city housing the Turnip's castle.

What had he told Sophie? That they would be there around mid-morning? He couldn't remember but it didn't matter now.

He scanned his blue eyes around carefully. They were traveling across a meadow that seemed almost endless. In the very distance he thought he could see... yes, the city was on the other side... But it was a ways off yet.

The meadow was empty so Howl felt as though it was as good a place as any to put the castle down. He did it as quickly as he could, performing the spell that would stop the castle's motion and allow him to leave.

When this had been accomplished and the castle had ceased motion, settling in the long grass as a cat would curl in front of a fire. Howl had always had the distinct sense that the castle was more... alive... than it appeared. His uncle had been a strange man to make a castle like this in the first place. It wasn't so far fetched that he had made it more than just a place to live.

Howl walked out the door of the castle and down the stairs slowly, gazing around him. The sun, although only having risen recently, was bright and blinding and the wizard was forced to shade his eyes. It was fall but it didn't look like it yet. Didn't feel like it yet either.

No, it felt more like summer. A warm breeze swept past Howl and drifted lazily through his hair. The boy was feeling less than lazy, though. He was agitated. He needed to find Sophie. The longer he waited was long the witch had to bewitch her or curse her.

He adjusted the satchel on his shoulder which held the small amount of food and supplies he had thought last minute to bring with him. There was no telling how long he would be gone.

Now, which direction was he going. That was the question. Turning his sapphire blue eyes on the ring on his right pointer finger, Howl watched as a green beam shot out from it and pointed into the dark mass of trees ringing the meadow. That way.

The Wizard began to stride through the grasses that easily reached his knees and swished and swayed in the gentle wind. It was a mix of vivid, new green and sun-touched tan. There were flowers too, scattering of yellow petals and purple blossoms among the stalks.

It reminded Howl of the place he had taken Sophie once... Although there was something different about this place too. It wasn't as quiet as that place. Even as he walked there was the call of birds and the buzz of crickets and cicadas.

The woods grew steadily closer and the castle grew further way. Howl wondered how Sophie was doing. He really did miss her. He hoped she was okay. She had to be okay. The witch wouldn't hurt her, right?

Not after they had kept the annoying jerk in their house for what had seemed like a hundred years! She should be grateful to them! Howl wouldn't miss having her around!