Howl and the Soulmate Stone

Part Eight : The Night at the Castle

The first thing Howl did when he laid eyes on Justin's massive bed was take a flying leap on top of it, shoes and all. "Hey! Get your dirty boots off my sheets!" The prince exclaimed.

When the wizard did nothing about it, Justin gave a suffering sigh and began to tug at his shoes himself. "I'm beginning to understand why Sophie left you," he muttered to himself. "It's because you were so lazy."

Howl's blue eyes glared at him from the pillow. "You're one to talk, Turnip," he replied. "You spoke to her once and claimed she was your true love."

"No, no, I had been around her for many more months than that."

"But you had never spoken," the wizard emphasized. One of the boots came off with a pop.

Justin looked at him incredulously. "Why should that make any difference? She broke the spell on me and only my true love can do that!"

Howl shrugged. "Curses work in mysterious ways. I know because I cast them," he added with an air of heightened self importance. He was telling the truth, he was fairly sure. He was thinking of the deal between himself and Calcifer.

"Are you implying that Sophie broke the curse without being my true love? What, would it have broken if you kissed me too?" he questioned, angry but also little curious.

"Ha! Never! I'm not your true love. What a preposterous idea!"

"But didn't you just say-"

Howl groaned. "No no no, that's enough. I'm tired and all powerful wizards need rest. Finish up with my shoes and bring me some water then leave me alone."

Justin's jaw dropped. "I'm not your servant! I'm not Sophie, I'm a prince! Besides you insolent wizard, you're laying in my bed!" He dropped Howl's other boot and walked to the other side of the bed where he slipped off his shoes and climbed in.

With a massive push he shoved the boy off his bed. Howl let out a surprised yelp and tried without success to grab onto something before he landed on the floor with a thud. "Why that is no way to treat the most powerful wizard in-"

He was interrupted by a pillow in his face.

"Shut it, wizard," Justin said loftily. "You are in my kingdom so you will do as I say. You must take your shoes off before you enter my bed."

"Fine," the boy replied . grouchily, kicking off his other boot and climbing back on. He thought for a moment then picked up the other pillow and whacking Justin back.

Justin gasped and looked at Howl in shock before hitting him again. It quickly escalated into a full out war between the two boys and their pillows. Neither of them heard the quiet knock on the door.

"Come on, you're supposed to be a prince! You hit like a scarecrow!" Howl exclaimed, hitting his pillow against the other boy's side.

"Says you! The 'best wizard in all the world' hits like a scared kid!" Justin shot back, whacking Howl over the head.

The wizard let out a theatrical shriek. "Not my beautiful hair you monster!"

"Well sorry, I didn't realize how precious it was," Justin replied with an exaggerated eye roll.

"Thank you! I don't appreciate my magical locks being disrespected!" Howl exclaimed before sweeping Justin's legs out from under him with a particularly strong pillow strike.

Justin fell onto his back in the soft bed and he laughed as he looked up at the boy standing over him. Howl, who had expected the prince to get back up or get mad, seemed surprised by the happyness on his face and he sat down beside him. He found, not without a hint of surprise, that he had begun to laugh too.

"You ordered for food, your Majesty?" came an awkward voice from near the door. Both boys whipped around to stare at the servant who was standing there with a tray in his hands. "Sorry, I did knock but it didn't seem anyone could hear me... I did not realize you had company, my Prince, I can come back later."

He emphasized the word 'company' and Howl, glancing from where Justin was laying next to him while he sat above him realized what the man could be implying. Justin seemed to reach the same conclusion and blushed heavily as he sat up, pushing Howl away from him.

"No, it's alright, bring it over here," he ordered the man. Howl still seemed to be in a state of shock which almost made Justin laugh again. He didn't think it was such a big deal, although he couldn't seem to stop the blushing.

The servant put down the trey and quickly retreated from the room.

As soon as he left Howl burst out laughing. "Company?"' he giggled. "I am an honored guest thank you very much!"

"Yes, I don't know how he didn't recognize the Great Wizard Howl, most fabulous and wondrous wizard in all the world! I shall have to file an official complaint to my father the king immediately," Justin responded, also laughing.

Howl turned towards him with such a large smile that Justin felt taken aback by it. It made his heartbeat quicken but that must have been because it was surprising.

Justin should have expected Howl to swiftly recover from Sophie's rejection. He got rejected by girls all the time because he was always in relationships. Indeed there had been a rumor him and the Witch of the Waste had been a couple once.

So for Justin, a boy who had very few relationships under his belt, the fact that he had already moved on like this was incredible.

That must be the reason... Except, Justin found himself unable to break eye contact with the boy. The smile faded a bit from his face as he took in the wizard's dark hair and sapphire eyes... It wasn't surprising that Howl had been in so many relationships, was it?

Finally Howl blinked and averted his eyes, coughing awkwardly, and Justin let out his breath, turning to the food to distract himself.

The boys ate quickly, both of them felt like they could be starving. It was good, rich palace food, nothing like the meals Sophie made, which further lessened the sting in Howl's heart. He was doing impressively, he thought. He hadn't even called the spirits of darkness!

And, he supposed, Justin was a.... Welcome distraction from his heartbreak. Oh magic that made it sound as though he cared about the boy! Howl shook his shoulders and reminded himself again that he did not care about Justi-Turnip!- at all.

But as he glanced over at the blond haired royal, he decided that maybe there were worse things...

Justin turned out the light and the two boys turned their backs on each other, with a good two feet of space between them, and tried to fall asleep.

For Justin it was disorienting. He hadn't slept in the same bed as another person since early in his childhood when his mother would sleep beside him. It was a distressing thought to realize that he could easily roll on top of Howl in the night and not know it.

Howl, on the other hand, did not stay up worrying. He had always slept well being near others and this was no different. Instead of stressing he marveled at how much softer this bed was than the one at his castle (maybe he could steal it before he left) and that sleeping beside Justin was similar to being near others... Maybe it was because, and it was an odd realization, he trusted the prince more than he normally would with his girlfriends or family. He was asleep in minutes.