Y/N tried not to show the shock at the revelation that this woman was her grandmother. Before she could say anything to Suliman, however, the aeroplane set down outside the greenhouse and Jack went to open the door. A tall man dressed in a military uniform stepped through the door, his eyes hidden beneath the rim of the cap.
"Your Majesty," Suliman said with a small incline of her head.
"As you were," the king said, his bushy moustache twitching slightly as he spoke. "So then, how are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, thank you."
"Thought I'd drop by rather than sit through a dull war meeting."
"What an honour."
The king glanced up at Y/N and over at Sophie. "Who are your guests?"
"This is Howl's mother, Mrs Pendragon. And this," she took Y/N's hand in hers, rubbing the back of her hand gently with her thumb, "is my granddaughter, Y/N. Surely you remember her from a few years back."
The king stepped closer to Y/N and nodded. "Of course. I remember you teaching her everything that there was to know about magic. I am thrilled that you have returned, at last, Y/N."
Then the king turned to Sophie. "Thanks for coming. But I've decided not to use magic to win this war. We have tried using Madam Suliman's magic to shield our palace from the enemy's bombs. But the bombs fall on civilian homes instead. That's the problem with magic. Right, Suliman?" The king glanced over his shoulder at his head sorceress.
"You're so eloquent today, Your Majesty."
Suddenly another booming voice echoed through the greenhouse and Y/N paled when she saw another copy of the king walk through the door, waving a piece of paper in the air.
"Sulliman!" He certainly seemed pleased. "I've got a new battle plan. This time we're gonna beat them to a pulp." He noticed the stranger in their midst and laughed boisterously. "Suliman, that's the best double you've made of me yet! Keep up the good work!" He turned on his heel and strode out of the room, ordering a servant to call his generals.
The silence stretched through the hall much longer than Y/N would have liked and her eyes flickered between the double of the king, who she assumed to be Howl, and the woman claiming to be her grandmother, who still had a gentle hold on her hand.
"So nice to see you again, Howl."
Howl bowed in respect, placing a hand over his heart. "You're looking well, Madam Suliman."
"Rather weak disguise. Didn't I teach you better?"
"I'm not trying to outwit you. I kept my oath, I reported when summoned. Now Mother, Y/N, and I will go." Howl wrapped an arm around Sophie as his body returned to its normal form. His hand shot out and Y/N felt her body being pulled towards Howl. Unfortunately, Suliman's magic seemed stronger and she easily pulled Y/N back, throwing her to two servants who held her back and out of the way.
"I'm afraid not," Suliman said. She glanced over her shoulder at Y/N. "I am sorry my dear. I know you love him more than you loved magic, but I must rid Howl of his demon."
She turned back to Howl with a cunning smirk on her face and tapped the bottom of her elegant throne. A wave erupted from where her staff had hit the ground, surging toward Howl and Sophie. Y/N struggled in the grasp of the henchmen and watched as the entire room was flooded with water. As Y/N watched, the water turned to sky, with the earth floating thousands of miles below them.
"Now whatever you do, don't look down," Howl instructed Sophie, though his eyes remained fixed on Y/N. He could see her struggling in the grasp of his old mentor's servants.
"It's time to show your mother what you really are, Howl," Suliman said, grinning like a cat.
A star from the heavens chimed and fell toward the earth, quickly followed by hundreds more. Most whizzed by Howl, Sophie, and the Witch of the Waste, who was clinging to Sophie's dress like a leech, but a few exploded near the three, one of them landing on the cloak of the witch. The stars that exploded started to take form, becoming familiar symbols that Y/N recognized. They joined hands and started to chant as they danced around Howl in a circle.
"Grandmother," Y/N shouted, struggling against her bonds. "Please let him go!"
Suliman ignored her granddaughter's wishes and watched in delight as her spirits exposed Howl's darkness to Sophie.
Y/N watched in horror as Howl's hand erupted into talons, sharp enough to cut through iron, and as feathers sprouted on his face. Fangs grew in his mouth, and a pair of large wings appeared on his back, not unlike the ones that Y/N had seen before.
"Howl," Y/N yelled. "Sophie!"
Sophie looked up to see Suliman appearing out of the darkness, her staff raised like a javelin, glowing with magic. She glared at Howl, who seemed monstrous enough to attack her, and only at the last moment was Sophie able to snap Howl out of the bewitchment. Howl grabbed Sophie and flew her toward the heavens, shattering glass as they burst out of the greenhouse.
The illusion disappeared and Y/N watched as they landed in the courtyard outside. The group sat down on the aeroplane that Howl had most likely stolen and a second later, they were soaring into the sky, disappearing over the castle walls as Y/N stared after them, helpless in the hold that her grandmother had on her.
Suliman tapped her staff again and an alarm rang throughout the palace, alerting the other guards to the escape of Howl.
"Let him go! Please!"
Suliman sighed and motioned with her hand for her henchmen to release her granddaughter. Then she silently beckoned Y/N toward her.
"Y/N," Suliman said with a sigh, taking Y/N's hand in hers. "You must understand why I do this. Howl has succumbed to the destruction of greed, a demon great enough that it would destroy the world if given the chance." She smiled. "I know that you love him, but for right now, I ask that you remain here in the castle with me. I hope to teach you once more in the ways of magic."
Y/N's head drooped. Something told her that there was no arguing with this woman once she set her mind to something.
Jack and his brother were currently tending to Suliman. Two tried to pull out her staff, which had managed to spear Sophie's hat during their escape, while another presented Suliman with a glass of wine. She declined the wine for herself but passed it to Y/N, who took it hesitantly.
"Thank you," Suliman said as Jack handed the staff back to the woman. Another boy brought the sorcerer Sophie's hat. "That was the most fun I've had in ages. I suppose Howl thinks he's evaded me. I bet his mother can help me find him, however."
She chuckled and turned to Jack. "Please escort Y/N to her chambers. I shall be there shortly to instruct her in her first lesson."
Jack nodded, bowed to Suliman, and asked Y/N to follow him from the room.
The room that Y/N was provided with was beautiful, to say the least, just like everything else in the castle. Scarlet drapes that were restrained with a beautiful golden rope, a four-poster bed larger than any that she had ever seen, and too many dresses in the wardrobe that she would ever be able to wear.
She sighed and threw herself onto the bed, exhausted and confused. She lay there for a while, somewhere between sobbing her heart out and being too tired ly summon any tears from her body.
. . .
Night had fallen and Y/N was once again by herself, sitting on her bed with her knees tucked into her chest. It had been quite the day. First running away from the castle that morning and finding herself at a tea party with a woman claiming to be her grandmother, to being kidnapped by said woman, and then taught magic for hours that afternoon. Her body cried out with every sudden movement, tired from that day's activities, and yet, with the sudden crash of a body falling through her open window, she was on her feet in a second.
"Howl," Y/N exclaimed, running over to the man as he collapsed on the floor. She fell to the ground before him and caught him as he stumbled, pulling him into a warm embrace. Once again, his body was covered in feathers and his feet were like a bird's.
"Y/N," Howl said softly, staring up at the woman. There was no energy left in his body as he had spent it all trying to keep the guards from finding Sophie and himself as he went back for Y/N. He could never, and would never, leave her with Sulimaeven though Suliman was her grandmother.
"Why did you come back," Y/N whispered, glancing toward the door. She knew that Suliman had posted a guard outside and that charms had been placed on the room so that Suliman would be alerted if Y/N ever left. "You should have just gone home."
Howl shook his head, wincing at the pain. "How could I? Knowing that you were here, trapped like a prisoner."
Y/N bit her lip, trying to figure out what to do. She couldn't stay here. Not with Howl injured and unable to fight if Suliman ever found out that he was here. But how could she leave?
"Howl," Y/N asked hesitantly. "If I healed you and restored some of your energy, would you be able to get us back to the castle?"
Howl nodded and his eyes fluttered open. "Just tell me one thing, Y/N."
"What is it, Howl?"
"Do you forgive me? For taking your memories?"
Y/N sighed and nodded, lowering her forehead to Howl's. "Yes, I forgive you, Howl. I'm sorry that I ran. I was just so shocked by everything."
Howl chuckled. "I can't blame you for that. I shouldn't have been so selfish. I-" he paused. "I just wanted you to remember me. I wanted you to remember us." He winced. "I wanted you to love me again..."
Y/N laughed and held Howl closer to her so that he could hear her beating heart in her chest. "I didn't need those memories to love you, Howl. From the moment I met you I loved you. Memories or no."
Howl let out a pained chuckle and nuzzled closer to the warmth and hearth of comfort that Y/N provided. It had only been a short while since he had taken her memories, and yet, in those past months, he had felt that the world had gone by in a haze. Nothing made sense. Not without her. Not without her comforting embrace after a long day of practising magic. Not without her kisses on his forehead when she knew he was exhausted. Not without the songs that she sang whenever he had a nightmare.
Suddenly, Y/N shot up, her head turning toward the door. She let out a small gasp and raised her hand, a blinding golden light shooting out from her palm and forming chains around the door that led into her chambers. Then she turned back to Howl and pressed her hand to his chest, muttering incoherently under her breath as she focused on an ancient healing spell that Suliman had taught her.
Feeling rejuvenated, Howl lept to his feet and scooped Y/N up into his arms. He jumped and landed on the windowsill, facing out into the peaceful night. A rain cloud had settled itself over the castle and Howl laughed, turning his face toward the sky.
"Y/N, would you care to run away with me?"
Y/N nodded and leaned up, pressing a kiss to Howl's cheek. "Without a doubt!"
And just as the guard burst into the room, the two were gone.
* * *
The two escapees arrived at the castle late that night, long after everyone had gone to sleep. Using so much magic had drained Howl to the limits and as they landed just outside the house, Y/N carefully helped him through the door as he leaned on her. Thankfully, his monstrous bird-like appearance was limited this time, due to the healing spell that Y/N had cast on him earlier.
Quietly, the two tip-toed past Sophie and the Witch of the Waste who were sleeping next to Calcifer's warm embers in the hearth. Y/N smiled at the young appearance of her friend and carefully scooted around her body, pulling Howl's limp body up the stairs.
"Come on, Howl," she whispered. "We're almost to your room."
Howl nodded, his head falling onto Y/N's shoulders. One of his wings was draped across her shoulder, while the other dragged on the ground. He wasn't quite feeling up to lifting it at this point.
Upon entering the room, Y/N carefully lay Howl down in his bed and stood by the edge of it, getting ready to cast the healing spell again.
"Wait."
Y/N froze, her hands hovering over Howl's body.
"What is it, Howl?"
The man grunted and his body started to shift back to its original form. He lifted his hand and pointed to a small wooden box lying on his bedside table.
"That. That was yours. I kept it as a memento of you... It was your vessel for magic. Or, one of them anyway..."
Y/N frowned and picked up the box, sitting on the edge of Howl's bed as she placed it on her lap. She lifted the lid and gasped. Sitting inside the box was a beautiful bronze flute with small golden embellishments on it. She carefully lifted it from its case and smiled, turning to Howl.
"This was mine?"
Howl nodded and his eyes flickered open. "You chose to learn about the magic that was connected to music, along with everything else that you were learning. That was why Suliman called you the siren of the palace. You were always singing or playing that."
Y/N raised the flute to her lips and turned to face Howl, smiling at him as she did so. She blew into the elegant instrument and watched as sparks started to float off of her instrument, slowly drifting toward Howl's body and landing on him. It seemed that wherever the sparks landed, the feathers and tiredness seemed to vanish as the spark faded, and with each note, Howl seemed to relax.
"Thank you, Y/N," Howl whispered. Sleep was calling and he answered.
Y/N, however, didn't stop playing on the flute until she was sure that Howl was asleep. Then, she got to her feet, pressed a kiss to his forehead, and left the room, shutting the door behind her.
She remained silent until she got outside, and in the darkness of the night, she started to play the song again, listening as the notes drifted out onto the clear night sky. Her feet started to drift across the grass, almost as if she was floating on a bed of air, and though her eyes were shut, the world came to life with each note. Flowers blossomed beneath her feet, small animals crawled out of their burrows and into the moonlight to see the woman, and even a small mountain stream started to follow her.
A blanket of peace settled over the world in the dark hours, unbeknownst to the woman. Though her memories of her magical talents had faded, her gift of peace was still running through her veins. And as the music sang songs of wonder and dreams, the world knew that the war would end and that everything would be okay.