Howl's Moving Castle Fan Fiction ❯ Seven ❯ Jealousy ( Chapter 1 )

The title of this chapter would be similar to "Envy", but I decided that "Jealousy" was more fitting

 

Disclaimer: I don't own Howl's Moving Castle. Diana Wynne Jones does.

 

Chapter One

Jealousy

 

After the defeat of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie had rightfully expected a change in the famous wizard. His heart was returned to him and he had every right to be just a little more sympathetic towards her. So, for the first week or so, when she didn't really care to care, she just marveled at being her old-or rather young self again.

 

She put more effort into her life than she ever had before. It rarely dawned on her anymore that she was the eldest of three. The castle was her home. She was the lady of the house and to her fortune, Howl had not turned her away in the last instant when she had become herself again. She was still beaming with life and working harder than ever to really live. Sophie ran out to the Waste everyday to pick flowers for the now blossoming shop. It was the very talk of Ingary, the flowers she sold in her own little store.

 

Sophie would talk the life into the flowers for anyone who asked. It was a miracle that the world was coming to accept the new Sophie. She was rarely shy anymore. Actually, she was rather stern and proud and now she was happy. After two weeks of her joy, Jenkin's Flower Shop was making a killing.

 

Sophie hardly noticed where Howl had been to. She knew that she was having a bit of a "shocked" period and that soon she would really have to think about him. In this particular line of thought, Sophie was scared. There was absolutely no doubt in her mind that Howl had stolen her heart. Truth be told, and she could deny it only to him, she was in love with Wizard Howl.

 

She argued with her sisters over her infatuation, but they came out, usually the victors. It was simple really. Sophie just had to tell him the truth. And on the very anniversary of the day she met Howl, Sophie finally began to notice what yonder Wizard was up to.

 

She decided that she would always close the shop on May Day. After all, it celebrated more occasions than one. Calcifer shot fireworks off at the castle again for Michael's birthday and just for the fun of it as well.

 

Sophie made breakfast in the castle, then dressed herself in the fine blue dress that Howl had bought for her only a week ago, and boldy stepped out of the castle door and into the streets of Market Chipping. There was much gasping, staring, and whispering. The castle was smack dab in the middle of the Market Square. It was a wonder how it could fit there. Sophie shone in the spotlight while the whole town looked on her in mock astonishment.

 

It didn't really help when Howl decided to randomly appear behind her, dressed evenly in his silver and blue suit with his hair gleaming brilliantly blonde at the crowd. He grinned at the people, then wisped right past Sophie, who only shrugged. In an instant, he was gone. She shut the castle door and followed his lead, worrying all the while.

 

Lettie met her at the fountain. "Sophie, what just happened there?" She hissed. "He just left you there!" Sophie marveled at her sister, whom the men were all admiring from afar. "Trust me. I did notice this time." Sophie informed her. She sighed and stared at the end of her dress, that swept over to hide her feet. Sophie grimaced.

 

"I better go find what he's up to." She said and left Lettie to fend for herself. But Sophie couldn't seem to find Howl. She looked forever and all over town. She didn't find him at Cesari's, which suprised her greatly. Howl like to go there. She did find, however, Michael and Martha hovering in an abandoned corner.

 

Sophie took one look at them and fled. She'd be a fool to interrupt their privacy. Instead, she gandered about the streets. It surprised her, even frightened her a little, when several men tried to politely accost her. No longer was she a shy gray mouse, and bored as she was, accepted several of them for dances or treats.

 

She made small talk and learned much about a Count from Strangia and a merchant from Zanzib. Sophie absorbed what information she could like a sponge. Strangia seemed a well enough place, somewhat like Ingary, but Zanzib seemed dreadful. People their bickered constantly, and it seemed a very hot and far away place.

 

About mid day, she decided to return home to see if Calcifer was still there. Much to her displeasure, he was out about the town like everyone else. So she skipped lunch and squandered out and about once more. She was having so much fun with the accosting, that she completely forgot her original purpose and never saw that she was being spied on by no other than her own darling Wizard.

 

Howl was furious. Oh sure, he'd been flirting with the women a little today, but did Sophie have to go and dance with every man that asked her? She was obviously the eye of all the accosting men. She was, to her unawareness, also the eye of the wicked Wizard Howl. For two weeks she had barely decided to notice him. He had been trying so hard to make her jealous, but to no avail. Sophie, same as ever, still was immune to Horrible Howl.

 

He'd decided the moment that the Witch had stolen her from him that day, that he loved her. It was funny, he'd never loved anyone before, not really, then suddenly Sophie decided to force her nose into his life and throw off all of his calculations. So Howl had made a decision. He would die before he gave up on making Sophie love him! And curse any man who tried the same, literally. Every man that did manage to squander his way into Sophie's arms, kept finding himself with a horrible case of misfortune.

 

Howl could take it no longer when the Prince of Zanzib suddenly found himself wound into Sophie's power. He jumped from his hiding place and nearly flew to Sophie's side. Oh she was going to be mad, he just knew it!

 

***

 

Sophie was smiling. She was having an excellent time talking to the merchant fellow again. But unexpectedly, a voice of pure hatred leaked into her ear that make her shiver with discomfort. Howl. He was beside her. The merchant had stopped the dance and was staring quite openly with his face full of fear that he wasn't hiding as well as he should have been.

 

"Hello, Adulh." Howl growled. Sophie couldn't begin to understand what was wrong with him. He seemed ready to murder Adulh on the spot. "Howl-" She began but was cut off. Adulh suddenly decided that he cared for his life a bit too much and rushed away.

 

"WHY DID YOU DO THAT, HOWL?!" Sophie yelled at him. He glared and didn't seem to acknowledge the several heads that jerked around to stare. "No reason. I just don't like the Prince of Zanzib."

 

"He said he was a merchant from Zanzib." Sophie said, exasperated. "He was just trying to be nice."

 

"Oh was he?" Howl was brimming oddly. The air around him suddenly seemed very tense. Sophie saw that the shadows on the ground were all twitching oddly. "Oh no!" She said. It would be green slime in a matter of moments if she didn't calm him down.

 

"I'm sorry!" She said, forcefully. "Howl, I didn't know!"

 

This seemed to calm him a little. He was still upset, but the shadows were beginning to behave themselves. He sighed. "I believe you Sophie." He obviously didn't, which didn't fair to well with her, but she kept her silence. "Dance with me?"

 

Sohpie was suddenly clumsy and too embarrassed to speak. She hadn't expected this. She nodded and found her way into his arms. He held her far more tightly than any of her previous partners. She really didn't mind, though. Howl was fighting a mental struggle. Then men in the area were obviously not very pleased with him. He could understand why, but he had to show them that Sophie was his. Sophie was having a similar issue. She had taken the best looking man in the square. The women were glaring at her venemously. She had to show them that Howl was hers.

 

So there they stood, swaying tensely to the music, but not really paying attention to it. "Howl, I think we should go somewhere else." Sophie finally said. "We're getting weird looks." Howl was about to agree when something occured to him.

 

He grinned to himself before saying. "Oh, well if you don't want to stay, then I don't mind if you go." He stood back from her, bowed formerly and turned to the closest good looking girl. In moments, he was dancing with a tall curvy blond. Sophie was furious, but not about to back down. Wizard Suliman was close by. Sophie knew that Lettie was dearly fond of him, but she just hoped that her sister would forgive her.

 

If there was any person in the world that Howl could be jealous of, it was another Wizard. "Wizard Suliman?" Sophie met him with an inviting grin. "Won't you dance with me?"

 

He smiled, but his eyes dashed meaningfully from Howl and back to her. He rose a brow, before he let her step into his arms. "Trying to make him jealous?" He whispered playfully into her ear. Sophie blushed. Was it really so obvious? "Lettie..." she hissed aloud. He grinned wider and nodded. "She told me to come help you."

 

Oh thank you, Lettie! "Tell her that I appreciate it."

 

"She knows that already."

 

"Oh? What else did she tell you?" Sophie put an interested gleam in her expression that would look flirty she hoped.

 

He put one on of his own. "To make it look believable. Mind if I give you a peck on the cheek when the dance is done?"

 

"Sure thing. Is he looking?"

 

Suliman's eyes darted fractionally towards Howl. They flew back into place and the Wizard suddenly looked horribly uncomfortable. Sophie saw that he was starting to sweat. "He noticed alright." He hissed. "I think he might kill me."

 

She grinned. "Perfect." The dance ended and Suliman brushed his lips quickly on her cheek before giving the polite bowl that would end the dance. She saw that the other men were doing the same. As she went to curtsy, she saw that one couple was breaking the rules. Sophie took one look and gasped. She straightened as the clapping began. Suliman's eyes darted over to Howl who was making out quite disturbingly with the woman he had danced with.

 

When the air became very stiff and seemed as if electricity was riding on it, he turned his attention back to Sophie...and very deliberately took a startled jump back. He could suddenly feel nothing but sympathy for the Wizard Howl.

 

Because Sophie was angry, and she wasn't playing anymore.

 

***

 

End Chapter

Cliff Hanger...muwahahaha!

 

REVIEW DARE I SAY PLEASE?

NO SERIOUSLY. I WANT TO KNOW IF I SHOULD KEEP THIS GOING