Artemis (howl x reader)

a scarecrow ?

raven sauntered down the stairs, markl following behind her as she descends, sophie and howl already in a heated discussion so early, markl groans and raven puts him on her chair, patting his head she silently walks around to the kitchen. 

"The King wants to see me today. I shall probably be kicking my heels in the Palace until evening, but I can do something for your rheumatism when I get aback. Don't forget markl I left that spell for you on the bench." howl calls for the boy, the boy hums in agreement and his eyes fall close again.

raven smiles and ties her hair into a bunch on the back of her head. pouring a tea for the sleeping boy raven plates up a few bits for breakfast and walks them over to markl who takes them with a sluggish grip. 

turning to sophie again raven pats her shirt down. "i wont be home until moon rise" 

"okay" sophie smiles. raven hums and grabs her satchel. "good bye sophie, see you later" 

raven walks past howl and he looks at her. "where are you going?" 

"out" she tucks a strand of his hair behind his ear and he smiles. "where too?" 

"none of your business" raven gently pushes the man back and throws open the door, it opens onto the wastes, sophies eyes widen as two large white wings pull out the back of ravens shirt, sophie feels her throat tighten in shock as raven steps out the door and up into the sky. 

"h-how!" sophie yells. howl looks over at her and chuckles. 

"magic!" 

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that afternoon raven arrived home, markl having already come home was laughing with sophie in the kitchen. the pair turn to raven and she drops her basket on the table, her wings folding back into her body. she opens the lid and the smell of mint overtakes the castle.

"what did you get?" sophie walks over and raven smiles.

"what didn't i get" she turns her attention to calcifer who seems to be asleep. "what's wrong with him?" raven mutters.

"its been a busy day" sophie hums and raven nods, turning her attention to the box of cake on the table. "cake?"

"i brought it" markl smiles

"oh, wow!" raven chuckles. 

suddenly the door opened and howl walked inside, everyone glanced towards the man. he looked abit distraught.

"everything okay?" raven sits up straight and howl looks towards her, "i have to find someone to blacken my name to the king"

"why was the spell you gave him go wrong" raven asks, howl has been working under the king for a while, with the ever growing war and issues the royal family has been having personally, the king has had him creating potions after potions.

"no, it was perfect" howl falls into his chair. "The King's trying to pin me down to do something else now. if we're not very careful, he's going to appoint me Royal Magician"

raven frowned, howl drops his head into his hands and groans. "i could help"

"you've got enough on your plate at the moment" howl mutters, "if you get involved, he will only use you and your gifts"

raven sighs and glances at calcifer, watching the fire lay still. what had he done today to make him so tired.

"he was sounding me out about his brother, quiet ominously." howl frowns looking at raven.

"Apparently they had a good old argument before Prince Justin stormed off, and people are talking. The King obviously wanted me to volunteer to look for his brother. And like a fool I went and said I didn't think Suliman was dead, and that made matters worse."