Thorns of a Rose #1 (Howl's Moving Castle fanfiction)

Chapter 2: A Persistent Problem

Sophie locked the doors to the flower shop and turned the open sign to close. She had kept the shop open longer than her normal hours, even though there were only a couple customers that followed after Justin. Truthfully, she was afraid of going home; or rather afraid of what she would tell Howl.

Then again, she only needed to worry about that if he was even home. With how things had been lately, Sophie wasn't sure of anything he did. Howl was so vague when he mentioned anything of his current missions, and he never under any circumstances let her know where he was going. Though he claimed it was for her protection that she be in the dark about his locations, it still left her anxious every minute he was gone.

Over time she learned to trust that Howl's instincts would bring him home, yet that sliver of doubt wormed its way into the back of her mind on occasion. Sometimes - most times, actually - she didn't want to trust him. She just wanted to know.

Sophie held the white rose, her mind revolving around Prince Justin's words from earlier. She couldn't tell Howl that he proposed. Again. She hadn't told him about the four other times, and this would be no different. Time and time again, Sophie turned him down in the name of her love for Howl. If he relied on her constant trust when he was gone, he could also rely on her trust that she would always be faithful to him.

It was best he stayed oblivious to Justin's proposals.

Sophie walked through the courtyard that led home. While the war raged on last year, Howl chose her childhood home as their surrogate for the castle to stay safe from Suliman's battlement. Though they were forced to separate the castle for a time, and even enjoyed some time as a castle in the sky, Sophie missed the familiarity of her hometown. Howl knew it would make her happy once more, so they returned.

She opened the front door and walked up the shrt staircase to the living room. It was a spacious area, enough to fit a living and dining area. The kitchen was off to the side behind a swing door, and when Sophie looked beyond the half wall, she saw that it had been a disgusting mess since she left from her lunch break.

Sophie grumbled softly. She distinctly remembered telling Markl to clean up before he practiced magic.

He had become quite the apprentice to his master. The novice boy loved wearing his cloak to transform into an older man more than any other spell he knew. It was his specialty, and he liked that people took him more seriously when he appeared older. That didn't stop him from trying out other magic, however, especially for a magician as eager and enthusiastic as him.

The white and tan dog, who spent most of his days sleeping and lounging around, noticed Sophie and immediately toppled off the couch. He jogged to her with his tail wagging back and forth against the floor.

"Heen, how's my favorite doggie?" Heen wheezed as he rolled onto his side, begging for Sophie to rub his stomach. He had been so obedient and kind since he decided to leave Madame Suliman. Despite him being simply a dog, he knew a lot more than some humans - like how horrible of a sorceress Madame Suliman really was.

She'd been the King's Royal Sorceress for decades, training young and bright magicians like Howl the ways of magic and keeping watch over Ingary with her overpowering abilities. While that seemed all wonderful for a time, Sophie had witnessed enough of her control over those same magicians in the war. Nothing she had ever done was for the greater good of the country - it was always for her own selfish desires.

Sophie wondered how Justin could allow her residency in the Royal Palace, since his heart was much more compassionate than hers. It was fortunate that Heen got out, but she wished Justin's brother, King Roland, would eventually see her cruelties.