• The Demon's Curse •

6: In Which Lily is Nosy

This was very different than the book, Lily thought. Not that she could have used it anyway. She was however very happy about getting help with her issue. She was filling with happy thoughts of going back home. 
        "What are you smiling about?" Asked Howl, wickedly.
"Nothing. I'm just happy."
"No. That means you're up to something. What are you hiding?" he questioned her, while passing her a plate of food.
        Lily took it but kept her aloft attitude. She shouldn't be concerned with the sassy wizard or his rude remarks.
Changing the subject the wizard spoke again, "I heard there was a woman with brown hair and a big hat at the parade yesterday."
Michael piped up, as if this were a usual conversation. "Someone you Fancy?"
        "I did once. It was the Witch of the Waste."
Lily choked on her bacon and nearly spit it out completely. she coughed wildly, gaining the attention of all in the room. Even the bronzing skull seemed to be staring her down. 
        "Are you alright?" Asked the pair, showing more concern than others.
"Yes. I'm fine. Sorry." she said, clearly lying. 
So that part was also true. She did have a run in with the Witch of the Netherwastes. She would be after her for sure. 
        "Lily, did something I say startle you?" he asked, now piecing things together.
"No. No-"
"Why it's almost as if you know of the Witch. Where did you say you were from?"
Now Lily was in hot water. What would she tell them? She couldn't very well say she was from North Carolina, now could she? Before she could open her mouth for an answer a knock was sounded at the main door.
        Howl stood, hardly excusing himself; and going to answer it.
"Kingsbury Door!" Shouted the fire.
It was strange but Lily Remembered this part too well. The door was bespelled. Howl grabbed the squared wooden knob and turned it so the blob of red paint was facing down. There were four blobs of paint. Red for Kingsbury, Blue for Portheaven, Green for Market Chipping and Black for a place she couldn't remember well. 
        At the door stood a man in uniform and he began to drone on about thanking the wizard for some pair of boots. Behind him had caught the girl's attention. Buildings tall and of many shapes and sizes touched the clouds. Colors of purple and gold and red complimented the city as it's signature design. Lily was in complete awe to see the vehicles moving as if powered by mechanics and not plain gasoline or steam.
        Before long, the man in uniform handed over a fair sized brown pouch filled with their currency. Michael stared wide-eyed and terrified.
"What's wrong?" Lily asked. Michael said nothing as Howl bid the man goodbye and headed up the stairs. 
"Calcifer! Hot water for my bath!"
        After he had gone and Calcifer ceased his complaining Michael spoke up, "Did you see all that money? Ther'sn't a doubt in my mind Howl will be gadding that all on women."
"What do you mean?" Lily asked, thoroughly confused.
        "Master Howl will do Anything to make a woman fall in love with him. He will spend every coin, spend all of his time, Anything! Anything to make them fall in love with him."
Lily quirked a brow. "And? What's so wrong about that?"
"Once they do, he cuts them off. Drops them like flies. He's just incapable of proper love I guess."
        Once Michael said this, Calcifer cackled, in what sounded like Laughter. 
"Sounds to me like a heartless man. Very Wicked indeed." spat the fire.
"He isn't wicked!" Michael retorted.
        After the morning's breakfast and the Howl debate, Lily began with cleaning up. What she wouldn't give for a bath but the king of flamboyant beauty was still in his bath. As she found an apron and a few rags she  began the hill of dishes. That was until another Knock came to the main door. 
        "Portheaven door!" The fire shouted.
Michael stood from his work bench of spell casting and went to open it with the blue blob of paint facing down. It revealed a small girl.
"I've come for a spell." she said, almost as if it were a practiced question.
        "For your father's boat? The navy man?"he asked as he went over to the bench again.
The girl nodded, stepping inside slightly but not entering to far. Michael took a light green power from a jar and poured it into a square of paper. He twisted it until it was wrapped tightly within itself and handed it to the small girl. She could hardly keep her eyes off of Lily.
        "Does the Wizard have a new mistress?" she asked, more towards Michael. 
He shook his head with an embarrassed laugh. "No. She's our new cleaning lady."
Lily huffed an irritated sigh and pelted the balled-up hand towel at him.
The girl giggled and paused, "Oh, here." She handed over a coin as payment and left not long after.
        The apprentice took the money and hid it under a stone behind the chimney.
"Do you really have to hide money from him?" She asked curiously.
He nodded. "The boy spends money faster than fire eats a log." The demon chimed in. "Speaking of which-"
Lily understood and she didn't mind heaving a log or two on the iron. Though she should pay him the same kindness of a curse. 
        After a while of cleaning, the spruce wizard finally emerged again. His scent wafted through the room like honey, which in fact it probably was. He pranced over to the door picking up the guitar and turning the knob red down. 
"Where does the Black one lead?" She asked catching him before he left. 
"Aren't you a nosy little girl." He smirked. "It's my private study and you are forbidden to go near it understand?"
She nodded and that was that. 
        In the days to come, Howl was in and out. No doubt spreading his wickedness to every town and city. With each pass she could smell a different perfume on him. Each more feminine than the last. Eventually she was given a spot on the floor with a cot by the hearth and a blanket to keep warm. She was beginning to think, getting home would be impossible.
        In the nights, she could hear Calcifer singing in a deep unknown language. As he sang, small embers of blue, white, and green turned into symbols in the air and quickly vanished like smoke. 
"Calcifer?" She asked.
The singing stopped and he answered with a hum. 
"Yes girl?"
        "My hand hurts.." She admitted. In the past few days she was getting no progress out of him. Subtly her hand would begin to burn deep within and the mark was spread to her thumb and palm. 
"It will. I don't have a remedy for pain."
        "Oh."
"Think of something else. Think of sleep. Sometimes dreaming calms the nerves."

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