• The Demon's Curse •

9: In Which Howl Wants

        Lily struggled in the thick putrid slime. She waded through it and gathered up Howl as best as she could. His jellied body kept slipping and she was getting more tired by the second. Just as she was about to drop the body, which she was sure was dead by now, she felt it suddenly become lighter. On the other side stood Michael, heaving Howl's melodramatic body up the stairs. 
"Don't worry about him Lily, All he needs is a bath. He's done this a few times before." he said.
Lily nodded but could see the strain Michael had in forcing that smile. It seemed strange that Howl would be so dramatic over something so trivial as looks, but then again, she couldn't be bothered with the wizards thoughts.
        Beside the workbench, laid a filthy dust ridden rag, which she grabbed and started shoving the slime away from Calcifer's Hearth. 
Sooner than later the little flame grew from the embers, chewing on the log she set in place for him.
"You scared me." She said, once the demon returned.
        "You? I was the one Drowning!"
And just like that, the castle was back to normal. Michael had successfully washed away all the slime and dirt from Howl and tossed his old, ruined suit into a vat of water to soak. It wasn't until later in the afternoon, Lily decided to cook something for supper that Howl made his way downstairs with his hair black as night. 
        He sat at the table as Michael slept tiredly in his bed, without supper to be had. The poor boy was exhausted with the day's shenanigans.
He said nothing and looked as grim as ever. 
"I like your hair better blonde." Lily said, slightly rude to the grieving Magician. A look of despair washed over his face and Lily thought he may begin to slime himself again. 
        "Well it isn't thanks to you." he snared back still only staring at the wood oak table before him.
"Was that a reason to terrorize the town?" She said, keeping up the complex facade. 
He only sighed in response.
        Lily glanced over at Calcifer who rolled over on his log. He wanted no part of the wizard for the time being. 
She set the table with fried potatoes and some fish she had picked up in Porthaven. It had been a few years since Lily had a home cooked meal, given she was always working. She sat down across from the silent temper tantrum and began to fill her plate when the wizard spoke up.
        "Michael claims you were worried about me." 
Lily shoved a fork-full of food into her mouth and kept her eyes on her plate, "I was not."
Calcifer hissed in his flames, close to what laughter would sound like. Both glared in his direction, Lily hoping he wouldn't give her away.
        But how could she be so bland to trust a demon...
"The girl looked like she had seen a ghost!" hooted the demon. 
Howl looked back at the girl to find a tint of pink on her cheeks. Her mark burned with anger, ready to douse the fire with water.
        He grinned, "Yet another to fall for the notorious heart eater."
She flared up, "That isn't true! You're an awful man- no child! You blacken your name and string women along like it's some sort of sick game."
Lily stormed and went out into the night, turning the dial to Market Chipping. 
        The fire crackled with anticipation just as Howl looked over knowingly.
"Oh Calcifer, what have you done 'ol fiend?"
"Whatever do you mean you infectious wizard?" he snapped back.
"I know you made a bargain with her. That mark is from your tongue. I'd know it anywhere, now why would she want out so badly?" He asked, more over to the dusty skull on the table.
 "I told you already. She wants to go home." The fire replied, straining his voice lowly. 
"Calcifer, I've been thinking." Howl stood, walking over to the workbench and fetching a crystal ball. 
"I want to see her world."
The wizard stared at the clouded ball intently, but the clouds never cleared. It wouldn't show him anything outside of his own dimensions. 
With a defeated sigh, he tossed the ball aside, hearing it crack the floorboard. Both cringed, knowing Calcifer would gripe at him later for it. 
"Why does she want to go back anyway?"
"Perhaps she can't stand you?" The fire grinned his sharp teeth. 
The wizard gasped, "Impossible!" 
        The wizard grumbled to himself as he finished his dinner and eventually he headed back to bed. Much later that night, Lily came back in, just as the midnight rains had stopped. 
She poked her head through the door, "Is he asleep?"
Calcifer nodded, as she came inside and dried her hair with a towel.  "You'll catch a cold."
        She pulled up a stool and said beside the warm fire. 
"He really doesn't want you to go." said the blue crackling beast.
She looked down at the ashes, avoiding any sympathy the demon tried to give.
"I don't care what he wants. I want to go home. I don't belong here Calcifer. He knows that!" she said, pulling her knees up to her chest. 
        "You should care about what he wants. It may be the only key in breaking the bargain we're in."
She looked up at this. "What does he want?"
"A heart."
        The next morning Michael was awake bright and early working away on his working bench. Howl was awake as well, much to Lily's annoyance. He came out of the bathroom, sproused up in lavender and the faint smell of honey. 
        "Well I'm off!" He announced bouncing to the door with his guitar in hand. "Work on that spell I laid out for you Michael," He said. Just before he left, he glanced at Lily, "Goodbye Lily."
She thought that was strange of him, considering he had never paid him much attention.

 🌸