• The Demon's Curse •

13: In Which Lily Forgives

        That night Lily couldn't sleep. She had convinced herself that the stars could grant wishes and that was her ticket out of there. Her mark had also in fact faded from it harsh burgandy color. Instead of the mark harshly branded on her pale skin, it looked more like she had spilled wood stain on herself. She was much happier with that excuse than a Demon cursing her.
        "What are you so giddy about? Plan on gadding, now that you know where the money is hidden? I promise I won't tell Michael."
Lily hardly noticed the fire demon wasn't humming his usual tune. She tried to ignore him when he was cranky. At least she called it cranky. It felt safer than saying he was abruptly evil.
        "No. No gadding for me. Besides, I wouldn't trust you after you've given me this." She lifted up her sleeve to show off her improved work of art. If you looked close enough, there would be spirals of fire, much like Calcifer himself.
"Back away before I give you another." He threatened, through she sensed it was empty. "It seems much less heavy now. Have you uncovered something useful about my bargain?"
        She shook her head of wild black strands, "No I haven't. At least I don't think so. I noticed it fade when we were talking about the stars. I want to catch one as it falls tomorrow."
        Calcifer grew silent again but recovered quickly from suspicion, "I don't see that as being very useful to me."
Lily would have gotten in another word about her elaborate plan but the demon rolled over on his log. 
She herself would have gotten some shut-eye, had someone not snaked his way down the stairs.
        "Lily? Are you dreaming?"
She opened her eyes so see Howl staring back at her. His hair was now black as night but seemed too shiny to blend into the darkness.
        "No." She muttered groggily. She was in no shape to be handling Howl's shenanigans tonight.
"Good. Get Up. I have something I want to show you." he commanded.
As she sat up, rubbing sleep from her eyes she watched him rummage through an old broom closet she hardly noticed was there in the first place. 
        "What is it?" she asked with a breathy yawn.
"Ah-Ha! Found them." He returned from the closet, careful not to disturb the spider's nest. 
He held up a pair of ugly old boots. They were made for a giant, she was sure. She furrowed her brows at the boots. Was he offering these to her? Did they made her fly or dance? Were they some sort of cursed object created to imprison giants?
        In that moment she spied a small spider crawling on his arm and lifted her hand to swat it dead. "I'll get it."
Howl instinctively caught her hand, "No! You leave those spiders alone. I've said it once and all say it again. The spiders are my friends."
"How can you be friends with spiders?" She squeaked, glaring at the spider who found it's way between the floorboards.
        "Simple. They kill the other pests for me and they get a home and a meal. It's beneficial to both parties." Lily let out a frustrated sigh at the impossible man. "But as I was saying," He continued, holding up the boots. "These are called the Seven-League boots."
"You made those for the king. I remember the Messenger paying you for them weeks ago."
        "Clever." He smiled at her, "And do you know what they do?"
She shook her head. "Seven Leagues is roughly twenty-one miles. Do they make you grow seven leagues tall?"
Howl faltered at her response. "No you idiot. Who would want to grow twenty-one miles tall? Pipe down and follow me."
        She did without question, until they were under the starry sky of Upper Folding. Not a scarecrow in sight, thankfully. Howl set the boots on the ground and slipped his left foot into the left boot. Shoe and all. 
"And now you place your right foot in here." He said, balancing on one leg. His grace amazed her but didn't surprise her. Howl bounced all over the place, even with his emotions. Not to mention he was an all powerful wizard who possibly had plenty practice with balance. 
        Lily shoved her smaller boot in the larger boot, holding Howl for support. "And now we take one step."
They both did so and found the scenery changed drastically. It zipped by like a painting, dripping with thinner. Lily stared in awe. 
"You travel Seven leagues." She said through a smile. Her eyes scanned the sky and the land all around. Her neck craned at the amazement of it all until her sight landed on Howl.
"Ten and a half miles per step." he smiled at her. She noticed something then. She was beginning to notice many things lately as if it were all becoming less blurred. Less Confusing. Normal.
        She noticed his flawless hair was not covering his eyes. And they no longer looked like green milk. She expected herself to be disappointed but she found sapphires. Almost like water. They were a dark color but she guessed it reflected his black hair. But bright blue. He no longer seemed to be blind.
        "What?" He questioned.
"Your eyes. They're-"
"I know." He shielded them with his hand. Clearly embarrassed. "I ran out of my eye potions. I'll have to concoct more."
"Beautiful."
        He paused and seemed to be confused. He hardly received compliments from Lily, if any at all. A rosy color blossomed on his cheeks as he chewed his lip for something to say. 
"T-Thank you Lily. That's very kind of you." He said, avoiding her awkward stare.
        She pulled herself from the trance, not intending to make him feel uncomfortable.
"Watch this. Oh! And stay right there." With a sudden shift in his tone he disappeared with one step.
It was unsettling to see the dust, (of his form) scatter into the air. Ten miles a second. That was fast.
        Within another second he returned with a handful of Calla Lilies. The fluttering moths and slight brown patches indicated they grew wildly. She had never seen the Flower she was named after in front of her. Only in pictures.
She gingerly took the sad bouquet and smiled. No smell other than that of a freshly cut plant but they were pleasant.
        "You brought me out here to give me Lilies?" She questioned with a laugh.
"No. I got them from the NetherWastes, over forty thousand miles from here. I want you to have these boots so if you come to any trouble you know to run. Take it from the biggest coward himself."
        This stirred a little mixture of pity and regret in Lily. She didn't mean for that to actually slip out during their argument.
"I know that look, and I want you to forget whatever it is you are going to say. I am a coward. I run from things I don't want to face and I will always run from things I can't face."
        "Why." She asked simply. "Why do you run so easily?"
"If I knew why I did such things, I would become a changed man. Perhaps I'm looking for something deeply beautiful or passionate."
        She understood that. From what she had observed in the bathroom, Howl very much liked to appear beautiful with his ever changing creams and elixirs. Not that he needed changing. He seemed equally handsome in comparison. But he chased beautiful girls, such as Lettie. His search for beautiful must go farther than skin deep because he never sticks to what he finds. Perhaps that was his bargain with Calcifer.
        "Thank you for doing this for me. Not just the flowers of course but looking out for my well being. I think it's only fair to forgive you for breaking my glasses."
He grinned happily. "I can still fix them for you if you like."
"I would like that very much."

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