• The Demon's Curse •

21: In Which Howl Finishes his Spell

        Howl hummed a tune as he walked alongside Lily. She was worried for him. Howl usually avoids conflict at all costs but Wales was ridden with Conflict.
"Your sister doesn't seem to like me very much." Lily interjected.
The wizard hardly looked at her, "She doesn't like me much either."
        "Why? Were you mean to her as a child?" She inquired, hoping to get more out of him that a bland answer.
He took a breath, as if it would difficult to explain, "I suppose it can't hurt for you to know." His mouth formed a thin line as he searched for the words to use. "My parents weren't very wealthy growing up. In fact, with three children it was difficult to feed everyone. Megan was the oldest, I the middle and Eliza the youngest. Growing up our family had to send us off to our casks early if we were going to make it through the winter."
        Howl swallowed, while Lily listened eagerly.
"Eliza was supposed to go into a cooking cask that my mother used to go to school with, but she had gotten very ill. Megan went off to study medicines in hopes of returning with some practice and money to help our sister. I was supposed to go off blacksmithing with my father but I couldn't. Eliza was growing weaker by the day until she died. I wanted so badly to change it but I couldn't. So I ran. I found a tutor in the country who taught me the basics of magic. From there My family shunned me for abandoning them. They had moved on from my sister's death, without me. I learned that no ordinary magic could cure her but maybe some other magic could. So I left again to become one of the greatest Wizard's alive. When I came back, Megan all that was left."
        Lily felt guilty. She couldn't possibly know what he had felt.
"Is that why you made the deal with Calcifer? To bring back your sister?" Howl shook his head with a bitter smile, "No. She was long gone when i found Calcifer. Besides, if i attempted magic such as that; who knows who I'd have resurrected."
Lily bit her lip. She was sheltered all her life and felt the support her mother gave her when she became a book mender. The biggest tragedy she felt was when her cat had run away, only to have been caught by a teenager who used her as a science project. He had won first place and she didn't have the heart to tell him that his project was her best friend.
        "That must be awful. But you've come so far, and Mari seems a lot like you." She attempted to cheer him up. It worked but the grim atmosphere remained.
"Yes, She wants to learn magic. It dangerous but I've seen her do it. One day she may make a fine witch. If her mother ever lets her out of the house."
        Lily tried to focus on the task at hand while they approached the Cemetery, "Why do you dread visiting this woman? The teacher I mean."
"Clever girl." Howl glanced at her, with a quick ghost of a smile. "Remember that spell you and Michael tried? It was actually a song. The Woman we're visiting is the one who gave it to me. We exchanged poems to create one."
"Is she special to you?" 
        "Greatly. She taught me the basics of magic a long time ago. Would you care to hear it?"
Lily nodded quickly, "Yes please."
"You are an enchanted castle with four doors. Each opens a different dimension. In Dimension One the castle is moving constantly and may arrive at a hazard at any time..."
        "Well if it isn't Howell Jenkins." A voice floated in from the house they arrived at. On the outside stood a woman-- a young woman. Lily expected her to be much older, if in fact she had to be at least twice as old as Howl. But that wasn't the case. Misses Angorian was a younger woman with tanned amazon skin. She was tall and had blue-black hair in unbelievable straightness. Her eyes were almond shaped and sparkled emerald. She was the replica of a Lady of the Night.
        "Miss Angorian, A pleasure as always." Howl gave a quick bow.
"And Who is this young girl?" She said, glancing down at Lily expectantly.
"This is Lily Mason."
        The woman didn't seem to like Lily in the slightest, like her very existence annoyed her to no end. "A Student?" she raised a brow, ignoring Lily entirely.
"No." Howl said quickly, "She doesn't have any magic. I was wondering why it was you summoned me here." For some reason, Lily began to sulk. The mature woman-- Which was beginning to make her feel small and child-like. Lily was an adult, she should be allowed to speak to the woman freely.
        "Come inside. You'll catch your death out there." She said, inviting them in. As Lily stepped through the threshold, she felt more private. Like the eyes of the empty flats could no longer spy on them. It was a shock to find them so engrossed in Howl.
        Once inside, there was a pleasant fire roaring. Lily expected it to speak but instead it was just a normal fire. It made Lily uncomfortable, almost missing the insufferable fire demon. 
"I summoned you here because I wanted to wish you happy Ten Thousand Days." Her smile was true but her eyes screamed something else. Almost like they didn't even belong to her. Howl gushed, "My, Twenty-Seven already."
She poured them both a cup of tea, conveniently forgetting Lily, who merely glowered.
        "Strange." Howl mused. "This is Cran-Apple tea. I could have sworn you had a more bitter taste." 
The snake-like woman slide her eyes over to Howl, "Change is necessary."
"Sudden Change is suspicious." That was Lily's only insert, because she had gained a terribly frightful glare from Miss Angorian.
        She had had a point. Howl eyed the amazon woman, "Tell me, Do you remember the first spell you taught me?"
"Naturally." She replied cooly.
That was just the ticket for Howl. He strained a smile, as his skin visibly paled. "Look at the time. Lily, We really must be going." The wizard stood only to be stopped by Miss Angorian's quick movement in front of him. Her eyes brimmed with malice, making Lily cringe.

"If thou beest to strange sights,
Things invisible to see,
Ride ten thousand days and nights
Till age snow white hairs on thee.
Thou, when thou returnest, wilt tell me
All strange wonders that befell thee,
And swear- No where- Lives a woman true and fair-"
        She smiled tightly, as if it were hurting her to smile evenly. Howl returned this strain, "That's the one. But I'm afraid we've overstayed our welcome and Michael needs us."
        Lily hadn't noticed but Howl was gripped her wrist very hard. If it weren't for the sweater there would surely be a mark. She could tell he was more afraid than he was moments ago.
Howl yanked Lily briskly along into the gravel pathway of the Flat. She felt safer in the craning eyes of the surrounding flats. At least they could witness the horrible tragedy that was yet to come.
        Lily was hardly given any room to breathe as she was shoved, ushered and dragged through the winding streets of Wales. "Howl what's wrong?"
"I had a terrible feeling." He said smoothly, never letting go of her hand. "I wanted to believe Misses Angorian was well but my Ignorance cost me."
"What do you mean?" Lily horsely whispered, "Wasn't that the woman who you exchanged poems with?"
        "Yes,' He pressed, finally reaching his own flat. "That was her but that woman wasn't Miss Angorian."
They made it inside and Calcifer bristled in his grate, "We have trouble."
"I seems I've already seen her." Howl said under his breath. He released Lily once inside the castle but still flit this way and that about the room. 
        "Was your trip successful at least?" Michael said. His form was crumpled in a stool beside the fire. He looked much more grim than usual and Lily wondered if Martha had hurt his feelings. Or if she had even revealed herself as Martha. The Lettie he was seeing was actually a girl named Martha who switched places with her sister because she liked the idea of having a family over magic. Suppose you can't have both.
Howl nodded, seemingly occupied with maps and spell books. "Miss Agorian is dead. The woman we encountered was none other than the Witch of the Waste and it seems like she's come back for me."