Howl's Moving Castle: Tales Of Love

An Uneventful Lunch And A Chaotic Wizard

Just another ordinary day, blue sky and a few clouds. Nothing much. Really one of the most insignificant days Sophie's ever encountered. She stood up from her chair, setting her book aside to go check the mail. There probably wouldn't be anything of importance, especially with such a bore of a day like this. Maybe advertisements or a miscellaneous letter at most.

So she opened up the Kingsbury mailbox first, and was needless to say, shocked when she discovered a letter of high importance from the neighboring country where Prince Justin just happened to live.

She walked back inside the castle, and nearly slammed the door behind her, in a rush to read the letter. She hurried over to an area with the best light, which happened to be the nearest window, and she tore open the letter, revealing a small folded paper inside. She pulled out the paper, unfolded it, and began to read the neat text.

To: Sophie Hatter

From: the Prince Justin

You have been exclusively invited to go to lunch with the Prince! It will be this Friday (the twentieth) right outside the Wastes. No reply is necessary.

Wow, an invitation to a fancy lunch? With Prince Justin? The last time Sophie saw him was when she gave him a small kiss and he turned back from being her favorite little Turnip Head to the prince he is now. She also remembers in that particular moment he had said that only 'true loves kiss' or whatever it was could turn him back. Sophie was glad he left quickly after saying that.

But now, what does he want? He's inviting her to lunch so...maybe a date? No, that couldn't be, unless he was an idiot! She obviously is already occupied with Howl, and she wasn't one to go cheating on the one she loves; especially with someone who used to have a turnip for a head. But she couldn't just decline the invitation like that. She didn't want to be so rude to someone of such high royalty. "What's that in your hand Sophie?" Howl asked as he almost seemed to fly down the stairs.

"Oh, it's...it's a letter. Not one of much importance." Sophie manage to rush out, only stuttering and looking somewhat suspicious in the process. He stared at the letter crushed in Sophie's hand, and met his gaze with her, his eyes narrowed. "You're a terrible liar Sophie. Now what is that in your hand?" He commanded more than asked.

Her brows furrowed and she matched his glare. "Why should I go about telling you? What if it's a letter from my mother? What if it's a present for you and you're glaring at me just because I don't want to show it?" She countered, easily placing the crumpled letter in her dress pocket. He placed his arms across his chest and let out a laugh of disbelief. "Sophie, why would you go about giving me a present in such an angry manner? And my birthday was a month ago so there's no reason to get me anything."

He smirked as he watched her fumble for what to say. Unable to think of anything clever or believable, she huffed past him and folded her arms, stamping up the stairs and into her room. She flopped onto her bed and sighed, taking out the letter and reading it over once more. She gladly would've told Howl if she could trust he wasn't going to either follow her or turn into a jealous mess. Last time she told him that she was going to lunch with another man (who happened to just be a family friend) Howl had very obviously disguised himself as their waiter, and purposely made the guy Sophie was eating with very uncomfortable. Howl didn't speak to her for two days after that and Sophie didn't speak to him for a week.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling an oncoming headache. She knew she also had to wear something far more proper than the red summer dress she was wearing now. Did she even have the right shoes though? She had boots and sandals, but not high heels or glimmering flats. She fortunately did have a nice short-sleeved purple dress, that still looks pristine ever since Howl cast a spell on it to keep it clean. What about her hair? How would she even do that?