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I am yours,
the way the sea
belongs to the moon,
the way the moon
belongs to the sky,
and even if the jealous stars
break and shatter
upon the milky way,
I will still see heaven in your eyes.
-Mark Anthony
Howl flinched at Sophie's sudden presence, her brow furrowed as she scanned Howl's room. "Thought I lost my soul for a second there," Howl muttered, his tense stature easing back into his bed. "You can't lose something you don't have, " Sophie spat.
The wizard's eyes widen at her retort. Amused, he stood up, waltzing to her side and wrapping his arms around her. "Don't say that... I have you—and Calcifer once, " Howl murmured, playing coy as he pulls her towards the bed. "Now what's got my girl so upset, hm?" Sophie's arms crossed defiantly, expression stern, and hat tipped down just enough to look like another set of furrowed brows.
"Look at the state of this place, Howl. I'm no longer your caretaker, nor am I an old woman to clean after you!" Sophie was right, the place was a mess. Heaps of clothes piled everywhere, bottles of different substances scattered all over the floor—sure, his room had always been cluttered. However, it reached a point where it was a sight for sore eyes.
Howl hummed, pulling her tighter before pondering. "Apologies...I-I have been taking care of some affairs—" He paused, taking a shaky breath. "I'll clean, don't worry." He continued. "Affairs? Howl, what affairs?" Her hat tipped over to a more intimidating furrow than Howl could imagine. He sighed, tipping the hat back just enough so he can see his lover's beautiful face. Howl knew that his beloved never liked vague answers. They only get you in trouble.
"Nothing you should worry about"
And Howl liked trouble.
Sophie's ears perked up, her eyes sparkled in question. "That sounds like something I should be worrying about." Her shoulders sag like they personally disagreed with Howl's idea of starting the day. "I'm too exhausted for this" She frowned. "I'll tell you once it's finished...it's.." Howl dragged. "-much too personal. I've been told to keep it a secret" Howl's voice felt serious, for once. "By whom?" Sophie interjected. "That would be kept a secret too.."
"I give up." Sophie murmured. Her hands clutched dangerously frustrated around Howl's collar. "You're on cleaning duty." She announced.
"Yes, madam." When Sophie left the room, Howl finally felt like he could breathe. He adjusted his collar like it choked him, and he knew that if he didn't clean, Sophie would gladly volunteer to do just that. Sophie's birthday was in two days. Along with Martha and Lettie Hatter, they planned to throw a party for Sophie. However it wasn't just any party, in Howl's hidden drawer sat a blue velvet box containing sapphire and jade rings; which could only mean one thing. After spending his whole life searching for her, it was only right to finally settle down and propose. Sophie's sisters couldn't agree more. After hearing Howl's plan, they seemed to be more ecstatic than he was. And that personally offended him, because no one could be more excited than the Howl Pendragon.
"Sophie Pendragon...has a nice ring to it," The wizard whispered, face flushed and expression fueled with determination.
This proposal had been planned five months prior to this day. And Howl realized just how much trouble it truly is to handle such an event. Their excitement soon turned to fear because much to their discontent, Sophie was awfully observant. No sooner than when they made their elaborate plans, she was already raising her eyebrows and interrogating them like guilty suspects of a crime. But the real struggle was her ring size. It was unbelievably difficult. Howl tried all the tricks in the book. None of her sisters knew her ring size because neither of them really discussed jewelries.
‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾5 months ago☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
"You know Howl, why don't you wrap a ribbon on her finger while she sleeps, hm?" Martha quipped.
Howl shook his head. The blond man knew that it would be an impossible task. For some reason, her prior suspicion made her instincts even sharper when she slept. Howl tried, trust me he did. But to no avail. Each second of her sleep felt like a ticking time bomb. And Howl could've sworn the ticking wasn't just in his head. He gave up, too much sweats. That was when he suddenly remembered the ring he had gifted to Sophie. The one that she always wore on her index finger.
The next morning, Howl rushed downstairs and saw Sophie packing up to leave for the Hat Shop. "Sophie, dear," She glanced back at the out-of-breath figure that was Howl. "I.. made an appointment with a jewelry cleaner—it flew my mind and I wouldn't want to reschedule." Sophie, without a second thought, handed Howl her ring. After all, that would be the only jewelry she knew Howl would give a cleaning to. Once the door shut close, Howl let out another sigh of relief. That was when it finally sunk in. There truly was no backing out now. In the next five months of Howl's life, he accepted the chaos that will inevitably unfold.
‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾Back to the present☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
Unfortunately, his memory can be questionable at times. Though he can still recall the time where Sophie teased him and called him "bird-brained." Or was it a gold-fish? However in his defense, he's been losing sleep with all these plans. And to be fair, Calcifer only fueled his worry when he made a joke about Sophie possibly saying no. Well of course, Sophie could never...right?
Nonetheless, the calendar date he mentally marked was getting closer and closer. Sophie's birthday is overmorrow. And in such a short amount of time, Howl was set to finalize his plan that took five months off of his life span.
The hat shop that once stood in the market had been decimated during the war. Debris, and stray blocks scattered around hiding the old cobblestone road that wrapped around town. In the midst of it all, the people of Market Chipping knew that it was pointless to ruminate over the destruction. And so, construction sites were everywhere you turn your head to. The hat shop itself had been repaired and rebuilt for the sake of business. The sight was undoubtedly different from a year ago. Fragments of the war kept lingering like a bitter aftertaste. Howl tread through the busy crowd where people swarmed as he passed by. However, the once bustling street felt more empty after everything. After the war, many people fled. The trains were full and kept running day and night. Steam from its head was a fuming sight, while families stood by the sidelines waving goodbye, unsure if they could ever rebuild the life that they had lived in town.
"Watch it," An old lady hissed. Howl, too caught up in his thoughts had bumped into a woman that he could only describe as short and grumpy. The man muttered a solemn apology before he proceeded to saunter towards a small bakery.
The bakery let out such a sweet aroma that could lure even the most distracted of children. Its pink and wooden exterior were washed out, contrasting the recently repaired roof from last week. Howl's gaze drifted upon a worn sign that hung above, the hinges were rusty with the sign spelling "Cesari's"—wavering in its wake. A strong gust of wind seemed capable enough to finally wear it down.
"Lettie," Howl breathed, "Martha..." he added, his eyes meeting with the youngest Hatter. A small bell that hung above the door chimed with his entrance.
"Oh Howl, any luck with the ring?" Inside the pastry shop was young woman sorting through an assortment of desserts. Her eyes shown a dark hue of blue as she gestured Howl in.
"My memory lapse will be the salvation of me," Howl moaned, his spite palpable throughout the four wooden walls.
"Ah. The ring. Why it's awful that you only realize this now." Martha, who had an aptitude for being blunt, only fueled Howl's despair.
"I suppose it is, but I need help. I haven't planned a single thing to satiate my lover's appetite for her birthday."
Lettie raised a brow. "Don't worry your head over that. I know my sister well enough to plan the food for the party," she paused, "Though you should still hand me a list of what you want for the proposal, just in case." Howl nodded, his fingers now prodding through the drawers. He was already behind the bakery counter like he owned the place, per usual. The sisters paid no mind to his antics, they were used to it by now. In a way, they felt bad for Sophie. Having to put up with someone like him on a daily basis. But inside they both knew that they were a match made in heaven. Both had their own set of ailments in the head.
Howl scrawled the pen through the paper, scribbling the meal plan he had planned for the birthday dinner. Sophie was a busy woman, her leisure time were made up of more sewing and picking out fabric. Howl appreciated her hard work, finding it to be both attractive and inconvenient. So he decided that dinner was the perfect time for the occasion.
Beside his almost illegible writing—Lettie laid down a piece of parchment with the cake design.
"Approve of this, Mister?" Lettie asked expectantly. Howl nodded, the sketch pleasing his expectation for the upcoming party. He was adamant for it to be perfect, just like how he had envisioned. In the parchment sketched a two-tiered, round, vanilla cake wrapped in cerulean blue frosting. The sides were decorated with intricate piped patterns that Howl couldn't describe as well as it looked. A small figure of him and Sophie is drawn on top of the cake as decoration. He couldn't help but smile thoughtfully as he imagined Sophies reaction. Along the rims of the paper noted floral accents and red ribbons for the rim of the cake.
Lettie didn't need his verbal approval to know that he was pleased. His soft, albeit uneasy smile was enough. "You're worried." Martha—who was busy handling decorations—looked up, noticing Howl's pale complexion. The man let out a shaky sigh, composure wavering at the overwhelming thought of possibly ruining the proposal.
"Maybe," he murmured, "It's.. complicated. I feel terrible, like there's a weight on my chest," His tone shown heavy exasperation. Martha reached to pat his back awkwardly, a gesture out of pity, and understanding. She could recall how Michael had rambled his way throughout their proposal. He was Howl's young apprentice who decided to settle down with her once the war was over. Martha's thoughts drifted back to the nervous Michael that knelt before her. The ring shaky in his fingers as he asked for Martha's hand in marriage.
"You'll be fine, " She assured.
Howl could only hope for truth in her words. After a moment of pondering, Howl waved goodbye to the Hatters. His silhouette from the bakery turned smaller, and smaller until he was completely out of sight.
The wizard kept his chin up high, trying to convince himself that he was doing just fine, and that he wasn't about to vomit with all this worry. Howl in his whole life had never felt this wave of anxiety before. Perhaps once when he reunited with Sophie after so long. But he could argue that this one was different. Despite the worry, he was thrilled. That is something he could not deny. Howl mused the image of Sophie walking down the isle towards him. In their secret garden where he knew that the only flower in his heart was the woman standing right before him as they gave their vows. In that very moment, he would be certain that his whole life will bloom with so much love that he wouldn't have to search for it again.
"What's with the long face?"
Howl paled at the unwelcomed presence of the fire demon. Calcifer's curious smile faltered into a grimace as he catches the man grumbling under his breath.
"Keep frowning and you'll be as much of a demon as I am, " Calcifer drifted in the air, floating beside and around Howl as he walked back to the Moving Castle. "It's nothing." Deep down, he knew it wasn't just nothing, and Calcifer who had been by his side for years could read him like an open book. "Liar." The fire demon spat.
"You're awful with comforting a man," The wizard snickered, picking up on his pace like he could just run away from everything.
Calcifer needn't say a word when Howl decided to just open up his heart. "I'm just so confused, I know everything is planned and sorted—" He trailed, "maybe." But what if I mess everything up." His voice came out a whisper, the silent dread creeping into his tone. "I'm puzzled, I'm never like this." Calcifer nodded in agreement. All his life with Howl, despite his antics, he was never one to be unsure. Well at least not to this extent. "How could you possibly ruin a proposal?" The little ball of flames chimed. "No matter how much you stutter, Sophie is probably used to you anyway."
Howl's eyes flit from Calcifer to his sweaty hands. Jaw tightening as he flexed his fingers and spreads them open, before clutching onto his cape again. "I suppose you're right." He nodded in agreement. "You're just experiencing the jitters, another case of zeitnot" Calcifer added, even the little fireball knew that he was worrying for nothing. "What time is it?" Howl questioned out of the blue. "Almost tea time," The fire demon replied, his thoughts seem to drift back to sweets, and pastries, unsurprisingly so.
"Oh dear." The wizard's face contorted to a tense expression, eyes squeezing shut before easing back open; He could feel himself cringing. Everything else suddenly seemed like a blur, words like "cake," and "tea" ringing into his ear. "—I should probably drop by and ask Sophie—" Calcifer cut off at the sight of Howl, or lack thereof. "Well. I was gonna say drop by and ask for snacks, but thanks for listening anyway..."
Howl's disheveled figure was fixed in front of his castle. He hastened towards the door, panting as he slowly opened it with his eyes shut. The wizard tried to reimagine a clean home, dishes washed, laundry folded, and dust dusted. But imagination only gets you so far. In front of him was the same dirty place he left this morning.
"You're on cleaning duty..."
Sophie's earlier reprimand echoed in his mind. Howl could feel his head start to spin as he stumbled inside. But he didn't have time mulling over his poor time management skills. In one swift movement, he looked to be every part of his task. Thick pink gloves wrapped around his hands as he scrubbed through the dirty dishes. A washed out blue apron to cover up his shame for not cleaning earlier. And his blonde hair tied in a half-pony. A few strands spille5 in front of his face as he swept the floor, sweat dripping at an undesirable rate. He promised himself a warm bath after this havoc he caused. Perhaps with some bubbles that smelled like lavender, since he wasn't fond of smelling like sweat and dust.
Howl fumbled throughout his room, his clumsy attempts to organize the mess failing terribly. With his feather duster, he stands on top of a wobbly stool in an attempt to dust off one of his shelf. However, his tall stature tiptoed just enough to send him toppling down with his back and elbow taking the hit.
"Bollocks," Howl groaned, failing to sit up straight as he reached out to his back shakily. "Stupid chair," He whined, kicking the stool stubbornly before getting up. After whispering curses to himself a couple more times, a hand then landed on his shoulder, earning another shriek from the wizard. Sophie raises a brow at his giddy reaction, smacking his back gently before shaking her head. "What are you up to now, Howl?" She pointed a finger at his chest accusingly, eyes darting around the room before returning to the blondes ill at ease grin.
"Cleaning, madam," He sputtered. With one smooth motion, he pinned both of Sophie's palm against his chest before leaning a tad bit too close to her personal space.
"Some distance, " Sophie pulled back sharply, dusting her skirt. The place was tidy enough, though the room could still do some cleaning. Nonetheless, Sophie knew that it was hopeless. Howl was too clumsy to clean his space proper. "Still a pigsty, Howl" said Sophie. She strided towards his drawers, pulling one open, only to be met by all his clutter bulked in a cramped space.
"You call this cleaning?" She questioned, her voice dripping with feign curiosity. Howl's body taut like a coiled spring, and any minute now it was ready to snap. Sophie then darted to another drawer.
Howl's heart skipped a beat—and not in the romantic kind of way. Inside that drawer was the engagement ring, birthday invites, and his collection of dried flowers from the bouquets he'd gotten for, and from Sophie. He wasn't supposed to look insanely sappy in front of her. A hypocritical thought for such a dramatic wizard.
His hand rushed to grip Sophie's fingers—grip tight but not harsh. "Nosy woman," The drawer pushed back close with Howl's sharp movement, his gaze snapping to Sophie with a glare. "Endearingly nosy woman," Howl pressed his face right in front of her, their noses only a few distance away from touching. Sophie then dared to lean closer, their foreheads now in contact while her fingers clutched around his collar. In that quick movement, Howl's breath hitched silently. "You're so cruel..." His jaw clenched. Howl's arms snake around Sophie's waist. She could tell that her harsh facade was starting to fall off. She covered her face with her hands, feeling it getting warmer by the second. Howl took a seat on the edge of his bed, pulling her on his lap.
"Do you take pleasure in being such a needy man?" Sophie lifted her face from her hands, trying to pick up some semblance of composure. Her cheeks were still rosy as she glanced at Howl's petulant expression.
"You're no better than a child," She cupped his face. In his light blue eyes flickered a sudden disbelief at her remark. Howl let out a shaky exhale, ruffling the gray fabric of Sophie's dress. Another wave of worry washed over him. He was bound for a restless day tomorrow. He had to visit the Turnip Prince with Martha for the decorations, and arrange an outfit to at least put up a facade that he was well composed. "You think too much," Howl scrunched his nose as Sophie pushed his forehead back with her index finger.
"What do you want for dinner?"
The sudden shift in topic does not go lost on Sophie. But she decided to let it go for now, not wanting to trouble the wizard further with her nagging.
"Anything will do," She hummed. The two descended downstairs. Sophie sat herself in the dining table, her view was met by the broad back of Howl who was making dinner. The kitchen was filled with the scent of french onion soup and the loud sizzling of a thick slab of steak. It was a domestic sight, one that Howl wished to come home to everyday. To unwind, and settle like this after a long day. Both of them were desperate to get used to this. The silence no longer felt empty, burdens were no longer as heavy. And their happiness became every moment with each other, and none of them wanted to let go.
Sophie knew something was off. Howl managed to wake up before her, but that wasn't the craziest part. He left a note about leaving for an emergency to High Norland. Sophie grumbled, her bleary eyes opened and closed as she tried to make sense of his sudden departure. The morning was quiet, nearly stiffling. It was a silent dawn, saved by the hiss of wind and the creaking floorboards as the Hatter treads onto the kitchen. She could vaguely remember how Howl had woken her up earlier to greet a "Happy Birthday," before apparently departing for an emergency. Sophie fell right back asleep, of course. A faint aroma of pancakes then whiffed her nose, the breakfast greeting her a good morning while it sat on the table. It was still hot, but not hot enough to burn Sophie's tongue as she takes a small bite. "Hm, " She hums to herself. The tea kettle hums a shrilling sound as well, while she yawns her sleepiness away. Today was her Birthday, she hasn't celebrated it for a couple years now. And she doubts she'll be celebrating it this year too.
"Another year closer to death," said Sophie. In the midst of the stillness, the sun slowly rose. It's early rays of sunshine spreads throughout the opaque window, jostling her awake as she stirs her cup of chamomile tea. She pondered how much her life had changed when she met Howl. Mundane tasks like eating breakfast and going on walks felt more full. Like the emptiness and insecurity she felt a year ago no longer mattered. Instead it was filled with...him. His laughter, his antics, and the weight in moments of seriousness. All of them mattered. Each moment with Howl filled the gaps that Sophie didn't know was there. And perhaps one day, they'll tie this bond with a ring.
‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾Howl's Point of View☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
Howl was nowhere near High Norland. Instead, in the middle of Market Chipping, Cesari's Bakery had turned into a battle field. The sign at the door silently announced that the shop was closed. It clung onto the glass panel along with some sprinkle of confettis that seemed to have puked from inside the room. The curtains hung low, refusing to disclose the havoc from inside the shop. Martha couldn't help but shake her head. In a few hours, they meant to transport the party from here, to the secret garden, before Sophie comes home from the Hat Shop.
"How do I look?" Howl adjusted his black vest in the mirror, turning to Calcifer with a nervous grin. "You look," The fire demon paused, looking him up and down before opening his mouth, "Good," he gruffed. "Good?! I cant look just good!" Howl whined, staring at himself back in the mirror before raking his fingers on his already ruffled hair. Lettie let out a silent snicker. She definitely didn't seem to try her best to cheer the wizard up. Martha nudged her with an elbow, a silent reprimand to stop fueling Howl's worry. Lettie was quick to snap her mouth shut, instead, keeping the amusement to herself.
On the hillside of the Chipping Valley, Lettie Hatter and Calcifer trekked towards the Moving Castle. Their strides were purposeful, yet it was hard stay composed when the wind constantly tried to tip you over. Lettie turned to look back, wondering when Martha and Howl will follow. The decorations were neatly kept in a box. Carefully tucked under her embrace as they proceeded their walk. She could only hope for them to move a tad bit quicker. "I wonder how they'll move the cake..." Calcifer pondered before catching back up to Lettie who was already up the hill.
‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾Sophie's Point of View☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
"Mommy, look! A flying cake!"
Outside of Sophie's window, she could see a young boy point at the sky. He clutched around his mother's dress, his little fingers trying to emphasize the sight above. However, his enthusiasm falls on deaf ears, as the boys mother was too occupied talking to another woman. Sophie knew how often elders brush off a child. Their truths, and thoughts often shrugged as pure imagination. She hummed to herself. Promising silently that one day when she ever decides to have children, she'll share their excitement no matter how mundane and seemingly childish their interests might be.
"What a lovely hat.. you're certain to live a life full of dreams," Sophie foretold, a green newsboy hat in hand. She yawned, placing her needle, and the hat down to her desk. Her hands stretched high in the air, feet reaching down to the floor. Sophie settled back down, cracking her knuckles and brushing her calloused fingers together. Working as an apprentice in the hat shop was a mighty decision for her. In sewing, she discovered that purpose could be as simple as weaving threads, and mending fabric.
In an hour, it was time to go home again, and end the day like it was just any other day of the year.
It was quiet. Too quiet for Sophie's liking.
The door creaked open to an empty space; it was getting dark outside. She wondered why Howl left the light closed. Where is Howl? Usually he'd be welcoming her back, wrapping his arms around her and making sure they were both well rested. Sophie took a step, the floorboards creaking under her weight. Her fingers slowly reached for a nearby lamp. The sun from the kitchen window turned gold, through the thick glass, she could see the sun falling down from the horizon.
"Boo."
Sophie shrieked. Just as she was about to reach for the lamp. Flames erupted from inside it. "Calcifer?" Sophie gasped, holding the bronze lamp in front of her face. The fireball inside enters a fit of laughter. He escaped from the little container and flew around her before halting. The Hatter was baffled; her gaze danced around, trying to get a proper glance at the rascal. "I knew I was scary!" Calcifer snorted menacingly. "You rascal! Who taught you to act like so?" Sophie crossed her arms. Her straw hat was tossed on the ground from Calcifer's earlier flight. It lay on the sidelines as the two bickered back and forth.
"Now, now, some silence, please," Calcifer hushed. Sophie could not believe his audacity to shush her like that. In the room, a ball of light in the darkness treads towards the castle's magic door. The hat maker follows with slow and measured steps, unaware of Calcifer's motives. The fireball turns to her, nodding to a carefully placed blindfold that hung from a poking nail. "You want me to wear this?" Sophie reached out to the piece of fabric, and with Calcifer's sarcastic retort, she wore it hesitantly.
"Just follow my lead," Calcifer instructed. She laid out her palms as requested, and she could feel the fire demon sit on top of it. Sophie couldn't see anything, save from a weak glow of blue from Calcifer. She wasn't sure what was happening—an elaborate prank? Perhaps. Calcifer had always been mischievous. The door creaks, then a high-pitched whirring manages to jostle Sophie back to the present. When the door goes wide open, bright light is emitted from the other side. The light was harsh from where she was standing. From her view, it was red. The light had muffled into the blindfold that was wrapped around her head.
"There you are, sweetheart."
Sophie flinched; she could feel Howl's breath on her neck. Slowly, her eyes opened to a magical sanctuary. Her sight adjusted to the sun that was also starting to fall down the horizon. "Why are we here, Howl?" Sophie grabbed onto his sleeves tightly. "Why else? It's your birthday." The wizard pressed a long affectionate kiss on her temple, holding out her hand and leading her to a nearby cottage. Sophie paused, pulling away from Howl and scanning him up and down. He wore a waist coat that was double-breasted with red and golden brocade patterns, layered over his white dress shirt. Replacing Howl's usual cape was a black one that draped only to the left side of his shoulders, reaching to his knees. The wizard raised a brow.
"Like what you see?"
Sophie quickly shook out of her trance. She feigned a cough, a red hue flushing on her cheeks.
"It...suits you," she croaked. Howl only chuckled at the endearing sight. "All yours." His arms gesture openly towards himself. Sophie smacked him playfully in the chest, eliciting a warm chuckle from the wizard. "Follow me." He held out a hand, his voice loosening up Sophie's initial suspicion.
The place was a coastal meadow. This secret sanctuary meant everything to Howl. He first met Calcifer here. In this very land, he caught his first glimpse of Sophie too. That was when he set out to look for her, promising to find her in the future. And now that she's finally in his embrace, Howl doubts he will ever let her go again.
The wizard paused and turned around when they finally reached a small hill right below the sunset. He was smiling, and Sophie couldn't deny how adorable it was. The sun cast strong hues of gold, its rays beaming down towards the two. It created a silhouette when viewed from a great distance. Howl pointed towards a small cottage from afar. Sophie could see some decorations and came to the conclusion that the party was to be celebrated there. When she turned her back to him, Howl took the chance and breathed out a shaky sigh. He kneeled and pulled out a beautiful velvet box.
"Sophie," he called out. She turned—and froze. Her hands reached out to cover her mouth as it finally sank in. "I stand by what I said, you are a cruel woman—" Howl choked, his voice brittle. "Even before you knew of my existence, I spent my whole life searching for you because I trusted that you loved me enough. Enough for you to break time," he trailed, "and enough for me to understand that you will always carry my heart in a headlock. Knowing you'd be in the future, waiting for me, gave me the courage to show up. Before the war, I was battling with the world, looking high and low for any signs of the woman who visited the past for me. And now that you're here, do not ever expect me to let us go." His face scrunched up, looking for the right words to say, cheeks now stained with tears.
"I've never done this before," he chuckles nervously. "Not sure how it goes..." Howl pauses. "Sophie Hatter, in this very moment I ask.... Will you marry me? Sophie's heart raced a million miles per second. She could feel the world stop around the two of them, and in that very moment, she felt as if the flowers took their turn to admire them instead. Her eyes blurred and glistened against the last remaining light from the sun. Sophie could feel her head throb, trying too hard to stop her tears. She nodded profusely, "Yes, absolutely, yes." And when she felt the ring slip onto her finger, she couldn't stop herself before jumping into his arms. And just like every time, she never fell anywhere else aside from Howl's embrace. His arms were always wide open for her. "I love you," Sophie chuckled, her face now buried against his chest. The wizard could only huff out in relief; he slowly felt the fabric of his coat start to dampen, and so he lifted Sophie's chin up with his hands.
"I love you too," he declared, for a moment, nothing else mattered. Around them, the meadow of flowers dimmed as the sun slowly descended, and in that same image stood two lovers who shared their passion with a kiss. Sophie froze for a second before leaning back in with more force. She could feel Howl smile against her lips—which sent a fluttery sensation down to her stomach. After a while, Sophie pulled away from the shared intimacy. She clutched tightly around Howl's neck, out of breath and cheeks flushed red.
"Wait a second—I can't breathe..."
Howl's expression tenses for a moment before easing back into a stupid grin that Sophie can't help but love so much. He then tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ears. Sophie's cheeks puffed up at another one of Howl's gestures. Cupping her face and basking in his luck to have met such a woman. "Good," he teased. It was silent for a few seconds. But it wasn't deafening, and neither of them felt the urge to break it. Howl brushed his lips softly against Sophie's cheek, his thumb then caressing the area with such tenderness.
"Ehem."
Howl could feel his irritation creeping up at the sudden disturbance. Meanwhile, standing behind them were Lettie, Martha, Michael, and Calcifer, who sat himself on Prince Justin's shoulder. It was an intimate event. A few people, a few cheers, and a few to witness their engagement.
"When do we start the feast?"
Calcifer chimed, his curiousity genuine but out of place. The rest could only shake their heads, a few such as Michael and Prince Justin, who chuckled. It started clicking into Sophie's head: all the distractions by the turnip prince and Calcifer. The constant absence of Howl and her sisters. It all made sense now.
Under the starlit sky, two souls tie another bond with a ring. Neither was experienced in love. In fact, one was too blunt and brash, and the other too rude and theatrical. Nevertheless, they were opposite poles in a magnet. For Sophie, love was a spell. It took words for her to see what loving someone truly feels like. Silence was deafening. But Howl made her realize that even small gestures can mean everything. A tongue held great power, but the heart held greater influence.
For Howl, love was presence. Love was every little thing with Sophie. It was the untold "I love you," each morning as he polished her shoes. The silent declaration of love behind every glance.
For them, love was each other. The way Sophie loved Howl so much, she forgot what hating herself felt like. And the way Howl loved Sophie so much, the only future he carried in his heart was her.
A heart's a heavy burden. Yes.
Yet their hearts were so full of one another, they could hardly claim them as their own. Instead, with this shared love, under the same horizon they first met. The two promised to share the burden. It was still a heavy one, but it was no longer dreadful. Because they pulsed each other's names like a tune.
A merry-go-round of life.
Ad Astra Per Aspera.