A Date
"No, I'm not telling you where we're going." As stubborn as Sophie is, he can be twice that; it's a surprise, or at least he'd like it to be a surprise. If she's to be the wife of a wizard, she'll have to get used to this sort of thing.
Magic can be full of what's least expected, when you least expect it to be. One thing Mrs. Pentstemmon always taught him was to at least try be prepared for anything; it's a lesson he knows he needs to pass along to Sophie, now they're betrothed. "It's nothing to worry over, cariad. We haven't had a proper date yet." Calcifer would probably laugh and tell him he'd gone about things backwards, as usual; Sophie might suspect he'd had to screw up his courage enough to finally take her on a real, planned outing. They'd both be wrong, of course: it's simply the right time.
"Here, in preparation." He hands Sophie a large box, wrapped up with a silken ribbon. This isn't the first time he's given her a box like this, but the contents are certainly different. She doesn't have to look the part of a fine or fancy lady for this date, but she is lovely and the outfit in the box will be perfect for where they're going.
Tonight, he doesn't want to be Royal Wizard. He only wants to be Howl, taking his best girl out for the evening.
Magic can be full of what's least expected, when you least expect it to be. One thing Mrs. Pentstemmon always taught him was to at least try be prepared for anything; it's a lesson he knows he needs to pass along to Sophie, now they're betrothed. "It's nothing to worry over, cariad. We haven't had a proper date yet." Calcifer would probably laugh and tell him he'd gone about things backwards, as usual; Sophie might suspect he'd had to screw up his courage enough to finally take her on a real, planned outing. They'd both be wrong, of course: it's simply the right time.
"Here, in preparation." He hands Sophie a large box, wrapped up with a silken ribbon. This isn't the first time he's given her a box like this, but the contents are certainly different. She doesn't have to look the part of a fine or fancy lady for this date, but she is lovely and the outfit in the box will be perfect for where they're going.
Tonight, he doesn't want to be Royal Wizard. He only wants to be Howl, taking his best girl out for the evening.