I want to thank everyone reading this fanfic!! Thanks to all of you, this book has over 3K reads!~! I honestly didn't think it would make it this far, or that I would inspire so many to make their own Howls Moving Castle fanfics, but so many of you PMed me simply to thank me or say such kind words! I dedicate this chapter to TinieKawaii and Haxixus for commenting every chapter!

I'm planning on writing a serious story on Create Space called The Lawe, and so I won't be on Wattpad as often to write, but don't worry! Just sit back and relax as you read this chapter! Hope you enjoy this one!

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~ Saturnthehero

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Howl had stalked up to his room for the night and flopped onto his bed with a great sigh. Thinking on what the king had told him.

"A war is coming, Pendragon! I need to know which side you're on!"

Why did he have to choose a side? What was the point? He sighed once more as he felt his body sink into the mattress more. How was he going to attain the king's trust on the matter?

"Hey Howl!" His eyes snapped opened the wizard exited his room quietly; shutting the door before walking down to the kitchen. "Where do you want this stack of spells?" Amelia gave a questioning look to the parchment stacked up in her hands. Howl took them from her and made his way up to his own workshop.

"I'll take care of them." He murmured before inspecting the organization and laughing. "Why did you put transfiguration spells and levitation potions in the same pile?" Her face blushed a bright red like her own hair.

"Well how that heck should I know!??! They both called for frog legs and toadstools!!!!" She defended herself as Calcifer laughed loudly. Howl himself smiled brightly at the scene.

No matter how much she isn't Sophie, Howl thought, she never ceases to amaze me.

~=*=~

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up." I grumbled as Calcifer's laughs finally died to a giggle. "Well I'm sorry I'm not a wizard and can tell what is from each other." I grumbled again from behind a book. I had finished Lord of the Rings just the other day, and now I have to find a way of entertaining myself with Howl's weird books. I set down a book on magical beings and grabbed my guitar.

I tapped my feet to the fast rhythm and kept my focused on my hands as I played. ..gave you all I had and you tossed it in the trash, you tossed it in the trash you did.

"How do you do that?" I looked over at Calcifer for a second as he stared at my hands play the chords and notes.

"Simple; there's open strings and when you play them in the right place, they can make a different note and chords are notes that sound cool together." I stopped playing the song and played a chord for him. "Haven't you ever heard Howl play his?"

"No, he never plays that thing here." The fire murmured before asking for a new log to sit on. I leaned over and set one down onto him as he thanked me. "In fact, I don't think he's played in a long time.." Calcifer then hollowly added. Oh, it must be another pain from Sophie. I tried to get the awkward silence away by returning to the song.

"'Cause darling I'd still catch a grenade for you, throw my head on a blade for you! I'd jump in front of a train for you! You know I'd do anything for you! Woah, I would go through all this pain; take a bullet straight through my brain!! Yes I would die for you baby.

"But you wouldn't do the same."

"THIS IS A DISASTER!! WHAT IN THE NAME OF POSEIDON HAVE YOU DONE, AMELIA STARR!?!?" I screamed myself as Howl came flying down the stairs only wearing a towel around his hips, and even that was falling. He looked me in he eye with a maddening look. "You mixed up the shampoos when cleaning!! And now look at my hair!!" He pulled on his blonde hair until I could see his scalp. Only, there at the base it wasn't blonde, it had begun to turn a raven black!...or was it indigo? No idea. I laughed nervously, but it only seemed to fuel his anger.

"H-Hey! I have no idea why you're getting upset! It looks good on you!" I defended, but the hurt in his eyes grew with every word I said. Soon enough, I felt someone tugging on my arm- more like dragging- me out the door of the moving castle and into the streets of a different city. "What the hell!?!?" I turned around and there was Michael, but he seemed exasperated as he looked up at me.

"Stay out here while Calcifer and I try to calm him down!" He demanded, "You don't want to see him when he's pouting. He turns to goo. Trust me on that." He left a little stool outside, and I realized I still had my guitar in my hands. Well, better to pass the time with music. I began to strum chords until I found a particular tune I couldn't remember learning, yet I apparently knew it well! I picked at each string and soon everyone in the streets were gathered around and some danced merrily to the tune. I couldn't help but smile to myself, and watched as a small young boy asked a girl about his age for a dance. The people that passed threw coins into a small basket a woman had given me an hour of my strumming. I told her I didn't need the basket, as I had told the others I did not need the money, but the insisted.

"Great music always is rewarded, miss" one girl told me with a gleam in her smile, "it inspires happiness in others!" She's right; I couldn't believe I was agreeing with a seven-year-old on outlooks to life, but she was. I played that same tune until the sun began to set, and yet the name still escaped me. After I had said goodbye to the last passerby, I climbed the three stone steps to the magical, strange, changing, moving castle and twisted the doorknob.

~*~

"My beautiful hair..." Howl had moaned as Michael reentered the house. He huffed at the sight before him; Howl the great and mighty Wizard wining and melting into green goo over hair. After tugging on his brown curls, he got to work with pulling the wizard from his chair, up the stairs, and into the bathroom again. At this point, his hair was nothing more than indigo with faint streaks of gold in his hair where the dye was fading less quickly.

"God Howl, and you call yourself an adult.." Michael had groaned inwardly at his mentor before pulling up his white sleeves and starting to clean up the goop from the hearth and floor. If Amelia were inside, she'd offer to clean up herself. Michael grabbed a scrub brush from the sink, but paused and looked out the window down at the small town of Anthos to see a crowd in front. The music wafting through every crack and crevice of the house. He felt like the song was something fitting for any adventure with Howl Pendragon; soft at times, ecstatic at others, angry wrath occasionally, but all fitting and flowing onto the other melody.

Well, at least cleaning up won't be as boring now. Michael thought to himself, smiling at the wordless song.

Howl was furious now that the sadness eroded away. He was furious at Amelia Starr, at the betraying feeling in his heart, at everything in the world! He smacked the water in front of him in anger. Sophie, Howl couldn't forget her smile, the simple elegance of her innocence, how she looked at him differently from the moment they met. He looked up into his bangs and choked on a sob. The color Sophie loved, God, she was his world, and it was stolen right from under him.

"Where's Amelia?" Howl finally said her name for the first time in a month. The way the word rolled off his tongue was foreign. Michael answered without looking up from his scrubbing.

"She's outside, playing her guitar." Suddenly, Howl noticed the sound as well, soft and smooth. Fluid that of water and interesting as a dancer's footwork as they move across a stage. Howl moved to the window just as his apprentice had done a hour ago. He saw how lively Amelia danced down below with the other villagers she never knew. Soon, even Howl began to love the song she played.

Perhaps....no, he shook the thought from his head as his heart speed up at the sight of her red hair whipping around as she danced; guitar in hand. She has an ability. A kindness that could melt the ices of the tundra, yet an anger so cold and fierce, it could freeze beer. Howl's eyes widened at his description before coming to a conclusion that benefited him. Perhaps, a persuasive tone that could move kings and stop wars.

Yes, Amelia could win over the king of Hollistine and make him agree to stand against Salazar. Howl would have his way, and Amelia would be that much safer from the twisted wizard.

~*~

As I opened the door, (A/N: THE HOST CLUB THERE WAITING FOR ME OMFG SORRY)Howl was staring through the window. His hair a dark indigo in the vanishing light and he had a conflicting look on his face. Like he didn't want to believe something. Finally, I gathered up all of my courage and approached him.

"Howl, I'm sorry." I murmured quietly, and he turned to look at me, now a look of surprise came onto his face. "I seem to always use Sophie against you, and I'm sorry about that as well. Please forgive me." I said with as much steadiness in my voice as I could have. His brilliant blue eyes widened at me, before a smile also began to creep into his face.

"Yes, and perhaps it's time for me to let her go." He sighed and pulled a hand through his new hair. "I know this is a silly request, but could you play the song you-"

"Of course." I cut him off and smiled brightly. Sitting down next to Calcifer, I played the melody on my guitar for Howl. And he blissfully looked off into the sunset.