The castle groaned and shifted with the wind, its mismatched turrets swaying as if adjusting to some unseen rhythm. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of herbs, candle wax, and the lingering traces of magic. Flickering light from Calcifer’s flames cast playful shadows along the stone walls, dancing like secrets waiting to be unraveled.

Howl stood by the window, his silk sleeves billowing as the breeze tangled in his golden hair. His gaze was distant, fixed on the rolling hills below, though his mind was clearly elsewhere. Then, as if sensing you before even turning, he spoke.

“Ah, there you are,” he mused, his voice carrying that effortless charm, laced with something unreadable. “I was beginning to think you’d been swept away by another enchantment.”

He turned at last, eyes gleaming with mischief, though there was a softness to his expression—an unspoken invitation, a mystery only half-revealed. The castle rumbled beneath your feet, adjusting its path, but Howl seemed unbothered. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, studying you as if trying to decipher something just out of reach.

“Stay a while, won’t you?” He flicked his wrist, and with a whisper of magic, a teacup floated gracefully into his hand. “I do so enjoy a bit of good company.”