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rabidsamfanUnfamiliar
Marco barely remembered falling asleep on Howl's doorstep. He was sick when he woke up, sick with the same fever that had taken his mother and father, but Howl had made him drink something hot, and Calcifer had kept him company while he was too weak to get up from the pallet by the hearth, and when he did get strong enough there was nowhere else to go so he stayed and never knew that he was Howl's apprentice until he overheard the wizard say so to one of the King's messengers.
It was better than no home at all.
Familiar
Howl was a wonderful wizard, but a terrible provider, and the first time he went off without a word Marco nearly died of fright. If it hadn't been for Calcifer's grumbles about the diminishing stock of firewood he might have curled up in a corner and hid. But he'd learned the hard way about taking care of things when the grownups weren't able to, and Calcifer was his friend.
Howl didn't scold him for stealing, just gave him charge of the purse, and cut down the cloak of disguise so he wouldn't trip on it when he dealt with customers.
Family
He wasn't sure who was in charge after Sophie came. She was old, and nosy, but she could make Calcifer bow down his head, and Howl didn't tell Marco to stop her cleaning at all, although how Marco was meant to stop her once she started he didn't know. But she liked Star Lake, and her hand was warm against his shoulder.
He didn't much like helping with all the washing, but his bed smelled like a memory that night and he woke up without worrying about what needed to be done for the first time in a long time.
Marco barely remembered falling asleep on Howl's doorstep. He was sick when he woke up, sick with the same fever that had taken his mother and father, but Howl had made him drink something hot, and Calcifer had kept him company while he was too weak to get up from the pallet by the hearth, and when he did get strong enough there was nowhere else to go so he stayed and never knew that he was Howl's apprentice until he overheard the wizard say so to one of the King's messengers.
It was better than no home at all.
Familiar
Howl was a wonderful wizard, but a terrible provider, and the first time he went off without a word Marco nearly died of fright. If it hadn't been for Calcifer's grumbles about the diminishing stock of firewood he might have curled up in a corner and hid. But he'd learned the hard way about taking care of things when the grownups weren't able to, and Calcifer was his friend.
Howl didn't scold him for stealing, just gave him charge of the purse, and cut down the cloak of disguise so he wouldn't trip on it when he dealt with customers.
Family
He wasn't sure who was in charge after Sophie came. She was old, and nosy, but she could make Calcifer bow down his head, and Howl didn't tell Marco to stop her cleaning at all, although how Marco was meant to stop her once she started he didn't know. But she liked Star Lake, and her hand was warm against his shoulder.
He didn't much like helping with all the washing, but his bed smelled like a memory that night and he woke up without worrying about what needed to be done for the first time in a long time.
