The Rose and Crown [Jane/Howl]

[Jane Porter]

Jane sat quietly in the loud and bustling pub, keeping to herself while the rest of the customers were singing obnoxiously along with the piano player. Not that it bothered Jane all that much. She knew what to expect - it was just like back in London.

Of course, back in London, it was somewhat risky for a lady like Jane to be seen alone in a pub. Ladies like her were meant to be accompanied by a male escort, to engage in the proper social activities, and to always remember their place. Jane never considered herself to be like them.

She preferred to explore and inquire. To be a little more rebellious, a little more free-spirited. Jane wasn't above sitting alone in a pub and reading a book, or sketching a still life of the salt and pepper shakers. She was unlike the other girls, who spent their time with gossip and fashion. Who traveled to Paris every season. Who were engaged by their wealthy parents to wealthy suitors at the age of sixteen.

Jane always felt like there was just something different in store for her. Like she was meant for some sort of adventure, that went beyond a wedding in London.

[Howl]

Howl walked into the pub, hardly looking where he was going. The wizard narrowly avoided an exiting couple, each throwing him an annoyed glance.

Howl was completely immersed in a ring that he was twidling in his fingers, making strange signs over it with his fingers every now and then. Every time he finished with one of the motions, the white diamond in the center glowed faintly. Howl frowned with frustration. He was trying to put a locator spell on it, but diamonds were never the best jewels for holding spells... Saphires had always been his personal favorite.

Howl slowly walked forward, not looking up and tuning out the annoying customers singing off-key. He was almost ready to walk straight into a waiter carrying a tray laden with food when a familiar blotch of yellow caught his eye.

Howl looked up, disctracted, stopping in the middle of a motion. The diamond sparked and sputtered as a result, and a thin trail of white smoke rose from the stone, as if it was an engine that just overheated. Howl let a small curse escape his lips before pocketing the ring. He would fix that later...

He turned to the girl in yellow, who, sure enough, was Jane.

"Jane?" he inquired. "Nice to see you again! What's a pretty girl like you doing here alone? Surely there must be a man who would love be here with you." Howl said, shamelessly flirting.

[Jane Porter]

Jane turned around, surprised to hear a voice behind her. She let out a small gasp, just a little startled by his prescence. How long had he been there for? Not long, Jane hoped. It was usually like her to be in a daze, but Jane tried her hardest to keep a more normal exterior. But of course, to the girls in London, she was anything but normal.

"Oh, hello Howl," Jane said in a cheerful voice.

She remembered meeting the magician at Nani's wedding. He had mistaken her for another woman, and Jane couldn't help but wonder who she was. He remembered he had called her Sophie. The name was still a looming curiosity in her mind.

Jane sighed - for some reason, she felt as if she could talk for hours. "I've just been in such a daze today," she said nonchalantly, not sure if he would reply or not. She didn't exactly know him that well.

[Howl]

"A daze, huh?" Howl chuckled. "I've been the same way."

Howl took the liberty to sit down. Jane seemed like she wanted to talk... And Howl was also feeling a bit chatty as well. It had been a while since he had seen some pretty girls... and Jane bore such a resemblance to his dear Sophie. But her hair... nothing could ever replace Sophie's silvery, starlight hair.

Howl mentally slapped himself... No flirting with the girls anymore. He had a heart now, and his could just as easily be broken as the multitude of girls that had he had ruined before. But Jane was just a friend, only a friend... surely it wouldn't hurt.

Howl took the ring from his pocket and studied it, mulling over the possible combinations of charms and hexes that could make it work.

"So what is on your mind?" Howl asked Jane, making conversation.

[Jane Porter]

[*FACEPALMS* HOW COULD I HAVE NEGLECTED THIS THREAD?!]

Jane sighed and rested her chin in her palm. "Well, I guess just a few things, really," she started. "You see, I used to live in London - it's just, I guess I never would have seen myself where I am now. It's just been so ... odd, in a way."

Jane thought about what she had been through in the past year - traveling to Africa and staying there. Then coming here and going through all that had happened. And of course, everything that came with it.

"Well, a while ago, my Daddy and I took an expedition to Africa to study gorillas in the jungle. It had always been Daddy's dream. But, when I was there ... I met someone. Of course, he had been raised by the gorillas and had no human skills whatsoever. But for some reason, some odd, strange reason, I fell in love with him."

Jane stopped herself. What was she going on about?

"I'm sorry. I really shouldn't be talking about this, should I?"

[Howl]

"No, no... you should." Howl said to Jane.

"Love is always a complicated subject... and I must say that I failed that subject with flying colors before I met the girl I told you about, Sophie. She cleared things up."

Howl fiddled with the diamond ring in his hands.

"Perhaps I can help, although I'm not very experienced." Howl added.

"If you tell me your love story, I'll tell you mine." Howl added with a grin.

[Jane Porter]

Jane sighed and facepalmed. What was she getting herself into? Talking about love with a man she barely even knew! She could just see the headmistresses frowning upon her. Finishing School certainly was a wasted effort on Jane.

Come on, finish what you started, she mentally commanded herself.

"Well, I met him," she started, not quite wanting to say the name. It seems that everybody knew each other around here. "And, I was just about ready to leave Africa, and go back to London. And, I don't quite know why, but something made me change my mind. I guess it was love, as silly as it sounds. I thought, maybe that's where I really belonged. Not London, but a jungle."

Jane paused, frowning a little at her words. There was something so odd about what she was saying.

"Anyway, then I came here and left him. I guess I had just learned to be on my own through all of this - everything I've been through here, without having him to save me. I guess it just changed me around a little."

Jane remembered all of the tight, near-death situations she had gotten in and out of. The Cafe incident, the Queen La situation - all of it, she had gotten out alright. And without Tarzan to conveiniently swing by.

"I guess something was telling me that maybe I didn't need him. I'd also gotten into another relationship, but it didn't last long at all. But then ... he came back. And it turns out, he'd fallen in love with someone else too."

Tarzan & Mulan. Jane just didn't know what to make of the two. Mulan had never even said a word to her.

"I guess I'm just ... confused. To say the least," Jane finished. "Anyway, enough about me. What was this about you?"

[Howl]

Howl frowned.

"Confusion... I never liked that feeling. I always want to know what I'm supposed to be doing all the time..." Howl sighed. "I know how you feel."

He looked at the diamond ring in his fingers, twisting it around as he spoke.

"A while ago... I wasn't exactly the most moral person on the earth. I was selfish, cowardly, lazy... Honestly, I can't stand myself for everyone I hurt. You see, long ago I gave my heart to a demon to keep it alive, and have it serve me... but in return, I was heartless, literally and figuratively."

Howl looked back up at Jane, his bright smile no longer sparkling in his eyes. "But then... I met the girl I mentioned to you. Sophie. Even though I couldn't love... somehow I still did. She seemed to see past all my faults, and she took care of me when I needed it... she broke the curse on me and gave me back my heart."

"Only now... I wound up here. I haven't seen her, even though I've been looking everywhere... What if she isn't here? What if I forget her and go back to what I was?"

Howl looked back to the ring... the ring that was meant for her, his true love.

"I wanted to ask her if she would marry me."

[Jane Porter]

Jane couldn't believe how selfish she had been. She barely even had problems - Howl was the one with the real dilemma. How awful, for Sophie to just vanish without a trace like that. Jane was at a loss for words.

"I'm sorry," was all she could say.

And it was after she said that, her head hit the table. How could she have been so stupid? She silently willed herself not to cry, but it was taking everything of her not to. She had been so self-centered, and now she had no chance at love. She just let it pass her by, and now she couldn't get it back.

Jane knew she was being overdramatic. She hoped Howl wouldn't mind.

[Howl]

"Please... Don't be sorry. It's not your fault at all." Howl said weakly.

Howl jumped back as Jane banged her head on the table. "Jane!"

The young wizard winced. He knew that unrequited love could be painful... but she had it bad.

"Please... don't be upset." he said, looking at her with worried icy orbs.

"Would you... Would you tell me about him? I'm so sorry to ask. But, if I know who he is... perhaps I can drop a hint that you still love him in spite of everything."

Howl laid a hand on her shoulder from across the table.

"Love always finds a way. You'll see."

[Jane Porter]

Jane raised her head up from the against-the-table state it was in, the see Howl standing right above her. That funny-haired magician, with his 'love will find a way' creed. How was she supposed to believe something like that when her love was off with some other woman?

"Well it's not like I can wish for them to stop loving each other! And don't get any ideas!" She added when she remembered that Howl could perform magic.

She was an awful enough person as it was, she couldn't possibly do that! "If he's so happy though, then why do I feel so awful?"