#msuings

The Boiling Isles post had several hundred stations up and down the isles. There were the little boxes that dotted every stree tcorner in the large cities, but in a rural area like the toes, A station was your best bet. Even during the Frostfight festival, where everyone was sending letters, I-Scream, and family recipies back and forth to each other. In such a small station as the one in the toes, it was a miracle anyone could keep up!

But one man, by the name of Angus, kept things steady. He was the station’s youngest clerk, but he was also in the most often. Angus was currently a student at a nearby ‘learning centered community’. Essentially a fancy term for a college of the humanities. He was studying histories, and this job was helping pay for it. So he had to be pretty good.

And he was! He had reorganized the post from chaos to clarity, run the scheduling of delivery flights with utmost efficiency, dealt with customers kindly and calmly, all while taking potions to help his transition AND going to school. One wonders how he does it.

The answer? Caffeine and the threat of losing it all...’You’d think,’ he thought to himself, as he buttoned up his forest green shirt, ‘That the emperor would want people to be less...anxious...all the time.’ He shrugged, ‘Oh, well. Another sale another  snail.’

Angus opened the doors to the station, drew the curtains back, and put on his cap, getting behind the counter. The rush of the Frostfight festival was finally dying down. But that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be early birds catching the worms of cheap postal delivery! ...One of the few things that everyone agreed was good about the isles...

Angus smiled gently and waved, ‘Good morning, Ms. Clawthorne!”

Angus knew Lilith from the archives. She wasn’t high up the ladder or anything, but she was fairly approachable, and she was usually willing to help Angus with whatever work he needed to get done. She always said he reminded her of someone...someone close...

“Angus! Oh, good.” Lilith smiled softly and walked to the counter, pulling a light blue shawl around her gray and black dress. “The cold’s getting worse, somehow.” “heh, winter’s far from over...” “I figured...” Lilith giggled gently, before reaching into her pocket, “I was wondering if you could hex this letter for me?”

Angus nodded gently, “let me see what I can do...how many pages do you want hexed?” He asked. “Oh,” Lilith pointed, ‘The second page only. The first has no sensitive information.” 

Angus observed the back page of the letter, not looking at the small text, before taking a small stone and pressing it to a little inkpad on the table. ‘And who is the required reader?”

“That would be Hooty. Here.” Lilith produced a small brown feather from her bag. “i kept this, in case I would need it.”

Angus nodded, and placed the feather to the paper, before once again picking up the rock, now with its bottom half coated in black ink. “Now,” Angus pulled a small tray of inkpads out from under a desk, “What is the hex?”

Lilith shook her head, “Standard bad luck will do-oh, but could you scramble the text? Just in case.”

“Of course!” Angus nodded, before taking a small stick from under the desk and dipping it into a yellow inkpad from the tray, tracing it over the paper. As he did this, he made idle chatter with Lilith.

“Any new information on the elixir?” He asked. “Oh, the ingredients worked well, but there’s only so far you can take something like that.” “I know the feeling. I still have to take a doubled ash supplement for my hand.” Angus said, as he pressed the rock, still only with black ink, onto the feather, and placed that on the page. Lilith winced, “Still? Your fall was a while ago.” “Apparently i damaged a nerve.” “Oh, Angus...” Angus shook his head, “it’s alright.” He then took the rock and dipped it into a pad of red ink, stamping it onto the paper and letting the rock glow for a moment.

Angus put the rock under the desk, and handed Lilith the letter. Lilith quickly put it in an envelope, and placed it on the counter. “Thank you, Angus.”

“No problem. hexing and delivery cost about 3 snails. Same address as usual?” “Indeed,” Lilith smiled, fishing the snails out of her pocket and handing them over, as well as the letter. “Will I be seeing you at the new ‘Titan’s eye’ exhibit?” Lilith asked.

“ha,” Angus began, “If I find time! I’m sure it’ll be wonderful.”

Lilith nodded, “I hope so. We’re taking a big risk publishing what we have. You stay safe, Angus.”

“You as well, Ms. Clawthorne.”

And with that, she left...it was odd, how in adulthood, age didn’t matter too much to friendship. But Angus, a college kid who spent most of his time at the museum, didn’t really mind it; as he placed the letter into the delivery slot and stamped it with the address and postage paid, he looked back out at the window, the sunrise enveloping the station in a crisp, golden glow...