Puck the Postal Dragon
Prompt 11:
The Warlock | Write about your character making a deal. Why have they made this deal? What may the consequences of this deal be?
Puck was hesitant as he stared at himself in the mirror. “Roya?” he asked, “Are you sure about this? I feel like I look a bit ridiculous.”
Roya was standing a few paces away, and looked up from his notebook he was scribbling in just long enough to make eye contact with Puck, before looking back down. “You’re wearing my original work! It may not be entirely the norm, but you look lovely. Besides, you only have to wear it this week as an advertisement for my custom line, remember? That shouldn’t be too hard for you, considering the deal we made,” he explained, finally closing his notebook and stepping into view of the mirror with Puck, straightening the hat he’d carefully added horn slits to just for Puck. “I’ll be perfectly blunt, this line is definitely a bit more unique, but that’s why I was happy to trade you all those clothes in exchange for you standing outside the store for a couple hours handing out pamphlets, and helping me in here. Even in a city this large, we don’t get many plains dragons, much less ones with a horn style like yours,” Roya barreled on like he wasn’t being a touch insensitive by carelessly describing Puck like he was an imported silk, “You’re already modeling my custom horn hats, my skirts and trousers for tails, and my sandals and shoes for digitigrade feet!”
Puck sighed, nodding in agreement. The bright purples and shimmering fabric sure wasn’t what he’d usually find himself in, but for getting two entire weeks of outfits for free, he could flounce about in this and stand around a clothing store for a few day. It couldn’t be too bad, could it?
The Warlock | Write about your character making a deal. Why have they made this deal? What may the consequences of this deal be?
Puck was hesitant as he stared at himself in the mirror. “Roya?” he asked, “Are you sure about this? I feel like I look a bit ridiculous.”
Roya was standing a few paces away, and looked up from his notebook he was scribbling in just long enough to make eye contact with Puck, before looking back down. “You’re wearing my original work! It may not be entirely the norm, but you look lovely. Besides, you only have to wear it this week as an advertisement for my custom line, remember? That shouldn’t be too hard for you, considering the deal we made,” he explained, finally closing his notebook and stepping into view of the mirror with Puck, straightening the hat he’d carefully added horn slits to just for Puck. “I’ll be perfectly blunt, this line is definitely a bit more unique, but that’s why I was happy to trade you all those clothes in exchange for you standing outside the store for a couple hours handing out pamphlets, and helping me in here. Even in a city this large, we don’t get many plains dragons, much less ones with a horn style like yours,” Roya barreled on like he wasn’t being a touch insensitive by carelessly describing Puck like he was an imported silk, “You’re already modeling my custom horn hats, my skirts and trousers for tails, and my sandals and shoes for digitigrade feet!”
Puck sighed, nodding in agreement. The bright purples and shimmering fabric sure wasn’t what he’d usually find himself in, but for getting two entire weeks of outfits for free, he could flounce about in this and stand around a clothing store for a few day. It couldn’t be too bad, could it?
Tesla Stone⭑☾☀☽⭑ ⭑☾𖣂☽⭑Basil Blackwood
Puck the Postal Dragon
Prompt 12:
The Wizard | Write about a centre of learning in your setting. Is it used regularly? Do people enjoy going there?
The Library was a place Puck often found himself bringing deliveries to while working, but he hadn’t found the time to visit outside of work in the year he’d been in Coaxi. It was clearly a popular location, as no matter what time he had passed by it or gone in there had always been people inside. It made sense, as it was either a location of religion for those that worshiped Knowledge, but it was also a place of learning for anyone who wished. It had sections for everyone from children to the elderly, and even those that lived for hundreds of years like elves and vampires seemed to find a use for it. Puck had simply never found the time to look into it.
He’d been interested when there’d been an advertisement for a writing class though, with a curriculum of two weekly classes for a month that would improve basic reading and writing for adults. It was clearly intended for those in the outer towns that were in the city, as despite the public schooling up through an advanced specialization, most only completed the mandatory basics of adolescence before returning to work their family profession, be it farming, blacksmithing, incantation, or what have you. Everyone could read and write, but it simply wasn’t something that one used every day. Puck read the delivery instructions, but he couldn’t remember the last time he actually practiced writing.
Entering the classroom, he found it full of many different races, all chatting or looking around the room, ready to learn, just like he was.
The Wizard | Write about a centre of learning in your setting. Is it used regularly? Do people enjoy going there?
The Library was a place Puck often found himself bringing deliveries to while working, but he hadn’t found the time to visit outside of work in the year he’d been in Coaxi. It was clearly a popular location, as no matter what time he had passed by it or gone in there had always been people inside. It made sense, as it was either a location of religion for those that worshiped Knowledge, but it was also a place of learning for anyone who wished. It had sections for everyone from children to the elderly, and even those that lived for hundreds of years like elves and vampires seemed to find a use for it. Puck had simply never found the time to look into it.
He’d been interested when there’d been an advertisement for a writing class though, with a curriculum of two weekly classes for a month that would improve basic reading and writing for adults. It was clearly intended for those in the outer towns that were in the city, as despite the public schooling up through an advanced specialization, most only completed the mandatory basics of adolescence before returning to work their family profession, be it farming, blacksmithing, incantation, or what have you. Everyone could read and write, but it simply wasn’t something that one used every day. Puck read the delivery instructions, but he couldn’t remember the last time he actually practiced writing.
Entering the classroom, he found it full of many different races, all chatting or looking around the room, ready to learn, just like he was.
Tesla Stone⭑☾☀☽⭑ ⭑☾𖣂☽⭑Basil Blackwood
Puck the Postal Dragon
Chapter 1
In, two, three, four. Out, two, three, four.
The mantra repeated in puck’s mind, breathing in and out in rhythm with his paws as they thudded against the cobblestone road. It was still before dawn on a Brisk day, a light coating of frost on plants and light posts, and fog curling in the roadside canals. Puck’s breath puffed visibly in front of him, joining the fog around him. He heard others beginning their early morning work, the baker across the street, a fellow postal worker on horseback around the corner, the inn workers pulling water for morning meals and baths.
Puck had several packages loaded into his bags, all intended for local eateries, as well as letters for several residences along the way. His load was by no means the heaviest, that was reserved for the carts, draft centaurs, and other larger races. His was considered one of the more time sensitive ones though, as much of what he carried were fresh produce imported on a Feather Dragon the evening before, and intended for their destinations before they open.
He didn’t mind the time limit, even as his breathing grew more labored the longer he ran through the empty street. Everyone knew a Plains Dragon could run at the pace of a galloping horse for twice as long, so it only made sense. Despite understanding this, he could do without the way his paw pads stung on the cold cobbles, and the wheezing of his lungs sucking in partially frozen air. He’d only had three more streets before his first destination, where his heaving breaths would have the time to settle as the packages were unloading from his bags.
Slowing to a stop outside the bakery that was his destination, he tapped against the door with the back of a paw. It opened quickly, the ratkin that answered wiping flour off on her apron and smiling as she recognized Puck. Marlon was a welcome sight to see, as she always unloaded Puck’s delivery for him, so he didn’t have to worry about readjusting his bags for shifting to do it himself. If she had a particularly productive morning, she’d even give him a pastry from the day before, or one of the fruits from her order.
As luck would have it, she waved him through the doorway into the delightfully warm room, quickly unbuckling the pack he gestured at with his nose and pulling out her wrapped package with her name and address on it. “Here, I’ve got some bread and a croissant leftover from yesterday. I was thinking of putting them on sale, but with the fresh delivery today I’ll just give you a few,” Malon said, picking up a cloth wrapped bundle. She placed it in his bag, replacing the package she removed, and offered the croissant to him to eat, “I know you don’t usually eat breakfast, so I hope this helps.”
Puck lowered his head in thanks, a draconic approximation of a bow, and his tail swished happily in the hot air as he gently took the croissant from her hand and quickly swallowed it down in two bites. The elven confection was one of his favorites, and sometimes he suspected Malon would keep one for him when she knew he’d be the one coming by. It made his heart warm, thinking that someone thought about him, even if they weren’t family. It had only been a year since Puck had come to Coaxi, but he’d found it difficult to make friends, seeing as his only experience in the past had been making friends with the dragons in his own herd. It’s much easier to get to know someone when you travel through open land for days at a time with them, versus just ordering from their bakery, or stopping for some soup at an inn.
Spirits raised, he set back out onto the street, slowly warming now as the sun peeked over the horizon. Only three stops left to go, and then he would deliver his letters before returning to headquarters to retrieve his second set of deliveries for the day. Those were usually the ones that had been picked up in the morning to be delivered to the other side of the city, which was still a novel concept to Puck. It may have been the city-state capital, but being in a place large enough that people would pay just to have others carry items from one side to the other didn’t make sense to him, at least from a financial standpoint. Maybe the people of the city would say the same about hiring others to help them on their farm rather than doing it themselves to save money, so who was he to judge? Besides, it meant that he’d always have a job as one of the rapid delivery workers.
Now the cobblestones were less cold, his stomach wasn’t empty, and the cold fog of morning was no longer freezing his lungs, Puck’s job became infinitely more enjoyable. He wasn’t alone on the roads, which made it slightly more difficult to navigate, but he simply had to stay in the horse tracks and watch for any pedestrians, especially the smaller ones like Malon. If he truly wanted to, he could easily travel above the roads along rooftops, or cut through alleyways where he could nimbly leap over small dividing walls, but local guards didn’t seem to appreciate the sight of mysterious figures traveling outside the designated pathways, and he didn’t want to damage any of his packages by jostling them around.
The last three deliveries went well, the clients all pulling their packages from the bags he indicated with a tap of his nose. He didn’t receive any more treats or pleasant conversation, but with only the letters left he began his path back to headquarters, stepping into an alleyway near the first street. In the outer towns no one was phased by a dragon shifter, and had no issues with them dressing how they wished, which was commonly without clothes for convenience, but the city was a bit more strict. Their sense of modesty was something he’d been unfamiliar with when he first began working, but Puck quickly learned that walking around in humanoid form with only his hat made people uncomfortable. His fur covered everything their cotton clothing did, so he still didn’t quite understand it, but it wasn’t difficult to step into an alleyway, shift into humanoid form, and pull out the slightly modified postal uniform from one of his bags.
Shirt and vest buttoned up the front to avoid catching on his horns, tail through the tied loop on the trousers, and cap with the travel god’s insignia back on his head, Puck picked back up his harness, tightening and folding straps so it fit his bipedal shape, rather than the quadrupedal draconic one. Letters ready to be delivered, now he could use dexterous hands to remove them from the bags himself, he set out at a brisk walk.
Now he had a mouth shaped for humanoid words and communication, he made a point of smiling at and greeting everyone he passed. Some waved back, some ignored him, and some gave him a pleasant smile or kind word in return. Although the city commonly felt more isolated, and people didn’t stop and greet their neighbors as they passed, it brought Puck a sense of comfort that he might be able to brighten someone’s day. After all, after coming here, he’d begun to understand the deep sense of loneliness that one can only feel when surrounded by people they did not know.
In, two, three, four. Out, two, three, four.
The mantra repeated in puck’s mind, breathing in and out in rhythm with his paws as they thudded against the cobblestone road. It was still before dawn on a Brisk day, a light coating of frost on plants and light posts, and fog curling in the roadside canals. Puck’s breath puffed visibly in front of him, joining the fog around him. He heard others beginning their early morning work, the baker across the street, a fellow postal worker on horseback around the corner, the inn workers pulling water for morning meals and baths.
Puck had several packages loaded into his bags, all intended for local eateries, as well as letters for several residences along the way. His load was by no means the heaviest, that was reserved for the carts, draft centaurs, and other larger races. His was considered one of the more time sensitive ones though, as much of what he carried were fresh produce imported on a Feather Dragon the evening before, and intended for their destinations before they open.
He didn’t mind the time limit, even as his breathing grew more labored the longer he ran through the empty street. Everyone knew a Plains Dragon could run at the pace of a galloping horse for twice as long, so it only made sense. Despite understanding this, he could do without the way his paw pads stung on the cold cobbles, and the wheezing of his lungs sucking in partially frozen air. He’d only had three more streets before his first destination, where his heaving breaths would have the time to settle as the packages were unloading from his bags.
Slowing to a stop outside the bakery that was his destination, he tapped against the door with the back of a paw. It opened quickly, the ratkin that answered wiping flour off on her apron and smiling as she recognized Puck. Marlon was a welcome sight to see, as she always unloaded Puck’s delivery for him, so he didn’t have to worry about readjusting his bags for shifting to do it himself. If she had a particularly productive morning, she’d even give him a pastry from the day before, or one of the fruits from her order.
As luck would have it, she waved him through the doorway into the delightfully warm room, quickly unbuckling the pack he gestured at with his nose and pulling out her wrapped package with her name and address on it. “Here, I’ve got some bread and a croissant leftover from yesterday. I was thinking of putting them on sale, but with the fresh delivery today I’ll just give you a few,” Malon said, picking up a cloth wrapped bundle. She placed it in his bag, replacing the package she removed, and offered the croissant to him to eat, “I know you don’t usually eat breakfast, so I hope this helps.”
Puck lowered his head in thanks, a draconic approximation of a bow, and his tail swished happily in the hot air as he gently took the croissant from her hand and quickly swallowed it down in two bites. The elven confection was one of his favorites, and sometimes he suspected Malon would keep one for him when she knew he’d be the one coming by. It made his heart warm, thinking that someone thought about him, even if they weren’t family. It had only been a year since Puck had come to Coaxi, but he’d found it difficult to make friends, seeing as his only experience in the past had been making friends with the dragons in his own herd. It’s much easier to get to know someone when you travel through open land for days at a time with them, versus just ordering from their bakery, or stopping for some soup at an inn.
Spirits raised, he set back out onto the street, slowly warming now as the sun peeked over the horizon. Only three stops left to go, and then he would deliver his letters before returning to headquarters to retrieve his second set of deliveries for the day. Those were usually the ones that had been picked up in the morning to be delivered to the other side of the city, which was still a novel concept to Puck. It may have been the city-state capital, but being in a place large enough that people would pay just to have others carry items from one side to the other didn’t make sense to him, at least from a financial standpoint. Maybe the people of the city would say the same about hiring others to help them on their farm rather than doing it themselves to save money, so who was he to judge? Besides, it meant that he’d always have a job as one of the rapid delivery workers.
Now the cobblestones were less cold, his stomach wasn’t empty, and the cold fog of morning was no longer freezing his lungs, Puck’s job became infinitely more enjoyable. He wasn’t alone on the roads, which made it slightly more difficult to navigate, but he simply had to stay in the horse tracks and watch for any pedestrians, especially the smaller ones like Malon. If he truly wanted to, he could easily travel above the roads along rooftops, or cut through alleyways where he could nimbly leap over small dividing walls, but local guards didn’t seem to appreciate the sight of mysterious figures traveling outside the designated pathways, and he didn’t want to damage any of his packages by jostling them around.
The last three deliveries went well, the clients all pulling their packages from the bags he indicated with a tap of his nose. He didn’t receive any more treats or pleasant conversation, but with only the letters left he began his path back to headquarters, stepping into an alleyway near the first street. In the outer towns no one was phased by a dragon shifter, and had no issues with them dressing how they wished, which was commonly without clothes for convenience, but the city was a bit more strict. Their sense of modesty was something he’d been unfamiliar with when he first began working, but Puck quickly learned that walking around in humanoid form with only his hat made people uncomfortable. His fur covered everything their cotton clothing did, so he still didn’t quite understand it, but it wasn’t difficult to step into an alleyway, shift into humanoid form, and pull out the slightly modified postal uniform from one of his bags.
Shirt and vest buttoned up the front to avoid catching on his horns, tail through the tied loop on the trousers, and cap with the travel god’s insignia back on his head, Puck picked back up his harness, tightening and folding straps so it fit his bipedal shape, rather than the quadrupedal draconic one. Letters ready to be delivered, now he could use dexterous hands to remove them from the bags himself, he set out at a brisk walk.
Now he had a mouth shaped for humanoid words and communication, he made a point of smiling at and greeting everyone he passed. Some waved back, some ignored him, and some gave him a pleasant smile or kind word in return. Although the city commonly felt more isolated, and people didn’t stop and greet their neighbors as they passed, it brought Puck a sense of comfort that he might be able to brighten someone’s day. After all, after coming here, he’d begun to understand the deep sense of loneliness that one can only feel when surrounded by people they did not know.
Tesla Stone⭑☾☀☽⭑ ⭑☾𖣂☽⭑Basil Blackwood
Puck the Postal Dragon
Chapter 2
Puck was met with a surprising array of chaos as he stepped into the normally neatly kept clothing store. It wasn’t as though he was stopping by outside of open hours like he usually did when making deliveries, seeing as though he’d decided to come in on his day off to maybe expand his wardrobe beyond his postal uniform or his simple outer farm garb. The store displayed primarily the jewel and earth tones fit for a city that functioned mostly under Harvest or Earth, but it had always had a small variety reflecting other religions and regions that had interested Puck.
Now, the neatly arranged robes, scarves, hats, shirts, and trousers, were thrown into haphazard piles. Shelves were pushed out of the way, and as Puck stepped further in, he caught sight of the store owner, a dark skinned elf named Roya that was currently half underneath a table, rummaging desperately for something out of sight.
“Do you need any help?” Puck asked, leaning down to see what Roya may be looking for.
He jumped, quickly scrambling out from under the table and turning to look at Puck. “Oh, Puck. I didn’t know I had a delivery coming today. Or are you here to shop? I’m afraid I’m in no state to be selling things, I should’ve closed the store as soon as I’d realized my brooch was missing.”
“Your brooch? Would you like any help looking for it?” Puck asked, head tilting curiously. He didn’t think a simple piece of decorative jewelry would be so important.
Roya reached out to clasp Puck’s hands, sighing with relief and exclaiming, “Yes, that would be wonderful! It’s an heirloom from my family’s grandmatron, and I’ve been going mad looking for it. Will you search under the tables and along the ground? I have a few shelves I can check the tops of, before I report it as missing. It wouldn’t be the first time a pixie tried to steal it, but usually they just put it somewhere else as a prank instead of taking it.”
Puck nodded, and quickly set to work looking for the missing brooch. He had no issues quickly lowering himself to hands and knees, crawling under the nearest table and searching through the dim space for a hint of the jewelry. “Say, what does it look like?” he called, hoping Roya could hear him as he heard the elf shuffling around on the other side of the store.
“I can’t believe you don’t know! I’m always wearing it every time you stop by,” Roya cried, his feet passing in front of Puck as he ran to the other end of the crowded space.
“Er, I’m afraid I don’t always pay attention to things like that. Sorry,” he said sheepishly shuffling to lay flat on the ground and look under a heavy shelf.
Roya huffed as he replied in a put upon tone, “Well, it has a dark blue gem, similar to my skin tone, with a silver floral embellishment and pin. Honestly, you’d think you didn’t look at people’s clothes at all the way I only ever see you in your uniform!”
Puck rose, brushing off the front of his uniform shirt and tail swishing along the ground in embarrassment. “I mean, I also have the clothes I came to the city in, but they’re a little more worn than my uniform so I much prefer wearing this.”
There was a clattering sound as a display of jewelry was roughly shoved away from the wall, and Roya popped out from behind it, eyes quite literally sparkling with joy as he held up his prized brooch. He quickly pinned it onto the breast of his doublet, smoothing out the ruffles from his clothes as he began putting the store back to rights. “Tell you what Puck, let’s make a deal. I’ll let you pick an entire week’s worth of clothes to take with you, but you’ll have to do something for me in return,” he stopped next to Puck, looking down at him and holding his hand to his chest daintily as he nodded firmly, “Yes, I have something you could be quite helpful with! Come along, let me show you where my new selection will be.”
Puck followed the elf, leaning to peek around him at the piles of clothes that had been pulled off of shelves behind the counter. “I’m not quite following what you want me to do,” he said hesitantly, voice curling up in a question.
“Now, it’s nothing difficult for you, but it can do a lot for me. You see, Coaxi fashion is fairly simple in nature, but I learned how to design and sew in the fae cities. I’ve been wanting to introduce some more exciting clothing lines for a while, but it’s surprisingly difficult to find people willing to model for me. Even in a city this large, we don’t get many plains dragons, much less ones with a horn style like yours. It’s hard to find people unique enough to really show off a unique line!”
Puck’s ears flattened as he shifted his weight. He couldn’t help but feel a bit like he was being treated like an imported silk, and he couldn’t quite figure out why. “So you just need someone to wear these clothes, and that’s it?” he asked, hoping he could clarify Roya’s rambling explanation.
“Yes, that is the basic concept I suppose. More specifically, I want you to come by a few days a week, model one of the new outfits, and perhaps stand outside and pass out pamphlets or encourage people to stop in and look around. Just until people know it’s here, and then we’ll consider the clothes you pick out for yourself paid off. How does that sound to you?”
“I guess that doesn’t sound too hard… I’ll only be able to come in on my day off or in the evenings though.”
“Puck, dear, please tell me in the year I’ve been seeing you here that you’ve been taking more than a single day off per week,” Roya accused, turning to face Puck, what looked like a purple dress hung over his arm.
Puck shuffled, tail curling around his leg, and looking at a nearby display so he wouldn’t have to look Roya in the face. “I don’t always take a day off at all. I’m always happy to fill in for people, and it’s not like I’m doing anything else with my time!” he explained, trying to make Roya understand that he didn’t mind working as much as he did, even if he was constantly exhausted and had no time to go shopping for new clothes.
Roya ducked down so he was within eyesight of Puck, laying down the dress and setting his hand on the dragon’s arm. “You’ve got to rest more than that. You’re going to run yourself into the ground at this rate! How about this, I really need you here for two days a week. Fosday and Nocday are when most people are off work and when I’m busiest. You ask for those off for the rest of the month, and we’ll call it even.”
Puck hesitated. He hated having to ask for time off, especially because then someone else would have to pick up his deliveries those days, and it made his stomach clench with stress at the thought of inconveniencing someone. On the other hand, an entire week of outfits from Roya’s store could cost him multiple months of saving to afford, and he really could use some time to rest. Besides there were only three weeks left in Brisk, so it wasn’t too bad.
“Okay, I’ll ask for those days off, but I can’t make any promises. I’ll be able to let you know after I go into work tomorrow,” he agreed, finally relaxing and looking back at Roya. If he didn’t get the days off, he’d just come back and buy clothes like he’d been planning originally.
Roya nodded in satisfaction, offering his hand out to shake. “You let me know if you can get those days off, and we’ll get you your outfits and you’ll come to model for me. Is it a deal?”
Puck thought for only a moment before reaching out to shake Roya’s hand. The elf wasn’t a true fae, so his deals didn’t have any threat behind them, but Puck was still careful to remember the terms so he wouldn’t accidentally break the deal they’d agreed on. One could never be too careful with these things.
“It’s a deal!” he said out loud, grinning.
Roya clapped his hands together, spinning on his heel and striding away to a different end of the store. “You just let me know what you can do after work tomorrow, and we’ll finalize a plan then! For today though, do you have the time to help pick up this mess? It would go so much faster with your help,” he called behind his shoulder, already beginning to straighten shelves and pick up scattered bolts of cloth and tunics.
Puck sighed fondly, rolling his eyes and moving to help Roya push the shelves back into their neat rows.
Puck was met with a surprising array of chaos as he stepped into the normally neatly kept clothing store. It wasn’t as though he was stopping by outside of open hours like he usually did when making deliveries, seeing as though he’d decided to come in on his day off to maybe expand his wardrobe beyond his postal uniform or his simple outer farm garb. The store displayed primarily the jewel and earth tones fit for a city that functioned mostly under Harvest or Earth, but it had always had a small variety reflecting other religions and regions that had interested Puck.
Now, the neatly arranged robes, scarves, hats, shirts, and trousers, were thrown into haphazard piles. Shelves were pushed out of the way, and as Puck stepped further in, he caught sight of the store owner, a dark skinned elf named Roya that was currently half underneath a table, rummaging desperately for something out of sight.
“Do you need any help?” Puck asked, leaning down to see what Roya may be looking for.
He jumped, quickly scrambling out from under the table and turning to look at Puck. “Oh, Puck. I didn’t know I had a delivery coming today. Or are you here to shop? I’m afraid I’m in no state to be selling things, I should’ve closed the store as soon as I’d realized my brooch was missing.”
“Your brooch? Would you like any help looking for it?” Puck asked, head tilting curiously. He didn’t think a simple piece of decorative jewelry would be so important.
Roya reached out to clasp Puck’s hands, sighing with relief and exclaiming, “Yes, that would be wonderful! It’s an heirloom from my family’s grandmatron, and I’ve been going mad looking for it. Will you search under the tables and along the ground? I have a few shelves I can check the tops of, before I report it as missing. It wouldn’t be the first time a pixie tried to steal it, but usually they just put it somewhere else as a prank instead of taking it.”
Puck nodded, and quickly set to work looking for the missing brooch. He had no issues quickly lowering himself to hands and knees, crawling under the nearest table and searching through the dim space for a hint of the jewelry. “Say, what does it look like?” he called, hoping Roya could hear him as he heard the elf shuffling around on the other side of the store.
“I can’t believe you don’t know! I’m always wearing it every time you stop by,” Roya cried, his feet passing in front of Puck as he ran to the other end of the crowded space.
“Er, I’m afraid I don’t always pay attention to things like that. Sorry,” he said sheepishly shuffling to lay flat on the ground and look under a heavy shelf.
Roya huffed as he replied in a put upon tone, “Well, it has a dark blue gem, similar to my skin tone, with a silver floral embellishment and pin. Honestly, you’d think you didn’t look at people’s clothes at all the way I only ever see you in your uniform!”
Puck rose, brushing off the front of his uniform shirt and tail swishing along the ground in embarrassment. “I mean, I also have the clothes I came to the city in, but they’re a little more worn than my uniform so I much prefer wearing this.”
There was a clattering sound as a display of jewelry was roughly shoved away from the wall, and Roya popped out from behind it, eyes quite literally sparkling with joy as he held up his prized brooch. He quickly pinned it onto the breast of his doublet, smoothing out the ruffles from his clothes as he began putting the store back to rights. “Tell you what Puck, let’s make a deal. I’ll let you pick an entire week’s worth of clothes to take with you, but you’ll have to do something for me in return,” he stopped next to Puck, looking down at him and holding his hand to his chest daintily as he nodded firmly, “Yes, I have something you could be quite helpful with! Come along, let me show you where my new selection will be.”
Puck followed the elf, leaning to peek around him at the piles of clothes that had been pulled off of shelves behind the counter. “I’m not quite following what you want me to do,” he said hesitantly, voice curling up in a question.
“Now, it’s nothing difficult for you, but it can do a lot for me. You see, Coaxi fashion is fairly simple in nature, but I learned how to design and sew in the fae cities. I’ve been wanting to introduce some more exciting clothing lines for a while, but it’s surprisingly difficult to find people willing to model for me. Even in a city this large, we don’t get many plains dragons, much less ones with a horn style like yours. It’s hard to find people unique enough to really show off a unique line!”
Puck’s ears flattened as he shifted his weight. He couldn’t help but feel a bit like he was being treated like an imported silk, and he couldn’t quite figure out why. “So you just need someone to wear these clothes, and that’s it?” he asked, hoping he could clarify Roya’s rambling explanation.
“Yes, that is the basic concept I suppose. More specifically, I want you to come by a few days a week, model one of the new outfits, and perhaps stand outside and pass out pamphlets or encourage people to stop in and look around. Just until people know it’s here, and then we’ll consider the clothes you pick out for yourself paid off. How does that sound to you?”
“I guess that doesn’t sound too hard… I’ll only be able to come in on my day off or in the evenings though.”
“Puck, dear, please tell me in the year I’ve been seeing you here that you’ve been taking more than a single day off per week,” Roya accused, turning to face Puck, what looked like a purple dress hung over his arm.
Puck shuffled, tail curling around his leg, and looking at a nearby display so he wouldn’t have to look Roya in the face. “I don’t always take a day off at all. I’m always happy to fill in for people, and it’s not like I’m doing anything else with my time!” he explained, trying to make Roya understand that he didn’t mind working as much as he did, even if he was constantly exhausted and had no time to go shopping for new clothes.
Roya ducked down so he was within eyesight of Puck, laying down the dress and setting his hand on the dragon’s arm. “You’ve got to rest more than that. You’re going to run yourself into the ground at this rate! How about this, I really need you here for two days a week. Fosday and Nocday are when most people are off work and when I’m busiest. You ask for those off for the rest of the month, and we’ll call it even.”
Puck hesitated. He hated having to ask for time off, especially because then someone else would have to pick up his deliveries those days, and it made his stomach clench with stress at the thought of inconveniencing someone. On the other hand, an entire week of outfits from Roya’s store could cost him multiple months of saving to afford, and he really could use some time to rest. Besides there were only three weeks left in Brisk, so it wasn’t too bad.
“Okay, I’ll ask for those days off, but I can’t make any promises. I’ll be able to let you know after I go into work tomorrow,” he agreed, finally relaxing and looking back at Roya. If he didn’t get the days off, he’d just come back and buy clothes like he’d been planning originally.
Roya nodded in satisfaction, offering his hand out to shake. “You let me know if you can get those days off, and we’ll get you your outfits and you’ll come to model for me. Is it a deal?”
Puck thought for only a moment before reaching out to shake Roya’s hand. The elf wasn’t a true fae, so his deals didn’t have any threat behind them, but Puck was still careful to remember the terms so he wouldn’t accidentally break the deal they’d agreed on. One could never be too careful with these things.
“It’s a deal!” he said out loud, grinning.
Roya clapped his hands together, spinning on his heel and striding away to a different end of the store. “You just let me know what you can do after work tomorrow, and we’ll finalize a plan then! For today though, do you have the time to help pick up this mess? It would go so much faster with your help,” he called behind his shoulder, already beginning to straighten shelves and pick up scattered bolts of cloth and tunics.
Puck sighed fondly, rolling his eyes and moving to help Roya push the shelves back into their neat rows.
Tesla Stone⭑☾☀☽⭑ ⭑☾𖣂☽⭑Basil Blackwood
Puck the Postal Dragon
Chapter 3
The following morning Puck pushed himself into the headquarters building for the postal workers of Coaxi, slice of slightly stale bread with a thin layer of honeyed oats on top held in his hand. He’d made himself two slices, and had been snacking on them on his walk to work. He’d intentionally rented a small room in a nearby building, so he wouldn’t have to travel far each morning. All the better to conserve his energy for the long day ahead.
He waved at Daffodil, the large centaur woman, one of the ones with routes to and from the outer farms and villages, a motherly sort that always checked in with him when they were on similar routes. He accepted a cup of tea from Flynn the badgerkin, one of the sorters in the building, who was brewing enough tea to warm all the workers as they filtered in to start their chilly mornings.
Passing through the hallways and open spaces of the multi-story building, he was reminded again why he didn’t mind working nine of the ten days in a week. He enjoyed the company of his coworkers, and most importantly he enjoyed his job and how he got to help people. Without them, people would have a much harder time transporting the commerce and communications throughout the city and its surrounding lands, as well as through the rest of the continent.
He was on a mission to find his supervisor though, as he did have to fulfill Roya’s deal and at least try to take some time off for the rest of Brisk to help him model his clothing lines. It was still a foreign concept to him, but Puck never turned down a chance to help others, or a chance for free stuff either. He’d spent his hatchling years with one of the traveling herds in the outer villages; he didn’t have the same sense of pride that some in the city seemed to have. A gift given was a gift accepted, and often returned. There was nothing wrong with accepting help, as long as you help the intention to return or pass along the favor.
Reaching her office, he ducked his head in the open door to greet the birdkin. He was startled to see another dragon inside, a large and imposing Feather dragon he’d only seen a few times previously. With a blink of surprise, his face broke out in a grin. “Eykyn!” he cried, moving forward to pull the jet black dragon into a firm hug.
Eykyn’s face remained expressionless, but her wings relaxed and wrapped around him briefly in friendly greeting as the two patted each other on the back. “Puck, it’s been too long. How has the city been treating you?” she asked, peering down at him and looking him over with her yellow eyes, “You look well.”
“Yes, yes, I’ve been fine! It’s so good to see you again. How far have they been sending you? I haven’t seen you in this part of the continent in over a month!”
“I was actually on overseas orders for a bit, as the seas got rough between the transition from Harvest to Brisk, and they needed us large-sized transporters to bring the essential goods to the capital.”
Bolka, Puck’s supervisor, cleared her throat from behind her desk and interjected, “I’m sorry to interrupt you two, but we’ve got to get started for the day. You should have a chance to catch up a bit more once assignments are out, but you can do that outside my office. Eykyn, was there anything else you need, or do you have the documents you need for your pickup?”
Puck bowed sheepishly to the blue heron birdkin, lowering his head in quick deference and quickly shifting towards the door to get out of her way so she could continue the morning’s preparations.
“I’m all set Mx. Bolka, thank you for the help. I apologize for getting in so late last night, so we didn’t have time to complete arrangements then.”
“It’s no trouble at all, thank you for your help. You’re always welcome to call on me if you need help, or if you’re passing through. Puck, before you go, were you coming in here for a reason?”
Puck jumped, quickly turning back to face his supervisor. “Oh, yes ma’am! I almost forgot. I wanted to see if I could get Fosday and Nocday off the rest of Brisk, if possible. I have something I’m trying to plan with someone,” he explained, chagrined at having almost forgotten his reason for being there in the face of a fellow dragon he could consider a friend.
She seemed surprised, which wasn’t too shocking, as Puck hadn’t asked for a single day off in the full year since he’d come to Coaxi and the postal unit. Quite the opposite, as instead he leaped at any opportunity to work extra hours or come in on his days off. “Give me a few hours to look at the schedule, and see what routes you’d be on those days. I’ll let you know when you come back in for lunch,” she replied, making note of it on her chalkboard full of the day’s to-dos.
“Thank you ma’am!” he called, joining Eykyn in the hallway, the two beginning to walk towards the main office. “So, will you be sticking around today, or do you have another delivery you’ll be taking?”
Eykyn shook her head, feathered ruff flaring and settling again as she looked down her muzzle at the small dragon by her side. Answering quickly she replied, “I’ll be leaving today after my noon meal. There’s sizeable shipment to Praxi already prepared for the next large hauler to stop in, and that happened to be me. I was thinking of sticking around for a day or two, but my wife is actually in Praxi for the next two weeks, so I’d like to take my break there instead to spend time with her.”
Puck blinked in surprise, moving to allow a small ratkin to slip between the two of them. “I wasn’t aware you were married! I guess it just never came up, did it?”
“We only got married last Freeze, so I’m not surprised. I haven’t been in Coaxi frequently enough for it to come up. I’ll send you a letter if she’s ever in the city, I’m sure she’d like to meet you. She's from the capital island, but is on a pilgrimage to the Night temples, so I’m sure she’ll pass through eventually. Keep an eye out for her, she’s an elk satyr named Rosa.”
“I’ll absolutely keep an eye out for her! My address is the same, so it shouldn’t be too hard for you to let me know if she comes this way. I wish I was able to write back more often, though. Maybe next time you write, let me know where you’ll be next so I can try to get something sent ahead?”
“Sure Puck, I can try to figure something out. I do enjoy hearing from you, but you know how it is traveling so frequently. Hard to keep track of the time or the places,” Eykyn soothed, setting a hand on his shoulder, “I’ll let you know when I get to Praxi safe at the very least. I’ve got to go start taking inventory, and I believe you’ll be delivering to the Library today, so you should probably go get prepared for that.”
He groaned, shoulders slumping and ears and tail drooping sadly. “Okay, alright, point taken. I’ll find you a lunch, okay? See ya later Eykyn!” he called jogging down the hallway and waving behind him.
Bolka hadn’t officially posted all the routes today, but she’d usually put up the longer or more challenging ones early so people would have a chance to get prepared and ensure they’d make it there and back on schedule. He’d completely forgotten to check before heading up to her office, but with Eykyn’s delivery he was next in line for the Library deliveries. It wasn’t necessarily the worst, but it certainly wasn’t an easy task, and it was always rotation between the workers or crews that could haul carts.
This was of course the centaurs, dragons, horse and humanoid teams, or any races orc or larger. Last week had been Sara and her draft horse, so it was his turn to load up the cart full of the latest books and haul it all the way up to the Library at the top of the eastern city hills. It was grueling work, even for the quadrupeds in the office, but the most time consuming part was loading the cart in the first place.
Thankfully, it looked like Eykyn’s delivery crew from the night before had already sorted packages and boxed into the areas where they’d be going, so the eastern edge of the warehouse had the cart he’d be using and the large crates piled next to it. Many of them were easily half his size, being two to three feet wide and tall, and likely stuffed full of the latest novels from around the continent and capital. He groaned, casting about for someone who would be available to help him lift them into his cart.
There were only four crates, so once they were in the cart the weight wouldn’t be too overwhelming by any means, it was simply a matter of getting them there in the first place. To his luck Lyn was nearby, the large orcish woman laughing and chatting with a smaller human Puck hadn’t met.
“Lyn!” he called, waving and trying to get her attention.
She quickly caught his eye, and came over with the human in tow. “Heya Puck, what’s got your horns in a twist?” she asked, eyes twinkling at her own joke, considering the gazelle-like twirling of Puck’s horns.
Rolling his eyes, he gestured at the crates. “I can’t load these on my own. You mind helping me get them in the cart, and then get me in the harness when that’s done?” he asked. He’d finished his tea and bread already, so he was set to head out as soon as they got him loaded and ready to go.
“Sure thing. You mind if Lola helps? She’s transferring here for the month from Eykyn’s team. She started in the capital, but she wants to take some time here just to look around,” Lyn spoke and signed, Lola watching her hands and nodding along.
Puck’s tail thrashed anxiously, quickly realized that he didn’t actually know the hand language some people used, such as the deaf or the underwater races. Not to mention he’d heard some hard of hearing people read lips, and his muzzle may be short enough to form the humanoid language he spoke in this form, but it was by no means shaped the same as most other humanoids. Considering he didn’t even have lips to speak of.
“Of course!” he said out loud, “You’ll have to help translate though, I’m afraid I never learned hand language. It never came up in the herd, or in the outer villages. Not a lot of water folks, or folks in general out there after all.” He’d met dragons that didn’t speak the vocal humanoid language, but he knew enough about draconic body language that they’d always managed to get their point across. When one spent half your life without hands, it didn’t seem very useful to learn how to speak with them, if he was being honest. Now he felt guilty, as he knew from personal experience what a drag it could be when you had to rely on someone else to speak on your behalf.
Lola waved at him, catching his attention and signing quicker than he could follow. He caught three movements he could see clearly, Lola pointing at herself, tapping her pointer and middle fingers of both hands together, and making a half circle with her left hand, pointer and middle finger still outstretched.
“She said she’s hard of hearing, but she chooses to sign. If you speak louder she can hear you better, and I can translate what she says,” Lyn paused as Lola tapped her fingers together again, pointing at herself and Puck, as well as making a motion like she was pulling something from her mind, “She also said she’s happy to teach you.”
Puck nodded eagerly. “That would be great! It’s not really the same, but I’d be happy to explain draconic body language in return. It can help in case you meet anyone who doesn’t choose to use a humanoid form,” he answered, looking at Lola and doing his best to speak a bit slower and louder than he usually did, hoping she’d have an easier time understanding him. He knew he could speak a bit too quickly or quietly for most people, so even with Lyn and Lola’s reassurances he still couldn’t help but be worried he’d inconvenience them.
Lola giggled, giving him a thumbs up, and saving him from his own nerves as the two moved to help him lift the crates. She was a bit taller than him, and Lyn towered over the both of them, closer to Eykyn’s height, easily well over seven feet tall. Because of that it took a bit of adjusting, Puck and Lola lifting from the bottom on one side, and Lyn grabbing onto the small edge at the top. Between the three of them, they got the four crates loaded easily enough.
“Do you mind if I shift here, or would you prefer I go do it in one of the side rooms?” he asked the two, mindful of their comfort. Most of the regular workers had gotten used to him stripping off his uniform except for the hat in the middle of the warehouse, shoving it into an empty bag on his harness, and twisting into a new form, but he didn’t know what Lola’s comfort with that would be. After all, Puck was one of a couple dragons in their section, but he didn’t know how many dragons there were in the capital or if Lola had seen them before.
Lola leaned forward in excitement, gesturing for him to continue, and Lyn waved him on as well. “You know I don’t mind, kid. Lola doesn’t either. It’ll make it faster for us to get you in harness and get back to our own work anyway,” she said, giving him a friendly push towards the front of the cart.
“Okay, okay, point taken! Just trying to be polite.”
Quickly taking off his uniform and tucking it into a bag he set in the cart, Puck took a moment to smooth the fur that had been ruffled. Calling upon the internal magic all dragons had, his body blended quickly and painlessly into that of a standard plains dragon about the size of a large horse. Shaking his fur out and stretching his limbs, he bent his head to a paw to check his cap was still on his head, the straps that allowed it to be attached to his horns doing a good job of keeping it secure.
Stretching his neck out and shaking, similar to a horse, he shook out his fur until it lay flat and comfortable. His mane and back ruff stood up proudly, no longer confined under layers of clothing. Finally comfortable in his own skin, he turned around to check on Lola and Lyn. Lyn had begun checking the tack, ensuring the harness was in good repair and wouldn’t chafe his skin. Lola, however, was watching him intently, hands twitching by her side.
He tilted his head curiously, ears perked and intent, trying to ask her what she wanted. She tapped Lyn’s shoulder, signing something to her, and Lyn turned back around to translate for Puck. “She’s asking if she can pet you. She didn’t know plains dragons had a mane, or that you’d be so fluffy,” she explained, and Puck's ears flattened against his head.
It wasn’t exactly polite to ask to pet someone, even if they were a dragon, but Lola seemed more genuinely excited than dehumanizing. He supposed it was fair, plains dragons were the only furred dragons, and with it being winter he more closely resembled a fluffy dog than a sleek horse. His matrons were proud, and would’ve seen the question as rude, but Puck had always not particularly cared, and had always been the one from his herd that would carry children around and let them hang off his horns and chase his tail.
Stepping closer, Puck lowered his head and nudged Lola’s hand. He hoped she’d understand that was the invitation she needed, and she quickly took it. Her hands started by ruffling through his mane on his head, smoothing down the coarse fur and curling her fingers in it. Puck’s tail swished in contentment, keeping his head lowered as she scratched behind his ears and around his horns as well. In his community, grooming was a very frequent activity to smooth and straighten any stray fur, as well as get rid of any itchiness that always seemed to only happen in draconic form when they didn’t have hands to scratch away the itch.
She didn’t linger long, seemingly satisfied with scratching around his head and briefly running a hand down his shoulder to feel the expanse of cloud soft fur there. He appreciated that she seemed to be mindful of the fact that just because he looked like an animal, he was still a person just like everyone else in the room. It was unfortunately something that people seemed to forget sometimes, treating dragons like creatures rather than fully sentient members of society.
Puck nodded his head in thanks, tail wagging more quickly to prove his appreciation. Stepping up to the cart, he settled into position so Lyn could set to work throwing the harness over his back so he could truly begin his work for the day. She ruffled his mane with a friendly hand, and demonstrated to Lola how the harness was nearly identical to that of a horse’s, it just had extra padding at the front of the chest and under the ribs to account for Puck’s narrower build, compared to that of a rounder horse.
Lyn checked in frequently to ensure the straps were snug enough they wouldn’t shift and chafe, but not so tight he couldn’t breath. He’d nod or shake his head, shifting an stretching to pull any bunched up skin out of the way so they could tighten the harness when necessary. It only took a few minutes; Lyn used to helping him, and Lola helping to reduce any time spent walking back and forth. Lyn opened the nearest sliding door for him, and he tapped her shoulder with his nose affectionately, doing the same to Lola as a friendly goodbye as he strode out the door.
He’d set out later than he had the day before, the sun already beginning to rise and clear out the morning frost. Despite that, he wouldn’t accelerate his pace to account for the late start. The weight of the cart pulling at his chest and shoulders wasn’t unbearable, but it wasn’t exactly light either. The path he was taking also consisted entirely of uphill climbs, with occasional flat patches. He couldn’t risk wearing himself out before he even got to the steepest climb to the entrance of the library.
He got to step into the cart lane of the cobbled road though, and with it being relatively empty this early, he wouldn’t have to worry about looking to avoid anyone on the streets like he normally would passing through on foot. At a steady walk, he began striding towards the eastern side of the city.
The following morning Puck pushed himself into the headquarters building for the postal workers of Coaxi, slice of slightly stale bread with a thin layer of honeyed oats on top held in his hand. He’d made himself two slices, and had been snacking on them on his walk to work. He’d intentionally rented a small room in a nearby building, so he wouldn’t have to travel far each morning. All the better to conserve his energy for the long day ahead.
He waved at Daffodil, the large centaur woman, one of the ones with routes to and from the outer farms and villages, a motherly sort that always checked in with him when they were on similar routes. He accepted a cup of tea from Flynn the badgerkin, one of the sorters in the building, who was brewing enough tea to warm all the workers as they filtered in to start their chilly mornings.
Passing through the hallways and open spaces of the multi-story building, he was reminded again why he didn’t mind working nine of the ten days in a week. He enjoyed the company of his coworkers, and most importantly he enjoyed his job and how he got to help people. Without them, people would have a much harder time transporting the commerce and communications throughout the city and its surrounding lands, as well as through the rest of the continent.
He was on a mission to find his supervisor though, as he did have to fulfill Roya’s deal and at least try to take some time off for the rest of Brisk to help him model his clothing lines. It was still a foreign concept to him, but Puck never turned down a chance to help others, or a chance for free stuff either. He’d spent his hatchling years with one of the traveling herds in the outer villages; he didn’t have the same sense of pride that some in the city seemed to have. A gift given was a gift accepted, and often returned. There was nothing wrong with accepting help, as long as you help the intention to return or pass along the favor.
Reaching her office, he ducked his head in the open door to greet the birdkin. He was startled to see another dragon inside, a large and imposing Feather dragon he’d only seen a few times previously. With a blink of surprise, his face broke out in a grin. “Eykyn!” he cried, moving forward to pull the jet black dragon into a firm hug.
Eykyn’s face remained expressionless, but her wings relaxed and wrapped around him briefly in friendly greeting as the two patted each other on the back. “Puck, it’s been too long. How has the city been treating you?” she asked, peering down at him and looking him over with her yellow eyes, “You look well.”
“Yes, yes, I’ve been fine! It’s so good to see you again. How far have they been sending you? I haven’t seen you in this part of the continent in over a month!”
“I was actually on overseas orders for a bit, as the seas got rough between the transition from Harvest to Brisk, and they needed us large-sized transporters to bring the essential goods to the capital.”
Bolka, Puck’s supervisor, cleared her throat from behind her desk and interjected, “I’m sorry to interrupt you two, but we’ve got to get started for the day. You should have a chance to catch up a bit more once assignments are out, but you can do that outside my office. Eykyn, was there anything else you need, or do you have the documents you need for your pickup?”
Puck bowed sheepishly to the blue heron birdkin, lowering his head in quick deference and quickly shifting towards the door to get out of her way so she could continue the morning’s preparations.
“I’m all set Mx. Bolka, thank you for the help. I apologize for getting in so late last night, so we didn’t have time to complete arrangements then.”
“It’s no trouble at all, thank you for your help. You’re always welcome to call on me if you need help, or if you’re passing through. Puck, before you go, were you coming in here for a reason?”
Puck jumped, quickly turning back to face his supervisor. “Oh, yes ma’am! I almost forgot. I wanted to see if I could get Fosday and Nocday off the rest of Brisk, if possible. I have something I’m trying to plan with someone,” he explained, chagrined at having almost forgotten his reason for being there in the face of a fellow dragon he could consider a friend.
She seemed surprised, which wasn’t too shocking, as Puck hadn’t asked for a single day off in the full year since he’d come to Coaxi and the postal unit. Quite the opposite, as instead he leaped at any opportunity to work extra hours or come in on his days off. “Give me a few hours to look at the schedule, and see what routes you’d be on those days. I’ll let you know when you come back in for lunch,” she replied, making note of it on her chalkboard full of the day’s to-dos.
“Thank you ma’am!” he called, joining Eykyn in the hallway, the two beginning to walk towards the main office. “So, will you be sticking around today, or do you have another delivery you’ll be taking?”
Eykyn shook her head, feathered ruff flaring and settling again as she looked down her muzzle at the small dragon by her side. Answering quickly she replied, “I’ll be leaving today after my noon meal. There’s sizeable shipment to Praxi already prepared for the next large hauler to stop in, and that happened to be me. I was thinking of sticking around for a day or two, but my wife is actually in Praxi for the next two weeks, so I’d like to take my break there instead to spend time with her.”
Puck blinked in surprise, moving to allow a small ratkin to slip between the two of them. “I wasn’t aware you were married! I guess it just never came up, did it?”
“We only got married last Freeze, so I’m not surprised. I haven’t been in Coaxi frequently enough for it to come up. I’ll send you a letter if she’s ever in the city, I’m sure she’d like to meet you. She's from the capital island, but is on a pilgrimage to the Night temples, so I’m sure she’ll pass through eventually. Keep an eye out for her, she’s an elk satyr named Rosa.”
“I’ll absolutely keep an eye out for her! My address is the same, so it shouldn’t be too hard for you to let me know if she comes this way. I wish I was able to write back more often, though. Maybe next time you write, let me know where you’ll be next so I can try to get something sent ahead?”
“Sure Puck, I can try to figure something out. I do enjoy hearing from you, but you know how it is traveling so frequently. Hard to keep track of the time or the places,” Eykyn soothed, setting a hand on his shoulder, “I’ll let you know when I get to Praxi safe at the very least. I’ve got to go start taking inventory, and I believe you’ll be delivering to the Library today, so you should probably go get prepared for that.”
He groaned, shoulders slumping and ears and tail drooping sadly. “Okay, alright, point taken. I’ll find you a lunch, okay? See ya later Eykyn!” he called jogging down the hallway and waving behind him.
Bolka hadn’t officially posted all the routes today, but she’d usually put up the longer or more challenging ones early so people would have a chance to get prepared and ensure they’d make it there and back on schedule. He’d completely forgotten to check before heading up to her office, but with Eykyn’s delivery he was next in line for the Library deliveries. It wasn’t necessarily the worst, but it certainly wasn’t an easy task, and it was always rotation between the workers or crews that could haul carts.
This was of course the centaurs, dragons, horse and humanoid teams, or any races orc or larger. Last week had been Sara and her draft horse, so it was his turn to load up the cart full of the latest books and haul it all the way up to the Library at the top of the eastern city hills. It was grueling work, even for the quadrupeds in the office, but the most time consuming part was loading the cart in the first place.
Thankfully, it looked like Eykyn’s delivery crew from the night before had already sorted packages and boxed into the areas where they’d be going, so the eastern edge of the warehouse had the cart he’d be using and the large crates piled next to it. Many of them were easily half his size, being two to three feet wide and tall, and likely stuffed full of the latest novels from around the continent and capital. He groaned, casting about for someone who would be available to help him lift them into his cart.
There were only four crates, so once they were in the cart the weight wouldn’t be too overwhelming by any means, it was simply a matter of getting them there in the first place. To his luck Lyn was nearby, the large orcish woman laughing and chatting with a smaller human Puck hadn’t met.
“Lyn!” he called, waving and trying to get her attention.
She quickly caught his eye, and came over with the human in tow. “Heya Puck, what’s got your horns in a twist?” she asked, eyes twinkling at her own joke, considering the gazelle-like twirling of Puck’s horns.
Rolling his eyes, he gestured at the crates. “I can’t load these on my own. You mind helping me get them in the cart, and then get me in the harness when that’s done?” he asked. He’d finished his tea and bread already, so he was set to head out as soon as they got him loaded and ready to go.
“Sure thing. You mind if Lola helps? She’s transferring here for the month from Eykyn’s team. She started in the capital, but she wants to take some time here just to look around,” Lyn spoke and signed, Lola watching her hands and nodding along.
Puck’s tail thrashed anxiously, quickly realized that he didn’t actually know the hand language some people used, such as the deaf or the underwater races. Not to mention he’d heard some hard of hearing people read lips, and his muzzle may be short enough to form the humanoid language he spoke in this form, but it was by no means shaped the same as most other humanoids. Considering he didn’t even have lips to speak of.
“Of course!” he said out loud, “You’ll have to help translate though, I’m afraid I never learned hand language. It never came up in the herd, or in the outer villages. Not a lot of water folks, or folks in general out there after all.” He’d met dragons that didn’t speak the vocal humanoid language, but he knew enough about draconic body language that they’d always managed to get their point across. When one spent half your life without hands, it didn’t seem very useful to learn how to speak with them, if he was being honest. Now he felt guilty, as he knew from personal experience what a drag it could be when you had to rely on someone else to speak on your behalf.
Lola waved at him, catching his attention and signing quicker than he could follow. He caught three movements he could see clearly, Lola pointing at herself, tapping her pointer and middle fingers of both hands together, and making a half circle with her left hand, pointer and middle finger still outstretched.
“She said she’s hard of hearing, but she chooses to sign. If you speak louder she can hear you better, and I can translate what she says,” Lyn paused as Lola tapped her fingers together again, pointing at herself and Puck, as well as making a motion like she was pulling something from her mind, “She also said she’s happy to teach you.”
Puck nodded eagerly. “That would be great! It’s not really the same, but I’d be happy to explain draconic body language in return. It can help in case you meet anyone who doesn’t choose to use a humanoid form,” he answered, looking at Lola and doing his best to speak a bit slower and louder than he usually did, hoping she’d have an easier time understanding him. He knew he could speak a bit too quickly or quietly for most people, so even with Lyn and Lola’s reassurances he still couldn’t help but be worried he’d inconvenience them.
Lola giggled, giving him a thumbs up, and saving him from his own nerves as the two moved to help him lift the crates. She was a bit taller than him, and Lyn towered over the both of them, closer to Eykyn’s height, easily well over seven feet tall. Because of that it took a bit of adjusting, Puck and Lola lifting from the bottom on one side, and Lyn grabbing onto the small edge at the top. Between the three of them, they got the four crates loaded easily enough.
“Do you mind if I shift here, or would you prefer I go do it in one of the side rooms?” he asked the two, mindful of their comfort. Most of the regular workers had gotten used to him stripping off his uniform except for the hat in the middle of the warehouse, shoving it into an empty bag on his harness, and twisting into a new form, but he didn’t know what Lola’s comfort with that would be. After all, Puck was one of a couple dragons in their section, but he didn’t know how many dragons there were in the capital or if Lola had seen them before.
Lola leaned forward in excitement, gesturing for him to continue, and Lyn waved him on as well. “You know I don’t mind, kid. Lola doesn’t either. It’ll make it faster for us to get you in harness and get back to our own work anyway,” she said, giving him a friendly push towards the front of the cart.
“Okay, okay, point taken! Just trying to be polite.”
Quickly taking off his uniform and tucking it into a bag he set in the cart, Puck took a moment to smooth the fur that had been ruffled. Calling upon the internal magic all dragons had, his body blended quickly and painlessly into that of a standard plains dragon about the size of a large horse. Shaking his fur out and stretching his limbs, he bent his head to a paw to check his cap was still on his head, the straps that allowed it to be attached to his horns doing a good job of keeping it secure.
Stretching his neck out and shaking, similar to a horse, he shook out his fur until it lay flat and comfortable. His mane and back ruff stood up proudly, no longer confined under layers of clothing. Finally comfortable in his own skin, he turned around to check on Lola and Lyn. Lyn had begun checking the tack, ensuring the harness was in good repair and wouldn’t chafe his skin. Lola, however, was watching him intently, hands twitching by her side.
He tilted his head curiously, ears perked and intent, trying to ask her what she wanted. She tapped Lyn’s shoulder, signing something to her, and Lyn turned back around to translate for Puck. “She’s asking if she can pet you. She didn’t know plains dragons had a mane, or that you’d be so fluffy,” she explained, and Puck's ears flattened against his head.
It wasn’t exactly polite to ask to pet someone, even if they were a dragon, but Lola seemed more genuinely excited than dehumanizing. He supposed it was fair, plains dragons were the only furred dragons, and with it being winter he more closely resembled a fluffy dog than a sleek horse. His matrons were proud, and would’ve seen the question as rude, but Puck had always not particularly cared, and had always been the one from his herd that would carry children around and let them hang off his horns and chase his tail.
Stepping closer, Puck lowered his head and nudged Lola’s hand. He hoped she’d understand that was the invitation she needed, and she quickly took it. Her hands started by ruffling through his mane on his head, smoothing down the coarse fur and curling her fingers in it. Puck’s tail swished in contentment, keeping his head lowered as she scratched behind his ears and around his horns as well. In his community, grooming was a very frequent activity to smooth and straighten any stray fur, as well as get rid of any itchiness that always seemed to only happen in draconic form when they didn’t have hands to scratch away the itch.
She didn’t linger long, seemingly satisfied with scratching around his head and briefly running a hand down his shoulder to feel the expanse of cloud soft fur there. He appreciated that she seemed to be mindful of the fact that just because he looked like an animal, he was still a person just like everyone else in the room. It was unfortunately something that people seemed to forget sometimes, treating dragons like creatures rather than fully sentient members of society.
Puck nodded his head in thanks, tail wagging more quickly to prove his appreciation. Stepping up to the cart, he settled into position so Lyn could set to work throwing the harness over his back so he could truly begin his work for the day. She ruffled his mane with a friendly hand, and demonstrated to Lola how the harness was nearly identical to that of a horse’s, it just had extra padding at the front of the chest and under the ribs to account for Puck’s narrower build, compared to that of a rounder horse.
Lyn checked in frequently to ensure the straps were snug enough they wouldn’t shift and chafe, but not so tight he couldn’t breath. He’d nod or shake his head, shifting an stretching to pull any bunched up skin out of the way so they could tighten the harness when necessary. It only took a few minutes; Lyn used to helping him, and Lola helping to reduce any time spent walking back and forth. Lyn opened the nearest sliding door for him, and he tapped her shoulder with his nose affectionately, doing the same to Lola as a friendly goodbye as he strode out the door.
He’d set out later than he had the day before, the sun already beginning to rise and clear out the morning frost. Despite that, he wouldn’t accelerate his pace to account for the late start. The weight of the cart pulling at his chest and shoulders wasn’t unbearable, but it wasn’t exactly light either. The path he was taking also consisted entirely of uphill climbs, with occasional flat patches. He couldn’t risk wearing himself out before he even got to the steepest climb to the entrance of the library.
He got to step into the cart lane of the cobbled road though, and with it being relatively empty this early, he wouldn’t have to worry about looking to avoid anyone on the streets like he normally would passing through on foot. At a steady walk, he began striding towards the eastern side of the city.
Tesla Stone⭑☾☀☽⭑ ⭑☾𖣂☽⭑Basil Blackwood
Puck the Postal Dragon
Chapter 4
The Library was finally in sight, and Puck’s muscles were trembling with the effort it was taking him to make it up the last of the hill to the large double doors that were thrown open to welcome in the public. The Library was a large building, being that it held almost all of the gathered knowledge of the peoples of the continent and the capital island. It wasn’t simply a place for books like it was in many of the smaller communities outside of the city, rather it also served as the place of worship to the god of Wisdom and Knowledge.
Puck had always admired that Wisdom never seemed to attract people that were necessarily seeking to follow a god, rather it attracted people that were truly passionate about gathering knowledge and studying. It was their organization that allowed all of the children of the continent to gain basic knowledge of reading and writing, even if many of them didn’t continue beyond that into specific study.
He was one of those that had stopped his education after he finished learning the basic skills mandated by the Emperors. He’d simply not found any need to continue studying or reading books, when his life consisted of traveling across the state and stopping and helping communities as they needed it. He didn’t need knowledge of crop rotations, as he’d simply planted what he was told. He didn’t need to know about how to properly irrigate fields, as he’d just be told where to dig. He’d occasionally stop in the libraries to hear from the acolytes there what news there was, or what new discoveries had been made, but he’d simply never found the value in reading during his free time.
He’d been intending to visit Coaxi’s Library, as it held more than just the knowledge essential to a small community, and he’d heard that reading fictional novels was enjoyable for many people. Maybe after he’d dropped off his delivery he could look around briefly, and plan to come back on his day off. It shouldn’t be too hard to find something he was interested in, especially with all the scholars walking around that could help him. Despite that, he’d always been a tad too intimidated to truly stick around and explore the Library, dense as it was.
Finally making it to the front doors, sides heaving and glistening with sweat, Puck paused and looked around, hoping to find an acolyte or scholar near the front door he could flag down for his delivery. The issue with pulling the cart himself, with no hands to attach the harness to himself, meant it was also difficult to remove. He could of course shift, but then the harness would drop in a tangle of straps and padding on the ground and he’d still need someone to help him with it in the future.
Sighing, he subjected himself to the scolding he was sure he’d get for dragging the cart right into the library like he’d gotten in the past, but as far as he was concerned it was their fault for not having an alternate delivery entrance like most places, including other temples and churches.
Pausing to let two satyrs with bags full of books pass as they chattered about their college courses, Puck stepped through the doors into the wide open lobby of the entrance. Beyond him stretched dozens of rows of books, as well as winding ramps connecting to floors high above. The mixture of clean stone and warm wood was as inviting as it always was, the space interspersed with desks and couches for people to sit and study at. Directly in front of him sat a desk with a matronly human behind it, glasses resting on her nose as she compared a stack of books next to her to a large ledger.
Chuffing quietly to get her attention, Puck waited patiently, enjoying the warmth of the building on his sore muscles. She glanced up after a moment, seeming taken aback to see a large animal with a cart in the middle of her entryway, before realizing why he was there.
“Fresh delivery, I presume?” she asked, waiting for Puck’s quick nod before continuing, “Wait just a moment. I’ll go get Zeryn to help you.” Rolling back from her desk, she pushed her wheelchair down an aisle to the left towards the private classrooms and studies.
Shifting and stretching out his muscles as best he could, Puck watched students slumped over desks with tea steaming next to stacks of books, as well as librarians in their large hats and flowing robes moving small carts of books around and reshelving them. Many simply levitated them to their designated spot on the shelf, waving hands or simple wands to direct them. Puck had his own magic, of course, the draconic shift that they all could do, but sometimes he was envious of what others could do. Being able to put things away without having to do it by hand seemed incredibly convenient, but it was also a skill honed by hundreds of hours of study.
He was pulled out of his thoughts as the librarian from the desk and a scholar trailing behind her, presumably Zeryn, came back to join him.
“Zeryn will help you, please follow him and he’ll lead you to another room,” she explained, waving the two of them away and returning to her desk and ledger.
“Right his way!” Zeryn said, gesturing back towards the private offices for Puck to follow. The scholar wore fine, modern robes in shades of deep blue and purple, with sleeves that draped almost to the floor, and a hat with a brim so large it was hard to see his face with Puck standing taller than him. The clothes of the Knowledge acolytes always seemed impractical, but they certainly communicated the fact that the people that wore them weren’t doing much in the ways of physical labor, and were never boring to look at.
Puck was relieved to have made it through the Library without getting scolded for something he couldn’t help, and that this morning’s scholars seemed fine with having a dragon pulling a cart through their building. Considering they came from all other and occasionally transferred libraries, he wondered if Zeryn and the woman at the desk were from the capital or another large city. They’d hardly seemed fazed by the sight of him after all. Zeryn propped open the doors to an office where three other scholars were sorting piles of books, making notes and placing labels on them. Presumably they were choosing where the books would go, making this the perfect place for a fresh delivery.
Two of them were using hand language to communicate, passing long lists of parchment back and forth, and the third was carrying the books around the room by hand, clearly a younger scholar by the small size of their hat.
Zeryn cleared his throat, waving to get the attention of the three other scholars. “Help me unload the cart, please,” he asked them, waving towards Puck.
Puck did his best to turn around so he was facing back towards the door and the cart was angled towards the middle of the room. It wasn’t a small room, but he wasn’t a small creature, and it wasn’t exactly built to have a dragon and a cart pulled right into the middle of it.
“Don’t we normally get deliveries outside?” the youngest scholar asked, setting down their pile of books and leaning to look at Puck curiously. He snorted in their direction, nodding his head in agreement. That was how it was usually done, when the postal worker could leave the cart behind and go into the library alone with relative ease.
“It’s not as though he could just leave the cart outside. How would he get out of his harness by himself?” Zeryn asked, posing it as a question, rather than a simple answer, “Who would put it back on him? Who would watch the cart while he was inside?”
“I suppose another person would be needed to help with all of that. Why don’t they just send somebody with him?”
“He’s fully capable of everything else by himself, why waste another worker just for the purpose of fetching one of us to bring the books inside, when we can have the crates brought right into this room, hm?”
Zeryn and the younger scholar went back and forth like this as the two older scholars lifted the crates off the back, levitating them together to combat the weight. Puck huffed fondly, tuning them out and turning his head to watch as the crates drifted through the air into an empty corner. It looked so much easier than needing two or more people to struggle to lift them by hand, but Puck wouldn’t trade that ease for the lack of thoughtful questioning at his own job. No one ever traded questions with seemingly no answer back and forth, and he for one preferred it that way. It seemed a bit of a waste of time in his mind.
The work was completed quickly, and the young scholar tilted his hat in respect to Puck, sending him off with a polite, “Have a good day sir, thank you for the delivery!”
To which Puck lowered his own head politely, nodding to the other three scholars. Maybe he would have to make it a point to come back on his next day off, and look at checking out a book. Pulling the much lighter cart back out into the hallway, he glanced at the list of classes provided to the public by the Library. One caught his eye, an evening course for continuing basic reading and writing for adults. That may be a good place for him to start, as the extent of his reading was the addresses and routes at his job, and the extent of his writing was signing his name or writing in his numbers when it came to his weekly work shifts.
Doing his best to remember the days and the times the class was available, he set back out through the front door. The human at the desk waved as he passed, and more patrons were coming in to either check out books or attend classes. These patrons moved easily out of the way for him, many ignoring him completely, while a few stared in curiosity at the dragon walking right through the inside of a Library. He did his best to offer those who made eye contact a quick nod, but he was more focused on ensuring that his path was clear of any obstacles.
The trek up to the Library may be difficult, especially with the weight of the full cart, but there was little danger of losing control of it moving uphill. Going downhill, he had to lean his weight back into the straps going over his haunches to keep the cart from careening down the hill with him still attached to it. It wasn’t difficult, but it was something that left little room for error if he built up too much speed, or had to stop suddenly to avoid trampling a smaller citizen of the city he hadn’t seen in time. There weren’t many accidents in the city, but the ones there were usually involved a cart or a horse breaking away down a steep hill, and the Library sat on the steepest one.
Puck reached the bottom of the first hill with a sigh of relief, trotting a bit to make up for lost time maintaining his slow pace all morning. He would continue with the steep decline the rest of the way, intermixed with flat stretches, which he could take at a faster pace. If he continued like this, he could make it back to the office in time for lunch, and see Eykyn off after her own noon break.
The Library was finally in sight, and Puck’s muscles were trembling with the effort it was taking him to make it up the last of the hill to the large double doors that were thrown open to welcome in the public. The Library was a large building, being that it held almost all of the gathered knowledge of the peoples of the continent and the capital island. It wasn’t simply a place for books like it was in many of the smaller communities outside of the city, rather it also served as the place of worship to the god of Wisdom and Knowledge.
Puck had always admired that Wisdom never seemed to attract people that were necessarily seeking to follow a god, rather it attracted people that were truly passionate about gathering knowledge and studying. It was their organization that allowed all of the children of the continent to gain basic knowledge of reading and writing, even if many of them didn’t continue beyond that into specific study.
He was one of those that had stopped his education after he finished learning the basic skills mandated by the Emperors. He’d simply not found any need to continue studying or reading books, when his life consisted of traveling across the state and stopping and helping communities as they needed it. He didn’t need knowledge of crop rotations, as he’d simply planted what he was told. He didn’t need to know about how to properly irrigate fields, as he’d just be told where to dig. He’d occasionally stop in the libraries to hear from the acolytes there what news there was, or what new discoveries had been made, but he’d simply never found the value in reading during his free time.
He’d been intending to visit Coaxi’s Library, as it held more than just the knowledge essential to a small community, and he’d heard that reading fictional novels was enjoyable for many people. Maybe after he’d dropped off his delivery he could look around briefly, and plan to come back on his day off. It shouldn’t be too hard to find something he was interested in, especially with all the scholars walking around that could help him. Despite that, he’d always been a tad too intimidated to truly stick around and explore the Library, dense as it was.
Finally making it to the front doors, sides heaving and glistening with sweat, Puck paused and looked around, hoping to find an acolyte or scholar near the front door he could flag down for his delivery. The issue with pulling the cart himself, with no hands to attach the harness to himself, meant it was also difficult to remove. He could of course shift, but then the harness would drop in a tangle of straps and padding on the ground and he’d still need someone to help him with it in the future.
Sighing, he subjected himself to the scolding he was sure he’d get for dragging the cart right into the library like he’d gotten in the past, but as far as he was concerned it was their fault for not having an alternate delivery entrance like most places, including other temples and churches.
Pausing to let two satyrs with bags full of books pass as they chattered about their college courses, Puck stepped through the doors into the wide open lobby of the entrance. Beyond him stretched dozens of rows of books, as well as winding ramps connecting to floors high above. The mixture of clean stone and warm wood was as inviting as it always was, the space interspersed with desks and couches for people to sit and study at. Directly in front of him sat a desk with a matronly human behind it, glasses resting on her nose as she compared a stack of books next to her to a large ledger.
Chuffing quietly to get her attention, Puck waited patiently, enjoying the warmth of the building on his sore muscles. She glanced up after a moment, seeming taken aback to see a large animal with a cart in the middle of her entryway, before realizing why he was there.
“Fresh delivery, I presume?” she asked, waiting for Puck’s quick nod before continuing, “Wait just a moment. I’ll go get Zeryn to help you.” Rolling back from her desk, she pushed her wheelchair down an aisle to the left towards the private classrooms and studies.
Shifting and stretching out his muscles as best he could, Puck watched students slumped over desks with tea steaming next to stacks of books, as well as librarians in their large hats and flowing robes moving small carts of books around and reshelving them. Many simply levitated them to their designated spot on the shelf, waving hands or simple wands to direct them. Puck had his own magic, of course, the draconic shift that they all could do, but sometimes he was envious of what others could do. Being able to put things away without having to do it by hand seemed incredibly convenient, but it was also a skill honed by hundreds of hours of study.
He was pulled out of his thoughts as the librarian from the desk and a scholar trailing behind her, presumably Zeryn, came back to join him.
“Zeryn will help you, please follow him and he’ll lead you to another room,” she explained, waving the two of them away and returning to her desk and ledger.
“Right his way!” Zeryn said, gesturing back towards the private offices for Puck to follow. The scholar wore fine, modern robes in shades of deep blue and purple, with sleeves that draped almost to the floor, and a hat with a brim so large it was hard to see his face with Puck standing taller than him. The clothes of the Knowledge acolytes always seemed impractical, but they certainly communicated the fact that the people that wore them weren’t doing much in the ways of physical labor, and were never boring to look at.
Puck was relieved to have made it through the Library without getting scolded for something he couldn’t help, and that this morning’s scholars seemed fine with having a dragon pulling a cart through their building. Considering they came from all other and occasionally transferred libraries, he wondered if Zeryn and the woman at the desk were from the capital or another large city. They’d hardly seemed fazed by the sight of him after all. Zeryn propped open the doors to an office where three other scholars were sorting piles of books, making notes and placing labels on them. Presumably they were choosing where the books would go, making this the perfect place for a fresh delivery.
Two of them were using hand language to communicate, passing long lists of parchment back and forth, and the third was carrying the books around the room by hand, clearly a younger scholar by the small size of their hat.
Zeryn cleared his throat, waving to get the attention of the three other scholars. “Help me unload the cart, please,” he asked them, waving towards Puck.
Puck did his best to turn around so he was facing back towards the door and the cart was angled towards the middle of the room. It wasn’t a small room, but he wasn’t a small creature, and it wasn’t exactly built to have a dragon and a cart pulled right into the middle of it.
“Don’t we normally get deliveries outside?” the youngest scholar asked, setting down their pile of books and leaning to look at Puck curiously. He snorted in their direction, nodding his head in agreement. That was how it was usually done, when the postal worker could leave the cart behind and go into the library alone with relative ease.
“It’s not as though he could just leave the cart outside. How would he get out of his harness by himself?” Zeryn asked, posing it as a question, rather than a simple answer, “Who would put it back on him? Who would watch the cart while he was inside?”
“I suppose another person would be needed to help with all of that. Why don’t they just send somebody with him?”
“He’s fully capable of everything else by himself, why waste another worker just for the purpose of fetching one of us to bring the books inside, when we can have the crates brought right into this room, hm?”
Zeryn and the younger scholar went back and forth like this as the two older scholars lifted the crates off the back, levitating them together to combat the weight. Puck huffed fondly, tuning them out and turning his head to watch as the crates drifted through the air into an empty corner. It looked so much easier than needing two or more people to struggle to lift them by hand, but Puck wouldn’t trade that ease for the lack of thoughtful questioning at his own job. No one ever traded questions with seemingly no answer back and forth, and he for one preferred it that way. It seemed a bit of a waste of time in his mind.
The work was completed quickly, and the young scholar tilted his hat in respect to Puck, sending him off with a polite, “Have a good day sir, thank you for the delivery!”
To which Puck lowered his own head politely, nodding to the other three scholars. Maybe he would have to make it a point to come back on his next day off, and look at checking out a book. Pulling the much lighter cart back out into the hallway, he glanced at the list of classes provided to the public by the Library. One caught his eye, an evening course for continuing basic reading and writing for adults. That may be a good place for him to start, as the extent of his reading was the addresses and routes at his job, and the extent of his writing was signing his name or writing in his numbers when it came to his weekly work shifts.
Doing his best to remember the days and the times the class was available, he set back out through the front door. The human at the desk waved as he passed, and more patrons were coming in to either check out books or attend classes. These patrons moved easily out of the way for him, many ignoring him completely, while a few stared in curiosity at the dragon walking right through the inside of a Library. He did his best to offer those who made eye contact a quick nod, but he was more focused on ensuring that his path was clear of any obstacles.
The trek up to the Library may be difficult, especially with the weight of the full cart, but there was little danger of losing control of it moving uphill. Going downhill, he had to lean his weight back into the straps going over his haunches to keep the cart from careening down the hill with him still attached to it. It wasn’t difficult, but it was something that left little room for error if he built up too much speed, or had to stop suddenly to avoid trampling a smaller citizen of the city he hadn’t seen in time. There weren’t many accidents in the city, but the ones there were usually involved a cart or a horse breaking away down a steep hill, and the Library sat on the steepest one.
Puck reached the bottom of the first hill with a sigh of relief, trotting a bit to make up for lost time maintaining his slow pace all morning. He would continue with the steep decline the rest of the way, intermixed with flat stretches, which he could take at a faster pace. If he continued like this, he could make it back to the office in time for lunch, and see Eykyn off after her own noon break.
Tesla Stone⭑☾☀☽⭑ ⭑☾𖣂☽⭑Basil Blackwood
Puck the Postal Dragon
Chapter 5
Eykyn was enjoying a large bowl of soup one of her team members had brought for them all from the inn they were staying at, and they were all kind enough to share an extra one with him as he joined them in the corner of the warehouse full of wooden tables that had been taken from their places propped against the walls to create a communal eating space. Many of Puck’s usual coworkers were at their own tables, and Lola and Lyn were at the other end of Eykyn’s table chatting with other members of her crew.
“I hope your delivery was uneventful?” she asked as Puck sat across from her, tucking his tail next to his leg so it wasn’t at risk of getting stepped on in the aisle behind him.
“Nice and easy! I didn’t even get scolded for just bringing the cart in with me, so that was nice,” he answered, quickly shoveling a bit of the still warm stew into his mouth, sighing happily at the rich taste of vegetables and meat, “Oh man, where did you get this from? I haven’t had stew this good since I left home!”
Someone from Eykyn’s crew sitting near him laughed, leaning over to answer, “We got it from Mana’s tavern right down the street from here! It was the closest place with enough food to take for all of us.”
“Yes, I believe you live right next to it,” Eykyn added on, tilting her head, “You should make it a point to go. I’m surprised you haven’t yet.”
Puck’s ears drooped bashfully, “You know I don't get out much. Besides, buying food like this is more expensive than just stocking up at the market on my day off!”
“He’s got a point,” a crewmember chimed in, “It’s definitely more cost effective to make your own meals, but there’s also good fun in making a point to go out and treat yourself every once in a while. Gotta make life worth living, y’know?”
“Exactly. Puck, I know you’re always trying to save money and be a hard worker, but there’s something to be said for taking care of yourself. You can’t help others if you’re driving yourself into the ground. When was the last time you did some for yourself, and only for yourself.”
Puck grumbled into his stew, pointedly sticking his muzzle in it and shoveling with the spoon, not looking at Eykyn. She tried to get his attention a few more times, before huffing and giving up for the moment. It wasn’t fair of her to say that, he thought to himself. He was fine going to work every day and working as hard as he was, and he was just fine helping others in the state he was in. He knew it was childish of him to ignore her like he was, but something about what she’d said, and how she’d said it had hit a nerve.
He joined in on a few other conversations, relaxing again when Eykyn didn’t bring his work ethic up again, and just took the time to enjoy his break with a friend and people from across the continent and island. He helped gather up the bowls, stacking them into the empty stew pot so they could be taken back to the tavern, and then dragging the tables to lean them back up against the wall, clearing the space in the warehouse again.
Eykyn’s crew began moving crates and packages that had been staged nearby into the open space, arranging them so they would be easily lifted into Eykyn’s harness using pulley systems. They also began setting out the harness itself, a massive arrangement of leather loops and hard sided storage compartments, along with its wooden compartment to go along her back where the crew could sit protected from the elements. All together she would be taking eight crew members and several tons of deliveries to Praxi, all of which would arrive at the seaside city in a day thanks to her flight, rather than the five to ten days it would take on horseback.
Once it was all set up, using the help of Puck and a few others that had not yet received their afternoon routes, Eykyn came over to wrap Puck in a warm hug. Standing as tall as he could, Puck threw his arms around her shoulders, and her wings curled around the both of them in an embrace.
“It was great to see you,” he said, tightening his grip and patting her back. Eykyn pulled back, folding her wings back behind her back and giving him a firm pat on the shoulder.
“I’m glad I got to see you too, Puck. Take care, okay? We’ve gotta stick together in this job, even if we don’t exactly see each other all that often, you hear.”
“Take care of yourself! Let me know when you get to Praxi, even if the letter won’t make it back until you’ve already left. Have fun seeing your partner too, I bet she’ll enjoy getting to spend some time with you.”
“I will, I promise I’ll write you this time,” Eykyn turned to walk towards her crow in preparation to leave, but turned back to Puck and added, “Think about what I said, okay? It’s okay to take breaks. Don’t run yourself into the ground.” With a final nod, she stepped into the middle of the harness, pulling off the simple shirt and trousers she’d been wearing to begin shifting into her draconic form, an awe inspiring hundred feet at least from nose to tail.
Puck’s tail twitched anxiously, watching as she completed her shift, shaking out her feathers with a great rustling sound and stretching her wings as best she could inside the warehouse’s confines. She gave him one last nod in farewell, before settling down on the ground and closing her yellow eyes to allow her crew to begin putting her in harness and loading up all of the rush deliveries.
He’d go talk to his supervisor. He had asked for days off, after all! He was taking breaks! If only because someone else needed his help in trade for something he couldn’t afford to spend his income on, but it would still be an additional two days off from work for the next few weeks if it got approved. That surely counted for something. Walking down the halls through the offices and fiddling with his buttons, he approached Bolka’s door.
It was open, much the same as this morning, and he peeked his head around the door jam, knocking lightly on it to catch the birdkin’s attention. She looked up from her desk, where she was scribbling notes on a parchment using a quill that almost looked to be made from on of her own stark blue feathers.
“Puck, come on in. It looks like I can absolutely give you Fosday and Nocday off the rest of this month. That’ll be three weeks, and then you’ll be back on those days. Is there anything else you’d want to change for your schedule?” she asked, unclipping her glasses from her beak to let them dangle on their chain around her neck.
Puck’s tail wagged happily, and he shook his head. “Nope, that’s all I needed! Thanks for letting me take some time off,” he thanked Bolka, giving her his widest grin.
“That’s good to hear. You are one of my hardest workers, and the supervisors above me notice the high performance on my shift as well, thanks to you. All that said, if you’d like to change your shifts, you just need to ask me. Most of your coworkers only work five days of the week, with five days off. You work nine of the ten, only taking a single day. Don’t think I don’t notice the way you’ll pick up extra shifts on that day too. I appreciate you working to make things run smoothly, but this was supposed to be only temporary until Daffodil got back from maternity leave. There’s others that can fill in when people need time off, and we can pull from other warehouse’s travel teams. You don’t need to keep taking these several month long extra shifts when people are gone from work. Just think on it, and let me know if you want to go back to your standard weekly shifts. You can work how you’d like if you need the money, but there is no need on my end for you to be doing this.”
Puck pinned his ears, lips flattening. This wasn’t fair, why was everyone bringing this up now? Had Eykyn said something to Bolka? He was just doing his best, and trying to help everyone out. Keeping his voice level despite his internal turmoil, stubbornly offended for the moment, he replied, “I’ll keep that in mind, thank you ma’am.”
“Anytime, Puck. Just let me know if you need anything. You know my door is always open.” Putting her glasses back on her beak, Puck took that as his sign to leave.
Well, he had his days off to help Roya with his advertising, which was his goal all along. Puck would work the next seven days, and then he’d have Fosday and Nocday off extra, before his usual Aladay off. Having three days off each week would be plenty of time for him to recuperate, just like it seemed everyone was wanting him to do for whatever reason.
For the moment, he would double check that he had his standard letter delivery route scheduled for the afternoon, and then stop by Roya’s house that evening to tell the elf the good news.
Eykyn was enjoying a large bowl of soup one of her team members had brought for them all from the inn they were staying at, and they were all kind enough to share an extra one with him as he joined them in the corner of the warehouse full of wooden tables that had been taken from their places propped against the walls to create a communal eating space. Many of Puck’s usual coworkers were at their own tables, and Lola and Lyn were at the other end of Eykyn’s table chatting with other members of her crew.
“I hope your delivery was uneventful?” she asked as Puck sat across from her, tucking his tail next to his leg so it wasn’t at risk of getting stepped on in the aisle behind him.
“Nice and easy! I didn’t even get scolded for just bringing the cart in with me, so that was nice,” he answered, quickly shoveling a bit of the still warm stew into his mouth, sighing happily at the rich taste of vegetables and meat, “Oh man, where did you get this from? I haven’t had stew this good since I left home!”
Someone from Eykyn’s crew sitting near him laughed, leaning over to answer, “We got it from Mana’s tavern right down the street from here! It was the closest place with enough food to take for all of us.”
“Yes, I believe you live right next to it,” Eykyn added on, tilting her head, “You should make it a point to go. I’m surprised you haven’t yet.”
Puck’s ears drooped bashfully, “You know I don't get out much. Besides, buying food like this is more expensive than just stocking up at the market on my day off!”
“He’s got a point,” a crewmember chimed in, “It’s definitely more cost effective to make your own meals, but there’s also good fun in making a point to go out and treat yourself every once in a while. Gotta make life worth living, y’know?”
“Exactly. Puck, I know you’re always trying to save money and be a hard worker, but there’s something to be said for taking care of yourself. You can’t help others if you’re driving yourself into the ground. When was the last time you did some for yourself, and only for yourself.”
Puck grumbled into his stew, pointedly sticking his muzzle in it and shoveling with the spoon, not looking at Eykyn. She tried to get his attention a few more times, before huffing and giving up for the moment. It wasn’t fair of her to say that, he thought to himself. He was fine going to work every day and working as hard as he was, and he was just fine helping others in the state he was in. He knew it was childish of him to ignore her like he was, but something about what she’d said, and how she’d said it had hit a nerve.
He joined in on a few other conversations, relaxing again when Eykyn didn’t bring his work ethic up again, and just took the time to enjoy his break with a friend and people from across the continent and island. He helped gather up the bowls, stacking them into the empty stew pot so they could be taken back to the tavern, and then dragging the tables to lean them back up against the wall, clearing the space in the warehouse again.
Eykyn’s crew began moving crates and packages that had been staged nearby into the open space, arranging them so they would be easily lifted into Eykyn’s harness using pulley systems. They also began setting out the harness itself, a massive arrangement of leather loops and hard sided storage compartments, along with its wooden compartment to go along her back where the crew could sit protected from the elements. All together she would be taking eight crew members and several tons of deliveries to Praxi, all of which would arrive at the seaside city in a day thanks to her flight, rather than the five to ten days it would take on horseback.
Once it was all set up, using the help of Puck and a few others that had not yet received their afternoon routes, Eykyn came over to wrap Puck in a warm hug. Standing as tall as he could, Puck threw his arms around her shoulders, and her wings curled around the both of them in an embrace.
“It was great to see you,” he said, tightening his grip and patting her back. Eykyn pulled back, folding her wings back behind her back and giving him a firm pat on the shoulder.
“I’m glad I got to see you too, Puck. Take care, okay? We’ve gotta stick together in this job, even if we don’t exactly see each other all that often, you hear.”
“Take care of yourself! Let me know when you get to Praxi, even if the letter won’t make it back until you’ve already left. Have fun seeing your partner too, I bet she’ll enjoy getting to spend some time with you.”
“I will, I promise I’ll write you this time,” Eykyn turned to walk towards her crow in preparation to leave, but turned back to Puck and added, “Think about what I said, okay? It’s okay to take breaks. Don’t run yourself into the ground.” With a final nod, she stepped into the middle of the harness, pulling off the simple shirt and trousers she’d been wearing to begin shifting into her draconic form, an awe inspiring hundred feet at least from nose to tail.
Puck’s tail twitched anxiously, watching as she completed her shift, shaking out her feathers with a great rustling sound and stretching her wings as best she could inside the warehouse’s confines. She gave him one last nod in farewell, before settling down on the ground and closing her yellow eyes to allow her crew to begin putting her in harness and loading up all of the rush deliveries.
He’d go talk to his supervisor. He had asked for days off, after all! He was taking breaks! If only because someone else needed his help in trade for something he couldn’t afford to spend his income on, but it would still be an additional two days off from work for the next few weeks if it got approved. That surely counted for something. Walking down the halls through the offices and fiddling with his buttons, he approached Bolka’s door.
It was open, much the same as this morning, and he peeked his head around the door jam, knocking lightly on it to catch the birdkin’s attention. She looked up from her desk, where she was scribbling notes on a parchment using a quill that almost looked to be made from on of her own stark blue feathers.
“Puck, come on in. It looks like I can absolutely give you Fosday and Nocday off the rest of this month. That’ll be three weeks, and then you’ll be back on those days. Is there anything else you’d want to change for your schedule?” she asked, unclipping her glasses from her beak to let them dangle on their chain around her neck.
Puck’s tail wagged happily, and he shook his head. “Nope, that’s all I needed! Thanks for letting me take some time off,” he thanked Bolka, giving her his widest grin.
“That’s good to hear. You are one of my hardest workers, and the supervisors above me notice the high performance on my shift as well, thanks to you. All that said, if you’d like to change your shifts, you just need to ask me. Most of your coworkers only work five days of the week, with five days off. You work nine of the ten, only taking a single day. Don’t think I don’t notice the way you’ll pick up extra shifts on that day too. I appreciate you working to make things run smoothly, but this was supposed to be only temporary until Daffodil got back from maternity leave. There’s others that can fill in when people need time off, and we can pull from other warehouse’s travel teams. You don’t need to keep taking these several month long extra shifts when people are gone from work. Just think on it, and let me know if you want to go back to your standard weekly shifts. You can work how you’d like if you need the money, but there is no need on my end for you to be doing this.”
Puck pinned his ears, lips flattening. This wasn’t fair, why was everyone bringing this up now? Had Eykyn said something to Bolka? He was just doing his best, and trying to help everyone out. Keeping his voice level despite his internal turmoil, stubbornly offended for the moment, he replied, “I’ll keep that in mind, thank you ma’am.”
“Anytime, Puck. Just let me know if you need anything. You know my door is always open.” Putting her glasses back on her beak, Puck took that as his sign to leave.
Well, he had his days off to help Roya with his advertising, which was his goal all along. Puck would work the next seven days, and then he’d have Fosday and Nocday off extra, before his usual Aladay off. Having three days off each week would be plenty of time for him to recuperate, just like it seemed everyone was wanting him to do for whatever reason.
For the moment, he would double check that he had his standard letter delivery route scheduled for the afternoon, and then stop by Roya’s house that evening to tell the elf the good news.
Tesla Stone⭑☾☀☽⭑ ⭑☾𖣂☽⭑Basil Blackwood
Puck the Postal Dragon
Chapter 6
Puck pushed open the door to Roya’s tailor shop, relieved to see the inside neat and organized like he expected, rather than torn apart in chaos like he’d found it last time. Despite it being reasonably put back together, Roya seemed to be nowhere in sight. There were a satyr and a human chatting over a display of shimmering scarves, trying them on over their standard brown and green tunic and dress, giggling at the way the bold blues and purples clashed with their earth toned clothing.
Roya would be closing soon, the sign on the door indicating he’d only be open for about thirty more minutes, meaning Puck had rushed here straight after work, running on draconic paws with a cloak bundled in his mouth so he’d have something to cover up with when he got there. Now, standing in the middle of the store, cloak clutched around him, he was feeling distinctly out of place, and more than a little silly for rushing all the way here. Giving the two women an awkward smile when they glanced at him, he sidled over to the counter to lean over it and see if he could see Roya among the piles of fabric in the back.
“Aha! Puck, there you are dear!” Puck heard from behind him, Roya seemingly appearing from the changing rooms Puck hadn’t noticed, rejected garments draped over his arms. “I take it you are here to bear good news?”
“Yeah, Bokla- my supervisor, that is -said that I could take the days I needed off. So, let’s talk a little bit more specifically about what you need. Hanging around your shop doesn’t exactly let me know what you actually want from me.”
“Of course, of course. Give me just a moment. Are you free right now? I’ll make us up some tea and we can sit and talk details,” he laid the garments on his counter, turning to the women looking at scarves, “Ladies, I’m afraid I’ll be closing soon. I don’t want to hurry you out, but if you need any help you can ask me. Otherwise, I’d recommend making your selections sooner rather than later.”
The human was closer to Roya’s height than Puck was, an easy five foot ten or eleven, but the satyr must’ve been closer to four feet tall, her horned head tilting comically far back to look up at Roya as he passed by. Puck wasn’t quite sure how to read her face, but by the slight wagging of her fashionably docked tail she didn’t seem to mind.
“Oh, no thank you. We’re just looking. We’ll be out of your hair soon,” the human answered, hanging the scarf she’d been trying back on the display.
As Roya moved away her satyr companion leaned in and whispered, just loud enough for him to hear, “Just looking indeed!” before laughing uproariously at her friend’s appalled expression.
Puck felt his face heat up, nose scrunching as he spun around in search of a plush chair to rest in while he waited for Roya to return. He could of course acknowledge that the elf was attractive, especially in a city that didn’t see many seaside elves with their blue or purple skin, or those always in tightly tailored suits and doublets, but something about their blatant fascination didn’t sit right with him. In a society where romantic relationships weren’t a thing, and rather individuals would occasionally choose to raise communal clutches of eggs together, he’d never gotten used to the way the men, women, and others of the city could oggle others, or go so far as to walk up to them with blatant flirtation.
Roya returned with a teapot in an attractive quilted tea cozy, with two teacups and a plate of biscuits all on a tray. He placed the set down on a small side table next to the chair Puck had chosen, joining him in the chair opposite, sighing and stretching out his long legs.
“I’ll lock up whenever those two make their way out. Until then, treat yourself to some tea! I picked up some biscuits from the lovely bakery down the road. Marlon’s Makery, have you heard of it?”
“Marlon’s is my favorite! Nearly every time I have a delivery to bring there, she’ll have something leftover from the day before to give to me,” Puck explained, reaching forward eagerly to snatch up one of the tea biscuits. They were the kind that were more a thin cookie than a small piece of bread, which he assumed was meant to be dipped into the tea to soften it up. He couldn’t resist gobbling the first one down plain, ears drooping and tail wagging as he hummed happily at the lightly sweet and buttery taste.
“Well now, I’m glad I decided to stop by and pick something up. You’ll have to let me know what you usually get there, I’ll be sure to pick something up for you for Fosday. I’ll also be picking up some fresh tea at the Hawthorn Teahouse just down the way, so let me know if there’s anything from there you’d like as well,” Roya offered, pouring them both cups of tea. He pushed the brown floral cup towards Puck, taking the royal red one for himself and adding a heading glob of honey to it from the pot on the tray.
“I haven’t actually gone in to buy anything yet. Gotta save what I can, you know? I didn’t even know there was a teahouse around here either, I guess I just haven’t made the time to go exploring like I should!” Puck laughed awkwardly, sipping his tea to test the flavor, and choosing to add a couple small sugar cubes instead of honey to sweeten it.
“I’ve been seeing you around here for almost a year! No matter, I’ll just have to drag you along next time I go, and you can let me know if there’s anything you’d like. You really need to get out more. I know you make more than enough as a postal worker, I see them in my store often enough and those state jobs are a great source of income since the emperors recently standardized gold exchange in the economy.”
“I just don’t like to spend my gold like that. I send most of it to my family to help them out, since it’s not as easy out in the villages,” Puck defended, staring down at his teacup and stirring in his sugar.
“I’m sorry, it’s not my place to push. Just consider it, there’s so much more to life than working all the time!” Roya got up to lock the door, waving as the two women left the shop and continued down the street. He flipped his sign in the window to read closed before joining Puck back at the chairs. “Now then, onto business. I don’t want to keep you long, since I know you have early tomorrow. I really don’t need much from you, that much was true. I’m designing a new line of accessible and exciting clothing, the sort that you find in the capital or in fae cities where I trained. The sort of thing that can be adjusted to fit any person, have they horns, tails, wings, or paws, rather than having to buy standard clothing and pay extra to have it adjusted. I’ve come to understand that is a bit of an issue in more secular cities such as this one, no?”
“It can be hard to find clothes, for sure. Most places offer a few sizes of shirts that might fit the smallest of orcs or the largest of smaller kin, and maybe trousers with one or two tail options,” Puck agreed, thinking of his own work pants that had to have his tail button flap added on after he’d gotten them.
“Exactly! I’ve seen the slits on your hat, definitely added after the fact to fit over your horns and fall above your ears. I haven’t seen any sandals for those with hooves or paws offered standard here in the city either, and I find myself filling many commissions for custom shoes for centaurs and satyrs, which is odd considering they do have a larger population in this area. In fact, most clothing seems to be made for nothing but the most simple of humanoids, which makes no sense since they hardly make up half the population of Coaxi according to the scholars!”
Roya seemed to be getting fired up over the injustices of clothing options in the city, so Puck saved himself from answering by dipping a biscuit in the tea and nibbling nervously at it. He didn’t have an issue with the way things were; it had always been that races like him had to go to specialty stores run by their own kind, or get their clothing adjusted for a steep price. It was simply the cost of being different, after all.
Roya cleared his throat, seeming to notice Puck’s discomfort and taking a sip of his own tea to calm himself. “That is to say, I need someone to model my clothes, and spread the word that I’m making adjustable clothing straight off the shelf. Your role will be to come here, wear what I want to advertise for the day, and help sell the idea. I’ll be getting pamphlets from the Library done this week, so you’ll stand outside when the crowds are busy and pass them out, and when it’s quieter on the streets I’ll have you come into the store and sit near the displays. It will make it seem busier and more welcoming here, while also serving the purpose of showing off what a cohesive outfit will look like, beyond the individual pieces on the shelf. Does that make sense?” he asked.
“Okay, I think I can do that! Pass out pamphlets, and sit in here. Sounds easy enough!” Puck replied, moving onto what he thought might be his fourth biscuit since Roya started talking.
“Fantastic! In return, you can take your pick of anything in the store, enough for a full seven days of wear! That way you’ll have enough to wear on your days off, with some extras in case you have any special events or need to change for any reason.”
“Oh, I don’t need that much! It sounds like I won’t be working hard to help you, so I can’t ask that much.”
“You aren’t asking, I’m offering. I know you don’t mind accepting favors, so if you must consider it that way rather than a deal. Just friends exchanging favors for one another,” Roya said as he waved his hand, as though that made it all fair. In all honesty, to Puck, it did. Favors didn’t need to be equal, they just needed to be meaningful.
“Sure, I can work with that! I can also come in on Aladay, since that’s when I’m always off. That way I’ll be here three days,” Puck offered.
“You don’t need to do that, I have someone else come in and run the shop for me half the week after Nocday, but I’d be happy to spend your day off with you if you’re alright with that. We could check out the local area, and you can see what you’ve been missing out on, all cooped up all the time,” Roya smiled, tapping Puck’s foot with his own, “Besides, I would like to consider you a friend. It’s good to connect with others that aren’t native to the city.”
Puck set down his empty teacup, shaking his head as Roya lifted the kettle to offer more. “That sounds nice. I’ve been told a surprising number of times today that I should work less and get out more. Maybe I’ll make an effort to follow their advice,” Puck gave Roya a small, shy smile as he finished one final biscuit and stood, brushing off his cloak and stretching out his tail, “I’ll see you later this week!”
“I look forward to it,” Roya replied, unlocking the shop’s front door so Puck could make his way out onto the street, giving the dragon and sweeping bow and small wave, before locking the door behind him and drawing closed the curtains.
Puck walked along the side of the road in the pedestrian lane, hands swinging by his sides and tail wagging happily behind him. He felt warmer than he had in a long time, due both to good food and good company. Aside from the occasional potluck at work, he hadn’t made any particular effort to make a real friend in the city, aside from the pleasantries with regulars on his route. He’d been so focused on being successful with his job, he’d let much of life fall to the wayside.
He wouldn’t tell Roya that his shortage of funds wasn’t from lack of income, but rather due to sending all but the bare minimum needed to leave reasonably comfortably to his herd outside the city. It could be hard to sustain a herd the size of the southern herd, so they could use all the help he could get. He also had to prove to the matrons that he could make a living and be fine without a herd. They all could, if they wanted to. There was no reason to be so isolated, not when there was so much of the world to see and explore. He had to show them he wasn’t wrong. He had to.
Puck pushed open the door to Roya’s tailor shop, relieved to see the inside neat and organized like he expected, rather than torn apart in chaos like he’d found it last time. Despite it being reasonably put back together, Roya seemed to be nowhere in sight. There were a satyr and a human chatting over a display of shimmering scarves, trying them on over their standard brown and green tunic and dress, giggling at the way the bold blues and purples clashed with their earth toned clothing.
Roya would be closing soon, the sign on the door indicating he’d only be open for about thirty more minutes, meaning Puck had rushed here straight after work, running on draconic paws with a cloak bundled in his mouth so he’d have something to cover up with when he got there. Now, standing in the middle of the store, cloak clutched around him, he was feeling distinctly out of place, and more than a little silly for rushing all the way here. Giving the two women an awkward smile when they glanced at him, he sidled over to the counter to lean over it and see if he could see Roya among the piles of fabric in the back.
“Aha! Puck, there you are dear!” Puck heard from behind him, Roya seemingly appearing from the changing rooms Puck hadn’t noticed, rejected garments draped over his arms. “I take it you are here to bear good news?”
“Yeah, Bokla- my supervisor, that is -said that I could take the days I needed off. So, let’s talk a little bit more specifically about what you need. Hanging around your shop doesn’t exactly let me know what you actually want from me.”
“Of course, of course. Give me just a moment. Are you free right now? I’ll make us up some tea and we can sit and talk details,” he laid the garments on his counter, turning to the women looking at scarves, “Ladies, I’m afraid I’ll be closing soon. I don’t want to hurry you out, but if you need any help you can ask me. Otherwise, I’d recommend making your selections sooner rather than later.”
The human was closer to Roya’s height than Puck was, an easy five foot ten or eleven, but the satyr must’ve been closer to four feet tall, her horned head tilting comically far back to look up at Roya as he passed by. Puck wasn’t quite sure how to read her face, but by the slight wagging of her fashionably docked tail she didn’t seem to mind.
“Oh, no thank you. We’re just looking. We’ll be out of your hair soon,” the human answered, hanging the scarf she’d been trying back on the display.
As Roya moved away her satyr companion leaned in and whispered, just loud enough for him to hear, “Just looking indeed!” before laughing uproariously at her friend’s appalled expression.
Puck felt his face heat up, nose scrunching as he spun around in search of a plush chair to rest in while he waited for Roya to return. He could of course acknowledge that the elf was attractive, especially in a city that didn’t see many seaside elves with their blue or purple skin, or those always in tightly tailored suits and doublets, but something about their blatant fascination didn’t sit right with him. In a society where romantic relationships weren’t a thing, and rather individuals would occasionally choose to raise communal clutches of eggs together, he’d never gotten used to the way the men, women, and others of the city could oggle others, or go so far as to walk up to them with blatant flirtation.
Roya returned with a teapot in an attractive quilted tea cozy, with two teacups and a plate of biscuits all on a tray. He placed the set down on a small side table next to the chair Puck had chosen, joining him in the chair opposite, sighing and stretching out his long legs.
“I’ll lock up whenever those two make their way out. Until then, treat yourself to some tea! I picked up some biscuits from the lovely bakery down the road. Marlon’s Makery, have you heard of it?”
“Marlon’s is my favorite! Nearly every time I have a delivery to bring there, she’ll have something leftover from the day before to give to me,” Puck explained, reaching forward eagerly to snatch up one of the tea biscuits. They were the kind that were more a thin cookie than a small piece of bread, which he assumed was meant to be dipped into the tea to soften it up. He couldn’t resist gobbling the first one down plain, ears drooping and tail wagging as he hummed happily at the lightly sweet and buttery taste.
“Well now, I’m glad I decided to stop by and pick something up. You’ll have to let me know what you usually get there, I’ll be sure to pick something up for you for Fosday. I’ll also be picking up some fresh tea at the Hawthorn Teahouse just down the way, so let me know if there’s anything from there you’d like as well,” Roya offered, pouring them both cups of tea. He pushed the brown floral cup towards Puck, taking the royal red one for himself and adding a heading glob of honey to it from the pot on the tray.
“I haven’t actually gone in to buy anything yet. Gotta save what I can, you know? I didn’t even know there was a teahouse around here either, I guess I just haven’t made the time to go exploring like I should!” Puck laughed awkwardly, sipping his tea to test the flavor, and choosing to add a couple small sugar cubes instead of honey to sweeten it.
“I’ve been seeing you around here for almost a year! No matter, I’ll just have to drag you along next time I go, and you can let me know if there’s anything you’d like. You really need to get out more. I know you make more than enough as a postal worker, I see them in my store often enough and those state jobs are a great source of income since the emperors recently standardized gold exchange in the economy.”
“I just don’t like to spend my gold like that. I send most of it to my family to help them out, since it’s not as easy out in the villages,” Puck defended, staring down at his teacup and stirring in his sugar.
“I’m sorry, it’s not my place to push. Just consider it, there’s so much more to life than working all the time!” Roya got up to lock the door, waving as the two women left the shop and continued down the street. He flipped his sign in the window to read closed before joining Puck back at the chairs. “Now then, onto business. I don’t want to keep you long, since I know you have early tomorrow. I really don’t need much from you, that much was true. I’m designing a new line of accessible and exciting clothing, the sort that you find in the capital or in fae cities where I trained. The sort of thing that can be adjusted to fit any person, have they horns, tails, wings, or paws, rather than having to buy standard clothing and pay extra to have it adjusted. I’ve come to understand that is a bit of an issue in more secular cities such as this one, no?”
“It can be hard to find clothes, for sure. Most places offer a few sizes of shirts that might fit the smallest of orcs or the largest of smaller kin, and maybe trousers with one or two tail options,” Puck agreed, thinking of his own work pants that had to have his tail button flap added on after he’d gotten them.
“Exactly! I’ve seen the slits on your hat, definitely added after the fact to fit over your horns and fall above your ears. I haven’t seen any sandals for those with hooves or paws offered standard here in the city either, and I find myself filling many commissions for custom shoes for centaurs and satyrs, which is odd considering they do have a larger population in this area. In fact, most clothing seems to be made for nothing but the most simple of humanoids, which makes no sense since they hardly make up half the population of Coaxi according to the scholars!”
Roya seemed to be getting fired up over the injustices of clothing options in the city, so Puck saved himself from answering by dipping a biscuit in the tea and nibbling nervously at it. He didn’t have an issue with the way things were; it had always been that races like him had to go to specialty stores run by their own kind, or get their clothing adjusted for a steep price. It was simply the cost of being different, after all.
Roya cleared his throat, seeming to notice Puck’s discomfort and taking a sip of his own tea to calm himself. “That is to say, I need someone to model my clothes, and spread the word that I’m making adjustable clothing straight off the shelf. Your role will be to come here, wear what I want to advertise for the day, and help sell the idea. I’ll be getting pamphlets from the Library done this week, so you’ll stand outside when the crowds are busy and pass them out, and when it’s quieter on the streets I’ll have you come into the store and sit near the displays. It will make it seem busier and more welcoming here, while also serving the purpose of showing off what a cohesive outfit will look like, beyond the individual pieces on the shelf. Does that make sense?” he asked.
“Okay, I think I can do that! Pass out pamphlets, and sit in here. Sounds easy enough!” Puck replied, moving onto what he thought might be his fourth biscuit since Roya started talking.
“Fantastic! In return, you can take your pick of anything in the store, enough for a full seven days of wear! That way you’ll have enough to wear on your days off, with some extras in case you have any special events or need to change for any reason.”
“Oh, I don’t need that much! It sounds like I won’t be working hard to help you, so I can’t ask that much.”
“You aren’t asking, I’m offering. I know you don’t mind accepting favors, so if you must consider it that way rather than a deal. Just friends exchanging favors for one another,” Roya said as he waved his hand, as though that made it all fair. In all honesty, to Puck, it did. Favors didn’t need to be equal, they just needed to be meaningful.
“Sure, I can work with that! I can also come in on Aladay, since that’s when I’m always off. That way I’ll be here three days,” Puck offered.
“You don’t need to do that, I have someone else come in and run the shop for me half the week after Nocday, but I’d be happy to spend your day off with you if you’re alright with that. We could check out the local area, and you can see what you’ve been missing out on, all cooped up all the time,” Roya smiled, tapping Puck’s foot with his own, “Besides, I would like to consider you a friend. It’s good to connect with others that aren’t native to the city.”
Puck set down his empty teacup, shaking his head as Roya lifted the kettle to offer more. “That sounds nice. I’ve been told a surprising number of times today that I should work less and get out more. Maybe I’ll make an effort to follow their advice,” Puck gave Roya a small, shy smile as he finished one final biscuit and stood, brushing off his cloak and stretching out his tail, “I’ll see you later this week!”
“I look forward to it,” Roya replied, unlocking the shop’s front door so Puck could make his way out onto the street, giving the dragon and sweeping bow and small wave, before locking the door behind him and drawing closed the curtains.
Puck walked along the side of the road in the pedestrian lane, hands swinging by his sides and tail wagging happily behind him. He felt warmer than he had in a long time, due both to good food and good company. Aside from the occasional potluck at work, he hadn’t made any particular effort to make a real friend in the city, aside from the pleasantries with regulars on his route. He’d been so focused on being successful with his job, he’d let much of life fall to the wayside.
He wouldn’t tell Roya that his shortage of funds wasn’t from lack of income, but rather due to sending all but the bare minimum needed to leave reasonably comfortably to his herd outside the city. It could be hard to sustain a herd the size of the southern herd, so they could use all the help he could get. He also had to prove to the matrons that he could make a living and be fine without a herd. They all could, if they wanted to. There was no reason to be so isolated, not when there was so much of the world to see and explore. He had to show them he wasn’t wrong. He had to.
Tesla Stone⭑☾☀☽⭑ ⭑☾𖣂☽⭑Basil Blackwood
Puck the Postal Dragon
Chapter 7
Fosday came quicker than he expected, his work being nothing more than his usual deliveries. Standard packages brought in slowly by horse and cart from outside the city and distributed within and the like. He was remarkably worried for something as simple as what he’d agreed to, considering his job was mostly to “sit around and look pretty” as Lyn had joked, as soon as she’d heard about his days off and pestered him until he confessed his plans.
She and Lola had teased him for the better part of a day as soon as they’d found out, his drooped ears and tucked tail as good as any flaming blush in conveying his embarrassment. They’d laid off on the joking soon after, and instead had both expressed their interest in stopping by the store when he’d be in. Lola wanted clothes more appropriate to the local city, and Lyn was interested to see if he had anything that would fit her hulking for without having to be custom made or altered.
He hoped he’d have a chance to gather his courage before they stopped in, although he certainly appreciated their support. It felt exciting to be doing something he had never done before, something that would help someone he wanted to be friends with. All that excitement settled into stone cold dread in the pit of his stomach as he stopped to knock on Roya’s door. He’d come before opening so they could plan out his outfits to display for the day, but it had still given him plenty of time to wake up when he would normally go to work, and then sit in his apartment waiting until it was an appropriate time to leave. He felt very acutely the lack of things to do when he wasn’t working, cooking, or cleaning, and had made a mental note to move up his visit to the library in search of a book or a class.
Roya quickly opened it, already dressed in a capital cut three piece dark red velvet suit with his signature blue brooch pinned to the collar. He waved Puck in, closing the door behind the dragon. He’d come in a similar state as the day prior, choosing to run in draconic form with a small bag holding a cloak in his mouth, and shift and pull it on in a neighboring alleyway. The shop wasn’t big enough to accommodate a full-sized dragon, even one as small as him.
“I just can’t believe you’re already here! I’m so excited to announce this line. I’ve got the pamphlets ready, the display set up, and I’ve been telling just about everyone I see about my surprise. Here’s to hoping today is a success!” Roya announced, rushing around the store with nervous energy. Seeming to find everything perfect, he came back to the door to take hold of Puck’s shoulders, pushing him towards the small room behind his desk. Inside were several outfits that Puck assumed he would be wearing throughout the month, a nearly blinding display of colors and cuts that he had never seen before, much less seen worn.
“Now then,” Roya continued, “I was thinking we’d start out a bit simple. I’ve got two outfits I’d like you to wear today, one for the early morning working crowd, and one for the afternoon crowd. We’ll start with this one here. I think it is the most likely to appeal to the less adventurous, more practical kind.”
Puck leaned closer as Roya lifted up a simple white button-up shirt, and a simple pair of trousers of an olive color, similar to Puck’s own fur at a darker shade with more brown thrown in. There was a simple brown cap with a curved brim in front, and a pair of sandals with an interesting number of straps laid next to it.
“It doesn’t look nearly as exciting as you made it sound,” Puck offered, hands going to undo the clasp of his cloak.
“That’s the point with this one! Something unassuming, but incredibly convenient. Go ahead and get undressed and put it on, I’d like to see how it fits. You may have noticed I didn’t take any measurements, that was to ensure you had the true experience of clothes that are adjustable, without the extra time and labor of having them redone by a tailor.”
Puck nodded along, dropping his cloak and setting it on an empty hanger by the door, where an assortment of cloaks and jackets already resided. Roya stared at him for a brief moment, as though surprised that he wore nothing underneath and had undressed with so little preamble, before holding out the pants.
“Let’s start with the trousers,” he said, “These should be mostly what we’re trying to demonstrate. You’ll notice that they come standard with a buttoned panel on the back. This can be swapped with several types of panels I have created. For you, I picked something similar to the standard design with long tails. A small hole, with an additional button to allow the top of the fabric to open up and allow a tail to be placed inside.”
Puck pulled them on, pleasantly surprised to find they fit over his legs without needing to bend or stretch, as most pants were stiffly cut with straight legs in mind. The wider, lighter, fabric settled easily around his digitigrade legs, and he even found that there was a hidden panel at the very bottom that could be removed around the calf, for those with even more drastic leg shapes than himself. Sliding his tail into the loop and buttoning the fabric back overtop to hold it in place, he was shocked to find that although the pants fit loosely and comfortably, they also sinched to fit his waist without any pinching or drooping.
“Wow,” he whispered, running his hands along the seams, finding buttons and lace panels along the sides and waist in various places, presumably to allow the trousers to be rearranged. Either tightened, loosened, or parts swapped outright to allow for change and flexibility in design. Despite all that, moving and stretching, as well as pulling at buttons and seams found they were all incredibly secure, despite his rigorous testing.
“That is exactly what I was hoping to hear,” Roya whispered back, hand hovering over his chest as he watched Puck with a large grin.
“This is incredible,” Puck breathed out, still in awe, “I can’t believe how comfortable these are. How did you get the waist to fit so well?”
“It’s a new design from the north end of the capital. They call it elastic. It’s essentially an incredibly stretchy fabric, sewn into the waistband to allow the size to expand and shrink to fit almost every body type. The big thing that affects what size you have to choose now is the length, rather than the cut or width of everything.”
“This is absolutely genius, Roya!” Puck turned in the mirror, looking at how the trousers looked remarkably simple, for all their adaptability, “Here, let me try the shirt on.”
Roya handed him the shirt, and he pulled it on, doing up the buttons one at a time and smoothing it out. It was simpler than the pants, with ribbon on the sides and back to allow it to be cinched tighter or expanded, as well as a buttoned panel down the back that could be opened fully to allow for wings to be easily slotted in. As with the pants it looked like a normal shirt, with a few more decorations on it, rather than an eccentric capital fad like Puck had been fearing.
Roya held out the cap and the sandals, explaining, “The cap has nothing special about it, it’s simply more flexible in the top so it can be folded to fit around horns or ears. The sandals are also just a design already for sale in specialty stores. The toe band goes around the top of your toes, and the other straps wrap around the bottom of the leg to secure at the top of the knee so it doesn’t fall off. That way your paws are protected from the ground, but nothing should get in the way of your flexibility.”
Puck followed Roya’s direction, sliding the cap on to rest comfortably between his horns, and tying the sandals. They were an unfamiliar feeling, as Puck had never worn shoes before, but they were remarkably light and unobtrusive. He could see how they would be nice during the height of Freeze or Heat when the city roads were far more uncomfortable than grass and dirt roads.
“Well? How does it all fit?” Roya asked, stepping back and admiring the clothes as Puck himself took a moment to shift and stretch, looking in the floor length mirror provided.
“It feels great! I’m so surprised, this looks completely normal. Just like something I’d see on the street,” Puck answered, turning to grin at Roya.
He clapped his hands, eyes shining in the dim light of the back room, and Roya wrapped an arm around Puck’s shoulders, grinning at him through the mirror. “You look fantastic. It’s about time to open, so let me run you through what’s on the pamphlets in case anyone asks,” he leads the two of them back out into the main area, picking up a stack of papers on the counter, “Just the basics, accessible clothing that requires no adjustment to wear comfortably, for any person, the hours of the store opening, and my brand new disclaimer that if someone can’t find anything that will fit I’ll tailor an existing outfit for free.”
Puck read along, nodding to show he was following, chiming in, “The free adjustment is new, what brought that on?”
“It’s simply irresponsible to promise something that will fit everyone without offering a compromise. I’ve likely missed all sorts of bodies in what I have here, and this way anyone can come in and shop completely risk free. Why check something out when it seems too good to be true, or like it’s full of empty promises?”
“I suppose that makes sense,” Puck agreed, taking the papers from Roya and tucking them under his arm, “Do you need any help with opening, or should I just go stand outside now?”
“I should be all set, thank you darling! Come on in if you need anything, I’ll make us some tea for a snack in a bit.”
Puck waited until Roya flipped the store sign to open, and pulled open all the curtains. He opened late enough in the morning that several people were out on the streets. Stepping out to stand right outside the door of the shop, Puck gathered up his courage. All he had to do was wait for people to walk by, hand them a pamphlet, show them the clothes he was wearing, and that was it. It wouldn’t be too difficult at all.
-----
Puck groaned as he laid out on a plush couch, stretching his body and relaxing his aching muscles. Roya laughed at him, setting a bowl with some cold soup in it on a coffee table next to him, settling in a wooden armchair to enjoy his own meal.
“Come on Puck, you can’t tell me today was that hard, was it? I always see you running all over, this should be a piece of cake for a dragon as fit as you,” he teased, leaning back and propping his feet up on the low table.
Puck groaned again, rolling his head to stare listlessly at Roya. “That’s different! It’s much easier to move and take breaks rather than just stand still all day. That’s so much harder on the back!”
“Is it really? You even got to take plenty of breaks to come inside and have snacks and rest. I didn’t ask too much of you, did I,” Roya asked, sounding concerned.
He was right, Puck objectively didn’t do much throughout the day. He stood outside and handed out a good two dozen pamphlets, with a couple people coming in to look around at the shop, before coming in for a lunch break where Roya had ordered sandwiches from the teahouse and had them brought over. After that Roya had him change into an olive colored calf length skirt with a tail panel and elastic waist, as well as a pair of gloves with premade claw slits so he wouldn’t tear them. He’d hardly had time to pass out a few more flyers before Roya had called him in to stand next to the new line of clothes, showing off the outfit and how it could be adjusted.
It shouldn’t have been hard work, and the store hadn’t ended up that busy. It had maybe two dozen people stop in and browse, with only half that making purchases, but Puck had never had to spend so much time talking and standing still and dealing with people.
“No, it wasn’t too much,” Puck sighed, righting himself to grab the soup put out for him, “I’ve just never spent so much time talking to people in my life.”
“Ah, that can be quite difficult can’t it. The difference between a mental and physical load is quite surprising. Especially when I’m still asking you to do things you aren’t used to,” Roya conceded, “Are you still alright to come back to help tomorrow, or will you need the day to recover?”
Puck shook his head adamantly, “No, no, not at all! I’ll be able to come in. I just wasn’t prepared, is all. Although, could you get some more of those orange scones we had this morning? That would make it a lot more motivating if I’m being honest.”
Roya laughed again, softly and fondly, covering his mouth with his hand. “Of course darling. I’ll be sure to get some fresh scones. Now then, finish up your soup so we can get you home. We want you plenty rested after all! I was thinking we could choose something with a bit more color or flare, to attract a bit more attention.”
“Yeah, that sounds nice,” Puck replied, smiling into his soup, his tail swaying happily beside him.
Fosday came quicker than he expected, his work being nothing more than his usual deliveries. Standard packages brought in slowly by horse and cart from outside the city and distributed within and the like. He was remarkably worried for something as simple as what he’d agreed to, considering his job was mostly to “sit around and look pretty” as Lyn had joked, as soon as she’d heard about his days off and pestered him until he confessed his plans.
She and Lola had teased him for the better part of a day as soon as they’d found out, his drooped ears and tucked tail as good as any flaming blush in conveying his embarrassment. They’d laid off on the joking soon after, and instead had both expressed their interest in stopping by the store when he’d be in. Lola wanted clothes more appropriate to the local city, and Lyn was interested to see if he had anything that would fit her hulking for without having to be custom made or altered.
He hoped he’d have a chance to gather his courage before they stopped in, although he certainly appreciated their support. It felt exciting to be doing something he had never done before, something that would help someone he wanted to be friends with. All that excitement settled into stone cold dread in the pit of his stomach as he stopped to knock on Roya’s door. He’d come before opening so they could plan out his outfits to display for the day, but it had still given him plenty of time to wake up when he would normally go to work, and then sit in his apartment waiting until it was an appropriate time to leave. He felt very acutely the lack of things to do when he wasn’t working, cooking, or cleaning, and had made a mental note to move up his visit to the library in search of a book or a class.
Roya quickly opened it, already dressed in a capital cut three piece dark red velvet suit with his signature blue brooch pinned to the collar. He waved Puck in, closing the door behind the dragon. He’d come in a similar state as the day prior, choosing to run in draconic form with a small bag holding a cloak in his mouth, and shift and pull it on in a neighboring alleyway. The shop wasn’t big enough to accommodate a full-sized dragon, even one as small as him.
“I just can’t believe you’re already here! I’m so excited to announce this line. I’ve got the pamphlets ready, the display set up, and I’ve been telling just about everyone I see about my surprise. Here’s to hoping today is a success!” Roya announced, rushing around the store with nervous energy. Seeming to find everything perfect, he came back to the door to take hold of Puck’s shoulders, pushing him towards the small room behind his desk. Inside were several outfits that Puck assumed he would be wearing throughout the month, a nearly blinding display of colors and cuts that he had never seen before, much less seen worn.
“Now then,” Roya continued, “I was thinking we’d start out a bit simple. I’ve got two outfits I’d like you to wear today, one for the early morning working crowd, and one for the afternoon crowd. We’ll start with this one here. I think it is the most likely to appeal to the less adventurous, more practical kind.”
Puck leaned closer as Roya lifted up a simple white button-up shirt, and a simple pair of trousers of an olive color, similar to Puck’s own fur at a darker shade with more brown thrown in. There was a simple brown cap with a curved brim in front, and a pair of sandals with an interesting number of straps laid next to it.
“It doesn’t look nearly as exciting as you made it sound,” Puck offered, hands going to undo the clasp of his cloak.
“That’s the point with this one! Something unassuming, but incredibly convenient. Go ahead and get undressed and put it on, I’d like to see how it fits. You may have noticed I didn’t take any measurements, that was to ensure you had the true experience of clothes that are adjustable, without the extra time and labor of having them redone by a tailor.”
Puck nodded along, dropping his cloak and setting it on an empty hanger by the door, where an assortment of cloaks and jackets already resided. Roya stared at him for a brief moment, as though surprised that he wore nothing underneath and had undressed with so little preamble, before holding out the pants.
“Let’s start with the trousers,” he said, “These should be mostly what we’re trying to demonstrate. You’ll notice that they come standard with a buttoned panel on the back. This can be swapped with several types of panels I have created. For you, I picked something similar to the standard design with long tails. A small hole, with an additional button to allow the top of the fabric to open up and allow a tail to be placed inside.”
Puck pulled them on, pleasantly surprised to find they fit over his legs without needing to bend or stretch, as most pants were stiffly cut with straight legs in mind. The wider, lighter, fabric settled easily around his digitigrade legs, and he even found that there was a hidden panel at the very bottom that could be removed around the calf, for those with even more drastic leg shapes than himself. Sliding his tail into the loop and buttoning the fabric back overtop to hold it in place, he was shocked to find that although the pants fit loosely and comfortably, they also sinched to fit his waist without any pinching or drooping.
“Wow,” he whispered, running his hands along the seams, finding buttons and lace panels along the sides and waist in various places, presumably to allow the trousers to be rearranged. Either tightened, loosened, or parts swapped outright to allow for change and flexibility in design. Despite all that, moving and stretching, as well as pulling at buttons and seams found they were all incredibly secure, despite his rigorous testing.
“That is exactly what I was hoping to hear,” Roya whispered back, hand hovering over his chest as he watched Puck with a large grin.
“This is incredible,” Puck breathed out, still in awe, “I can’t believe how comfortable these are. How did you get the waist to fit so well?”
“It’s a new design from the north end of the capital. They call it elastic. It’s essentially an incredibly stretchy fabric, sewn into the waistband to allow the size to expand and shrink to fit almost every body type. The big thing that affects what size you have to choose now is the length, rather than the cut or width of everything.”
“This is absolutely genius, Roya!” Puck turned in the mirror, looking at how the trousers looked remarkably simple, for all their adaptability, “Here, let me try the shirt on.”
Roya handed him the shirt, and he pulled it on, doing up the buttons one at a time and smoothing it out. It was simpler than the pants, with ribbon on the sides and back to allow it to be cinched tighter or expanded, as well as a buttoned panel down the back that could be opened fully to allow for wings to be easily slotted in. As with the pants it looked like a normal shirt, with a few more decorations on it, rather than an eccentric capital fad like Puck had been fearing.
Roya held out the cap and the sandals, explaining, “The cap has nothing special about it, it’s simply more flexible in the top so it can be folded to fit around horns or ears. The sandals are also just a design already for sale in specialty stores. The toe band goes around the top of your toes, and the other straps wrap around the bottom of the leg to secure at the top of the knee so it doesn’t fall off. That way your paws are protected from the ground, but nothing should get in the way of your flexibility.”
Puck followed Roya’s direction, sliding the cap on to rest comfortably between his horns, and tying the sandals. They were an unfamiliar feeling, as Puck had never worn shoes before, but they were remarkably light and unobtrusive. He could see how they would be nice during the height of Freeze or Heat when the city roads were far more uncomfortable than grass and dirt roads.
“Well? How does it all fit?” Roya asked, stepping back and admiring the clothes as Puck himself took a moment to shift and stretch, looking in the floor length mirror provided.
“It feels great! I’m so surprised, this looks completely normal. Just like something I’d see on the street,” Puck answered, turning to grin at Roya.
He clapped his hands, eyes shining in the dim light of the back room, and Roya wrapped an arm around Puck’s shoulders, grinning at him through the mirror. “You look fantastic. It’s about time to open, so let me run you through what’s on the pamphlets in case anyone asks,” he leads the two of them back out into the main area, picking up a stack of papers on the counter, “Just the basics, accessible clothing that requires no adjustment to wear comfortably, for any person, the hours of the store opening, and my brand new disclaimer that if someone can’t find anything that will fit I’ll tailor an existing outfit for free.”
Puck read along, nodding to show he was following, chiming in, “The free adjustment is new, what brought that on?”
“It’s simply irresponsible to promise something that will fit everyone without offering a compromise. I’ve likely missed all sorts of bodies in what I have here, and this way anyone can come in and shop completely risk free. Why check something out when it seems too good to be true, or like it’s full of empty promises?”
“I suppose that makes sense,” Puck agreed, taking the papers from Roya and tucking them under his arm, “Do you need any help with opening, or should I just go stand outside now?”
“I should be all set, thank you darling! Come on in if you need anything, I’ll make us some tea for a snack in a bit.”
Puck waited until Roya flipped the store sign to open, and pulled open all the curtains. He opened late enough in the morning that several people were out on the streets. Stepping out to stand right outside the door of the shop, Puck gathered up his courage. All he had to do was wait for people to walk by, hand them a pamphlet, show them the clothes he was wearing, and that was it. It wouldn’t be too difficult at all.
-----
Puck groaned as he laid out on a plush couch, stretching his body and relaxing his aching muscles. Roya laughed at him, setting a bowl with some cold soup in it on a coffee table next to him, settling in a wooden armchair to enjoy his own meal.
“Come on Puck, you can’t tell me today was that hard, was it? I always see you running all over, this should be a piece of cake for a dragon as fit as you,” he teased, leaning back and propping his feet up on the low table.
Puck groaned again, rolling his head to stare listlessly at Roya. “That’s different! It’s much easier to move and take breaks rather than just stand still all day. That’s so much harder on the back!”
“Is it really? You even got to take plenty of breaks to come inside and have snacks and rest. I didn’t ask too much of you, did I,” Roya asked, sounding concerned.
He was right, Puck objectively didn’t do much throughout the day. He stood outside and handed out a good two dozen pamphlets, with a couple people coming in to look around at the shop, before coming in for a lunch break where Roya had ordered sandwiches from the teahouse and had them brought over. After that Roya had him change into an olive colored calf length skirt with a tail panel and elastic waist, as well as a pair of gloves with premade claw slits so he wouldn’t tear them. He’d hardly had time to pass out a few more flyers before Roya had called him in to stand next to the new line of clothes, showing off the outfit and how it could be adjusted.
It shouldn’t have been hard work, and the store hadn’t ended up that busy. It had maybe two dozen people stop in and browse, with only half that making purchases, but Puck had never had to spend so much time talking and standing still and dealing with people.
“No, it wasn’t too much,” Puck sighed, righting himself to grab the soup put out for him, “I’ve just never spent so much time talking to people in my life.”
“Ah, that can be quite difficult can’t it. The difference between a mental and physical load is quite surprising. Especially when I’m still asking you to do things you aren’t used to,” Roya conceded, “Are you still alright to come back to help tomorrow, or will you need the day to recover?”
Puck shook his head adamantly, “No, no, not at all! I’ll be able to come in. I just wasn’t prepared, is all. Although, could you get some more of those orange scones we had this morning? That would make it a lot more motivating if I’m being honest.”
Roya laughed again, softly and fondly, covering his mouth with his hand. “Of course darling. I’ll be sure to get some fresh scones. Now then, finish up your soup so we can get you home. We want you plenty rested after all! I was thinking we could choose something with a bit more color or flare, to attract a bit more attention.”
“Yeah, that sounds nice,” Puck replied, smiling into his soup, his tail swaying happily beside him.
Tesla Stone⭑☾☀☽⭑ ⭑☾𖣂☽⭑Basil Blackwood
Puck the Postal Dragon
Chapter 8
The following day had gone much the same as the first, with Puck wearing several of the outfits and alternating between handing out pamphlets and helping inside the shop. Roya had brought the orange scones like he’d promised, as well as sweet strawberry cakes for an afternoon snack. More people had stopped in, including Lola and Lyn, who had been remarkably excited to find clothes that were large enough to fit her that didn’t look like she was wearing a burlap sack. She’d left with a cream colored midi dress, and Lola had gotten a flashy pair of white gloves with shimmery lace.
Puck had gone home exhausted and satisfied, curling into his bed and promptly falling asleep. He and Roya had made plans to meet at the shop the following day to go shopping around the district around lunchtime, since they both had a corresponding day off. He was currently pulling on a light brown dress with small colorful flowers embroidered along the hem and cuffs that Roya had insisted he wear home, as well as a dark purple cloak.
He was thankful that Roya had thought to send him home with clothes before he picked his full collection of outfits at the end of their exchange, since it meant he had something to wear while exploring the town together. The only problem came in the form of getting to Roya’s shop in a timely manner. He didn’t want the linen and cotton to get wrinkled, so he couldn’t shove the cloak and dress in a bag like he normally would to travel in draconic form, so he’d simply have to walk on two feet like most people would.
It wasn’t difficult, and it wasn’t more than a half hour walk all told, but he was so used to running through the streets he’d struggled to plan to leave earlier than usual, and he found himself remarkably bored on his way. He had no pounding of his own feet or the burn of muscles to distract himself, and he had no interest in watching other people on the street, who mostly seemed to be absorbed in their own worlds.
Thankfully he had little difficulty making it to Roya’s shop, and he hurriied up into a jog to meet up with the elf who was standing just outside the door, chatting with who Puck assumed was his assistant that worked this half of the week. As he saw Puck coming he gave the dragon a friendly wave, and said goodbye to his assistant. Approaching he pulled Puck into a warm hug, red cloak draping around the two of them briefly like a pair of wings.
“Puck, there you are! Is there anywhere you’d like to stop by first?” he greeted, stepping back and tucking his arms back inside his cloak to defend against the chill in the air.
“Good morning Roya! I don’t have anywhere in particular in mind. I’ve never looked around, remember?”
“Very good point. Would you like to stop for food first? We can either sit down and have a late breakfast, or we can pick something up from Malon to take on the road.”
“I think Malon’s sounds really nice! I still haven’t been in the store, if you remember.”
“Malon’s it is,” Roya replied, turning and striding down the pedestrian lane on the street.
Puck hurried to catch up with him, jogging for a moment until he settled in with Roya’s long legged stride. They quickly made it to the bakery, as it wasn’t far from the shop, and Roya held open the door for Puck to enter. He was quickly washed over with a burst of heat, blinking as he took in the front of the bakery. The back entrance into the kitchens was always warm and welcoming, but it was mostly made of stone and cluttered with ovens and cooking supplies. The front was warm and welcoming, with several small tables pushed against the walls and a few comfortable chairs by a fireplace that was glowing faintly in the corner.
Everything was made of warm wood, and candles glowed on nearly every table, making the space seem to glow with a welcoming energy. Combined with the quiet chatter of people waiting in line and sitting at tables, Puck couldn’t help the relaxed sigh that escaped him, feeling like the weight of the world fell off his shoulders.
“It’s lovely, isn’t it,” Roya whispered to him, as though speaking too loudly would burst the bubble of peace the two were in.
“Yeah,” Puck agreed simply, smiling and waving at a young centaur that was gaping at him from her spot ahead of him in line, holding onto her mother’s hand. She shyly waved back, before tucking herself underneath her mother’s legs and hiding from view.
“Any idea what you’re going to order?” Roya asked, pulling out a pair of spectacles from somewhere underneath his cloak and putting them on to look at the large chalkboard behind the counter. Puck looked, and found it to be written in fancy curling letters, nothing like the standard print of the books or mail he found himself reading.
Frantically scanning over it he thought he could recognize things he’d gotten from Malon before, like a croissant, bread, or scones, but he didn’t want to just have what he’d had in the past. He wanted to try something new.
“Oh, there’s a lot more options than I expected,” he tried feebly, “What are you thinking of getting?”
“She’s been making some wonderful bagels recently. A lovely recipe straight from a gnomish community up north. You can see in the bottom right she has her daily products, and there’s one with sesame seeds she’s offering.”
That sounded interesting, but as they were getting closer to the counter and Malon caught his eye and waved with excitement at him, he realized he still hadn’t deciphered the options on the menu. He was still hesitant, looking more frantically up at the board as his ears drooped and he fidgeted with his hands under his cloak.
It was their turn far too soon, and Malon smiled up at him, her counter a comfortable height for ratkin and quite a bit shorter than most other counters he’d seen. “It’s good of you to stop by! I was worried you’d never come in on your days off,” she greeted, putting the last of the gold from the last customer in the change box, “What can I get for you two?”
“It took quite a bit of work to drag him out! He told me he hasn’t actually visited any of the fun stores around here since he’s been in the city, so we’re going shopping together. I’ll have a sesame bagel with honey almond spread on it, please,” Roya ordered, grinning and pulling out his purse.
“I’m really sorry I never came in earlier, I just never found the time. Could I get an orange scone?” Puck chimed in after him, confident that the scones he’d had the last two days were something he enjoyed.
“Oh, I’m so sorry Puck. The orange scones are only on Fosday and Nocday, but you can get something else if you’d like. Our specials for the day are right up there,” Malon replied, pointing at the board in the same spot Roya had indicated earlier.
“Um, is there a different scone you have as a special today?” he asked, giving up completely on trying to understand the scribbles.
Malon hesitated for only a moment before simply answering, “We sure do! How does a peach scone sound to you? How about I throw on a croissant for the both of you to split as well. I have a few left over from yesterday in the sale display.”
“That sounds perfect.” Puck couldn’t keep the relief out of his voice that Malon had simply just told him what was on the board. He’d run into it in a place previously where he’d struggled with the curly writing they used, and finally just ended up ordering their special and being surprised with a fish stew, which he wasn’t a big fan of.
“Great! That’ll be eight gold for all of it.”
Roya pulled out enough for the both of them, and Puck shot him a quiet thank you as Malon put their order on two plates.
“Alright, the bagel will take a moment but Miss Bon will bring it out as soon as it’s done,” she said, handing them over and waving the two off to find a place to sit.
They chose a spot by the fireplace, enjoying the view it offered of the room and the small round table with two chairs they could set their plates on. Roya took off his cloak, laying it over the back of his chair and Puck followed suit soon after, as the spot they’d chosen was wonderfully warm, and they’d be there for long enough enjoying their light meal that it would get too hot under the thick fabric.
Roya broke the croissant in half, keeping one half on his plate and setting the other on Puck’s next to his scone, leaning back in his chair and looking around at the other patrons staying in the bakery to eat their late breakfast instead of taking it to go. The young centaur and her mother were kneeling beside a low table with no chairs set at it, and there was a ratkin with an apron on gathering plates and talking with another table nearby.
“I’m not trying to pry,” Roya started, catching Puck’s attention as he started eating his scone with gusto, “Were you having some trouble reading the sign back there?”
Puck’s ears drooped, and he replied, “Yeah, just a bit.”
“You should schedule an appointment to get your eyes checked if you’re having so much difficulty seeing that far. The board wasn’t too distant from us, it could be dangerous if you don’t get corrective lenses.”
Puck drooped further into his seat, nibbling on his half of the croissant, “I could see the sign just fine. I just… couldn’t read it.”
Roya tilted his head, “I’m sorry?”
“I couldn’t read it,” Puck snapped, a bit louder so Roya could hear him easier.
“Oh!” Roya exclaimed, before sitting in silence for a moment, “You can read though, right? Dragons still attend the standardized schooling, I thought.”
“Of course I can read,” Puck mumbled, smiling at Bon as Roya’s bagel was brought over and placed on the table.
“I’m afraid I’m not following what the issue is,” Roya said honestly, taking a bite of the bagel and sighing happily, resting an elbow on the table.
“The letters are all squiggly. They don’t look anything like the prints or standard handwriting I’m used to.”
Roya nodded in understanding, eyes widening as he said, “I believe I understand! You must’ve stopped at the primary level, yes? Secondary is where you learn cursive. Here in the city up through secondary is mandatory, but I’d heard it wasn’t in the outer areas.”
“Yeah, it’s not considered necessary since most things only rely on basic lettering and understanding of math. That way they can move into apprenticeships and specializations sooner.”
“Hm. I suppose I never thought of it like that. Most of secondary does cover more city specific things, like regional history or large scale architecture, as well as advanced mathematics and additional languages beyond common.”
“Is that why so many people here know hand language?” Puck asked eagerly, “I felt like I was just being insensitive by not learning it.”
Roya laughed, shaking his head, “No, no, it’s standard in all cities because of the increased diversity. Out in the villages you’re a lot less likely to encounter mermaids and the like, all the races that use it as a primary language. It could still be valuable to learn, but in that scenario it would mostly be used for the deaf community.”
Puck relaxed, finally tearing back into his croissant with gusto. “I’m so relieved to hear that, you have no idea. I mean, I of all people can appreciate accessibility, so it just felt wrong to have not considered it necessary for coworkers I might have,” he said around a buttery bite.
“You have nothing to worry about, though it’s certainly worth learning now you’re in the city and know Lola. You don’t seem to take advantage of much of the accessibility in the city from what I can tell, being a standard humanoid and all. I mean no offense of course, just an observation.”
Puck looking at him in puzzlement, finishing off the rest of his meal. “You do realize I’m not always humanoid, right? You’ve surely met other dragons before,” he asked.
“Why of course, I just figured you are humanoid most of the time! It’s far more convenient for everyone involved,” Roya replied as though it was obvious.
“Not really,” Puck stated, “It’s easiest to travel and carry things as a dragon. Not to mention I get much less tired that way, and there’s a lot less miscommunication with body language. There’s no tones or metaphors to make sense of, if you’re snarling you’re mad. Simple as that. To be honest, if I could communicate with people easier I’d love to stay draconic more often. It makes me feel more connected to my family.”
“I apologize, I never thought of it that way. Why don’t you just shift when you need verbal assistance, instead of being in one form or the other?”
“In the city it’s pretty rude to shift in front of people from what I’ve learned. Not to mention no one likes seeing a humanoid without clothes, even if they are a dragon. Every single time I shift I have to find a private place to change my clothes and my form, which makes it really difficult to do if I’m not travelling a significant distance.”
Roya hummed as he seemed to take Puck’s words seriously, tearing his second bagel slice in half and setting it on Puck’s plate. “Here, eat this. I’m already getting full and you probably need more energy than me,” he explained at Puck’s questioning look, and continued to eat his portion in contemplative silence.
Puck tried to catch his eye, but the blue elf seemed to be completely focused on his own thoughts. He nibbled on the bagel he’d been given, and his tail wagged happily at the taste. It was completely unique, the yeasty bread and sweet topping very satisfying after his sweeter meal. He carefully held his tail spade in one hand, so it wouldn’t hit anyone in the crowded bakery around him.
He finished the bagel relatively quickly compared to Roya, and looked around a bit awkwardly as the other man ate and mumbled to himself. “Uh, Roya? I think we should get going soon. It looks like they’re going to need this table for some new customers soon,” he finally piped up, nudging him with his foot and looking pointedly at Bon who was starting to loiter nearby with a rag in hand to wipe down their table. It had gotten quite a bit busier since they’d come in, and there was a small group of students standing near the entrance holding their plates as they ate, chatting and clearly waiting for a table.
“Hm?” Roya asked, finally glancing up and focusing on Puck, seeming to notice how much time had passed, “Oh, you appear to be correct. Here, will you take our plates to the bin over there? I just want to have a quick word with Malon and then I’ll meet you outside.”
Puck nodded, and helped Roya stack their plates together. Gathering them he stepped aside for Bon, who quickly set to work wiping down their table and straightening out their chairs. Quickly fastening his cloak with one hand so it wouldn’t fall, he set the dishes in a small bin close to the counter. He glanced at Roya, who was leaning over the counter to say something close to Malon’s ear, the ratkin glancing at Puck for just a moment before nodding quickly. As he stepped away, she turned back to the next customer, but Puck couldn’t help but wonder what they’d been talking about. He forced himself to turn away and step outside, reminding himself that if it was something he needed to know he’d find out about it, just like his matrons had taught him.
The following day had gone much the same as the first, with Puck wearing several of the outfits and alternating between handing out pamphlets and helping inside the shop. Roya had brought the orange scones like he’d promised, as well as sweet strawberry cakes for an afternoon snack. More people had stopped in, including Lola and Lyn, who had been remarkably excited to find clothes that were large enough to fit her that didn’t look like she was wearing a burlap sack. She’d left with a cream colored midi dress, and Lola had gotten a flashy pair of white gloves with shimmery lace.
Puck had gone home exhausted and satisfied, curling into his bed and promptly falling asleep. He and Roya had made plans to meet at the shop the following day to go shopping around the district around lunchtime, since they both had a corresponding day off. He was currently pulling on a light brown dress with small colorful flowers embroidered along the hem and cuffs that Roya had insisted he wear home, as well as a dark purple cloak.
He was thankful that Roya had thought to send him home with clothes before he picked his full collection of outfits at the end of their exchange, since it meant he had something to wear while exploring the town together. The only problem came in the form of getting to Roya’s shop in a timely manner. He didn’t want the linen and cotton to get wrinkled, so he couldn’t shove the cloak and dress in a bag like he normally would to travel in draconic form, so he’d simply have to walk on two feet like most people would.
It wasn’t difficult, and it wasn’t more than a half hour walk all told, but he was so used to running through the streets he’d struggled to plan to leave earlier than usual, and he found himself remarkably bored on his way. He had no pounding of his own feet or the burn of muscles to distract himself, and he had no interest in watching other people on the street, who mostly seemed to be absorbed in their own worlds.
Thankfully he had little difficulty making it to Roya’s shop, and he hurriied up into a jog to meet up with the elf who was standing just outside the door, chatting with who Puck assumed was his assistant that worked this half of the week. As he saw Puck coming he gave the dragon a friendly wave, and said goodbye to his assistant. Approaching he pulled Puck into a warm hug, red cloak draping around the two of them briefly like a pair of wings.
“Puck, there you are! Is there anywhere you’d like to stop by first?” he greeted, stepping back and tucking his arms back inside his cloak to defend against the chill in the air.
“Good morning Roya! I don’t have anywhere in particular in mind. I’ve never looked around, remember?”
“Very good point. Would you like to stop for food first? We can either sit down and have a late breakfast, or we can pick something up from Malon to take on the road.”
“I think Malon’s sounds really nice! I still haven’t been in the store, if you remember.”
“Malon’s it is,” Roya replied, turning and striding down the pedestrian lane on the street.
Puck hurried to catch up with him, jogging for a moment until he settled in with Roya’s long legged stride. They quickly made it to the bakery, as it wasn’t far from the shop, and Roya held open the door for Puck to enter. He was quickly washed over with a burst of heat, blinking as he took in the front of the bakery. The back entrance into the kitchens was always warm and welcoming, but it was mostly made of stone and cluttered with ovens and cooking supplies. The front was warm and welcoming, with several small tables pushed against the walls and a few comfortable chairs by a fireplace that was glowing faintly in the corner.
Everything was made of warm wood, and candles glowed on nearly every table, making the space seem to glow with a welcoming energy. Combined with the quiet chatter of people waiting in line and sitting at tables, Puck couldn’t help the relaxed sigh that escaped him, feeling like the weight of the world fell off his shoulders.
“It’s lovely, isn’t it,” Roya whispered to him, as though speaking too loudly would burst the bubble of peace the two were in.
“Yeah,” Puck agreed simply, smiling and waving at a young centaur that was gaping at him from her spot ahead of him in line, holding onto her mother’s hand. She shyly waved back, before tucking herself underneath her mother’s legs and hiding from view.
“Any idea what you’re going to order?” Roya asked, pulling out a pair of spectacles from somewhere underneath his cloak and putting them on to look at the large chalkboard behind the counter. Puck looked, and found it to be written in fancy curling letters, nothing like the standard print of the books or mail he found himself reading.
Frantically scanning over it he thought he could recognize things he’d gotten from Malon before, like a croissant, bread, or scones, but he didn’t want to just have what he’d had in the past. He wanted to try something new.
“Oh, there’s a lot more options than I expected,” he tried feebly, “What are you thinking of getting?”
“She’s been making some wonderful bagels recently. A lovely recipe straight from a gnomish community up north. You can see in the bottom right she has her daily products, and there’s one with sesame seeds she’s offering.”
That sounded interesting, but as they were getting closer to the counter and Malon caught his eye and waved with excitement at him, he realized he still hadn’t deciphered the options on the menu. He was still hesitant, looking more frantically up at the board as his ears drooped and he fidgeted with his hands under his cloak.
It was their turn far too soon, and Malon smiled up at him, her counter a comfortable height for ratkin and quite a bit shorter than most other counters he’d seen. “It’s good of you to stop by! I was worried you’d never come in on your days off,” she greeted, putting the last of the gold from the last customer in the change box, “What can I get for you two?”
“It took quite a bit of work to drag him out! He told me he hasn’t actually visited any of the fun stores around here since he’s been in the city, so we’re going shopping together. I’ll have a sesame bagel with honey almond spread on it, please,” Roya ordered, grinning and pulling out his purse.
“I’m really sorry I never came in earlier, I just never found the time. Could I get an orange scone?” Puck chimed in after him, confident that the scones he’d had the last two days were something he enjoyed.
“Oh, I’m so sorry Puck. The orange scones are only on Fosday and Nocday, but you can get something else if you’d like. Our specials for the day are right up there,” Malon replied, pointing at the board in the same spot Roya had indicated earlier.
“Um, is there a different scone you have as a special today?” he asked, giving up completely on trying to understand the scribbles.
Malon hesitated for only a moment before simply answering, “We sure do! How does a peach scone sound to you? How about I throw on a croissant for the both of you to split as well. I have a few left over from yesterday in the sale display.”
“That sounds perfect.” Puck couldn’t keep the relief out of his voice that Malon had simply just told him what was on the board. He’d run into it in a place previously where he’d struggled with the curly writing they used, and finally just ended up ordering their special and being surprised with a fish stew, which he wasn’t a big fan of.
“Great! That’ll be eight gold for all of it.”
Roya pulled out enough for the both of them, and Puck shot him a quiet thank you as Malon put their order on two plates.
“Alright, the bagel will take a moment but Miss Bon will bring it out as soon as it’s done,” she said, handing them over and waving the two off to find a place to sit.
They chose a spot by the fireplace, enjoying the view it offered of the room and the small round table with two chairs they could set their plates on. Roya took off his cloak, laying it over the back of his chair and Puck followed suit soon after, as the spot they’d chosen was wonderfully warm, and they’d be there for long enough enjoying their light meal that it would get too hot under the thick fabric.
Roya broke the croissant in half, keeping one half on his plate and setting the other on Puck’s next to his scone, leaning back in his chair and looking around at the other patrons staying in the bakery to eat their late breakfast instead of taking it to go. The young centaur and her mother were kneeling beside a low table with no chairs set at it, and there was a ratkin with an apron on gathering plates and talking with another table nearby.
“I’m not trying to pry,” Roya started, catching Puck’s attention as he started eating his scone with gusto, “Were you having some trouble reading the sign back there?”
Puck’s ears drooped, and he replied, “Yeah, just a bit.”
“You should schedule an appointment to get your eyes checked if you’re having so much difficulty seeing that far. The board wasn’t too distant from us, it could be dangerous if you don’t get corrective lenses.”
Puck drooped further into his seat, nibbling on his half of the croissant, “I could see the sign just fine. I just… couldn’t read it.”
Roya tilted his head, “I’m sorry?”
“I couldn’t read it,” Puck snapped, a bit louder so Roya could hear him easier.
“Oh!” Roya exclaimed, before sitting in silence for a moment, “You can read though, right? Dragons still attend the standardized schooling, I thought.”
“Of course I can read,” Puck mumbled, smiling at Bon as Roya’s bagel was brought over and placed on the table.
“I’m afraid I’m not following what the issue is,” Roya said honestly, taking a bite of the bagel and sighing happily, resting an elbow on the table.
“The letters are all squiggly. They don’t look anything like the prints or standard handwriting I’m used to.”
Roya nodded in understanding, eyes widening as he said, “I believe I understand! You must’ve stopped at the primary level, yes? Secondary is where you learn cursive. Here in the city up through secondary is mandatory, but I’d heard it wasn’t in the outer areas.”
“Yeah, it’s not considered necessary since most things only rely on basic lettering and understanding of math. That way they can move into apprenticeships and specializations sooner.”
“Hm. I suppose I never thought of it like that. Most of secondary does cover more city specific things, like regional history or large scale architecture, as well as advanced mathematics and additional languages beyond common.”
“Is that why so many people here know hand language?” Puck asked eagerly, “I felt like I was just being insensitive by not learning it.”
Roya laughed, shaking his head, “No, no, it’s standard in all cities because of the increased diversity. Out in the villages you’re a lot less likely to encounter mermaids and the like, all the races that use it as a primary language. It could still be valuable to learn, but in that scenario it would mostly be used for the deaf community.”
Puck relaxed, finally tearing back into his croissant with gusto. “I’m so relieved to hear that, you have no idea. I mean, I of all people can appreciate accessibility, so it just felt wrong to have not considered it necessary for coworkers I might have,” he said around a buttery bite.
“You have nothing to worry about, though it’s certainly worth learning now you’re in the city and know Lola. You don’t seem to take advantage of much of the accessibility in the city from what I can tell, being a standard humanoid and all. I mean no offense of course, just an observation.”
Puck looking at him in puzzlement, finishing off the rest of his meal. “You do realize I’m not always humanoid, right? You’ve surely met other dragons before,” he asked.
“Why of course, I just figured you are humanoid most of the time! It’s far more convenient for everyone involved,” Roya replied as though it was obvious.
“Not really,” Puck stated, “It’s easiest to travel and carry things as a dragon. Not to mention I get much less tired that way, and there’s a lot less miscommunication with body language. There’s no tones or metaphors to make sense of, if you’re snarling you’re mad. Simple as that. To be honest, if I could communicate with people easier I’d love to stay draconic more often. It makes me feel more connected to my family.”
“I apologize, I never thought of it that way. Why don’t you just shift when you need verbal assistance, instead of being in one form or the other?”
“In the city it’s pretty rude to shift in front of people from what I’ve learned. Not to mention no one likes seeing a humanoid without clothes, even if they are a dragon. Every single time I shift I have to find a private place to change my clothes and my form, which makes it really difficult to do if I’m not travelling a significant distance.”
Roya hummed as he seemed to take Puck’s words seriously, tearing his second bagel slice in half and setting it on Puck’s plate. “Here, eat this. I’m already getting full and you probably need more energy than me,” he explained at Puck’s questioning look, and continued to eat his portion in contemplative silence.
Puck tried to catch his eye, but the blue elf seemed to be completely focused on his own thoughts. He nibbled on the bagel he’d been given, and his tail wagged happily at the taste. It was completely unique, the yeasty bread and sweet topping very satisfying after his sweeter meal. He carefully held his tail spade in one hand, so it wouldn’t hit anyone in the crowded bakery around him.
He finished the bagel relatively quickly compared to Roya, and looked around a bit awkwardly as the other man ate and mumbled to himself. “Uh, Roya? I think we should get going soon. It looks like they’re going to need this table for some new customers soon,” he finally piped up, nudging him with his foot and looking pointedly at Bon who was starting to loiter nearby with a rag in hand to wipe down their table. It had gotten quite a bit busier since they’d come in, and there was a small group of students standing near the entrance holding their plates as they ate, chatting and clearly waiting for a table.
“Hm?” Roya asked, finally glancing up and focusing on Puck, seeming to notice how much time had passed, “Oh, you appear to be correct. Here, will you take our plates to the bin over there? I just want to have a quick word with Malon and then I’ll meet you outside.”
Puck nodded, and helped Roya stack their plates together. Gathering them he stepped aside for Bon, who quickly set to work wiping down their table and straightening out their chairs. Quickly fastening his cloak with one hand so it wouldn’t fall, he set the dishes in a small bin close to the counter. He glanced at Roya, who was leaning over the counter to say something close to Malon’s ear, the ratkin glancing at Puck for just a moment before nodding quickly. As he stepped away, she turned back to the next customer, but Puck couldn’t help but wonder what they’d been talking about. He forced himself to turn away and step outside, reminding himself that if it was something he needed to know he’d find out about it, just like his matrons had taught him.
Tesla Stone⭑☾☀☽⭑ ⭑☾𖣂☽⭑Basil Blackwood