"Miss Glimmer?" Odelia called into the little office in the back of the Shady Corner as she rapped lightly on the wooden door. "Are you there? I wanted to ask about how the fairy mail works..."
Odelia flinched in surprise, then laughed and moved to the side let Glimmer past and into the office. "Well, I suppose I was wondering if the fairy mail goes to different shards? Or is the service only available to residents of this shard?" she asked, looking hopeful. "Do fairies have a way to find someone if I don't know where they are?"
Glimmer taps her face for a few seconds, then plops in a chair and eats three cookies. "Well....I can probably find them if need be. Or I can request another Scout of equal talents to myself be sent for your wishes. Who are we trying to find? And yes, I can send mail off shard. This is interesting. Long lost love perhaps? Dangerous assassin after your family that needs a notice to die quietly? Hmmmmmmm..." Glimmer munches her cookies and eyes Odelia for a response in anticipation.
"Nothing so glamorous, I'm afraid." Odelia smiled at Glimmer's hope for some clandestine gossip. "My sister, Rose, snuck off years ago to another shard with a traveling knave. And never so much as a letter from her since!"
The cartographer pulled a piece of parchment from her map case and starts to write...
Dear Rosey,
She paused, uncertain what to say in her letter. "Best to keep it simple, I suppose."
I miss you. Please let me know if you are safe and well.
Love,
Del
She folded up the parchment and wrote on the outside "To Rose Gray". Leaving it on the table, she looked at Glimmer and smiled, hopeful that the missive might reach her sister. "I'm actually headed to the bazaar now, Glimmer. What's your favorite candy?"
"Well that's just the most romanticalist thingie I've ever HEARD it is!" Glimmer chomps on a cookie and giggles wildly. "Any ol' candy will do. I normally get my stash...I mean my hoard...I mean my supply from Uncle Wreynn, but he doesn't likded everybodies so any kind will do it will it will!" Glimmer takes the letter and asks "Where was she last seen?"
"Well that is most certainly not in town now is it then? No worries Miss Odelia, I shall call for a Scout and Courier. Rest easy, we Fae can find out anything, and if we can't we have our ways!" Glimmer winks at Odelia several times and glomps her cookies down. "Now then. I must be off to see what I can see about gathering a the two to take your letter!"
"Many thanks, Miss Glimmer!" Odelia smiled, moving aside to let the fairy out of the little office once again. "I'll drop off payment before I leave the shard."
--
A few hours later the cartographer returned with a prettily wrapped box full of hard tack, chocolate covered nuts, and sugar cookies covered generously with sprinkles. She left the box on the table with a note that simply said "Thank you!" and signed "Odelia Gray"
Taklinn nods to Odelia as she walks past him, saying quietly to her "When ye return next to town, I may have need of yer map-making skills. Seek me out then and we will discuss it then."
He then walks over to the box that Odelia has set out, and places a sealed parchment next to it on the table. He then pulls a large sack from his belt and sets it next to his message to Glimmer.
(OOG Message sent)
"I wouldnt want to bother ye or set ye back afore ye leave. If ye make it back to town, then the mapping I will need ye to do will still be there." Taklinn says with a smile, until his brow furrows and he glances down at his belt and begins cursing under his breath.
"Well, okay," she said, starting back toward the common area of the Shady Corner. "When next I find myself in Jastrey, then."
She paused then. Goodbyes always seemed so awkward. "Goodbye, master dwarf. May your axe be ever bright." It was a dwarven farewell she had picked up from the many dwarven residents of Northcrest.
As Taklinn begins walking off he turns upon hearing the farewell. Taking a deep bow, he says "May yer heart, mind, and sword arm remain as strong as me grandpappy''s axe handle lass. Keep yer wits about ye on yer travels, and return to us soon."
Upon turning around and beginning to walk away he mumbles "Aw shut up ye durned fool, I was just bein' polite. Aint her fault she aint got any stubble on her chin!" to his waist once again.
Glimmer taps Odelia on the shoulder from behind her and giggles. "Yes, yes I can. You give me a letter. If it goes to a member of town I'll deliver it personally, and if not, I'll send it with the next courier that comes for pickup. I deal in cookies, candy, and tea here. No other forms of payment will be necessary." Glimmer claps and enters her office awaiting Odelia's response.