Running Red

Chapter 2 - Blue Like the Sky, Grey Like a Storm Cloud

Change of plans. I've added a bunch of stuff to this chapter. Sorry the 3 of you who've read this. You'll have to go back and re-read what I have. I figured out a way around my dilemma, so it's all good. Hope you enjoy! With any luck, I"ll have Chapter 3 up in just a little while. Keep in touch. - FO97

We made quick work of the city as we both knew our way to the Service. The roads were less crowed than they had been going to Lady Corblin's house because most people were preparing for the celebration and had already made it either into the courtyard out just outside the castle walls.

The Service is a massive looming building, several stories high, set at the crossroads leading to the Sawmill District and the Granite Districts. It has many purposes and they are all provided for the city, thus, the name Service. It is separated into sections because of its sheer size, some less important than the others, but important nonetheless. The most important sections, however, are the medical, blacksmith, employment, imports and exports management, and defense sections. I work for a lesser section called the Postal that ensures messages of all kinds are delivered to wherever it is that they must go. It's a Secondary section as opposed to the Primary sections. It was the Postal Section that we entered in to once we had made our way through the winding hallways.

There I found Bligg, the kind old man who heads the Postal. Lady Corblin and I entered his stuffy office. He looked up from his desk, started as he saw the noble on my arm, and made a quick and clumsy bow. When he rose, his wispy hair floated back to its static position and he had to push up his pair of round spectacles.

"My Lady," he said. "I was unaware that you were coming, or perhaps I would have been a bit more prepared." He gestured around his office which was dusty and stacked high with loose papers and leather bound volumes.

Lady Corblin curtsied regally, her arm swinging out stiffly at her side and the other hand delicatley pinching her dress. "It is of no consequence, sir."

He smiled good naturedly and then turned his attention to me. I handed him one of the three coins that I had with me and he took this and set it in a padlocked chest in the corner, opening it with a key around his neck. He sat back down at his desk and took out ink, a feather quill, and a sheet of paper.

"And the message, Dheul?"

I recited my message and Bligg copied it down as I spoke.

When I had finished he said, "And your time?"

I calculated for a moment and said, "About seven hours, sir, from the edge of the forest."

He nodded approvingly as he copied this down in a leather bound volume. "Excellent job, as usual. And I trust your travels were safe?" he asked.

"Safe as always, sir."

"Good, good. No other news that I should be aware of then? I will not keep you any longer. I will call upon your services as the need arises, Dheul." He bowed to Lady Corblin who had watched the proceedings quietly. She bowed back and said, "Good bye, Master Bligg."

Lady Corblin followed by my side without putting her arm around mine. I was almost worried by this, and then realized that now that we were alone she had dropped most of her regality. She walked easier, let her arms swing naturally, and seemed less stiff. I felt myself relax.

We went down several flights of stairs and, in fact, there was only one story below the Lodging Section and that was a storage basement. The hallway was lit well enough with torches, but the level is overall a gloomy and cold place. I stopped at the end, where two sets of double doors stood. One led to the boy's side and the other to the girl's.