Prologue
In the city of South Ridge, we have a strange way of living compared to the rest of the kingdom. One difference is that we only have one wizard in town, whereas other cities have at least five. But our biggest difference is that magical creatures are only allowed to roam the city at night, except for myself and any fairies. But I am not a fairy, I am the familiar to our city's wizard. Azalin helps everyone in this city, although the humans think that he should only serve them. I know that he would never turn down anyone or anything in need.
Azalin was up early making his daily orders for everyone, his light gray hair falling into his eyes covering the fair skin of his forehead, "Gray, was Miss Falmer able to pay for her back medicine?" I was organizing his bookshelf, "no, but she said that when her next shipment of fruit arrives we will get first pick." He licked his lips, "Alice could make those tarts that I love." The cellar door flung open, "not if you keep making this bland coffee." He pouted as he poured some powder into a small snack, "but Grey likes them too." The tall dryad side-eyed me, "fine, but only because I like Gray." I giggled at their bickering, it's like this every morning but it doesn't last long. Azalin quickly shut the curtains, "Alice, I've told you a hundred times." "Don't let anyone see me walking around during the day," she mocked his nagging with her hand, "I'm sorry that I'm not nocturnal like everyone else." She wasn't wrong, the fairies are the only creatures in the kingdom that are not nocturnal so they are allowed freedom during the day. Alice is the only dryad left so they refused to rewrite the law for her.
As they argued about the daytime law as always I picked up my satchel, pulled my auburn hair into a bun, and walked out the front door. "Gray wait!" Azalin grabbed my arm. I locked eyes with him, "yes?" He brushed some hair out of my face and kissed me on the cheek, "be careful today, I heard that some strangers are coming into town." I blushed and quickly kissed him on the lips before I opened the door, "I will." In our kingdom there is a law for wizards, they are forbidden from falling in love with their familiar. To enforce this law every familiar is given a collar once they are summoned, I was never given such a collar because Azalin's parents thought it was cruel. The knights of the realm and any wizard can cast a spell on the collar to cause pain to its wearer, it also doesn't let the wearer touch their master. Azalin's father hated the collars, the spell on the collar caused him to lose his arm because his familiar was unable to mend his wound while they were on a delivery. So he made sure that I was able to help his son.
Even though we show our affection to each other in our own home Azalin still doesn't show it in front of Alice, he knows that she is good but anyone can question her on the subject. "Gray!" Willhelm the baker called out to me. I jogged over, "good morning Willhelm." He set his broom aside, "out on your deliveries I see. The wife had me make you a danish for breakfast. She said that you always skip it so you can get an early start." He handed me the soft baked treat. "Thank you so much," I smiled at him. "Now you can eat while you walk," his wife called out from upstairs. "Thank you, both of you," I waved goodbye and went on my way. So many people in this town are generous to me because Azalin doesn't over charge his services. If someone is unable to pay he lets them pay whenever they can or they give us stuff from their stores. We have even had people from other cities visit us because they can't afford their local wizard. When it comes to our magical client's though, some pay us with money or even ingredients for other medicine that they have collected. There is a small elf boy that helps me gather herbs in exchange for his mother's heart medicine. This really is an amazing place in it's own way.
I had already completed half my deliveries when I realized that I was being followed. Azalin told me to be careful today because of new travelers in town, could they be curious about a magical creature walking around. I ducked into a nearby alley to try to lose my pursuer, but when I looked back to see who they were I was greeted by a raven. I heaved a sigh of relief, "I must have let Azalin's warning get to me, it's just a raven" I left the raven to continue with my day.
As I came to my last delivery I stretched my arms for a second, "I hate doing this while I have the bag." I took a deep breath and morphed into a hawk, my last stop is an older woman who is unable to answer her door so I have to fly into her window. But as I was about to land on the window sill I was thrown into the room by a heavy object. My wings fluttered aggressively as I fought the thing that hit me, I was able to turn over and pecked it on the head really hard. It was that raven from the alley. I stared at it as it morphed into a young man with olive skin and black hair pulled into a small pony tail, "what was that for?" I morphed into my human form and crossed my arms furiously, " you're the one that tackled me." He rubbed the top of his head, "I wanted to greet a fellow familiar." I furrowed my brows, "so you stalked me and attacked me." He gasped in surprise, "I do believe that you attacked me." The older woman cleared her throat, "Grey, who is this young man?"
I apologized to Mrs. Duggard, grabbed the man by the ear, and dragged him out of her house. "What is your problem?" he rubbed his ear after I released it. I threw my arms up in frustration, "you are my problem. You tackled me for no reason, you're a stranger to me." He looked down at his feet trying to hide his embarrassment, "my mistress told me to find the familiar that belongs to this town's wizard. She said that all familiars are friends." He reached out to hug me but I dodged him. "Again, you are a stranger. I don't know any other familiars so I am not friends with them." To get away from him as fast as I could I morphed into a bobcat and ran home. As I was running I could hear his wings flapping behind me. He likes being a raven.
