William Calhoun and the Black Feather. Book I

«Well, you will learn most of it in the classes on wizard history, but I will tell you the main things!»

«Take a seat, Nymus,» William pointed at the bed beside himself.

«Take a seat?!» Nymus repeated indignantly.

«Well, yes. Is something wrong with that?»

«Master Calhoun, no decent mailmage will allow himself to sit when his master is present, under no circumstances. It is not according to the mailtiquette!»

«Stop calling me master!» William said angrily. «I’ve never been a master to anyone. I’ve never even had a dog. Besides,» he added in a less angry tone, «I’m your wizard and I allow you to sit in my presence.»

«No, Master Clahoun, I am a decent mailmage and I am very happy to find my wizard again! But even under these happy circumstances, I shall not break the Post Office Code! Allow me to keep standing before you and do not offer me to take a seat again.»

«Well, as you wish,» William gave up. «So, what about wizards?»

«Yes, right! The world we live in, Master Calhoun, equally belongs both to demits and to wizards.»

«But Nymus,» William interrupted him, «during the fourteen years of my life, I’ve never met any wizards. Other people I know also believe that all the talks about wizards are nothing more than fairy-tales.»

«Long time ago, fairy-tales were written by wizards themselves, as they described their own adventures or the lives of their friends. Then demits started writing fairy-tales. As for the fact you have never met wizards until today… that is how it is supposed to be! Demits should not be aware of the true state of things. But you are a wizard, Master Calhoun, and it is wrong that you find this out only at the age of fourteen. It is completely wrong, Green Monogram!» the mailmage couldn’t help swearing again.

«Nymus, Nymus…» William hurried to cool the mailmage’s emotions. «I’ve found it out thanks to you, please, calm down.»

«I apologize, Master Calhoun,«Nymus hurried to say and continued. «So, where was I…»

«Talking about wizards and ordinary people,» William reminded him.

«They are called demits.»

«Fine! Wizards and demits. Continue!»

«Right, demits! Most of them believe that everything they have achieved is due only to their own efforts!»

«Isn’t it?»

«Of course, not, I swear to Post Office! There is the IFW – International Federation of Wizards, which acts in all countries of the world. Its current president is Quincy von Bulberg. Though, to my mind, Fafner would have filled the role of the international leader of wizards so much better. But who am I, a mere mailmage, to judge these thing. I am just a midget! A Letter Worm! A wide-feet frog!» Nymus suddenly started to humiliate himself.

«Nymus! Stop insulting yourself!» William said strictly. «We’ve already agreed that you are my Mailmage!»

«Yes, Master Calhoun, that is true!» Nymus brightened up. «I serve the proud Calhoun kin, the last representative of this noble kin!»

«Er… thanks, but you’d better continue your story about wizards,» William interrupted him softly.

«Whatever you say, Master Calhoun! Your word is the Envelope Seal for me!» and Nymus bowed elegantly.

«Oh, come on, stop apologizing, bowing, calling me master, and being so overly polite! Since today we’re friends, remember this. And friends don’t bow to each other!»

These words made Nymus’s face practically glow.

«Oh, my noble Master Calhoun! It’s clear that there’s noble blood in you, the noblest of them all! And I am very proud that I am…»

«Tell me, Nymus,» William interrupted him calmly, «can a master fire his mailmage?»

«Yes, if desired! Then representatives of several vacant kins will be sent over for a new mailmage to be selected. But this happens only if a mailmage dishonours the kin of his wizard or angers the wizard for some reason…»

Then he added in alarm:

«And why is Master Calhoun asking about it?»

«Because Master Calhoun will fire you if you bow to him again or will continue praising him every other sentence!»

«Oh Master Calhoun!»

Nymus fell to his knees and started wailing and pleading not to be fired:

«Fourteen years living in disgrace for staying without masters, for dishonouring my noble kin… Oh, I am a worthless mailmage, Green Monogram! Worthless! Worthless!»

«Now, now…» William tried to calm him down, «I’m not going to fire you, just stop acting like this and embarrassing me!»

These words made Nymus smile. He jumped up and turned to William.

«As you say, Master Calhoun! Like I said, your word is the Envelope Seal for me!»

«Alright, then!» said William. «Now, please, continue telling me about the federation of wizards and its connection with pe… with demits.»

«Yes! So, demits do not even suspect that there is at least one wizard among the leaders of their countries, who makes sure the situation stays under control. Because if wizards stop helping demits, the balance will shift and then…»

«Then what?»

«It will be chaos!» Nymus said. «The peace between wizards and demits will be gone!»

«Has it happened before?»

«Thank Celestine, no! But things worse than that happened!»

«What can be worse than what you’ve just described, Nymus?»

«Once,» Nymus’s voice dropped to a whisper, «there were dark times for wizards. Wizards were on the verge of extinction! But it is best to avoid mentioning this! As we, mailmages, like to say: «Do not disturb the Post Office archive!»

William gave it a bit of though, then said:

«Well, if it’s best to avoid it, then we will! Tell me, where do wizards live? Not here, in London?»

«Not only in London! Wizards live everywhere. In all corners of the world.»

«And they live in houses, like demits?»

«Of course, they do!» Nymus said indignantly. «Their houses are situated quite close to demit ones. But they are either hidden from prying eyes or they can be seen, but nobody will pay any attention to them.»