CH. 40.1 – Josiah T. Dumfries the Eleventh sat in his rocking chair and stared into the fireplace. He should have been happy. The wood crackled, the flames danced, and the room was warm and cozy. A mug of steaming tea sat on the side table. He was retired now, with a decent pension. His family was good to him, all eighty three of them – when they remembered to visit. He had all the time in the world to write his memoirs. Then why was he so depressed?
He glanced over at the chest by the fireplace. Inside that finely-made wooden box he had hidden his old postman’s uniform beneath the quilts, so his granddaughter couldn’t throw it away. He thought back on the days when he and his donkey had climbed the mountain tracks, faithfully delivering the mail to everyone in the Tulgey Woods and on Dragon Mountain.
“Not rain, nor sleet, nor hail, nor snow shall stop the mail from being delivered,” he mumbled.
Mr. Dumfries sighed. Those had been the days — full of birdsong and excitement. Chats with all his customers. He missed their smiling faces, the gossip, and the sense of fulfillment that came from doing something important. He sighed again.
“You wish for the glory days,” said a voice.
“Eh? Who’s there?” Mr. Dumfries leaned forward and peered around the room. Then he took his spectacles from his pocket and put them on. Sitting on the chair opposite from him was an enormous tabby cat.
“How did you get in here?”
The cat flicked his ears. “You’re obviously not happy. Why don’t you do something about it?”
Josiah wished he could believe that cats didn’t talk, but after his donkey Bernie had turned out to be a duke’s son, transformed by fey, and after all the other strange things he’d seen through the years in the Tulgey Woods, he had to believe it was true.
“What can I do? I’m retired now.”
“Your old friends are in danger.”
“What do you mean?”
“A great evil has entered the Tulgey Woods, and it’s headed straight for the dragon’s cave, where Prince Ezra lies sleeping.”
“Ezra?” Alarm filled Josiah. His good friend, Ezra, had saved his life and helped him in so many other ways. “What’s your name, cat?”
“Felix, but that’s not important right now. You need to warn the people. Tell the queen. Send out the troops. The kingdom is in great danger.”
“Why have you come to me? I can barely shuffle around anymore.” He sighed.
Carol Nicolas 