"Giselle, can you please fetch Elaine's letters for me?" said the anxious man with his hands eagerly clasped to plea for her help.
"Giselle, can you pass these eggs to Mr. Bills?" asked Mrs. Sarah shoving a wooden basket filled with a dozen eggs to her.
"Giselle, hand this book to Sir Will." Ordered Mr. Nigel as he placed a book on top of her hands. And for every step she takes, everyone would only mutter one chorus:
"Giselle! Please help me!"
___
It was a cue that another day has arrived at the busy town of Stardrop. Giselle, the center of all these shouts for menial tasks to be done, is the new young witch that has arrived two years ago in town.
Rumours spiraled that she never took any witchcraft lessons aside from her ability to fly with the use of her broom. Truth be told, Giselle was never really good at anything — that is, until she started her delivery business.
Dating back a year ago, Giselle happened to stumble upon the town of Stardrop. Stardrop was located at the outskirts of the country of Aster. It was really a small insignificant place that hasn't even been recorded into the official map of the country, but contrary to her expectations, Giselle soon found out that Stardrop was not as little as she thought it would be.
The place is medium-sized and it was not as insignificant at all. It is between the seas and the mountains which makes the country eligible to enjoy the benefits of both sides: the fresh breeze of the ocean on the east and the nostalgic earthy mountains of the west. It was clearly an advantageous location for the town and its residents but because of where it was located, it was harder to find this town by foot and only witches like her could've possibly flown past here.
"Giselle!" called Mrs. Clara from a distance which took Giselle back from facing and receiving orders from different people. With an eager smile, Giselle stretched her body out from the crowd and looked at Mrs. Clara.
"Hey Mrs. Clara!" Giselle replied before turning back at a young woman before her, "Can you please wait for a moment, Ms. Benson? I'll get back to you after this." Seeing Ms. Benson nod, Giselle managed to slip past the crowd like a slippery fish and made her way next to Mrs. Clara. Seeing this, Mrs. Clara couldn't help but shake her head and reveal a concerned look.
"Giselle, you've been working hard since morning. Aren't you tired already? Come, take a break and I'll prepare you some lunch back at the inn," she said apprehensively. Although what comes to Giselle was a barrage of scolding, an undescribable warmth enveloped her and a smile escaped from her lips. Mrs. Clara is indeed a good and warm person, she thought.
"Mrs. Clara, it's nothing really. You see, I still had a lot to do." Giselle struggled to show her how much work she still has to do. On both of her arms is a basket. One contains a dozen of eggs and the other, some sandwiches. The leather burlap bag strapped around her is loaded with letters she has to deliver; although, it's mostly coming from the lovers John and Michelle. Her hands are full too, it was stacked with three books she has to deliver to Sir. Will and two other people.
Good child, always hardworking. Mrs. Clara grew increasingly worried.
"Then, you better finish it as fast as you can and don't take anymore of these requests! Not until you've had your fill and rest. You better go back at the inn on 1 o' clock. Understood?" She ardently looked at Giselle for her confirmation. If Giselle continued to accept more requests without having lunch and a rest, at this rate, she worried that Giselle would fall into a predicament with her body being exhausted.
Feeling the piercing gaze of Mrs. Clara's genuine sincerity, Giselle had a hard time avoiding it. Eventually, she resigned to her fate and would follow along what Mrs. Clara had said. She knew that Mrs. Clara only wants what's best for her and she couldn't be anymore grateful for that.
"Alright, alright. I give up Mrs. Clara," Giselle sighed and chuckled, "I'll be back. Thank you so much!"
Afterwards, Giselle went back to the crowd who was waiting for her to accept their requests and then made an apology after having a talk with Mrs. Clara.
"I deeply apologize but I would have to stop accepting requests from here," Giselle clapped her hands and with a zip, a wooden broom appeared before her. She continued, "I am loaded right now as you can see." She lifted her arms up, "I hope everyone can understand! After lunch, at 1 and a half o' clock, I will resume my business. Thank you for understanding," she said before hopping on to a broom that was one feet away from the ground. Once ready to breeze into the air with magic, Giselle clutched the books on one had and waved her hands to say goodbye. The baskets of eggs and sandwiches dangled from her arms and with a swirl, she flew immediately to finish her tasks.
While passing to different houses, Giselle knocked on their doors and leave the letters out on their mailboxes snappily. Soon, the letters from her burlap bag started to feel a little less heavy until there was none left at all. But when it comes to the couple Johnny and Michelle, she struggled to break free from their back and forth banters.
"Say, Giselle. You do know that I don't have anyone else other than my dear Michelle, right?"
"Giselle, you have to be honest! I can't stand to part with this man."
"Giselle, can you please persuade Michelle for me? Get her to like me back!"
"Sweet Giselle, I really like Johnny. But what can I do?"
"Giselle!" "Giselle!"
Then, she headed towards Sir. Will to hand over the book Mr. Nigel wanted to give him. She even received a few extra tips from Sir. Will which Giselle politely accepted. The other books was also delivered; one which she had to drop by a shop and the other where she handed it personally.
The basket of eggs that came from Mrs. Sarah was also safely delivered along with the sandwiches. Nearly a few minutes before the agreed time to go back at the inn, Giselle was able to finish everything she has to do. She took a little notebook and a pen from the pockets of her bag and checked the delivery requests she had completed off of her to-do list.
"Yes!" she exclaimed with happiness as soon as she saw that there was no more tasks for her to do. Thinking of the delicious food from Mrs. Clara's inn, Giselle made haste. "I will definitely have to thank Mrs. Clara for today as well."
_______
At the sound of the bell when Giselle entered the inn, Mrs. Clara spotted her and ushered for her to come in, "Giselle, you've arrived just in time. Come, come! Have a seat."
"Hehe, am I not too late Mrs. Clara?" "No, not at all. You're a good child," said Mrs. Clara and chuckled. Giselle didn't broke her promise and really did arrive on time. This made her delighted.
"So how was work today? You definitely should take a rest sometimes, Giselle. You're still young so you shouldn't have to do a lot. You've grown thin too, you should eat more often."
Although Mrs. Clara isn't the biological parent of Giselle, she still took care of her like a caring mother. She's now in her forties and the only child she has had already grown and had his own family. Her son do visit her sometimes but with each passing day, it seems like he became rather busy.
"It's nothing really, Mrs. Clara. I'm as healthy as an ox! I don't get sick. Witches rarely get sick." Giselle puffed her chest while flexing her almost non-existent muscles. Hearing this, Clara and the people around the inn couldn't help but to laugh at her silly antics. It was always like this, they are always mused by how Giselle brings herself.
"Healthy as an ox? Young lady, you must've been seeing yourself wrongly!"
"You should eat more, Ms. Witch!"
"Yeah, that's right, that's right. You wouldn't be as healthy as a squirrel at this rate." Everyone at the inn chimed in with their own teasing remarks towards Giselle. They were all laughing and the place was surrounded with a light and happy mood. Giselle on the other hand, felt embarrassed with what she have said but what outweighs her embarrassment more was the warm atmosphere inside. She couldn't help but laugh at her silliness as well.