Belissar spent some time on other things while Chief Rohsuak checked on Juosiutik. His little outburst had used up a lot of his mana, so he took the chance to experiment with new beehouse designs for the swimming bees. He was currently standing by the Apiary’s Pond and placed a beehouse at a depth where the water came up to the bottom of the house’s hive chambers. He had carved a hole in the bottom to serve as an entrance.
He frowned and crossed his arms. The water lapped up and into the bottom of the beehouse. He wasn’t sure if the swimming bees wanted that, his guess was not since they had originally asked for beehouses near water rather than in it. Besides, just changing the direction of the beehouse’s entrance wasn’t particularly innovative, it certainly wouldn’t justify an established swimming queen moving her hive. He’d have to give this a bit more thought, maybe Nenavann might have some suggestions? The elf knew a lot more about water than Belissar, that was for sure.
In any case, it would have to wait, for he heard Chief Rohsuak call out to him.
“Hi Belissar. I’ve spoken with Juosiutik, she is ready for you anytime if you wanted to discuss the new feature with her.”
Belissar sighed but nodded.
“Ok, I’ll be over in a bit.”
He was very much worried about his next talk with Juosiutik but delaying it wouldn’t help, and he did want to inform her about the universal floriculture pots sooner rather than later. So, he carried the latest beehouse out of the Pond, dried himself off, and made his way back to the Apothecary’s Hut. There, he found Juosiutik waiting for him. She hung her head once he arrived.
“Tower Keeper Belissar, I’m sorry! I took things too far about the spiderkin and should never have spoken that harshly with you.”
Belissar stood and blinked for a moment, but then shook his head.
Juosiutik looked up and frowned, but nodded along.
“I…can’t say if I’ll be comfortable around them or not, but I won’t say or do anything more about them. I’ll trust you regarding them, Tower Keeper. And…”
She bowed her head once again.
“I owe you my thanks, Belissar. Thanks to you, we were able to stop a spiderkin band and avenge my parents. Thanks to you, I’ve reclaimed my mom’s recipe. I have a home to stay in, food to eat, and as many ingredients as I could ever want to follow in my mom’s footsteps, all because of you. I should not have lashed out against you, you’ve more than earned my trust with anything, including the spiderkin.”
Belissar still wasn’t completely used to such thanks, but he was learning to accept the bees’ constant praise, which was similar. So, rather than try to downplay it, he nodded, even as he rubbed the back of his head.
“Ah, you’re welcome. I’m glad I could help…and I’m glad if we don’t have to argue about that anymore. You’ve been a great help to me and the bees too.”
Juosiutik smiled briefly before looking up at Niobee on top of his head, and then bowing her own once more.
“I also want to apologize to you, Niobee. I’m sorry I acted aggressively towards your King and made him feel bad.”
Niobee buzzed her wings.
“Just don’t do again.”
“Of course. I’ll…do my best to contain myself from now on. And, if it’d please you, I have something I’d like to share with you both. It’s over at my house so would you like to go over for a bit?”
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Belissar followed Juosiutik through the shortcut to her home in the karnuq meadow. Juosiutik showed him to her table so he took a seat. Juosiutik then set out a mug and a small, shallow dish on the table. She grabbed a steaming pot resting near her hearth, then dipped the mug inside, pouring out a bit into the shallow dish before setting the mug back in front of Belissar. She picked up the dish and blew a bit to cool it down before offering it to Niobee.
“I heard you were looking for cooked dishes for the bees. I thought that maybe they might like herbal infusions. This is a sleepy chamomile infusion flavored with some mana honey. Oh! You might want to watch how much you both drink, it’s supposed to help you sleep and the mana honey will probably increase its potency.”
Belissar’s eyes opened wide as he stared down into the mug. He quickly glanced up, thinking of Niobee on his head, and grinned.
“Herbal infusions with honey! Why didn’t I think of that?! That would be perfect if the bees like it! Niobee, can you try this?!”
Niobee flew off his head and landed on the table while Juosiutik set down the dish in front of her. She extended her proboscis and lapped up a bit of the drink…then began to dance in rapid circles.
Belissar’s grin grew and he began to laugh. He turned his grin to Juosiutik.
“Thanks Juosiutik, this is perfect! Now we know for sure the bees will benefit from that cooking perk if we choose it, and I can cook something nice for them! I can’t thank you enough!”
Juosiutik smiled and shook her head as Belissar reached down to brush Niobee’s back.
“No, I am the one who can’t thank you enough, Belissar. I’m glad I was able to help…I hope you can pick that cooking perk too. Would you mind telling me a bit more about it?”
Juosiutik’s eyes sparkled and she leaned forward a bit as she mentioned the cooking perk, but she stopped and moved back. Belissar and Niobee drank a bit more of the tea as Belissar read out the description of the Chef’s Blaze perk for Juosiutik…until Niobee buzzed her wings.
“King…drink making tired.”
But Belissar smiled and shook his head.
“It’s supposed to do that, normally you’d drink it right before bed. Here, you can rest on my head if you’re sleepy, Niobee.”
Belissar picked Niobee up and placed her on his head. She buzzed but didn’t resist, he felt her nestle down amongst his hair. He couldn’t help a grin at that…and put the mug down. The infusion was good, but if he drank anymore he’d probably end up joining Niobee, and he did have something else to speak with Juosiutik about.
“So…could we pick up where we left off earlier? We have a new feature I think you’ll appreciate.”
Juosiutik grinned as her face lit up.
“Yes! If I remember correctly, you were saying something about pots that can grow any flower, anywhere?”
“Yes. They’re called universal floriculture pots…”
It took a great deal of self-control for Juosiutik not to act aggressively again as Belissar read out the description of the new feature…that he had already installed in the Apothecary’s Hut garden. As it was, Juosiutik all but sprinted back through her home’s shortcut to check on the pots, with Belissar chuckling as he followed along. They stepped out into the garden…only to find gardeners hovering warily around Juosiutik. Frelis led them from the top of the venomous slime rose, which began to wave thorny vines at Juosiutik as Frelis buzzed. Frelis turned to him.
“King? Dangerous one hurting again? Should sting?”
Juosiutik’s face fell, so Belissar stepped up beside her and shook his head.
“No, it’s ok. She didn’t hurt me…and we’re not arguing anymore. Please don’t sting her…and please keep working with her. She’s really helping us.”
Frelis slowly danced a salute.
The bees hovered around a bit more but slowly returned to their work while Frelis’s rose lowered its vines. Juosiutik sighed.
“Thanks, Belissar. I’m sorry again about how I acted. I…can really tell how bad it must have been for the bees to react …”
Belissar shook his head.
“No, I’m sorry again I got that heated. I guess I need to be careful too, the bees don’t like it when I get upset. They can get a bit enthusiastic at times…so, about those pots?”
Juosiutik gave him a weak smile and nodded. She gradually regained her enthusiasm as she looked over the pots. Frelis and her rose gingerly joined them with Belissar’s encouraging, and soon began to dance about as well as she and Juosiutik discussed the possible uses for the pots. Belissar smiled and nodded to himself as he watched them.
This whole situation with Juosiutik and the spiderkin had certainly been uncomfortable, but he was glad it was working out now. He much preferred it when Juosiutik and the bees could be happy together . He rubbed his chin as he thought back to when he lost his temper…and how the bees had immediately reacted. If the bees were going to pick up on his feelings to that degree…then perhaps he shouldn’t ignore them. Perhaps he should confront his own feelings on…and losses to…the Tower Lords once more. Perhaps, when they held a memorial for all of the karnuq’s losses…he should do something for his parents and Mrs. Imkomos as well.
Whatever he could do to ensure that nothing threatened the bees’ happiness…including himself.