The Bee Dungeon

Chapter 240: Bee-fficult Conversations

“Tower Keeper, thank you for your time. May I voice a concern?”

Belissar nodded. He took some time this morning to check on the other humans in the Tower, so that was precisely what he was here for. Sehfitis let out a sigh.

“I must again reiterate that I am concerned about your interactions with the fey. They are dangerous and not to be trusted. The shapeshifter even declared its intent to toy with us mortals!”

Belissar frowned.

“I mean…Tarwantrad said as much herself, but is there anything we can do?”

Sehfitis narrowed his eyes.

“If it were me, I would have nothing to do with them.”

Belissar shook his head.

“The God of Bees wanted me to interact with them, or with Tarwantrad at the very least. And…the Tower Lords are coming. We’ll need all the help we can get when they arrive…”

“…I suppose that is true. If it’s the will of the gods, we have no choice. And the Tower Lords…no, you are right. It is unlikely you will be able to make peace with them with the karnuq as your main hands, much less if you maintain relations with the fey.”

He took a deep breath and then let out another sigh.

“Just…be careful, Tower Keeper. The shapeshifter goes without saying, but I would be wary even of your elf friend. The fey do not age as we do, so she may be far older and craftier than she appears. The amount of time she’s spent with you is but a drop in the bucket compared to the length of her life, it would be a simple matter for her to put on an act.”

Belissar found himself scowling.

“Tarwantrad has been nothing but helpful and has given me far more than she’s received. The God of Bees herself has vouched for her and she was the one who helped me receive the blessing of the God of Flowers. I’ll be careful around the fair folk in general, but I’m not going to distrust her just because of some old stories about her people. Much less stories by the Tower Lords, who’ve done nothing but lie to me about everything. You told me they had something to do with the Hunger but even you don’t know anything about what actually happened, right? Can you give me even one specific reason to believe anything the Tower Lords say about the fair folk, much less Tarwantrad specifically?”

Sehfitis blinked and leaned back at Belissar’s heated words, as the bees in the room started to buzz. He hung his head once more.

“That is…no, you are right. There is no excuse and the will of the gods was made clear, and if there was a reason, I was not made privy to the details. Forgive me, Tower Keeper. I will try to…broaden my perspective.”

Belissar took a deep breath and then waved down the bees, brushing Niobee’s back to get her to stop buzzing.

“Enough of that. How’s everything else going?”

Sehfitis looked up, clearly relieved for the change in topic.

“Progress is slow on deciphering the materials you’ve given me, but I have at least confirmed they are indeed from the old kingdom and we are indeed within its ancient borders, though where precisely I cannot say yet. The ruins seem to have been a garrison outpost, though those were present all across the ancient kingdom. Perhaps we may learn more from the surroundings as you purify them?”

Belissar nodded.

“The Fourth of the Seventh has been busy, but I believe she will resume scouting the area outside of the Tower shortly. We’ll let you know if she finds anything more.”

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Sehfitis thanked him, but then the augur frowned.

“Lastly regarding our compatriot…unfortunately, he has not improved much. Physically, he seems to have made a full recovery, but he is still subject to sudden terrors, especially at night. He is still refusing help from both us and all the rest of your subordinates. I…am not certain what to do for him, given the circumstances.”

Belissar furrowed his brow. Sehfitis let out a sigh.

“…I say this carefully, Tower Keeper, but…I would not expect you to do much more with him. You have been more than gracious with someone who has invaded your home, and we all were men disgraced even before then. No one, not I nor the Tower Lords themselves, would fault you for dealing with him as you please at this point.”

Belissar scowled once again and immediately shook his head.

“If that’s what the Tower Lords would do, then I won’t. Just try to keep taking care of him, as long as he doesn’t cause any trouble.”

Sehfitis made a sad smile.

“As you will, Tower Keeper.”

With that, Belissar left, shaking his head. For all the danger the shapeshifting pixie represented, somehow talking with one of his own people about the Tower Lords left him feeling far worse. He was starting to think he wouldn’t mind Princess Finnakynne playing some tricks on his fellow humans.

He could only hope Tamosmed’s conversation with the karnuq was going better…

Meanwhile, Tamosmed held up a newly forged shield. He scowled and tossed it aside.

“To be honest, it’s crap. Who amongst the fair and the foul taught you, boy?”

Toivenaq shrunk on himself. He clenched his fists.

“…no one…”

Tamosmed raised any eyebrow.

“No one?”

Toivenaq glared back at him.

“No one, alright?! My grandfather and father knew how to do this but they all died before I could swing a hammer! There’s no one left to teach me!”

Tamosmed fell silent as Toivenaq huffed and then began to storm out of the room. The black elf shook his head.

“Well, there’s one here now.”

Toivenaq paused just at the door. Tamosmed started to examine the smelter and waved.

“Get over here, boy. If you’re going to call yourself a smith, there’s a lot you need to learn. We’re starting from the basics. First of which is how to smelt a proper ingot!”

Toivenaq kept scowling but he shuffled his way back over as Tamosmed huffed over metal quality. Still, he couldn’t pull his eyes away as he watched the black elf work the forge, manipulating the fire almost as easily as the chief could.

And as the karnuq and black elf began to work, thermal mining bees Tamosmed had invited watched their every move…

And unbeknownst to both mortals and fey below, the gods were having a conversation of their own. The God of Fire crossed his arms and hummed.

"Well, it's good for me but...shouldn't you check in with another god, Bee?"

The God of Bees danced a confirmation.

"Yes. Need ask Flower first."

The third god just chuckled.

"Not to worry, she'll listen to us eventually..."

“No!”

The God of Flowers’ vines wrapped around the God of Bees before she turned a way, squeezing the God of Bees tight. The God of Bees didn’t like being restrained but didn’t mind it as the nectar was worth it.

A deep chuckle filled her realm as a third god loomed over them both.

“Come now, Flower, Bee is her own god.”

The God of Flowers shook her head, swinging the God of Bees about as she refused to turn around.

“No! Bee is mine! We just agreed we love each other!”

Two giant branches then wrapped around them both and lifted them into the air as the God of Trees and Forests embraced them.

“And I love you both, so it’s fine, isn’t it?”

The God of Flowers kept shaking her head and holding the God of Bees tighter. The God of Trees and Forests chuckled once more.

“Flower, Flower, surely you’ve felt it? My power already flows through Bee’s dungeon, the final legacy of my most devoted servant. You cannot deny me this, and surely you would not choose to?”

The God of Flowers’ face scrunched up. The God of Trees and Forests lifted them both up and placed them in her hair, the flowers weaving into the canopy of leaves.

“But do not worry, Flower, I do not mean to push you out. No, I wish to support you and Bee both, for all three of us need the other. I will spread you across the canopies above and the forest cover below, nourishing your blooms. You will draw Bee to you as no one but you can, the one that Bee will always fly to above all others. Bee shall pollinate you, and then you will spread my forests in turn. A cycle that nourishes, spreads, and elevates all three of us, working together.”

The God of Flowers wavered but still frowned.

“But…”

The God of Trees and Forests smiled.

“Look now at Bee’s dungeon and what is already growing there. Surely you’ve felt it, too? All three of our powers combining. My heart and Bee’s honey, now working to grow your flowers. It’s already perfect, is it not? So, why don’t we encourage it further? Until one day, forests, flowers, and bees once more cover this world?”

The God of Flowers looked down, but her grip on the God of Bees loosened ever so slightly. She turned to look down at Bee.

“You…you won’t leave me, right, Bee? Even for Forest?”

The God of Bees buzzed her wings.

“Won’t!”

The God of Trees and Forests’ smile grew wider.

“See? So…how about we watch Bee’s dungeon together? I look forward to seeing what will happen there soon…”