Paisijik walked forward at a steady pace, holding a bowl with both hands. All eyes were on her, the other karnuq beekeepers ceased all their work to watch her. Two of the human prisoners were here, and even the Tower Keeper came to watch.

By now she had discarded most of her winter gear, with only a lighter fur coat draped loosely around her. Not only was the gear painfully unsuited for the Tower’s climate, but Paisijik also believed it to be unnecessary. If she had done this right, the bees wouldn’t sting her…at least not enough to threaten her life. If she was wrong, then she did not believe the gear would save her if the hive truly intended her harm. And if it did…she’d prefer to be able to run away as quickly as possible.

Besides, the bees seemed to react slightly less aggressively to the furless humans than they did to her. At first she thought that was limited to the Tower Keeper, but it also seemed to apply to the others as well to some degree. So, she tried removing some of the gear and showing some of her less-furred parts…and found that the bees allowed her closer. She wasn’t sure how to feel about that, but that didn’t stop her from taking maximum advantage of it.

She lifted the bowl as the bees began to hover around her. The human prisoner had revealed that the bees also appreciated simple water. That had been much appreciated advice, as she didn’t think she could convince to Chief to hand over honeydew on a daily basis. Paisijik had experimented a bit and found water mixed with a bit of either honeydew or sweet fruit juices worked nearly as well as pure honeydew. The bees also appreciated blocks of salt; she had carried one along with the bowl last time. Today, though, she needed her hands free.

She smiled as the bees began to land on her bowl and lap up the liquid.

“Hello, little bees. Working hard today?”

The bees mostly ignored her but at least one or two of the workers flying in the air seemed to react to her voice. She had been speaking aloud every time she fed them in hopes that they might form a positive association to the sound. Anything she could try to do to set them at ease.

She walked right up to the hive and opened the roof of the beehouse. She had moved a bit closer each day when feeding the bees. Two days ago, she had finally reached the hive. Yesterday, she had attempted to open the hive and check on the brood as the Tower Keeper taught her. The guards had nearly attacked her again, but since she had not harmed the brood and provided the guards with generous honeydew helpings to boot, they had ultimately allowed it.

Today would be the moment of truth. To find out just how far the bees would tolerate her. To see if they could truly develop a symbiotic relationship.

Paisijik gently removed one of the trays, one of three that was currently glowing slightly. As she did, she flared her mana and spoke up.

“Hi there, First of the Ninth. Do you mind if I take one of these?”

She didn’t actually see the queen at the moment, but knew the First of the Ninth would hear her voice. Additionally, she had been feeding her mana into the bees’ food each and every day. The guard bees calmed down a bit as they felt her mana, while some of the worker bees began to land on her, likely searching for food. She had tied a few flowers to her clothes so that they’d find something when they did.

The hive buzzed but did not react as she pulled out the tray. She examined it closely and found that there were no brood waiting within, as the Tower Keeper had said would be the case.

She then fought the urge to take a deep breath, instead trying to act as she usually did. She gently replaced the roof of the beehouse…without returning the tray. And then…she began to slowly back away, leaving her bowl behind. The guard bees watched her warily, but did not react. The workers mostly focused on the bowl.

And so, Paisijik was allowed to back up. Her heart began to pound with each step she took from the hive. Her body filled with adrenaline, ready to toss the tray and sprint away if the hive decided to respond. Every step she had to stop herself from breaking out into a run, or a shout.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Until, finally, she had reached the rest of the karnuq and humans. With a full tray of honey in her hand.

She glanced down at it, her eyes widening as she realized what she had done. Her face curled into a massive grin as she let out the shout she had been holding in.

“I did it!”

And so, Paisijik became the first karnuq to harvest honeycomb from a hive.

Her day was not done yet, however. After a round of joyous if not so subtly jealous congratulations from her fellow students, Paisijik broke her tray into half, and then one of the halves into thirds. She gathered them up and walked over to the Tower Keeper, bowing her head before him.

“Tower Keeper, sir, thank you for teaching me!”

He smiled and shook his head.

“No, you did well on your own. Even I didn’t think of feeding them like that, it was a good idea.”

She beamed at his praise, not least of all because that was the method she devised from her family’s old expertise, but shook her head in turn.

“Thank you, but you still taught me most of it! Please, accept this! I want you to have some of my first harvest!”

The Tower Keeper nodded with a smile and took the sixth of the tray she held out to him.

“Thank you, I’ll enjoy it.”

She smiled back and then made her way over to one of the other humans.

“You there, human, thank you for your help. Please, accept this!”

She held out another sixth. The young human’s eyes widened as the older one translated, then held his hands up and began shaking his head. He spoke to the old man who relayed his words back to her.

“He says he cannot, for it is his duty to help after participating in the attack on the Tower.”

Paisijik frowned.

“I see…”

Then she forced the sixth of a tray into his hands, letting go so that he was forced to catch it. She gave him an intent gaze.

“Indeed, debts should be paid. But if the Tower Keeper has allowed you here, then I assume he has claimed the debt of blood we are owed. So, I still intend to pay mine.”

The young man panicked but calmed down a bit as the older human relayed her words. The young man hung his head, and then slowly nodded.

“He says thank you.”

Paisijik nodded back and then made her to the last person she had to thank. She walked across the flower meadow with the rest of the tray until she came to the exit and stood before the Shrine of Bees. She placed the half tray into the wax chest and bowed her head.

“Thank you, God of Bees. Thank you for this Tower to push back the Hunger. Thank you for allowing us to make our home here. Thank you for my teacher, your Tower Keeper, and for the bees now living in my beehouse. Please, accept this offering and my gratitude. If not for you, your Tower, your Tower Keeper, and your bees, I would not have been able to reclaim my ancestors’ craft.”

Paisijik opened her eyes and smiled as she saw the wax chest flash. She rose to her feet, and then, finally, took a bite out of the last sixth of the honeycomb left to her. Her very first bite of the honeycomb made by her very own beehive.

It tasted sweet indeed.

And then the entire Shrine of Bees lit up like the sun and engulfed her in light. When she came to, she stood frozen in place, her eyes trembling as her heart pounded.

The God of Bees offers you her full blessing. If you wish to accept, please select one of the following blessings:

- Blessing of the Rancher

- Blessing of the Monster Tamer

- Blessing of the Druid

- Blessing of the Beekeeper

Paisijik fell to her knees. Few of her ancestors had ever had the opportunity to challenge for a god’s blessing. Fewer still, if any at all, had actually received one. And now…now she had been found worthy.

She could have a god’s blessing on her ancestors’ ancient craft in tending flocks and herds. Not only would this allow her to reclaim the craft that had been lost, but potentially to surpass her ancestors’ greatest accomplishments.

Or she could learn to tame monsters. The wolf-moles that popped out of the ground, the cave panthers stalking in the darkness, the flame worms that could set a tunnel ablaze. All of the predators and horrors that had stalked the clan on its journey could be hers to command against their enemies.

She could even become a druid and take her first step onto the path of magic. To command the forces of nature and the will of the world, if the legends and rumors of such beings were true. The karnuq never had druids of their own that she could recall, but they told stories of such blessings amongst their enemies.

Or…she could lean into the power of the god who ruled the Tower she now called home, and fully embrace the new craft taught to her by the Tower Keeper.

But whatever she chose to do, Paisijik knew her efforts had been rewarded. Her future, and her family’s future with it, had never been brighter.