This story begins beneath a great tree humming with veins of blue light. Here, a regal woman with hair the color of honey, stirs after almost two hundred and fifty years of slumber... Queen Beatrix, The Lady of Bees. As she awakens, a tiny bee appears to her, placing itself on her finger, She looks onto the horizon and sees a beautiful sunset, she places her hand onto the tree. "Ah... My beloved Sylvirix, we'll see each other soon..."

The small bee at her side slowly transforms into a small yet equally cute creature with fox ears: Fyldric. He's delighted to see his 'Auntie Beatrix' once more! Queen Beatrix asks him how long it has been, and he tells her it's been almost two-hundred and fifty years.

Fyldric carries a well-worn book — a book filled with stories — She wonders what he's been writing about, but he's shy about it, letting his "auntie" read instead of explain. As Queen Beatrix reads through the book, she goes through a spectrum of emotions, she sees a lot of sadness in the book, yet there's much room for love.

Queen Beatrix stops at a few pages, asking Fyldric questions about Arvin Quickfoot, Ginny Effilyn and Alaric of Timberheart, at first Fyldric was excited to talk about them, yet at some point he became quiet, saddened about something. Queen Beatrix asks if Fyldric can share more about Alaric... And within the pages of this book... We shift to a dream...

Alaric holding his youngest child, sick with a high fever... while his oldest sleeps in the bed. His wife, and mother of the two young wolves, Ruby steps through the door asking Alaric if the fever is still heavy.

Ruby's expression is a mix of guilt and frustration, she's meant to depart to the Moonhowl festival. Her family, the Fenrisblut's are meant to be at the grand opening, and not to attend would bring great shame to her and her family.

But the young ones are in no condition to travel, Alaric and Ruby decided it would be best if Alaric remained at home, so that Ruby could attend the ceremonial opening night and return home after.

As she gets ready to depart, Alaric embraces her tightly before he lets her go...
Yet, in this dream... Alaric knew that... that was the last moment he ever saw her again...
And every time that this memory appears in his mind, his heart aches...

Alaric wakes on a dusty road in the caravan, his two sons and his adopted daughter beside him, journeying toward the sun-warmed city of Leonaport Bay, where an old friend awaits his unannounced visit.

His youngest, Saph. A hyperactive ball of unlimited energy. Naive, always asking questions and showing clear signs of druidism, as he's summoning flowers, and occasionally a duck?
One of his strongest wishes to that he wants to see his dad happy.

His adopted daughter, Nova. A calm and curious girl, and daughter to Ruby's sister, Jade.
After Jade's husband Korvic passed, she asked Alaric to care for her, as she was unable to do so. The absence of Jade bothers Nova, as just like her mother she shares her talent for archery.
Nova has the tended to be a little rebellious towards Alaric, after her mother made a visit.

His eldest son, Ati. After his mother's death, Ati become quiet and distant. It took a long time before he even was able to open up to Alaric again, Ati has always been more creative than practical. He's recently become interested in weapon jewelcrafting. Alaric helped Ati craft a beautiful dagger decorated with a ruby gemstone, which allowed Ati's once more to open up.

Along the road, a unusual fortune-teller reads Alaric's palm by a stall thick with incense and honeyed sweets, drawing the Sun card and murmuring of new chances — and pressing into his paw a 50% off coupon for a restaurant called The Salt and the Sweetables.

Elsewhere in the city, Arvin Quicktail— a former thief, with a soft heart and a romantic fondness for his 'colleague' at his new job as a now border patrol deputy at Sevenfold's tip. He's set his mind to visiting an old friend, who conveniently runs an apiary. He wants to collect a bottle of pink honey for his 'colleague' as a gift.

However, as he wanders the winding streets of Leonaport Bay, he's plagued by a headache that comes and goes like a tide. He meets Meadric, a warm-hearted dragonfolk who feeds strangers for free, but has a small side-hustle at the same stall for 'better' food.

Arvin learns that he's a chef over at The Salt & The Sweetables, but Meadric asks him to keep this little side-hustle a secret, beyond merely donating to the poor. Arvin also learns of his adopted daughter, Lilly — a young girl training in magic at the local library, who comes by for a visit before heading to the academy.

The instant Arvin lays eyes on her, the headache strikes hardest of all, and with it comes a vision that isn't his: a merchant in fine, familiar clothes being dragged away by guards. He only knows it hurts to look at her... The memory causes Arvin to stumble back and even hit his head against the pavement.

He doesn't understand it. The merchant yelling that he's done nothing wrong, and suddenly a voice he recognizes yet doesn't know "Good work, Arvin. Phineas Everglow won't be a problem for our business anymore..."

Maedric helps him get up, Arvin not mentioning anything of the strange memory that popped up in his mind, Meadric then points him into the direction of the Effilyn Apiary.

Meanwhile, in a cottage on a hill thick with buzzing wings, Ginny balances honey deliveries, an addled but beloved father who talks to bees, horses and... occasionally eats grass, and the quiet loyalty of her friend Marie Louise.

Before she leaves for the day filled with deliveries, her father presses a scroll into her hands — old, scorched at the edges, sealed for decades, he says that the bee told him to gift it to her.

On the road into the city with her caravan loaded with honey. Ginny stumbles upon Alaric collapsed beneath a tree, having gravely underestimated the "slight uphill walk" to the apiary. Their reunion is warm, teasing, and a little damp... Ginny decides to bring Arvin back to the city, promising him some of the remaining honey in exchange for his company throughout the day.

Meanwhile Alaric and his kids have made it into the city, while taking a short break the Shimmering Square. But for Alaric it was anything but a break, as one-by-one one of his kids 'disappears' on him. Ati drifts toward the crowd ringing two dueling dwarves. Saph makes a beeline for Maedric's food stall, 'charming' his way into a bowl of free leftovers before anyone can stop him. Nova, slips away toward the tall building crowned with a carved phoenix, where she spots a group of young spellcasters throwing spells on practicing targets.

Alaric rushes after Saph, meeting Maedric at the foodstall. Alaric asks how much he needs to pay to compensate, but Meadric take one look at him, his cart, and little Saph enjoying the bowl and says "Not to worry, it's free."

Alaric apologizes anyways and bring Saph along to find the others. One-by-one Alaric finds the wolves, and that's when Ginny's cart rolls in loud and unmistakably pink, honeyed and bee-painted from wheel to canopy, and her voice carries clear across the crowd before anyone even sees her face. It's Alaric who spots him first — older, a little greyer at the temples, a little furred beard he didn't have last time — and the two clasp hands like no years had passed at all, while Ginny all but tackles Alaric in a hug he clearly wasn't prepared for, laughing about how he didn't write to say he was coming... Oops...

There's a lot of teasing about grey hairs in those first minutes, and more than a little surprise on all sides at how much has quietly changed since they last stood in the same place. As Ginny realizes that she's got a bunch of stuff todo throughout the day, the three of them agree to meet up at sunset, Alaric suggesting to meet up at The Salt & The Sweetables.

While Alaric, Nova and Ati head to the Effilyn Apiary to set up their tents for their stay, Arvin wanders back from the deputies' barracks to get cleaned up. He secures a bed among old friends at the Deputy's residence, complete with a memorably chaotic communal bath...

Saph talked his way into accompanying Ginny for the day. But after a while, she realizes that perhaps she should've declined... It's on this drive that Saph, without any warning at all, turns the conversation somewhere Ginny wasn't ready for.

"Do you like daddy?" he asks. Ginny laughs it off gently... of course she likes him, they're good friends, that's all there is to it. But Saph doesn't let it go so easily. He tells her, in the plain, unguarded way only a young child can manage, that sometimes he hears his father alone in the mornings, and it makes him sad.

He doesn't want his dad Alaric to be lonely anymore. Ginny doesn't quite know what to say to that. She tells him, carefully, that he and his siblings are wonderful company for Alaric, and that maybe — someday — he'll find someone again. Saph, delighted by this half-answer, immediately asks if she's thought about being a mommy.

Stunned by the question, Ginny accidentally tells him "I'd have to start dating." and that leads into more questions and on and on, question tumbling into question, until Ginny is left slightly dazed and privately grateful when a bee lands on his hand and distracts him entirely.

By the time the sun begins to dip, the whole extended family and friends re-groups outside the market's edge, delivery boxes emptied and patience thoroughly tested. Ginny, flustered at having no guest rooms ready for unexpected company, is quietly touched to learn Marie Louise has already sorted it without being asked.

And so the whole group — Alaric's pack, Ginny's honeyed household, and Arvin trailing along with a headache he still can't explain make its way up the steps toward the restaurant: The Salt and the Sweetables, where the evening is about to become far stranger than any of them expect.

Here everyone meets Sebastian, their host for the night and who explains the concept of the restaurant, it is divided into two sections. "The Salt" & The Sweet" tables, quite literally.

The Salt section has large window with a view to the ocean and decorated with old fishing equipment, while the sweet section has tables and chairs all winding around a massive tree inside the restaurant itself. After learning that choosing a section doesn't affect the dishes they can order, they eventually settle on new view of the ocean.

Oddly enough, Sebastian seems to be accompanied by a bee...? Saph points out that he's seen that particular bee a few times since arriving here in the city, thinking it's just his imagination everyone just shelves the thought for now.

From the way Sebastian speaks and acts, Alaric, Arvin & Ginny immediately get an old veteran adventurer that wanted a quieter life. After everyone takes their order, the group gets to small-talk about their current lives, Ginny's business, Alaric's kids and Arvin's affection for a lady named Svala, and the initial reason he came to Leonaport Bay to meet with Ginny.

Which unfortunately leads to an awkward exchange. Young Saph openly and with the blunt honesty of a young wolf asks: "Dad, Are you going to start dating?" which stuns Alaric and embarrassing Ginny.

When Alaric says "No." Saph says that he doesn't want to see him sad.
Which causes Alaric to get angry with him and growl under his breath "Saph, be quiet!"
Nova and Ati help distract Saph away from that conversation, but it was obvious to Saph's questions hit a sore spot.

Arvin catches sight of Lily again who heads into the kitchen with a bunch of books and supplies, and the headache returns sharper than ever. Ginny and Alaric ask if he's alright, and Arvin admits that seeing that girl causes headaches, and it seemed like he remembered watching someone get arrested, yet he has no answer for such a memory even being in his mind, Ginny suggests that perhaps he should talk to her, perhaps that helps clear things up.

...

As the evening progresses, Alaric goes to find Sebastian to order some additional drinks and snacks. As Alaric wanders to the bar there's an odd situation that occurs, he hears Sebastian argue with someone, yet there's nobody there? Alaric gets a closer look and almost seems as if he's talking to a bee..? He hears arguing about a debt owed, and something called the Jubilee.

When Alaric makes his presence known to Sebastian, he seems raddled and distracted. Alaric doesn't mention overhearing things and orders extra drinks and snacks. However he's now on high alert, something feels... off.

Alaric returns to the table joining the rest, Arvin's headache seems to fade. In an unexpected moment of clarity from Ginny's addled father Alder, he tells about "Phineas Everglow", the father of 'Young Lilly over there."

Alder proclaims that Phineas was a fraud that sold clothes made of illegal materials, and having dangerous business practices. Which causes Arvin to grow concerned, what does he have to do with this? What's missing in his memories...?

When Meadric comes to bring the drinks and snacks, Alaric tries to ask if Sebastian's alright, hinting at his odd behavior. But Meadric seems to be none-the-wiser, mentioning Sebastian's hit his head when he was still an adventurer, and he's heard him talk to himself a few times.
Alaric lets Meadric return to the kitchen...

Alaric's nerves aren't eased in the slightest...

But... moments later, something strange happens. Alaric, Arvin and Ginny feel a strange pulse and suddenly the entire restaurant falls utterly, unnervingly still — every guest, every plate, every falling crumb frozen mid-air. Only Alaric, Ginny, and Arvin can still talk and move.

Saph, Nova, Ati, Alder, Marie Louise and all the other guests are standing completely still.

Alaric, Ginny and Arvin become nervous seeing their family and friends in this state, yet they wonder why only the three of them aren't affected. They hear noises coming from the restaurant's kitchen. As they wander through the restaurant to the kitchen, the restaurant becomes filled with drifting motes of colored light...

The aruging from the kitchen becomes louder. Alaric now on edge, grabs hold of his favorite little tool-hammer, and suddenly it enlarges into a massive warhammer. Arvin, Alaric and Ginny push into the kitchen — and find Sebastian caught in a lived argument with a strange, floating woman with horns! Alaric recognizes her, she was the fortune teller from earlier that day!

Sebastian and the lady get spooked and wonder why Alaric, Arvin and Ginny are not asleep like everyone else. Arvin, Alaric and Ginny demand to know what's going on.

"Why are you awake?!"

"Wait, lemme try again..."

(snaps fingers)

"Well that didn't work..."

(snaps fingers again)

"Wait... I can't alert your perceptions of reality!"

The lady introduces herself as Althea, Ljósálfar of Stories, and admits without much shame that she has frozen the entire room to 'borrow' dreams and inspiration for an upcoming celebration: the Jubilee of Queen Beatrix, The Lady of Bees. She wants a beautiful, aching love story to win it, and Sebastian, it turns out, has been quietly supplying her with borrowed dreams for years!

The amount of information that the former team receive leaves them stunned for a moment...

What catches Althea's real attention is actually the three of them. They shouldn't be awake. Nothing in her magic explains it, unless their minds were already touched by something else, some other hand, long before tonight. She cannot overwrite their perception of reality, because another effect is already affecting them apparently. She's delighted, and more than a little curious, what or who has messed with their minds.

Ginny, Arvin and Alaric demand that Althea ends the effect on the others, but Altea explains that she can't do that since the spell lasts until midnight from the perception of their reality.

Alaric, Arvin and Ginny all think back to that mission nine years ago, where there's a strange gap in their memory. Arvin never had an answer for the past he cannot remember, Ginny has no answer why her pink bees just... disappeared that day, and Alaric... He can only wonder if it might have something to do with the boy they arrested back then...?

Althea points that she and Sebastian are continuing their plan regardless, and she invites Alaric, Arvin and Ginny to help her as cowriters! Ginny, Arvin and Alaric initially seemed hesitant, but Althea explains that they are free to refuse.

Alaric realizes that Althea's reaction to them being 'awake' seemed genuine, she seems just as confused on why that happened, he thinks back of what his mother told him about "The Faeries of the Forest." They are tricksters, but they do not have malicious intentions, it can sometimes be difficult to understand for mortals what fae want, do, how they do things and what they wish to achieve..

Althea she offers a bargain: help her weave a story worthy of the Jubilee and beat her arch-rival Gemma by using strange dreamy pencils that turn imagination into real fabrications. In exchange she will help them unlock the missing pieces of their pasts with the power granted by Queen Beatrix by winning the Jubilee.

Ginny asks if there's an opportunity to meet Queen Beatrix, and Althea points out, it might be possible... If they enter the world of dreams to see the other performances and if they win the Jubilee. With that Ginny agrees to help out, they have nothing to lose, right?

Arvin, Alaric and Ginny don't fully trust her or Sebastian. But none of them can walk away from the promise of answers. Cornered by curiosity. Alaric, Ginny, and Arvin agree to become her reluctant co-authors. With Magical pencils in hand, they begin to imagine the shape of a love story none of them expected to tell.

To be continued...