The Island of Wonder

"You three look great!" Merik said, leading the girls through the streets of the underground city. As they followed the Squirrel guy, after a while Nicole noticed that the ceiling had orange wax instead of blue and decided to ask.

"Why do they use different colors? I won’t believe it’s just for the good looks."

Merik smirked. "Right. Colors act like zones or districts, allowing for quick navigation. The blue one is for travelers and smaller merchants, accessible to everyone. Orange, if you look around, is the grand market. Red is for the military. And there are a few more. We are heading to the Yellow district, reserved for the Queen’s own territory."

Nicole glanced around and indeed, the normal buildings from before were now replaced by the tents of sellers, various goods laid out on display. With such a developed culture, they still have no currency? It shouldn’t be too hard, no?

Taking shortcuts with the agility of someone who wasn’t new to it, Merik navigated the marketplace and led the way. After less than half an hour, the four of them faced the gates and a wall where blue and yellow wax connected and blended. In front of the open gates stood a few tall Bee guards and a waiting line full of people.

"Usually, just to go inside, you need a really good explanation why you should be given a chance to meet the Queen." Merik said as they approached the gates directly, ignoring the line.

One of the guards stepped in their way, blocking the path. "Hey, what are you doing? You will have to wait like everyone else." He frowned.

Merik smirked. "Look up here, big guy." He handed him some paper. After reading it for a second, the guard suddenly inhaled deeply before giving it back.

WHAT?!

The Bee stepped to the side. "Alright, you can go in."

Behind the gates, they found a grandiose castle going all the way up and blending with the ceiling of the underground. The walls were white, black, and yellow wax, forming beautiful patterns. The secondary gates were open and led to the inside of the building. The space between the first gate and the entrance was filled with flowers.

"So, what was that? Gonna explain?" Nicole asked as they walked down the stone road leading to the castle.

"Right, right. The Bee tribe relies on pheromones in many things. And he checked if there were the Queen’s pheromones on the document."

"Like a stamp?"

"Yeah, something like that." Merik nodded.

Inside the castle, many people, mostly Bees, were walking around in a hurry. On every corner stood a pair of guards, silent and cautious. Merik led them forward until they reached big, ornamented closed doors. A Bee stood in the middle.

"Please, wait," he said. "Her Majesty has an important meeting currently. Wait until it’s over before the audience." The Bee said softly.

"I understand." Merik said, and they moved to the side and sat on a bench. Around them were others waiting for a chance to speak to the Queen herself.

"Alright. Now let me say a few things," the Druvokai guy started. "I am sure you understand, but just in case—don’t argue with her too much or make her angry. The Queen holds all the power here, one snap of her fingers is enough for the guards to kill you immediately. My recommendation would be to just agree to her terms and beg for help."

Nicole rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. It can’t be that bad, right? From how Jathun spoke about her, she must be smart enough to quickly understand the value of my knowledge. This is going to be easy."

After a while, the great doors opened and a group of Bees went out. After that, everyone who had been waiting got up and tried to get inside. But they were quickly stopped by the same Bee who asked Merik to wait.

"Her Majesty can’t talk to all of you at the same time!" he said. Merik handed him the same document he gave to the guard at the gate, and the Bee sighed. "Alright, it seems important enough. Come in." The rest groaned, unhappy about having to wait again.

As Nicole and her friends came in, they found themselves in a big, spacious room. One wall was made of colored glass, allowing a view of the flower fields outside the castle. The other wall was filled with a few paintings and doors leading somewhere. The room was held by two rows of columns that at the same time were monuments depicting different Bees in epic poses. Some had weapons in their hands, while others sat on their thrones. All were painted with great detail and were a few times bigger than the real Bee people Nicole saw during the day. Among the columns and along the walls, guards were standing.

Woah, that must have taken so much effort to make…

As they approached, Nicole saw the throne and the Queen herself. She was imposing, over two meters tall, sitting straight and majestic on a green throne made seemingly out of vines entwined together on a pedestal. On the back and all around it was a myriad of small red and lilac flowers.

The Queen’s dark yellow, almost orange eyes studied the four newcomers. Her face was completely white like porcelain, framed by straight, long black hair with snow-white and yellow tips. She was wearing a silky blue mantle.

Fuck, she looks good. Not just good, but ethereally good. Like some medieval painting, staring right into my soul. It may not be as easy to convince her my clothes could be interesting for her.

Stopping respectfully around five meters in front of the throne, Nicole suddenly got on one knee, like a stereotypical knight bowing.

"What’s that? A strange way to greet a ruler of the lands you walk on." The Queen’s tone was somewhere on the border of coldness and confusion.

"My name is Nicole. I come from lands never known before. This is our way to show respect. With me are my loyal companions." Nicole got up, the position turned out to be not really comfortable.

"Right. One of the caravan leaders yesterday mentioned you. And that you can possess new knowledge and abilities never seen or heard of before."

Nicole barely suppressed a smirk. "Right. And I am here because I know both I and your tribe can achieve a lot if we cooperate."

"I prefer to judge people myself. Show me something."

"First of all." Nicole made a spin in place. "Has Your Majesty ever seen such clothes? I made those based on the fashion of my homeland. I am sure such a great ruler like you knows the value and importance of great looks~ Especially in front of other tribes…"

The Queen nodded. "Yes. You are right, you and your companions look charming. But it’s nothing that can’t be done by my people."

"Of course. Now then, allow me to show something else." Nicole raised a hand and made a small wooden figurine of the Queen. "Please look at this. Can anyone, in mere seconds, make such a beautiful display of Your Grace~?"

The Queen inclined her head, and one of the Bees next to the throne, who was earlier writing something down on a big piece of blue paper, approached Nicole and took the figurine. The Bee woman then handed it to the Queen. The Queen looked at it for a second and then gave it back to the Bee woman. "This is more interesting indeed. And how exactly did you do it? What else can you do?"

"Those are great questions, Your Majesty. But I have to restrict my answers for now. All I can say is that I am able to make many different things, limited only by size and materials in my possession. I am convinced you already know how useful that could be…"

The Queen just nodded slowly.

"My other ability is this—" Nicole transformed into her bone form. The guards, previously standing still, got visibly concerned. The Queen’s assistant’s eyes widened, but Her Majesty herself kept calm. Nicole took her sword and struck against her other arm. The blade went one third deep. Fuck, I overdid this. This is going to be such a pain later. "Natural armor. Don’t you want to learn more about it?"

"For now, I don’t see how exactly this could help me or my tribe." The Queen sat back.

"I understand. Then allow—"

"What do you want from me? Why are you here, human?" the Queen interrupted her.

Fuck, her patience seems to be getting thin. Nicole cleared her throat.

"My goal is simple. I am searching for another human, my friend. I have information that she was seen being taken to one of the Pig tribe’s villages. I came to Your Grace to search for help in rescuing her."

"Let’s make this straight. You want my soldiers to raid the Zanokai village. Risk their lives. For what exactly?"

"My main value is knowledge. I, of course, don’t want to brag, but the lands I come from are far more advanced than any of the tribes could dream of being. And I may not know everything, yet I can help advance your tribe. And not only that, but my friend was a scientist back in my land. She knows way more, and I am sure, given an opportunity, she will be glad to help her saviors."

Before the Queen could say anything, the grand doors opened with a slam and a person rushed forward, followed by Bee guards.

"This is scandalous!" It was a muscular Wolf man seemingly in his late thirties, some of his black hair and the fur on his tail were gray. As he approached the throne, he accusingly pointed a finger at the Queen. "I demand immediate answers! I know you are hiding our children, hag!"

Nicole, Soi, Iloe, Merik, and the Queen’s assistant stared at the man in shock, while the guards finally caught up to him and forced him down on the floor. Her Majesty didn’t even blink.

The intruder didn’t plan to stop. "This won’t go unpunished! I saw your people with kids on the street! I, as a general of the third division of Her Majesty Lortia, already sent a message to my Queen. If you won’t give the kids back, we won’t hesitate!" His face was red with anger.

Kids? Wait a second. "Uh, are you maybe talking about the Narakai children being kidnapped, supposedly during a monster attack on one of your villages?"

The man’s blood-filled eyes snapped to the girl. He didn't even seem to notice that she was still covered in bone armor. "What!? Who the fuck are you?! How do you know anything about it?! Are you the one behind this?!" Low growls echoed in the big room as he spoke.

"No, no. Quite the opposite." Nicole waved her hands in protest. "I was one of those who saved them."

"Saved?! Then how come I saw them in this very damned city?!"

Fuck, can’t he stop shouting? "I don’t know what you saw, but I personally fought the Rat caravan who were transporting them in crates. And the Bees helped me. We basically saved the kids from starvation, they could barely stand back then. Yesterday we got here, and I don’t know where they took your children, but I was told they will be given back to your tribe."

The man was breathing hard but seemed to calm down a notch. "Is this true?" He looked up at the Queen.

"Yesterday evening, one of my caravans, among other things, stated that they met and destroyed a Tzurai group that was smuggling Narakai younglings. Currently they are staying in one of the guest chambers in my palace. As the human said, we would have no issue handing them to the authorities of your tribe." The Queen looked at the man coldly. "But after this… I may be hesitant."

The general’s red face turned pale in a matter of a second as he realized what he had done. "I—I… Please, I ask you to reconsider." His head hung low, facing the floor. "One of the kidnapped was my daughter. I acted wrongly and with haste. Kill me, if it will be enough to wash away the shame, but please let our stolen children go…"

The Queen was silent for a while. "Release him." At the command, the guards surrounding and pressing the man to the floor took a step back. Suddenly she turned to Nicole. "You. What would you do?"

Me?! Why the hell is she asking ME?! Fuck, fuck, fuck. Okay, what is the right answer? She doesn’t seem like a cruel one, but again, who knows what is going on in the heads of royalty. "I… I think he should stay alive. But this situation can be used as leverage to get a favor from the Narakai."

The corners of the Queen’s full, black lips went up a little. "Interesting. You heard her. Take this." The woman inclined her head to her assistant, who wrote something on two pieces of paper and handed them to the Queen. Her Majesty took them, breathed hard on them and gave them back to the girl. The girl approached the Wolf man and carefully gave him the documents. "With this," the Queen continued, "you will be able to take the children. And the second one is a message to your Queen."

The man stood up, holding the documents gently, as if afraid one wrong move could make them disappear. "Of course. I am thankful. I am deeply sorry for my behavior and words." He bowed down. "And thank you too." The last words were meant for Nicole. Then the man turned away and left in a hurry, barely holding himself back from running.

"Now," the Queen sighed, "please continue your demonstration."