Bee And Foxglove

Bee Gets Into A Frenzy Of Preparation

"My good Mistress Bee," said Vincent one morning after Incantation practice. "I wanted to bring something up."

"What is it... uh, young Master?" asked Bee.

"It has come to my attention... well, I told you how my spellcraft has gotten stronger in the last weeks?"

"Yes, indeed?"

"I noticed... when I was back home... It was weaker again. And then it got stronger again here. Now that I have gone home and come back once more, I am convinced: my power is stronger around you."

"Really?" said Bee. "That's..." Bee looked pensive.

"Mistress Bee? What is it?"

"I'm going for a walk. I need to think."

*

Bee was back about twenty minutes after that.

Foxglove and Vincent were at the living room table, having milk and cookies. (Guinevere's spice cookies, as it happened. Since Hearthfest, Foxglove always asked Vincent to bring some when he came).

"Foxglove," said Bee.

"Yeah?"

"Remember when you got the pinwheel to move last week?"

Foxglove had caved to the temptation to try the pinwheel out from time to time. So far, she had only once gotten a positive result. "Yes, of course," she said.

"What was I doing when that happened?"

"I, uh... I think you were practising with lights?"

"Right! That's what I thought!" Bee was excited.

"What is it?" asked Foxglove.

"Vincent... try levitating that spoon."

"A spoon, you say?" asked Vincent. This was a lot more than he'd ever moved with his mind. "Very well... the power is inside me, within me, and beyond me, forever free." Vincent focused on the spoon. Nothing happened.

Bee waved her hand and conjured up what looked like a grid of little lights all around Vincent and the kitchen table.

Suddenly, the spoon flew up and pinged off the ceiling.

"Oh my... oh my divine Tree," said Vincent, gaping in white-faced disbelief.

"Okay, okay, one more time," said Bee, frothing with excitement. She waved the lights away and pushed another spoon towards Vincent. "Right now it's not working, right?"

"N-no, it is not," said Vincent, stammering a little.

Bee closed her eyes in apparent focus. "And... now?"

Nothing visible seemed to have changed. And yet, Vincent gazed at the spoon, and it gently levitated in the air before him.

"I did it! I did it!" yelled Bee. "I mean, we did it! This is so cool!"

"What did you do, Bee?" said Foxglove, sharing in Bee's enthusiasm.

"I don't know... it's sort of intuitive, right? When I make lights, I sort of send my energy out into the space around me. I figured, maybe when I do that, you can draw on that energy? And then, what if I could do it without actually making lights?"

Vincent was crying. "I... I am most overcome," he said. "I never dreamed of ever being able to do something like this."

Bee gave a wide grin. "You and I, we have some practising to do."

*

That was a busy month. Bee finished pruning the orchard in a frenzy to make sure she'd have enough time for her preparations. Then she brainstormed ideas with Foxglove, practised them, and refined the ideas.

When Vincent was there, she tried out all sorts of things on and with him. When he wasn't, Foxglove became her willing test subject.

Soon there was a plan. Vincent would be Bee's assistant on stage. He would be on the receiving end of some of Bee's illusions, as well as producing some effects himself. Bee and Vincent went through a script, memorised lines, and practised delivery. Vincent took his role very seriously.

"This is going to be so cool!" said Bee several times in the week before the show.

"I know, Bee," Foxglove replied, smiling.

*

It was a late morning three days before the show. Bee was practising a rather complicated kaleidoscope effect she had just discovered the day before. The doorbell rang.

"The door's open, Vincent!" Bee called, not wanting to break her concentration.

Bee heard the door open. Then came a voice that wasn't Vincent's or Francis'. "Hello, Bee. I'm sorry to intrude."

Bee looked up, surprised. "Who are you?... I mean," she said, remembering her manners, "Um... I don't believe we've met?"

The man cracked a grin. "Do I look so different?" He put on a serious expression and gave a bow. "My lady honours me with her hospitality."

The pin dropped. "Winston!" cried Bee. "You... uh... you're so different when you're not acting like a fancy butler."

"I'll take that as a compliment! I used to work in a play troupe, you see?" he said.

"Yeah," said Bee in amazement.

"Francis wanted me to deliver a message in person, as he said it was urgent. I'm sorry to say Vincent has taken sick with his usual illness. He won't be able to make it for the show."

*

Foxglove offered Winston lunch, but seeing Bee's obvious focus he turned it down, saying he had his own provisions. He excused himself, mounted his horse, and rode away.

"What can I do??" exclaimed Bee as soon as Winston was gone.

"Let's stay calm," said Foxglove. "How can I help?"

Bee stared at Foxglove. "...Can you... be my stage assistant this time?"

Foxglove only took a second to decide. "Of course, Teddybee. What do I have to do?"

*

There wasn't enough time for Foxglove to practise all of the things Vincent had been working on (and she hadn't really wanted to do much with Bee's new ability to lend people her magic power, anyway) – so, Bee needed a new plan.

Bee got to work, simplifying the original script a lot. Where she was now missing content, she would just fill things out with extra fancy lights, she decided. Foxglove listened to what she was supposed to do, and practised her role attentively.

The day arrived. Whether or not they were ready, it was there – so, they just had to be ready.