Chapter Text
The stars care not much of what goes on down in the world of humans. They live in the heavens outside of earth and live what they believe to be fulfilling lives surrounded by magic without regard for those below. This is the truth of the world.
Or at least that was what it once was. Let me tell you the story of how the world changed by the whim of a lone star. It's a fun story! I promise. It's full of magic and mischief, a long lost prince, a sacred promise, peril, adventure– and yes love! Love that makes the world go round and stop all the same. It's the whole package deal! Well where to start first? Shall I start where the lost prince meets his future lover? Hmm… no that would be missing out important details from the story, then if I try to fix my mistake by explaining things in the middle you’d surely get mad at me. But if I explain everything at once it might be annoying? Argh! What to do?
Then we must go back.
Way back.
Back to the whim of that star so very long ago…
Once upon a time the human world had not a drop of magic in it and humans toiled away day after day making a life for themselves by the strength of their own will. However that all changed when a star happened to take interest in the little humans that worked themselves for some dream or for survival. The star watched them every day and thought “How funny! Why do they do this? Don’t they know they’ll just end up working until they die?”
The other stars shrugged at this curious one’s questions ignoring it as they ignored the human world. Who cared? It was just the same as always after all. The star didn’t mind their lack of response and kept watching. Days passed. Then a year. Followed by a century. And by the time the star wanted to be more than a mere observer it had been a millennium.
“Ahhhh… they really do just nothing but work and die. And yet why do they create? Songs, art, stories, and more. They fill their world with color and add non-existent magic…” Suddenly it got a great idea. “But what if they could do as we do… hmm… I wonder… Humans, how will your art change?”
The star smiled to itself with glee. Oh this would surely be so much fun! This is what the humans needed! The star snuck in carefully into the palace of the Sun and took just a pinch of its light. Then it crept over to the dwelling of the Moon and did the same. Smiling to itself it held the two drops in its hands.
“I look forward to seeing how your art grows, my dear humans! Or,” The star grinned in euphoria as it let the drops slip out of its hands. “To see how you destroy yourselves for a taste of our powers.”
The two drops fell and fell faster and faster with each millisecond. The two lights diving toward the world clashed once with a loud bang and went two separate ways.
The sun drop fell on a decently sized island with a soft chime. It fell into the embrace of the island’s fertile soil; the land giving its best feathered touch as it fell in love with the warmth the sun drop radiated. The sun drop felt so honored it preened and glowed. How kind of the land. So soft, so– loving. So this is what it was like to be loved? Is this what its like to be appreciated? Its a nice feeling. In turn, the sun drop fell in love with the soft and firm soil deeming this so lovely it blossomed into a beautiful golden flower with a glowing purple center and shining white light that enveloped all in its grace. Love! Oh love! What a wonderful world! It gave all its love and drank in the love the land gave back. Its roots spread across the whole island embracing the world back in its joy. Blooming flowers as far as the eyes could see sprouted from the sun drop’s magic. Ah! It must be heaven I see! Yellows and purples galore! Pinks and whites not falling behind. Blue and green could not be missed and neither could the reds and indigos. The merry sight hidden from all unsuspecting humans.
All but one.
Now listen close, this one is very important and will change the course of the world and our story.
She was old and frail. Her best years far gone beyond her grasp but here she was as a witness to this miracle. She hobbled over to where the sun drop had fallen. She didn’t pause despite how her joints ached and cried for her to rest. No! She couldn’t! Beckoned by its glow and its faint call she went on until she reached the glowing flower.
“Oh blessed human! Rejoice! Rejoice I say! For I have come to show you my secret before I sleep for eternity with my newfound love. I am here to change the way of you humans. Your art shall change the world! Your songs shall be the vessels for my power I have decided. I will teach you but one of my songs and how you can use it to help yourself and those around you. You must find the others if you’d like to learn them. I have told the land already but its up to you to find them. Hark!”
“Well then small flower let me know! You talk too much! For my time on Earth is fleeting and I cannot listen all day.” The woman wheezed impatiently. The flower found it so amusing. How impudent. That's humanity for you.
“Ahaha! That's right! How fragile! The star told me so. Very well, here it is:
Flower, gleam and glow
Let your powers shine
Make the clock reverse
Bring back what once was mine
Heal what has been hurt
Change the fates’ design
Save what has been lost
Bring back what once was mine
What once was mine
There! I’ve done my role. Share it with the world! Or not! Either way the land knows and I only care about my love.” And the flower– the sun drop fell silent for all of eternity.
The old woman grimaced in disbelief. What would happen if she sang it? She hesitated. Well her life had been long enough and if she died now then it must be god’s will. She took in a deep breath and screwed her eyes shut as she began.
“Flower, gleam and glow,” Warmth filled her up. “Let your powers shine/Make the clock reverse…”
“Bring back what once was mine/Heal what has been hurt,” With each verse she felt pleasure thrum through her veins. If she was dying, what a wonderful way to go. Her body felt the ecstasy of magic and it reflected back on her. “Change the fates’ design/Save what has been lost”
“Bring back what once was mine,” She could sing all day if she had to. “What once was mine…”
All too soon it was over. She looked around wondering what had changed. “Small flower? What was that song for–!!”
She gasped. Her voice?! It was no longer horse and gravely. Why she felt taller and stronger too! Her body didn’t ache any more, rather full of energy in fact. And that's when she saw it. Her matted white hair had turned into tight ringlets of purple so soft to the touch. She ran her fingers through them weeping at her vanity being given back to her. Even her hands! Oh her bony knobby fingers were soft and youthful again!
She laughed. She ran as she cried in joy. She jumped and danced and twirled. She had stopped feeling this happiness decades ago! She fell to her knees and prayed in reverence to whomever gave her this blessing. Quickly she wrote the flower’s incantation lest she forget and live in regret. Off on her merry way she went to experience the world with renewed strength but to her utter horror, it wouldn’t last.
Her hair was greying once again and age sagged her smooth skin a few weeks after leaving. She dashed back in fear and tried speaking to the flower but the flower would not answer. She bit her nails anxiously before singing the incantation once again. This time she noticed how the flower really did glow with her song and noticed her wrinkles smoothing out again. Sighing in relief a wicked thought appeared in her head.
If she shared this secret– surely the flower would be uprooted. It would be stolen from her. No… this island was uninhabited. But she had been here on that day looking for medicinal herbs… Others might come too. They might notice how this land suddenly bloomed with flowers and find this blessing. Not if she could stall it! Better yet stop it altogether!
And so– there folks is how the woman changed the route the world would take. The woman hid the flower from the rest of the world and the world would move on without its healing abilities. Only the woman, the land, and the flowers would know.
Of course– flowers can never resist keeping secrets and soon they told the wind and the wind who loved to whisper in the ears of any who would listen spread its rumors.
Okay! Let's ignore her for a while and focus on the rest of the world. Only the woman remained the same while the world around her changed. Time does that yeah? The island was soon populated once people discovered how fertile the land was. The love of the sun drop and the land oozed onto the plant life making the taste divine. The life stock that subsequently grazed on the plant life then grew healthier and much tastier. In fact, harvest and produce were so good that the people of this newly formed territory became gourmands as they strove to make more delicious meals finding magic in their art. But without a doubt the best ingredient found on this island was not found in the soil nor in the animals that grazed on his bountiful feast. No, that honor would belong to the honey that was pollinated by the bees and sundrop flowers that covered the land.
No where in the world did the honey taste as it did in this island. Ambrosia Honey they called it for surely this honey was the meal of the gods. It was like getting a taste of magic itself, filling one with renewed energy and soothing one’s worries. It soon became a staple to the island’s trade. The bees and the people living in harmony as the people respected their small companions. Even the first king of this new kingdom then dubbed the land Honeycomb in reverence to the special honey. The law made it abundantly clear that the honey was to be protected and the bees to be respected at all cost. The land would thrive on its wonderful food.
Yes yes the Honeycomb Kingdom was a peaceful land full of peaceful people that sought only to make the culinary world theirs yada yada yada. But what of the rest of the world? The moon drop fell too right? What about that? The old woman was just ignored or why should we give a shit about her? And when are we getting to the prince and adventure and lovely dovey kissy goodness we came here for? I’m getting there. I promise!
The story of the moon drop is for another day; for the sake of simplicity. For now let's hear the story of the sun drop.
King after king and queen after queen alike, the royals swore to protect Honeycomb and their subjects. As such they were loved by their people for doing so down to the latest prince. The little Chef Prince they called him affectionately. The Chef Prince smiled brightly at all his citizens no matter the status. Often he would sneak down to the towns and play with everyone tasting the meals of his citizens and cooking for them himself.