Chapter 136: Securing Bee-ceful Relations
Belissar held in the urge to gulp as he stood before the skunk people, or the sigmaka as they called themselves. It had taken much, much practice for the bumblebee soldiers to place him on the throne without him stumbling, but fortunately he had pulled it off here. He still could not help sweating at the many, many eyes turned his way. The bees once again saved him, as the workers crawling over his crown lapped up his sweat before it could drip down his face.
Fortunately, the sigmaka appeared as nervous as he felt. King Ratuatapi did not have bees to lap up his sweat as he disembarked from his mount and stepped forward.
“I am King Ratuatapi. Thank you for welcoming us today, Sacred Den Master Belissar. I…hope that we may establish peace and prosperity between our peoples.”
Belissar blinked as King Ratuatapi nearly stumbled over his words. He didn’t know how the sigmaka aged, but if they were anything like humans then King Ratuatapi appeared similar in age to himself, possibly even a few years younger. He had been trying to steel himself to face some sort of wise and experienced ruler…though, for all he knew King Ratuatapi could still be far more experienced compared to himself even if younger. Still, the way King Ratuatapi sweated and kept glancing around at the bees at least reassured Belissar he wasn’t the only one uncomfortable here.
He used his Tower sight to glance at the bees without moving his eyes, as recommended by Chief Rohsuak, and took heart from the soldier bee army hovering around him. He then deployed yet another tactic recommended by Chief Rohsuak to reply: nodding slowly with a light hum while he tried to remember what he was supposed to say.
“Then…shall we proceed?”
He just managed to remember to swing an open hand towards the Shrine of Bees…and managed to catch himself before his usual “um.” He then had to resist the urge to sigh. This was all very exhausting.
King Ratuatapi nodded slowly as well. Second Queen Berbiya and Chief Rohsuak then led their respective rulers towards the Shrine of Bees, with the armored sigmaka and karnuq warriors following along. Belissar and King Ratuatapi walked up to the shrine alone…save for Niobee and the other bees on Belissar’s person. Chief Rohsuak had told him something about the order mattering or something but Belissar just wanted to finish up already so he went ahead and started.
“I, Belissar, Keeper of the Bee Tower, swear in the name of my patron, the God of Bees, to honor the deal agreed on today. To respect the land, the borders, and the sovereignty of King Ratuatapi, his clan, and his people, and never to violate them without permission, so long as neither King Ratuatapi, his clan, or his people harm my people or violates my borders, nor allows any other to do so from his lands.”