Honey : The Empire's Treasure

At first glance, Ailwin was taken aback. This was his first time ever seeing such a big honey orchards. Acres and acres of trees went on pa.s.sed the eyes can see. 

He looked up at the towering trees with mix emotions.

These things were able to stop our ancestors from dying, supported this big kingdom and all its citizens…

He didn"t want to believe that their survival would depend on these trees. However, as he looked and touched the sweet fragrant plants, he felt the need to protect them like he would the citizens of Kaia Kingdom.

"This is strange…" Ailwin whispered.

Mano chuckled, "If this is your first time experiencing an authentic orchard than you would find the feelings inside you strange." 

Walking up beside the young male, Mano placed his hand on one of the trunks, "My father used to tell me that the trees give off the smell of HOME."

"Heh...definitely not my home." Ailwin smirked, thinking Lord Mano was talking about the imperial palace where he grew up.

"I"m not talk about "home" as in here..." Mano pointed at the ground, "I am talking about the home we never got to enjoy." He pointed at the skies.

Ailwin didn"t understand what he was referring to until Mikaela"s words from last night played in his head.

"Our ancestors were kicked out of the G.o.ds" land..."

"You mean…"

"En… My father said even though we have never experience that place, it"s still a part of us. That is why breathing in the scent of these trees can bring out different emotions that you would never have thought you would have towards a plant."

Mano plucked a leaf off of one of the branches, "Here, try it."

Laying the plump vividly green leaf in the young male"s hand, he waited for him to eat it.

Ailwin stared down at the leaf thinking Lord Mano was making a fool out of him. Yet when Mano continued to stare at him, Ailwin decided to just eat it. It will be a funny joke between to two of them.

Opening his mouth, Ailwin placed the whole leaf in his mouth. The minute his teeth teared into the green blade, a mild savory tart taste came over his tongue.

After swallowing the leaflet, Ailwin felt a tiny burst of energy filling his body.

"What...what was that!?" Thoroughly amazed, Ailwin looked at the leaves on the trees avidly.

"Hahah...all the components of a honey tree can be consumed, even the bark and its roots. Some of the more uncommon types of honey trees are harder to eat but if cooked correctly, they will can be quite tasteful."

"There are different types of honey trees…?" Ailwin was more and more shocked by the things Lord Mano was showing him.

"Yes...did you think that all the honey in the world comes from one type of tree?" 

Maybe I am lacking in my studies as my mother-in-law and Mika keep suggesting… Ailwin thought after seeing Mano"s reaction.

Choosing to not answer Mano"s question, and show his inadequacy with this topic even more. Ailwin asked instead, "How many are there?"

"That is hard to say as our scientists and famers are constantly splicing to make new species. If we are talking about the ones known and used today, then in Kaia Kingdom, I would say about twenty-five to thirty."

Ailwin was floored by that answer, "...and this is just in Kaia Kingdom…?"

"En. The other Kingdoms have different terrain than we do that grow other types of honey trees. Take Lord Tasar"s orchard for example. Due to the harsh lands in the Steppes, they need plants that can withstand the ever changing climate. That is why they are known for the Lion Eucalyptus[1]."

"En." Ailwin nodded his head in understanding.

"Come, let me show you the ugly future we will face-" Mano abruptly stop talking when he saw a small pair of footprints in the dirt.

"Lord Mano…?" Ailwin came to stand next to him to see what he was looking at.

Glancing down, he just saw the normal ground beneath them with several pairs of footprints. Ailwin couldn"t understand what was wrong.

"A little imp has snuck herself inside here…" Mano straighten up and looked towards the direction the small footprints were heading to.

Imp? Ailwin looked down at the tracks again, this time more carefully and could see one particular impression that was much smaller than the rest.

Mika…

Mano couldn"t understand why Mikaela would sneak herself inside the orchard, but if she was here to follow her sister in stealing honey, she will be in for it.

Tracking his daughter"s movements, Mano led Ailwin into the fields. Five minutes into their trek, he could tell that she was heading towards the back were he planned to take Prince Ailwin this morning.

What is she up....to go there by herself…! Scared that Mika would be in trouble in that area, Mano"s pace sped up.

Twenty minutes later, he and Ailwin emerge from the tree fields to the cut-off section where the rest of the orchard meets the infected trees.

Ailwin smelled the foul odor in the air five minutes back. He didn"t questioned what it was as it faint.

However, standing here at the edge of a clearing, his stomach was churning. Thankful he didn"t eat breakfast this morning or he would have embarra.s.s himself by retching all over Lord Mano"s farm.

"What is...this odor?" Ailwin held his hand over his nose and mouth.

"Its a section of honey trees that had gone bad...we can"t extract them because we are afraid of spreading the conditions to the others." Mano pointed to the sight in front of them for him to see.

Ailwin looked to where Mano wanted to show him. All of the good emotions he felt at touching the tree at the entrance washed away. What replaced it was dread, disgust and sorrow. 

"This…?"

"This is what we will face in future... We have maybe a year or two at most…"

[1] Look up "Aloe Barberae" for imagery.