The Hives

Hans Thoma

Francesco suspected that the hives were being tapped in the night, for their sticky glittery residue now coated the trees beneath - and come the morning, chunks of their wax had been sucked dry - littering the ground beneath in a tatter of white.”

At first he thought it was the lesser Elves, who had a partiality to all things sweet. For if something was there for the taking, they usually considered it theirs for the taking.

Yet it was not common for Elves to leave a telltale mess behind, as this was done, night after night.

He then considered that perhaps it was the smaller animals, whose winter fare had encouraged them to sample foods outside their normal fare.

But these hives were intact from the outside, and paws and claws would make scars and scores. No, he thought, it could not be them.

It was not Hannah-Mary, he considered - for he delivered her more than enough staples every day, which included the honey as she required.


-Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances