Compulsion of a Flower's Essence Ch. 03

"Ah, thank you so much Lilla! It's beautiful, just like you! I'll be sure to treasure this!" Randithas complimented, causing Lilla to blush with joy again. "Thanks again for all our amazing experiences together! I assure you that our time apart will not be long!"

"Ohh, you have no idea! See you very soon, my dear Randi!"

The two lovers waved goodbye one more time as Randithas departed to the road he was guided to. He looked down at the rose he was given, smiling warmly upon his gift. It had such a familiar and empowering scent. She probably gave him this for when he inevitably craved more of her. Would be best to hold onto this for a while!

-

Lilla stood idly in her domain, petals half unfolded while smiling joyfully in remembrance of the days they spent together. After some time passed, she began singling a gentle tune. Her melodic voice spoke with lyrics in the local fey language, the tune itself repeatedly pausing as it wavered through various harmonies and octaves.

Audible only through the air brushing its wings, a giant raven swooped down next to Lilla. She reached out with her hand, gently rubbing the feathers beneath its head. In her other hand was a singular lilac petal, taken from the rose she had given away not long ago.

"You've done well, my good friend!" spoke Lilla, using the fey language she sang in before the raven arrived. "Thanks to your help, this forest can be far more lively and vibrant next spring! The seeds I have ready can finally be shared to germinate into my new children! Here, give this petal to Lady Klaies! It's proof of your achievements!"

Lilla put the petal in the end of the bird's beak, continuing to rub its feathers contently. She thought back to the last thing Randithas said to her today, smiling with pride.

"Oh, my dear Randi...you really have no idea...!"

-

Bones aching and muscles faltering, Randithas powered through the winding forest roads. Those new directions took him in differing paths this time, which while more difficult to follow, at least gave far more reassurance that he trekked through the right path. By all means he believed he could leave the forest safely before the dreaded nightfall, except for the crippling lack of physical stamina. Yesterday's experience pushed him far beyond his limits, which left his body in dire need of extra rest.

Had he known his physicality was not up to his usual par, Randithas would probably have asked to stay cuddled up for a few more nights until properly recovered. Already thinking of Lilla again, he questioned his motives on departure. That beautiful body and face, that delicious taste and scent...why was he leaving all this again? Though it took much reflection, he recollected their agreement of what's best in the long run. Those back home were worth considering and spending winter with, while the forest would not be much safer with Fletchington's concern for Randithas's disappearance.

It became increasingly clear that his judgement was clouded. Deep down at his core, he knew he was doing the right thing; thus returning in spring was the better option. Perhaps that lingering scent from Lilla wasn't doing him favours there. Despite the strenuous activity as of late, he still smelt fresh even to himself, tasty even. This realisation struck a chord when he remembered his experiences with Oreithyia.

While it wouldn't be the worst outcome to have Oreithyia be nearby and effortlessly track him, regular bears or less playful bear people would not be nice to cross paths with. For a dexterous fighter, he could probably still pull his aching weight in times of peril, though it certainly wasn't worth taking chances. These paths seemed to be mostly quiet and unused by the inhabitants, which still provoked stealthier and more cautious travelling. Awaiting him at the end of this journey was a nice long rest...though his condition might be hard to explain to those back home.

Having already travelled far, he pushed through the long stretch of deep forest and came out to a slightly wider path, one which blended in with the surrounding trees a little. Perhaps it was just his fear from earlier when remembering Oreithyia, but paranoia loomed over Randithas as he suspected being stalked.

Through these paths, there were the occasional birds, badgers, rabbits, butterflies and fireflies, while sometimes fairies even flew through the distance. Larger than often depicted, they were each half a meter tall with varying colours, fashion styles and visibilities. None seemed particularly interested in Randithas, typically doing little more than watching from a distance. Somehow they seemed more active long after he passed them. Fortunately Lilla didn't deafen his hearing through her orgasmic yells, thus allowing Randithas to keep a keen ear out for any rustling from stalkers.

Sure enough, he could hear something. Occasionally rustling through foliage, separated by odd humming, something distant was out there. As he maintained his pace, this distant creature maintained its volume, thus sharing a mutual pace.

That mix of branching paths had been approached. Knowing he had to focus, he pressed on through the winding and narrowing pathways, rarely looking back though maintaining a sharp sense of the audio surrounding him. As if struggling to keep up, that distant noise fluctuated in volume. Though it sounded dissimilar to a bear hunting him, this noise certainly wasn't comforting.

-

Right, left, left, forward, right, right, in that order. The path had faded, leaving large assortments of towering trees to provide a semi-delusional maze. Tired as he may be, he had to press on. Maintaining his bearings was vital, thus stopping and turning here could be deadly. It would be dangerous enough without an unknown persistent stalker tracking down his location...

Finally, after much travel, the elegant shining river appeared before him. Seemingly a different section, with a width of about 4 meters and more rocks protruding out the ground beneath, Randithas felt proud to have come this far considering the arduous maze and crippled stamina. Still, there was no sign of that stalker leaving. Randithas leaned against a large tree, panting in pain. That creature must have some intellect and intention, right? Any regular animal wouldn't have kept the distance for so long.

No use running, nor hiding. All Randithas could think to do was confront it, hoping for the best...

"Who's there? Show yourself!" spoke Randithas, audible without needing to shout. No response was heard, nor did anything reveal itself. Though the stalker could be evading, they could also be closing in stealthily. Randithas observed every direction he could while occasionally circling the tree, knowing for himself not to get caught off guard. At this point the only safe bet was to goad them into approaching noticeably, hoping they wouldn't be a threat to engage head on.

"I know someone's out there stalking me!" Randithas continued. "I'd rather we didn't have to hurt each other. It'd be better if we just spoke, face to face. No more games!"

Realisation sank in. This was quite a gamble. Many malicious creatures roamed these lands, but sometimes it was out of actual malice, not primal hunger. Expressing distress would only fuel them if that were the case. Suddenly, a vaguely familiar humming sound crept closer. Randithas readied his weapons just in case.

Focusing on the sound's direction, something clearly moved to hide behind a nearby tree. With neither Randithas nor the creature muttering a word, they slowly crept round to partially reveal themselves. Holding onto the tree with thin dark yellow gloves, an orange haired girl poked her head round to stare at Randithas with her orange eyes. These eyes sparkled with one shiny amber colour, her face barely hiding her fear. Two black and yellow antennae also poked round the tree, attached to her head. Her dark orange hair hung down to the shoulders, her orange lips trembling with fright.

Truth be told, Randithas was no more comfortable. Clearly this girl was a honeybee demihuman. Unlike Oreithyia, he had no real idea what to expect from this, though that only added to his anxiety. Was she actually a bee? If per chance she were a wasp or hornet, Randithas could take no chances, especially not if they're going to be human sized! Closing her eyes and bracing herself, she gentled hopped out of hiding. Standing at a meter and a half, the honeybee seemingly wore a tight orange bodysuit with thick black lines wrapping it horizontally. Thick boots of similar colour rose up to her thighs, leaving some tanned skin exposed much like her face and arms. Translucent wings spread out from her back, while a partially visible yet large stinger held attached behind her...

"U-Um...You're that human, correct...?" she finally found the words. Her entire expression held shyness, yet something compelled her. She certainly didn't act harmful, though that alone didn't render her harmless. "I heard the purple alraune having the time of her life, and um, well...it's certainly...helped us..."

Randithas squinted. Surely she couldn't be here just to shed some gratitude! "G-Get to the point, why have you been stalking me? How am I supposed to trust you right now?"

Flinching in shock, the honeybee scrambled in place to find the words.

"Aah! Um...perhaps I...well..." Her shaky posture resumed. She clearly tried to get the point across, yet something was probably at stake. That or she somehow felt more at risk. "L-Listen, I...I want to spend a bit of time with you! I-I'm supposed to be doing whatever's possible to help sustain our beautiful forest. Any input you could give w-would be...w-w-would be..."

"Alright...I think I get it?" Randithas interrupted. "Spending time with Lilla made her very happy and more hopeful in life, so...wait, I don't get it. What could you want from me?"

Staring into Randithas's eyes, the honeybee calmed herself. Finally retaining a proper posture, she took deep breaths, focusing on her next response with greater clarity. She held her hands together, trying not to fidget.

"You're leaving Klaia Forest, aren't you? If it's not much to ask, could you stay a little longer for me? I...feel strongly that you'd have much to say. If there's anything supportive we forest inhabitants could hear of, please tell!" Randithas felt an urge to edge back, yet this girl's kind demeanour wasn't something he could show rudeness to. "You're name...it's Randi, right?"

"A-Ah, n-no, not quite...My name's Randithas. Lilla just prefers shortening it. Anyone else and it would probably bother m-, wait, never mind..." Instinctively he edged back, much to the honeybee's confusion. "Sorry, I...need to get back. Plenty of people are waiting for me back home. If I take any stops, nightfall will consume me."

Tilting her head a little in confusion, the honeybee, smiled in reassurance. "That's fine, Randi! I can travel with you for a bit! My name's Melaenia, by the way! Great to meet a friendly and talented human such as yourself!" Excitement lit up inside her as she glided up to Randithas, provoking a flinch of fear from him. It wasn't subtle, given her sad and confused reaction. No use hiding it...

"Umm, Melaenia, there's something I need to say. It's nothing personal, but your species makes me...frightened, paranoid, uncomfortable...I-It's a phobia of course, mainly stemming from my fear of wasps and such, but..." Melaenia didn't seem to understand, instead she looked rather annoyed. Her faint eyebrows angled themselves as she crossed her arms.

"Wow, seriously? You're really comparing me to parasites? That's cold!" Her glare shied away from Randithas, rapidly losing interest. Naturally the possibility of her becoming increasingly hostile and violent entered his mind.

"M-Melaenia, I'm sorry! I don't mean to! I know deep down you don't want to cause harm. It's...a subconscious instinct that for once I wish I never held!" His supply of words began to struggle, Melaenia looking back to him with uneven eyebrows.

"For once...?" she queried.

"Ah, well...it's not like I've ever been approached by a honeybee that's friendly and...admittedly rather cute..."

Melaenia's expression quickly shifted to mild shock. Her mouth opened agape slightly, staring at Randithas again. That compliment seemed to have poked her hard.

"...Cute huh? That's...nice I guess..." She pondered on this for a moment, a smile slowly forming. "The way you said that...felt different. Almost like you aren't being mocking at all..."

"Why would it be mocking? You're a great mix of cute and attractive! Sorry I acted scared, I'm just in need of great caution in a grand forest like this one."

Melaenia's smile grew, her fingers moving to partially cover them. Her cheeks grew a little red as her wings gently fluttered a little. Her attention appeared more focused on the compliments. Questions and enigmas quickly swirled in his mind. Was he being too affectionate? What should he talk to her about, if at all? Why was he finding this honeybee so attractive? It was then he realised, Melaenia's connection to Lilla was reminding him of the joy Lilla provided. Memories of her sweet taste latched onto his tongue.

"Ah, but Melaenia..." spoke Randithas before she could respond. He began salivating a little while breathing a tad harder. "Sorry, I really can't stay here. It's been nice meeting you, but I need to follow the path I've been recommended. As I said, I can't risk the forest's night time!"

Melaenia looked mildly disappointed, though still caught up on the compliments. "Oh...you're really leaving? Already? But...can I at least chat with you while you leave?"

Randithas sighed a little, relieved she isn't annoyed. "Sure, come along but please don't slow me down!" He already began walking the opposite direction, over to the river. Weight and stiffness grasped hold of his muscles, grinding most movement to a halt. Mild groans of pain yelled out from him.

"Randi? What's wrong?" Melaenia called out in concern as she glided over, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I understand you're busy in some way, but don't push yourself it you're at a limit!"

Randithas leaned against the tree again, quietly groaning some more. "I thought I could power through this journey despite my energy drain before the departure. After this river, there's still so much more forest land to traverse. I've promised that I'd be home for winter at least, yet I just...struggle to see it happening now..."

Melaenia rubbed his shoulder with the hand already placed upon it. "I'll help!" she proudly proclaimed. "Please look after yourself and don't be scared to receive help! I'll stay here with you until you recover. You'll be safe if you're with me!"

Something about her felt oddly alluring. As Randithas began trying to relax, he caught notice of his own sweet scent. That presence of nectar wasn't going to leave anytime soon, though somehow it felt off. It was as if he became coated with a sweet perfume of sorts. Wait...was the aroma from Melaenia instead? He looked to her in realisation, to see familiar smiling energy across her face. What appeared to be a comforted version of her shy self from earlier also held resemblance to that kind and caring smile from Lilla. Had she learnt from her? Or did he just already miss Lilla that much?

"Hey, Randithas...if you need healing, I'll happily provide it! In dire times of extensive work, soothing rest is important!" Melaenia placed both hands against his shoulders, moving them across to his chest, then to his neck. Her touch was gentle yet adamant. Having formed some basic connection with Randithas, she felt much calmer herself. Randithas emanated a faint aura of tension and uncertainty. "Tell you what...why don't you sit down against this tree? It can't be helping to remain standing! We'll um...work on clearing you of that nasty phobia of yours! Your tension isn't healthy!"

Randithas let out a brief sigh, sinking down to the ground. He sat aching against the tree, questioning his life choices. He was letting his guard down. This bee could stab him in the gut! As he descended, Melaenia caught sight of a slight bulge from his pants. She caught him at the perfect time to have her smirk go unnoticed. Containing herself, she kneeled down onto the grass beneath, diagonally in front of Randithas.

"First question..." Randithas spoke. "What exactly is stopping you from stabbing me with that giant stinger of yours?" He stared intently as he awaited the answer, Melaenia's face sinking into annoyed disappointment.

"The fact that it would cause me major physical damage. Our stingers are not meant for creatures our size and above. Seriously, how is this not common knowledge?"

"Oh, w-well it's common knowledge for small bees attacking humans, but your kind isn't really known in our settlements."

"Eh, it's fine. Guess it can't be helped..." Melaenia seemed to shrug that off easily. What a relief! Though if she's prone to major damage too, then all the more reason not to agitate her. "You're second question?"

"Ah yes, um...you mentioned healing me. How would you...do that?" Randithas quickly realised he wasn't relaxing in the slightest. Rather, Melaenia's presence seemed to energise him. This was troublesome. He couldn't rush back to Lilla in his current condition, nor could he risk consuming his gift so soon. Melaenia undoubtedly shared a similar aroma, though at this point he nothing could bring him to decline her comfort.

"Massages!" Melaenia replied, an excited smile running across her face. Did she...mean to be subtle?

"A-Alright, I trust you enough. Please do whatever you must, anything to relieve my tension!"

Melaenia could hardly contain her excitement as she gently closed the gap, straddling herself upon Randithas's waist. "First, let's get this little guy some fresh air! He looks so strangled down there!" Her hands unbuttoned his jeans, with that familiar soft yet coordinated touch. A larger than average erect cock sprung out, Melaenia gasping lightly in astonishment.

"Found what you're looking for?" teased Randithas, mildly surprised himself.

"Ah! N-N-No! I jus-, uh, here! Relax a little!" she eagerly placed both hands upon his shoulders, applying pressure around them in circular motions. Alternating between firm shoulder rubs and gently caressing his body and arms, Melaenia gazed lovingly into Randithas's eyes. She spent many minutes alternating between seemingly sucking on something in her mouth to letting out calm breaths against his face. Her breathing felt just like having sweet perfume sprayed against him. As enchanting as it all felt, 'relaxing' certainly wasn't the word.

"M-Melaenia, I...I feel no less tense...Is this really supposed to relax me...?"

"Hmm, no worries Randi!" she giggled, no less excited than before. "Let's try something else..."

Gripping Randithas's head firmly in place with both hands, Melaenia leaned in to kiss, sparing no extra seconds to push her tongue deep into his mouth. His eyes shot open in bewilderment and delight. Her tongue didn't just taste like sweet, fresh honey. A thick layer coated it! This flavour captured the beautiful essence of Lilla and transformed it into a denser, more refined indulgence! Randithas lost himself within the kiss, as plentiful doses of fresh honey were fed into him. Minutes passed before Melaenia slowly parted their lips, purely due to running out of honey to provide. A familiar thick strand connected their mouths.

As Randithas gasped and breathed sharply, Melaenia soaked her finger with saliva before pulling the strand into Randithas's gaping mouth. Her excitement hadn't faded, though mild concern toned down her smile.

"Hmm, my suspicions were correct." Melaenia spoke, not breaking eye contact. "Traces of pollen are present on your tongue."