Sir Bumble & His Dragon: The Mysterious Lights (Book 2)

 

CHAPTER ONE: THE ROAD NORTH 🛤️✨

The road to the northern village was longer than Bumble had expected.

Not that he minded. The weather was pleasant, the countryside was beautiful, and he had Sneeze for company.

Well. "Company" might be a generous word.

Bumble's sword fell out of its sheath for the third time that morning.

He stopped, picked it up, and tried to slide it back in.

It fell out again immediately.

"I really need to get this fixed," Bumble muttered.

Sneeze made a sound that might have been agreement, or possibly amusement.

Sneeze was currently twenty paces behind him, refusing to walk any further.

"Come on," Bumble called, turning back. "We've barely made it past the crossroads."

Sneeze sat down in the middle of the road and stared at him.

"We're not stopping yet," Bumble said. "We've only been walking for two hours."

Sneeze's tail swished once.

Then the dragon lay down completely, resting his chin on his front paws.

Bumble sighed and walked back. "You're not tired. You slept the entire way through breakfast."

Sneeze closed his eyes.

"Fine," Bumble said, dropping his pack beside the road. "We'll rest. But only for a little while."

Sneeze's tail wagged.

Bumble sat down beneath a large oak tree and pulled out the quest scroll, unrolling it carefully.

He'd already read it a dozen times, but he liked to be thorough.

"Strange lights in the forest near the village of Brookhollow. Villagers report glowing orbs appearing at night, moving through the trees. Odd sounds—humming, chiming, whispers. No one has been harmed, but the villagers are frightened and request investigation."

Bumble frowned thoughtfully.

Glowing orbs. Humming and chiming.

It didn't sound dangerous. But then again, the dragon hadn't sounded dangerous either, and Sneeze had nearly burned down half the village before Bumble figured out he was just nervous.

"What do you think?" Bumble asked, glancing at Sneeze. "Magical creature? Enchanted object? Lost spirit?"

Sneeze was chewing on the corner of Bumble's cloak.

"Sneeze, no—"

The dragon tugged, and Bumble heard a faint rip.

"That's my good cloak!" Bumble said, gently pulling it free.

Sneeze sneezed.

A small burst of flame shot out and singed the hem.

Bumble stared at the smoking fabric.

Then he looked at Sneeze.

Sneeze looked back, utterly unbothered.

"You did that on purpose," Bumble said.

Sneeze's tail wagged.

Bumble sighed and tucked the scroll back into his pack. "Alright. We'll rest a bit longer. But then we're walking until we reach the village, understand? No more stopping every ten minutes."

Sneeze yawned, showing all his tiny sharp teeth, and curled up in a patch of sunlight.

Bumble leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes, letting the warmth of the afternoon sun settle over him.

It was peaceful here. Quiet, except for the birds and the rustling leaves.

He thought about the mysterious lights.

He thought about the villagers, frightened in their homes.

He thought about King Aldric's words: "You have a gift for seeing things others miss. For finding the truth beneath the fear."

Bumble wasn't sure he had a gift.

He just… tried to listen. Tried to understand.

Most of the time, that seemed to be enough.

A soft thunk startled him out of his thoughts.

He opened his eyes.

Sneeze had climbed into his lap and was now sprawled across his legs, fast asleep.

Bumble looked down at the little dragon—scales glinting red-gold in the sunlight, wings tucked close, tail draped over Bumble's knee.

He smiled and carefully adjusted his position so he wouldn't wake him.

"Alright," he murmured. "We'll rest a little longer." 

 

They didn't reach the village that night.

By the time Sneeze finally agreed to keep walking, the sun was low on the horizon, and Bumble decided it was better to make camp than to arrive in the dark.

He found a clearing just off the road, built a small fire, and pulled out the magic soup spoon.

"Vegetable stew tonight," he said, holding the spoon over his bowl.

The spoon glowed faintly, and warm, hearty stew began to pour out in a steady stream.

Bumble filled his bowl, then set out a second bowl for Sneeze.

The dragon sniffed it suspiciously.

"It's the same stew as last night," Bumble said. "You liked it then."

Sneeze turned his head away.

"You're not getting anything else."

Sneeze huffed and stalked off to the other side of the fire.

Bumble ate his stew in peace, watching the stars begin to appear overhead.

It was a clear night. Beautiful and still.

He wondered if the mysterious lights were glowing somewhere in the distance, just beyond the trees.

He wondered what they were.

He wondered if they were lonely.

A soft rustling sound made him look up.

Sneeze had crept back to the fire and was now eating the stew, very quietly, as if hoping Bumble wouldn't notice.

Bumble hid his smile and pretended to be very interested in the stars.

When he glanced back a few minutes later, the bowl was empty and Sneeze was curled up by the fire, already asleep.

Bumble pulled his cloak around his shoulders—carefully avoiding the singed parts—and lay down beside the dragon.

"Goodnight, Sneeze," he whispered.

Sneeze's tail twitched once in his sleep.

Bumble closed his eyes and let the warmth of the fire and the sound of the crackling wood lull him to sleep.

Tomorrow, they would reach the village.

Tomorrow, the real adventure would begin.

CHAPTER TWO: BROOKHOLLOW 🏘️✨

They reached the village of Brookhollow just after midday.

It was a small place—maybe two dozen cottages clustered around a central square, with a mill by the stream and fields stretching out beyond the houses.

It looked peaceful.

It also looked deserted.

Bumble walked slowly through the square, his armor clinking softly with each step.

"Hello?" he called.

No answer.

Sneeze trotted ahead, sniffing at a wooden cart that had been left in the middle of the road.

"Is anyone here?" Bumble tried again. "I'm Sir Bumble. King Aldric sent me to help with the—"

A door slammed.

Bumble turned.

A shutter banged closed on one of the cottages.

Then another.

And another.

Within seconds, every door and window in the village was shut tight.

Bumble looked around at the completely deserted square.

"That's... new," he said.

His stomach growled loudly.

From behind one of the shutters, he heard a nervous gasp.

"That wasn't me!" Bumble called. "Well—it was me. But it was just my stomach. I'm hungry. Not dangerous."

Another shutter slammed.

"Right," Bumble muttered. "Very reassuring, Bumble."

Bumble stood in the middle of the empty square, confused.

"I'm here to help," he said, a little louder. "About the mysterious lights?"

Silence.

Sneeze sneezed, and a small puff of smoke drifted up from his nostrils.

One of the shutters cracked open slightly, then slammed shut again.

Bumble sighed.

He tried knocking on doors.

The first three didn't answer at all.

The fourth door opened a crack, and a nervous eye peered out at him.

"Are you here about the witch?" a woman's voice whispered.

"I'm here about the lights," Bumble said gently. "The king sent me to investigate."

"The witch's lights," the woman hissed. "She's cursed the forest. Every night, those horrible glowing things appear, and we hear her chanting and—"

"Has anyone tried talking to her?" Bumble asked.

The eye blinked. "Talking to her?"

"Yes. To ask what the lights are for?"

"She's a witch," the woman said, as if that explained everything. "You don't talk to witches. You—you send a knight to deal with them."

"Right," Bumble said. "Well, I'm a knight. And I'd like to talk to her."

The woman stared at him.

"Where does she live?" Bumble asked.

"In the forest," the woman said slowly. "Past the old stone bridge. Her cottage is deep in the trees. But you can't miss it at night—it glows like a beacon."

"Thank you," Bumble said. "That's very helpful."

The woman looked like she wanted to say something else, but then Sneeze appeared at Bumble's feet and she gasped.

"Is that a dragon?"

"This is Sneeze," Bumble said. "He's—"

Sneeze sneezed.

A burst of flame shot out and scorched the doorframe.

The woman shrieked and slammed the door.

Bumble heard the sound of a heavy bolt sliding into place.

Bumble stared at the scorched doorframe.

"Sneeze," Bumble said, exasperated. "We talked about this."

Sneeze looked up at him, tail wagging.

"You know," he said to Sneeze, "for someone who doesn't talk, you're very good at making terrible first impressions."

Sneeze's tail wagged proudly.

Bumble decided to try the tavern.

If anyone in the village would talk to him, it would be the tavern keeper.

The building was easy to find—a sturdy wooden structure with a painted sign that read The Broken Wheel.

Bumble pushed open the door.

Inside, a handful of villagers sat at tables, nursing mugs of ale. They all turned to stare at him.

The room went silent.

"Hello," Bumble said, trying to sound friendly. "I'm Sir Bumble. I'm here to—"

"We know why you're here," a gruff voice said.

A large man with a thick beard stood up from one of the tables. "You're here to get rid of the witch."

"I'm here to investigate the lights," Bumble corrected. "I haven't decided anything yet."

The man frowned. "What's there to investigate? She's a witch. She's doing witch things. That's all we need to know."

"But has she hurt anyone?" Bumble asked.

The man hesitated. "Well… no. Not yet."

"Has she threatened anyone?"

"No, but—"

"Has anyone even spoken to her?"

The tavern was silent.

"She lives alone in the forest," a woman at the bar said quietly. "She keeps to herself. We didn't even know she was there until the lights started appearing a few weeks ago."

"And you're sure she's a witch?" Bumble asked.

"She has to be," the bearded man said. "Who else would make glowing lights appear in the forest?"

"Maybe someone who needs light?" Bumble suggested.

The villagers stared at him.

Sneeze, who had been sniffing around the tavern, jumped up onto one of the tables and knocked over a mug of ale.

The mug rolled off the table.

Bumble lunged to catch it.

His gauntlet hit another mug.

That mug tipped over.

Bumble tried to catch that one too.

He missed both.

They clattered to the floor.

Ale spread across the wooden planks in a growing puddle.

"Sorry!" Bumble said quickly, rushing over.

Sneeze licked up some of the spilled ale, then sneezed.

A small flame shot out and singed the tablecloth.

The villagers scrambled back.

"He's harmless!" Bumble said, scooping Sneeze up. " He's still learning his manners! He just—he sneezes when he's nervous."

"That dragon is going to burn down the tavern," someone muttered.

"He won't," Bumble said. "I promise. We'll just—we'll go now."

He backed toward the door, Sneeze squirming in his arms.

"Good luck with the witch," the bearded man called. "You're going to need it."

Bumble stood outside the tavern, Sneeze still wriggling in his grip.

"That could have gone better," he said.

Sneeze huffed and finally stopped squirming.

Bumble set him down carefully.

"Alright," he said, looking toward the forest. "Let's go find this witch."

Sneeze's ears perked up.

Then the dragon spotted a chicken wandering through the square.

His eyes locked onto it.

His haunches wiggled.

"Sneeze, no—" Bumble started.

Sneeze pounced.

The chicken squawked and took off running, wings flapping frantically.

Sneeze chased after it, making excited chirping sounds.

"SNEEZE!" Bumble shouted, running after them both.

The chicken ran in circles around the well.

Sneeze followed, tail streaming behind him like a banner.

Bumble tried to cut them off and tripped over his own scabbard.

He caught himself on the edge of the well, breathing hard.

The chicken flew up onto a roof.

Sneeze skidded to a stop below, looking up at it with intense longing.

"We are NOT chasing chickens," Bumble said firmly, walking over and scooping up the dragon again. "We're here to investigate mysterious lights, remember?"

Sneeze made a sad sound, still staring at the chicken.

"You don't even eat chickens," Bumble said.

Sneeze huffed.

"Come on," Bumble said, adjusting his grip. "Let's go find the witch before you cause any more chaos."

Bumble adjusted his pack, checked that the soup spoon was still secure in his belt, and started walking towards the edge of the village, half-dragging the dragon along with him.

The forest loomed ahead, dark and dense.

And somewhere beyond the trees, the mysterious lights were waiting.

 

CHAPTER THREE: INTO THE FOREST 🌲🔦

The forest was darker than Bumble expected.

The trees grew close together, their branches tangling overhead and blocking out most of the sunlight. The path—if it could even be called a path—was narrow and overgrown, winding between thick roots and moss-covered stones.

Bumble walked carefully, one hand on his sword hilt out of habit.

Not that he expected to use it.

Sneeze trotted ahead, weaving between the trees with ease.

"Stay close," Bumble called. "I don't want to lose you in here."

Sneeze made a sound that was almost like a sigh—low and drawn-out, with a little huff at the end.

Bumble frowned. "What does that mean?"

Sneeze glanced back at him, then kept walking.

"I wish I knew what you were thinking," Bumble muttered.

They walked for nearly an hour before Bumble spotted the stone bridge the woman had mentioned.

It was old and narrow, arching over a small stream that burbled softly in the quiet of the forest.

Bumble stopped at the edge of the bridge and looked around.

The trees here were even thicker, their trunks wide and gnarled. Vines hung down like curtains, and the air smelled of damp earth and moss.

"The cottage should be past here," Bumble said, mostly to himself.

Sneeze was sniffing at the base of the bridge, his tail swishing back and forth.

"Do you smell something?" Bumble asked.

Sneeze made a soft chirping sound—three short notes, almost musical.

"I'll take that as a yes," Bumble said.

He crossed the bridge carefully, his boots echoing on the old stone.

On the other side, the forest opened up slightly, and Bumble could see a faint glow in the distance.

His heart quickened.

The lights.

As they walked closer, the glow grew brighter.

It wasn't harsh or blinding—it was soft and warm, like candlelight, but it seemed to come from everywhere at once.

The trees themselves were glowing.

Bumble stopped and stared.

Tiny orbs of light floated between the branches, drifting lazily through the air like fireflies. They pulsed gently, shifting from pale gold to soft blue to faint green.

They were beautiful.

"This is what the villagers are afraid of?" Bumble whispered.

Sneeze sat down beside him and made a low, rumbling sound—almost like he was agreeing.

Bumble reached out slowly, and one of the orbs drifted closer, hovering just above his hand.

It was warm.

He smiled.

"They're not dangerous," he said softly. "They're just… lights."

Sneeze huffed—a short, sharp sound that might have been exasperation.

Bumble glanced down at him. "What? You don't think they're pretty?"

Sneeze turned his head and started walking again, his tail flicking.

"Alright, alright," Bumble said, following. "Let's keep going."

The cottage appeared suddenly, nestled in a small clearing surrounded by glowing trees.

It was small and crooked, with a thatched roof and walls made of dark wood. Smoke curled up from the chimney, and warm light spilled out from the windows.

More orbs floated around the cottage, circling it like a protective barrier.

Bumble stopped at the edge of the clearing.

"Hello?" he called.

No answer.

He took a step forward.

One of the orbs zipped toward him and hovered in front of his face, pulsing brightly.

Bumble froze. "Um. Hello."

The orb bobbed up and down, then darted back toward the cottage.

Sneeze made a sound that was almost like a word—low and deliberate, with a sharp ending.

Bumble looked down at him. "Did you just say something?"

Sneeze stared at him, unblinking.

"I'm imagining things," Bumble muttered.

He walked toward the cottage, stepping carefully around the glowing orbs.

When he reached the door, he hesitated.

Then he knocked.

For a long moment, nothing happened.

Then the door flew open.

A young woman stood in the doorway, holding a wooden spoon like a weapon.

She had wild, curly hair that stuck out in every direction, and her eyes were wide and startled behind a pair of crooked spectacles.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "What do you want?"

Bumble took a step back and his foot landed on something that squeaked.

He looked down.

He'd stepped on Sneeze's tail.

Sneeze yelped and jumped forward—directly into Bumble's legs.

Bumble stumbled, arms flailing, and crashed into the doorframe.

His helmet visor slipped down over his eyes.

"I'm Sir Bumble," he said from inside the helmet, trying to push it back up. "I'm not here to hurt you. I just—"

He finally got the helmet adjusted and looked up to find the woman staring at him with a mixture of alarm and confusion.

"—I just wanted to talk," Bumble finished weakly.

"You're a knight," the woman said, her voice rising. "The villagers sent a knight?"

"They're worried about the lights," Bumble said. "I came to investigate."

"Investigate," the woman repeated flatly. "You mean you came to get rid of me."

"No!" Bumble said. "I came to understand. That's all."

The woman stared at him, the spoon still raised.

Sneeze stepped forward and made a soft, trilling sound—gentle and almost reassuring.

The woman's eyes flicked down to the dragon.

"Is that a dragon?" she asked.

"This is Sneeze," Bumble said. "He's… well, he's Sneeze."

Sneeze sat down and looked up at the woman, his tail curling neatly around his feet.

The woman lowered the spoon slightly.

"You're really not here to attack me?" she asked.

"I'm really not," Bumble said earnestly. "I promise."

The woman studied him for a long moment.

Then she sighed and stepped back, opening the door wider.

"Fine," she said. "You can come in. But if you try anything, I'm turning you into a toad."

"That's fair," Bumble said.

He stepped inside, Sneeze trotting in behind him.

The door closed softly, and the glowing orbs outside pulsed a little brighter.

 

CHAPTER FOUR: THE WITCH'S STORY 🕯️💚

The inside of the cottage was warm and cluttered.

Shelves lined every wall, crammed with jars of herbs, bundles of dried flowers, stacks of books, and odd trinkets that glowed faintly in the dim light. A fire crackled in the hearth, and a large black cat was curled up in front of it, watching them with suspicious yellow eyes.

Bumble took a step into the room.

His scabbard knocked over a stack of books.

They tumbled to the floor with a series of loud thumps.

"Sorry!" Bumble said, quickly bending to pick them up.

His elbow hit a shelf.

Three jars wobbled dangerously.

Bumble froze, one hand still reaching for the books, watching the jars teeter.

They settled back into place.

He let out a breath of relief.

The black cat made a sound that was distinctly judgmental.

The woman set the wooden spoon down on a table and turned to face Bumble.

"My name is Hazel," she said. "And before you ask—yes, I'm a witch. No, I'm not cursing anyone. And no, I don't eat children or turn people into frogs unless they really deserve it."

"That's... good to know," Bumble said. "Though I have to ask—has anyone ever really deserved it?"

Hazel considered this. "There was a tax collector once."

"What happened to him?"

"He's a very handsome frog now," Hazel said. "Lives in the pond behind the mill. Seems quite happy, actually."

Bumble wasn't entirely sure if she was joking.

"Well," Bumble said, "I didn't come here to ask if you were eating children," Bumble said.

Hazel blinked. "Then why are you here?"

"I came to ask about the lights."

Hazel's expression shifted—something between embarrassment and defensiveness.

"They're not hurting anyone," she said quickly.

"I know," Bumble said. "I saw them. They're beautiful."

Hazel stared at him. "You… think they're beautiful?"

"Yes," Bumble said. "The villagers are frightened, but I don't think they've actually looked at them. They're just glowing orbs. They're harmless."

Hazel's shoulders sagged slightly, and she sank into a chair by the fire.

"They are harmless," she said quietly. "They're just… light."

Bumble pulled out a second chair and sat down across from her.

The chair creaked ominously under his armor.

Bumble shifted his weight carefully.

The chair creaked louder.

"Should I—" Bumble started.

The chair leg snapped.

Bumble crashed to the floor with a tremendous CLANG of armor hitting wood.

Sneeze, who had been about to jump into his lap, landed on Bumble's chest plate instead and slid off with an indignant squeak.

"I'm so sorry!" Bumble said, struggling to sit up. "I'll fix it—I can fix it—"

Hazel stared at the broken chair, then at Bumble sprawled on her floor, then at Sneeze, who was glaring at Bumble like this was a personal betrayal.

"You know what," Hazel said, "just... stay on the floor. It's probably safer."

Bumble sat up, his face burning. "I'm usually better at sitting."

"I'm sure you are," Hazel said, though her lips were twitching.

Sneeze climbed back onto Bumble's lap—now that he was safely on the floor—and curled into a ball, still looking offended. 

"Why did you make the lights?" Bumble asked gently, getting back on topic.

Hazel hesitated.

Then she sighed.

"Because I'm afraid of the dark," she admitted.

Bumble blinked. "You're afraid of the dark?"

"Yes," Hazel said, her cheeks flushing. "I know. It's ridiculous. I'm a witch. I'm supposed to be mysterious and powerful and comfortable with shadows and moonlight and all of that. But I'm not. I hate the dark. I always have."

She gestured toward the window, where the glowing orbs floated outside.

"When I moved here, I thought I could handle it," she said. "The forest is quiet. Peaceful. No one bothers me. But at night, it's so dark. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't think. I kept imagining things moving in the shadows."

"So you made the lights," Bumble said.

"So I made the lights," Hazel said. "They're just a simple spell—nothing dangerous. They float around the cottage and keep the darkness away. That's all."

She looked down at her hands.

"I didn't think anyone would notice," she said. "I didn't think anyone would care. But then the villagers started talking about mysterious lights and strange magic, and I realized they thought I was doing something terrible."

"They're just scared," Bumble said. "They don't understand."

"I know," Hazel said. "But I didn't know how to explain. I thought if I told them the truth, they'd laugh at me. A witch who's afraid of the dark? It's pathetic."

"It's not pathetic," Bumble said firmly.

Hazel looked up at him, surprised.

"Everyone's afraid of something," Bumble said. "I'm afraid of disappointing people. Sneeze is afraid of thunder storms. The princess I met was afraid of being forced into a life she didn't want. Fear doesn't make you weak. It just makes you… human."

Hazel's eyes softened. "You're a very strange knight."

"I get that a lot," Bumble said, smiling.

Sneeze made a soft sound—low and warm, almost like a purr.

Hazel looked down at the dragon and smiled faintly.

"He likes you," she said.

"He tolerates me," Bumble corrected. "Most of the time."

Sneeze huffed, and a tiny puff of smoke drifted up from his nostrils.

Hazel stood and walked to the window, looking out at the glowing orbs.

"What do I do?" she asked quietly. "The villagers are afraid. I don't want to scare them. But I can't… I can't live in the dark."

Bumble thought for a moment.

"What if you talked to them?" he suggested. "Explained what the lights are for?"

Hazel shook her head. "They won't listen to me. I'm a witch. They've already decided I'm dangerous."

"Then I'll talk to them," Bumble said.

Hazel turned to look at him. "You will?"

"Of course," Bumble said. "I'll tell them the truth. That you're not a threat. That the lights are just… light. And if they still don't believe me, I'll figure something else out."

Hazel stared at him for a long moment.

Then she smiled—small and tentative, but genuine.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"You're welcome," Bumble said.

They talked for a while longer—about the forest, about the village, about magic and fear and the strange ways people misunderstand each other.

Hazel made tea, and Bumble told her about his first quest and the dragon he'd been sent to slay.

"You befriended the dragon?" Hazel said, laughing. "The villagers must have been furious."

"They were confused," Bumble said. "But they came around eventually."

Sneeze, still curled in Bumble's lap, made a sound that was almost smug.

Hazel leaned forward, studying the little dragon.

"He's very expressive," she said.

"He is," Bumble agreed. "Sometimes I think he's trying to tell me something, but I can't quite figure out what."

Sneeze opened one eye and looked at Bumble.

Then he closed it again and went back to sleep. 

 

When it was time to leave, Hazel walked them to the door.

"Will you really talk to the villagers?" she asked.

"I will," Bumble promised. "First thing tomorrow."

Hazel smiled. "Good luck. They're a stubborn bunch."

"So am I," Bumble said.

He stepped outside, Sneeze trotting at his heels.

The glowing orbs floated around them, warm and gentle in the cool night air.

Bumble turned back to Hazel.

"The lights really are beautiful," he said. "Don't let anyone make you feel bad for needing them."

Hazel's smile widened. "Thank you, Sir Bumble."

"Just Bumble," he said.

"Thank you, Bumble."

Bumble and Sneeze walked back through the forest, the glowing orbs lighting their way.

When they reached the stone bridge, Bumble stopped and looked back.

The lights were still visible in the distance, soft and steady.

"She's not dangerous," Bumble said to Sneeze. "She's just scared. And there's nothing wrong with that."

Sneeze made a low, rumbling sound—long and thoughtful, with a rising note at the end.

Bumble looked down at him. "I really wish I knew what you were saying."

Sneeze's tail swished once.

Then he started walking again, heading back toward the village.

Bumble followed, smiling to himself.

Tomorrow, he would talk to the villagers.

Tomorrow, he would help them understand.

And maybe—just maybe—Hazel wouldn't have to be afraid anymore.

 

CHAPTER FIVE: STUBBORN VILLAGERS 🏘️💬

Bumble returned to the village just after dawn.

He'd camped near the edge of the forest, not wanting to disturb the villagers in the middle of the night. Sneeze had complained about sleeping on the ground again—or at least, Bumble thought he was complaining, based on the series of grumbles and huffs—but eventually curled up by the fire and went to sleep.

Now, as the sun rose over Brookhollow, Bumble walked back into the village square with a plan.

He would gather the villagers, explain the truth about Hazel and the lights, and help them understand that there was nothing to fear.

It was a good plan.

Simple. Straightforward.

It lasted approximately five minutes.

Actually, it lasted three minutes.

Bumble had overestimated.

The first person Bumble found was the bearded man from the tavern.

He was standing outside the mill, arms crossed, watching Bumble approach with a suspicious expression.

"You're back," the man said. "Does that mean the witch is gone?"

"No," Bumble said. "But I talked to her, and—"

"You talked to her?" the man interrupted. "You were supposed to get rid of her!"

"I was supposed to investigate," Bumble said patiently. "And I did. The lights aren't dangerous. They're just—"

"Just witch magic," the man said. "Which means they're dangerous."

"They're not," Bumble said. "They're harmless. She made them because—"

"I don't care why she made them," the man said. "I want them gone. And I want her gone."

Bumble took a deep breath. "She's not hurting anyone. She's just living in the forest, minding her own business."

"Then why is she doing magic in our forest?" the man demanded.

"It's not your forest," Bumble said. "It's just… the forest."

The man's face turned red. "Are you saying we don't have a right to feel safe in our own village?"

"No," Bumble said quickly. "I'm saying you are safe. The lights aren't a threat."

"That's what you think," the man said. "But you're not the one living here. You're not the one who has to see those glowing things every night and wonder what she's planning."

"She's not planning anything," Bumble said. "She's just—"

"I've heard enough," the man said, turning away. "If you're not going to help us, then we'll deal with this ourselves."

He stalked off toward the tavern.

Bumble sighed.

He opened his mouth to call after him.

But his foot caught on a loose cobblestone.

He stumbled forward, arms windmilling.

His sword fell out of its sheath—again—and clattered across the square.

It slid to a stop at the feet of a very startled chicken.

The chicken squawked and ran away.

Sneeze, watching from a safe distance, made a sound that was absolutely dragon laughter.

Bumble retrieved his sword with as much dignity as he could manage, which was not much.

Sneeze, sitting at his feet, made a sound that was distinctly unimpressed—a low, drawn-out note with a sharp ending.

"I know," Bumble muttered. "That didn't go well."

Bumble tried again with the woman who had answered the door the day before.

She was more polite than the bearded man, but no more willing to listen.

"I'm sure you mean well, Sir Bumble," she said. "But you don't understand. We've lived here our whole lives. We know when something isn't right."

"But the lights are right," Bumble said. "They're just light. That's all."

"Magic light," the woman said. "From a witch."

"Yes, but—"

"And witches are dangerous," the woman continued. "Everyone knows that."

"Not all witches," Bumble said. "Hazel isn't dangerous. She's just—"

"You've known her for one evening," the woman said gently. "We've been living next to that forest for years. We know better than to trust magic we don't understand."

"But if you talked to her—"

"We're not going into the forest," the woman said firmly. "And we're not inviting a witch into our village. I'm sorry, Sir Bumble, but that's final."

She closed the door.

Bumble stood on the doorstep, staring at the wood.

He heard the sound of a bolt sliding into place.

Then another bolt.

Then what sounded like a chair being wedged against the door.

"I'm not dangerous either!" Bumble called through the door.

From inside, he heard a muffled "That's what they all say!"

Sneeze made a soft chirping sound—three short notes, almost sympathetic.

"Thanks," Bumble said quietly.

By midday, Bumble had spoken to nearly a dozen villagers.

None of them were willing to listen.

Some were angry. Some were polite but firm. A few were outright frightened and refused to even open their doors.

One man had thrown a cabbage at him.

Bumble wasn't sure why.

He was still holding the cabbage, actually, because it seemed rude to just drop it in the street.

Sneeze kept eyeing the cabbage with interest.

"You don't even like vegetables," Bumble said.

Sneeze made a sound that suggested he might make an exception for a cabbage that had been weaponized.

 

Bumble sat on the edge of the village well, his head in his hands.

"I don't know what to do," he said to Sneeze. "They won't listen. They've already decided she's dangerous, and nothing I say is going to change their minds..."

A small child walked past, saw Bumble sitting there looking defeated, and offered him a slightly squashed biscuit.

"You look sad," the child said. "Here!"

"Thank you," Bumble said, taking the biscuit the child held in front of his nose. "That's very kind."

The child nodded seriously. "My mum says knights are supposed to be brave and strong. But you look like you need a biscuit."

"I did need a biscuit," Bumble said. "Thank you."

The child patted his arm and wandered off.

Bumble looked down at the squashed biscuit in his hand.

Sneeze looked at it too.

"We're sharing this," Bumble said.

Sneeze's tail wagged.

Sneeze hopped up onto the edge of the well and sat beside him, munching his piece of the biscuit.

He made a low, rumbling sound—long and thoughtful, with a questioning note at the end.

Bumble looked at him. "What would you do?"

Sneeze tilted his head, then made another sound—short and decisive.

"I don't know what that means," Bumble said, frustrated. "I really wish I could understand you."

Sneeze stared at him for a long moment.

Then he hopped down from the well and trotted toward the edge of the village.

"Where are you going?" Bumble called.

Sneeze glanced back, made a sharp chirping sound, and kept walking.

Bumble sighed and stood up. "Alright. I'm coming."

Sneeze led him back to the forest.

Not to Hazel's cottage, but to the edge of the trees, where the glowing orbs were just barely visible in the daylight.

Sneeze sat down and looked up at Bumble expectantly.

"What?" Bumble asked.

Sneeze made a soft trilling sound and flicked his tail toward the orbs.

Bumble frowned. "You want me to… look at the lights?"

Sneeze huffed.

Bumble stepped closer to the trees, studying the orbs.

They floated gently between the branches, pulsing with soft, warm light.

They were beautiful.

And they were visible.

Even in the daylight, even from the village, you could see them if you looked.

Bumble's eyes widened.

"That's it," he said slowly. "The villagers are afraid because they don't understand. But if they could see the lights—really see them, up close—maybe they'd realize there's nothing to be afraid of."

Sneeze made a sound that was almost approving—a low, warm rumble.

Bumble grinned. "You're brilliant!"

Sneeze's tail wagged.

"Now I just have to convince them to come look," Bumble said.

Sneeze's tail stopped wagging.

He made a sound that was distinctly skeptical.

"I know," Bumble said. "But it's worth a try."

 

Bumble walked back to the village square and climbed up onto the edge of the well.

"Excuse me!" he called. "Can I have everyone's attention?"

A few shutters opened. A few villagers poked their heads out of doorways.

The bearded man emerged from the tavern, scowling.

"What now?" he called.

"I know you're afraid of the lights," Bumble said. "And I know you don't trust the witch. But I'm asking you—just once—to come with me and see the lights for yourselves."

"Why would we do that?" someone shouted.

"Because you deserve to know the truth," Bumble said. "You deserve to see what you're actually afraid of. And if you still think the lights are dangerous after you've seen them, then… then I'll figure out another solution. But please. Just give them a chance."

The villagers murmured among themselves.

The bearded man crossed his arms. "And what if it's a trap? What if the witch is waiting to curse us?"

"She's not," Bumble said. "I promise. She doesn't even know I'm asking you to come. This is my idea, not hers."

The murmuring grew louder.

Finally, the woman from earlier stepped forward.

"I'll go," she said quietly.

The bearded man turned to her. "Are you mad?"

"He's right," the woman said. "We should see for ourselves. If we're going to be afraid, we should at least know why."

Another villager stepped forward. Then another.

Slowly, reluctantly, a small group began to form.

The bearded man shook his head. "This is a mistake."

But he joined the group anyway.

Bumble led them into the forest, Sneeze trotting at the front of the line like a tiny, grumpy guide.

The villagers walked in silence, their eyes darting nervously between the trees.

When they reached the glowing orbs, Bumble stopped and stepped aside.

"There," he said quietly. "That's what you've been afraid of."

The villagers stared.

The orbs floated gently through the air, pulsing with soft, warm light. They drifted between the trees like lazy fireflies, casting gentle shadows on the forest floor.

One of the orbs floated closer, hovering in front of the woman who had agreed to come.

She reached out slowly, her hand trembling.

The orb brushed against her fingers, warm and soft.

She gasped.

"It's… it's just light," she whispered.

"That's all it is," Bumble said. "Just light."

The bearded man stepped forward, frowning. "But… why? Why would a witch make something like this?"

"Because she's afraid of the dark," Bumble said simply.

The villagers turned to look at him.

"She's... afraid?" the woman asked.

"Yes," Bumble said. "Just like you're afraid of her. She made the lights so she wouldn't have to be alone in the darkness. That's all."

The villagers were silent.

Then, slowly, the bearded man's expression softened.

"A witch who's afraid of the dark," he muttered. "That's… that's ridiculous."

"It's human," Bumble said.

The man looked at him for a long moment.

Then he sighed. "Alright. Maybe… maybe we were wrong."

 

CHAPTER SIX: UNDERSTANDING 🤝✨

The villagers didn't all go to meet Hazel.

But a few of them did.

Four people, to be exact.

Which was better than zero, Bumble told himself.

Significantly better than zero.

The woman who had touched the light orb. A young man who admitted he'd always been curious about magic. And, reluctantly, the bearded man—whose name, Bumble learned, was Thomas- who admitted he too was afraid of the dark.

Hazel was nervous when she opened the door and saw them standing there.

But Bumble introduced everyone, and the woman smiled and said, "We're sorry we were afraid. We didn't understand."

Hazel blinked, surprised. "You're… not angry?"

"We were," Thomas admitted gruffly. "But the knight here made us see sense."

"I mostly just talked," Bumble said modestly.

"You brought a glowing orb into the tavern," Thomas said. "And then you tripped over a stool and dropped it, and it bounced around the room like a very cheerful ball."

"That... did happen," Bumble admitted.

"It was hard to stay afraid of something that was clearly having fun," the woman added.

Bumble wasn't sure if that was a compliment or not.

Thomas continued. "The lights are… well, they're actually quite nice. My daughter would probably love them."

Hazel's face lit up. "Really?"

"Really," the woman said. "And if you ever need anything from the village—supplies, company, anything—you're welcome to visit."

Hazel looked like she might cry. "Thank you."

By the time Bumble and Sneeze left Brookhollow the next morning, the villagers were waving goodbye from the square.

Hazel had given Bumble a small gift—a glass vial filled with glowing light.

"For when you need it," she'd said, pressing it into his hand. "It'll never go out." Hazel smiled, "Try not to drop this one." 

"I make no promises," Bumble said honestly.

Hazel laughed. "I like you, Sir Bumble. You're very... earnest."

"That's a nice way of saying clumsy," Bumble said.

"I was trying to be polite," Hazel said.

Sneeze made a sound that clearly meant she's not wrong.

Bumble tucked the light carefully into his pack, next to the magic soup spoon and his ribbon.

"Another quest complete," he said to Sneeze as they walked down the road. "And no one got turned into a toad."

Sneeze made a sound that might have been approval.

Bumble grinned. "I'm getting better at this."

Sneeze sneezed, and Bumble's left eyebrow vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Or not," Bumble sighed.

Bumble patted his face, feeling for the missing eyebrow.

"Both of them this time?" he asked hopefully.

Sneeze shook his head.

"So I'm going to look lopsided for a week."

Sneeze's tail wagged.

"You're doing this on purpose now, aren't you?"

Sneeze made a sound that was absolutely yes.

Three days later, they stopped at a crossroads.

Bumble pulled out his map, studying the roads that branched off in different directions.

"We could head back to the castle," he said thoughtfully. "Report to the king. Or…"

He looked down one of the roads, where a hand-painted sign read: Thornhill Village - 2 days' walk.

Someone had scrawled beneath it: HELP WANTED - URGENT.

Bumble's curiosity sparked.

"What do you think?" he asked Sneeze. "Should we see what they need help with?"

Sneeze looked at the sign, then at Bumble.

He made a long, elaborate sound—rising and falling, with what almost sounded like actual syllables in the middle.

Bumble stared at him. "That… that almost sounded like 'why not.'"

Sneeze's tail swished.

"I'm definitely imagining things," Bumble muttered.

But he turned down the road toward Thornhill anyway, Sneeze trotting beside him.

Whatever was waiting for them there, Bumble was ready.

Well. Mostly ready.

Bumble had checked his reflection in a stream that morning and immediately regretted it.

He looked like he was permanently surprised on one side of his face.

Sneeze thought it was hilarious.

Bumble was considering keeping his visor down, but knew he would only trip over his own feet, and possibly anything else.

 

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE GINGERBREAD HOUSE 🍬🏠

Thornhill was larger than Brookhollow, but not by much.

The village sat in a valley surrounded by rolling hills and dense forest. Smoke curled up from chimneys, and Bumble could hear the sound of a blacksmith's hammer ringing in the distance.

It looked peaceful. 

 

But the moment Bumble and Sneeze walked into the village square, a woman rushed up to them.

"Are you the knight?" she asked breathlessly.

Bumble blinked. "I'm a knight. Sir Bumble. Did someone send for me?"

"Well, you're wearing armor and carrying a sword," the woman said. "So I assumed."

"Fair point," Bumble said.

His sword chose that moment to fall out of its sheath.

The woman jumped back.

"It does that," Bumble said, picking it up. "It's not a threat. Just... poorly attached."

The woman paused, and eyed Bumble as if she were considering something.

"Even so," she said after a moment, "Thank goodness you're here- we need help. There's a witch in the forest, and she's luring children to her house."

Bumble's stomach sank. "Has anyone been hurt?"

"Not yet," the woman said. "But it's only a matter of time. The house is made of gingerbread and candy. What kind of person builds a house like that if not to trap children?"

"Maybe someone who really likes candy?" Bumble suggested.

The woman stared at him. "It's a witch, Sir Knight. A dangerous one."

Sneeze, sitting at Bumble's feet, made a sound that was distinctly skeptical—a low, drawn-out note with a sharp huff at the end.

Bumble looked down at him. "I know. This sounds familiar."

The woman led Bumble to the village tavern, where a small crowd had gathered.

A man with flour-dusted hands—the baker, Bumble guessed—was speaking loudly to the group.

"My son wandered into the forest yesterday," he said. "He came back an hour later with pockets full of candy and said he'd been to the gingerbread house. He said a 'nice little person' gave him cookies."

"How many cookies?" Bumble asked.

The baker blinked. "What?"

"How many cookies did they give him?"

"I... I don't know. Four? Five?"

"That's a very reasonable amount of cookies," Bumble said. "Not really a trap-sized amount."

The crowd stared at him.

"What's a trap-sized amount of cookies?" someone asked.

"I don't know," Bumble admitted. "But I feel like it would be more than five."

"A nice little person," someone repeated nervously, ignoring Bumble and the cookie discussion entirely. "That's what witches do. They lure you in with kindness, and then—"

"And then what?" Bumble asked, stepping forward.

The crowd turned to look at him.

"And then they eat you!" the baker said grimly.

"Did your son get eaten?" Bumble asked.

"Well… no," the baker admitted. "But he could have been!"

"But he wasn't," Bumble said. "He came home safe. With cookies."

"That's how it starts," a woman said. "First the cookies. Then into the oven."

Bumble sighed. "Has anyone actually talked to this person? Asked them why they built a candy house?"

The crowd exchanged uneasy glances.

"You don't talk to witches," someone muttered.

"Right," Bumble said. "Of course not."

Sneeze made a sound that might have been a sigh.

Bumble left the tavern and walked to the edge of the village, where the forest began.

"Another misunderstood person living alone in the woods," he said to Sneeze. "Why does this keep happening?"

Sneeze chirped—three short, musical notes.

"I don't know what that means," Bumble said. "But I'm going to assume you agree with me."

Sneeze's tail swished.

Bumble looked into the forest, where the trees grew thick and dark.

Somewhere in there was a house made of gingerbread and candy.

And somewhere in that house was someone who probably just wanted to be left alone.

"Alright," Bumble said, adjusting his pack. "Let's go meet this 'witch.'"

The path into the forest was narrow and winding, but it wasn't hard to follow.

Mostly because there were candy wrappers scattered along the ground.

"Someone's been here recently," Bumble said, picking up a brightly colored wrapper. "Probably the baker's son."

Sneeze sniffed at the wrapper, then sneezed.

A small burst of flame shot out and incinerated it.

"Sneeze!" Bumble yelped, dropping the flaming paper and stamping it out. "We talked about this!"

Sneeze looked entirely unbothered.

Bumble sighed and kept walking. 

He made it another ten steps before he walked directly into a low-hanging branch.

His helmet rang like a bell.

"Ow," Bumble said, rubbing his head.

Sneeze, walking ahead, didn't even look back.

"You could warn me about these things," Bumble called after him.

Sneeze's tail swished in a way that clearly meant 'not my job'.

 

The smell hit him first.

Sweet. Warm. Like fresh-baked cookies and caramel and sugar.

Bumble's stomach rumbled.

Very loudly.

Embarrassingly loudly.

Sneeze looked up at him.

"I skipped breakfast," Bumble said defensively.

Sneeze made a sound that suggested this was poor planning.

"I was in a hurry!" Bumble said.

His stomach rumbled again, even louder.

From somewhere in the distance, a bird took flight, startled.

He rounded a bend in the path, and there it was.

The gingerbread house.

It sat in a small clearing, surrounded by wildflowers and dappled sunlight. The walls were made of golden-brown gingerbread, decorated with swirls of white icing. The roof was tiled with peppermint candies, and the windows were framed with candy canes. Gumdrops lined the path to the front door, and a little fence made of pretzel sticks surrounded the whole thing.

It was the most delicious-looking house Bumble had ever seen.

Sneeze's eyes went wide.

"Don't even think about it," Bumble said quickly.

Sneeze took a step towards the house.

"Sneeze, no—"

Sneeze darted forward and bit off one of the gumdrops from the path.

"SNEEZE!"

Bumble lunged forward to stop him.

His foot caught on a pretzel stick from the fence.

He stumbled, arms flailing.

His hand grabbed for support and caught the edge of the gingerbread wall.

A piece of icing broke off in his hand.

Bumble froze, staring at the icing.

Then at the small chunk of gingerbread wall that had come with it.

"Oh no," he whispered.

The front door flew open.

A small figure stood in the doorway, hands on their hips.

"Excuse me!" a high, indignant voice called. "That is my gumdrop!"

The figure stepped into the sunlight, and Bumble got his first good look.

They were small—no taller than Bumble's knee—with brown skin, wild curly hair, and large, expressive eyes. They wore a neat little apron over a simple tunic, and their tiny hands were dusted with flour.

They looked at Sneeze, who had gumdrop crumbs on his snout.

Then they looked at Bumble, who was still holding a piece of their wall.

Their eyes narrowed.

"You're eating my HOUSE?" they shrieked.

"It was an accident!" Bumble said quickly, holding up the gingerbread piece. "I was trying to stop the dragon from eating your house, and I grabbed the wall, and it just—it came off—I'm so sorry—"

"You broke my shutter!" the small person said, pointing at the damaged wall.

"I'll fix it!" Bumble said desperately. "I promise! I'm very good at fixing things!"

This was a lie.

Bumble was terrible at fixing things.

Sneeze made a sound that clearly meant you are absolutely not good at fixing things.

The homeowner looked furious.

"Do you have any idea how long it takes to make gumdrops?" the small person demanded, marching down the path toward Sneeze. "Do you?"

Sneeze swallowed the gumdrop and licked his lips.

The small person gasped. "You—you ate it!"

"I'm so sorry," Bumble said quickly, stepping forward. "He didn't mean to—well, he did mean to, but he doesn't understand that it's rude to eat someone's house."

The small person turned to glare at Bumble. "And who are you?"

"I'm Sir Bumble," Bumble said. "I'm a knight. The villagers sent me to—"

"To get rid of me," the small person said flatly. "I know. They think I'm a witch."

"Are you?" Bumble asked.

"No!" the small person said. "I'm a brownie. There's a difference!"

"I don't know what that is," Bumble admitted.

The brownie stared at him. "You don't—how do you not know what a brownie is?"

"I'm still learning," Bumble said earnestly. "But I'd like to understand. Can you explain?"

The brownie's expression softened slightly. "You… you really want to know?"

"Yes," Bumble said. "Please."

The brownie studied him for a long moment.

Then they sighed. "Fine. Come inside. But keep that dragon away from my walls."

 

CHAPTER EIGHT: BROWNIES 🍪✨ 

 

The inside of the gingerbread house was even more impressive than the outside.

Everything was made of candy, cookies, and cake.

The walls were gingerbread, reinforced with thick layers of royal icing. The furniture was carved from solid blocks of fudge and chocolate. The curtains were spun sugar, delicate and shimmering in the light. Even the floor was tiled with squares of caramel.

And it was spotless.

Not a crumb out of place. Not a single sticky fingerprint on the walls.

Bumble stood in the doorway, trying very hard not to step on anything.

"Come in, come in," the brownie said impatiently, waving him forward. "You're letting the heat out."

Bumble stepped inside carefully, his boots sticking slightly to the caramel floor.

Stick. Step. Stick. Step.

Each footstep made a soft squelching sound.

Bumble tried to walk more carefully.

STICK. STEP. STICK. STEP.

It got louder.

The brownie turned to look at him.

"Sorry," Bumble said. "My boots are—"

He tried to lift his foot.

It stayed stuck to the floor.

He pulled harder.

His boot came free with a loud SCHLOOP.

He stumbled forward and caught himself on the wall.

A piece of icing moulding cracked under his hand.

The brownie's eye twitched.

"I'm just going to... stand very still," Bumble said.

"Good idea," the brownie said tightly.

Sneeze trotted in behind him and immediately started sniffing everything.

"Keep that dragon away from my table," the brownie said sharply.

"Sneeze, sit," Bumble said.

Sneeze ignored him and started licking the leg of a fudge chair.

"SNEEZE!"

The brownie sighed and snapped their fingers.

A gust of wind swept through the room, and Sneeze was suddenly lifted off the ground and deposited firmly in the corner, away from all the furniture.

Sneeze sat in the corner, looking deeply offended.

He made a long, elaborate sound—rising and falling, with what sounded like actual complaints in the middle.

"I don't care," the brownie said without looking at him. "You licked my furniture."

Sneeze huffed and turned his back to the room.

"Is he sulking?" the brownie asked.

"He's definitely sulking," Bumble confirmed.

Sneeze made an indignant squawking sound.

"So, you know Magic?" Bumble asked.

"A little," the brownie said. "Brownies aren't witches, but we have our own kind of magic. Household magic. Cleaning, mending, organizing. That sort of thing."

"That's amazing," Bumble said.

The brownie looked pleased despite themselves. "It's useful. Now sit. I'll make tea."

Bumble sat down carefully on a chair made of chocolate—it was surprisingly sturdy—and watched as the brownie bustled around the small kitchen.

They moved with quick, efficient motions, pulling out a teapot made of hard candy and filling it with water from a pitcher. A small fire flickered to life in the hearth—also made of candy, though Bumble had no idea how that worked or what kind it might be—and the brownie set the teapot on to boil.

"So," Bumble said. "You're a brownie. What exactly does that mean?"

The brownie glanced at him. "You really don't know?"

"I really don't," Bumble admitted. "I'm still learning about… well, everything."

The brownie softened slightly. "Alright. Brownies are household spirits. We live in people's homes—usually without them knowing—and we help with chores. Cleaning, mending, cooking. In exchange, people leave out offerings. Milk and honey. Sweet cakes. That sort of thing."

"That sounds lovely," Bumble said.

"It is," the brownie said. "Or it was. Until I got tired of living in other people's houses."

"Why?" Bumble asked.

The brownie poured the tea into two tiny cups—one for Bumble, one for themselves—and sat down across from him.

"Because people are messy," they said. "And ungrateful. I spent years cleaning up after a family in a village to the south. Every night, I'd tidy their kitchen, mend their clothes, organize their pantry. And every morning, they'd make a mess all over again."

The brownie took a sip of tea, their expression sour.

"And they never left proper offerings," they continued. "Stale bread. Watered-down milk. Once, they left me a half-eaten apple. A half-eaten apple."

With bite marks?" Bumble asked, horrified.

"With bite marks," the brownie confirmed.

"That's not an offering," Bumble said. "That's garbage."

"THANK YOU," the brownie said, gesturing emphatically. "That's what I said! But did they listen? No! The next night, they left me an apple core."

"Just the core?"

"Just. The. Core."

Bumble shook his head. "You were right to leave."

The brownie looked vindicated. "Finally, someone understands."

"That's terrible," Bumble said nodding sympathetically.

"It was insulting," the brownie said. "So I left. I decided I was going to build my own house. A house where everything would be exactly the way I wanted it. Clean. Organized. And made entirely of my favorite things."

They gestured around the room.

"Candy," Bumble said.

"Candy," the brownie agreed. "I love candy. Always have. So I built a house out of it. It's perfect. No one to mess it up. No one to leave me stale bread."

Bumble nodded slowly, trying to process all of this.

His stomach rumbled.

He glanced at the fudge table, the gingerbread walls, the caramel floor.

"Mmm," he mumbled under his breath. "Warm brownies and milk..."

The brownie stopped mid-sip and stared at him.

Bumble's face went red. "I—I didn't mean—I wasn't trying to—"

The brownie blinked.

Then, slowly, a smile spread across their face.

"Huh," they said. "I never thought of that before."

They set down their teacup, looking genuinely amused.

"That's actually a pretty good joke."

Bumble let out a breath. "I'm glad you think so. It just sort of slipped out. Brownies and cookies and candy. I was worried I'd offended you."

"You didn't," the brownie said. "You're the first person who's come here and actually talked to me instead of running away screaming. I'll allow one bad joke."

Bumble 's stomach grumbled again.

From the corner, Sneeze made a sound that was suspiciously like a snicker.

Sneeze was still facing the corner, but his shoulders were shaking.

"I can see you laughing," Bumble said.

Sneeze's tail wagged.

"You're supposed to be on my side," Bumble said.

Sneeze made a sound that clearly meant this is too funny to take sides.

The brownie shot him a look. "And you can stop laughing. You ate my gumdrop."

Sneeze's tail swished, entirely unrepentant.

Bumble took a sip of his tea—it was sweet and warm and tasted faintly of peppermint—and looked at the brownie.

"The villagers think you're trying to lure children here," he said gently. "They're afraid."

The brownie's expression darkened. "I'm not luring anyone. Children keep wandering into the forest and finding my house. What am I supposed to do? Chase them away? They're just curious."

"So you give them cookies," Bumble said.

"Of course I give them cookies," the brownie said. "I'm not a monster. They come all the way out here, they might as well have a snack before they go home."

"That's very kind," Bumble said.

"It's common decency," the brownie said. "But apparently, giving children cookies makes me a witch who wants to eat them. Which is ridiculous. I'm a brownie. We don't eat people. We eat candy."

Bumble smiled. "I believe you."

The brownie looked at him, surprised. "You do?"

"Of course," Bumble said. "You're not dangerous. You're just someone who wanted a home of your own. There's nothing wrong with that."

The brownie's eyes softened.

"Thank you," they said quietly.

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, sipping their tea.

Then Bumble frowned thoughtfully.

"The villagers are still going to be afraid," he said. "Even if I tell them you're harmless. They've already decided you're a threat."

"I know," the brownie said, their shoulders sagging. "That's why I've been staying out here. I don't want to cause trouble. I just want to be left alone."

Bumble thought for a moment.

"What if we showed them?" he said. "What if we invited them here? Let them see the house, meet you, understand that you're not dangerous?"

The brownie looked skeptical. "You think they'd come?"

"I think some of them would," Bumble said. "Especially if I explained. And once they see that you're just… you, maybe they'll stop being afraid."

The brownie hesitated.

"I don't know," they said. "What if they try to destroy my house? What if they—"

"They won't," Bumble said firmly. "I'll make sure of it. I promise."

The brownie studied him for a long moment.

Then they sighed.

"Alright," they said. "But if anyone tries to eat my walls, I'm turning them into a toad."

"That's fair," Bumble said.

A loud crunch echoed through the room.

Bumble and the brownie turned.

Sneeze had somehow escaped the corner and was now chewing on the edge of the fudge table.

"SNEEZE!" Bumble shouted.

The brownie snapped their fingers, and Sneeze was lifted into the air again, a chunk of fudge still in his mouth.

"Out," the brownie said, pointing toward the door. "Both of you. Before that dragon eats my entire house."

"I'm so sorry," Bumble said, standing quickly. "I'll pay for the damages—"

"Just go," the brownie said, though they were smiling slightly. "And come back tomorrow with the villagers. We'll see if they're brave enough to face the 'terrifying witch.'"

Bumble grinned. "Thank you. I promise this will work."

"We'll see," the brownie said.

Bumble and Sneeze left the gingerbread house, Sneeze still chewing happily on his stolen fudge.

As they walked back through the forest, Bumble looked down at the little dragon.

"You're going to get us in trouble one of these days," he said.

Sneeze swallowed the fudge and made a sound that was almost smug—a low, satisfied rumble.

Bumble shook his head, smiling.

"Come on," he said. "We've got villagers to convince."

 

CHAPTER NINE: MOVING ON 🛤️🍅

Bumble did convince the villagers to visit the brownie.

It took some coaxing—and the baker's son enthusiastically vouching for the "nice little person who gave him cookies"—but eventually, a small group agreed to walk into the forest with him.

The brownie was nervous but polite. They served tea and cookies (from a batch they'd made specifically for guests, not from the house itself). The villagers were wary at first, but by the time they left, most of them were smiling.

The baker even promised to leave proper offerings at the edge of the forest—fresh bread and honey, delivered weekly.

The brownie had looked so pleased they'd nearly cried.

They had also fixed the shutter Bumble had broken.

Well, "fixed" was generous.

They'd glued the broken piece back on with royal icing and added extra gumdrops "for structural support."

It looked slightly lopsided now, but the brownie seemed proud of it.

Bumble had decided not to mention the lopsidedness.

Two days later, Bumble and Sneeze were back on the road.

The brownie had sent them off with gifts that morning.

For Bumble: a small cloth bag filled with an assortment of candies—peppermints, caramels, chocolate drops, and crystallized ginger.

"For the road," the brownie had said. "Proper adventuring supplies."

For Sneeze: a single piece of fudge, which he'd eaten immediately.

Then Sneeze had looked at the brownie expectantly, clearly hoping for more.

The brownie had crossed their arms. "You ate my gumdrop. You're lucky you got one piece."

Sneeze had made a sad, pleading sound.

"No," the brownie said firmly.

Sneeze's eyes got bigger.

"I said no."

Sneeze's lower lip trembled.

"That doesn't work on me," the brownie said. "I invented that look."

Sneeze had given up and sulked for the next ten minutes.

Bumble had tucked the bag into his pack alongside the magic soup spoon, his ribbon, and Hazel's glowing vial of light.

He had no idea what he'd need a bag of candy for, but he'd learned not to question the gifts people gave him.

They always seemed to matter eventually.

The morning was bright and clear, and Bumble felt good. Two quests completed. Two misunderstandings resolved. No one turned into a toad.

Well, probably no one.

Bumble still wasn't entirely sure about that tax collector Hazel had mentioned.

He made a mental note to check the pond behind the mill next time he was in Brookhollow.

He was getting better at this.

Sneeze trotted beside him, tail swishing contentedly. His scales glinted red-gold in the sunlight, and for once, he hadn't set anything on fire all morning.

Bumble checked his eyebrows in his helmet's reflection.

Still lopsided.

The left one was growing back, but slowly.

He sighed and put his helmet back on.

"Maybe I'll start a trend. Asymmetrical eyebrows. Very fashionable."

Sneeze made a sound that suggested this was not going to be a trend.

"Where should we go next?" Bumble asked, pulling out his map and trying to change the subject.

Sneeze made a low sound—thoughtful and drawn-out.

Bumble glanced down at him. "What do you think?"

Sneeze looked ahead, down the road that stretched toward the horizon.

Bumble followed his gaze.

And that's when he saw it.

In the distance, rising above the trees like a massive green tower, was the biggest plant Bumble had ever seen.

It wasn't a beanstalk.

It was a tomato plant.

The stalk was as thick as a tree trunk, winding up and up and up until it disappeared into the clouds. Enormous leaves sprouted from the sides, each one the size of a wagon. And hanging from the vines, visible even from this distance, were tomatoes the size of houses.

Bumble stopped walking and stared.

"That's… that's not normal," he said.

Sneeze sat down and made a sound that clearly meant obviously.

"Is it supposed to do that?" Bumble asked, watching as one of the enormous tomatoes swayed gently in the breeze.

Sneeze tilted his head, considering.

Then he made a sound that clearly meant absolutely not.

"Right," Bumble said. "So we agree. Not normal."

Another tomato, even larger than the first, shifted on its vine.

It was roughly the size of a cottage.

"That's a lot of tomato," Bumble said.

Sneeze made a sound that might have been agreement, or possibly concern about the structural integrity of the vine.

Bumble's mind raced.

A giant plant. Growing up into the clouds.

He'd heard the stories. Everyone had.

Giants lived in the clouds. They had castles up there, filled with treasure—golden harps, magic beans, enchanted geese that laid golden eggs.

And giants were dangerous.

His heart quickened.

What if there were people up there who needed help? Prisoners in the giant's castle? Someone trapped, waiting to be rescued?

He thought of the princess in the tower, who hadn't wanted rescuing at all.

But still.

What if someone did need help this time?

"We should investigate," Bumble said, already adjusting his pack.

Sneeze made a sound that was distinctly reluctant—a long, low grumble with a questioning note at the end.

"I know we just finished a quest," Bumble said. "But look at it, Sneeze. It's huge. Something's going on up there. We have to check."

Sneeze sighed—an actual, audible sigh.

Then he stood up and started walking toward the giant tomato plant.

Bumble grinned and followed.

Adventure was calling.

And this time, he was ready.

CHAPTER TEN: THE CLIMB 🍅⬆️

The tomato plant was even more massive up close.

The stalk was wider than Bumble was tall, its surface rough and ridged like tree bark. Thick vines twisted around it, spiraling upward into the clouds. The leaves were enormous—each one big enough to use as a tent—and the tomatoes hanging from the vines were the size of cottages, bright red and gleaming in the sunlight.

Bumble stood at the base of the plant, craning his neck to look up.

He craned so far back that his helmet slipped down over his eyes.

He pushed it back up.

It slipped down again.

"Right," Bumble said, taking off the helmet and tucking it under his arm. "That's not going to work for climbing."

He looked up again. He couldn't see the top. Despite it's massive size he had already made up his mind.

"Alright," he said, mostly to himself. "I just need to climb up there, see if anyone needs help, and climb back down. Simple."

Sneeze, sitting beside him, made a sound that was deeply skeptical.

"I've climbed things before," Bumble said defensively.

Sneeze tilted his head and made another sound—a short, sharp note that clearly meant when?

"Well… I tried to climb the tower to rescue the princess," Bumble said.

Sneeze's tail swished.

"I got stuck halfway up and fell flat on my back," Bumble admitted. "But I tried. That counts for something."

Sneeze made a sound that might have been a snort.

Bumble adjusted his armor, tightened the straps on his pack, and reached for the nearest vine.

It was thick and sturdy, covered in tiny hairs that made it easier to grip.

"Here we go," he said.

He pulled himself up.

His armor clanked loudly.

He made it approximately three feet before his boot slipped and he slid back down, landing in an undignified heap at the base of the plant.

Sneeze made a sound that was definitely amused.

Sneeze walked over and sniffed at Bumble, who was sprawled on the ground.

"I'm fine," Bumble said, standing up and brushing himself off. "Just… need to find better footing."

Sneeze sneezed.

A small puff of flame singed Bumble's remaining eyebrow.

"SNEEZE!" Bumble yelped, patting his face. "I just got that one back!"

Sneeze's tail wagged innocently.

"You did that on purpose," Bumble accused.

Sneeze made a sound that absolutely confirmed this.

Bumble groaned, and then he tried again.

This time, he made it five feet before his gauntlet slipped and he tumbled back down.

Sneeze was now making a sound that was suspiciously like laughter—a series of short, chirping notes.

"You're not helping," Bumble muttered.

On his third attempt, Bumble managed to climb nearly ten feet before his cloak got caught on a vine and yanked him backward.

He dangled upside down for a moment, his cloak twisted around the vine, before the fabric tore and he dropped to the ground with a thud. Bumble lay on the ground, staring up at the sky, his torn cloak spread out beneath him like a sad, singed blanket.

"I'm starting to think," he said to no one in particular, "that I'm not very good at this."

Sneeze was rolling on his back, all four legs in the air, making sounds that were unmistakably dragon laughter.

"I'm glad you're enjoying this," Bumble said, sitting up and rubbing his head

Sneeze walked over, after recovering from his bought of laughter, and stared down at him.

"Don't say it," Bumble said.

Sneeze made a sound anyway—as if he were saying, 'I knew this was a bad idea.'

Even so, Sir Bumble was determined to take on this quest. He looked up at the giant plant again, then down at his armor.

"Maybe I should take some of this off," he said thoughtfully.

Sneeze tilted his head.

Bumble unbuckled his chest plate and set it carefully on the ground. Then his gauntlets. Then his greaves.

He kept his sword—just in case—but left the rest of the armor in a neat pile at the base of the plant.

"There," he said, rolling his shoulders. "Much lighter."

He took one step toward the vine.

His sword, no longer balanced by the weight of his armor, swung wildly and smacked him in the shin.

"Ow!" Bumble hopped on one foot, clutching his leg.

Sneeze made a wheezing sound.

"This is a very serious quest," Bumble said, glaring at the dragon. "Stop laughing."

Sneeze did not stop laughing.

 

Bumble reached for the vine again.

This time, he made it twenty feet before he had to stop and catch his breath.

Climbing the tomato plant was exhausting.

The vine was sturdy, but it swayed slightly with every movement, and Bumble had to grip tightly to keep from slipping. His arms ached. His legs burned. And he was only—he looked down—maybe a hundred feet off the ground.

Also, he was pretty sure a bird had nested in his hair.

He'd felt something land on his head about twenty feet ago, and now there was definitely rustling happening up there.

He didn't want to let go of the vine to check.

The bird could stay for now.

The clouds were still impossibly far above him.

"This is going to take a while," he muttered.

Sneeze, who had been watching from the ground, suddenly spread his wings and launched himself into the air.

He flew up past Bumble in a blur of red-gold scales, circled once, and landed on a massive tomato leaf about fifty feet above.

He looked down at Bumble and made a sound that was clearly smug.

"Show-off," Bumble called.

Sneeze wagged his tail.

"You have wings!" Bumble called up to him. "This isn't a fair comparison!"

Sneeze stretched his wings out and made a sound that clearly meant not my problem.

"When we get down from here," Bumble panted, "we're having a serious talk about teamwork."

Sneeze yawned.

Bumble climbed.

And climbed.

And climbed.

His hands were blistered. His tunic was soaked with sweat. And he was pretty sure he'd pulled a muscle in his shoulder.

But he kept going.

Sneeze flew ahead, landing on leaves and vines to wait for Bumble to catch up. Every time Bumble reached him, the dragon would take off again, always staying just out of reach.

"You could help, you know," Bumble panted.

Sneeze made a sound that clearly meant I am helping. I'm motivating you.

"That's not what you're doing," Bumble muttered.

But he kept climbing.

At one point, Bumble's hand slipped and he grabbed wildly for the nearest thing.

Which turned out to be a tomato.

His fingers sank into the soft, ripe fruit.

Tomato juice squirted everywhere.

"Oh no," Bumble said, dangling by one hand from a tomato that was now leaking.

The tomato made an ominous squelching sound.

Bumble's hand sank deeper.

"No no no no—"

He grabbed for the vine with his other hand and pulled himself away just as his fingers tore completely through the tomato skin.

He clung to the vine, breathing hard, covered in tomato juice.

Sneeze, perched on a leaf above, made a sound that might have been concern.

Or might have been, 'Did you just punch a tomato?'

"I didn't punch it," Bumble said. "I grabbed it. There's a difference."

Sneeze's expression suggested there was not, in fact, a difference.

 

After what felt like hours, Bumble finally broke through the clouds.

The air was cooler up here, and the sunlight was brighter. The tomato plant continued upward, but now Bumble could see something in the distance.

A structure.

Massive and gray, with tall towers and thick walls.

A castle.

Bumble's heart leapt.

He'd been right. There was something up here.

He climbed faster, his exhaustion forgotten.

Sneeze flew ahead, circling the castle and then returning to land on Bumble's shoulder.

He made a soft, curious sound—a rising note, almost like a question.

"I don't know," Bumble said. "But we're about to find out."

He pulled himself up onto a massive leaf and stood, wobbling slightly as the plant swayed beneath him.

The leaf tilted under his weight.

Bumble's arms windmilled.

"Whoa—whoa—"

He dropped to his hands and knees, gripping the leaf.

It stopped tilting.

"I'm just going to crawl from here," Bumble announced.

Sneeze made a sound of approval.

"Thank you for your support," Bumble said dryly.

The castle loomed ahead, perched on a plateau of clouds.

And somewhere inside, Bumble was certain, someone needed his help.

He took a deep breath, steadied himself, and started walking towards the castle.

 

CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE CASTLE IN THE CLOUDS 🏰✨

The castle was enormous.

Even from a distance, Bumble could see how massive it was—walls that stretched higher than any building he'd ever seen, towers that pierced the sky, and a gate so tall it could have fit ten men standing on each other's shoulders.

It was built for giants.

Bumble's heart pounded as he approached.

He'd heard the stories. Giants were dangerous. Cruel. They ate people, or kept them as prisoners, or worse.

But if there were prisoners up here—people who needed help—then he had to try.

He reached the gate and stopped.

It was open.

Just a crack, but enough for him to slip through.

"That's… convenient," Bumble said, frowning.

Sneeze, perched on his shoulder, made a low, wary sound.

"I know," Bumble whispered. "It could be a trap. But we have to check."

He drew his sword—just in case—and stepped through the gate.

His sword immediately caught on the edge of the gate.

Bumble tugged.

It didn't budge.

He tugged harder.

The sword came free suddenly, and Bumble stumbled forward.

He managed to catch himself before falling.

"Smooth," he muttered.

From somewhere above, he heard a tiny voice say, "Did he just fight the gate?"

Bumble looked around but couldn't see anyone there. For a moment he wondered if he had imagined it.The courtyard beyond was vast and empty.

Or at least, it looked empty.

The stone floor was cracked and weathered, with weeds growing up through the gaps. The walls were covered in moss and vines. Everything looked old. Abandoned.

But then Bumble heard more voices.

Tiny, sqeaky voices.

He froze and looked around.

"—told you we should have closed the gate—"

"—too heavy, we'd need at least twenty people—"

"—what if it's him? What if he's come back—"

The voices were coming from above.

Bumble looked up.

And gasped.

The castle wasn't abandoned.

It was full of people.

Tiny people.

They were everywhere—perched on ledges, leaning out of windows, standing on the tops of walls. They were no taller than Bumble's hand, with delicate features and brightly colored clothes. Some had wings like dragonflies. Others carried tiny tools—hammers, ropes, lanterns.

And they were all staring at him.

"Um," Bumble said. "Hello?"

The tiny people screamed.

One of them threw something at Bumble.

It bounced off his forehead.

It was a pebble.

A very tiny pebble.

Bumble barely felt it, but he still said "Ow!" out of politeness.

This seemed to encourage them, because suddenly a hail of tiny pebbles was raining down on him.

"I'm being attacked by gravel!" Bumble yelped, covering his head with his arms.

Sneeze made a sound that was absolutely laughter.

Chaos erupted.

The tiny people scattered in every direction, shouting and waving their arms. Some dove into cracks in the walls. Others flew up towards the towers. A few grabbed ropes and swung across the courtyard like acrobats.

"Wait!" Bumble called. "I'm not here to hurt you!"

No one listened.

A tiny figure appeared on the wall above him—a woman with silver hair and a stern expression. She was holding what looked like a miniature spear.

"INVADER!" she shouted. "Sound the alarm!"

A bell began to ring—high and clear, echoing across the courtyard.

"I'm not an invader!" Bumble said desperately. "I'm a knight! I came to help!"

"Help?!" the woman shouted. "Help with what?"

"I thought—" Bumble hesitated. "I thought there might be prisoners up here. Or people in danger. I thought the giant—"

"The giant's gone," the woman said. "And good riddance. This is our castle now."

Bumble blinked. "Your castle?"

"Yes," the woman said. "We claimed it after he left. We've been living here for years. And we don't need help from some clumsy human who can't even close a gate properly."

"I didn't open the gate," Bumble said. "It was already—"

"LIES!" someone shouted from a window.

Sneeze made a sound that was distinctly annoyed—a sharp, rising note.

The tiny people gasped and pointed.

"HE HAS A DRAGON!" someone shrieked.

"We're not here to cause trouble!" Bumble said, raising his hands. "Please, just—just let me explain."

The woman with the spear studied him for a long moment.

Then she sighed.

"Fine," she said. "But if you try anything, we'll drop a chandelier on your head."

Bumble nodded. "Fair enough."

The woman introduced herself as Captain Ivy.

She was the leader of the tiny people—or at least, the leader of their guard. She stood on the edge of a stone ledge, arms crossed, while Bumble sat on the ground below her so they could talk at something closer to eye level.

He tried to sit cross-legged.

His knee bumped a tiny lamppost.

It toppled over.

Bumble caught it just before it hit the ground.

"Sorry!" he said, carefully setting it upright.

He shifted his weight.

His elbow knocked into a miniature bench.

"Sorry!"

He tried to tuck his arms in close to his body.

His boot nudged a tiny planter box.

"I'm so sorry!"

"Perhaps," Ivy said, "you should just... not move."

"Good idea," Bumble said, freezing in place.

Sneeze had flown off to explore, much to the tiny people's alarm.

"So," Ivy said. "You climbed all the way up here because you thought we were prisoners?"

"Yes," Bumble said. "I saw the plant, and I thought—well, I've heard the stories. Giants and castles in the clouds. I thought someone might need rescuing."

Ivy's expression softened slightly. "That's… surprisingly thoughtful. For a human."

"Thank you?" Bumble said.

"But we don't need rescuing," Ivy continued. "The giant who lived here left decades ago. No one knows where he went. We found the castle empty and decided to make it our home."

"That's amazing," Bumble said. "How many of you live here?"

"About three thousand," Ivy said. "We've turned the castle into a city. The great hall is our marketplace. The towers are residential districts. The old throne room is our council chamber."

Bumble's eyes widened. "Three thousand people living in a giant's castle. That's incredible."

Ivy smiled, just a little. "It's home."

Bumble looked around the courtyard, noticing details he'd missed before.

Tiny bridges had been built between the walls, strung with lanterns. Miniature buildings had been constructed in the corners.

Bumble leaned forward slightly to get a better look.

A tiny person walking past screamed and dove into a doorway.

"GIANT INCOMING!" they yelled.

"I'm not a giant!" Bumble called. "I'm just tall!"

"VERY TALL!" someone else shouted.

"Comparatively tall!" Bumble amended.

Ivy pinched the bridge of her nose. "Please stop moving. You're terrifying everyone."

"Right," Bumble said, freezing again. "Not moving. Got it."

There were shops, homes, and workshops. Clotheslines stretched between the towers, fluttering with tiny garments.

It was a city.

A thriving, bustling city, built inside the bones of something much larger.

"This is wonderful," Bumble said.

"It is," Ivy said. "Or it was, until recently."

Bumble frowned. "What happened?"

Ivy hesitated.

Then she sighed. "The tomato plant."

"What about it?" Bumble asked.

"It won't stop growing," Ivy said. "It's been getting bigger and bigger for months now. The vines are starting to wrap around the castle. The roots are cracking the foundation. If it keeps growing, it's going to tear the whole place apart."

Bumble's heart sank. "And you can't stop it?"

"We've tried," Ivy said. "We've cut the vines, but they just grow back. We've tried spells, but nothing works. It's like the plant is enchanted."

"Maybe it is," Bumble said thoughtfully.

Ivy looked at him. "Can you help?"

Bumble hesitated.

A tiny child walked up to Bumble's boot and poked it with a stick.

"Is it alive?" the child asked.

"The boot?" Bumble said, looking down.

The child screamed and ran away.

Bumble sighed. Ivy had to hold onto something to keep from blowing away.

He thought about the tomato plant. He had no idea how to stop a giant enchanted tomato plant.

But he'd figured out other impossible things before.

"I'll try and help you with the tomatoes" he said.

"Thank you," Ivy said quietly.

A loud crash echoed from somewhere inside the castle.

Ivy's eyes widened. "What was that?"

Bumble stood up quickly. "That sounded like Sneeze."

Another crash.

Then a chorus of tiny screams.

"Your dragon is in the marketplace!" someone shouted from a window.

Bumble winced. "I'll get him. I'm so sorry."

He ran toward the castle entrance, Ivy shouting directions from behind him.

This was going to be a long day.

 

CHAPTER TWELVE: MARKETPLACE MAYHEM 🐉🍎

The great hall had been transformed into a marketplace.

What had once been a vast, empty chamber built for giants was now filled with tiny stalls, shops, and booths. Miniature awnings stretched between columns. Lanterns hung from strings overhead. And everywhere, tiny people bustled about—buying, selling, haggling, laughing.

Or at least, they had been.

Now they were screaming and running in every direction.

One tiny person ran directly into Bumble's boot and bounced off.

They sat up, dazed, then looked up at Bumble towering above them.

They screamed again and ran the other way.

"I'm trying to help!" Bumble called after them.

This did not seem to be reassuring

Sneeze was in the middle of the marketplace, and he was very interested in the food.

The dragon had his nose buried in a stall that sold tiny apples. The apples were the size of peas, arranged in neat little baskets. Sneeze had knocked over three baskets and was currently licking up the scattered fruit like they were candy.

"SNEEZE!" Bumble shouted. "Stop that!"

Sneeze looked up, an apple stuck to his nose.

Bumble tried to reach for him.

His hand knocked over an entire display of tiny pottery.

Miniature vases and bowls scattered across the floor.

"No—wait—I'll fix it—"

He bent down to pick them up.

His elbow swept through a stall selling tiny flowers.

Petals exploded everywhere like confetti.

"I'M MAKING IT WORSE!" Bumble shouted.

From somewhere in the chaos, he heard Ivy's voice: 

"YES, YOU ARE!"

Then Sneeze sneezed.

A burst of flame shot out, incinerating the apple and setting fire to the awning above the stall.

The tiny shopkeeper screamed and dove for cover.

"NO NO NO—" Bumble ran forward, yanking off his cloak and using it to smother the flames.

The fire went out, leaving a charred hole in the awning and a very singed stall.

Sneeze, unbothered, trotted over to a booth selling tiny loaves of bread.

"Sneeze, don't you dare—"

Sneeze grabbed a loaf in his teeth and swallowed it whole.

The baker—a tiny man with flour-dusted hands—stood on his counter, shaking a rolling pin the size of a toothpick.

"THIEF!" he shouted. "DRAGON THIEF!"

"I'm so sorry!" Bumble said, scooping Sneeze up in his arms. "I'll pay for everything, I promise!"

Another tiny person threw a piece of bread at Bumble.

It bounced off his chin.

"OW!" Bumble said, even though it didn't hurt at all.

"Did he just say 'ow' to bread?" someone asked.

"He's very polite!" another voice said.

"Or very weak!" a third voice added.

Sneeze wriggled, trying to reach another stall.

"No," Bumble said firmly. "You've caused enough trouble."

Sneeze made a sound that was distinctly sulky—a low, drawn-out grumble.

Captain Ivy appeared on a nearby ledge, arms crossed.

"Your dragon," she said, "has destroyed four stalls, eaten approximately thirty apples, sixteen loaves of bread, and a wheel of cheese."

"I'm so sorry," Bumble said again, holding Sneeze tightly. "He doesn't mean to cause trouble. He's just… curious."

"Curious," Ivy repeated flatly.

Sneeze burped.

A small puff of smoke drifted out of his mouth.

The smoke drifted over to a nearby stall selling tiny candles.

Three of them ignited.

"NOT AGAIN!" the candle seller shrieked, frantically blowing them out.

Bumble lunged forward to help.

He tripped over his own feet.

He caught himself on a support beam.

The beam creaked.

Everyone in the marketplace froze.

"Don't move," Ivy said quietly.

Bumble didn't move.

The beam creaked again.

"Maybe... let go of the beam?" Ivy suggested.

Bumble very carefully let go.

The beam settled back into place.

Everyone let out a collective breath.

"I think," Ivy said, "you should leave the marketplace now."

"That's probably best," Bumble agreed.

Bumble carried Sneeze out of the great hall and into the courtyard, where he set the dragon down firmly.

"You can't just eat other people's food," Bumble said. "Especially when those people are tiny and that food is their entire livelihood. And another thing," Bumble continued, "you can't—"

He realized Sneeze wasn't listening.

The dragon was staring at a tiny bird that had landed on the courtyard wall.

His haunches wiggled.

"Sneeze, no—"

Sneeze pounced.

The bird flew away.

Sneeze crashed into the wall.

A tiny window shutter fell off.

From inside, someone yelled, "MY SHUTTER!"

Bumble picked up the shutter. It was the size of his thumbnail.

"I'll fix it!" he called toward the window.

"DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING ELSE!" the voice shouted back.

Bumble very carefully set the shutter down on the windowsill.

Sneeze sat down and made a sound that might have been an apology—a soft, questioning note.

"I know you're hungry," Bumble said, softening. "But you have to ask first. Or wait until I can buy you something properly."

Sneeze's tail swished.

Bumble sighed and pulled the bag of candy from his pack.

"Here," he said, offering Sneeze a piece of chocolate. 

Sneeze took the candy delicately and swallowed it in one bite.

Then he made a happy sound—a low, musical rumble.

Bumble smiled despite himself. "You're impossible, you know that?"

Sneeze's tail wagged.

 

Ivy found them a few minutes later, still sitting in the courtyard.

"I need to show you something," she said.

Bumble stood. "The tomato plant?"

"Yes," Ivy said. "Come on."

She led him to the far side of the courtyard, where the castle wall met the edge of the clouds.

And there, wrapped around the base of one of the towers, was a massive tomato vine.

It was as thick as a tree trunk, covered in rough green skin and tiny hairs. It had wound itself around the tower like a snake, squeezing so tightly that cracks had formed in the stone. Smaller vines branched off, creeping across the walls and into the windows.

Bumble stared. "How long has it been like this?"

"Months," Ivy said. "It started small—just a few vines creeping over the walls. But it's been growing faster and faster. We've tried cutting it back, but it just grows again overnight. Thicker than before."

She pointed to a section of the wall where the stone had crumbled away entirely, leaving a gaping hole.

"If it keeps growing," she said quietly, "it's going to tear the castle apart. And we'll have nowhere to go."

Bumble leaned in to get a closer look at the vines.

A tiny person was standing on the wall right where Bumble's face suddenly appeared.

They screamed.

Bumble jerked back.

His head hit a low-hanging banner.

It tore free and draped over his face.

He flailed, trying to get it off.

His hand knocked into the wall.

More tiny people screamed.

"STOP MOVING!" Ivy shouted.

Bumble froze, the banner still covering his head.

"Can someone help me?" he asked, his voice muffled.

He heard tiny footsteps.

Someone tugged the banner off his head.

A tiny woman stood on the wall, holding the corner of the banner, looking deeply unimpressed.

"Thank you," Bumble said sheepishly.

She just shook her head and walked away.

Three thousand people lived here. Families. Children. This was their home.

And it was being destroyed by a plant. (Not including a clumsy Knight and a small mischievous dragon.)

"There has to be a way to stop it," he said.

"We've tried everything," Ivy said. "Axes, saws, fire. Nothing works. It's like the plant is… alive. Aware."

"Enchanted," Bumble said.

Ivy nodded. "That's what we think. But none of us know how to break an enchantment. We're builders, farmers, merchants. Not wizards."

Bumble thought of the cursed village he'd helped with the backwards-speaking curse.

He'd had the acorn then. A magical object that had done the work for him.

Bumble looked down at his pack.

A bag of candy.

A magic soup spoon.

A ribbon that said "Most Entertaining."

And a glowing vial of light.

"I'm not sure any of these are going to help with an enchanted plant," he said.

Sneeze, sitting beside him, made a sound that clearly agreed.

"Unless..." Bumble said thoughtfully, "the plant is afraid of soup?"

Ivy stared at him.

"Never mind," Bumble said quickly. "Bad idea."

None of this stuff seemed particularly useful against an enchanted tomato plant.

"I don't know how to break enchantments," Bumble admitted. "I'm not a wizard either."

Ivy's face fell.

"But," Bumble added quickly, "maybe I can find someone who is."

Ivy looked up at him, hope flickering in her eyes. "You think there's someone who can help?"

"There has to be," Bumble said. "Enchantments don't just happen on their own. Someone cast this spell. And if someone cast it, someone else can break it."

Ivy nodded slowly. "There's a tower," she said. "On the far side of the clouds. We've seen lights there at night. We think someone lives there, but we've never been able to reach it. It's too far for us to fly."

"But not too far for me," Bumble said.

Ivy smiled—small, but genuine. "Not too far for you."

Bumble looked at Sneeze, who was sitting beside him, watching the conversation with bright, curious eyes.

"What do you think?" Bumble asked. "Ready for another adventure?"

Sneeze made a sound that was distinctly enthusiastic—a sharp, rising note with a trill at the end.

Bumble grinned. "I'll take that as a yes."

He turned to Ivy. "Show us where this tower is. We'll find whoever lives there and ask for help."

Ivy's expression softened. "Thank you, Sir Bumble."

"Just Bumble," he said. "And you're welcome."

 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: THE TOWER IN THE CLOUDS 🗼✨

 

The tower wasn't far—at least, not by dragon standards.

Sneeze flew ahead, circling back every few minutes to make sure Bumble was still following. Bumble walked across the clouds, which felt strange and spongy beneath his boots, like walking on very thick fog.

Bumble took a step.

His boot sank into the cloud up to his ankle.

He pulled it free with a soft squelch.

Another step. Another squelch.

"This is very weird," Bumble said.

Sneeze, flying above him, made a sound that clearly meant you're the one who chose to walk.

"Not all of us have wings," Bumble pointed out.

His next step sank even deeper.

He had to pull his leg out with both hands.

"I'm going to be exhausted before we even get there," he muttered.

The castle disappeared behind them, swallowed by mist.

And ahead, rising out of the clouds like a needle, was the tower.

It was tall and narrow, built from dark gray stone. A single window glowed near the top, warm and golden in the fading light.

Someone was definitely home.

Bumble reached the base of the tower and looked up.

There was no door.

Just smooth stone walls stretching upward.

Bumble walked around the tower, running his hand along the stone.

Maybe there was a hidden door.

He pushed on various stones.

Nothing happened.

He tried knocking in a pattern, like he'd seen in a story once.

Still nothing.

"Open sesame?" he tried.

The tower remained stubbornly doorless.

Sneeze made a sound that was definitely mocking.

"Of course there's no door," Bumble muttered. "Why would there be a door?"

Sneeze landed beside him and made a sound that was distinctly amused.

"I don't suppose you could fly me up there?" Bumble asked.

Sneeze looked at him.

Then looked at Bumble's size.

Then made a sound that clearly meant absolutely not.

"Right," Bumble said. "Worth asking."

He walked around the tower, searching for a way in.

On the far side, he found a rope ladder hanging from the window above.

It swayed gently in the breeze, looking extremely fragile.

"That doesn't look safe," Bumble said.

Sneeze made a sound that might have been agreement.

Bumble grabbed the ladder and tugged.

It held.

He put his weight on the first rung.

It creaked ominously.

"That's fine," Bumble said. "Creaking is normal."

He climbed to the second rung.

The rope frayed slightly where it was tied.

"That's... probably fine too."

Third rung.

The whole ladder swung sideways.

Bumble yelped and clung to it, spinning slowly in the air.

"THIS IS NOT FINE!" he shouted.

Sneeze, hovering nearby, made wheezing sounds of laughter.

Once it stopped swinging and Bumble had regained his balance, he sighed heavily.

"Alright," he said. "Here we go. Again."

Climbing the ladder was somehow worse than climbing the tomato plant.

The rungs were narrow and far apart, and the whole thing swayed with every movement. Bumble's hands were still blistered from the earlier climb, and his arms ached.

Also, he was pretty sure the bird from earlier was still in his hair.

He could feel it shifting around up there.

"Are you still there?" he asked the bird.

The bird chirped.

"Okay," Bumble said. "Just... try not to nest while I'm climbing."

The bird chirped again, which Bumble chose to interpret as agreement.

He kept going.

Sneeze flew alongside him, occasionally making encouraging sounds—or possibly mocking sounds. Bumble couldn't tell.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Bumble reached the window.

He pulled himself up and tumbled through, landing in an undignified heap on the floor.

He lay on the floor for a moment, catching his breath.

The bird flew out of his hair and perched on a nearby shelf.

"Oh good," Bumble said. 

The bird settled in and closed its eyes, apparently deciding this was a nice place to stay.

Sneeze flew in after him and landed gracefully beside him.

"Show-off," Bumble muttered.

The room was circular and cluttered.

Shelves lined the walls, packed with books, jars, bottles, and strange objects Bumble couldn't identify. A large table sat in the center, covered in papers, quills, and what looked like the remains of several failed experiments. Candles floated in the air, casting flickering light across everything.

And standing in the middle of it all, holding a smoking beaker, was a wizard.

At least, Bumble assumed they were a wizard.

They were tall and thin, with wild gray hair that stuck out in every direction. They wore long robes covered in stains—ink, soot, and something that might have been jam. Their eyes were sharp and bright behind a pair of crooked spectacles.

They stared at Bumble.

Bumble stared back.

"Um," Bumble said. "Hello?"

The wizard blinked. "How did you get in here?"

"The ladder," Bumble said, pointing at the window.

"The ladder?" The wizard frowned. "I didn't put out a ladder."

"It's hanging from your window," Bumble said.

The wizard walked over and looked out. "Oh. So it is. I forgot about that."

"You forgot about the ladder hanging from your window?" Bumble asked.

"I forget a lot of things," Al said cheerfully. "Last week I forgot I was boiling water and it all evaporated. The week before that, I forgot where I put my wand and spent three days looking for it."

"Where was it?" Bumble asked.

"In my hand," Al said. "I was holding it the whole time."

Bumble wasn't sure what to say to that.

They turned back to Bumble. "Who are you?"

"I'm Sir Bumble," Bumble said, standing up and brushing himself off. "I'm a knight. I came to ask for help."

"Help with what?" the wizard asked.

"There's an enchanted tomato plant destroying a castle," Bumble said. "The people living there need someone to break the enchantment. I was hoping you might know how."

The wizard's eyes lit up. "An enchanted tomato plant? How fascinating!"

"It's more dangerous than fascinating," Bumble said. "It's tearing the castle apart."

"Yes, yes, very dangerous," the wizard said, waving a hand dismissively. "But also fascinating. I've never seen an enchanted tomato plant before. I wonder what kind of spell was used. Growth enchantment? Binding curse? Elemental infusion?"

"I don't know," Bumble said. "But can you help?"

The wizard thought for a moment.

"Possibly," they said. "I'd need to see the plant first. Examine it. Run some tests."

"You'll help?" Bumble asked, relief flooding through him.

"Of course," the wizard said. "This is the most interesting thing that's happened in months. I've been stuck up here working on transmutation spells, and they keep going wrong."

They gestured at the smoking beaker on the table.

"That was supposed to turn into gold," they said. "It turned into pudding."

Sneeze perked up and made an interested sound.

"Don't even think about it," Bumble said.

Sneeze immediately trotted over to the table.

"Sneeze, no—" Bumble started.

Sneeze stuck his entire face into the beaker.

He came up with pudding covering his snout.

He looked extremely pleased with himself.

"Your dragon just ate my failed experiment," Al said.

"I'm so sorry," Bumble said. "He has a problem with eating things that aren't his."

"It's fine," Al said. "It was chocolate pudding. Quite good, actually. I might try to make it again on purpose."

Sneeze licked his snout and made a sound of enthusiastic agreement.

The wizard's name was Aldric.

Or possibly Alaric.

Or maybe Aloric.

They'd introduced themselves three times, and Bumble still wasn't sure.

"Just call me Al," the wizard said finally. "Everyone does."

"Alright, Al," Bumble said. "When can we go look at the plant?"

"Now, if you'd like," Al said. "I just need to gather a few things."

They began pulling items off the shelves.

They pulled a jar off the shelf.

It immediately started glowing bright purple.

"Not that one," Al muttered, putting it back.

They grabbed another jar.

It began to hiss.

"Definitely not that one."

A third jar started floating.

"Why do I even have that?" Al said, shoving it back onto the shelf.

Bumble watched nervously as Al continued pulling down increasingly alarming objects.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" he asked.

"Absolutely not," Al said cheerfully. "But that's never stopped me before."

By the time he had finished, Al had jars, vials, a magnifying glass, a notebook, and something that looked like a tuning fork in his hands.

"What's all that for?" Bumble asked.

"Analysis," Al said. "If I'm going to break an enchantment, I need to understand it first. What kind of magic was used, how it was cast, whether it's tied to an object or a location."

"That makes sense," Bumble said.

Al stuffed everything into a satchel and slung it over his shoulder.

"Alright," he said. "Let's go see this tomato plant."

They climbed back down the ladder—Al moved surprisingly quickly for someone so old—and started walking back toward the castle.

Sneeze flew ahead, as usual.

"So," Al said conversationally, "you're a knight?"

"Yes," Bumble said.

"You don't look like a knight," Al said.

Bumble glanced down at himself. His tunic was torn, his boots were scuffed, and he'd left most of his armor at the base of the tomato plant.

"I'm working on it," he said.

Al smiled. "I like you. You're honest."

"Thank you?" Bumble said.

"Most knights are all bluster and bravado," Al continued. "But you seem… genuine. Like you actually care about helping people."

"I do," Bumble said. "That's why I became a knight."

"Good," Al said. "The world needs more people like you."

Bumble felt his face warm. "That's very kind."

They walked in comfortable silence for a moment.

 

Then, Al said, " Your Dragon is very well-behaved."

Bumble laughed. "Sneeze? Well-behaved?"

"He hasn't set anything on fire yet," Al pointed out.

"Give him time," Bumble said.

As if on cue, Sneeze sneezed.

A small burst of flame shot out, singeing a patch of cloud, turning them grey.

Al laughed—a bright, delighted sound.

"I like him too," they said.

They reached the castle as the sun was setting.

The tiny people had lit lanterns all along the walls, and the whole place glowed like a constellation.

Captain Ivy met them at the gate.

"You found someone!" she said, relief clear in her voice.

"This is Al," Bumble said. "They're a wizard. They're going to help."

Al looked up at the castle, eyes wide. "Remarkable. A giant's castle converted into a city. I've read about things like this, but I've never seen one."

"We can give you a tour later," Ivy said. "Right now, we need to deal with the plant."

"Of course," Al said. "Show me."

 

They led Al to the tower where the vines had wrapped around the stone.

Al pulled out the magnifying glass and examined the plant closely, muttering to themselves.

"Fascinating… yes, definitely an enchantment… growth-based, but there's something else… a binding element, perhaps…"

They pulled out the tuning fork and tapped it against the vine.

It hummed—a low, resonant note.

Al's eyes widened. "Oh. Oh, that's clever."

"What is it?" Bumble asked.

"It's a layered enchantment," Al said. "Growth magic tied to a binding curse. The plant grows, and as it grows, it binds itself more tightly to whatever it touches. The more you try to cut it, the stronger it gets."

"Can you break it?" Ivy asked.

Al hesitated. "Maybe. But it's complicated. I'll need to craft a counter-spell. And I'll need a catalyst—something to channel the magic through."

"What kind of catalyst?" Bumble asked.

Al looked at him thoughtfully.

"Something living," he said. "Something with magic of its own."

He glanced at Sneeze, who was sitting beside Bumble, watching the conversation with bright eyes.

"A dragon would work," Al said.

Bumble's stomach dropped. "Absolutely not."

"I wouldn't hurt him," Al said quickly. "I'd just need him to… help channel the spell. It's perfectly safe."

"No," Bumble said firmly. "What if something goes wrong? Find another way."

Al sighed. "Alright. Let me think."

He paced back and forth, muttering to himself.

Al pulled out his notebook and started scribbling.

"I could use a different catalyst... maybe a crystal? No, too unstable. A living plant? No, that would just feed the enchantment..."

Bumble watched them work, feeling helpless.

"What if you used me?" he asked finally.

Al looked up. "You?"

"You said you needed something living," Bumble said. "I'm living. Could I work as a catalyst?"

Al frowned thoughtfully. "You're not magical... but I suppose I could give you a temporary magical enhancement. Just enough to channel the spell through you instead of the dragon."

"Would it be safe?" Bumble asked.

"Probably," Al said.

"Probably?"

"My spells have been a bit... unpredictable lately," Al admitted. "But I'll be very careful. The worst that could happen is some minor side effects. Temporary ones."

Bumble looked at Sneeze, who was watching him with bright, curious eyes.

Then he looked at the vine wrapped around the tower, squeezing tighter every day.

"Alright," he said. "Let's do it."

 

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: THE TRANSFORMATION 🐉✨

Al set up his workspace in the courtyard.

He'd drawn a large circle on the stone floor using chalk, with strange symbols around the edges. Candles floated at each cardinal point, their flames flickering in the breeze. And in the center of the circle stood Bumble, trying very hard not to look nervous.

One of his feet was on a symbol.

"Am I supposed to be standing on this?" he asked, lifting his boot.

"No!" Al said quickly. "Don't stand on the symbols!"

Bumble moved his foot.

He stepped on a different symbol.

"Not that one either!"

Bumble hopped to what he hoped was a safe spot.

His other foot landed on a third symbol.

Al sighed. "Just... stand in the very center and don't move."

Bumble shuffled to the center, very carefully avoiding all symbols.

Then his sword fell out of its sheath and clattered across two symbols.

"BUMBLE!"

"Sorry!" Bumble said, quickly picking it up. Are you sure this is safe?"

"Reasonably sure," Al said, flipping through his notebook. "I've done transmutation spells before. Mostly on inanimate objects, but the principle is the same."

"Mostly?" Bumble repeated.

"You'll be fine," Al said, not looking up. "Just stand still and try not to sneeze or anything. Sudden movements can disrupt the spell."

Bumble immediately felt the urge to sneeze.

He tried to suppress it.

His nose twitched.

"Are you okay?" Al asked, looking up.

"Fine," Bumble said, his voice strained. "Just—don't say the word sneeze."

"Why not?"

"Because then I think about sneezing."

"Oh," Al said. "Sorry. I won't mention snee—I won't mention it."

Bumble's nose twitched again.

From outside the circle, Sneeze made a sound that was distinctly amused

Sneeze, sitting outside the circle with Captain Ivy and a small crowd of tiny people, watched, and then made a sound that might have been concern.

"I'll be okay," Bumble called to him. "It's just temporary. Right, Al?"

"Right," Al said. "Temporary magical enhancement. You'll feel a bit tingly, maybe see some colors, and then you'll have enough magic in you to act as a catalyst for the counter-spell. Easy."

"And then you'll turn me back to normal?" Bumble asked.

"Of course," Al said. "After we deal with the plant."

He looked up and smiled reassuringly.

"Trust me," he said. "I'm a professional."

Bumble took a deep breath. "Alright. I'm ready."

Al began to chant.

The words were strange and flowing, in a language Bumble didn't recognize. The candles flared brighter. The symbols on the ground began to glow—soft at first, then brighter and brighter until Bumble had to squint.

He felt the tingle Al had mentioned.

It started in his fingertips and spread up his arms, across his chest, down his legs. It wasn't unpleasant—just strange. Like tiny sparks dancing across his skin.

The air around him shimmered.

Al's chanting grew louder, more intense.

The glow from the symbols became almost blinding.

And then—

Something went wrong.

Bumble felt it the moment it happened.

The tingle turned into a burn—not painful, but overwhelming. His whole body felt like it was buzzing, vibrating, changing.

"Al—" he started to say.

But his voice came out wrong.

It was deeper. Rougher. And it ended in a sound that was distinctly not human.

Al's eyes went wide. "Oh no."

"What?" Bumble tried to say.

But again, the sound that came out wasn't words.

It was a rumble. A growl. A—

A roar.

The glow around him flared one last time, so bright that everyone had to look away.

And when it faded—

Bumble was gone.

In his place stood a dragon.

Not a large dragon—about the same size as Sneeze, maybe slightly bigger. But definitely, unmistakably, a dragon.

His scales were a soft lavender color, like his armor had been, with hints of silver along his spine. His wings were folded against his back, delicate and translucent. His tail was long and whip-thin, twitching nervously. And his eyes—still the same warm brown they'd always been—were wide with shock.

He looked down at himself.

At his clawed feet.

At his scaled legs.

At his wings.

He tried to stand up straight.

His tail swung around and knocked over Al's entire workspace.

Notebooks, jars, and the tuning fork went flying.

Bumble spun around to look at what he'd done.

His tail swung the other direction and swept Captain Ivy off her feet.

She tumbled across the stone and landed in an undignified heap.

"I'M SO SORRY!" Bumble tried to shout.

What came out was a sound like a foghorn.

One tiny person fainted.

"Stop moving!" Ivy yelled, getting to her feet. "Just—STOP MOVING!"

Bumble froze.

His tail was still twitching nervously.

"THE TAIL TOO!" Ivy shouted.

Bumble tried to hold his tail still.

It twitched harder.

He opened his mouth to speak.

What came out was a sound somewhere between a yelp and a roar.

The courtyard was silent.

The tiny people stared.

Captain Ivy stared.

Sneeze stared.

And then Sneeze made a sound—a long, rising note that ended in what could only be described as laughter.

Sneeze was making sounds Bumble had never heard before.

Wheezing, chirping, almost hiccupping sounds.

He was laughing so hard he couldn't breathe.

"This is NOT FUNNY," Bumble tried to say.

More growls.

Sneeze laughed even harder.

He rolled into a candle.

It tipped over.

He didn't even notice.

He was too busy laughing.

Bumble—or the dragon that had been Bumble—glared at him.

Sneeze laughed harder, rolling onto his back with all four legs in the air.

Bumble tried to take a step.

His new dragon legs didn't work the way his human legs had.

He stumbled.

His wings flared out automatically for balance.

He knocked over three of the floating candles.

They clattered to the ground, wax splattering everywhere.

"Sorry!" he tried to say.

It came out as a apologetic-sounding roar.

Several tiny people fainted.

Al rushed forward, notebook in hand.

"I'm so sorry," the wizard said. "The spell—it wasn't supposed to do that. I was aiming for a minor enhancement, just a touch of magic, but something must have—oh dear, this is bad."

Bumble tried to speak again.

More growls.

He looked at Al desperately.

"Can you understand me?" Al asked.

Bumble nodded.

"Good," Al said. "That's good. You're still you in there. Just… dragon-shaped."

Bumble made a sound that was clearly meant to be fix this.

"I will!" Al said. "I just need to figure out how. Transmutation reversal is tricky, especially when the original spell went wrong. Give me a moment to think."

Al paced in a circle.

Bumble's new dragon eyes tracked the movement.

His head turned to follow.

His whole body turned with it.

He was now facing the wrong direction.

He tried to turn back.

He overshot.

Now he was facing sideways.

"How do you control this thing?" he tried to ask Sneeze.

Sneeze, still recovering from laughing, made a sound that meant practice.

"I don't have time for practice!" Bumble growled.

A tiny puff of flame shot out of his mouth.

Everyone screamed.

"I BREATHE FIRE NOW?!" Bumble roared.

More flames.

More screaming.

"STOP TALKING!" Ivy yelled.

Bumble clamped his mouth shut.

Al continued pacing, muttering to himself and scribbling in his notebook. Hadn't even noticed that something had happened.

Bumble sat down heavily, his tail curling around his feet.

This was a disaster.

Sneeze trotted over. He sat down in front of Bumble and tilted his head, making a soft, curious sound—a questioning note.

Bumble tried to say, "I'm fine."

What came out was a low rumble.

Sneeze's eyes widened.

He made another sound—longer this time, with a rising inflection at the end.

And Bumble—

Bumble understood him.

Not the way he'd been interpreting Sneeze's sounds before, guessing at their meaning based on tone and context.

He understood the words.

Sneeze said something else.

Bumble understood it perfectly: "Your tail is on fire."

"WHAT?!" Bumble spun around to look.

The tip of his tail was indeed smoking slightly.

He tried to pat it out with his claws.

He missed and smacked himself in the face.

"OW!"

Flames shot out.

The candle he'd been trying to avoid caught fire properly now.

Sneeze sighed and walked over, very calmly stepping on the candle to put it out.

Then he looked at Bumble.

"You're a disaster," Sneeze said.

"I can understand you," Bumble said, "Can you understand me?"

Sneeze wagged his tail affirmatively.

"You can!" Bumble said, his voice bright and delighted. "Oh, this is wonderful! Do you know how long I've been trying to talk to you?"

Bumble's mind reeled.

Sneeze could talk.

He'd always been able to talk.

Bumble just hadn't been able to understand him.

"Wait," Bumble said slowly, the dragon-sounds feeling strange in his throat. "You've been talking this whole time?"

"Of course I have!" Sneeze said. "I've been telling you things constantly. 'Don't climb that tower, you'll fall.' 'That's not a witch, it's a brownie.' 'Stop eating the cursed berries!' But you never listened!"

"I couldn't understand you!" Bumble said.

"Well, I didn't know that!" Sneeze said. "I thought you were just ignoring me!"

Bumble stared at him.

Then he started laughing.

It came out as a series of rumbling, huffing sounds, but it was definitely laughter.

"I wasn't ignoring you," he said. "I just thought you were making noises."

"I was making words," Sneeze said indignantly. "Very articulate words."

"I'm sorry," Bumble said, still laughing. "I had no idea."

Sneeze's expression softened. "It's alright. You're understanding me now. That's what matters."

Captain Ivy approached cautiously.

"Sir Bumble?" she called. "Are you… alright?"

Bumble turned to her and tried to say, "I'm fine."

What came out was a rumble.

Ivy took a step back, looking uncertain.

Sneeze made a series of sounds—chirps and trills—and gestured with his tail toward Bumble.

Ivy frowned. "I… I don't understand either of you."

Bumble and Sneeze looked at each other.

"They can't understand us," Sneeze said.

"But we can understand each other," Bumble said, marveling at it.

"Yes," Sneeze said. "Because you're a dragon now. We speak the same language."

"But no one else can hear it," Bumble said.

"No," Sneeze said. "To them, we just sound like animals. It's always been that way."

Bumble's heart sank. He couldn't talk to the tiny people. Couldn't explain what had happened. Couldn't tell them he was still himself.

Sneeze nudged him gently with his nose. "It's alright. We'll figure it out. We always do."

Al looked up from his notebook, looking distressed.

"I have bad news," he said.

Bumble made a questioning sound.

"I don't know how to reverse the spell," Al said. "Transmutation magic isn't my specialty, and this one went so wrong that I'm not sure what would happen if I tried to undo it. I could make things worse."

Bumble rumbled something worried.

Al looked at Sneeze helplessly. "I'm sorry. I don't know what he's saying."

Sneeze looked at Bumble, then back at Al.

Then he did something clever.

He walked over to a patch of dirt, extended one claw, and started drawing.

A simple picture: a tower. Roses around it. A stick figure with a pointed hat.

Al leaned closer. "A… wizard? You know another wizard?"

Sneeze nodded enthusiastically.

"The sorcerer," Al said, understanding dawning. "Of course! If it's who I think it is, they're much better at transmutation than I am. They could help."

Bumble rumbled his agreement.

"Good," Al said, relief clear on their face. "Go find them after we deal with the plant. And I'm truly sorry about this."

Bumble made a sound that was meant to be reassuring.

Al smiled sadly. "I hope that means you forgive me."

Captain Ivy stepped forward. "What about the plant?"

Bumble looked at the vine wrapped around the tower.

Then he looked at his wings.

He made a series of sounds and gestures—pointing at himself, then at the plant, then spreading his wings.

Ivy watched, trying to understand.

Sneeze helped, acting out the plan—standing near the vine, making magical gestures with his claws.

"You… you can still help?" Ivy asked. "Even as a dragon?"

Bumble nodded.

Al's eyes lit up. "That could work! You have magic now—dragon magic. If you channel it into the counter-spell, it might be strong enough to break the enchantment."

Bumble nodded again, more firmly this time.

"And after that," Sneeze said to Bumble in dragon-speech, "we're finding that sorcerer and getting you turned back."

"Agreed," Bumble said.

To everyone else, it just sounded like two dragons rumbling at each other.

But between them, the understanding was clear.

 

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: BREAKING THE ENCHANTMENT 🍅✨

Al worked through the night, preparing the counter-spell.

He drew new symbols around the base of the tower where the vines were thickest. 

Al drew a symbol.

Paused.

Erased it.

Drew it again.

Erased it again.

"Is everything okay?" Bumble asked—or rather, rumbled.

"Fine, fine," Al said, assuming the question. "I just can't remember if this symbol needs three loops or four."

"That seems important," Bumble rumbled.

"It's probably fine," Al said, drawing four loops.

Then he added a fifth, just to be safe.

Bumble and Sneeze exchanged a look.

"We're going to die," Sneeze said flatly.

"Probably," Bumble agreed.

They watched as Al mixed potions in small vials, muttering calculations under his breath. And he explained the plan to Bumble and Sneeze as best as he could.

"You'll need to stand here," Al said, pointing to a spot near the vine. "When I cast the spell, you'll feel the magic pulling at you. Don't resist it—let it flow through you and into the plant. Your dragon magic will act as the catalyst to break the enchantment."

Bumble rumbled his understanding.

Al looked at Sneeze. "And you—can you help stabilize him? Dragon magic can be volatile, especially for someone who's never used it before."

Sneeze chirped an affirmative.

"Good," Al said. "Then let's begin."

Bumble stood where Al had indicated, his claws digging into the stone.

He tried to stand still.

His tail twitched nervously.

It knocked over one of Al's potion vials.

Purple liquid spilled across the stone.

"Don't worry about that one," Al said quickly. "It wasn't important."

The liquid started fizzing.

"Mostly not important," Al amended.

The fizzing got louder.

"Everyone step back from the purple puddle!" Al called.

The tiny people scattered.

"WHAT DOES IT DO?!" Ivy shouted.

"I'm not entirely sure!" Al shouted back. "But it's probably fine!"

The puddle stopped fizzing and turned into a small pile of butterflies.

They flew away.

Everyone stared.

"See?" Al said. "Fine."

Sneeze stood beside him, close enough that their wings were almost touching.

"Are you ready?" Sneeze asked in dragon-speech.

"No," Bumble admitted, sitting on his tail to hold it still. "But let's do it anyway."

Sneeze's tail swished. "That's very you."

The tiny people had gathered to watch—hundreds of them lining the walls and windows, holding lanterns that made the courtyard glow like a constellation.

Captain Ivy stood on a nearby ledge, her expression tense but hopeful.

Al took a deep breath and began to chant.

The magic came slowly at first.

Bumble felt it building in his chest—a warmth that spread through his limbs, down to his claws, up to the tips of his wings.

It wasn't unpleasant. Just strange. Like something inside of him was waking up.

The symbols on the ground began to glow.

Al's chanting grew louder.

And then Bumble felt the pull.

It was like an invisible thread had been tied around his heart, tugging gently at first, then harder and harder.

The magic surged, rushing from Bumble towards the vine like water breaking through a dam.

Bumble's wings flared out involuntarily.

He smacked Sneeze in the face.

"OW!" Sneeze yelped. "Watch the wings!"

"Sorry!" Bumble tried to say.

His wings flared again.

This time he hit a tiny person who'd been standing too close.

They went flying and landed in a bush.

"SORRY!" Bumble roared.

Flames shot out.

 A small hedgerow caught fire.

Someone threw a bucket of water on it.

 "JUST HOLD STILL!" Ivy yelled.

Bumble did his best, until the magic intensified. Bumble gasped—or tried to. What came out was a sound somewhere between a roar and a yelp.

"I've got you," Sneeze said, pressing against his side. "Just breathe. Let it flow."

Bumble tried to do as he said.

The magic poured out of him, golden and bright, streaming towards the vine in ribbons of light.

The plant shuddered.

The vine began to glow—first faintly, then brighter and brighter until it was almost blinding.

The tiny people gasped.

The glow spread from the base of the vine up toward the top, racing along the length of the plant like fire.

And then—

The vine began to shrink.

Slowly at first, then faster and faster.

It unwound itself from the tower, the tendrils pulling back and withering. The smaller vines that had crept across the walls retreated, curling in on themselves and turning brown.

The plant was dying.

No—not dying.

Releasing.

The enchantment was breaking.

Bumble felt the magic drain out of him all at once, leaving him dizzy and breathless.

His legs wobbled, and Bumble swayed.

Sneeze tried to brace him.

Bumble was significantly larger than Sneeze.

They both toppled over in a tangle of wings and tails.

Bumble's tail swept across the courtyard.

Three tiny market stalls went flying.

"NOT AGAIN!" someone wailed.

Bumble and Sneeze lay in a heap, too exhausted to move.

"I'm on your wing," Sneeze said.

"I know," Bumble said.

"Are you going to move?"

"In a minute."

They lay there for a solid five minutes before Al came over and helped untangle them.

"Easy," Sneeze said. "You did it. It's over."

Bumble looked up.

The vine was gone.

Perhaps not completely gone. From this height it was hard to tell, even with dragon eyes. But the vines that had wrapped around the castle had withered away to nothing, leaving only faint marks on the stone where they'd been.

The castle was free.

The tiny people erupted into cheers.

One enthusiastic tiny person threw confetti.

It accidentally went up Bumble's nose.

He sneezed.

Fire shot out.

The confetti incinerated mid-air.

Everyone dove for cover.

"SORRY!" Bumble roared.

More fire.

"STOP SAYING SORRY!" multiple voices shouted. They couldn't have known what he was saying, but at this point they knew him well enough to guess.

Bumble clamped his mouth shut and just nodded apologetically.

This seemed safer.

They shouted and clapped and waved their tiny hands, their voices blending into a joyful roar.

Captain Ivy was smiling—actually smiling—her eyes bright with relief.

Al let out a long breath and sat down heavily on the ground. "It worked. I can't believe it actually worked."

Bumble rumbled something that seemed to convey that he was  exhausted but happy.

Ivy approached, looking up at Bumble with gratitude in her eyes.

"Thank you," she said. "You saved our home."

Bumble made a soft sound—something warm and gentle.

He wished he could tell her it was his pleasure. That he was glad he could help.

But all he could do was nod.

Ivy seemed to understand anyway.

They stayed in the castle for the rest of the night.

The tiny people threw a celebration—tiny tables laden with tiny food, music played on instruments the size of Bumble's claw, dancing and laughter echoing through the great hall.

Bumble and Sneeze couldn't eat the food—it was far too small—but the tiny people brought them offerings anyway. A thimble full of honey. A acorn-cap of sweet cream. Gestures of thanks.

Bumble accepted them gratefully, even though he had no idea how to eat something so small with his new dragon mouth.

Sneeze showed him, delicately lapping up the honey with the tip of his tongue.

"You'll get used to it," Sneeze said. "Being a dragon isn't so bad."

Bumble tried to lap up the honey like Sneeze had shown him.

His tongue was too big.

He knocked over the thimble.

The honey spilled.

He tried to lick it up off the stone.

He got his snout stuck to the floor.

"Mmph!" he said, trying to pull free.

Sneeze watched, tail swishing with amusement.

"Do you need help?" he asked.

"Mmph!" Bumble said, which clearly meant yes.

Sneeze walked over and very carefully unstuck Bumble's snout.

"You're terrible at being a dragon," Sneeze observed.

"I know," Bumble said miserably, honey dripping from his face.

A tiny person handed him a tiny napkin.

It was the size of a postage stamp.

Bumble stared at it.

"Thank you," he rumbled softly.

He had no idea how to use it.

Bumble rumbled something that might have been a sigh.

 

At one point, a tiny musician asked if Bumble wanted to dance.

Bumble tried to politely decline.

What came out was a rumble that the musician interpreted as "yes."

Before Bumble could correct them, he was being led to the dance floor.

"I don't know how to dance as a dragon!" he said to Sneeze desperately.

"You barely knew how to dance as a human," Sneeze pointed out.

This was true.

Bumble tried to dance.

He stepped on three tiny people's feet.

Well, near their feet. They were very good at dodging.

His tail knocked over the refreshment table.

His wing hit a lantern.

"I'M SO SORRY!" he roared.

Fire everywhere.

He was politely but firmly escorted off the dance floor.

 

In the morning, they said their goodbyes.

Captain Ivy stood at the gate, along with a small crowd of tiny people who'd come to see them off.

"Will you come back?" Ivy asked. "Once you're… yourself again?"

Bumble nodded.

"Good," Ivy said. "You'll always be welcome here, Sir Bumble. Dragon or not."

Bumble made a sound that he hoped conveyed gratitude.

Al stepped forward, looking sheepish. "I really am sorry. About the whole… turning you into a dragon thing."

Bumble rumbled something reassuring.

"He says it's alright," Sneeze said, even though no one could understand him. "Accidents happen."

Al smiled. "Thank you. And good luck finding the sorcerer. I hope they can help."

Bumble nodded.

Then he spread his wings.

They felt strange—delicate and powerful at the same time. He'd never flown before. Never even thought about flying.

But somehow, his body knew what to do.

"Ready?" Sneeze asked, already hovering in the air beside him.

Bumble took a deep breath.

Then he jumped.

For one terrifying moment, he was falling.

And then his wings caught the air, and he was flying.

It was nothing like walking. Nothing like climbing.

It was effortless and exhilarating and absolutely terrifying all at once.

Bumble let out a sound that was half-roar, half-laugh.

"You're doing it!" Sneeze called, circling around him. "You're actually flying!"

"I'm flying!" Bumble shouted back.

Below them, the tiny people cheered and waved.

Bumble circled once over the castle, dipping his wings in a clumsy but heartfelt salute.

Then he and Sneeze turned toward the horizon and flew.

Down through the clouds.

Down past the tomato plant.

Down toward the ground far below, where a grumpy sorcerer lived in a tower surrounded by roses.

And where, hopefully, Bumble could finally become himself again.

 

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: THE SORCERER'S GARDEN 🌹🐉

 

Flying was amazing.

Landing, Bumble discovered, was significantly harder.

He and Sneeze had been flying for hours, following the road back toward Thornhaven. Bumble's wings ached, and he was exhausted from the magic he'd channeled into breaking the enchantment.

Also, he was pretty sure he'd flown through a cloud of gnats about an hour ago.

He could still taste them.

"How do you deal with the bugs?" he asked Sneeze.

"You get used to it," Sneeze said.

"I don't want to get used to eating bugs while flying," Bumble said.

"Then keep your mouth closed," Sneeze suggested.

"I need to breathe!"

"Then enjoy the bugs."

Bumble rumbled unhappily.

When Aldwin's castle finally came into view—storm clouds hovering over it like a permanent hat—Bumble felt a surge of relief.

"There!" he said to Sneeze. "We made it!"

"Now you just have to land," Sneeze said.

"How hard can it be?" Bumble asked.

"You've been flying for three hours and you still don't know how to turn left," Sneeze pointed out.

"I can turn left!" Bumble protested.

He tried to demonstrate.

He turned right.

"That's right," Sneeze said.

"I know!" Bumble said. "I meant to do that!"

"You said you were turning left."

"I changed my mind!"

Sneeze made a sound that was clearly sure you did.

"I'm learning!" Bumble protested.

He angled his wings downward, aiming for the garden inside the thorny barrier.

The ground rushed up to meet him.

Too fast.

Much too fast.

"SLOW DOWN!" Sneeze shouted, diving past him.

Bumble tried to flap his wings to slow himself, but he overcorrected and started spinning.

The garden spun with him—roses, vegetables, fountain, greenhouse, all blurring together.

And then he hit the ground.

Hard.

Bumble tumbled across the grass, wings tangled, tail flailing, and finally came to a stop in a heap at the base of the fountain.

His tail had wrapped around the fountain.

One of his wings was stuck in a rose bush.

His snout was buried in what used to be a cabbage.

"Ow," he said into the cabbage.

The cabbage did not respond.

This was probably for the best.

He lay there for a moment, dazed and aching.

Sneeze landed gracefully beside him. "That was terrible."

"I'm fine," Bumble groaned. "Just... give me a minute."

"You flattened the lettuce," Sneeze observed.

Bumble lifted his head and looked.

He had, indeed, flattened an entire row of lettuce.

"And the carrots," Sneeze added, walking around to inspect the damage. "And I think that was a pumpkin."

"Was?" Bumble asked weakly.

"It's more of a concept now," Sneeze said.

Bumble groaned. "Oh no."

A door slammed open.

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF—"

Aldwin stormed out of the castle, robes billowing, wand already in hand.

He stopped short when he saw them.

Two dragons.

In his garden.

One of them lying in his destroyed lettuce patch.

His eye twitched.

"You," he said, pointing his wand at Sneeze. "I should have known. You and that ridiculous knight are the only ones who ever—"

He paused.

Looked around.

"Where is the knight?" he asked suspiciously. "Did you eat him?"

Bumble tried to stand up to show he was fine.

His back leg was still tangled in the rose bush.

He pulled.

The entire bush came with him.

He stumbled forward, dragging the bush, and crashed into a garden gnome.

The gnome toppled over and rolled into the fountain with a splash.

Bumble froze, the rose bush still attached to his leg, dripping with fountain water.

Aldwin's eye twitched harder.

"My gnome," he said quietly.

"I'll fix it!" Bumble tried to say.

Fire shot out.

A nearby hedge caught fire.

"NO!" Aldwin shouted, pointing his wand. "AQUA!"

Water shot out and doused the flames.

And Bumble.

And Sneeze.

And half the garden.

Bumble stood there, soaking wet, covered in rose thorns, with a drowned bush still attached to his leg.

Sneeze was also soaking wet and looked deeply offended.

"I hate everything about this," Sneeze said, shaking water off his wings.

Sneeze made an indignant sound.

Bumble tried to stand up, his legs wobbling. He made a sound that was meant to be words.

Aldwin stared at him.

"I don't speak dragon," he said flatly.

Bumble rumbled in frustration.

Sneeze walked over to a patch of dirt and started drawing with his claw—the same trick he'd used with Al and the tiny people.

Aldwin studied the drawings.

"Your artistic skills have not improved," he said to Sneeze.

Sneeze huffed and drew a very unflattering picture of Aldwin with an extra-large nose.

"Mature," Aldwin said dryly.

Sneeze's tail wagged.

He had drawn a stick figure with a sword. Then he drew an arrow pointing to the lavender dragon (Bumble). Then he drew a wizard with a pointed hat and a big X over it.

Aldwin leaned closer, squinting at the drawing.

"A knight... turned into a dragon... by a wizard who failed?" he said slowly.

Sneeze nodded enthusiastically.

Aldwin looked at Bumble. Really looked at him.

At his lavender scales. At his warm brown eyes. At the way he was standing awkwardly, like he didn't quite know what to do with his tail.

"Bumble?" Aldwin said, disbelief clear in his voice.

Bumble nodded.

Aldwin stared.

Then he pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long, suffering sigh.

"Of course," he muttered. "Of course this happened to you. What did you do? Volunteer for an experimental spell? Try to help someone and get cursed? Trip over a magic artifact?"

Bumble rumbled something that Sneeze interpreted by drawing another picture: a tomato plant, tiny people, and a wizard looking sheepish.

Aldwin studied the drawing. "You climbed a giant tomato plant, found tiny people living in a castle, and asked a wizard for help. The wizard's spell went wrong and turned you into a dragon."

Bumble nodded.

"And now you want me to fix it," Aldwin said.

Bumble nodded again, more hopefully this time.

Aldwin looked at him for a long moment.

Then he sighed again—deeper this time, more resigned.

"Fine," he said. "Come inside. And try not to set anything on fire."

Bumble took one step toward the door.

His tail knocked over a garden statue.

It shattered.

Aldwin closed his eyes and took a very deep breath.

"That. Was my favorite statue," he said, his voice carefully controlled.

Bumble hiccupped.

More fire.

A potted plant ignited.

Aldwin waved his wand and put it out without even looking.

"Just... get inside," he said wearily. "Before you destroy the entire garden."

Getting two dragons into Aldwin's tower was a challenge.

The door was just barely wide enough for Bumble to squeeze through, and he had to fold his wings tightly against his sides. Sneeze, being smaller, had no trouble.

The inside of the tower was cluttered but cozy.

Shelves lined the walls, packed with books, jars of herbs, crystals, and strange objects Bumble couldn't identify. A large worktable sat in the center of the room, covered in papers, potion bottles, and what looked like the beginnings of a complicated spell diagram. A fireplace crackled in the corner, and a kettle hung over it, steam rising from the spout.

It smelled like tea and old books and something faintly floral—roses, probably.

Aldwin gestured for them to sit.

Bumble sat carefully, trying not to knock anything over with his tail.

His tail immediately knocked over a stack of books.

They tumbled to the floor with a series of thuds.

Bumble winced.

"Don't," Aldwin said, holding up a hand. "Don't apologize. Don't move. Don't breathe fire. Just... sit there and try to exist quietly."

Bumble nodded and sat very, very still.

His wing twitched.

A jar fell off a shelf.

Aldwin caught it with magic before it hit the ground.

"Quietly," he repeated.

Sneeze immediately curled up on a cushion near the fire.

Within seconds, Sneeze was asleep.

Soft snoring sounds filled the room.

"How is he asleep already?" Bumble asked—or rather, rumbled.

Aldwin looked at Sneeze, then at Bumble.

"He's not the one who destroyed my garden, my gnome, my statue, and nearly burned down my hedge," Aldwin said. "He's allowed to sleep."

Bumble rumbled something apologetic.

"What did I say about the fire?" Aldwin said sharply.

Bumble clamped his mouth shut.

"Alright," Aldwin said, pulling out a chair and sitting down. "Tell me everything. And since you can't talk, I'll ask questions and you nod or shake your head. Understood?"

Bumble nodded.

"Good," Aldwin said. "Was the wizard who did this competent?"

Bumble hesitated, then shook his head.

"Was the spell supposed to turn you into a dragon?"

Bumble shook his head.

"Did they try to reverse it?"

Bumble nodded.

"Did it work?"

Bumble shook his head.

Aldwin rubbed his temples. "Of course it didn't. Transmutation magic is delicate. If the original spell goes wrong, trying to reverse it without knowing exactly what happened can make things worse."

He stood up and walked over to Bumble, examining him closely.

"How long have you been like this?" he asked.

Bumble held up one claw.

"One day?" Aldwin guessed.

Bumble nodded.

"That's good," Aldwin said. "The sooner we reverse it, the easier it will be. Transmutation spells can become permanent if left too long."

Bumble's eyes widened in alarm.

"Don't worry," Aldwin said quickly. "We'll fix it. I just need to figure out what kind of spell was used and craft a proper counter-spell."

He walked over to his worktable and started pulling out books, flipping through pages and muttering to himself.

Bumble watched, feeling a mixture of hope and anxiety.

Sneeze, from his cushion, made a soft, reassuring sound. "He'll figure it out. He's good at this."

Bumble rumbled his agreement.

Aldwin worked for over an hour, cross-referencing books, taking notes, and occasionally glancing at Bumble to examine his scales or wings.

Finally, he set down his quill and looked up.

"I think I know what happened," he said. "The wizard—whoever they were—tried to give you a temporary magical enhancement. But the spell destabilized and turned into a full transmutation instead. You're not just shaped like a dragon—you are a dragon, magically speaking. Your body has been completely transformed."

Bumble made a worried sound.

"But," Aldwin continued, "it's not permanent. Not yet. I can reverse it, but I'll need a catalyst—something to anchor the counter-spell and pull your original form back to the surface."

He looked thoughtful. "Do you have anything with you? Something personal? Something tied to who you were before the transformation?"

Bumble's heart sank.

He'd left his armor at the base of the tomato plant. His sword was back in the clouds. All he had was—

Wait.

His pack.

He'd been wearing it when the spell hit, and somehow it had transformed with him—shrunk down and reshaped to fit his dragon body.

He shrugged it off carefully and nosed it open.

Inside were his treasures: the magic soup spoon, the ribbon from the tournament, the bag of candy from the brownie, and—

The glowing vial of light from Hazel.

Bumble nudged it toward Aldwin with his nose.

Aldwin picked it up, holding it up to the light.

The vial glowed softly, warm and golden.

"What is this?" Aldwin asked.

Bumble couldn't answer, so Sneeze swished some ashes from the fireplace onto the stone floor, and drew another picture: a cottage, a witch, and a heart.

Aldwin studied it. "A gift? From someone you helped?"

Bumble nodded.

Aldwin examined the vial more closely. "This is... remarkable. It's not just light. It's gratitude. Pure, freely given gratitude, crystallized into magic."

He looked at Bumble, his expression softening.

"This will work," he said. "Gratitude magic is powerful—especially when it's genuine. It can break curses, reverse enchantments, even heal wounds that shouldn't be healable."

He set the vial down carefully on the worktable.

"This will be your anchor," he said. "I'll use it to pull you back to yourself."

Bumble rumbled something that he hoped conveyed relief and gratitude.

Aldwin smiled—just a little. "You're welcome. Now let me prepare the spell. This will take some time, so make yourself comfortable. And try to mind my plants. Please don't squish them."

 

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: BECOMING BUMBLE AGAIN ✨🌟

Aldwin worked through the evening, preparing the reversal spell.

He drew a circle on the floor—larger than the one Al had used, with different symbols arranged in a careful pattern. He placed candles at specific points, each one a different color. And in the center of the circle, he set the glowing vial of light on a small pedestal.

Bumble watched from the side of the room, nervous and hopeful.

Sneeze sat beside him, tail curled around his feet.

"This will work," Sneeze said quietly in dragon-speech. "Aldwin knows what he's doing."

"I hope so," Bumble said. "I miss being able to talk to people. I miss having hands. I miss not having a tail that knocks things over."

"Your tail isn't that bad," Sneeze said.

As if to prove him wrong, Bumble's tail twitched and knocked over a stack of books.

Sneeze snickered.

Aldwin drew a symbol.

Paused.

Checked his book.

Erased the symbol.

Drew it again.

Bumble watched nervously. He groaned softly.

"Everything's fine," Aldwin said. "I just want to make sure I don't accidentally turn you into a chicken."

"A CHICKEN?!" Bumble's rumble came out as a roar.

Fire shot out.

One of the candles Aldwin had just placed ignited early.

"I SAID DON'T BREATHE FIRE!" Aldwin snapped, waving his wand to put it out.

"You said CHICKEN!" Bumble protested.

More fire.

Another candle.

Aldwin put that one out too, looking deeply tired.

"It was a joke," he said flatly. "A poor one, apparently."

After a time Aldwin looked up from his preparations. "Alright. I'm ready. Step into the circle."

Bumble stood and walked carefully to the center, trying not to disturb any of the symbols.

His tail swept across the floor.

It erased part of a symbol.

Aldwin's eye twitched.

"Don't. Move," he said.

Bumble froze.

"Your tail erased the binding rune," Aldwin said, his voice very calm and very dangerous.

"I'm sorry!" Bumble said—or tried to say.

Fire.

"STOP APOLOGIZING WITH FIRE!" Aldwin shouted.

He redrew the symbol, muttering under his breath about "impossible knights" and "why do I help people."

Bumble sat down, folding his wings against his back.

Aldwin picked up the vial of light and held it up, examining it one more time.

"Gratitude magic," he murmured. "Pure and freely given. This is rare. Whoever gave this to you must have truly appreciated what you did for them."

Bumble rumbled softly, thinking of Hazel- with her lights comforting her in the night. Helping the Villagers to understand had made her life better.

Aldwin set the vial back on the pedestal. "This will anchor you. When I cast the spell, the magic will pull your true form back to the surface. It might feel strange—like being turned inside out—but it won't hurt. Do you understand?"

Bumble nodded.

"Good," Aldwin said. "Then let's begin."

Aldwin began to chant.

The words were different from Al's—more measured, more controlled. There was a confidence in Aldwin's voice that Al's had lacked.

The candles flared to life, their flames burning bright and steady.

The symbols on the floor began to glow—not the harsh, blinding light from before, but a soft, warm radiance.

And the vial of light in the center began to pulse, like a heartbeat.

Bumble felt the magic immediately.

It was gentle at first—a warmth spreading through his chest, down his limbs, to the tips of his wings and tail.

Then it grew stronger.

The warmth became a pull, tugging at something deep inside him.

His scales began to shimmer.

His wings trembled.

And then—

The light from the vial exploded outward, filling the circle with golden radiance.

Bumble felt himself shift.

Not painfully, but completely.

His body stretched and changed, bones reshaping, muscles reforming. His wings folded inward and disappeared. His tail shrank and vanished. His claws became fingers.

The world tilted and spun.

And then—

It stopped.

Bumble opened his eyes.

He was sitting on the floor of Aldwin's tower, human again.

He looked down at his hands—his actual, human hands—and flexed his fingers.

"It worked," he said.

His voice.

His actual voice.

He laughed—a bright, relieved sound.

"It worked!" he said again, louder this time.

Aldwin let out a breath and sat down heavily in his chair. "Thank the stars. I was ninety percent sure that would work."

"Ninety percent?!" Bumble said.

"Would you have preferred I told you before?" Aldwin asked dryly.

Bumble laughed again. "No. Probably not."

Sneeze trotted over and headbutted Bumble's leg, making a sound that was clearly celebratory.

Bumble reached down and scratched behind Sneeze's ears. "I know, I know. I'm back."

Sneeze made another sound—a long, complicated series of chirps and trills.

Bumble's smile faded slightly. "I... I can't understand you anymore."

Sneeze tilted his head, then made a softer sound—something warm and reassuring.

Bumble didn't know exactly what it meant, but he understood the feeling behind it.

It's okay. We're still friends.

"Yeah," Bumble said quietly. "We are."

Bumble tried to stand up.

His legs didn't work the way he remembered.

He'd gotten used to dragon legs.

He stumbled forward and crashed into Aldwin's worktable.

Papers scattered everywhere.

"BUMBLE!" Aldwin shouted.

"Sorry!" Bumble said. "I forgot how human legs work!"

He tried to catch the falling papers.

He knocked over an inkwell.

Black ink spilled across the table.

"STOP HELPING!" Aldwin yelled.

Bumble froze, hands in the air, ink dripping from his fingers.

Sneeze made a sound that was absolutely laughter.

Aldwin, grumbling, stood and walked over to the pedestal. He picked up the vial of light. It was dimmer now—not empty, but quieter. The magic had been used, but not consumed.

"This is remarkable," Aldwin said, turning the vial over in his hands. "Gratitude magic this pure is incredibly rare. The person who gave this to you must have been truly grateful."

"She was," Bumble said. "Her name is Hazel. She's a witch who lives outside the village of Brookhollow. The villagers were afraid of her—thought her magic was dangerous because of the glowing lights around her cottage. But she's actually terrified of the dark. When I helped her, she gave me this vial so I'd always have light."

Aldwin's expression softened. "A witch who fears the dark. That must have been difficult for her."

"It was," Bumble said. "But she's kind. And brave, even when she's scared."

Aldwin was quiet for a moment, still looking at the vial.

"I'd like to meet her," he said finally.

Bumble blinked.

"Really?" Bumble asked, surprised, "You want to meet her?" 

"Yes," Aldwin said. "I think we'd get along. We're both magic users who prefer solitude."

He paused.

"Also, I'd like to ask her how she deals with you without setting things on fire."

"I don't set things on fire!" Bumble protested.

Aldwin gestured at the scorch marks on his floor, his singed curtains, the charred remains of his hedge outside, and the still-smoking potted plant.

Bumble looked at the evidence.

"...Okay, I set some things on fire," he admitted.

"Some," Aldwin repeated dryly.

Sneeze made a sound that clearly meant understatement of the century.

"I don't meet many other magic users," Aldwin said. "And someone who can create magic like this... I think we'd have a lot to talk about."

Aldwin looked at Bumble. "Would you mind giving me directions to her cottage? I could visit. Perhaps offer to help with her fear of the dark. There are spells for that—light enchantments, protective wards. Things that might make it easier for her."

Bumble smiled. "I think she'd like that. She lives in a cottage in the forest just outside Brookhollow. You cross a stone bridge and follow the glowing lights—you'll know it when you see it."

Aldwin nodded. "Thank you."

He handed the vial back to Bumble. "Keep this. It's yours. And it still has magic in it—enough for many more uses.

Bumble took it carefully and tucked it back into his pack. "Thank you, Aldwin. For everything."

"You're welcome," Aldwin said. "Though next time you get turned into a dragon, try to avoid flattening my lettuce."

Bumble laughed. "I'll do my best

 

Bumble and Sneeze stayed the night in Aldwin's tower.

Aldwin made tea—proper tea, not the medicinal kind—and they sat by the fire, talking.

Bumble told him about the tiny people and the enchanted tomato plant. About Al and his failed transmutation spells. About flying for the first time and how terrifying and wonderful it had been.

Aldwin listened, occasionally shaking his head or muttering things like "of course that happened to you" and "only you would befriend an entire city of tiny people."

But he was smiling.

 

And when Bumble finally fell asleep on the cushion by the fire, Sneeze curled up beside him, Aldwin draped a blanket over both of them.

"Ridiculous knight," he muttered.

But his voice was fond.

In the morning, Bumble woke to the smell of fresh bread and tea.

Aldwin had made breakfast—simple but hearty—and they ate together in comfortable silence.

When it was time to leave, Aldwin walked them to the gate.

"Safe travels," he said. "And try not to get cursed again."

"I'll try," Bumble said.

Aldwin hesitated, then added, "If you're ever in the area, you're welcome to visit. Both of you."

Bumble smiled. "Thank you. I'd like that."

Sneeze made a happy sound and wagged his tail.

Aldwin watched them go, standing in the doorway of his tower until they disappeared down the road.

Then he turned back inside, pulled out a map, and began planning a trip to Brookhollow.

 

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: THE JOURNEY BACK 🦄✨🍄

The journey back to the tomato plant took two days.

Bumble and Sneeze traveled at an easy pace, following the road through forests and fields, over hills and across streams.

It felt different now.

Bumble had made this journey before—rushing from quest to quest, always focused on the next task, the next challenge.

But now, he found himself noticing things he'd missed before.

The way the sunlight filtered through the leaves.

The sound of birdsong in the morning.

The smell of wildflowers growing along the roadside.

It was beautiful.

And for the first time in a long time, Bumble wasn't in a hurry.

On the first day, they stopped to rest in a valley.

Bumble was sitting on a fallen log, eating bread and cheese from his pack, when Sneeze suddenly perked up and made a sharp, excited sound.

"What is it?" Bumble asked.

Sneeze was staring at something in the distance, his tail wagging.

Bumble followed his gaze.

And his breath caught.

A herd of unicorns was running through the valley.

There were at least a dozen of them—sleek and graceful, their coats shimmering white and silver in the sunlight. Their manes flowed like water, and their horns gleamed like polished ivory.

They moved as one, leaping over rocks and streams with effortless grace.

Bumble had never seen anything so beautiful.

He sat perfectly still, afraid that any movement would startle them.

But the unicorns didn't seem to notice him and Sneeze at all.

They ran past, their hooves barely making a sound on the grass, and disappeared into the trees on the far side of the valley.

For a long moment, Bumble just sat there, staring at the place where they'd vanished.

"Did you see that?" he whispered.

Sneeze made a soft, reverent sound—a low note that seemed to say yes.

Bumble smiled. "I'll never forget that."

On the second day, they came across a stream.

It was small and clear, winding through the forest like a ribbon of glass.

Bumble stopped and stared.

The water was flowing uphill.

Not quickly—just a gentle, steady flow, moving from the lower part of the stream to the higher part, defying all logic.

"That's... not normal," Bumble said.

Sneeze walked over to the stream and sniffed at it, then looked up at Bumble and made a sound that seemed to say magic.

"Right," Bumble said. "Magic."

He knelt down and dipped his hand into the water.

It was cool and clear, and it felt perfectly normal—just water.

But it was definitely flowing the wrong way.

Bumble watched it for a moment, mesmerized.

Then he filled his waterskin from the stream, just because he could say he'd drank from a river that flowed uphill.

Sneeze made a sound that might have been amusement.

"What?" Bumble said. "It's not every day you see something like this."

Sneeze's tail swished, and he trotted off down the path.

Bumble followed, smiling.

Later that afternoon, as the sun was beginning to set, they passed through a grove of trees.

The air here was thick with the smell of earth and moss, and the light was soft and golden.

And then Bumble saw them.

Fairies.

They were dancing in a circle around a ring of mushrooms—tiny, glowing figures no bigger than his hand. Their wings shimmered like dragonfly wings, and their laughter sounded like bells.

Bumble stopped immediately and held up a hand to signal Sneeze to be quiet.

Sneeze froze, watching.

The fairies spun and twirled, their movements graceful and wild. They didn't seem to notice Bumble and Sneeze at all—or if they did, they didn't care.

Bumble had heard stories about fairy rings.

You weren't supposed to step inside them. You weren't supposed to interrupt the dance.

If you did, you might be trapped there forever, dancing until you collapsed from exhaustion.

So Bumble stayed perfectly still, watching from a safe distance.

The fairies danced for what felt like hours, though it might have only been minutes.

And then, all at once, they vanished.

The mushroom ring was still there, glowing faintly in the fading light.

But the fairies were gone.

Bumble let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"That was close," he whispered.

Sneeze made a sound that seemed to agree.

They gave the mushroom ring a wide berth and continued down the path.

 

By the time they reached the tomato plant, the sun was setting.

The field looked different now.

Where the massive enchanted stalk had once towered into the clouds, there was now just a normal tomato plant—about waist-high, with healthy green leaves and a few ripe red tomatoes hanging from its branches.

The enchantment hadn't killed it.

It had just... released it.

Returned it to what it was supposed to be.

Bumble smiled. "That's better."

Bumble walked to the base of the plant, where he'd left his armor.

And there it was.

His breastplate, gauntlets, greaves, and helmet—all piled neatly where he'd set them down days ago.

They were a bit dusty, and the straps were damp from the morning dew, but they were intact.

Even more surprising- someone must've tossed his sword down from the clouds. There it was a few feet away, standing upright with it's point stuck in the ground.

Bumble knelt down and picked up the breastplate, holding it in his hands, looking down at it fondly.

It wasn't much.

It was plain, scuffed and scratched and heavy.

But it was his.

He'd worn it through every quest. Every disaster. Every triumph.

And now, after everything that had happened—after being turned into a dragon and flying through the clouds and breaking an enchantment—he was putting it back on.

Bumble smiled.

"Alright," he said to Sneeze. "Let's go home."

He strapped on the armor piece by piece.

The breastplate settled onto his shoulders with a familiar weight. The gauntlets slid over his hands. The greaves buckled around his legs.

And finally, he picked up his helmet and set it on his head.

It felt right.

Sneeze made a sound—a soft, approving note.

Bumble adjusted the helmet and grinned. "How do I look?"

Sneeze tilted his head, considering.

Then he sneezed.

A small puff of flame shot out and singed the edge of Bumble's cloak.

"Perfect," Bumble said dryly, patting out the ember. "Just like old times."

Sneeze's tail wagged.

Bumble walked over to his sword and grabbed the handle. It pulled easily out of the soft ground. He tucked it back in his sheath where it belonged.

They set off down the road, heading towards the castle.

The sun was sinking below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink.

Bumble walked on with his dragon by his side.

He was going home.

And he had a story to tell.

 

CHAPTER NINETEEN: HOME 🏰💚

The castle came into view just as the sun was rising.

Bumble stopped at the top of the hill and looked down at it—the tall stone walls, the towers with their colorful banners, the courtyard where he'd trained and stumbled and fallen more times than he could count.

Home.

He'd been gone for days, sent to investigate some mysterious lights in the forest.

And now he was back.

Sneeze sat down beside him and made a soft sound—something warm and content.

"Yeah," Bumble said quietly. "We made it."

He adjusted his helmet, which had slipped down over his eyes again.

He pushed it up.

It slipped back down.

He pushed it up again and held it there with one hand while he walked.

"I thought Aldwin fixed this," he muttered.

Sneeze made a sound that clearly meant he fixed YOU, not your equipment.

"Fair point," Bumble said.

Then they started down the hill.

The guards at the gate recognized him immediately.

"Sir Bumble!" one of them called, grinning. "You're back! How did it go? Did you find out what was causing those lights?"

"I did," Bumble said, smiling. "It was a witch. She's very nice."

The guards exchanged glances.

"A witch?" one of them said. "And you're... alive?"

"She gave me some light made of gratitude." Bumble said.

Oh," the guard said. "Well. Good then."

One of the guards leaned over to the other and whispered, "Do you think he hit his head out there?"

"Probably," the other whispered back. "But he seems happy about it."

Bumble pretended not to hear them.

They opened the gate, looking slightly confused.

Bumble walked through, his armor clanking with every step, and crossed the courtyard.

Bumble found the other knights in the great hall, gathered around a long table for breakfast.

There were about a dozen of them—some older, some younger, all wearing polished armor.

They looked up when Bumble walked in.

"Bumble!" one of them called—Sir Gareth, a tall knight with a booming voice. "You're back! How did the investigation go?"

"Did you find out what was causing the lights?" another asked.

"Was it dangerous?"

"Did you have to fight anything?"

Bumble set his pack down on the table and smiled.

His sword immediately fell out of its sheath.

It clattered across the stone floor.

All the knights turned to look.

Bumble walked over, picked it up, and slid it back into the sheath.

"Still doing that?" Gareth asked.

"Every single day," Bumble said.

"Have you tried getting it fixed?"

"Multiple times," Bumble said. "It doesn't help."

"Maybe it's cursed," someone suggested.

"At this point, I wouldn't be surprised," Bumble said.

"Were the lights cursed?" Someone asked.

"No," Bumble said, "But let me tell you about it. "

The knights leaned forward, curious.

"The lights were coming from a witch's cottage," Bumble said. "She creates these beautiful glowing orbs—they float through the forest. The villagers thought she was dangerous, but she's actually just afraid of the dark."

"A witch who's afraid of the dark?" Gareth said, raising an eyebrow. "That's ironic."

"She gave me this," Bumble said, pulling out the vial of light. "So I'd always have light with me."

The knights looked at the softly glowing vial.

"That's... actually quite nice," one of them said.

"And then," Bumble continued, "I met a brownie."

"A brownie?" Gareth repeated.

"She lives in a gingerbread house in the enchanted forest," Bumble said. "She was very particular about her decorating. I accidentally broke one of her shutters."

"How do you accidentally break a shutter on a gingerbread house?" someone asked.

"I grabbed the wall for balance and it came off in my hand," Bumble explained.

"You grabbed a wall made of gingerbread," Gareth said slowly, "for balance."

"It seemed sturdy!" Bumble protested.

"It was made of cookies," another knight pointed out.

"Very thick cookies," Bumble said defensively.

The knights were trying very hard not to laugh.

"Did she curse you?" someone asked nervously.

"No," Bumble said. "She gave me candy."

He pulled out the bag and set it on the table.

The knights stared at it.

"You went into the enchanted forest, met a brownie who lived in a house made of cookies, broke her house, and she gave you candy?" Gareth said slowly.

"She said I was polite," Bumble explained.

"Of course she did," Gareth muttered.

"And then," Bumble said, "I found a giant tomato plant."

The knights blinked.

"A what?" someone asked.

"A giant tomato plant," Bumble repeated. "It was growing up into the clouds. So I climbed it."

"You climbed a tomato plant," Gareth said flatly.

"How does one climb a tomato plant?" a younger knight asked, genuinely curious.

"Very carefully," Bumble said. "And I fell off three times."

"Three times?" Gareth said.

"The vines are slippery," Bumble explained. "And I punched through a tomato by accident."

"You punched a tomato."

"I grabbed it for support and my hand went through it," Bumble said. "There was juice everywhere."

Several knights were now openly laughing.

"It was a very large tomato," Bumble added, as if that made it better. "And at the top, I found a castle. A giant's castle. But the giant was gone, and tiny people—about this big—" he held up his fingers to show the size "—were living there. Three thousand of them."

The knights exchanged glances.

"Tiny people," one of them said.

"In a castle in the clouds," another added.

"Yes," Bumble said. "But the tomato plant was destroying the castle, so I went to find help. I met a wizard named Al who tried to give me temporary magic so I could help break the enchantment on the plant."

"And?" Gareth prompted.

"The spell went wrong," Bumble said. "Al turned me into a dragon."

Silence.

Complete silence.

A piece of bread fell off someone's plate.

No one moved to pick it up.

Everyone was staring at Bumble.

"You're joking," Gareth said finally.

"I'm not," Bumble said. "I had scales and wings and everything. Lavender scales, actually. Like my armor."

"Lavender," someone repeated faintly.

"I crashed into Aldwin's garden when I tried to land," Bumble continued. "Destroyed his lettuce. And his favorite gnome. And I think a statue."

"His favorite gnome," Gareth said, his voice strangled.

"He was very upset about it," Bumble said seriously.

Then Gareth said, very carefully, as if still not quite able to believe it, "You were turned into a dragon."

"Yes," Bumble said. "For about two days. I could fly and everything. It was terrifying and amazing."

"How are you not a dragon now?" someone asked.

"I went to see Aldwin the sorcerer," Bumble said. "He reversed the spell using the vial of light from the witch. Gratitude magic, he called it."

The knights stared at him.

Then they looked at each other.

Then they burst out laughing.

"Did you at least learn anything useful from being a dragon?" someone asked, wiping tears from their eyes.

"I learned that Sneeze has been trying to talk to me this whole time," Bumble said. "I just couldn't understand him until I was a dragon too."

Everyone looked at Sneeze, who was sitting by the fireplace looking smug.

"What was he saying?" Gareth asked.

"Mostly that I was doing things wrong," Bumble said.

Sneeze made a sound that clearly meant you were.

"See?" Bumble said. "He's very opinionated."

"Only you, Bumble," Gareth said, shaking his head. "Only you could go investigate some lights and come back with a story about a witch, a brownie, a giant tomato plant, tiny people, and being turned into a dragon."

Bumble grinned. "I also helped break the enchantment on the plant. The tiny people are safe now."

"Of course you did," Gareth said, still laughing.

Bumble opened the bag of candy and passed it around.

"The brownie made this," he said. "It's really good."

The knights took pieces—fudge, toffee, caramels—and their laughter softened into surprised delight.

"This is incredible," one of them said, his mouth full of chocolate.

"Brownie magic," Bumble said. "She's an excellent baker."

"You're the luckiest unlucky knight I've ever met," Gareth said, taking another piece of candy. "Everything goes wrong for you, but somehow you always end up fine."

"Better than fine," another knight said. "He gets candy and magic vials and stories about flying."

"Tell us everything," Gareth said, leaning forward. "We want to hear the whole story. Start with the witch."

So Bumble told them.

He told them about Hazel and her glowing orbs, and how the villagers had been afraid of her for no reason.

He told them about the brownie's gingerbread house, and how particular she was about the icing on her shutters.

He told them about climbing the tomato plant and finding the tiny people living in a castle in the clouds.

He told them about Al the wizard, whose spells kept going wrong, and how he'd accidentally been turned into a dragon.

He told them about flying for the first time, and how Sneeze had laughed at him when he crash-landed in Aldwin's garden.

He told them about Aldwin using the vial of light to reverse the spell, and how gratitude magic had saved him.

The knights listened, passing the bag of candy around, their expressions shifting from amusement to wonder to something that looked almost like respect.

When Bumble finished, the hall was quiet.

Then Gareth said, "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

Bumble's heart sank.

"And also," Gareth continued, grinning, "the most amazing."

The other knights nodded, murmuring agreement.

"You didn't just investigate the lights," Gareth said. "You helped people. You made friends. You saved a city of tiny people. You were turned into a dragon and lived to tell about it."

He raised his mug. "To Sir Bumble. The most unconventional knight in the kingdom."

The other knights raised their mugs and cheered.

Bumble felt his face warm, but he was smiling.

"Thank you," he said.

Later, after the breakfast had ended and the other knights had gone off to their training, Bumble climbed the stairs to his room.

It was small and simple—a bed, a desk, a wardrobe, and a window that looked out over the courtyard.

He set his pack down on the desk and started unpacking.

The bag of candy—now a little more than half-empty—went in the desk drawer, saved for sharing later.

And the vial of light...

Bumble held it up, watching the soft golden glow pulse gently.

He set it on the table beside his bed.

It wasn't bright enough to read by, but it was enough to chase away the darkness.

A nightlight.

A reminder of Hazel, and the kindness he'd shown her, and the kindness she'd shown him in return.

A reminder that helping people mattered.

Bumble sat down on the edge of his bed and looked around his room.

At his treasures from both quests—the wooden spoon on the shelf, the tournament ribbon on the wall, the vial glowing softly beside his bed.

At his armor, hung carefully on its stand.

At Sneeze, who had curled up on the rug by the fireplace and was already asleep.

And he was happy.

As Bumble lay down in bed, the vial of light glowing softly beside him, he thought about everything that had happened.

The witch who was afraid of the dark.

The brownie who loved her gingerbread house.

The tiny people living in the clouds.

The wizard whose spell went wrong.

The sorcerer who turned him back.

He hadn't done things the way other knights did.

But he'd done something just as important.

He'd listened. He'd cared. He'd helped.

And that, Bumble thought as he drifted off to sleep, was enough.

 

CHAPTER TWENTY- EPILOGUE: THE NEXT QUEST 📜

Three days later, King Aldric summoned Bumble to the throne room. The King looked more tired than Bumble had ever seen him.

"Sir Bumble," the king said, looking weary. "I have another task for you."

Bumble straightened. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

"There's a village to the east," the king said. "They're being terrorized by a giant."

"A giant?" Bumble repeated.

"Yes," the king said, rubbing his temples. "He's been stealing their livestock, trampling their fields, and generally causing chaos. The villagers want him dealt with."

Bumble thought for a moment.

"Has anyone tried talking to him?" he asked.

The king blinked. "Talking to him?"

"Maybe he's just hungry," Bumble said. "Or lonely. Or maybe he doesn't realize he's causing problems."

The king stared at him.

Then he sighed—a long, resigned sigh.

"I suppose that's very you, Sir Bumble. Fine. Go talk to the giant. See what you can do."

"I will," Bumble said cheerfully.

He bowed and left the throne room.

 

Sneeze was waiting for him in the courtyard, tail swishing.

Bumble grinned. "Ready for another adventure?"

Sneeze sneezed.

A small puff of flame shot out, singeing Bumble's cloak.

Again.

Bumble laughed and patted out the ember.

"Let's go," he said.

And together, they set off down the road.

THE END 💚🐉🏰