"G'd morn'g prin'ess!" Greets the baker as Hannele flutters down to the front of his humble shop.

"Greetings, Mr. Wheat," She responds cheerfully. "What do you have baking today? The smells are absolutely flattering."

"I've a fr'sh loaf 'f br'd c'ling in the k'tch'n if you're in'erested," He offers, shuffling around a few muffins.

"That would be lovely! Could I get two slices? Oh! And some beer butter, please," Hannele requests.

"C'ming righ' up!" Mr. Wheat goes into the kitchen and then comes back a moment later with the items wrapped in a leaf bag. "Th't all for yo', miss?"

"Yes, this will do. Have you heard if the tea brewer has returned from his collecting?" She asks, gently taking the bag of goodies from Mr. Wheat.

He thinks for a moment, tapping his chin with his knuckle. "Migh' h've got'n ba'k just last ni't!"

That is wonderful news. Have a blessed day!"

"A'd to you, prin'ess!" He calls after her when she excitedly flew away. A guard catches up with her, the boy heaving for breath.

"Good morning, Phillip. Do you have any updates for me?" Hannele and Phillip had pretty much grown up together, with him only two years younger than her.

"My father wished me to accompany you to the library, your highness," He responds, having mostly caught his breath by now. His father is the leader of the palace guards and a very straightforward man.

"That is wonderful! Do you know the librarian's daughter? Well, she just may be able to help me with my studies."

"Extraordinary news, princess! I know how much this all means to you," Phillip congratulates her.

Hannele does a twirl mid-flight, letting her petal dress dance up around her. "Maybe today will be the day that I figure out if the Fairy Dance exists or not."

The two of them flutter through the grand entrance of the library and go up to the living quarters high in the old oak tree. 

Per duty, Phillip steps in front of and knocks on the door for Hannele. She stops him from announcing her presence.

The door pulls open, and the fairy is gleaming in delight. "Princess! I am so glad you got my letter, I never got a response, so I was worried you didn't get it! Actually, I was just rewriting it..." She trails off to motion to a piece of paper on her desk.

"You never received my response?" Hannele backtracks.

"No, I didn't," The fairy admits, welcoming them into the living space. Phillip closes the door behind Hannele. 

"I had hand-written that response... Now, who did I give it to?" Hannele thinks aloud, mumbling. "Grant... I think I gave it to my mother's guard. But how wouldn't it have gotten here? He is all about his duties..."

"I can ask him, princess," Phillip offers.

"That is much alright, I should speak to him once we return. But, we mustn't dwell on that. Your name is Eilish, correct?"

"Yes, princess! Willis has Wiesel of the Oak Library," She does a little bow. "My mother informed me of your studies, and I figured that I might be able to help you some."

"That is wonderful news, Eilish. I have brought some bread and butter. Good food for thought, hum?" Hannele suggests.

Eilish agrees and opens the curtains to a window next to the table. She then invites them to sit with her before collecting a pile of resources ranging from losing papers to a thick book.

Phillip serves the bread and butter to the girls while Eilish lays out a few maps. She begins explaining. "I have devoted my life to exploring beyond the borders of the kingdom. Out there seems to be never-ending, and evermore different from here.

"No, I haven't gotten any farther from where historic explorers have gone, but I am lead to believe there is a magical reason preventing exploration. Something big, and forgotten."

She flips around the map so it is facing Hannele. "Here, here, and here," She motions to different parts of the map surrounding the kingdom. "These are the places that I have explored." She trails her fingers out to the edges of the maps. "It is hard to believe, but as I continued flying this way I seemed to be losing air traction. Or, my ability to fly." She points to the eastern borders. "So, I came home to do some research and found a the Source Theory.

"The theory states that there is a magical epicenter to the magic of our flight. It goes on to say that the farther you are from it, the harder it will be to fly. Until, eventually, you can no longer fly. It becomes impossible.

"It also says that there is a location where flight is better than we know it as. Maybe perfect, maybe deadly. It's hard to tell. This place could have a different kind of magic. After this, I discovered the Portal Theory.

"The Portal Theory relates to a human tale we were told as fairilings. That there were large, wingless, fairies in the past that we are now separated from. The Portal Theory believes that there is a place where magic is so powerful that you would be able to go to a different land that can be reached by no other way.

"If this magic epicenter exists, and something can be made from it, I may know where it is." Eilish points to a forest on the map.

"Rooftop forest? But, that is so nearby. Why would there be a magical epicenter hidden so close to the kingdom?" Hannele wonders.

"Because we need the magic of the Epicenter for flight! Don't you see? It would have to be nearby or we wouldn't be able to use its magic. And, when you fly in the opposite direction," She points back to two of the locations that she has gone to before. "That is when you tend to lose air traction." Eilish explains, confident in her theory.

"Thank you, Eilish. This has been very informative and I believe it should serve as a great aid to my research."

"Anytime, princess. Just letter me if you need an exploration partner!"

"Will do," Hannele agrees and she heads off with Phillip.

They return to the castle, Phillip refusing to leave Hannele's side even with her insisting that he should go take a break. Together, they track down Grant. To their luck, he is not currently with the queen.

"Princess Hannele," Grant gives a deep bow when she approaches him. "How has your morning been?"

"It has been quite eventful," Hannele chooses her words carefully. "But I have come to ask you about a letter."

"Whatever you need, your highness," Grant automatically agrees.

"Four days ago, I had entrusted you with a letter. Do you remember that?"

"Yes, princess."

"I had instructed you to deliver it or to get it to someone to deliver it as soon as possible. Today, I had visited the supposed recipient of the letter. They had never received it. Do you have any idea what could have happened?"

Grant speculated for a moment, probably wondering how she could have figured this all out. He then replies. "After seeing you, her majesty had found me before I was able to pass off the letter. She demanded to read it, and tore it up when she was done."

Hannele stands, frustrated. Mother had destroyed her letter! Why would she sabotage her? "Thank you, Grant. You have been of much aid. You may be dismissed." Hannele walks on, now determined to locate the letter thief.