Formicea
Chapter 207

Once I settled down, things got a lot easier.

Due to stress and anticipation, my laying intervals got a bit jumbled in recent times, but now that I'm finally back here in a familiar environment, I really notice a difference.

It's... easier if I'm not stressed out.

The whole laying, but also how my body feels in general.

I mean, it's a rare occasion if you truly can enjoy yourself without worries.

But I think I deserved this, which plays into this particular feeling of ease.

The war should be considered over by now.

Not sure if Koreso is going to send for peace negotiations anytime soon, as their national pride might prevent this, but I doubt they'll start any attacks on a greater scale anytime soon.

This means we got it.

Crisis averted, Tarsona saved, and hopefully, the animosity that came up during our short occupation of the capital will eventually dissipate with the aid of the fact that our swarm helped to prevent them all from getting enslaved.

So yes, I think I am fully justified in feeling this certain, profound kind of relief.

<My princess. May I massage your wings? It seems like they could need this.> (S)

So she proceeds, and I need to say, I missed this.

I feel at home.

As I said, life is good.

However, as time passes, I can't help but get thoughts about things that at least mildly concern me.

How are things going at the wall?

Is truly everything alright there?

I mean, I established a bit of a messenger network, as Liseti advised me to, but if something were to happen the news would require a bit of time to reach us here.

Also, how are things going in the capital, where Mum is located?

The Formicea kinda relinquished control of the city and returned underground, but Honiu still maintains a presence there, within that gigantic underground base, which means Mum also stayed.

Is she still fine?

Working all the time with Honiu can't be very relaxing.

Not to forget the chance she could be harmed by whatever shit the extremists would try to pull against them.

In addition, when is she going to return here, back to us?

When will our family again be reunited?

All these things accumulate into little worries the more time they have to fester.

As my information network is by no means on that level yet, lacking several generations of messengers, there's but one I can turn to.

Liseti.

Yes, Uma may have been another option, but whenever I interact with her there's the chance I get caught up in something unpleasant.

So, according to the usual customs, I send a messenger in advance to inform her about my visit, then depart for her dwelling.

After a while, I reach the upper levels where Liseti's district is located.

On the way, I passed several troops with human workers, getting more frequent the higher I climbed.

Yet once I enter the premises of the district, I notice a distinctive change in the atmosphere in comparison to my last visit.

There are more messengers, by far, busying themselves around the area.

Surely all delivering important messages from the wall, the vicinity of the surface fortress, and maybe all of Tarsona.

If I'm right, there are even more passages than before to the surface.

As I'm expected, we are received by Liseti's messengers and directly guided to the princess in question.

When I arrive, I find her somewhat busy with giving orders about various logistics that certainly concern her building project above ground.

It's kind of incredible how she gives the impression of a whirlwind that with each rotation takes care of another dozen of issues.

Yet not to the degree that she wouldn't be able to free herself of these duties and directly turn to me.

<Greetings, Erys.> (L)

<Ehk, is now a bad time? I could come later again.> (E)

<Nonsense. I was already close to finishing my latest arrangements for moving.> (L)

<Moving?> (E)

<Didn't I tell you? I plan on elevating my district. Not by much. Only a short distance closer to the surface. After all, I'll have to take care of the affairs of our expansion up there, once we are properly established.> (L)

Isn't this a bit like her making her own independent hive?

The distance shouldn't mean much if she's the one to independently handle what I assume is going to be a major settlement in this region.

<That sounds like a huge thing. Are you sure you have time for me?> (E)

<Naturally! I'm not as incapable as that I couldn't handle this bit. I was even expecting you to come to me for advice. Tell me, how are your preparations going?> (L)

<Ehk!/Uh, preparations?> (E)

<Naturally. After all, you will soon depart to found your own hive.> (L)

My own hive... Right, there was something in that regard.

<That could be a problem.> (E)

<It's not surprising that this is proving a challenge to you. After all, it's quite early for you as a princess to even think about leaving the main hive. Yet, quite typical for Mother. Nonetheless, I'm expecting the logistics of such a great effort to be thoroughly overwhelming to you. Especially, as your brood is still on the small side. Do you temporarily require additional drones to help you build your foundation?> (L)

My foundation?

Like, of my hive?

My own hive?!

How did we get here?

Why is everything suddenly proceeding so quickly?!

<Erys, you're emitting stress signals. Please stop this. It disturbs the processes in my district.> (L)

As if I could!

<I take it your preparations are in an insufficient state yet. And this while you're certainly expected to leave rather soon, before the end of the cycle brings the cold and makes your units sluggish.> (L)

Right, winter is coming.

Huge build projects and drone transfer as well as long-distance deliveries will become increasingly difficult by then.

But how do I know what kind of preparations are even expected of me?

I mean, there are those weird instincts, but those are more about general stuff like the overall setup for a hive, and not specific arrangements.

So I'm utterly lost right now regarding what to do.

<Erys, your continued silence is irritating and concerning. What measures have you taken to prepare till now?> (L)

Does sleeping count?

<I, Ehk, I actually didn't do all that much.> (E)

I had a well-deserved and extremely required break!

But I doubt this is going to count for her.

<You didn't!?> (L)

<I had a lot of stress recently, with all the projects and approaching catastrophes! I really had to relax for a bit!> (E)

In return for my little outburst, I receive one of Liseti's typical unblinking glares.

However, eventually, she does so with her second eyelids.

<I understand. I can relate to your thinking of favoring your mental health to support your production.> (L)

Ehm, this wasn't exactly my underlying reason, but I guess I'll take what I can.

<Nonetheless, time is running out. Tell me! What's your number of nectar units? Who will feed you, personally, in your time of settling in, or do you truly intend to fulfill the number of drones required for a hive without nectar? Are they sufficient to also feed your brood till the mycelium begins producing? How many scholars have you prepared to learn here in the main hive that you may turn to them when there's no one else you can ask for advice on subjects you don't know? What will you do when there is only your own brood you may rely on for immediate assistance?! We need to address your capability of establishing your own hive. Not to forget nurses to tend to your nursery.> (L)

I feel this profound sensation of alarm in her pheromones.

An alarmed Liseti is distressing by itself.

<I, I am not sure.> (E)

<Not satisfying. Try again!> (L)

What?!

She just demands another answer?!

<I don't know! I remember having produced one nectar unit. There could be more though. I didn't keep track of it. Also, there's at least one scholar of mine training in the chamber of knowledge. Nurses I got enough.> (E)

At least, there's by now a decent number, some are even already tending to me during my sessions.

I mean, they are the cutest I can produce, so I might have been a little bit more inclined to do so from the very start.

However, regarding the other two, ever since I lifted that mental block I am at least capable of producing them as part of the whole egg mix, but the mere fact that I avoid thinking about those patterns could mean that, in fact, I didn't actually include them.

<You do realize how utterly insufficient this is? Furthermore, even if you have only a single scholar unit, there is no excuse for your brood’s numbers to be unknown. It can easily remember such details and relay them to you.> (L)

<I just haven’t asked! There was just always something going on and I always had to move somewhere else to take care of another impending catastrophe. It was already enough for me to establish messengers to keep me informed, I didn’t have time to consider how many of each type of egg I’ve laid. Maybe there are some. I just haven’t managed to look yet with everything else that was going on.> (E)

Although I have been merely relaxing…

Maybe I should take some time to visit the nursery.

I couldn't get to it while I was at the wall, but I guess the younger brood deserves to be treated equally to their older siblings.

<Erys, these matters must be addressed. I want you to focus on nothing else but producing nectar units and scholars. The rest can be substituted from outside till your own brood catches up, but scholars can only be trained here to eventually fill your own chamber of knowledge with what they learned. Also, nectar units produce much more efficiently when they can detect their broodmother’s pheromones, and as they can't be returned once they’ve grown to their permanent variation, having your own will be essential in fulfilling your hive’s needs.> (L)

Damnit.

So that means I'll need more of those poor creatures that are damned to live a life solely to serve as a nectar container.

That Liseti just hinted that they’ll work harder for me specifically isn't helping all that much with me accepting that thought.

<However, it won't be possible to focus your full production on this. Your laying isn't as simply manipulatable. But you'll need as many as possible. The nectar units first. You’ll require at least ten of them to be prepared before your departure, hopefully more, while the scholars will continue here to gather knowledge and eventually join you in your hive. Yet with the latter, we have more time. Mother may send you one of her own to make due for the time being. Yet you should be aware that this means that she'll eventually know of all your deeds.> (L)

It's weird for Liseti to make this sound like something bad.

<I didn't think you'd be the one to tell me I should leave Uma in the dark about my affairs.> (E)

Her sister, sure, but Liseti is more of a "good girl" to the queen.

<True independence won't be achieved if you continue to rely on others. Naturally, the swarm will protect you in the event of any greater incursions, but it's expected of you that you won't fail due to more ordinary troubles. Otherwise, it may be decided that you're still too inept to be trusted with independence, and you could be grounded for another 500 cycles, more or less. Just like our sister Akisa. She didn't take it well back then.> (L)

I’m starting to see the reason behind some of Chera's issues.

500 years spent next to a patronizing Uma and I might similarly be as jaded as Chera.

And who's this new sister?!

How extensive of a family do they have?

A family that I’m included in, whether I wish to be or not.

<Akisa?> (E)

<I suppose you'll eventually meet her. From what I gathered, her hive will be in the 'south' of your hive's planned location. She controls it together with her co-princess Masiru.> (L)

Right.

More insect politics.

As if things weren't already complicated enough.

<But in general, I should be able to set my own hive up, right?> (E)

<You should have the according instincts. You do, right?> (L)

<Ehk, yes, I think so. Albeit, they are a bit vague.> (E)

<This should suffice. To answer your question, yes, if you commit your production now to filling the gaps it should be possible. Yet from all I know about the process of establishing an independent hive, there'll be a great variety of troubles showing themselves once you get started that will need to be attended to. Especially, the initial period will surely be difficult, as you won't have your own quarters during that time. The necessary options could cause you discomfort, as I came to know you.> (L)

She probably means having to sleep within several layers of drones during that time.

Yet this is at least something I'd have a solution for.

<You know, Caradis isn't exactly undeveloped. It should be possible to requisition a suitable building for my needs.> (E)

<Human quarters? This is just like you. I won't berate you for your own independent choices, but at least make sure to maintain proper security, before you again get yourself captured.> (L)

I'll never hear the end of this, will I?

<Yeah, yeah I learned my lesson.> (E)

<I very much hope so. To be clear, this is my main concern about having you be on your own. You tend to neglect necessary measures for your safety, not going to the lengths that your importance for our kind would warrant.> (L)

It's hard to argue against this.

It obviously didn't work out for me in the past.

<As soon as I’m able to afford it again, I'll start producing more of my royal guard. Is this satisfying?> (E)

<I suppose. Your royal guards are highly capable. However, they are no replacement for required caution.> (L)

<I understand. I won't expose myself too much.> (E)

Maybe making concessions will get her to stop.

<I sure hope this will be enough.> (L)

<So are we done?> (E)

<Regarding your hive, yes. Albeit I feel like I'll have to take a greater workload to make sure you settle in properly. However, there's another great issue that you may want to discuss.> (L)

What does she mean?

Her pheromones make whatever she has on her mind sound like a really serious topic.

<What are you talking about?> (E)

<What are your plans for the future of your family?> (L)

Huh!?

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