Formicea
Epilogue: A Farm at the Outskirts 1

Announcement And another epilogue, bringing us back to a little family we already met.

- Maja -

Things were looking up recently.

For quite some time I didn't think so.

Our farm was struggling for a long while before.

The place where we're living is harsh.

Barely anything grows and our livestock had to remain outside for quite some time to get enough food.

I still can't understand why Daddy had to take over a farm so high up in the north.

The only good thing that grows here are our samin roots, and that only in the summer.

While slightly sweet, their texture isn't to everyone's liking, and we are so far out in the boonies that we have trouble selling them.

Also, they grow only very slowly, need a lot of water, and can only be harvested once a year.

Seriously, there isn’t even a road anywhere close.

We could somewhat get by with selling our animals, but eventually, it became clear that we’d never get more than before.

But what were we supposed to do?

With the war and the many refugees out there, joining them would've been really foolish.

So yes, things weren't looking very bright.

Till she came knocking at our farm.

.

.

.

At first, one could've taken her for a young woman, but at second glance, this thought fled.

Her eyes were somewhat wrong.

Black where they shouldn't be.

Then those wings.

Oh, and these giant bugs flying around, along with this giant walking insect next to her, were also frightening.

To summarize, she was freaking me out.

When she stabbed Dad in the foot and he fell down, I already thought "Now it is over", that we would all be mercilessly slaughtered.

Instead, she opted to kill some of our animals, which wasn't all that much better.

The only ones she left were small and wouldn’t bring much money.

All the time she was rambling about compensation and that she was sorry.

Everything was so very strange about her.

Especially, how she smeared something in my face, I'll probably never forget.

In particular, because I can still smell it.

Back then we assumed the worst.

If not for those bugs she left behind, we might've just burned down the barn, but we didn't really have a way to proceed while Dad was knocked out.

However, now I'm glad we didn't.

Even if things didn't get any less strange.

Because a few weeks later a lot changed:

"How are we supposed to continue now? This, this creature killed our mules. There's no way we can last another year with just what is left." (Mum)

"What are you suggesting, Amelia? Do you have any idea how it looks in Arkona? The whole city is overrun with refugees. Do you want our family to join them?" (Dad)

"But what else are we to do? If we sell the remaining animals, we could maybe hold out long enough till things get better again." (Amelia)

"We can't wait for that to happen, Amelia! For all we know, things are going to become much worse before they get better. I tell you what. We'll sell the remaining goats and from that buy some more seeds of the hardier corn made for northern regions. We might have to hunger for some time, but if we can push through this, there's hope." (Dad)

"Northern regium corn is vile, and you know that, Jonah. Not even the refugees want it, so it only serves as animal food. Which we barely have any of at this point. Also, how are you going to plow the fields if we lost our mules? Your back, Jonah! You can't do this by yourself!" (A)

"So instead we should just give up?" (Jonah)

Like this, it has already gone on for weeks.

They discuss, argue, cry, always without any result.

If we could eat what corn we have, it might really help a lot, but the thought alone makes me gag.

Regium corn, and especially the hardier variants, while supposed to be edible, are all known for their nasty, bitter taste.

As far as I know, you could actually last quite a while on them, as long as your sense of taste is dead, of course.

I’ve heard that people only found out it's edible because someone tried to torture people in the dungeons by feeding them solely with it.

As if that wasn’t disgusting enough, there’s also a faint sweetness mixed into it that comes about somewhat off.

I'd know, because we can't grow much else here in our soil.

The fact that even during the food shortage barely anyone wanted to buy it should speak for itself.

At most, it's suitable as animal feed.

Mixed with samin roots, the added sweetness helps a bit to cover part of the taste, yet even they prefer fresh grass over it, and we don't want to torture the poor animals.

"Knock, knock"

Mum and Dad are still arguing, so I should go to the door.

Just when I open up, I remember that I'm not supposed to answer the door like this and am directly reminded why that is so, as I find a giant in front of me.

At first, I only see some black armor and cloak.

Looking upward, I have to blink twice, trying to make sure that I'm not just seeing things, as I look at what looks like a smooth, dark mask.

It's completely even, if not for some holes in the surface.

"Greetings, human." (masked... person?)

The figure speaks slowly while taking breaths between the words.

Are there more behind them?

I can barely see past its frame.

"D-Dad?!" (Maja)

I'm rather sure I'm not capable of handling this on my own.

Dad immediately runs to the door, grasping my body and thrusting me behind him.

"Stay away from my daughter!" (J)

"My intention, wasn't to, cause problems." (mask bearer)

By now, Mum is with us as well.

Both place themselves protectively in front of me, and I carefully peek around them.

"What do you want from us?" (A)

Just now, I notice how there are more strange creatures behind this one.

A whole troop of them!

Winged ones, big ones on four legs, giant ones on four legs, more like the first, so many of them!

What do they want from us?!

"My Princess, Erys, sends regards. She wishes to, show her gratitude, for the, support you, granted her, in her time of need." (mask bearer)

They are speaking with a wheeze to their words.

As if they don't get in enough air to speak all the words they want to.

Yet what is that, ehm, person?

What are they saying?

The one who killed our animals was a real princess?

And they want to repay us?!

This, this is good, isn't it?

"Didn't you already do enough?! Not enough that this abomination you call a princess killed our animals, you even have to come here and rub it in!" (J)

Oh no!

The masked person looks really displeased now!

You shouldn’t yell at the giant bugs, Dad!

Mum seems to have noticed as well.

"Honey, maybe you should let them speak. Gratitude doesn't sound all that bad." (A)

"But..." (J)

"Do you think anything good will come from starting a fight with them? Last time there was only a few. Now…" (A)

As Mum waves outside, Dad begins to look a bit unsure.

"Please, Dad." (M)

Oh, god's blessing!

He gives in.

"Then speak! What is your business here?" (J)

"If not, for my orders, I should, punish you, for this, insult to, my mother. Yet this, would mean, failure, and the other humans, would be, affected too." (mask bearer)

Mother?

So is this a prince?

I wouldn't think so from their appearance.

Though, if I remind myself of what she did... does that mean he's like those bugs?

But he can talk and looks very different from them.

The strange person takes some steps back and looks for the group.

I neither noticed a gesture nor heard a word, but the whole troop shifts as if there was something like this.

Four of the smaller ones with the four spiky legs walk closer, carrying some kind of huge bowl.

"First, let me present you with this:" (mask bearer)

They put it down just close to our doorstep.

Now that I can take a closer look, I see that those are rocks.

They have a shine to them, like... gold?

"Oh my!" (A)

Is this true?

With this much, we could buy new animals, even more than we had before!

"As we were, informed, this should be, a suitable value, to offset the, damages, the actions of, my princess caused. Yet, as my princess, is aware of, the given issues, with receiving equal value, from this gift, and wants to make amends, she additionally, will grant you, a specific blessing, you may, make use of, in a more, practical manner." (mask bearer)

Next, the troop parts once more and they give way for... uh, what is that?

Some kind of huge bug worm?

Like, really huge, and somewhat squishy.

"What are these?" (A)

"These are, nectar units. From their glands, at their lower abdomen, they provide nectar, given that, they were in turn, sufficiently provided, with food. As you lost, creatures that were, important to your livelihood, these shall act, as replacements." (mask bearer)

"You can pack them up right away! Why do you think we'd have any use for your insect livestock?" (J)

Oh no!

The masked person seems again to be very displeased.

"They are not, 'livestock', the nectar units, are direct, offspring, of, Princess Erys, and have, to be, treated, as such!" (mask bearer)

He comes really close to Dad, only showing now how high they are towering over him.

At this, Mum quickly pushes herself in front of him.

"We, we are very grateful for your generous offer, but we wouldn't know how to take care of them." (A)

It seems Mum tries to make them go away without getting them angry.

I believe that's much better than Dad's way.

I don’t want him to get hurt again.

"Nectar units can sustain themselves on almost all edible sources. This shouldn't pose an issue. Aside from this, you should have space to spare. Yet you might be right that it isn't quite suitable." (mask bearer)

"Ah, whatever are we to do? That's too bad. We can't possibly mistreat Princess Erys'... offspring in such a manner." (A)

"An issue, that can, easily, be remedied." (mask bearer)

Ehm, what?

Before anyone can really say anything, dozens of those spike-legs rush inside our barn.

They seem to carry some kind of equipment with them.

The noises of our remaining animals tell quite clearly that we weren't the only ones to be startled.

Promptly, the spike legs return, carrying mounds of dirt with them.

"What are you doing there?!" (J)

Dad is again getting angry.

"Providing a, deeper layer, in this structure, should allow it, to keep, a sufficient, level of, temperature. Usually, the cold, on the surface, would pose, an issue, yet nectar units, have insolating tissues, and should be, fine." (mask bearer)

While he talks, the spike-legs just continue shoveling dirt out of our barn.

"You, you... how can you do this?!" (J)

"Consider, this service, another boon, from my, princess." (mask bearer)

I honestly don't know what we could even retort at this point.

It just happens.

It's not like Dad can fight this insect troop to stop them from digging up our barn.

We are seriously at a loss here.

Why would this princess even want this to happen?

"Who are you even to just walk in here and act as you please?!" (J)

"I'm Omra, royal guard of the second generation of my princess Erys!" (Omra)

He throws his coat back and just now I can see all the weapons he has there.

"A guard? Is this why you're wearing this mask to protect your face?" (M)

Oh no, I shouldn't have blurted this out.

Now he's approaching.

Not close enough for Mum and Dad to do something, but surprisingly, he bows in my direction.

"Little human. This is, no mask, but the, face, my mother gifted to me." (mask... face?)

Once again, he proudly pulls back his cloak and reveals a second set of arms.

Now I really don't want Dad to fight him.

Mum even goes as far as to pull him back inside.

In there, she tries to calm him down by saying that it might not be quite so bad.

Meanwhile, I check on what is happening to our barn and bring some of the goats out.

The poor things are pretty freaked out at those huge insects, but I don't think they are dangerous to me.

So I walk past them and lead the goats out.

While inside, I take note that there already is quite the hole in the ground, where our animals were before the princess came.

As there is nothing more I can do, I watch till they finish.

In the end, the insect troop just leaves without another word, dumping the golden rock as well as those "nectar units" right in front of our doorstep.

As I want to see how it looks now, I re-enter the barn.

WHAT THE HELL!?!

There's now a huge hole down there, but far more distressing is that it's coated in some kind of brownish substance, that drips now from the walls.

Seems like our barn now has an insect cellar.

The question is, what are we supposed to do with that?

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