Formicea

 

There is nothing else to say, so we go back down after this.

 

<I will then start to make preparations for the next interval. You will need an escort without any gaps to keep you safe. And keep in mind that it might be necessary to fly away. If the situation gets out of control the interceptors will grab and carry you. I will make sure they are all able to do so.> (L)

"Thank you, I guess. I know this is quite troubling." (E)

<At least you are committed and not indecisive. This is a favorable trait for a princess. Always know what you want!> (L)

 

She leaves like this and I head back to my room.
Kyska follows short, yet I feel her glare.
She's seriously pissed.
As soon we reach my place I address her.

 

"Kyska, I know..." (E)

<Scriek!/You don't!> (K)

 

Huh?

 

<You have no idea how we feel at the slightest danger to you! You are all we have! All that will remain from us when we're gone. The knowledge we did a fine job and assured your wellbeing! And whenever you act like this we feel dread. You are our existence! All that gives us purpose! Nothing else matters, but you risk it all! The whole future of the swarm risked for such a single act!> (K)

 

I feel rather shocked, but try to retaliate.

 

"I try to save lives! Thousands could die otherwise!" (E)

<And thousand human lives mean more than many millions of unborn from us?> (K)

"This isn't it, I mean... Wait, millions!?" (E)

<Didn't you keep track of the numbers? The amount of eggs is increasing. If we account it to a circle we might be able to make forty-thousand, even fifty-thousand if it goes on like this! In twenty cycles the million is full. I might even see the second million. But even if I die then, you won't! Princesses live long! And you are one! In two-hundred cycles, maybe only a hundred if you develop at your current rate, your offspring will increase to ten million, eventually hundred-million, and so on. And all these lives will be wasted in such an endeavor.> (K)

 

I don't know if I shall insist, negotiate, cry, or puke.
At the moment I feel like the latter and so I do.

 

"Blurgh!" (E)

 

To my disdain, my puke starts to etch a little into the ground.
I should have known that my stomach isn't staying normal either.

 

<Princess!> (K)

 

Kyska is right back in nursing mode and attends me.
The full program.
Making me lie on a bench, feeling me up, massaging.
I am so overwhelmed, I fail to react in any way.

 

"Ery, what happened?" (F)

 

Mum?
I see mother and Suki entering the room.
Both look distressed.

 

"Suki said something about pheromones and ran off to you, so I went behind. What was going on?" (F)

<Skreak!/There was a stress signal. From both of you!> (S)

<Skriek, scriek!/This isn't normal! A princess doesn't lose already taken in food! She must be sick!> (K)

 

Kyska's panic hasn't a bit decreased.

 

"K-Kyska said something that I literally couldn't stomach." (E)

 

Mother looks and sees the rest of the vomit.

 

"Kyska, I believe my daughter was just stressed and had a physical reaction." (F)

"This... This never happened! With any princess!" (K)

"I am no expert, knowing only Liseti, but could it be that princesses are commonly simply mentally stable so that they are not as affected by distressing things?" (F)

"M-maybe?" (K)

"Now what did she say that you ended up causing such a commotion?" (F)

 

I speak slowly and reluctantly.

 

"That I will get much older than two-hundred years and during this time lay many millions of eggs." (E)

 

Wow!
That mother's face can distort like this!

 

"You know. This is seriously nothing I can give professional advice to. But maybe you shouldn't think this much about it. If you do so you will just feel worse. I do." (F)

"Uhum." (E)

"And can you tell me what leads to such a topic?" (F)

"The princess wants seriously go openly in the town, without a sufficient escort!!!" (K)

 

This nurse is still not over this.

 

<Screak!/What?!> (S)

 

And now the other one.

 

"Not you too." (E)

"Dear, are you sure about this? As much as I love you. People could think differently about this and aren't always nice." (F)

"If I go I could save lives, They said I might be able to ease the people's mind and prevent an uproar when I show them a less distressing view than Liseti." (E)

"This might be true but you matter as well. What do you want?" (F)

"I... think I would like to save people. Especially since I will have an escort prepared by Liseti. Kyska is just overprotective!" (E)

"In this case, you two, aren't you trusting both of these princesses? And Kyska, we had this talk already. If this lifestyle makes my daughter depressed this is bad on its own. You need to find some balance." (F)

"I... guess so." (K)

 

Seriously! Mother should lead the interspecies negotiations.
Kyska looks dejected concerning her unfavorable situation.
Then she looks unsure at me.

 

"They said something about more occasions than this one. Are you intending to attend those as well, my princess?" (K)

"I think so, yes. If I start then I want to do it right." (E)

"I cannot convince you different right?" (K)

"No. I'm sorry Kyska. But it's not that you aren't important to me." (E)

"Then there is just one thing left." (K)

"You mean accompanying me?" (E)

"That was already a given! I talk here about security measures!" (K)

 

Somehow her piercing eyes just got fierce and she emanates an aura of ominousness.

 

"What are you talking about? I thought Liseti is already preparing?" (E)

"Oh, I don't talk about such common things. I've intended something far more special." (K)

 

Yep, definitely ominous.

 

"You are making me anxious. Just tell me."

"You will create your royal guard to protect you in future situations." (K)

"Ehk? Royal guard?" (E)

"I think you already heard before about this. But to make sure. As a princess you are producing the different patterns for the roles by yourself." (K)

"Yes, I think Suki mentioned this once." (E)

"Okay, bye. I think I'm not needed here for this." (F)

 

Tsk. Mum!
Leaving when things get complicated.
And she is gone.
Suki follows, as she is supervising my family on my behalf, to ensure their wellbeing.
Kyska proceeds.

 

"Are you aware that you can control what you breed? You can decide what you want to create." (K)

"Wait! How is this working? Those eggs are coming completely on their own." (E)

"Your mental image my princess. You just need to think about a pattern and it will become the priority for a while. For example, after your first encounter with messengers, your production of them increased drastically." (K)

"My thoughts did this?" (E)

"This is how it works." (K)

"But what do you mean with a royal guard? I don't know such a pattern." (E)

"Naturally. Because it doesn't exist." (K)

"What are you talking about?" (E)

"The royal guards are the unique attendants the queen or a princess can produce. But there is no set shape. A princess must completely imagine the form and abilities and mold them into existence from scratch. Yet those beings will be by far stronger, faster, more durable, and more intelligent then others if wished. Also, since specially designed they can own unique abilities, like poison or special, stronger wings." (K)

"So super insects? Why aren't they more common?" (E)

"Because they aren't too much more valuable than others. If they are as strong as three workers, but cost as much as five, then it's clear what you want." (K)

"But because I want that there are not as many around me they would be perfect?" (E)

"Exactly! If you have a concrete idea about what you want you can create a loyal guard with exceptional abilities which will be absolutely devoted only to you!" (K)

 

This sounds almost too good to be true.

 

"And this would work just like this?" (E)

"Yes, if you can imagine a working form! Yet princesses are commonly not creative. Do you think you can manage?" (K)

"I think so." (E)

 

The ideas are already flowing into my head.

 

"But there is a side effect." (K)

 

Would have been too good.

 

"What is it?" (E)

"If you decide to do this and start to create them, you won't be able to produce eggs for a while." (K)

"Really?!" (E)

"Sadly yes." (K)

 

And so I directly start without further delay to develop them.
Simply because I want to soothe Kyska, without having any ulterior motives.
I try to create something to help me in my mind and even make for Kyska's sake sure it can fight.
Since I want to meet humans while having them escorting me I want them to look accordingly humanlike.

Yet after I seriously try to focus them like this there wells a feeling up inside me.
Something that is strangely present.
Attending while I try to design them.
The source is not clear to me.

But I don't want to give any closer thought about a consciousness inside my lower body.
However, the message I receive at my attempt to make them look human is clear.
It can easily be translated as:
"Denied"!

Feeling a little dejected I try to compromise with the feeling.
It obviously is not possible to completely leave the insectoid structure behind.
In the end, I settle to the upside frame the interceptors have.
Or messengers, even if I think that their names, changing based on their role, is confusing.
Having the base I at least adjust the head and smooth the curves to look the least like insect as possible.

Ultimately, it looks as if they would wear a smooth, round full-face mask of an extremely durable carapace which I particularly chose for them to be protected.
But as soon I am pleased with the result that inner feeling friendly points out to me that I should leave a hole in the head so that they won't die from starvation.
I make a small one, so they can drink nectar.
Breathing works meanwhile with something like gills on the sides.
The feeling insisted that I have to find a solution for that.

They have with their frame four arms, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
As I want them to be strong, since having someone of practical prowess around is helpful, I make the arms and legs a bit sturdier.
Not so bulky that they could be considered deformed. Just enough to be visibly stronger than the common interceptor.

I've got rid of the blades on the side of an interceptor's arm.
Instead, I made them have hidden weapons inspired by my hand-sword.
Yet rather than blades, they have darts which they can simply use as stingers.
Also, they can shoot with the pressure from this cleansing fluid.
I don't even know how I came up with this idea.
It was suddenly there.

Yes, fine.
It was the designing-feeling.
For some reason, it totally caught up on the conception that I want some kind of supersoldier.

If shot the stinger should after some time form again with common bodily substances.
To the arms of the middle section, I applied a sleep-inducing coating.
For the upper arms, it was simply a deadly poison.
Now I know what you want to say, but this appeared to be the best solution for that matter.
They will simply be created to fight.
So while I want to prevent such a situation and even came up with the sleeping agent, my preparations shouldn't ignore a possible worst case.
And when I thought about it, this poison seemed to be the cleanest way.

The enemy will simply fall down.
No pain at all.
Also, it's fast.
So poison!

In the first place, I intend to have them using weapons.
So they have the proper claws to do so.
However, they are still sharp.
But much more important is that they are smart enough to figure out how to use weapons.
Like this, I have to provide them with rather large brains.
This is nothing I have an issue with since smarter guards are indeed a good thing.
Higher awareness towards threats, ability to use tools, strategizing in combat.

However, I need to compromise a little about the allocated space, as the carapace is thick.
It helps that I downgraded the mouthpiece.
They may just be able to drink nectar but it takes almost no space on the inside.
Yet naturally, I still gave them vocal cords which I connected to the gills, so they can communicate.
Like this, I somehow manage to allocate some space for the brain.

As they need to be able to quickly change locations I decide on a double-wing pattern.
Those should be simple enough to maintain.
However, they are now thicker and more durable, with stronger muscles, so that they can compensate their greater weight due to the thicker carapace.
Another point the feeling wanted to make clear to me.

The wings are hidden beneath an outer shell, like with most bugs.
And because I don't want to be the only one having to deal with this, they've got those tail spears able to extend and retract.
In addition, they can apply the aforementioned poisons.
Also, this inner feeling forced me to dwell very deep into things like metabolism and inner organs, which I had to optimize.
In the end, I think I made something that will be more than able to stand against an interceptor or most other threats.

The feeling is content with my creation and I think that I am fine with this result.
Then I open my eyes.
And realize that I was the whole time in some kind of meditative state.
Still, it isn't over yet.
One more time I notice the presence of the feeling.
It basically asks me if I really want to create my design.
Naturally, after all this work I say yes.

And then this feeling takes over.
My whole stomach feels as if it's turning around and pressure starts down there.
Is this how the production gets started?

Are they now created by this mold and the feeling?
Suddenly a thought comes up.

 

"Urgh, Kyska?!" (E)

"Yes, my princess?" (K)

"Something shifts in my waist. Should that happen?" (E)

"This must be normal. Your body simply needs to prepare for such an act." (K)

"Act? Ehk, Kyska? I haven't asked, but why do I not have to lay eggs anymore?" (E)

"Naturally, because they are so complicated. They don't grow as easily by themselves as the common ones do. A worker for example is a very simple pattern, yet those are special. They need to be carefully led to a point from where they can grow alone." (K)

"Grow? You-you-you aren't saying... What does happen down there?" (E)

"Naturally the eggs will grow. Much bigger than the normal ones. Maybe a claw's width?

They need to become that big to hatch properly while building out all the adjusted specifics and for that time they need to stay in your womb." (K)

"That means my waist will..." (E)

"Swell up to considerable size. But don't worry, my princess, your body is made to support this and we will attend to you in your time of need. There will be no problem, even if they become too heavy for you to move!" (K)

.
.
.

"SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHH!" (E)

 

I am absolutely finished for the near future.
Naturally, it takes only a short time until mum and Suki are back.
Really not surprising, as I surely have alarmed the whole base right now.
They find me quivering in the corner, not reacting to any of Kyska's advances.
That damn traitor!

 

"Dear what is wrong? I thought you were fine when we left?" (F)

 

The flowing tears make it hard to talk, but I need to answer her.

 

"Kyska tricked me. Sob!" (E)

"What haeppEent Kyeeska?" (S)

 

So you ask the traitor before me?

 

"The princess got an attack shortly after she began to create her royal guard!" (K)

"Okay, I didn't want to inquire further on this topic, but seeing the state my daughter is in now, what is this royal guard thing all about?" (F)

"The princess specifies the features her next offspring shall have, instead of letting it automatically happen. This way she can gain much more proficient individuals to guard her!" (K)

"Alright. Besides the fact that this awfully sounds like playing god and a mother doesn't want to hear about something like this, isn't this generally a good thing?" (F)

"What she forgot to mention to either of us, is that they are going to make my belly swell up as if I'm pregnant! Or even worse." (E)

"What?" (F)

"I did!" (K)

"You said I wouldn't have to lay eggs for a while!" (E)

"Yes, because all the effort is focused on them." (K)

"As if it wasn't clear that I'm taking you up on this!" (E)

"Well, now you started. There is no way to change it anymore." (K)

"And what shall I do now?" (E)

"Nothing? It will take a long time until they are done. And you won't feel any effects of the strain to your body in the first days. This was an effort for your future." (K)

 

Bitch!

Okay, I'm not going to execute her.
But I feel seriously betrayed.

 

"Ery, I know you aren't good with this, but there is nothing we can do now. Like I said, not dwelling into this might be the better approach!" (F)

"You are right. I know this doesn't help but I feel so bad about this. It's simply not natural!" (E)

"You are for sure able to get over this. In some days it will be over and then you can forget it ever happened. And you will also have some days free of "that". This is something positive, right?" (F)

"Could be. But I still feel bad." (E)

"And Kyska! You should try to think more about how my daughter feels when things like that happen. It's still her body, whatever it is that you want her to do!" (F)

"I only want to ascertain she is safe! And they will keep her that way!" (K)

 

I'm kinda glad that she didn't say that my body is a public facility.

 

"Even then, you need to be considerate of her feelings. My daughter trusts you. Don't exploit that. As good as your intentions might be." (F)

"I didn't want to. It is just so dangerous out there." (K)

"You can never quell all the risks. But if you do things like this, you harm her in another way." (F)

 

Kyska goes silent and unsteady.
It seems mother got through to her. Yet I'm still in this situation.

 

"I-I'm right now a little loaded. Kyska, can you please go." (E)

"Princess!" (K)

"No arguing! Just leave!" (E)

 

She is deeply dejected but follows my order.

 

"That might be the first time I've seen someone making an insect cry." (F)

"She made me end up kind of pregnant! Being a bit exasperated because of that should be fine, right?" (E)

"I know, but this logic isn't really working for them, right Suki?" (F)

 

Nearly forgot that she was there.

 

"Servieeng a priencEess is theee greAatEtEzt honors that can beE given. Kyeska was soo exietEed when she first hEeard about her assiegnment. Thee number of priencEsses iez limited. So iet was a miieracoluus dEvelopmEnt for her to become an attEndant. Thieez meeans evEerything to her." (S)

"My, my." (F)

"Wasn't she a bit dejected when she realized it was only me and not a real princess?" (E)

"But you are a reEal priencess, princEss!" (S)

"You know what I mean. I'm at best a special case. Rather some kind of experiment." (E)

"This doesn't chaenge that you are a pEerfect princEess! Aend no, Kyska onlye got vErye worrieed if shee could manage. So much more to bee awAere of. FeEaring shee could do wrong. That her nEgliegence causes harm. That shee would fail her one puurpose. Bye now you should know your iemportance to us." (S)

"Kyska mentioned something about this when we had that argument about dangers." (E)

"I understand that Kyska isn't wishing anything bad to you but tries to work towards how she thinks that things should be." (F)

"I know that I must be as foreign to her as all this was to me. And in some weird way, I understand how she feels. Even if I cannot perfectly relate. I simply cannot see myself as someone important, no matter the circumstances. I have no such pride." (E)

"Well, with all these insects out there who think different, it doesn't really matter if you're haughty or not. It's rather the common opinion about you which matters." (F)

 

The common opinion, huh?

 

"How do you see me, Suki?" (E)

"Naturallye I was exieeted. As Ie said, thEere'z no grEeater honor than a spEcial assiegnment. But Ie was not a bit worrieeed." (S)

"And why that?" (E)

"Beecause Kyska was mye prieeor and shee was alwaeys thee most dilliegent. Aend shee told us how greEat you are dEvEloping! What shee relaeyEd lEft no doubt that you are becomieeng a greeat prieencEss. Onlye that shee neeeds hElp to attEnd such a beeeing." (S)

"It seems that Kyska is really into you." (F)

"Okay, fine! Suki, while I am even now a little upset, you can go and tell her that I still want her to accompany me tomorrow." (E)

<Crieek!/As you wish!> (S)

"Hmm, I don't know if I will ever get used to those sounds." (F)

"If you find that disturbing then wake up and find all of them simultaneously translated in your head. Really, pheromones are terrifyingly intense in conveying information." (E)

"That might be, but I lack the experience to relate." (F)

"Just believe me, it is." (E)

"So you are going tomorrow into town?" (F)

"Yes. I know what you want to say but I would prefer it if you would stay here. If people relate you to me, you might get problems in the future with other people. Also, it would be easier if the escort doesn't need to watch out for more people. I mean if things get troublesome Kyska can just fly away and I will probably get carried. My flight training is not progressing that well. But I don't think the interceptors can transport more people." (E)

"I understand, but maybe we can watch from the sidelines." (F)

"Still too difficult to get you then back out of the city or in. We're going to show the entries to our network to the lord and then you can't just use them at your convenience anymore. And no matter his intentions, giving this lord the information about you would make you a target. Trust me, I will come back as soon as it's possible." (E)

"If you say so. But truly, stay careful and cancel everything if it gets tense. Please promise!" (F)

"Alright, I promise that I won't do anything risky." (E)

"That's all I want." (F)

 

It's completely understandable that my mother is worried and I should be considerate of that.

 

"Good. Then let's hope that tomorrow will help people to ease up and save some lives." (E)

 

After this, an eventful day comes to an end.
And I can only be astonished how much I managed to load onto me in such a short time.