Formicea

 

After a while, there is a commotion outside.
So I head out.

Suki!

And mum and dad!

 

"Where were you Erys?!" (F)

"I'm sorry. Something came up and I had to go back. But I didn't want to leave Toris. So I took him with me. He is fine! In here!" (E)

 

Mum rushes fast into the room I pointed.
Dad looks at me.
I'm not covered with a cloak right now so that my wings are fully visible.

 

"Are you alright Erys?" (R)

"It is a little bit more complicated than this. Everything is rather hard, but I think I can manage. I think I am healthy, relatively. You know, maybe not for a human." (E)

 

My mother comes out again.

 

"It seems it all went well with Toris! Or were there any problems?" (F)

"I've had Kyska for a moment look for him when I had an... appointment. But I trust her in such matters." (E)

"Yes, I guess she can do this." (F)

 

Mother is a little bit more relaxed at this idea, as she came to know Kyska and has an idea of how she takes care, but my hint regarding what I had to do wasn't this nice for her to hear.
My father looks more distressed at the idea to leave him with an insect.

 

"But he hasn't eaten yet." (F)

"I forgot. And also, we don't have that much going for cooking." (E)

"Good that we have instead!" (F)

 

Suki steps forward and shows that the workers were carrying an abundance of cooking utensils.

 

"Why?" (E)

 

"Was it not your idea? I wanted to cook for my little girl and here is a lack of equipment. So we used some of the money for that. After all, the ingredients are already here!" (F)

 

Right, there was something about this yesterday.
Father is still worried so that I cannot keep him off any longer.
Because of that, we go into the room where Toris and Kyska are.

I thought to lodge them here.
It's not much but far more spacious compared to the refugee building they had before.
Also as I've noticed there are already padded beds.
The workers and nurses must have prepared it since yesterday.

 

"It looks fine." (R)

 

He might not have expected much but considering his reaction it should work out.

 

"Ehm, Kyska. I would like to ask if there's a toilet." (F)

 

Uhh, I hadn't any needs in this regard since this started.
I still kinda dread Suki and Kyska's explanation.
Also, I really envy my mother that she can make "Ehm".
For me, this kind of natural sound always shifts into something sharp.
And I too would like to know the answer.

 

"What is a toilet?" (K)

"We already had this. Waste disposal. What happens after you've eaten and drank a bit." (E)

"You mean an assembler. There is one on the courtyard right there." (K)

 

Kyska points to another tunnel in this direction.

 

"Assembler?" (F)

"We are going to raise a mycelium here, so we gather the nutrients for it in the base. Thank you for your contribution." (K)

 

Yes, it's absolutely weird to say something like this.
Having a problematic thought I approach Kyska.

 

"Kyska, is there a way to ensure that they are undisturbed by anyone else when they need to go there?" (E)

"Sure! It is your order and this is your allocated space here my princess. So your word here counts." (K)

 

Since my mother is satisfied with this answer, she starts to take the cooking stuff out.

 

"Then we should prepare it. Before we do anything else we need to have a working cooking station. Can you help?" (F)

 

She looks at my two nurses.
They seem to be consent.

 

"We need some firewood and water first. Also the food that was brought yesterday!" (F)

 

I think back to the small mountain of broken sticks.

 

"I guess we have some firewood!" (E)

"Naturally, we also built a water storage for our supply. And the ingredients will be brought as well." (K)

"How nice of you! Then Suki, help me set up the kitchen. You others bring the things. And Erys, watch your brother." (F)

 

I guess mother noticed Kyska's glare when she hinted to make me work.
This nurse is really too much into her job.
It doesn't take long and firewood, vessels of prepared earth with water, and a standing kitchen with pots, knives, and all the other things you need are there.
Mum uses a fireiron to enkindle the wood and it appears to be fairly new.

 

"The water will need some time to boil, so let us in the meantime cut the dishes." (F)

 

She takes one of the new knives and gives another to Kyska.

 

"Please help me. And Erys, you mix the herbs." (F)

 

It is nice of her to include Kyska and there's really a wide variety of ingredients.
Then I remember...

 

"Suki, the paddings! Then we must have meat too, right?" (E)

"Suure, myeE prIEenceEess. Iee wiell dierEctlyee briieeng ieet!" (S)

 

This might be nice.
I don't know if wolf meat is tasty but at least I can be sure it's edible.
Meat is rare for peasants, so this might be rather enjoyable.
While we are working on the reused benches I tend to mother.

 

"Does father know about, you know what?" (E)

"Your father doesn't need to stay on track of all the changes of a developing woman and I guess he prefers it like this." (F)

"G-good!" (E)

 

The preparations run smoothly and again it shows how fast Kyska learns and how skilled she is.
It appears mother wanted to keep it simple, so we prepare some broth.
The meat got cut too and we have some nice herbs to add to the flavor.
This will be great!

After a while, I note the scent of the meal and get hungry.
Since all I had today was a harsh workout with the sticks I've burned energy.
Regarding the broth I realize something.

 

"Ehk. When we make broth, do we have spoons?" (E)

"We brought some, but there might be too few. Let's make some, we have here wood and knives. It should work out." (F)

 

So while we wait for the food to finish mother lets me, Suki, and Kyska carve our own cutlery with the leftover wood.
She prepares one as well.
I'm a bit clumsy but it must not look too good, just serve the purpose.
I don't think I need to mention that no one can beat Kyska in craftmanship.
We are done when my mother decides that the broth is ready.
Fortunately, we don't need to carve bowls, as the earthen vessels work out.
So mother fills a bowl and gives it to Kyska.
Wait!?

 

"Miss Farrah what's the meaning of this?" (K)

 

Father looks as well to surprised.

 

"You two all the time cared for our daughter, so the least I can do is treat you to a meal." (F)

 

Well, I like the two.
Even if they were just assigned to me their presence helped.
But mother could have told any of us.

 

"Also I guess you would want to sample first what we give to Erys, right?" (F)

 

That got her.
No chance Kyska wouldn't think about this.
Carefully she brings the spoon to her mouth.
Uses her tube tongue that apparently is common for these insects and sips with it the broth away before swallowing the hard contents through her mouth.

 

"Obviously edible! And the heat made it softer and easier to digest! I judge it worthy for my princess!" (K)

"Mother, you need to know, that she couldn't praise you more. She has very high standards in that regard." (E)

"I thought so!" (F)

"Nooow meEe tooo!" (S)

 

Well, it would be unfair to only exclude Suki.
So mother hands her a bowl as well, Suki digs in.
And promptly burns herself.

 

"Ieeehhk!" (S)

"Suki, what did you think the fire was for?" (K)

"Pfft!" (F)

 

Mum chuckles and I guess father too was not prepared for the sight of Suki trying to treat her tube tongue.
I guess that's what this was all about.
To show dad who had no contact with them that they are not this terrifying.
Right now mother needs to calm Toris who got a laughing attack.

 

<What is this commotion about? Alone the scent agitates the hunters nearby.> (L)

"Liseti! My mother only showed how to prepare human meals. I'm sorry if that caused problems." (E)

 

She glances at the pot.

 

<I don't think there is much against this. The hunters need to endure something like this. Personally, I never liked to use them. They are hard to control and unreliable.> (L)

"We were eating now together. You know, it helps me to spend some time like this with my family." (E)

 

I really hope she isn't against this.

 

<This should be fine. You will have a hard time soon, so it is good to reduce stress now.> (L)

 

She again glances at the food, then the bowl in Kyska's claws, and at Suki who is still holding her tongue.
Then she directs her gaze to my mother.

 

"Caeeen IeEe joiyieeen?" (L)

 

I hope mother understands the situation.

 

"It's an honor if royalty decides to eat with us." (F)

 

Thank god she knows.

 

"Thaeeenk yuuuu!" (L)

Naturally, she gets a bowl as fast as possible.

<Interesting. Far different from the natural subjects. It had distinctive processing!> (L)

"I'm kind of glad I can still eat it." (E)

<It must be nostalgic to you. It has something unique.> (L)

"After all, it's my mother’s cooking." (E)

"You helped too." (F)

"You made sure that it wents well mother. You are the specialist here." (E)

 

She takes a very careful sip, probably having Suki in mind.

 

"Ieeetz pleEesAent. Yuuu haeeve myeE graetieetuuede!" (L)

 

Huff, it might have been bad if she would dislike it and feel offended.
I doubt it, as she was always rather friendly to me.
Yet alone her persona is intimidating.

 

"Thank you for the compliment. Princess Liseti was it, right?" (F)

 

I hope mother gets not too informal with her.
I whisper to mother:

 

"Had I mentioned that she controls around three-hundred-sixty-thousand soldiers?" (E)

"Ieee caeen heEAar yuuu fieeene!" (L)

"This much? There must be much to being a princess. Is our daughter really treated as such? And is she fine?" (F)

 

Liseti is blinking several times.
I guess she's trying to find a way to answer with her ability of speech.

 

"TheEere ieez onlyeeE a smaall paaart of oblieeegAtieeons. Yuuuuur daauughteer haas nothieEeng to attEend to, ieef sheE not waant. Sheee caeen gieEve aall thee rEsponsibieeelity awaey aend stiell wouuuld beE a worthyeee and productieeeve priieEncEss!" (L)

 

Ouch!
She deliberately tried to keep her voice low, but simply the tone is evil.

 

"Erys, what do you think about this?" (F)

"It is strange. This all feels so foreign that I have barely any idea of everything." (E)

"Am I right that you did help our daughter? Then I would like to give my thanks." (F)

 

In preparation, everyone already lays her hands close to the ears, except Suki and Kyska, while Kyska was sensitive enough to cover my brother's before it starts.

 

"Sheee ieez an allyEe. Ieet ieEz faevorAblEe to haeve her bye mye sieedE. So IeE want her to bee aeblEe!" (L)

"Erys, I think you should listen to her." (F)

"What!?" (E)

"What!?" (R)

"Rowen, we need to accept that our daughter is in a very special situation and this princess has obviously no ill will. And Erys, I've not raised you to run away from anything. You clearly are now in a position that brings responsibilities with it. While apparently, you could just ignore it, I think you should stay in control of your life. Don't let yourself just drift with everything that happens. And Liseti offers you help, then this should be alright, right?" (F)

"I guess, but that means I need to control, you know what." (E)

"So you really think that you should better have nothing to do with them?" (F)

 

She isn't wrong.
In some way I made them.
What do I say, I absolutely gave life to them.
There is no way around it.
And I can understand that she as a mother thinks that I have to take some kind of responsibility for them.
And Liseti is surely the one who can help me the most in this regard.

 

"Then I guess I am in your care, Liseti." (E)

"IeeE allEeAdyE sAied thaet Iee tAke yuuu!" (L)

"Yes, sure." (E)

"Buut yuuu arEe rIeeEght. UntiEel noow Iee hAevEn't iEntrodueecEd yuuu propEerlyEe to youur controol. Yeet thiees hAs to wAEiet tiEell wee are baeck. Alsoo theEy are stiell too youung!" (L)

 

Right, there was the point that they aren't adults yet.
But if I heard right, it will only take around a week or so and the first will be matured.
And maybe they will be even before this be able.
The most distressing for me is the development from then on.
They will be matured then and I have a faint track on the numbers.
We are talking about the same amount I laid.

How many hundreds are there by now?
If this progresses we are at a thousand soon.
This is barely fathomable.
This is madness.
Me controlling thousands of them.
That is a town's worth!

And we wouldn't be done with just them.
What was it?
Twenty-thousand in one year?!
The stress is really piling up here.
I guess it must be obvious how I look right now.

 

"My princess. No one forces you to directly take full control. Like it was said, you can decide  to not control anything at all!" (K)

"Iee nEeed to saEy, ieet mieeght beee possieeblE for mEe to act on youur bEehAlf. Buut theee full looaad of anothEeer prieEencEss mieeght proove tooo much. Yeet, wee are not taalkieeng abouut thiees. Ieeen tiEeme we shouuld mAeke ieet to eEnaEble youu." (L)

"Thank you Liseti." (E)

"Did I miss something here?" (R)

"Rowen, our daughter will have to control a huge number of these creatures and feels a little lacking at this prospect." (F)

 

Thank you, mum!
Not everyone needs to be informed about this.
The meal proceeds without further incidents and we come to an end.

 

"Iee wouuld suggeest thaAt you rEest. Theere wieeell bEe much to prEepare afteeer thieez!" (L)

 

Maybe I am wrong, but I think Liseti made huge steps with her speech on this occasion.

 

"What does she mean?" (R)

"You know, those things like if tomorrow a war that will destroy the human nations might break out." (E)

"What?" (R)

"I wanted you out there, but tomorrow we will try to talk to the lord of our land here. I shall attend too, as a princess. And we really hope it will end friendly. But if the lord decides differently and instead attacks us. Have I mentioned that Liseti has around three-hundred-sixty-thousand soldiers?" (E)

"Ieetz not lieeke thEey aree aall frEe! Aand manyee are workeers!" (L)

"That means: Yes, she has them!" (E)

 

I guess now my parents should realize with who they've eaten here.
This princess is safely able to destroy this whole country.
Certainly, this town and the lord's land if she's displeased.
And all that stands between this is me.

As she spoke about rest and I'm rather sure she has to lay eggs too Liseti goes now.

 

"She is a... notable person." (R)

"If it helps, she said even if we get attacked and need to retaliate, she will try not to pull civilians in it. But I really couldn't tell her that she isn't allowed to defend her empire." (E)

"It's understandable, but it sounds frightening." (F)

"You see under what kind of stress I am? I'm just glad you aren't in there anymore. That was some kind of concession of hers to me." (E)

"It seems she really likes you." (F)

"I suppose so. Well, today she hit me three hours with sticks." (E)

"She did what?" (R)

"Self-defense training! Princess Liseti wanted to minimize the risks for our Princess!" (K)

"Nonetheless, she was quite relentless on me. But she took all the time to do that. Some kind of fondness she might find with me." (E)

"She obviously has taken a liking to you, my princess." (K)

"Thank you Kyska!" (E)

"And miss Farrah, my gratitude for today's lesson. I will value it!" (K)

"No problem, it is good to know that someone close to my daughter can cook. She had never much talent in this." (F)

"Mum!!!" (E)

 

That made my whole family giggling and I think that concludes it for today.

 

"You should then really go sleep now. You might need the rest." (F)

"Yes, I go then!" (E)

 

So I go to my room and lie down on my bed.
Tomorrow will be hard.
And likewise is the fact that I already have eaten, the last time is a bit back and now I will rest.
I will for sure get another interval.

Great!

What will happen next?