Formicea

 

I cannot really say how I slept.

Something like a dreamless sleep, yet calm and at the same time as if I had been heavily invested in something, but then forgotten.

Waking up my state is a bit better than when I initially laid down.
However, this is just relative, as I felt absolutely terrible before.
Now I feel only half that terrible.

The fever is not gone but decreased.
The itch feels less present, while it is still there.
And sore muscles need an eternity to get better, that much I learned from farm work.
My stomach is still in turmoil but calmed down a little.
Yet something at my hip behind me stings.

 

<Princess! You are awake! Do you feel better?> (K)

 

That startled me.
It is the same insect from before and it seems it was here the whole time.
The fact that I can talk to it and that it’s apparently not hostile helps with the unusual appearance, if only a little.

 

"Better? Yes, I think a little bit. But what is this princess nonsense?" (E)

<You are a princess! How else should I refer to you?> (K)

"E-Erys, my name is Erys. And I might be much but certainly not a princess." (E)

 

I mumble those words, intimidated by the fact that this is an insect in my size and it seemingly has some weird evaluation of me.

 

<Thank you for the honor to give me your name, princess.> (K)

"I said I am no princess." (E)

<I am sorry, but this is not for you to decide.> (K)

"Wh-what? What do you mean?" (E)

<The queen decided that you'd pose a formidable princess. And now it has progressed too far to refer to you differently.> (K)

 

I am getting anxious.
All this mad talk about me being a princess makes me extremely uneasy.

 

"Progressed? What progressed?" (E)

<Your metamorphosis! You are more and more ready to come in charge of your assigned quarters.> (K)

"Metamorphosis? Charge? Does that mean I'm no prisoner here? Can I go back out?" (E)

<To the surface? By no means, no! Your life is far too important to be risked like this, princess. And this in your condition. You are still in the middle of your metamorphosis.> (K)

"What the hell is a metamorphosis? And why should my life be of any importance?" (E)

 

This all is getting far too much for me.

 

<Because you are a princess!> (K)

 

And this is getting annoying.

 

"And what does that mean? I only know that I wake up here, at a completely foreign place and... and I'm scared. Please tell me what is going on here!" (E)

 

My eyes tear up a little at this.
I don't know the slightest bit what is happening.

 

<The queen decided to make you a princess and as such you are in charge of your district. For this reason, you were changed to fit that role.> (K)

"Me? In charge of what? And changed? I don't understand." (K)

<You will in time. No need to worry.> (K)

"Please tell me what is going on with me!" (E)

<Princess, your pheromones indicate stress. At this point, we should better stop or your complexion might worsen.> (K)

"No, no, no! I am no princess. Not even close! This is all crazy and I am so confused." (E)

<Princess, you've burned lots of your resources until now. It would be good to ingest something.> (K)

 

Did this insect just change the topic?
On the other hand, I haven't eaten in a while and my stomach feels empty, besides the fact that it is stirring like crazy.

 

"You mean eating? I am provided food here?" (E)

<Naturally! Your wellbeing is of utmost importance, so your needs have to be attended.> (K)

 

I am truly terribly hungry, yet before anticipation overcomes me, I remember that these are insects.
Who knows what they will provide?

Kyska, this weird insect, is shortly leaving through the open hole in the wall.
It seems they don't know doors here.

I consider if I should try to make a run for it but my sorry state, empty stomach, and the certainty to run directly into hundreds of these insects induce me to dismiss this idea.

A moment later she enters again with some kind of tableware.
It looks like clay or just more of this hardened earth.
She extends it to me as if I shall eat it from my position in this "bed" while she is holding it.

 

"Can we not go to the table?" (E)

 

There is something like this in this room.
More accumulations of the concrete the room is made of.
Yet it forms such a shape and stools to sit there.

There is also a bench, which is strangely some way apart from the wall, and also a smaller table, like for tea.
The room is quite spacious, yet a single one.

 

<Are you feeling well enough princess? You must be very weakened.> (K)

 

I am, yet I still try to raise myself.
It is hard but eventually, I manage.

 

"It works." (E)

 

Kyska is fast placing the thing on the table and then supports my body, to guide me to a stool.
It is astonishing how attentive she is.
Watching carefully for each of my steps, while making full use of all of her arms.
I sit down and take a look at what is presented there.

I purposely dimmed my hopes and that was the right decision.
There is a crude earthen pod, apparently filled with water.
But for the rest I see on the plate, there is just some accumulation of black stuff.
Yet this insect is urging me to eat.

It is dry enough that I can take the pieces with my hands.
Which is necessary, as there is no cutlery.
I take one of these and put it carefully in my mouth, half expecting that it is either poisonous or inedible.
But to my surprise, it tastes sweet.
A bit like bread or cake yet not exactly.

 

<Is it to your liking princess?" (K)

"I-I guess. But what is it?" (E)

"The harvest of the mycelium! There the majority of our food supply is gathered. This is of utmost importance to your knowledge, princess.> (K)

 

Again this princess stuff.
How does she come to this?
While I eat to quell my hunger, I decide to ask my questions.

 

"I simply don't understand. Why do you call me princess?" (E)

<Because this is what you are. A swarm princess! The queen decided as such!> (K)

 

She is emphatic at this, but for me, this is no answer.

 

"This is not making any sense! Why should something like this happen? I am a human and all of this is too much for me." (E)

<Princess, forgive my shortcoming, but what refers the term "human" to?> (K)

"W-well, humans! That's what I am. The main population on the entire surface. All like me." (E)

<Like you? Apologies, but I believe there is only one princess Erys, right here.> (K)

 

Is this talk leading anywhere?

 

"No. I mean similar to me! Two legs, two arms, pink or sometimes tanned skin, hair in different colors, no carapace. Humans!" (E)

<Intriguing. A whole species with such specifics at such a scale. Yet I believe my princess had a small mistake in her thought process.> (K)

 

By now I've finished my meal, as it was fairly easy to take in and wasn't that much in the first place, taking consideration of my stirring stomach.
And now I wait uneasily for what she will say.

 

"Mistake? What mistake?" (E)

<Simple. Even if there is such a species called "humans" and you say you were part of them, this applies no longer. You are no "human" my princess!> (K)

 

I am at a loss and just look at this weird insect not able to understand what it means.
With open eyes, I stare, incapable to reply in any way.

Suddenly something moves at my opened eyes, which started to get dry.
I instinctively put my hands in front of them, however, there is nothing.

Now they're fine again.
It was more as if they were horizontally wiped from each side.
Like blinking, wrong blinking, yet I didn't.

This is so strange.

 

"What was that? My eyes!" (E)

<Your second eyelid. You should leave them closed or you might get dirt in the eyes." (K)

"A second what?!> (E)

<Eyelid. Your eyes adjusted as a part of your metamorphosis, so you can see fine. However, at the same time, they became very sensitive. To prevent greater pain a second eyelid developed to cover them. Isn't this right?> (K)

"No! I mean how?" (E)

<When the queen decided to make you a swarm princess!> (K)

"And because of that, they changed my eyes?" (E)

 

Calm down, this is crazy, yet all of this was too much since the beginning.
What are some little differences to my eyes, if I escaped certain death and worse?

I am agitated but try to soothe myself.

 

"Okay, my eyes are different. Could be worse. I can still see. So it's fine." (E)

<Are you perhaps thinking your metamorphosis is restricted to your eyes, my princess? The queen did much more. Your whole body is changing right now.> (K)

 

No, no, no, no! This is completely wrong.

 

"Wh-why you say this? I- I was stung, but nothing more excessive should happen!" (E)

<Oh, no! The queen found out you were a fertile entity of a compatible biological setting. Also that your body was in a time of change. The perfect opportunity to step in and make some beneficial adjustments. A very fortunate development for the swarm.> (K)

 

My body starts to heat up.
The muscles cramp and my breath gets rigid while panic seizes me.

 

"Princess! Your pheromones are again disordered. Please rest, while your body adjusts." (K)

 

Kyska makes me stand up with her four arms.
The pain and confusion disorder me so much that I don’t even consider fighting back.
Then she brings me back to the tub.
Now that I think about it, I ask myself how I didn't drown in this stuff, yet at the same time don't want an answer.
My body heat is rising and everything prickles like crazy.
But as soon my body enters the substance inside the tub it settles down and the temperature becomes tolerable.

 

"What happens here?" (E)

<It seems that because you refreshed your sustenance new energy was provided to advance your metamorphosis. Don't worry, I will keep watch while you rest.> (K)

 

I feel incredibly sick.
Lying down with a high fever.
Because of that, it is very hard to keep my eyes open.

As weakened as I am I eventually fall asleep.