Formicea

She awoke!
Just for a short period of time, but she was conscious.

Before she came back to her senses I was able to gather from a scholar that she truly comes from the surface.
I cannot possibly fathom how it came to be that she was chosen as a princess.
Yet it seems that our queen took a liking to her and decided to infuse her with the essence of a princess.
The scholar was convinced that her development is promising.
Anything else would be a huge setback, considering how long it takes till a new princess can be created.
However, it was the queen's decision and the queen reigns supreme.

It was definitely strange when she regained consciousness.
She spoke in a weird way.
Chaotically, while her pheromones, which were all over the place, somehow accomplished to convey the meaning.
But this isn't the issue.
What unsettled me was how confused she was.
I tried to my fullest to make a good first impression as her personal nurse, but she didn't understand anything.

Not because she couldn't, the meaning came through, as she was perfectly available to catch up on my pheromones, which I particularly adjusted to be easy to receive.
Nonetheless, she couldn't really get them.
She had no idea what was going on.
However, more severe was just that she didn't even know what I meant when I called her a princess.
Why doesn't she know?
How can she be a princess but not know what one is?

It might truly be that she has no connection to the swarm.
But how does this add up when the queen chose her?
She is a princess.
Her scent tells it.
No doubt about this.

She even asked if she would get eaten!
To believe this, eating a princess!

I even perceived how she tried to avoid looking at me.
Because of fear!
The only thing I know for sure is that she's certainly scared.
Her pheromones basically screamed the whole time at me.
Yet I had to stay calm to not stress her further.

The most likely assumption would be that she was brought here against her will.
And her demeanor tells me that she possesses intelligence.
So a sapient being of another species.

Yet this is troubling.
The poor thing is completely at her limits.
She could only manage to ask some disordered questions before her exhaustion got the better of her.

I immediately put her back to sleep, but am very concerned now.
If it is like this how will she be able to adjust to her metamorphosis?
This frail and gentle being carrying this much of a burden.
Becoming a broodmother must be of greatest difficulty.
Yet I can just do what is at hand.

Maybe I should try to gather information on her background.
But foremost she needs sustenance for now.
For this reason, I must provide for her to a sufficient degree, or she will succumb eventually.
I just hope she will eat it.

In the end, it is on me.
I have to support her.
To protect this frail existence.

My princess!

I think one could call this a success.
At least I could manage to make her eat a little bit.
When she awakened again, she was naturally still very distressed and began to frantically inspect her surroundings.
Against this, I tried as calmly as possible to relay the situation to her.

Princess Erys, how I came to know her name, was thoroughly confused.
Especially her status as a princess was something she had no access to.
The talk was severely complicated by this, as without the most fundamental knowledge on her side I didn't know how to properly explain anything to her.

Furthermore, it seems my words did even worsen her condition since she started to emit stress pheromones.
It was extremely difficult for me not directly to rush at her, fighting my instincts to tend to my troubled princess, but I knew that this would have had the opposite effect.

I came to know that she is fairly young.
According to the scholar's examination, she hasn't reached maturity yet, which was supposedly one of the reasons for the queen's decision.
Tending to a troubled child who doesn't know anything about her certainly very overwhelming situation is nothing I am confident of.
My expertise is physical health and not mental development.

So instead, I just gave her a little to eat to occupy her mind.
Instantly I saw in her look at the plate that she wasn't used to the mycelium's harvest, but then the hunger took over.
To my relief, there were no issues with what I provided her.
While the food helped she was still very confused about her situation.
It didn't take long and she asked me again what a princess is.
As uncommon as this question was, I had to relay this.
But the answer took her aback.
She insisted this couldn't be true as she would be a "human".
Apparently, her former species, which inhabits the whole surface.

While I don't understand how such soft and defenseless creatures, without any claws or pincers could manage to become the main influence there, it seems to be like that.
Furthermore, the idea of different biological roles appeared to be absolutely novel to her.
This led to my greatest concern.
She wasn't aware!

She didn't know that the whole time her whole body was slowly transforming towards her intended role.
And I surely didn't know how to explain this to her.
All I was able to state to her was that she wasn't.
That she would be better off forgetting about anything related to her old species, as she for sure is no longer one of them.
Simply the scent she emits is proof of this.

How should I explain to her the concept of her metamorphosis?
Yet it was helpful that one change already solidified.
Her second eyelids came into function.
With this as a starting point, I was able to begin to convey to her the changes she is experiencing, as she couldn't deny it any longer.

After this, the food started to take effect and fueled her transformation again.
Like this, I had to bring her fast back into her alcove to keep her from more severe pain.
She is going through so much!

How joyous!
Her changes are progressing!
As soon she awakened again it came clear.
She speaks like me now!

This may just be a small adjustment yet in terms of communication a great progress.
But what was truly remarkable was how fast her body is changing.
And one important part in particular!

When I was able to perceive how far her metamorphosis advanced I inquired about this.
As her personal nurse, I naturally had to keep track of her bodily developments.
And like I thought before, on the lower segment of the torso a bulge appeared which she absolutely didn't expect to find there.
My princess grows an ovipositor!!!

I had some doubts.
Despite her scent and what was relayed to me this being was so foreign that I couldn't be sure if she would become a princess.
But now this proof is undeniable!

She is showing all the features of a princess and they more and more take form.
I grow excited simply by thinking about how far the transformation inside her already went.

Even a carapace!
She isn't soft and frail anymore, if not for a comfy outer layer.
I am so fascinated by her progress.

How long will it take until her production starts?
With every activity interval, this moment comes closer.
And then finally she will lay her first egg!
A real princess!
And I'm the one to serve her!

However, there are problems.
Alone the loss of princess Erys' old way of speech deeply disturbed her.
While she showed remarkable efforts to act against these events which were to her dislike, I fear that soon too much will elude her control.
When already the difference in her voice, one she cannot even see, shakes her so much how will she be able to endure further progressing changes?

While I'm so proud, at the same time deep worry overcomes me.
Distress is a very detrimental influence on a princess's health and like this her production.
And it's on the nurse to ensure her cared one's stability.
But as she was not equipped to be a broodmother before she came here, it's obvious that she isn't prepared for that role.

I fear her starting production might be too much on her.
She got a panic attack when I tried to convey her role to her in the most positive way.

This scream.

She was terrified from the simple thought alone.
Yet despite these problems I had to make sure she eats more, as otherwise there had been a deficit, as her metamorphosis affords considerable amounts of energy.
In the end, I was able to put her to rest.

However, I am not confident anymore that I can take care of her all by myself.
I believe I'll soon need help.
Nonetheless, she truly becomes a princess.
And this is a great fortune.