Once I settled down, things got a lot easier.
Due to stress and anticipation, my laying intervals got a bit jumbled in recent times, but now that I'm finally back here in a familiar environment, I really notice a difference.
It's... easier if I'm not stressed out.
The whole laying, but also how my body feels in general.
I mean, it's a rare occasion if you truly can enjoy yourself without worries.
But I think I deserved this, which plays into this particular feeling of ease.
The war should be considered over by now.
Not sure if Koreso is going to send for peace negotiations anytime soon, as their national pride might prevent this, but I doubt they'll start any attacks on a greater scale anytime soon.
This means we got it.
Crisis averted, Tarsona saved, and hopefully, the animosity that came up during our short occupation of the capital will eventually dissipate with the aid of the fact that our swarm helped to prevent them all from getting enslaved.
So yes, I think I am fully justified in feeling this certain, profound kind of relief.
So she proceeds, and I need to say, I missed this.
I feel at home.
As I said, life is good.
However, as time passes, I can't help but get thoughts about things that at least mildly concern me.
How are things going at the wall?
Is truly everything alright there?
I mean, I established a bit of a messenger network, as Liseti advised me to, but if something were to happen the news would require a bit of time to reach us here.
Also, how are things going in the capital, where Mum is located?
The Formicea kinda relinquished control of the city and returned underground, but Honiu still maintains a presence there, within that gigantic underground base, which means Mum also stayed.
Is she still fine?
Working all the time with Honiu can't be very relaxing.
Not to forget the chance she could be harmed by whatever shit the extremists would try to pull against them.
In addition, when is she going to return here, back to us?
When will our family again be reunited?
All these things accumulate into little worries the more time they have to fester.
As my information network is by no means on that level yet, lacking several generations of messengers, there's but one I can turn to.
Liseti.
Yes, Uma may have been another option, but whenever I interact with her there's the chance I get caught up in something unpleasant.
So, according to the usual customs, I send a messenger in advance to inform her about my visit, then depart for her dwelling.
After a while, I reach the upper levels where Liseti's district is located.
On the way, I passed several troops with human workers, getting more frequent the higher I climbed.
Yet once I enter the premises of the district, I notice a distinctive change in the atmosphere in comparison to my last visit.
There are more messengers, by far, busying themselves around the area.
Surely all delivering important messages from the wall, the vicinity of the surface fortress, and maybe all of Tarsona.
If I'm right, there are even more passages than before to the surface.
As I'm expected, we are received by Liseti's messengers and directly guided to the princess in question.
When I arrive, I find her somewhat busy with giving orders about various logistics that certainly concern her building project above ground.
It's kind of incredible how she gives the impression of a whirlwind that with each rotation takes care of another dozen of issues.
Yet not to the degree that she wouldn't be able to free herself of these duties and directly turn to me.
Isn't this a bit like her making her own independent hive?
The distance shouldn't mean much if she's the one to independently handle what I assume is going to be a major settlement in this region.
My own hive... Right, there was something in that regard.
My foundation?
Like, of my hive?
My own hive?!
How did we get here?
Why is everything suddenly proceeding so quickly?!
As if I could!
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(L)
Right, winter is coming.
Huge build projects and drone transfer as well as long-distance deliveries will become increasingly difficult by then.
But how do I know what kind of preparations are even expected of me?
I mean, there are those weird instincts, but those are more about general stuff like the overall setup for a hive, and not specific arrangements.
So I'm utterly lost right now regarding what to do.
Does sleeping count?
I had a well-deserved and extremely required break!
But I doubt this is going to count for her.
(E)
In return for my little outburst, I receive one of Liseti's typical unblinking glares.
However, eventually, she does so with her second eyelids.
(L)
Ehm, this wasn't exactly my underlying reason, but I guess I'll take what I can.
I feel this profound sensation of alarm in her pheromones.
An alarmed Liseti is distressing by itself.
What?!
She just demands another answer?!
(E)
At least, there's by now a decent number, some are even already tending to me during my sessions.
I mean, they are the cutest I can produce, so I might have been a little bit more inclined to do so from the very start.
However, regarding the other two, ever since I lifted that mental block I am at least capable of producing them as part of the whole egg mix, but the mere fact that I avoid thinking about those patterns could mean that, in fact, I didn't actually include them.
(E)
Although I have been merely relaxing…
Maybe I should take some time to visit the nursery.
I couldn't get to it while I was at the wall, but I guess the younger brood deserves to be treated equally to their older siblings.
Damnit.
So that means I'll need more of those poor creatures that are damned to live a life solely to serve as a nectar container.
That Liseti just hinted that they’ll work harder for me specifically isn't helping all that much with me accepting that thought.
It's weird for Liseti to make this sound like something bad.
(E)
Her sister, sure, but Liseti is more of a "good girl" to the queen.
I’m starting to see the reason behind some of Chera's issues.
500 years spent next to a patronizing Uma and I might similarly be as jaded as Chera.
And who's this new sister?!
How extensive of a family do they have?
A family that I’m included in, whether I wish to be or not.
(L)
Right.
More insect politics.
As if things weren't already complicated enough.
She probably means having to sleep within several layers of drones during that time.
Yet this is at least something I'd have a solution for.
I'll never hear the end of this, will I?
(L)
It's hard to argue against this.
It obviously didn't work out for me in the past.
(L)
(E)
Maybe making concessions will get her to stop.
(L)
What does she mean?
Her pheromones make whatever she has on her mind sound like a really serious topic.
Huh!?