The next few days I spend mostly talking with my family, much to dad's dismay.
After that last episode, we try to get used as a family to my far too strong pheromone output.
Talk about weird family issues.

Apparently, too strong influence from my side can cause nausea after long-term exposure if one fights the urges coming from my wishes.
It's not like I'm controlling their minds but rather it's like very demanding orders.
Nonetheless, they're getting used to it, if only step by step.

Naturally, I also try to get some princess work done.
This includes foremost attending the human guests and trying to make everything within the hive appear to them as friendly as possible.
I also often converse with Temia and Olira about how we could handle certain aspects of the budding diplomatic relations.

Aside from that I honestly don't have much to do.
Apparently "princess" is a pretty "laid" back job.
Well, no one would put a princess to work.
My job is simply "that".
Aside from "that", the human delegation is sufficiently accommodated, the drones do their respective jobs, and there was no further incident caused by Honiu.
So I spend some day in quite some leisure.
And boredom.

Don't get me wrong, it's good that there was no catastrophe but boredom is boredom.
Heck, I was even so far that I again tried learning to fly in my courtyard.
Toris was completely into watching my attempts.
Yet his enthusiasm wavered after my fifth hard crash on the ground and was replaced with worry.

It's not like I didn't make any progress.
I can now keep myself in the air for some time.
Yet the bruises are a good reminder that the slightest mistake can end pretty badly.
The other part is that I don't have any excuses to avoid certain activities.
As such I have also to do things like this.

 

"My princess, since you've finished today's session, how about visiting the nursery?" (K)

 

Yes, visiting my brood is also part of my duties.
At least I think so.
I cannot change that I gave life to these insects.
The simple thought is hard to deal with, but on the other hand, they're innocent.
They aren't responsible for the situation and I should at least show them that I care about their existence.
Even if I'm not able to directly care for such great numbers as I'm dealing with, the least I can do is to show that I recognize their existence.

 

"Fine, just let me take a dress." (E)

 

So I regularly visit the nursery.
It's still a very odd experience.
Maybe it's the mix of my knowledge of their origin and seeing how elated they are to see me.
And in addition, comes this ridiculous growth speed.
The first workers are already almost of full size.
It still seems that older ones are a bit larger than youngsters, but not by too much.

The other, more complex roles, will still need some time.
But I become more and more aware that soon I'll have to figure out how to distribute a good thousand insects.
And this every week!

Yet the weirdest interactions I have with my royal guards.
They hatched quite quickly.
Kyska related this to the time they already could spend inside me, which I absolutely didn't want to hear.

Now I can observe how they continue growing at a rapid pace.
At first, they were just larvae, but then they soon started to grow a carapace.
Now they kinda look like kids.
Really creepy little kiddos, with no faces, four claw arms, and a demeanor as if they were born to serve as soldiers.
Which they maybe were.
Far too disciplined, no playtime, and expectant to receive orders.
I feel a little as if I did something wrong by creating them.
I mean, child soldiers are nothing I wanna use.

And that's what they are.
However, I can't deny that my initial plan was to use them as guards.
Maybe not for actual war, but it's still about solving combat situations.
Yet I intend to wait till they're grown up before I'll even let them come close to a dangerous situation.
The least I can do till that time comes is to give them some attention.
Just like now.

 

<Ah, Erys. How nice that you are visiting them again.> (F)

 

Did I mention that my mother is still one of the regular caregivers in the private nursery, to add to all the weirdness?

 

"Hi, mum. How are they?" (E)

<Oh, Still very well-behaved. I sometimes worry a bit that they're too quiet.> (F)

 

I've got mum to speak again more human words when she's with the family.
Mum managed already quite satisfying results regarding her speech, if not for some minor slip-ups.
Yet she still prefers insect speech.
I can understand her to some degree, as forcing the words out leaves a rather unpleasant scratching feeling inside one's throat.
The other nurses should have amplified this situation, as mum apparently talks the whole day with them.
It's not like I'm against this, but I have no intention to give in that much and still usually opt for human language.

 

<They're supposed to be elite soldier drones. Naturally, they show discipline!> (Sk)

 

I also assigned Skiras to look after them.
He's the closest I have to a captain who can train recruits.
But I made sure to tell him, that at this stage they're kids and won't be treated harshly but can play if they want to.
Not that they would want to do so.
It's still extremely creepy how emotionless they appear to be.
If not for an excessive fixation on me.
Seriously, these "kids" just stare completely silent at me without even doing as much as twitching or blinking.

 

"Ehk, hello?" (E)

 

I don't know how to interact with them, afraid to make a mistake.
I talk in human speech as they'll often be confronted with them when it's about leading negations.
So the ability to talk with them is recommended.

 

"Uhh... I don't really know what to say again. You know, just because you have a "role" it doesn't mean that you aren't allowed to do things that you would like to do. Even if I'm here, it's absolutely fine to do something else than just staring at me." (E)

 

There! That one blinked!

 

"Yes? If there's anything you'd like to do or want I'll help." (E)

 

He takes an insecure step in my direction.
I meet him halfway, almost elated as this is the most not-apathetic response I've got from any of them until now.

 

"Yes?" (E)

 

I try to show kindness to not discourage him, or her.
Then he bows to me.
Not knowing what to make out of this I give him a pat.
This startles him, and me in succession at this extreme response.

 

"Ehk, sorry. I didn't want to do something you'd dislike." (E)

 

The one I patted scurries fast backward, where the others start to touch his forehead where I touched.

Okay...

 

"It seems your presence is overwhelming for them, my princess." (Sk)

 

That's not good considering they are supposed to protect me.
Doing this after losing consciousness because of my presence might prove difficult.

 

"Is there anything important about them? Something I should know? Are they all healthy?" (E)

<My princess. While I won't go against you, I need to question your decision to remove their arm blades. Without these, they lack the most fundamental means of defense, which is detrimental to their intended role. While the hidden spikes are of use I doubt they will suffice.> (Sk)

"I actually had a plan for this. They're thought to accompany me whenever I interact with humans, so I thought we could equip them with human weapons. The fact that they can be sheathed to decrease hostility and are something people would be more used to is a great advantage." (E)

<Weapons... Their usage won't come as naturally to them as with their own bodies. In this case, they should as soon as possible start to practice with such objects.> (Sk)

"Ehk, they're basically children. Isn't this a bit too soon?" (E)

<My princess, you're underestimating the rate at which your royal guard will grow. These are already sufficiently bred. Their features are already fully developed. All that remains is an increase in size. It won't take longer than ten activity intervals till they matured.> (Sk)

 

This is an issue.
They certainly will rather fast need some gear.
For now, I advised that we'll simply gather some sticks from the surface to let them get used to using foreign objects but I know this isn't comparable to using a real sword.
Especially not if they need real weapons when they shall have a chance to protect me.

God, why is everything progressing so much faster than I'd like to?
Like this, I'll have rather fast to find a solution.
I might be able to do for now with sticks for training but where would I even get military equipment?
The Formicea don't even know the concept of melting iron and certainly aren't able to just like this improvise a complete metal fabrication process, including smithing.
But how else would I get them?
I'd need a supplier.

Or...

A merchant!

That's it!