Formicea

 

After asking the closest worker for the way, answered with a rough pointing in the direction, I find her in a room that was apparently unused until now.
Surprisingly they didn't bring her back to my family's lodging.
Yet the reason might be that it's some distance away from my quarter so that mum would be less affected.
I do my best to calm down and quell the uneasiness, but when I enter everyone is already looking.

 

<Ehk. Seems like these pheromones are more present than I thought.> (E)

<Naturally, my princess. It would be unforgivable to ignore your wishes.> (K)

<Screo!/Mum?> (E)

 

First I need to make sure mum is fine.
I speak in Formicea as I feel that it might trouble her if I use speech she is now unable to utilize.

 

<Cr-creak, crie!/I-I'm sorry Erys. It's a little hard next to you. It feels like you're screaming inside my head.> (F)

<I'm so sorry, mum. If I would just have been more careful...> (E)

 

I feel that I'm tearing up, but somehow I need to suppress these emotions.
Even without tearing up my sadness could be hard on mum.

 

<Scrak, scriuuk!/You are not at fault Erys. It all went so fast. And you were in that condition back then.> (F)

<I told you you would be safe here! Just because of me that happened!> (E)

I know I need to stop. I can even feel how my emotions make mum uncomfortable, but I feel so terrible.
<I just went... unlucky. That's sad, but surely you're not the one who caused this.> (F)

<No, this princess did this to you!> (E)

<Erys, I can feel right now that you intend to do something rash.> (F)

 

Great, now my mother knows what I think.

 

<It's just that I am angry and upset. I want this princess to... I don't know. Something between beating her senseless and giving her a good scolding. Some kind of punishment. It just feels so unfair.> (E)

<No, no my princess! You can't! This would lead to terrible consequences for you. You would be seen as the aggressor and become the target instead! Furthermore, Honiu's brood exceeds yours by far, yet. You wouldn't even come close.> (K)

<Ery! Promise me you won't do anything that will endanger yourself! I don't want anything to happen to you! Especially not because of me! That's not what I want! You understand?> (F)

 

You know, mum's words always had an impact on me.
When she wants you to listen she makes sure you do.
Her voice is loud and clear and her gaze is fixed on your eyes.
However, all my memories of previous scoldings are surpassed by far with the fact that I can hear her in my mind while what I directly perceive is just "Screeeeeech!!!"

 

<Alright mum! I won't start a second swarm war. Satisfied?> (E)

<It's not just this. You need to calm down here. This princess was... weird. The way she acted without thinking about anything. She appeared to be bored.> (F)

<I've heard something like this. But why are you telling me?> (E)

<Because she didn't know about you until now. If I already raise her interest then what about you?> (F)

 

I understand where mum is coming from.
This princess to satisfy her curiosity might just barge in here.
And if I can't handle my anger then I will cause an incident and we will have a swarm war.
A very short one that is, as I stand no chance.
In the end, my family will as well get caught up in it and all that can prevent this is that I keep my calm in front of someone I hate.
That's a bit much.
For now, I should concentrate on something different.

 

<Okay, first we start with fixing your voice. If that gets better I have fewer reasons to lash out." (E)

<Is there a way?> (F)

"I can't make it like before, but we can try to develop a way of speaking so that you can use human words. It's not exactly the same. Your mind is constantly telling you that this is not the right way to speak and your voice sounds different, which can confuse you. You are simply forcefully trying to create the right sounds. It took me many days to manage without too many flaws. It still feels a little unnatural." (E)

 

Now I speak in human language, to show her that it kinda works out for me.

 

<Well, it's better than nothing. We should start practicing then.> (F)

"Right, but first: Kyska, where is dad?" (E)

"He was interested in the mycelium. Together with your younger brother they're visiting the first layer. Naturally with a proper escort." (K)

"Okay. Someone has to inform him. Kyska, would you be so kind? I have to help mum here. But please, as gentle as possible. Tell him first that mum is fine. I don't want him to panic." (E)

"As you wish, my princess." (K)

 

She is directly leaving, going to complete her task.
Sigh! I don't know if I will ever get used to this princess title.

 

<You look tired Ery.> (F)

"I... had a hard day or night or activity interval. No idea how to refer to down here. But that's not important. Let us try to get your voice back." (E)

 

Yes, pressing out one-hundred far too large eggs, hearing that my mother got abducted, realizing that my mother lost her voice through forcefully applied changes.
That's a little taxing to deal with.
I know mum is the main victim here, but that doesn't make it any easier.

 

<Fine. But you said it's hard, right?> (F)

"Yes it is. I don't expect us to get very far at our first attempt. Maybe some few very foreign-sounding words ." (E)

<Then what do you want to start with?> (F)

"Don't know. Is there something you want to say to dad when he rushes here? Obviously very upset because of your state." (E)

<I'm fine.> (F)

"Mum, you aren't fine. You've lost your voice." (E)

<I want to say "I am fine" to him.> (F)

 

Oh, that's what she meant.
I'm stupid.

 

"Okay. I learned by forcing the words one after the other out. You just concentrate on the tone. An "e" is easy to produce, but at the same time very hard to control if you don't concentrate. Other sounds you have to form specifically. I think it's better if we just start so you can get a feeling for it." (E)

<Criek/Okay.> (F)

 

She catches some air and begins.

 

"IEEHHH!" (F)

"Ehk. Like I said. This kind of tone is hard to control. You don't need to force them out, but have to quell them a bit instead." (E)

 

I am as well struggling with this damned "e" until today.

 

"Ieeh! Aaaahm!" (F)

 

Still a little too dragging, but she improves.

 

"FfffiiEEEHHHn!!!" (F)

 

Ouch. That was ear-piercing.

 

"Much less mum. Much less." (E)

 

She looks a bit dejected because of her failure.

 

<It sounds terrible. Even I was shocked.> (F)

"It's not too bad. We can work with this. We just need some adjustments for you to improve." (E)

<What kind of adjustments?> (F)

"Don't force it out. You need to carefully form the sounds. It's all about control." (E)

<If you say so.> (F)

 

Naturally, we keep going at it.
After all, dad will come eventually and I can completely understand that mother wants to lessen the drama.
So being able to at least talk a bit would decrease the severity.
Also, there is Toris.
It would be terrible if his mother can't talk anymore with him.

Time passes and eventually, the dreaded moment arrives.
Dad isn't really discreet when he returns.

 

"FARRAH!!!" (R)

 

Before dad causes too much of a commotion, mum is leaving the room to greet him.
She smiles in his direction and does everything she can to calm him down without speaking.
I am close behind, hoping that any frustration and anger he might feel now isn't directed at me.
When he sees her, he shows the kind of surprise you experience when the worst you imagined isn't the case, as mum looks at least fine from her outer appearance.

 

"Farrah! I, I heard you were attacked!" (R)

 

I am not very sure what Kyska's definition of "gentle" is, but she can be rather blunt with her words.
If my memory serves me right, she was rather straightforward about my role with the eggs.
So I wonder what exactly it was that she told dad.

 

"Dad! Mum is a little shaken. Please calm down to not trouble her too much." (E)

 

He looks at me but then his gaze returns to mother.

 

"Farrah. A-are you alright?" (R)

"Ie'm fieene, dEear." (F)

 

There are still obvious flaws, but these are more general problems we can't solve yet.
Instead, we were able to train another word before dad came.
Everything else has to come through practice.
Dad looks at least somewhat relieved and directly locks mum in a tight embrace.

 

"I was so worried. When this insect came and told me you got hurt..." (R)

"Deeear." (F)

"Your voice. What happened to you?" (R)

"It's a bit complicated." (E)

"Farrah?" (R)

 

He looks with a worried expression at mum.

 

"Her voice... got damaged. She can talk to a degree but it's difficult and her vocabulary is limited, for now." (E)

"Is that true?" (R)

 

Mum just smiles at him as an answer.
Well, dad tears up, and for the next couple of minutes, it gets rather emotional.
Ultimately I can convince him to change to my family's lodging hall.
It's not like the workers care about the family drama in the courtyard, but I do.

 

"How bad is it?" (R)

"IeeEEtZZ... fieene." (F)

 

Uhh. That comes from using words we didn't train.

 

"God Farrah. How could that happen?!" (R)

"It's all my fault. I was too careless. This other princess snatched her away and conducted this... this!" (E)

"Why? For what reason?" (R)

"There's something else about mum's state." (E)

"What is it?! Tell me!!" (R)

<Scric, scruuk!/ Erys, could you please tell him that he has to calm down. If he's like this there's not much point in talking to him.> (F)

 

Dad looks utterly confused.

 

"Mum wants me to tell you that there is no point in talking to you as long you are in no mood to listen." (E)

 

He blinks at both of us.

 

"Pffft." (R)

 

Then he starts to giggle.

 

"Yes, this sounds exactly like your mother. Okay fine. What's going on here?" (R)

"First, where is Toris?" (E)

"I left him with your nurse and rushed back here. Your mother said she can be trusted and I trust your mother's instinct. They might arrive any moment." (R)

"Then I better explain what happened to both of you when he's back." (E)

"Alright." (R)

 

Like dad said it doesn't take long until they arrive.
We gently make Toris take place inside.
Eventually, it calmed down, so I can begin.

 

"It is like this. Mum got changed by a princess. She can now understand and speak the insect speech yet isn't able anymore to speak the normal way. While we could train some words it's extremely difficult for her to use human speech." (E)

"Poor mum." (T)

"It's not too bad. If she can't manage to convey something then I can translate." (E)

"What exactly happened?" (R)

<Skraek, scriek!/This Honiu made me sniff something and after that, I could understand the words. Then she stung my throat and that happened to my voice.> (F)

"Oh, exactly like them!" (T)

 

Toris can be really weird sometimes.

 

"What did she say?" (R)

 

Oh yes, my turn.

 

"That princess applied something to her nose for understanding the screeches and stung her throat for speaking. After that she was like this." (E)

"Then I want too!" (T)

"Absolutely not! Are you insane?" (E)

 

Everyone else's shrieked expressions agree with my opinion.

 

"But if mum can't talk that's bad, right?" (T)

"Still, I won't let you get stung." (E)

 

I can understand that he wants mum to be able to talk to him.
But I won't allow that he gets stung.

 

"And the scent? W-we could understand your mum." (R)

"Noot rEeecommEnndEd. NOt reEcommEndeEt!" (F)

"Dear?" (R)

<Scriek, scriee, skraiek, skruee!/You know the stench when we empty the toilet and disperse the contents on the fields? Make this a hundred times more acrid and a thousand times more intense, while you are unable to guard yourself and you haven't even a faint idea.> (F)

 

That was a tirade of clicks and screeches which dad surely couldn't understand.

 

"Ehm." (R)

"She said it was extremely unpleasant and she would want you to abstain from using it." (E)

"But if it helps this is reason enough for me to endure it!" (R)

 

Dad was never much into talking, but much rarer is it that he becomes loud.
And it never happened that he states like this what he wants.
After all, he wants to understand mum.

 

"Me too!" (T)

<Screeak!/No!> (F)

 

The way mum screamed at him I think her intent came through even without my translation.
And yes, the last thing I will allow is that anyone meddles with my little brother's body.

 

"No, you won't do that. You are too young! Don't act on a whim!" (E)

"I'm not! I know what I'm doing!" (T)

"No you don't! You have no idea what consequences that might have for you!" (E)

"Don't act like you know everything! You are not my boss!" (T)

"You might not have noticed, but I have here around two-hundred drones who would argue against this!" (E)

"Skrrrr"

 

I am so agitated that my wings start to vibrate at a high frequency.

 

"Wahh! No you're not!" (T)

 

And with this, he runs off.

 

"Skrak!/Toris!" (F)

 

It makes me sad how mum can't say something when she wants.
I immediately turn to the next two drones I can find.

 

<Follow behind! But don't bother him. If anything tries something, prevent it. Bring him back once he's tired.> (E)

 

They immediately chase behind.
Then I turn back for dad.
Mum should have understood.

 

<This ability is a little convenient.> (F)

"I've told them to watch out that he's fine. Is that okay?" (E)

"Yes. I am sure they do what you say." (R)

 

Dad looks still bothered.

 

"So, do you think it would be possible to do this with the scent?" (R)

 

I still don't want that any experiments are conducted on my family but dad looks really set on this.
It's not like I want to forcefully press my agenda on them with my authority.

 

"How about this: You talk with mum about this. Uhh. I will send Suki to translate. Meanwhile, I'll send someone to ask Liseti if she knows a less severe or at least less unpleasant way. I doubt this other princess cared very much about being considerate towards mum while doing what she did. And Liseti said she owes us a favor. But to make this clear, we are only talking about interpreting the pheromones. Nothing else." (E)

"Fine. This is enough." (R)

 

I agree.
Like this, I turn around, to look for a free messenger which I can send to Liseti.
And collapse.

 

<Scrieek!/Erys!> (F)