Formicea

 

The next day starts.
I'm actually hesitant to stand up, as it means I have to encounter and interact with the others who I weirded out yesterday.
However, today is the day of their departure so I'm kinda obliged to attend.
The first thing I have on my list after breakfast is meeting up with mum.
She comes on time.

 

"Heello, Ery. Yuu don't look too great. Died something happen?" (F)

 

She speaks cheerfully in human words to me.
I can see when someone tries to treat me especially delicately.

 

"You mean aside from what transpired yesterday? All the horror and confusion?" (E)

"Iet wasn't so baed." (F)

"Mum, I laid eggs in front of foreign ambassadors. Into the water they were bathing in!" (E)

"Yuu're takieng thies far tooo serieously. Ie'm sure no one took offense. Iet'z just a shaeme that thee mEn in our family had no chance to visit the bath houuse and now wee have to change thee water first." (F)

 

Everyone took offense!
Sigh, I'm just a bit through.
And naturally, it had to happen on the last day.
The perfect last impression.
But as their departure will be soon I have to settle some urgent issues before they're leaving.

 

"So, mum. About the nurses. You said you have promising candidates?" (E)

 

She smiles at this.

 

"Ie have just thee rieght onez." (F)

 

She moves to the entrance and gives someone a sign.
Shortly after this, two very small child nurses enter my room.
Very reluctantly as if they're going to have to perform something in front of many people and are struck by stage-fright.

 

"Okayie, those are XAnaa, Xana aend Na-abi, Na-bi, Nabi." (F)

 

She really forces herself to say the names right.
Always as polite as usual.

 

"Ehk, you don't have to force yourself to speak human, mum. You can simply say it in Formicea. I'll understand it the same." (E)

"No, no. Ie often speeak that way with theem. Ie thought iet mieght be good. Beecause of that Ie rEcommEnd theem. Theye're veery good at iet." (F)

 

I'm not too sure about the implications.
I certainly believe that mum could need more training.
The two nurses, who absolutely give me the impression of little girls, are anxiously staring at me.
Maybe I should say something.

 

"Ehm, hi. I'm Erys. Nice to meet you." (E)

"It'z her." (Xana)

"She is it." (Nabi)

 

Okay.
At least they speak proper human.

 

"You two! Conduct yourself properly before your princess." (K)

 

Kyska looks very stern at them from her position behind me.
At least her pheromones tell me that her stiff insect face shall imply sternness.
Now they're intimidated.

 

"Kyska, there's no need. I'm sure they're well-behaved if mum chose them." (E)

 

And now they look in awe at me.
They're apparently very easily impressed

"Ehk, do you know what you're here for." (E)

 

Two quick nods.

 

"I'm sorry to ask that of you. I know I demand much. You will leave your known environment and have to learn something you don't know the slightest bit about. And this while you're still so young. If you don't want to, I'll not force you to go. It's important for me that you know I won't be angry or disappointed with you if you can't. I want you to decide for yourself." (E)

 

Yes, I know this is a completely unknown concept in the swarm, but while it's almost impossible to get a worker to think for themselves, as some prior attempts of communication with them showed, the nurses at least are smart enough to understand complex concepts.
They can feel a wide range of emotions.
And I certainly don't want to treat such sentient beings like slaves.
It would simply be wrong.
The two mini-nurses blink several times at me.
Just after that, the one mum called Xana answers.

 

"I-if wee go. Caen we serve yuu?" (X)

"Well, you wouldn't be here, so not directly. But this is so you can learn to do something extremely important for me. The person I’ll send you with will show you how to buy and sell things. No one else in the swarm knows about this and so it would be very, very helpful if you could learn this and use the gained knowledge to support us." (E)

"This is a special assignment. The princess grants you a position where she puts her deepest trust in you. Will you accept?" (K)

"Yes! By all means!" (X/N)

 

Instant response.
Maybe I worried too much.
Now, these two,  which seemed to be rather intimidated, appear to be totally eager.

 

"Kyska, you shouldn't influence them like this. I want to respect their free will." (E)

 

They certainly couldn't say much after she demanded from them like this to help me.

 

"You still don't seem to understand, my princess. You are the one greatest being for your brood. They won't even consider going against your wishes." (K)

 

Still, it feels a bit wrong.
Only because they completely unfounded believe I’m the greatest they shouldn’t give up on anything or do stuff against their wishes.
I mean, those two are only little girls.
Extremely suggestible little girls as it now became apparent.

 

"Yuu see? Those two are good girlz." (F)

 

They look for a moment at my friendly smiling mother before shrinking in their stance and emitting very embarrassed pheromones.
There's another thing I want to add.

 

"Just so you know, the most important is that you two give your best. Even if it doesn't work out and you're unable to learn anything I won't be angry with you." (E)

 

They look at each other before responding simultaneously together.

 

"Thank you, broodmother!" (X/N)

"Ehk, what was that?" (E)

 

Uh, this title feels totally wrong.
Just why do they have to address me like this?
Kyska answers from my side.

 

"Broodmother is the way brood refers to their creator. While princess, or queen, is the common title, a princess' own brood usually refers like this to the one who spawned them. It's their way to express the special relationship they have with you, my princess. Yet among your brood, another term spread to the same extent." (K)

 

This is much to process.
It looks like they are kinda worshipping me.
And what does Kyska mean?

 

"What other term?" (E)

"Naturally, it's "mother". You spread it yourself during your visit to the nursery. But it's more of an informal expression used among them to refer to you." (K)

 

So this means all my brood calls me mother.
I know they kinda are my children, but the knowledge that they all think of me like this hits too close to home.
Soon there will be thousands who do that.
It's a heavy implication.
Those two in front of me look as if I'm the greatest thing they saw in their far too short lives.

 

"Okay, now that this is settled, is there anything you'd want?" (E)

"Want?" (X/N)

"You're doing me a huge favor and I think that I'm asking quite much from you. So if I can offer you some kind of reward, please tell me." (E)

"This is unusual, my princess." (K)

 

I get Kyska's point.
If the queen would offer to all her million drones a reward she wouldn't be done before they all died of old age.
And as favoritism is bad this could lead to all kinds of problems.
But I also think that this is a special assignment and those two are so young.
Doing them a little favor should be fine.

 

"So, what do you want?" (E)

 

The two look for a moment at each other and I believe there was a quick exchange of pheromones, which I deliberately ignored, as it was their private talk.
Then they look at me.
Nabi speaks for them.

 

"Could you... please..." (N)

 

She seems to be a little uncomfortable with asking me for something.

 

"Yes?" (E)

"Could you please pat us again?" (N)

<Ehk!/What!?> (E)

 

They instantly back away and kneel down, almost smashing themselves into the ground.

 

"We are sorry!" (X/N)

"Ehk, no, no. I-I didn't mean to deny you. I was just surprised." (E)

 

 Why the heck would they want this?

 

"My princess, personal affection from their broodmother is a rarity. Your visits to the nursery are the most important experience in their existence." (K)

"Can we have this?" (X/N)

"Sure. If it means this much to you." (E)

 

I come carefully closer.
With a decidedly friendly smile, I try to soothe those two.
Then I caress with each of my hands carefully their heads so I won't scratch them with my sharp nails.

 

"Skrrrrrrrr"

 

Immediately their wings vibrate like crazy.
I decide to take this a step further, bow down to their height, and wrap my arms around them, giving them a hearty embrace.

 

"Thank you, you two." (E)

 

Guess they won't react anytime soon now.
But I couldn't help it, they're just so cute.

 

"So, ehk. I also wanted to say. You don't need to worry. Liseti will as well send nurses and those should support you if there's anything you need. Just give it your best try." (E)

 

I let Kyska guide them out so she can do whatever she deems important to prepare those two youngsters for such a long outside assignment.
Meanwhile, I let mum tell me what she knows about them.

It seems Xana is very sophisticated.
Basically a Mini-Kyska.

While human language didn't come as naturally to her, she was very devoted to learn it as soon she was able to realize that I often speak like this.
Because of this, even if my mother is barely a trainee nurse she started to follow her very often as soon she was in a growth stage where she could do light and simple work.
Mum used the chance to talk much with her.
And was questioned about all kinds of things about me.
I'm sure it was just so she can do a good job, but I hope she didn't tell any too embarrassing stories.

The other one, Nabi, has according to mum a very kind heart, yet is a bit shy and insecure in nature.
So she often follows Xana to avoid making mistakes.
Hearing this, I've got a little worried if she would truly be fine.
However, she's apparently also a prodigy in human language and immediately learned to speak it without any mishaps.
Mum almost got jealous.

So basically Xana is the best one mum knows and Nabi is uniquely fit for the task of serving among humans.

I just hope that they will manage.