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 give my best to calm down and quell the uneasiness, but when I enter everyone is already looking.

(E)

(K)

(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.

(F)

(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.

(F)

(E)

I know I need to stop. I can even feel how my emotions make mum uncomfortable, but I feel so terrible.

(F)

(E)

(F)

Great, now my mother knows what I think.

(E)

(K)

(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!!!"

(E)

(F)

(E)

(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 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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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)

(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)

(F)

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

(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)

(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.

(F)

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

(F)

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

(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've 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 rather limited in vocabulary, yet." (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)

(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)

(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)

(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)

(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 don't! 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.

(E)

They immediately chase behind.

Then I turn back for dad.

Mum should have understood.

(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)

Still. I 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.

(F)