She asked me to be courageous. A simple request, really. But it scared me. Everything new is scary at first and only becomes easier with time. I hoped she would give me the time to settle into my new responsibilities.

The thirty-fifth floor was, for a loss of better words, tiny. There weren’t many soldiers around —at least not in the chamber, Princess took me to. The floor comprised of mere three chambers, but each was easily twice as large as the others. There weren’t many ants about, for most of them were concentrated on the thirtieth and thirty-sixth floors, both of which were military encampments.

I don’t feel prideful saying this, but I was stopped at the check post on the thirty-sixth floor. Only captains and higher ranked officials past this point, one masculine battle marked soldier made the point clear with the snap of her mandibles. She didn’t say what would happen if I insisted otherwise, like there was a need for her to specifically address that termite in the tunnel. I sure as hell didn’t think so.

Princess Tiny was special in this sense, for she was allowed inside though her rank didn’t fill the requirement. The soldiers guarding the post were so used to her they didn’t even stop to identify her. She even bumped their antennae when passing through. It was a really strange sight. Needless to say, they did allow me to follow her inside after she revealed my position as a royal guard, appointed directly by the queen herself.

It was a half-truth; let’s just leave it at that.

Alas, I was where no worker would ever be and the thought had me nervous. The soldiers looked at us as if we were hiding some secret. Heads turned where the princess passed through, and antennae stood up erect and pulsating. She was holding her scent back, but there was no hiding the presence of a fertile female, even one not as developed as her.

I followed her unquestionably, though deep down afraid of making a mistake. The headquarters looked like any other place. It was a large and open chamber. Not fashioned out of indestructible materials like the queens quarters, but made with a similar kind of detail and perseverance.

Where Queen’s chamber was an amphitheater that bounced scents back into the air instead of absorbing them, the headquarters was purposed in a way that it was quick to absorb the scents. Of course, the young I didn’t know the difference. Everything looked the same to him. Though he did grow to doubt the construction when the residue of scents released after Princess Tiny’s touch disappeared from the air before he could grasp them properly.

More surprising was the knowledge that the chamber fashioned into the military headquarters couldn’t be accessed directly. We had to pass through the other two chambers, all connected to each other with a single narrow channel.

In comparison, the rest of the city was connected through means of various arteries and arterioles, some of which were dead ends designed to puzzle an enemy force that many or may not have broken through.

Princess was quick to warn me to stay quiet. Don’t release any scents. Don’t even think if you can. You think out too loud. I don’t want to give him an advantage over me if I can.

Shall I stay back?

No. How will you guard me then?

Guard her against whom? The answer to that was an unexpected one.

The commander was a big burly ant with long spiky hair. His head was a lump of burning coal sitting over a pile of ash, larger in proportions to the rest of him. He was a first-generation, but nothing else about him was public knowledge.

He was in a conversation with another — most likely something very important. The guard stopped us outside the chamber, at an inaudible length. Moments later, the captain left the chamber, paused when he noticed Princess, and we were allowed to go inside.

Well, well, if it isn’t my favorite princess. The commander scented cheerfully. I half expected him to demand an antennae connection, but I guess, he wasn’t so stuck in the old ways. What can I do for you today?

What makes you think I want something? Princess said in a tone salty enough to make my throat dry. They had a history together.

You don’t? Commander poked. The scent was almost strong enough to hurt, but also not quite there. He had phenomenal control over pheromones.

Princess also felt the effect. Her antennae almost dropped down in resignation, but she kicked back up and tersely continued the conversation. I want to meet the explorers. She demanded. I want to know how they found the termites and hear their full report.

See, why would you come to see me without a reason? In a sense, you are even worse than the generals and the captain. At least they are polite. The commander finished saying then turned toward me. And who’s that.

I almost spoke up, when the princess smacked my head with her antennae. She stared at me, and wordlessly reminded me of the discussion we had just a few moments ago. No scents.

Don’t try to change the topic. She laid it bare for the commander, and me — especially me. Answer me. I have the right to know. I worry the termites are doing something wrong in that region and we need to find out before it’s too late. They had chased an ant all the way from the 47th city into our territory. That alone should set have off our alarms, but we are behaving like nothing out of ordinary happened! Needless to say, the termites themselves were very odd. Did the harvesters report the termite’s strange resistance to poison?

She paused to let the commander make a comment and continued when he didn’t.

I have asked Mother to let me lead a delegation to the far city Door-Darshan-Ji. She didn’t give me an immediate answer, but I believe she’ll be asking for your expertise in the near future. I want you to back me up when the time comes.

She stared at the commander after she was done saying her piece as if trying to instill the importance of her request into him.

The commander gave in to her after a while. Alright, He said. But you still haven’t told me who he is? Why are you carrying a disabled worker around? You are a princess, a future queen —you should know better.

My heart skipped a beat. The commander pushed his antennae toward me as with interest to perform an internal connection. I realized something. He would know everything about the notifications and my death if we connected. My legs shuddered at the thought. I wasn’t expecting things to go this way. I must have leaked my distress because Princess covered me with her body and swatted his antennae away.

He saved my life, twice. She explained. When everyone else, including the soldiers and captains, were busy fighting for their lives, he fought for me. So, yes, he might be a worker and a disabled, but he’s also my royal guard.

Maybe her words held some merit or the commander got bored; whatever the case, he took his eyes off me and put his attention back on her. He could see, for he also had infrared eyes even though he was not of the royal line. He didn’t have wings or the stature of one. Mutations like his weren’t common —queen and her caretakers were very deliberate about maintaining the status quo— but it’s not like I had seen others with infrared eyes; he could have been one of those lucky births.

Alright, The commander responded. I’ll let the explorers know ‘when’ they return. But whether they’ll want to meet you or not will be up to them. You see, unlike me, they don’t like pretty disturbances very much.

What? But I heard they were back!

The commander stretched his antennae, signaling the soldier outside that he was about done with us. The explorers are a busy group. I believe I don’t have to explain that to you. They were back for a bit, but now they are on a mission again. They won’t be back for some days, just so you know.

Princess wasn’t happy when the soldier tapped on her shoulder and asked her to leave. Once again, I wasn’t addressed. She didn’t make a scene, but it was a close call and things could have escalated quickly. The soldier looked about ready to pick her up and drag her out with her open mandibles, a clear warning gesture.

Princess Tiny didn’t say much even after we were back on the thirty-sixth floor, but her silence alone spoke volumes of her mood.

That’s how I met the commander and earned his attention. For all my expectations and nervousness, the meeting was underwhelming, if not too normal? I had no words to describe it. It’s like the commander hadn’t taken us seriously — Well, taken the princess seriously, because for all he knew I was just a worker she had taken under her wing —a very protective and comfortable wing I shall add.

However, still, it was an honor to meet him. One couldn’t just waltz into the headquarters and have an audience with him, after all.

It had been a long day — a crazy day. And the day was only getting longer, not shorter, now that I was not working tirelessly. Following behind her I was starting to realize why the ex-soldiers and foragers demanded mining work after their dismissal from the services. Add to that the constant harassment by the workers and I was beginning to miss my old job. They caretakers refused me water and food, advising me to ask the princess for such necessities. Word traveled really fast in the city; this was just one example of that. At least they hadn’t started calling me a traitor out loud, yet.

Why can’t you control your pheromones? Princess suddenly scented. We had stopped at the base of an elevator shaft. It was one of the two and led back to the surface. The other one was the ominous path to the fortieth floor, where the slaves were kept.

She said something that I didn’t hear and proceeded to wash my head with a drop of chilling water she had in her stores. She decided that I wasn’t paying attention and wrapped her antennae around mine. Coldness washed over my mind and woke me up. Did you hear anything I said?

No. I answered solemnly.

She shook her head. I guess, there is no other choice. We need to beat this unbiased fear out of you before we can get to the other things.

A tremor passed through my chest. Her nonchalant number me; it instantly took my attention off the shaft and placed it back on her. What do you mean? I asked, but she ordered instead of answering.

Follow me.

And we were walking… down the other shaft: to a place called the dreg of our society, the wastelands, the slums, and its inhabitants who smelled of stale fungus and infections.

I wished I hadn’t found the pebble. I cursed in my mind but closely followed her as we bumped and pushed into the traffic.