Warmth filled my chest and my heart started thumping faster and faster. It was a change I didn’t notice. I was too engrossed in the fresh sweetness of honeydew I tasted in my mouth. It was a refreshing sensation, one very helpful against the lethargy and my stiff limbs —two things that I did notice.

My surroundings were cold, explaining my physical state. I wondered how the outside fared because the city temperature had plummeted to a low nine degrees Celsius.

It must have rained, I thought —which didn’t make much sense. I had gone to sleep on a clear and sunny day! What also didn’t make sense was Princess Tiny, who should have been sleeping, instead was by my side and arduously rubbing my back to relight my metabolism. That would help my body grow warm and improve my condition. Perhaps, it was also her who had fed me the honeydew?

She saw my antennae moving and was quick to tease me.

Workers don’t sleep, you said. Then she added a few really spicy annotations that I couldn’t understand because my antennae were still not attuned yet. Similarly, I couldn’t answer her either.

It took me a while to get back on my feet, but Princess Tiny stayed by my side until she made sure that I was no longer cold or susceptible to the element. It was a gesture I really appreciated because workers don’t go that far for anyone; they usually leave you at the first sign of movement or throw you into the pit at a later date. Maybe she was overdoing it for the same reason because she blamed herself for letting the workers throw me into the pit?

I couldn’t ask. Some feelings are better left without justifications and reasons.

However, she was getting impatient; the indicator of which was her waving antennae. I did a rough job of cleaning my antennae and asked her how long I had slept. The revelation was a surprising one.

Apparently, I had slept right through a sudden thunderstorm. The low temperature had caused me to hibernate; it had already been a day and a half. More important was the news that the underground city hadn’t suffered any damage, though the west side of the tower was unfortunately partially destroyed.

That could get dangerous. I said.

She nodded. I fear the sky predators will be stalking the city until the tower is fixed. But come on, She dragged me to my feet and pulled me along. We need to get going or we are going to miss them again!

I didn’t have to ask for the details. There was only one group that could make her this urgent. The explorers are back? I asked, receiving an affirmative nod.

Suddenly walking without having stretched or massaged my limbs wasn’t easy. But I made a grueling attempt to keep up with her pace. She trolled through the jagged paths like a passing wave, while I pushed behind her stumbling through the dense mass of bodies.

But we were not alone in rush; the whole colony seemed to be in a hurry. The workers were frantic, soldiers surprisingly cooperative and nurses sluggish. Fire moss was being carted around the tunnels in heaps to heat the residential areas; eggs were being neatly piled in the incubation chambers and disinfected with even more fervor. The workers kept busy blocking tunnels, which forced us to leave the main arteries and detour into smaller arterioles, leading us around the colony. The delay irritated Princess like nothing else. However, the precautions needed to be taken.

Damp air was not good for the city. It could have easily turned the dark and narrow tunnels into parasitic breeding grounds; especially when the airflow was restricted. The workers were blocking the already damp tunnels and using the city infrastructure as a filtration system to make sure only dry air circulated through the main arteries and shafts. It was a tough and time-consuming job.

The 9th city, the Kandei-rah-ji (the Thorny road to heaven) was lost because their workers weren’t able to curb the infestation and it reached their queens quarters. That was the end of the line. Once their queen was infected, they lost all chances of recovery.

Fallen tunnels could be dug through, refurbished with twigs and stones for strength, coated with saliva catalyzed cement, but there could only be one true queen in a city —at least that was so for the Embers that had fallen away from the Fire. So the queen had to be protected at all costs.

The chambers on the various levels had the capacity to hold the suddenly overflowing population. Hibernation would have been the answer if we were in the winters, but summers see rain like spring see the foliage. You learn to live with the conditions.

But when a soldier blocked the already agitated Princess on the twenty-fifth floor, it sparked a fire in her that made her confront the queen in a fit of both anger and worry. It also made me reconsider the importance of explorers to her. I hadn’t the slightest idea about the reason behind her fascination with them. Yes, they had found the termites and the ant, but what would they know besides the circumstance and the conditions at which the wood eaters were found?

I could only hope her suspicions regarding the lost one were not as important for the city’s health, as the danger of a predator looming above us; because that’s what she was implying. She didn’t seem to even remember I was following her or I would have asked.

The royal guards weren’t so keen at our appearance. Princess demanded an audience with the queen, but they denied her. That shouldn’t have happened. It took us both off guard. Already angry and irritated, the stalwart guard’s nonchalant tone set her off. I somehow pulled her back, rather held her off by holding her abdomen or things could have taken a seriously sharp turn.

Why are you doing this? She scented in drowning quantities. Is it the commander? Has he asked you all to keep me from meeting the explorers? Is that it?

Don’t misunderstand me, princess. The royal guard calmly scented back, not even a little apprehensive. Someone is already in audience with her highness, the queen. You only have to wait for your turn.

Oh… Princess stopped pulling. You can let go now. She told me. I did just that, while she planted her feet right in front of the royal guard and refused to move, defying him.

A few moments later the door guard cleared the opening. I relaxed. Now there would be no more stare offs with the strong royal guards who could easily dismiss us with force if required.

Another princess, this one twice as large as princess Tiny and carrying a beautiful translucent veil of wings on her back, stepped out, carrying a sweet stimulating scent that tickled my antennae.

She was curvy and bountiful. I had no doubt she would give birth to millions of healthy eggs. Her antennae were a blur of motion, touching everyone’s head they passed. They touched mine and I felt bliss. It evoked a nervous tension inside me, that I understood, but couldn’t do anything to control.

Then the antennae moved over princess Tiny, hovered, and retracted without touching her. The stimulating scent drew back, leaving me with a craving for more. Mind told me I should follow her to get my fix. Heart told me, ‘look at the front, you buffoon!’ That’s when I noticed that my princess had in fact stopped moving altogether. She had also retracted her scent; well, as much as she could retract it. Her antennae that had been waving around in irritation were stiff and straight, head raised, mandibles open in a warning. What in the name of a hoppers hop is she doing? I found out soon enough.

What are you doing here? The winged one spat out. Her words might be normal, but her tone was oddly condescending and scent venomous. Hoh, I didn’t like her. Princess Tiny firmed her stance, raised her head a bit higher, and replied, are you dumb? I’m standing in front of the queen’s quarters; does that explain something to you, or should I put it out in simple words so you could understand?

That tone and such words, Princess Tiny had directly torn a page from the aged warrior’s book. I liked it. The royal guard looked at me, waving his antennae and asking when I would be intervening. Intervening between two royal fertile females? Well, I did wonder if it was my time to advice the Princess, because the winged one was not alone. She had an entourage of royal females following her —eighteen to be exact, including the nurses and the caretakers. They were intimidating enough.

No wonder Princess Tiny’s anger didn’t trigger them. At the moment they looked like someone had fed them the citrusy essence of a stink bug! It’s bad enough on its own, but add the oily saliva of a meat-eater plant to it and you have a deadly combination that is worse than putting a live snail in your throat. No explanations; I Just know.

Is the worker's princess misbehaving again? The scent came from behind the winged one. The scent was heart moving and attracting, soliciting opinions, and changing moods at the same time. I knew it belonged to someone great. You want to meet Mother because you want to go outside, don’t you?

Yes—

Of course, you would. Interrupted the calm scent. That’s why you are a worker's princess. But it suits you, working that is. Can’t be a queen so you have to earn your keep some way; I understand. I hope you have a happy life here, Tiny ‘wingless’ worker. It was the first princess, the one and the only! Now step aside. We don’t have the time or the urge to meet your salty antennae.

Yeah, added a third scent. While we’ll be flying in the sky, looking for a place to make ours and etch our names in the annals of history, you will be here, pumping eggs for Mother to mark and name hers. But don’t worry! We’ll always remember you and tell your story to our children, so they can know how pathetic you were until the end.

I didn’t understand half of what she said, but it angered me. The royal guard waved his antennae again, signaling me to intervene. And in the fit of the moment, I did just that. I stepped forward and stood beside Princess Tiny.

That’s enough.

Somehow my feet had stopped shaking and I was no longer under her influence. Step aside, I told the winged ones, scent blaring alarm. We have a meeting with the Queen.