Chapter 901: To Be Tolly

I have been in many a dangerous or difficult scenario my dear readers, as well you know! It has been my joy over my forty year career to bring you my tales of adventure and insights into the many wonders our world of Pangera has to offer, and we have shared some incredible times. The blood falls of the hidden city of Paranah. The lost rhino tribes of the Folk! The crystal labyrinth within the mountain Ultima!

Despite these grand undertakings, I have to admit that the simple act of sitting down for a cup of tea and biscuits was enough to get my old heart pounding. Almost a shameful occurrence, my dear readers, and I have to admit I did smile at the irony of the situation. In my defence, this was no ordinary cup of tea!

For starters, the depth of flavour and maturity of the leaves were a cut above even what I had experienced before. My new companion enjoyed only the finest that the Colony had to offer and I have to say, though this may shock many a reader within the sun city, that the taste was quite equal to the famed ‘Singing Hills’ tea enjoyed around the globe in high society.

A shocking claim! I know! Nevertheless, my buds will not allow me to lie!

“This truly is remarkable tea,” I gushed to my host. “The Colony has mastered the art of tea brewing to a higher extent than many will think possible.”

Emilia politely translated for me and the giant queen before me bowed her majestic head in acknowledgement of the compliment. When I sat down I was informed by my guide that it was quite unusual to be granted an audience with a queen, though not many asked for one. The people of Renewal left the queens to their business out of respect and few others were brave enough to sit with them. I was informed that this was but one of eight queens who occupied the nest within Anthome and she was happy to meet with me given that she had completed her duties for the day.

“What originally began as a desire to ensure their guests were well cared for grew into something of an obsession within certain sections of the Colony,” Emilia passed the reply back to me, “these ants have dedicated themselves to providing perfect comfort to any who stay within our nests. They have mastered many skills in this pursuit, weaving, pottery, crochet, baking, farming. There are vast fields within the Dungeon where ants tend to crops of wheat, rice and other surface staples, seeking to grow only the best.”

I looked around the room we found ourselves in and the lush, even decadent furnishings that wouldn’t embarrass even the finest of apartments. Dark wood tables and shelving that gleamed with a mirror shine that accentuated the grain in the wood, the rug beneath our feet was a masterpiece of the art, intricate patterns so fine they seemed to fold in on themselves to an infinite degree, even the cups we were using were expertly formed, with delicate paintings evoking a mood of freshness and warmth.

“I take it all of this was made by the Colony then?” I asked.

“Indeed,” the Queen replied. “Our children often seek to lavish the best that they can provide on us, though we often ask them not to.”

“Oh indeed?” I was surprised to hear this. “I must apologise, for I do not know how a queen would normally be treated inside a colony, but I would have presumed you would be happy to be venerated. Are you not critical to the future of the Colony?”

The queen with whom I spoke had introduced herself as Elizabant and she was a magnificent creature. Easily four metres tall and more than double that in length, she towered over me and the table we sat at to a ludicrous degree. The lustre of her carapace was remarkable and she positively gleamed, a picture of perfect health, no doubt due to the constant ministrations of her children. Despite her size she proved to be a delicate and gentle creature, her movements dignified and deliberate as we sipped our drinks and ate our cakes together.

“We are indeed important to the family, it is true. Our children pamper us and are loath to allow any risk to befall us.”

Which is certainly true. My faithful guards were not allowed into the room, nor was I permitted to form a mind bridge directly to the queen herself. To even approach the outside of this room I had been searched thrice and if there was one ant less than a thousand on guard then I’m more blind than my poor dog Phillipe.

“Yet we do not view ourselves as above any other member of the family. Each of us has a role to play and without every member of the Colony working together we could not have achieved what we have done.”

“Isn’t it true that there is one ant who is held in somewhat a higher regard?” I asked shrewdly. “The Eldest? Is this individual considered… above?”

The queen waved her antennae gently as she considered the question.

“Yes, and no,” she told me. “The Eldest was the first of us, was the one who made us what we are. We all seek to contribute to the success of the Colony and there are none who can hope to contribute more than the Eldest, so in that sense, there is reverence and respect. If you were to ask which ant carried the most authority within our family, it would be them.”

“Is it possible to meet them?” my heart burned for this exclusive interview, my dear readers, burned! “I would love to have a chance to write down the thoughts of such an august ant and share them with my readers.”

The queen seemed a little taken aback by my request and Emilia leaned over and placed a hand on my arm.

“You have to understand, Ms Tolly, that they are very protective of the Eldest. If you thought that it was difficult to meat Elizabant, this is nothing compared to how difficult it would be to contact the Eldest. At the moment they are very deep in the Dungeon and cannot possibly survive here in the first stratum. We could use the gates to move deeper within the territory of the Colony, but it would be almost impossible for you to come face to face with the Eldest.”

Almost impossible?

“So you’re saying there’s a chance?” I smiled.

You know me, readers! I hate hearing the word ‘no’!