Regina was not in a good mood. She hadn’t been very happy about it even when she first got Lyns’ letter, and having to make formal talk with nobles had not cheered her up any.

But she pushed down that emotion and calmed herself. This was important, and she might be able to get good things for the hive out of it, even if she felt skeptical. Besides, as much as she hated to admit it, the marquis had a point, anyway. She should at least hear them out with an open mind.

Since they were already here, she intended to get the most out of it. She didn’t like recalling Janis from managing the elementals, but the mage was an obvious choice to bring along. Regina muddled through, but Janis actually knew the culture and had a history in Cernlia, not to mention a good relationship with Kiara Lyns.

Ben had stayed home, overseeing their defenses and the fighting. Originally, she’d thought that he could just listen in on the talk about war-related matters and give her his opinion. Unfortunately, he was too distracted by the defense of the hive to spare much attention to this meeting right now.

Half the reason Regina was so anxious about being here was that the gnomes had the worst timing. The army they’d sent into the hive’s territory, or at least its sad remnants, were pressing the attack at the moment. Their advance elements had already reached the outer edges of the defensive fields the hive had prepared around their main base and triggered the first few mines.

She could only assume they intended to press on and finish this in some kind of hail-mary attempt because they thought they couldn’t retreat. They might have a point about that, to be fair. The hive was already harrying them a lot, and if they tried to retreat all the way back to the Gnomish Confederation’s territory, they would be bled even further. Not to mention the troops the hive still had in the mountains. Ben had gathered another strike force from them, leaving some troops behind to occupy the ground they had gained and keep the gnomes bottled up. They’d abandoned any plan of striking deeper into the gnomes’ territory for right now, though.

Still, did they think I would just sit around waiting for them? Regina wondered, before mentally shaking her head and refocusing her attention on her present surroundings. Her hive was doing a fantastic job of taking down the gnomes even without her presence or direct input, and on the plus side, Max seemed to feel a lot better about her presence here.

Marquis Lyns was being surprisingly frank. Perhaps that was a sign of how desperate his situation was. Regina didn’t think his cousin would be very merciful if the king won this war, and it seemed like that was definitely going to happen as things stood.

“I think I see why you need our help,” she interrupted after a few minutes of him laying out his position. “We do not have many supplies to spare, but I could be persuaded to help you out in that regard. I am less certain about sending my own forces to fight, though. And frankly, you do not have much to offer as things stand right now.”

“That is true, my lady,” Lyns agreed, sending a sharp glance at another nobleman beside him who grumbled softly. Another marquis, Regina might have forgotten his name if the System didn’t identify him. She didn’t care much about the various nobles supporting Lyns.

He probably hadn’t brought everyone, as there were only five others, counting the duke. But it was enough to show that he did have broad support, and to show that any deal they made was more than just him whistling in the dark and his faction would hold to it. Presumably.

“However, that will not always be the case, especially if - when - we win,” Lyns continued. “That is why we offer many concessions. Once we have the country firmly under control, they will bring you many benefits.”

Regina leaned forward slightly. “The trade agreements and affirmations of sovereignty are a good start,” she said. “I will need more than that, however. I will need every help your country may give.” She smiled. “I need every guarantee.”

“You will have it,” Kiara promised, ignoring a glance from Duke Bluegrass.

The discussion continued, now focused on what the Cernlian rebels could do for her, and what she would require of them. ‘Guarantees’ was putting it mildly, in some sense, but Regina wasn’t about to commit her hive to fighting someone else’s war unless she got everything out of it that she could. Especially a good foundation for the future.

“Are we agreed?” she finally asked, after several minutes of intense discussion.

Lyns’ face was hard, and she could tell he was holding back a grimace. “Yes, Hive Queen, I believe we are. I will agree to all of your demands and have a written contract prepared.”

“You are certain, Milord Lyns?” Duke Bluegrass asked.

The other marquis, Lemain, had a thunderous frown. He leaned in close to his leader, speaking in an intense but quiet whisper. Unfortunately for him, he must not have been aware of the Hivekind’s superior senses, and Regina could hear him even over the rustling and muttering in the tent. “Milord, that is a humiliating agreement! Is help really worth bending our backs to this degree? Having to ask this girl for permission if you are to fight a war! While we would be obligated to join any fight she might pick with the gods know who! And even losing further lands. This is barely short of actual submission or fealty!”

“Would you rather bend your back and offer your neck to the king’s executioner?” Lyns returned in a harsh whisper.

Regina made sure she didn’t smile and turned her gaze to the other humans. Bluegrass was frowning slightly, and so was Kiara; while looking at her father, Regina noted. She must have heard what they said.

“There is one more matter to settle,” Tim spoke up. “Lord Lyns, if memory serves, you said what I have taken to mean that you are prepared to offer hostages as a guarantee of your honor for this agreement. Perhaps we should settle who we might welcome as our guest, if so?” He smiled sardonically. “Not that any of us would question your honor, of course, but at the end of the day, contracts are simply ink on paper. And agreements with demihumans may be easily broken for some humans.”

The tension in the pavilion noticeably increased. The humans seemed to take Tim seriously, at least, and no one looked surprised that he’d spoken up. The content of his words, though, clearly wasn’t very welcome.

“I understand, and you are correct, I did intend to give you a tangible guarantee of my sincerity,” Lyns answered. He paused, then glanced at Kiara for the briefest of moments, before he faced Regina again. “In fact, I would be honored if you were to host my daughter as your guest. I am sure there is much she may learn from you, and having her safely beyond the reach of the king’s hired swords would ease my mind greatly.”

Regina stiffened, unable to conceal her surprise completely. She watched Kiara, who had also stiffened and stared ahead with her jaw clenched, noticeably not looking at her father. What does she want? Regina wondered. Did she expect this? Or something like this? Maybe that is why she wrote to us. In either case, Regina realized quickly that Kiara probably didn’t want to remove herself from the war, especially now that the hive would hopefully turn things around for her faction. She considered all of this quickly. There were several options open to her.

“Marquis Lyns, to be blunt,” Regina answered slowly, “while I am honored at the thought, I am frankly not sure how suited Lady Kiara would be for this role.”

Lyns frowned. “I offer you my heir as a guest, and you deem that unsuitable?” There was obvious consternation in his tone.

Regina smiled briefly. “Lord Marquis, please do not think I am unaware that your wife is pregnant. And if she should bear the son you obviously wish for, your attitude towards your older daughter will … necessarily shift, won’t it?” She shook her head. “Of course, I think Lady Kiara is a perfectly competent and delightful future princess or queen, but that is neither here nor there — and I have no intention of meddling in any internal power struggles, either. Should that somehow come to be an issue.”

The marquis took a deep breath. “I imagine you have another demand to make?” he asked tensely, sidestepping a direct answer to her words.

“It occurred to me that our hive might offer safe harbor for Lady Florance and your younger daughter,” Regina answered easily.

That caused even more of a stir among the marquis’ followers. Several of the nobles started to speak, only to cut off.

“You cannot be serious!” the marquis responded.

“While I have no doubt that you could protect them from our enemies,” Kiara spoke up, “Mother is pregnant, as mentioned. June is in ill health, as well. Taking them away from the comforts and care of home might be ill-advised.”

Regina smiled again. “Ah, but you see, that is the main reason I am making this suggestion.” She fixed her eyes on Lyns again. “I am sure you all know at this point that I have rare knowledge hard to find in this day and age?”

“That seems to be the case,” he agreed, clearly wondering where she was going with this.

“Then I will tell you in confidence,” she leaned forward and spoke softly enough that few people should overhear, “that this holds especially true for the medical arts. My knowledge in this field eclipses anything else you might have seen, anything my hive could build. If there is anything mortal means might do for your wife or daughter, or your sister,” she nodded at Kiara, who had leaned forward as well, “I will do it.”

There was a short pause as they clearly digested this revelation. Regina wasn’t sure Lyns would believe it, but she could just return to demands and harder tactics if he refused.

“In that case, I believe this would indeed be best,” Kiara said. “Father, think of what this might mean for our family.”

Regina felt a sudden burst of speculation from Tim and Janis, and knew what probably caused it. Kiara was clearly aware that her family members would work as hostages against her just as well as against her father. One of the side benefits of this idea. She simply didn’t care, or rather, she apparently put her sister’s health above that concern. And showed some trust in the hive, too.

“I do not know -“ Lyns began, then paused, apparently not willing to outright question her words.

“I will require a guarantee to go ahead with this agreement and the help you have requested,” Regina said more coolly. “Be assured, your enemies will not think to look for your family in our territory, and we will do everything in our power to protect them should they somehow be targeted, as well. They will be much safer than in any castle. Your wife will be much more certain to survive childbirth.” She paused. “There is no one else I would accept as a guest.”

Lyns swallowed visibly. She wondered if he was going to suggest one of the lords supporting him, but if he did consider that, he clearly felt they wouldn’t agree to such a thing. Instead, after a heavy silence, he exhaled heavily and nodded. “Very well,” he said. “I will entrust them to your care.”

Regina returned the nod. She was happy with that. She’d have a hostage Lyns would think twice about risking. If Regina did manage to help her sister, that should also cause Kiara to feel grateful to her. And I’ll manage that by doing good deeds, she thought with a tinge of humor.

“Then we are all in agreement?” Duke Bluegrass asked. He also looked a bit tenser than before. His daughter beside him was biting her lip and glancing at Kiara.

“Yes, we are,” Regina confirmed. “I will sign a written version as soon as you have it ready. Then we may fight side by side.”

Lyns smiled, and it only looked a little strained. “I look forward to it, my dear Lady Regina.”

“I look forward to it, Your Majesty,” Regina said, giving him a harder look once more.

That caused another short moment of tension, and the duke frowned briefly. A few of the nobles clearly thought she had addressed Lyns as a king because she was going to help him gain the throne. Most seemed to understand from her tone and expression that it was a correction, not a promise.

“Naturally, Your Majesty,” Lyns murmured.

After that, the meeting concluded swiftly. Lyns had a contract drawn up and copied, by a Scribe using a Skill from the System to ensure they were identical. Regina inspected both copies before she signed. She hesitated when it came time for that, then simply wrote her name without anything else. Maybe she should consider using a last name - probably Starlit, like Janis - but for now, it might be better to stick with what the System showed. It still felt odd when she thought about it, though.

They left the tent in small groups, without much mingling between the two sides. Regina was considering whether there was any point in staying here. Lyns clearly had things to take care of and talk about, but they should probably speak again to further discuss the details, anyway. And Janis was clearly angling for a chance to talk alone with Kiara, Regina had to pretend she didn’t notice her slipping to the side.

Her train of thought was interrupted when she stepped out of the tent to find another woman waiting for her, just a few meters away. Regina recognized the Delver immediately, although she still couldn’t read her level.

Gwen bowed shallowly in greeting. “A pleasure to see you again. I would like to speak, Your Majesty, if you will lend me a few minutes of your time.”

Regina blinked. She hadn’t expected to be approached by a Delver like this, especially not greeted with that address. Was it because Gwen had listened in on their meeting or was she just trying to be extra courteous?

“Of course,” she responded with a nod. “Please, walk with me.”

Janis seemed torn, but remained hovering in the background. A few of the drones dispersed, but Max and Tim accompanied the group, making sure to guard against any eavesdroppers.

Regina looked back only to see the marquis and Kiara in what looked like a heated conversation. Duke Bluegrass stood at the side, his arms folded, and his daughter clenched her fingers together.

I suppose they have quite a bit to talk about, Regina contemplated. Although it doesn’t look like it’s coming to an open break between them. Hard to blame Kiara if she’s angry her father tried to make her a hostage, though.