June Lyns huddled deeper into the blanket covering her and leaned her head against the carriage’s wall, wincing as another bump jarred her. She was feeling cold, again, despite the warmth of a nice spring day.

“Are you alright, dear?” her mother asked, sounding concerned. That was also familiar.

“Of course, Mother,” she answered with a smile. “I’m just feeling a bit chilly, but I’m sure it’ll go away soon, especially once we’re out in the sun.”

“Well, we will be in a minute,” Lady Florance replied, glancing out the window furtively and giving her another shaky smile.

June wondered if she was afraid. She supposed that would be reasonable enough. June herself found it hard to muster any fear, however. In part that might be because she had felt death breathing down her neck before, more than once, in situations in which she could arguably have done much less about it. Illnesses could not be negotiated with, after all.

Largely, though, she supposed it was because of her sister. Kiara had not made it obvious — in fact, she seemed to have taken pains to hide it — but June knew she had positive dealings with this ‘Hive’. Being often disregarded and overlooked made it both advisable and simple to learn to look and listen properly, and June was generally proud of her powers of observation. Besides, Kiara could never lie to her. Anyhow, if her older sister saw no reason to object to this arrangement, June figured she was probably reasonably safe.

The carriage came to a stop and June pushed the blanket away, sitting up. She waited until her mother had stepped out of the carriage before doing the same, taking the hand Sir Bernard offered to steady her.

They had arrived at a small, utterly mundane-looking village. June might not have visited many of these, but she had seen some looking out of a carriage window, and nothing set this one apart. It had dirt, tilled fields, simple houses, and of course, peasants. They were not the only people present, however. Instead, June barely stopped herself frown gawping at the strange, six-limbed beings standing in neat rows to greet the carriage and its small escort.

Then her eyes were drawn to the only one appearing human among them, who stepped forward to greet them with a smile. Or almost human, at any rate. Her hair and eyes did attest to something else in her ancestry.

“Lady Florance, Lady June, it is a pleasure to meet you again,” she greeted. “I am Janis Starlit, and I’d like to welcome you to the Starlit Hive’s territory.”

Her mother remained uncharacteristically silent, so June answered with another smile. “Thank you, Janis. It is good to see you again.”

In truth, she barely remembered meeting the other girl before. Although the fact that they had met might explain why she had been chosen to welcome the two of them here. June looked at her with curiosity. She knew she was small for her age, but Janis still towered almost a head above her. She had a lean, fighter’s build, accentuated by the simple but loosely flowing clothes she wore, including trousers instead of a dress. June wished she could do the same.

“A pleasure,” her mother answered as well, finding her voice. She gave a courteous nod of the head and glanced around. “May we continue in our own carriage?”

“That is the plan, I am given to understand,” Janis answered genially. “If you wish, you can rest and refresh yourselves here, before we continue. I will have to insist that your knightly escort turn back, however. I assure you we are more than capable of providing for your security.” She nodded at the - drones? That was what they were called, if she recalled.

Lady Florance’s expression tightened just a bit, but she nodded.

June glanced around instead of watching her mother and the knights. She knew that she was less than happy about the two of them being sent here as hostages. There had been the biggest fight she could ever remember hearing when her father told her mother of it. At least he had come to explain the news in person.

“Let us not dawdle. My daughter is ill, so will need to be careful,” she explained.

June sighed softly. “I am fine, Mother.”

She had indeed suffered a moderately severe cold recently, but it had started to abate a few days ago. By now, she was about as healthy as she could usually claim to be.

“I am capable of casting ‘Heal’ and we have several medicines prepared, in case there is any issue during the rest of the trip,” Janis answered. “If either of you needs anything, please do not hesitate to let us know. I might as well ask now, though — are there any special concerns regarding your pregnancy, Lady Florance?”

“None,” she responded in a polite tone, “thank you for your concern.”

It did not appear they would be traveling for long, however. June noticed that they were mostly heading west, rather than south. She figured they were probably being taken to Baron Neralt’s village at the gate of the Great Forest, at least for today.

Miss Janis had apparently taken a horse along and stabled it in the village. She was riding it now, keeping close to the carriage. The Hive’s drones surrounded it in an escort position.

June exchanged a few quiet sentences with her mother, but they did not get a proper conversation started. Her mother was tense and not inclined to speak, and June had to admit that her own thoughts were elsewhere, as well. The closer they got, the more her anxiety rose, but so did her hope. She did her best to keep it suppressed. She did not want to expect that she could be healed only to be disappointed.

After a while, the carriage slowed again, as they reached another village. This one showed some differences from those they had previously passed through, however. For one, it had a rather big but slightly odd-looking waterwheel positioned at the edge of the river the village was situated beside. There appeared to be some sort of apparatus or machinery connected to it, as well, although June was not well-versed enough in such things to understand the details. Besides that, the village had a new palisade along with a ditch and several watchtowers. As they entered through a gate, she could see it was in fact a double wall. And the buildings inside were covered in ivy and other climbing plants. Chiefly, of course, she noticed the drones moving about the settlement.

The carriage rolled to a stop in the center of a town square, and June climbed down, ignoring her mother’s offered hand this time. She turned around and immediately sucked in a breath, despite herself.

June was only a rather weak Mage. She simply could not muster up a lot of the effort required for proper leveling, and gaining Experience through combat was out of the question — her mother would have a fit at the very suggestion. Despite that, she had done her best to work with what she had, and that included her senses for mana. The women of her family supposedly had quite a gift for it, and she knew Kiara had received praise for her facility at it.

But whether she could be considered good at sensing or not, June certainly sensed something she had not encountered before from the young woman she faced now, although she did not know what to make of it. She was strong, undoubtedly; only an idiot would mistake that. She looked somewhat odd to June’s eyes, but that might be because she had not actually met many demihumans before. The chitinous shell visible where her clothes didn’t cover her, the mandibles and the wings certainly painted a striking picture.

“Welcome to Forest’s Haunt and to my hive,” she said, taking a step forward to greet them. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Florance Lyns and Lady June Lyns.”

“You must be Hive Queen Regina, I presume?” Florance replied.

June took half a step closer to her and bowed. “The pleasure is entirely ours, Your Majesty.”

“Indeed,” her mother murmured, giving a polite half-bow as well.

The Hive Queen smiled and inclined her head. “Thank you. You must have many questions about the hive, but I’m sure you will learn a lot about it in time. For now, I would like to assure you that you are our honored guests and you will be treated with respect. If you have any needs, please do speak up. I hope you have been made aware of all arrangements concerning your stay here?”

“I would certainly hope so,” June’s mother replied. “Although we have not been told where you intend to put us up, Your Majesty.” There was a small hesitation before she used the title, but it was not very noticeable.

"That is because we had known for certain yet, Lady Lyns,” the Hive Queen replied calmly. “I wanted to meet you and talk to you first before I made any final decision.”

June nodded and looked around. “I assume staying here is one of the options?”

Hive Queen Regina smiled briefly. “Yes, indeed. And it is perhaps best for you to stay here for a day or two first, in any case. Baron Neralt has assured me he can provide comfortable accommodations and ensure you’re looked after. As you can probably guess, I don’t have much of an issue paying for his servants’ time.”

June smiled in response. It was a rather blunt reference to the Hive Queen’s apparent wealth, which was mostly shown in the gold she sent, and June wondered if she mentioned it now on purpose. Maybe she also wanted to assure them that they were civilized, that she wasn’t just oppressing the baron, and that he had kept his station?

They moved to the baron’s mansion, which was rather small in her opinion, and gathered in a small parlor for tea. Neralt himself was apparently out and not available at the moment, but his mother, Lady Marianne, welcomed them. She appeared the epitome of a proper lady and received them with exquisite courtesy. In no time at all, she and June’s mother were talking easily. June herself was more interested in their surroundings and the other ‘guests’, however. She noticed that two drones in particular seemed to follow the Hive Queen around, although they kept in the background. She couldn’t see their levels, but given their Classes of Royal Bodyguard and Drone Assistant, it made some sense.

After a while, Regina cleared her throat. “If you’re satisfied with accommodations here,” - she quirked an eyebrow at them and the two of them nodded - “then perhaps it is time for an examination. I would like to do a health check on your pregnancy, Lady Florance, and start diagnostics for you, Lady June.”

June hesitated for a moment, and she could see her mother do the same. A mix of nervous anticipation and anxiety rose in her, swirling in her gut. She had to clench her hands together tightly for a second and consciously straighten up.

“Of course, Your Majesty,” she said. Then June glanced at her mother and the others present. “I am ready. May we do this in private?”

“Of course. Follow me, please. The Neralts have graciously lent us one of their rooms and I have some medicines and instruments ready.”

Her mother stood as well, but June looked at her and shook her head. She did not want her there worrying about her. Then she would have to put on a brave face for her and possibly worse. Seeing healers was always easier alone.

The Hive Queen led June into a basement room with a solid door and bare walls. A table and several shelves had been put in here, and filled with a few books, several sealed containers, and what looked like several medical tools, including what she recalled was called a stethoscope, surgical instruments, and some strange arrangement of small mirrors and glass.

“Do not worry,” Regina said reassuringly. “I have extensive medical training and experience.” She smiled wryly. “Don’t let my Class name fool you, I am certainly a more competent medical professional than Hive Queen.”

June smiled nervously. “Somehow, I doubt most people would see you as a doctor,” she said. “But I suppose that does not make it untrue.”

“I might not call myself a doctor, perhaps,” Regina replied, “but I am more of one than anyone you would give that label.” Then she pointed at a chair. “Take a seat, please. I have provided some loose clothing that will make examination easier; I’ll turn around or leave the room, if you prefer, while you change.”

June nodded and hesitantly reached for the clothing, a simple, short white robe that could be held closed. She changed quickly, then sat down again.

Once she was done, Regina used a rag drenched in what seemed to be highly concentrated alcohol to wipe everything in reach down - probably not for the first time, given the cleanliness in this room - before she put it down and looked at her seriously. “I will start with a simple, non-magical examination. While I do this, I’d like you to tell me about your condition. Has it been present since your birth?”

June took a deep breath, then started talking. “I assume so, Your Majesty. It comes and goes. I’m weaker than others my age, but sometimes it’s only that, and sometimes I get really sick …”

She told the Hive Queen about it while Regina felt her pulse, took her blood pressure, listened to her heartbeat and lungs, checked her eyes, nails, skin, tongue and tonsils, and tested her reflexes. It was all something June had seen done before, although not all at once by the same healer.

Regina asked a few clarifying questions, then started inquiring if she was taking any medication (the answer was not at the moment) and about previous treatment attempts. After that, she started asking about her parents and family members and their health. June was uncertain where she was going, but answered all of her questions.

Finally, Regina nodded and stepped closer with nothing but her hands. “I think it’s time I used some magic. Please hold still and don’t try to fight it if you should sense anything.”

June nodded nervously, and Regina laid a hand on her forearm and closed her eyes. She almost held her breath, but nothing truly seemed to happen. If she focused fully on it, she thought she could sense something, but it was subtle. As far as she could tell, the Hive Queen was not doing much of anything. Except for looking, presumably. Then, after a while, June tensed as she felt a change in her lungs. Foreign magic was at work there, and she almost tried to shut it off, before she controlled herself.

Finally, her healer for today stepped back, frowning. That couldn’t be a good sign.

“Interesting,” Regina said, then seemed to notice her apprehension and gave her a reassuring smile. “No cause for worry, dear.”

It seemed odd to be called that by someone who didn’t look much older than her, but June ignored it. “So, what is your diagnosis, if I may ask?”

“Unfortunately, I don’t really have one,” the Hive Queen answered, shaking her head with a small grimace. “At first, I thought you might have something like cystic fibrosis. That’s a recessive genetic disorder, so it would have been bad news. I don’t think that’s quite it, though. I suspect it is some kind of immune deficiency, possibly even an auto-immune disorder. There might still be a genetic component, but I think it might also be due to an infection or some kind of magical issue. Most likely simply something new that couldn’t have been covered in my studies and that I haven’t encountered before.”

June frowned. She did not understand everything Regina had said, but it did not sound good. “So, you do not know what ails me, did I understand that correctly? Does that mean you will not be able to heal me?”

“No, of course not.” Regina shook her head again. “I wish I could just do a blood test,” she muttered, seemingly mostly to herself. Then she glanced up again and smiled. “I’m not giving up so easily, June. I’ll figure it out. And at the very least, I can alleviate your symptoms. I’ve already done a quick pass.”

June nodded and took a deep breath. She did feel lighter already. Her airways were clearer than they had been in a long time, and she already felt stronger. “Thank you,” she mumbled.

“Just doing my job,” the Hive Queen smiled.