Regina was, as usual, true to her word. Kiara had relied on it. She knew Janis would have preferred to have a bit more time, or maybe for this summit to pass, before she was in any official capacity named Regina’s heir, but she would not get her wish. Instead, Kiara had tried her best to prepare her for it in the short time they had while keeping her nerves and insecurity managed.

In the end, it was rather low-key, which Regina had probably done on purpose, too. She simply announced it at the end of a gathering of most of the delegates from the new Empire as well as some visitors. Then she answered a few brief questions before the Imperial family — and gods, she’d referred to them as such in her head as a joke but that really was what they were now, wasn’t it? — retired to their quarters.

It was still enough time to gauge the reaction of those attending the conference, but not enough for Janis or any of them to be badgered and overwhelmed with the reaction. Kiara tried to focus on being supportive for Janis and ignored the lingering uncertainty lying heavy in her stomach. Regina talked quietly with Janis for a bit while Kiara was distracted by June, who was excited to reveal what she’d learned following the interrogation of the attempted assassins, before the newly-minted Empress departed and June took the hint to follow her, leaving the two of them alone. They spent a very nice evening together.

The next morning, Janis had been up early and gone on a patrol around the town to check in with all of the drone soldiers stationed there, while Kiara readied herself and met with her closer advisors to plan the day. It was a tradition she’d started a few weeks ago, leaving her a bit of breathing room to get fully ready and engage her brain before any public commitments or major decisions.

This time, they mostly debated the specifics of last evening’s announcement, to Kiara’s annoyance.

“The Empress called Janis her family, her sister, and said she officially adopted her,” she finally interrupted yet another tedious argument over definitions. “Does it matter whether that is technically as a daughter, a sister or whatever else you seem to be thinking of?”

Lord Daine grimaced slightly. “Forgive me, Your Majesty, but it might indeed be relevant whether Empress Regina is officially Lady Janis’ mother.”

“And if nothing else, what if she has other children who contest the inheritance?” Duke Bluegrass added.

Kiara shrugged lightly, suppressing the urge to laugh. “She already does, my lord, and will continue to.” She tapped her fingers on the desk. “None of them will challenge Janis’ claim. If, somehow, Regina does hatch another Hive Queen, Janis will step back, assuming she does not prove unworthy.”

“They talked about it, then?” Daine looked like he was taking mental notes. He nodded, seemingly satisfied. “Good, this needs to be settled with everyone’s consent. The last thing this Empire needs is issues of succession or legitimacy from the get-go.”

Kiara hummed noncommittally. She wasn’t worried about it. Regina was hardly in danger of dying right now, and if she did, they would have bigger problems since the Empire would most likely implode, legitimate heir or not. Regina was the one who had built it, was building it, and it was too newborn to survive without its mother. Although she supposed that might not be an appropriate metaphor given the Hive. Still, while Kiara had been alarmed to learn of an attempt on Regina’s life, it was hardly a great surprise.

That was yet another thing they had to deal with, of course.

“What about the assassins?” Bluegrass asked, clearly having similar thoughts as Kiara. “Milady, we may need to take care that this does not strain our relationship with the Imperial crown. Two of them were Cernlians, if I’m not mistaken?”

“They were,” Kiara confirmed curtly. She didn’t mind the question, but she didn’t like that fact.

“Then do you not have an obligation to them, as your subjects?” Margaret asked, frowning faintly. “Should you be speaking up for them, or at least making sure they are treated fairly?”

“They are Regina’s subjects, too,” Kiara answered sharply. She didn’t blame Margaret, but too many of her advisors were struggling to remember that Regina was their Empress, all of theirs, that they were not just Cernlians under Kiara’s rule and the respective authority was not separate.

Kiara knew Regina well enough to know that she would never tolerate rebellion. As much as she liked her … it was best to start on the proper footing and not give any ideas any space to grow. Regina wouldn’t hesitate to send her Hive’s war machine against any noble trying to revolt and might not ask Kiara’s opinion — certainly not her permission. On the one hand, it was nice to have that security, but on the other, she had to be aware and make sure her own power and authority were stable.

Maybe she was also just a bit nervous because there were a lot of changes happening in a very short amount of time. But Kiara was still fine with it; they were actually making things better for her people and that was what counted. She’d put up with some anxiety in return.

“I am sure the Empress will treat them adequately, and judge them fairly,” she said. “There is little doubt about their guilt, but there will be a trial. I will not offer remunerations or official apologies on behalf of Cernlia unless that is asked for, officially or unofficially. Neither will I attempt to speak for criminals who have only their own stupidity and malice to blame for their actions.”

Margaret nodded, looking slightly chastened. The others seemed satisfied with the pronouncement, as well.

“Now that that is finished, are there any other matters I should be aware of? If not, we should get started with the day’s agenda,” Kiara continued, trying not to show she was already getting bored.

There was nothing else, luckily, and they went about yet another day in the conference. It had obviously stopped being a peace summit, but that did not mean it wasn’t still a very important event with many opportunities for most of those attending. Kiara herself, besides supporting Regina and Janis, was trying to use it to strengthen her rule and legitimacy, to build ties with other countries and prepare for the other changes she already saw on the horizon. She was a bit uneasy about being away from her capital for so long, so shortly after taking the throne, but there was nothing for it. She could serve her kingdom’s interests better here than back in Cera.

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Kiara met Janis again after her first morning meeting. She smiled automatically and approached her with a spring to her step she knew hadn’t been there before. Since they were in public, if in a secluded side room, she restrained herself from kissing her and instead just took her hand.

June made a sound that sounded suspiciously like an aborted chuckle. When Kiara looked at her, her sister just grinned and shook her head. “You’ve really got it bad, sister.”

She glared at June for a moment, then sighed and shook her head, fighting a smile. She wasn’t wrong, after all.

“Am I missing something?” Janis asked. “Or are you just trying to tease us again, June?”

June widened her eyes in a pretense of looking innocent. “I would never, Your Imperial Highness!”

Janis winced theatrically. Her hand briefly tightened around Kiara’s, before she let it go. “Not you, too. I get that crap enough from people who actually mean it.”

“Just humans being human,” Mia commented with a smile, “you wouldn’t have to worry about that in the Hive.”

Janis rolled her eyes. “It might have escaped your attention, my friend, but I am in fact more than half human.”

“That’s hard to miss. You certainly celebrated like a human last night.”

Kiara froze. Janis looked like she wanted to start another retort, before she winced and paused for a moment, looking at Kiara, who could only look back at her.

“I hope you’re not implying anything,” she finally got out.

Mia turned to her with what she imagined was a slightly pitying look. “I don’t have to imply or imagine anything. You should know that strong emotions can be carried by the psychic link, and …” she turned to Janis. “Anyone who would have wanted to talk to you saw that you were busy. Please keep that kind of thing out of the link, I don’t understand it in the slightest but I’m sure none of us want to try.”

Janis flushed. Under other circumstances, she would have looked adorable. Kiara was not in the right mind to admire it under these circumstances. Damn the gods, she’d never been more mortified in her life.

“But I did close myself off!” Janis protested. “I wasn’t exactly broadcasting what I was feeling!”

Mia sighed and shrugged. “Try to close yourself off harder, next time?” she suggested. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I don’t think anyone caught details. But when someone wanted to check in with you, which usually involves seeing what you’re doing, it wasn’t exactly invisible. Ugh, Tia is going to ask me for all the details, and you too … how does a body even get pleasure from that, anyway?”

Janis rolled her eyes, shoved her friend, and stepped closer to Kiara. “We’re not doing that again unless Regina is at least ten kilometers away,” she whispered.

Kiara nodded fervently. She’d been looking forward to repeating the experience, but now her ardor was rather cooled.

“Alright, that’s enough,” June declared, grabbing Kiara’s arm and pulling her back a step. “I do not want to hear more of this, thank you very much. I don’t need to know whose bed my sister is sharing.”

“Actually, I’m pretty sure they were sleeping in her bed,” Mia said.

“Mia!” Janis hissed. She took a deep breath and turned to go, clearly deciding that not to engage further was the best option. Kiara agreed. “Come on, we’ve got work to do.”

They left quickly, but just quickly enough not to seem like they were running. Mia didn’t say anything else, luckily. Although from the way Janis looked back at her and the minute twitch in her expression, Kiara suspected they were talking in the psychic link. Either way, Janis relaxed slightly, so she was not going to complain.

Unfortunately, the day had it in for her and she was supposed to meet Regina at this point. Janis stuck close to her, perhaps for the same reason. At least when they finally ran into the Empress, it was still in a rather more private part of the building, the complex the Hivekind had added on to the existing stone house. They seemed to have made further renovations over the last few days, adding an actually rather nice facade built of the Production Drone substance they liked to use for construction and adding more furniture. They met Regina in a small side parlor close to the meeting area.

“Is everything ready for the day?” Janis asked after they exchanged quick greetings.

“Sure,” Regina replied. She glanced at Janis, then at Kiara and then back. In fact, she looked like she wanted to say something but was unsure.

Kiara would have just ignored it, but Janis groaned. Perhaps she’d heard or sensed something else in the psychic link?

“Please tell me you didn’t peek in on us last night,” Janis begged.

“I didn’t,” Regina replied easily. She didn’t sound surprised to hear about the topic, however. “I did notice, though … I am the center of the psychic link, that’s the way it is,” she explained with a side glance at Kiara. “It would be hard to hide anything.”

“Oh, great,” Janis sighed. Kiara only barely suppressed a groan herself. “And did it bother you?”

Regina was silent for a few seconds, looking away. She seemed contemplative. “It’s weird,” she finally said quietly. “I’m fairly sure I wasn’t asexual before. Probably. But now, it’s — Well, I understand how the drones feel, even if I’m sure it’s still different for me.” She shook her head. “Anyway, I’m sorry about Mia. I’ll tell her and the rest of them to leave you alone, you deserve your privacy. And they had better practice some discretion.”

They were quiet for a moment. Kiara blinked. She’d never thought about Regina’s — change? — in that way before and now she was learning some things she was really not sure what to make of. Although she was grateful to learn more about the intricacies of the psychic link, which Janis was so deeply enmeshed in. Her hand tightened on her lover’s even as she hoped her blush started to fade. “Alright?” she said, sounding more hesitant than she’d intended.

“I’ll teach you to keep your emotions and sensations closed off better, Janis,” Regina said. “It’ll be hard to do when you’re very distracted but it’s a useful skill for you to learn, anyway.”

Janis smiled, perking up visibly. “That would be great.”

Regina glanced at Kiara. “I’m happy that your relationship is going well, but you understand if I can’t allow it to impact our professional relationship too much, right?”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” she murmured, bowing her head. At least she doesn’t seem to mind the relationship.

“No need for that much formality.” Regina grinned at her. “We’re still friends and I don’t want that to change, either! Although we should get to work now. Do you have anything for me before we brave the sharks?”

Kiara hesitated for a moment, but the Empress had just assured her of their friendship. “I was curious about the assassins,” she admitted. “What is going to happen with them?”

“I’m keeping them until Madris arrives, to get a second opinion, so to speak. Then we’ll hold a public trial. They’re pretty clearly guilty, but it’s still their right. They’ll most likely get the death sentence … unfortunately, I don’t think anything else will do, is that a problem for you?”

“Of course not. I will be happy to see them face justice.”

Regina watched her for a moment, something unreadable going through her eyes, before she smiled. “Well, I’m glad to see you still want me to stick around.”

Was she actually upset about the traitors facing death? Kiara was uncertain and felt like she was missing something. At least, she found it hard to tell what Regina was thinking. She disliked it, but occasionally, moments like these would remind her there was still a distance between them. Not one of status or politics, but simply experience, a matter of looking through different eyes at the same world and seeing something different. In those moments, she did not know if it could ever be bridged.

But she didn’t need to know every thought that went through Regina’s head. Kiara gave her head a slight shake and smiled at her Empress, before she asked about the day’s agenda and steered the conversation to more practical matters.