Path of the Hive Queen

The city of New Anberg had changed a lot in the time she’d been gone, Janis mused.

Overall, she really hadn’t been gone that long. Of course, most of that time had been when she’d been leading the campaign to the north. She pushed away thoughts of that, however; she’d already recognized that dwelling on it was not productive. And neither Ben nor Max appreciated comments about how, with the new portal, she could go visit and check in with Ada and the others personally.

At least Ada had done well with the army. It burned a little that it was no longer ‘her’ army, but Janis had gotten used to it. And to be fair, there was still a lot of work she could do here. Arguably more important work than preparing operations another general could handle just as well.

She knew Regina would have preferred her to remain in a ‘more secure’ location for a little longer, but Janis had put her foot down. Given recent events, she needed to be here. And she would be benefiting from the security measures of the Empire’s heart, including those for Regina herself, so it really wasn’t any more dangerous than staying somewhere else.

Her arrival at the city was relatively unremarkable. They had elected not to make it public in advance, also for security reasons and because she would rather not make a fuss, so Janis’ convoy managed to pass through the streets relatively quickly and with little notice. They still drew some looks, since several soldiers of the Star Guard were visibly escorting it, but that, too, wasn’t all that unusual. Groups of soldiers, usually mixed ones, were probably a pretty regular sight here. It did offer Janis the opportunity to look around, even if she had to do it through the windows of a wagon.

The city had grown, but more than that, it was starting to feel more lived in. Even in the central part, there was still a lot of construction going on. The buildings obviously all looked new, but people had customized them and most of the streets were a riot of color. There weren’t just plants and murals and cloth hangings, but also street stalls doing business and people hanging around in outdoor eateries and teahouses. And while the trees planted in the wide cross boulevards were still small, they’d grown a bit. Or so she imagined.

But her escort moved on and they quickly passed out of the ordinary streets of the city, the government buildings in the center looming ahead of her. The Imperial palace had gotten some work done, and someone had painted religious symbols on the walls of a side wing, which several people were currently trying to scrub off. Janis smiled a little at the sight. At least there were few symbols of the gods, and more that she vaguely recognized belonging to folk religion and what was now popular; a cross, a stylized insect wing, a bad rendering of a lightbulb. Whoever painted this had been indiscriminate. Janis also noted with some amusement that the gardens had clearly seen some magic used, to make all the plants grow and make the trees look like they’d been here for years.

The driver guided the wagon into a covered bay within a courtyard, and Janis waited a few second for her guards to secure the area before she hopped out. She glanced around, noting Jay and a few others were nearby as well, waiting for her. Then she nodded at the driver and soldiers and turned to leave.

At least she was fit enough to be seen in public. She didn’t look ill or injured, she could walk properly and wouldn’t given people cause to worry about her health.

Such thoughts fled her mind when Janis finally passed through the doors, a side entrance to the building complex, and finally met her friends and siblings she hadn’t seen in too long face to face. Regina stepped forward first, her mind shining with love and welcome, and after a tentative mental question, she embraced her.

Janis exhaled and tightened her grip on the ‘sister of her heart’ for a moment. She felt safe … truly safe for possibly the first time in months. Somehow, it suddenly brought everything that had happened back. I almost died.

Regina let go, but continued the mental equivalent of a hug, wrapping her in love and reassurance. Janis smiled at her, returning the feelings. She knew Regina wasn’t usually an emotionally demonstrative person, with things like hugs (especially not in public), so she appreciated it.

I almost lost you, Regina said. They were so closely connected right now it was easy to pick up on each other’s feelings and trains of thought. You almost died far away in a campaign I sent you on.

But I didn’t, and I’m back safe and sound, Janis said reassuringly.

Then Regina stepped aside and Max replaced her, wrapping Janis in a quick embrace. After that, it felt like she was passed through several more drones. Their emotions mirrored Regina’s and she sent her own appreciation and reassurance back.

And then she stood in front of the other person present whose emotions she couldn’t sense — well, except faintly through an echo of the psychic link, probably leaked deliberately by Regina. Kiara smiled as well, but hesitated for a moment, her arms half-raised awkwardly. Janis stepped forward, embracing her tightly.

“… I missed you,” Kiara said, slightly muffled since she was speaking into Janis’ jacket.

Janis smiled and touched her cheek to hers. “Me too. I love you,” she added.

“I love you too.”

Then Kiara loosened the hug and glanced around. Janis tried not to mind. But there was no one else outside the psychic link around, just other drones; well, and Galatea.

So Janis kissed her. At least when they finally stepped back, Kiara was smiling brightly again.

“But please don’t do something like that again,” she added. “I think you took ten years off my lifespan.”

Janis grinned and resisted the urge to make a joke about short-lived humans. This wasn’t the time or place. “I promise I won’t,” she said instead. Not that she could really promise not to get cursed again, but it was what both of them needed to hear right now.

Then she was distracted by greeting Galatea, and then a few other people as they moved through the corridors. But finally, they stopped outside her quarters. Regina shooed the other drones off, giving Janis a reassuring look and a reminder they would have dinner together later. Then she courteously left Janis and Kiara alone.

Kiara kissed her again as soon as the door to her bedroom snapped shut behind Janis. She smiled into the kiss, tangling a hand in her girlfriend’s hair. Their kiss picked up a bit of speed until they were both panting slightly when they broke apart.

“How are you, really?” Kiara asked. “I read your letter, but … I’d like to hear it from you.”

Janis sighed, her mood spoilt slightly. But it was only fair. She sat down on the chair beside the bed. “I’m not fully recovered, truly,” she said seriously. “At least not, well, magically. I still feel weaker physically, but that’s passing. My mana feels thinner and I have more trouble with control. I won’t be able to seriously fight for a while.”

Kiara frowned. She sat down on the bed, then scooted closer. “I’m almost a bit relieved to hear that,” she admitted after a moment. “That you won’t be fighting, I mean. Not that you’re having trouble with your magic.”

“I know,” Janis said. “I meant my promise, I’ll make sure to be careful. But I can’t just sit here, either. The Empire needs me.”

“We need you too, and you don’t need to risk your life,” Kiara pointed out. “You’re the crown princess, not a soldier, it’s perfectly reasonable to prioritize your safety.”

“I know, but …” she sighed. “I can’t help thinking; what sort of Crown Princess am I if I can’t even contribute to the nation fighting for its life? Besides, you’ve been wanting to go and fight too, since before the war started.”

Kiara smiled slightly, but it turned into a grimace. “Well, allow me a bit of hypocrisy. I’m just concerned about you. Given your propensity for reckless decisions …”

“Reckless decisions?” Janis frowned.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. Just, with you being targeted like that, you need to be careful.”

“Of course, but we can’t control everything,” Janis pointed out. “There were assassination attempts in the Cernlian palace too. And it’s not like I went out and tried to get cursed. Enemy action happens.”

“Didn’t you?” Kiara grimaced, crossing her arms. “You set up that diplomatic meeting. You met them face-to-face even when you realized that Sazatore lady was present.”

“We were meeting in my own camp surrounded by soldiers,” Janis protested. She suddenly felt a bit nauseous again, although that was probably psychosomatic. She didn’t like to be reminded of what happened or to think that she might have been responsible for it. “If they tried to attack me, they wouldn’t have gotten far. I wouldn’t have eaten or drunk anything or even touched them. We even had mages ready to purify the air! Excuse me if I didn’t know a curse like this was possible. And considering it apparently took the divine magic of two separate gods to make this possible —“

“Two gods?” Kiara interrupted, frowning.

“It seems like it.” Janis sighed, slouching further in her chair. Then she took a deep breath and began to recount her conversations with Iseis and the dream, or vision, she had experienced. At least speaking about it helped her to clear her mind and calm down.

Kiara went quiet, and the silence lingered for a minute after Janis finished. “I don’t like this,” she finally said. “I really don’t like this at all. Fighting the gods was bad enough, but now they have soul magic from some ancient other-dimensional mages? What am I even supposed to do about something like that? And this vision. It would have been nice to know you had some kind of psychic ancestry, apparently.”

“Yes, for me too,” Janis said drily. “But I don’t think that’s quite it. And at least we don’t have to go it alone.”

Kiara gave her a complicated look Janis found hard to parse. “I suppose,” she finally said. “I am grateful to the goddess for healing you. But …”

“Actually, I think it cost Leian more power than she was willing to admit,” Janis said. “But I get where you’re coming from. If our enemies can do something like this again, it’s a concern. At least Iseis and Galatea are looking into soul magic.”

“I suppose that is something,” Kiara agreed, shaking her head slightly. “If only I had the time to join them, I just might.”

“Me too,” Janis agreed. She sighed. “Well, given my current condition, I might just blow something up by accident. It’s really frustrating. There’s this fascinating area of magic, and I might not get to learn anything even though I’m here.”

Kiara grinned, leaning closer to poke her forehead slightly. “Never change, Janis. Although I would say ‘dangerous’ rather than ‘fascinating’.”

“It can be both. I suppose I haven’t even completed basic studies in teleportation magic yet, though. But, I think I will learn at least the theory while I have the chance.”

“I am not certain how much free time we will have.” Kiara’s expression darkened. “Given this absolutely foolish conspiracy against the Imperial government …”

Janis’ own mood darkened at the reminder. She nodded sharply. “Rest assured, I will do all I can to deal with that matter. The last thing we need right now is internal unrest. Those treasonous nobles are playing right into our enemies’ hands — probably on purpose, I guess. Well, their plans can go hang. Hopefully literally and soon. I’d like to see that.”

Kiara blinked slightly. Maybe it was the vehemence in her words. “That sounds a little bloodthirsty for you.”

“Why?” Janis scoffed. “I didn’t mean summary execution. Obviously there should still be proper trials. Only those people actually involved should be hung. Or something else I guess, it doesn’t have to be hanging.”

“Still a little bloodthirsty,” Kiara commented.

Janis shifted on her seat. “You have presided over death sentences before, haven’t you, Kiara? I mean, nowadays it should be done by the Imperial courts, but before?”

Kiara looked down, her forehead creasing in a way Janis found rather cute. “Yes, of course, the courts. But yes, I have.”

Janis cocked her head. It sounded like Kiara wasn’t entirely happy about the current situation. But she decided not to press that point right now. “Then I don’t see the issue. Treason should be punished, but it won’t be up to me, anyway.”

Kiara sighed. “I just don’t want to see people arrested and executed just for voicing some discontent with the Empire. Many have lost out on privileges or political relevance, even if they may have gained other things in exchange. It’s to be expected that they would be unhappy. I can even sympathize.”

Janis stared at her for a moment, clamping down on the first response on the tip of her tongue. Why does this bother me? It’s not like she’s wrong, really, is it? Maybe it was something about the way Kiara phrased it or the way she spoke.

“Well, I don’t sympathize,” Janis said, still a little sharper than she’d intended to. “The people I’m talking about, they’ve done more than be unhappy. I don’t propose going after every knight who’s grumbled about a new ministry. I meant the people actively conspiring against Regina, against us. Maybe you should have a little more faith in our law enforcement apparatus? They won’t start any unnecessary crackdowns. We’ll be watching closely.”

“Is it so easy for you?” Kiara muttered quietly. Then more loudly, “I know, I suppose I’m just antsy regarding the entire situation.”

Are we still talking about unhappy nobles? Janis wondered for a moment, before she pushed the thought aside. She pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes for a moment.

“No, I think maybe I came on too strongly,” she said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you or to dismiss your concerns.”

“That’s fine, you didn’t.” Kiara smiled, reaching out to grasp her hand.

Janis squeezed hers slightly. “I guess it’s a bit of a sore point for me right now,” she admitted. “I was just — When I was in the Western Confederation, I really realized how screwed up the entire system is. Was. I mean, I knew that before, but it was still somehow different. They still have lots of unfree peasants, and it felt like everything was still stuck; like people were living closer to the edge, I suppose. And, well, the nobles I met weren’t exactly endearing. I mean, we were at war, obviously things would be like this. But still …”

Kiara nodded. “I understand, but remember you’re in the Empire now. Things are different here.”

“Yes, of course,” Janis murmured. She got up and dropped down on the bed beside Kiara.

She didn’t voice the questions in the back of her mind, like ‘Do you really understand?’ or ‘How different is it, really?’. That would be unworthy, and unfair to Kiara. And I need a little more time to reflect on all of this first, I think.

Instead, Janis pushed away these thoughts and kissed her lover. This was not the time for philosophy, but to enjoy their reunion.

It was wonderful to be back.