It was the longest battle Regina had ever personally seen, even if she wasn’t directly involved in it. At least she wasn’t there in person. Taking the walls had already taken a while, and it was even longer before they were entirely under the hive’s (and their allies’) control. Then most of the actual fighting still awaited.
Ins-On-A-Rock was a large city. It was built more condensed, less sprawling, than most human cities Regina was accustod to, but it still covered a large area. The walls were pretty far out, too, although there had been areas outside the walls, which the gnos had abandoned a while before the battle started. Those had been perhaps not slums, but definitely so of the poorer parts. The area close to the walls was a warren of alleys and side streets, with buildings of various heights providing so cover and nests for the occasional gnomish archers and shooters. Further in, the streets were generally broader and the houses a bit further apart, which made progress a little easier, but they still needed to contend with the remaining gnomish soldiers and barricades.
It wasn’t without losses. The hive lost an almost constant trickle of Swarm Drones all the ti. The Delvers had casualties of their own, although those fighting on the front lines were quite resilient and generally got off with injuries. The hive’s healers had their work cut out for them, but they did keep up. It wasn’t only the humans who had to worry, though.
One of Regina’s sapient drones had died. A young Warrior — well, relatively old compared to most currently in the hive, but they were still all so young. Bas had been unlucky, caught by so rubble raining down from the gate in the city, being flung outward by a spell, and his head had been caved in too quickly for Regina or the healers present to do anything. There was another one who’d almost died, but Pim had had a second to fall and Regina had managed to Summon them just in ti. They’d still almost bled out on the floor of her room before she’d managed to stabilize them. Luckily, the hive had anticipated scenarios like this, that she’d have to use the Ability in an ergency, and others had been ready to help them.
Regina had ordered for Bas’ body to be brought back to their main base, where she would shortly show up herself. He would be laid out so others could say goodbye until his funeral after the battle was completely over, so those who’d fought with him also had the chance to attend. It was the least she could do, even if she knew it wasn’t enough. It was worse that she knew chances were he wouldn’t be the only one of her children — even if they were children who she barely knew — they’d have to mourn.
Especially since that Skill was still only useable once a day. She figured the cooldown had been reduced a bit, but not by much. It wasn’t twenty-four hours, but a bit less, just not enough to make a difference.
In the anti, the battle was proceeding largely according to Ben’s predictions. The Delvers and few Cernlian soldiers fighting with them were good, but it was the hive itself that carried most of the battle. They had one of the largest concentrations of force they’d ever seen here — which didn’t an much considering the short history of the hive, but still. Hopefully, all of it would be enough to give the gnos pause.
Regina had to reluctantly take breaks from focusing on the battle. Not just to eat, drink, use the bathroom and add to the hive’s hatchery. Ira also bullied her into getting a few hours of sleep. And then there were the affairs of the Empire. As much as Regina might have wanted to, she couldn’t entirely ignore them for the duration of the battle.
Luckily, Kiara was covering for her in a lot of the tasks that didn’t strictly need Regina’s presence. The other advisors and officials she’d recently started to gather did similarly. Janis was obviously not here, she was fighting with the army in the south. A bit too much fighting for Regina’s peace of mind, but still not very much, she largely hung back and commanded their forces in accordance with Ben and the others. June, who was still Regina’s official apprentice, had also stepped in and covered for her with a few things.
She dragged herself out of her rooms after a while, putting the minimum effort into dressing and styling her hair appropriately, for a eting with her most important advisors. They brought a stack of papers for her to sign and several issues needing a decision from her, which they could hopefully discuss quickly. Unsurprisingly, everyone wanted news on how the battle was going.
“As planned,” she sumd up after reporting on what had been happening. “Have people asked you about it?”
“Oh, yes,” June replied, leaning back in her chair and idly turning over the book she’d brought to the eting. “It’s quite the hot topic of conversation.”
“Really?” Regina raised an eyebrow, before she gulped down more of the cup of tea in her hand.
“Of course,” Max chid in. “They are aware of the war, and how this is an important milestone. The outco of this battle, or even how decisive a victory it is, could impact for how long the war continues and how much it will require from the Empire. Of course people are impatient for news and already plotting how best to handle it for their own agenda.”
“Hm.” Regina turned to look at him. “And how do you know that? You’ve been watching the battle with , and have been watching over .”
“I can multitask.” Seeing her unimpressed stare, he shrugged a bit. “And, fine, Jay told , I asked him to keep an eye out and he updated while we walked here.”
And probably for the beginning of the eting, Regina figured, but she didn’t say anything. It wasn’t like she disapproved of the others working with Max keeping an eye on the pulse of the Cernlian palace like that. Although she should probably talk to them about what they found herself more often.
“It sounds like we can reassure them, then?” Whitor asked, returning the conversation to the actual topic.
Regina nodded. “Yes, there is no need for them to worry. We have everything under control, and the city is falling.”
There were satisfied nods and smiles around the table they were using. Regina was pleased to see how easily they trusted her word on it even if they couldn’t check themselves with the psychic link. She had no intention of lying to her advisors to paint the situation in a better light, that would be counterproductive and just screw things up in the long term, but she knew so rulers did. A policy of honesty while asking them to keep sensitive information confidential — and punishing or dismissing them if they failed to, as an obvious consequence — seed like the best way to go.
“Good,” Madris said, leaning back in her seat casually. She’d shown up presumably as the Delver representative, although Regina felt like she was more interested in assessing her own ntal state. “I was going to go and help if it was not going well.”
Regina simply nodded. She could order Madris to participate in the war effort and the other woman would probably obey, but she was hesitant to do that. Especially considering her own thoughts on psychic power and its use in warfare; she could understand if Madris seed reluctant. Regina also didn’t want to upset her teacher for the sake of it.
“How are the troop movents in Cernlia going?” she asked.
The few Cernlians present started a report on the reinforcents that had been sent south, and the conversation moved on, from the state of the military to other topics. The Cernlians weren’t contributing much to the war actively, considering how drained the country was from the two wars they’d just fought, one being a civil war, but they did shore up their border with the Gnomish Confederation of the East. That was the most important thing right now. And the efforts there were apparently proceeding apace.
The eting ended not too long after that, since Regina was impatient to get back to check on the battle. Regina still stayed behind long enough to wait for Madris, wanting a word with her as the others left the room.
“I would appreciate you checking up on the battle, and in particular what the gnos might be up to, as well,” she said. “Can you sense anything from them from here?”
Madris grimaced slightly. “If I focus intensely, so general emotions, but it is quite the distance. I don’t have the anchor your hive mbers provide you.”
Regina nodded. “So they do act as an anchor? I was under the impression it was more the other way around, with the psychic link being centered on and them tapping into the network.”
“Well, yes, but the network is built up by their presence. Your ‘psychic range’ obviously depends on your own strength, but I would guess it’s easier to sense things, besides their own minds, when several of your drones are close by, even if it is not a large difference. Your own abilities also tend to skew heavily towards working at range, in particular given your drones.”
“Interesting. Does that an there are other aspects I’m not as naturally suited to as you?” Regina asked.
Madris smiled briefly. “Almost certainly, yes. That would fit with my experience. For example, you might never be as good at disguising your presence psychically as , even if you had all the ti for practice in the world. It simply doesn’t suit your focus and talents.”
“That makes sense, I suppose.” She guessed that Madris probably was good at that. As well as at reading other people’s minds, presumably.
The other woman looked at her silently for a few seconds, probably thinking deeply. Her ntal shields were so good that no hint of her feelings slipped through. “If you travel to the war, I will accompany you. We could continue your training.”
Regina blinked. “And teach … hostile tactics with psychic power?”
Madris inclined her head. “I assu you would like to learn.”
“Yes, of course. I would appreciate that.” Regina hesitated, tugging on her mandible, unsure how to continue or what she even wanted to say.
“You’re hesitant,” Madris observed. “Good. It’s not sothing to play with lightly. And Empress or not, I will not teach you anything if I am not convinced you will use it responsibly, and ethically.”
Regina nodded silently. If she was in Madris’ position, she would also think twice about teaching anyone how to invade people’s minds, or mind control them, or whatever she was going to show her. So far, what Regina knew was mostly passive, reading people’s emotions and surface thoughts and even showing them illusions, but ssing with soone’s perception was still a different kind of invasive than that.
"Will you also tell more about other psychics?” she asked after a mont. “Are they going to be upset if you teach more dangerous skills?”
Madris tilted her head slightly. “Perhaps. I won’t lie, so of them are already going to be nervous about you. It is not exactly normal for one of us to have the amount of power you do, and yours is clearly only going to increase.”
“I assu you’re not talking about psychic power,” Regina said drily.
Madris didn’t seem to see the humor, or at least didn’t show it if she did. “You just founded a new nation and have been waging more than one campaign of conquest, or what would easily be seen as one, Regina. This is serious. If certain powers think you are embarking on so kind of quest for world domination, like the old Hivekind are sotis accused of, you might have problems. And this is not made easier by you apparently, if one is inclined to take it that way, claiming rule of most of Europe.”
“Wait, I’m claiming what now?”
Madris regarded her silently for a long mont. “Imperator romanorum,” she said. “Is that not what you’ve proclaid yourself?”
Regina raised an eyebrow. “Looks like the dark elves know more than I thought,” she said, “unless you got that from Galatea? But, yes, I suppose I have. Well, technically it should be the feminine version, but whatever.”
“I think she’s pointing out that you’re not just laying a symbolic claim to your actual nation, or crowning yourself German-Frankish king or Roman-German emperor, but also a continuation of the Roman Empire itself, as a historical claim,” Max spoke up, giving her a look.
“Well, so I did and that is the na.” Regina spread her hands and shrugged. “Lots of countries have portrayed themselves as so kind of continuation of the Roman empire. Including, obviously, the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation, which I did kinda claim as a predecessor we’re continuing.”
“And correct if I’m wrong, but one or both of those ruled most of the continent.”
“Historically, yes.” Regina sighed. “Alright, I understand what you are getting at, both of you. And you’re not entirely wrong.”
“So, you are wanting to conquer most of Europe for your Empire?” Madris asked, sounding skeptical.
Regina side-eyed her. “Not really. There are such things as principles of national sovereignty and self-determination, you know.”
“Alright, glad we’ve cleared that up,” Max interrupted. “I get the feeling we’ve gone just a little off-topic. Do you have actual plans on going near the front? Because I would like to officially register concerns and also demand ti to work on security arrangents, if so.”
Regina let him feel so of the exasperation she felt, even if it was undeniably accompanied by so fondness. “I’ll make sure you’ve got enough ti to prepare. There are no imdiate plans for such a trip.”
“Well, do let know if you make plans, Your Imperial Majesty,” Madris said with a touch of sarcasm. “I may not always be available, however.”
“You’re always welco at etings like these, Madris,” Regina said earnestly, keeping a straight face. “I couldn’t miss out on your invaluable council. Especially when the ambassador from the dark elves arrives in a few weeks.”
Madris frowned, and froze for a mont. “In a few weeks?”
“Most likely, I can only estimate how long travel will take. I trust there won’t be a problem?”
“Not if they don’t send an idiot,” Madris muttered.
Well, that’s promising, Regina thought sardonically, but didn’t bother voicing it. For now, she’d already lost enough ti to talking and needed to get back to check that no one had blown themselves up.
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