Despite Nievtala's warning, I found it difficult to believe that things would change much from one night to the next. My people would stand on the walls, I would command them, and I would protect them. My voice could reach the furthest edges of the city, and thus protect them all from the incursions of the Misti Hawar. However, having received her commands, I walked through the city to make sure that everything and everyone was perfectly prepared for the fight that came.
"Rally together," I snapped at a small squad who stood on the walls. "Every opening has been exploited until now. Every weakness. Where there is a shadow, there is a potential enemy. Do not forget what you have seen and who we've lost."
The Hak'Tal warriors I had just scolded ceased any joking at that. They all had been on the walls for the past nights, and they knew that what I was saying was correct. A flare of frustration surged inside of me as I saw them shrink before my command. A squad of Khatif couldn't stand up to a single word of correction from me? I wanted to rebuke them further, but decided against it, instead pulling back from the wall to speak once more with the members of my council, my elites.
As I walked, I evaluated my people, of the different castes and different varieties.
These were some who had managed to reach Khatif, such as these distracted, weak-willed warriors, but wouldn't be able to become Keel, not without a massive change to their disposition. Others, however, like Trai, were obviously only one or two short steps away from evolving.
Something about her had changed in the past weeks, something more than just her determination to be helpful. I couldn't say what exactly it was, but she had the air of a Keel around her most of the time. What had held her back until now, I didn't know, but seeing how far she had come in so short a time was heartening. Something in the back of my head warned me that the changes weren't all positive, and I didn't ignore that. She was no longer so playful, unwilling to entertain the antics of her would-be suitors. The way she looked at me changed as well, no longer as if looking at an uncle, but something else, something I was sure I recognized.
I hadn't had any new conversations with her, nor with Sybil, about my continued determination to have only a single mate, but maybe that would be necessary once the siege was broken. For now, I was back in conference with those people who kept me apprised of the state of my empire, as limited as our reach currently was.
"How much longer can the herds make it without being taken out of the city walls?" I asked, turning to Joral first. "We are drawing some of our sustenance from the ants, but if possible, I'd prefer not to incite an entirely new war within our city if I can help it."
"I believe they will be able to survive for one more week before there are casualties," he reported. "As it is, the herds all want to get out, and that may prove to be as disruptive as allowing the young and the old of the herds to die of starvation."
"It's the herbivores that are getting less time out of the pens, correct?" I verified.
"Yes," Joral confirmed. "The predators are allowed hunting enrichment in the colony's entrance, but it's far from enough."
"Do what you can," I said. "Supposedly, this shouldn't last too much longer, in which case, I hope that we'll be able to avoid any longer-term problems."
After I said as much, I turned to the rest of the council, but nobody had anything that they felt needed to be brought to my attention. I flared my frills in an expression of my appreciation, briefly inclining my head to each person who had done as I commanded. Before I dismissed them to get what rest they could, Sybil spoke up.
"As you said and in accordance with information that may help the empire," her voice was even, "we wish to remain free of any conflict with the colonies, at least from the Violet. However, trapped as we are, they are the primary sources of food that we have. Last night, there were more than enough casualties to feed the city for two days on our usual three-quarter rations, but if this persists for much longer, then I suspect we will be inviting conflict with them as we'll need to step up our hunting efforts."
"If they're not sending any of their royals to speak with us," I said, unable to keep my tail from twitching, "there's nothing we can do but continue to make sure that we are fed. They don't seem to treasure their stupid brethren, anyways, so I'm sure some sort of apology can be made if they want to come up and stir trouble with us. There haven't been any new communications sent our way, have there?"
"No, Zaaktif," Sybil confirmed as we waited for night to fall.
"Then my command stands, feed ourselves, make sure we're staying lean but at our full strengths, and if some of that sustenance needs to come from either the herd, what few remains of the harvest we have, or from the colonies, I don't care. The logistics are under your control, Sybil, but make sure that my people are not going hungry. Through the tempering sacrifice of our lives, are we completed, but only if it's necessary. Otherwise, I want everybody coming out of this alive."
She flared her frills and bowed her head in agreement, and the rest of my people fell in line. At that, there was no further conversation to be had, and we went to get what rest we could.
Laying between my children, I found it impossible to get any sleep, but I was more than restored by playfully wrestling with Ragzak, Thia, and Hashthi. They were continuing to grow, able to walk mostly unaided at this point, though they were yet to speak. The sisters still teamed up against their brother in any conflict, but he was used to it at this point, and clever enough to never be fully pinned down until he was well and truly losing any disagreement.
That point inevitably came in every one of their fights, but it was taking longer and longer to get there as he grew stronger and larger faster than his sisters. The difficulties he was struggling through served as his first "exercises," and he was benefiting more from them than his sisters were.
"They need to spend more time with some of the Khatif children," I said. "They need to see the others."
"They're at the point now where I think that is a good idea," the nurse agreed. "Before, even the Khatif simply grew too quickly to provide any real companionship to the Prince and Princesses. Now, though the Keel infant development is obviously slower than that of the other castes, they have enough of a head start to interact with Khatif until they are juveniles."
I flared my frills at that, wanting to enjoy my time with the children, what little time I had. However, even with several hours remaining, the sound of Misti Hawar screaming in terror filled the air. Only because of my constant vigilance and the intrinsic closeness I had with all sounds due to my sonilphon did I hear it, and the screams lasted less than a few minutes. Then, silence, and we could only wait for night to fall.
When it did, the final battle of the siege began.
Thanks for reading! Check out the Patreon, where you can read up to 40 chapters ahead!
https://www.patreon.com/No_creative_name
Join the swarm! https://discord.gg/RqzsKj8hkD