The lesser Queens of the bee-keep hive

In record of Lesser Queen Locust

The young male Queen stalked the halls of the Hive, A few weeks ago the Quicksand Hive had surrendered without Naiad's Hive needing to attack. They where a timid bunch and where quick to give into the Hive closest to them. Naiad had gotten the News a day after he had hatched.

With both the Quicksand forces and the Anthill forces Naiad had launched an attack on the Swarm Hive and Their Queen had surrendered rather than risk a fight, not just against Naiad but against Locust and Katydid as-well, Cicada had stayed behind to guard the Hive. Usually, after anywhere between a dozen and a hundred Drones had killed each others the two Queens went head to head and the winner won the fight, however in the old days when lesser Queens had been common place they had always fought right next the their Queen. The only reason the Drones fought at all was to force a path between the two Queens so they could fight.

Word that Naiad had taken the Swarm Hive with so little effort had reached the Daybreak Hive and they where currently in the process of negotiating their surrender with Naiad.

The Changeling territories could be divided into four different "clusters". The Cluster of Struggle, The Cluster of Bravery, The Cluster of Survival, and the Cluster of Balance.

The Struggle Cluster consisted of The Bee-Keep Hive, The Anthill Hive, The Quicksand Hive, The Swarm Hive, The Daybreak Hive, and the Heart Hive.

The Bravery Cluster consisted of The Cat Hive, The Truth Hive, The Meadow Hive, The Dark Hive, and The Discarded Hive.

The Survival Cluster consisted of The Molted Hive, The Laughing Hive, The Wolf Hive, The Starlight Hive, The Chaos Hive, and The Forever Hive.

The Balance Cluster consisted only of The Frozen Hive, The Molten Hive, and The Forest Hive.

Traditional one Queen rose to power in each cluster and then all the Queens of the Clusters battled for supremacy, with the Daybreak Hive's surrender the only Hive left in the Struggle Clusters for Naiad to take was the Heart Hive, and she was confident enough to send Locust and Cicada rather than go herself.

Currently Locust was headed to meet up with Cicada, then they would meet up with Naiad's army led by the Drone Metallic, and from there they would proceed to the territory of the Heart Hive and take it by force. The only flaw in their plan was that they had no clue where the Heart Hive's Hive was.

"Good evening Cicada" Locust approached the Coco colored Queen from behind.

"Good evening Locust, how are you faring?" She responded lightly not even bothering to turn to face him. She appeared to packing a saddle bag full of herbs, though the changeling version of a saddle bag was two green sacks made of the same material as an egg sack.

"Well, and you?"

"Well and fine"

With formality out of the way Locust pointed down the hall with a hoof "We should be going."

'Yes I know." Cicada turned around threw her saddle bag on then started down the hall with Locust at her side.

When the two lesser Queens exited the Hive both where surprised, Locust had honestly thought Naiad had been taking the Heart Hive to lightly, but as they approached the gathered army they where both met with a sight to behold. The army had to be one and a half the size of the entire Hive's population, Drone's where clad in The Bee-Keep Hive's dazzling silver, The Anthill Hive's cheery Yellow, The Swarm Hive's deep purple, The Quicksand Hive's dull tan, and much to their surprise the Daybreak Hive's snow white. Of course since all the Hives where in Naiad's service every Drone was tinted silver.

Naiad had apparently been waiting for them as-well, because there she was basking in the sun next to the current Secondary Queens of the Hives she had conquered Thriae of the Anthill, Creep of the Swarm, Shade of the Quicksand, and Frost of the Daybreak.

Locust and Cicada exchanged a wary glance with each other. Cicada took a deep breath before approaching the group, Locust followed close behind her. Both walked up to Naiad and dipped their heads to her.

"Oh good, you'r here!" Naiad said to them with a smile "We've been waiting." then she turned to the other Queens "As I was saying, having more food readily available isn't the only benefit to returning to the old ways, returning the the tradition of keeping lesser Queens means we can focus on more important matters while somebody else manages the day to day affairs of running the Hive"

"Don't you worry that they will try to overthrow you?" Creep asked while eyeing them through her long purple main "I still think you should just kill them" Cicada stood a little straighter, Locust glared at the ground rather than at her.

"Of course they'll try." Naiad commented brightly "But someone will always be trying to overthrow me, its better it be someone I trained than someone an unsatisfied Drone trained. When, eventually, I am overthrown it will be by someone with experience dealing with the Hive, and there for the Hive will be better off. After all the Hive comes first."

"The Hive comes first" Every queen in the group echoed

"I agree with you Naiad" Shade said flatly though she was eyeing the two lesser Queens in a way that made both uncomfortable. Her mane and tail were medium length and dull tan, she was a bit taller than your average queen.

"Is that one male?" The white clad Queen named Frost asked picking Locust up with her magic, only to be blasted by an energy beam from Naiad that left everyone in the group shocked.

Locust, who had wound up flat on his back after being picked up and then dropped, found Naiad standing over him, crouched to fight, teeth bared, ears flat, and glaring at Frost who was slowly pulling herself upright. He was likely more shocked than anyone else but at least he had the mind to stay still and stay quiet.

Frost looked at the young silvery Queen for a moment before dipping her head is surrender "I meant no harm" Shade was giggling and trying to cover it up.

Thriae smiled wickedly "I cant blame you for being protective, a male Queen is a rare treat" Naiad backed away from Locust glaring at Thriae. Locust was trying to hide a blush at the implication. Shade laughed out right.

"I suppose I agree with you Naiad, back in the old days the Hive's did much better for themselves." Frost said flatly.

"I am also with Naiad on this." Thriae chirped in to no ones surprise.

"I still think its a bad Idea" Creep stated.

"Oh dear" Shade pulled a hoof to her muzzle in fake concern "I wasn't aware The Swarm Hive where a bunch of cowards."

"I wasn't aware that I needed any of your approval" Naiad replied finally recovering from her earlier episode.

Everyone laughed except Creep who glared at the ground.

"Very well" she hissed when the group had gone quiet "I consed to the point"

"Good." Naiad chimed "Then let us get to work," She turned to Locust and Cicada "You two go take the Drones and conquer the Heart Hive, we have some planing to do."

Author's Note

(Anypony catch the reference?)

The Hive's as Naiad knows them

The Struggle Cluster
Queen: Naiad
Hive: Bee-keep
Color: Silver

Queen: Thriae
Hive: Anthill
Color: Honey Yellow

Queen: Creep
Hive: Swarm
Color: Dark Purple

Queen: Shade
Hive: Quicksand
Color: Pail Tan

Queen: Frost
Hive: Daybreak
Color: Pure White

Queen: Echo
Hive: Heart
Color: Sea-foam green

The Bravery Cluster

Queen: ----
Hive: Cat
Color: ----

Queen: Glaze
Hive: Truth
Color: Dark Brown

Queen: Pounce
Hive: Meadow
Color: Pumpkin Orange

Queen: ----
Hive: Dark
Color: -----

Queen: Chrysalis (Dead?)
Hive: Discarded
Color: Blue

The Survival Cluster

Queen: East
Hive: Molted
Color: Pail Yellow

Queen: Giggle
Hive: Laughing
Color: Hot pink, red streaked

Queen: Lonely
Hive: Wolf
Color: Dully Gray

Queen: Glint
Hive: Starlight
Color: Dark Green

Queen: Empty
Hive: Chaos
Color: Clear? (The Chaos hive is known for being odd)

Queen: Lost
Hive: Forever
Color: Black

The Balance Cluster

Queen: ----
Hive: Frozen
Color: ----

Queen: ----
Hive: Molten
Color: ----

Queen: ----
Hive: Forest
Color: ----