Duty Bound

Celebration

Word of the coming feast night spread quickly. On his way back through the main atrium to his quarters the general energy of the hive had shifted. Things were more noisy and more drones were air born trying to take the shortest path to there destination. Every drone seemed to be talking excitedly to one another about something as Maxillus waded through the sea of drones that passed him. Field laborers were out gathering up crop, or moving crop from woven storage silos out to various parts of the hive where preparation could begin. Many dishes were being prepared and store houses being opened. Casks of wine pressed from cave grown crystal berries were being tapped and being transported to the main hall. Stew and grilled dishes made with mushrooms, roots, tubers, moss and lichens released savory aromas through out the caverns and the delicious scents added to the general excitement felt by the swarm. For many of the younger drones Beltane would be more then a feast day, it would mark the passage into adult hood. Thus it would be for Maxillus.

Maxillus did not share the general thrill felt by the swarm but he did his best not to let it show on his face. He was not going to curb the enthusiasm of his hive mates. When he arrived in his room he tapped the crystals inset in the wall and they blazed to life bathing the room in a soft glow. He flopped on to his bed and laid on his side. Diaphene was a queen in every sense. She had the rearing of a queen, she came from a long line of them. Her rule was absolute and her word was law. In many ways she was similar to his mother Arista, all though Arista tended to be frustrated less and brought to anger less quickly then Diaphene. When Diaphene had told Maxillus to get some rest it sounded like an order. He was tired and there would probably be four hours till the feast. Enough to get in a nice long nap. The three days out trekking in the frozen wastes, then the fevered efforts to threaten the lives of and then to miraculously come to the rescue of the ponies they had saved to feed on had sapped his physical energy.

His mind was not at ease. Maxillus had great respect for Diaphene. He tired endlessly to follow her rule, as his ability to do so was a direct reflection on his own mother Arista. Diaphene had shown respect, and appreciation for Maxillus when he had succeeded at any of his tasks she had assigned him. But it had always been at a distance. Other then feast days, when family visited or when he was required to report they rarely spoke. Back there in the throne room she had looked at and spoke to Maxillus in a way he had never experienced before. He shivered and rolled on his other side. Those piercing teal eyes which had seen so much during her reign seemed to peer right through him. As if he was not what she was after but something else. Maxillus tried to focus on his goal. His goal was to be the best nymph assigned to Diaphene's hive. It didn't matter about how he felt, he would do his duty. Maxillus tried to forget and let his mind drift for a time and fell in and out of sleep until a knock came to his door. Maxillus swung his hooves over the edge of his bed and sat up.

"Come!"

The door swung open and one of the queen's adjutants peeked around it.

"The feast will start in an hour my prince. Should I tell the queen you will be ready by then?"

"Yes adjutant. Thank you. I will be ready shortly."

The adjutant nodded and headed back out into the hall. Maxillus grabbed an herbed bar of soap and a sponge out of a box at the foot of his bed and headed to the thermal baths. One of the great benefits of life in the Howling Caverns was despite the fact that hundreds of feet above the bed rock, icy winds made it nearly uninhabitable for any pony, deep down here in the earth where the crust was thin, thermal water and geysers and pools were formed in these caverns. The high mineral content meant this water was undrinkable even for changelings, however it was wonderful for a changelings chitin. All the drones of Diaphenes swarm even the ones with the dirtiest most menial jobs had impeccable shells and dorsal plates. Such luxuries did not exist from the arid land that Maxillus hailed from, even though there were other similarities to all hives.

When Maxillus arrived at one of the vast thermal pools there were many changelings all ready there bathing themselves as well in preparation for the feast. Nearly all the shallow places were one could sit were occupied. Maxillus new that any one of the drones would be happy to give up some prime real estate for him but he didn't want to impose. That was not his place.

His wings flittered and he made his way up high above the pool, when he spotted a deep spot he tipped forward and folded his wings tight to his back and dove into the electric blue green water. The heat against his shell was over whelming for a split second but he quickly kicked and resurfaced. As his face broke the water he puffed and snorted a few times trying to clear the water from his nose and muzzle. He pattered his wings against the water to steady himself as he bobbed. The smell of the herbs in his bar of soap as it mixed with the mineral water he floated in was soothing to him and for a while he focused on the task of trying to clean and buff out any scuffs in his chitin.

Ponies that had heard or new anything of changelings figured they were uncouth monsters. They had little knowledge of there vast and hidden societies, with there rules and codes of conduct. Monsters bathing would probably seem silly to a pony, but from his time among them, Maxillus believed that even if ponies weren't monsters a great deal of them needed to be bathed more frequently considering the amount of perspiring they did and the amount of hair that covered there bodies.

Maxillus emerged from the water with a furious pounding of his wings. He hovered briefly over the spot and attempted to drip dry. He hovered over to a landing by the pools and after setting distance between him and the other changelings he flayed out his chitin and shook rapidly from nose to tail. Satisfied he returned back to his room. He went to his mirror, a polished piece of white quartz set in the wall. He stood on two legs and twisted to inspect his plating and the rest of his hide. His black chitin shone and his orange dorsal plating looked translucent and sparkled. He stood on all fours and peered at his own face closely in the mirror. He began to wonder about his friends.

"Lampyris, Protonus…"

Protonus had sadly not been assigned to another hive. His mothers insistence in coddling him was an attribute she had never really dropped, even though now she sent him out on various missions in the interest of her hive. Lampyris was all ready at another hive and considering how haughty and driven he was Maxillus was certain he would be doing well as the nymph in that hive. Had he already been asked to do this? No matter. Time was wasting. He needed to attend the feast and he didn’t want to keep Diaphene waiting.

Maxillus arrived at the throne room on time. The queen and her entourage met him there. One of her servants a young female drone placed a crown made out of branches on his head. The branches looked bleached and white. On closer inspection the twigs and sticks looked like tiny antlers woven together. The queen had no crown on but had chosen to have holly woven in to her ragged fin like mane. The other servants formed up in front of them and Diaphene sidled up next to Maxillus and cocked her head in his direction.

"Shall we…Prince?"

Maxillus bent a leg forward and Diaphene took it and they followed the line of servants in the direction of the main hall. The main hall had once been an underground lake that the hive had drained and siphoned off into smaller adjacent pools. This gave them a massive open space with a relatively flat bottom and no stalagmites. There were now hundreds of rugged wooden benches and long tables set in rows through out the space, and changelings were streaming in from all directions and in an orderly fashion beginning to take there seats. There was a long table set with small straight back chairs on one side facing all the benches in the hall. There were two straight back chairs at the center that were tall and throne like.

Diaphene and Maxillus took there places next to each chair, and her entourage went to there seats on either side standing at there places as well. Maxillus had never received such treatment before. His quarters were no different then any drones. He was not given any special privileges. In fact Diaphene only ever referred to him by his name, which is why it was so unnerving when she referred to Maxillus by his title. It now possessed an entirely new meaning.

Steaming trays of food and plates had already been set at all the tables, but after all the Changelings were seated they didn’t touch it. They peered up at the front blinking there teal eyes and occasionally flittering there diaphanous wings. Diaphene motioned her company to take there seats and Maxillus did as well. Before he sat he did notice that in Diaphenes chair a veil had been carved into the top of it, and his chair was carved what appeared to be the head of a stag with great antlers.

The normal chatter of the hive returned to the hall with the added clatter of plates and serving spoons. Periodically servants would flitter by Maxillus and Diaphene's table and offer different dishes. Maxillus did his best to follow Diaphenes lead trying to eat no more then she did. He had no intention of tiring himself by over eating at a time like this. Diaphene was in great spirits and chatted and laughed with all the drones at the table with them. Some times as she would laugh she would reach over and set her hoof on top of Maxillus'. A sign of affection she had never once shown him since he had arrived in Howling Caverns.

"Are you enjoying yourself Maxillus?"

Diaphene locked eyes with him a pleasant neutrality in her gaze.

He nodded and smiled broadly letting his fangs show a little.

"I am your majesty."

She raised and eye ridge showing her doubt regarding that response. He leaned in.

"Your Majesty…I am glad… I just do better in less crowded gatherings…or when I have something to focus on if I am among these many."

It was the truth and one good reason Maxillus never feared taking dangerous assignments that took him or a team outside the confines of the hive. Diaphene turned her head trying not to laugh in Maxillus' face.

"Afraid of crowds!? Oh Gods Maxillus! You are of the wrong species then!"

Maxillus laughed quietly and added.

"No no…I just am better amidst smaller groups. It is easier to talk."

Diaphene turned her head to peer out at the sea of changelings chatting noisily and enjoying the feast.

"An introverted changeling…? I suppose they do exist."

When the feast had reached a close, and the servants had cleared all the food and plates from the tables and had given them a good wipe down, the swarm present put there backs into moving the great tables and benches outward toward the walls of the great hall to clear space in the middle in front of Diaphene's table. The changelings stood in a massive semi circle in the space they had cleared.

At one of the tables a bench had been set on top of it and a group of changelings perched there backs facing the crowd. They were wing singers. Some changelings possessed a recessive gene that gave them a double joint where there wings met there backs. Changelings with out this joint could fly just fine. But it gave wing singers a fascinating ability. It allowed them to angle there wings toward themselves and move them against each other. This caused a vibration in the membranes and caused them to create a sound similar to that of one of the pony's stringed instruments. They began to bend and flex there wings generating a cacophony of various sounds. Then the wing singers struck up a tune and slowly female and male drones began to pair up and start to spin across the floor others took to the air linking hooves and flitting about in time with the music.

Maxillus had never seen the hive like this and it was impossible to keep a smile from spreading across his face. He couldn't contain the happiness it had given him and he took a risk. He dropped his hoof atop the queens causing her to jump and look at him.

"Would you like to dance your Majesty?"

Diaphenes look of surprise turned to one of happiness. She rested a hoof on her chest and slid her hoof out from Maxillus' and tapped it gently.

"Thank you but no…Do not let that stop you Maxillus…Especially if the spirit has moved you so."

Diaphene was cold and calculating even by changeling standards. But the warm smile she gave Maxillus was undeniable. He nodded and rose from his seat. Before he made his way to the floor he looked over his shoulder back at Diaphene.

"Please your majesty…keep a spot open on your card for me?"

Diaphene laughed excitedly and waved her fore limbs at him.

"Go! Get out there!"

Maxillus began to pick his way through swirling bobbing mass of wings and shells toward the outer edge. Unsure of what he was looking for. The semi circle around the impromptu dance floor had thinned but was still present. He began to weave through it until he saw her. A tall rather lanky female drone was leaned up against the wall far back behind the semicircle. She stood on two hooves her fore limbs crossed in front of her chest. She looked bored. Most male drones were shorter and stockier then her which might explain why she hadn't been asked to dance. But she was the perfect height for him. He approached carefully trying not to draw her attention. When he reached her side he bowed.

"May I have this dance?"

The female drone looked in his direction disinterested then looked away. Then she threw a double take and squeaked.

"P-Prince Maxillus!!!"

Maxillus laughed and raised his head and extended a fore limb.

"Max is just fine. No one really calls me prince except my team mates."

"Oh. Yes! Uh-thank you…Max."

The female drone had unfolded her limbs but hadn't taken his. He offered it again cocking his head to one side.

"Was that a yes?"

She peered at it dumbstruck for a moment and then quickly took it.

"Uh… Oh! Of course."

They trotted toward the dance floor and he pulled her into a two hoofed stance and they began to swirl into the mass of other changelings pirouetting in time with the steady pulls and beats of the music.

"You are?"

"Ishkur. Thank you prince…This-I. I really didn’t expect that…"

"I don’t dance often but I do know how to. I did this on a whim. So thanks for coming along with me."

He smiled brightly and looked out among all the other changelings as they danced. Ishkur peered up at him. She had only seen the prince from a far. She was oddly tall among female drones but in this two hoof stance he practically towered above her something she had never experienced before. Like all nymphs to her, he was incredibly handsome. He had a real tail and mane! Well as close as you could come and still be a changeling. His muzzle was full and strong not like the small bulbous ones on the front of most male drones and his eyes…Being from another hive meant he had those fiery orange eyes that smoldered. Life in general was satisfying but some what monotonous for a female drone like Ishkur. But now she was dancing with what was essentially to her a foreign prince.

Life couldn’t get much better. When the last few notes died down the wing singers group wasted no time and vaulted into another song.

Ishkur laughed.

"Having fun?"

"Yes, Prince Max."

She nodded. She wanted to say it one more time as a fun little reminder to herself of who she was dancing with. The prince all though giddy at first seemed more distant as the pair swept across the floor.

"Ishkur…Have you been through…. I mean… were you here the last time the hive…you see I-I havent-"

"No Maxillus…Highness. I am 22 summers. The last time this occurred I was far to young…I heard rumored this is happening because of your tireless efforts though!"

"Through the work of my teammates and the leadership of her majesty the queen. Nothing else."

"Highness…If I may ask…just to be sure… Do you seek some one for something …other then a dance partner?"

Maxillus peered at her carefully, then laughed.

"…Oh! No that’s not what I meant by that question, I've never gone through this either, I was just hoping some one would know a thing or too and save me from my ignorance. I'd be honored Ishkur, really! But you see… I-I have…"

Maxillus peered across the dance floor at Diaphene who was tapping one fore hoof in time with the music as she swished the other one through the air as if she were conducting the swarm on swirling parade before her. Before he could continue Ishkur nodded.

"-You have royal duties to attend too. I understand prince. It was too rash of me to make that kind of assumption."

"Not at all. Were both new comers to this."

For some time they didn’t speak but Maxillus noticed that Ishkur was looking at his face very closely.

"Prince…If you have never experienced this before…how old are you?"

"I am four summers younger then you Ishkur."

Ishkurs face locked into a look of shock.

"That can't be Prince..."

"One of the benefits of being noble caste I guess…My stature does allow some to confuse my age."

"Prince… If you serve the queen though that means… But…Prince! She is 50!"

"48 summers. But that doesn't matter. As the only nymph in the hive I serve her in all things. Also I believe Queens gain elegance, stature and form as they age. They are truly…timeless."

As he spoke these words Maxillus continued to turn his head trying to see Diaphene. She caught his eyes as they passed by her table and he looked at her closely. She had a glass of crystal wine on the limb rest of her chair. The queen stared at Maxillus. Her eyes shone and he noticed the hunger in them. Maxillus had meant every word he had spoken to Ishkur about the queen, but the idea of what would follow still terrified him. She was indeed beautiful. Possessing grace that only a queen had, but she was still technically family, and an incredibly powerful individual, both as ruler and in magic.

The last few notes of the last song died away. Slowly the revelers came to a halt. They all began to flitter there wings in approval causing a quiet rush of air to pass around them. Maxillus released ishkur and they bowed to each other.

"Ishkur…Good luck."

Ishkur turned her face up and smiled.

"Good luck to you too Maxillus. It seems you might need it more then I."

Maxillus chuckled.

"Well…you got me there."

Ishkur began to trot off amidst the drones of the swarm and waved a hoof at Maxillus as they parted.