Chrysalis

Negotiations were always a delicate matter. There were many things to consider, after all. What was culturally and economically acceptable to both sides? What did each side want from the other? It was around these things that discussions would focus.

The first thing Eran Umizan needed to discern was what it was the Colony desired.

“Do they need food?”

Clearly, they had an interest in foodstuffs, as evidenced by the tea and scones. There was a brief consultation.

“They don’t,” Irisod told her. “Apparently, they grow all of their own food. Their own sugar, wheat, tea leaves and everything else they consume in large quantities. For satisfying their hunger, they generally use Biomass or… aphids? I’m not sure what those are.”

Interesting.

“We can negotiate a price for access to our gates?” she suggested. “Would they be interested in discussing terms for such an agreement?”

The price would be hideously expensive, of course. If you couldn’t make your own gates, then you were at the mercy of whoever was in a position to offer you access to one.

An ant entered with another tray covered in delectable-looking slices of layered cake, each topped with a twirl of pink cream. Eran’s brow went up as the tray was carefully placed before her, and another was distributed amongst her retinue.

Again, no poison.

“I thought they were short on supplies?” she asked her Court Mage, quietly.

“Apparently, they just developed their own gate.”

“What? When?”

“Just now.”

“As in…?”

in, during this

first thing they used it for

us

down at the delicate confection, each layer as clearly defined as if cut by a razor. On closer inspection, she could see glistening fruits embedded in each section, strawberries in the red layer, and peaches in the orange. She took her fork and

It was delicious.

the food,” she said, then turned and glared at her daughter. “Piris! Manners!”

with it in a most un-decorous manner. The girl flushed under the withering

Colony, as she now knew they preferred to be called, were an interesting case. They didn’t want

They could adorn their Queens with the finest gems the fourth stratum has to offer, cut

both protective and absurdly doting on their Queens, considering they seemed to have developed an entire culinary culture around serving

mildly interested. To be more clear, they don’t think the Queens

“Very well.”

of the highest quality pieces

curiosity, are any of you talking to the large one?” she asked of her

“Not currently, no.”

“Interesting.”

armour? None of the ants she saw around her were wearing anything of the sort, though she saw some wore clearly enchanted rings metal

some level of industry in the Colony,

interested in purchasing equipment from us? Our forges produce materials of the highest quality. Particularly, for metals and woods infused with water mana, we are the best to be found

move them. The level of stillness went beyond just their heads, they

“They… hmmm.”

she demanded softly, no

troubled, perhaps even

you dare show anger,” Eran warned. “Cultural differences can give rise to offence where none is

of our wares, but only so they could study them. The

to live in it. They absolutely did have a far higher affinity for water mana than any other race, and were extremely accomplished

confidence in their own craftswork? It took decades to develop those Skills to an acceptable level, longer without

was approaching this from the wrong

be prepared to sell to us?” she