Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Castle Defense

Mia didn’t know everything her Queen did. Despite the danger and exhaustion of their journey, it had been obvious that Regina was looking forward to meeting humans. Now that they had, Mia couldn’t help but wonder why. The humans in her Mother’s memories had to be very different than this, because these ones were a little underwhelming.

Not that she was going to say anything. The humans had taken them in, after all, and while Mia really didn’t like the feeling of being dependent on someone outside the hive, she knew it was still better than taking their chances with the monsters outside. Besides, it wasn’t her place.

Still, as she looked around the castle, she couldn’t help a little voice in the back of her head saying that a properly run Hive would never be this dirty and disorderly. She could see some care and organization, in the way the soldiers were stationed at the gate and on the battlements, and what looked to be caches of supplies or ammunition distributed. There were barrels of water from the river, presumably for putting out fires, as well as buckets of arrows and munitions for the siege weaponry she saw on the corner towers of the fort. Some men in armor that generally looked fancier than the others were walking around, probably knights or officers. There were also a few women bustling around, wearing simpler clothing without armor.

Mia looked around for a moment, trying to pick out a good target. Tia was already approaching one of the women, while Max and Tim were heading for men in armor. She didn’t see her Queen, but she knew she was still behind her.

Then Mia started walking, heading towards an older woman whose clothing looked a bit finer than that of the others. The human was even wearing a short sword on a belt. She stood close to the entrance of one of the buildings in the courtyard, beside the main keep, talking to another human female. As Mia watched, the other woman left, and her target turned, then paused as she saw her coming.

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