Page 37 of Queen Isabella

Isa snorted at their banter. She didn’t expect the story to be this much fun, but their commentary was the best. She muffled her laugh and attempted to look serious again.

“So, then Red says, ‘Grandma, what big eyes you have.” She widened her eyes as she panned them. “And the wolf said, ‘The better to see you with, my dear.”

“I don’t like where this is going,” Galis declared.

“Galis!” everyone barked in unison.

Isa burst out laughing, the petulant grimace on Galis’ face making it even harder to contain herself. But eventually she got herself under control and adopted a serious face again.

“Then Red said, ‘Grandma, what big teeth you have.”

“That’s my part!” Phara leaned around her, showing off his big sharp teeth.

Isa grinned. “And the wolf declared, ‘The better to eat you with!’ He leapt out of the bed and gobbled Red up whole.”

“Ow.” Phara cringed and slumped back against the steps with a splash.

“I knew it was going to be bad!” Galis pointed at his brothers.

She giggled at Phara’s dramatic reaction and Galis’ expression of vindication.

“That is not how the tale ends, is it?” Rego asked with a grimace.

“No.” She shook her head. “Now that the wolf was full, he promptly fell asleep. He snored so loudly that a passing hunterheard. ‘That doesn’t sound like grandma!’ the hunter stopped, suddenly worried.”

“He should be worried. A predator just ate two queens!” Gregis interjected incredulously.

Galis pointedly glared at Gregis, and she could tell he was wordlessly reprimanding his brother for interrupting this time.

“So, the hunter killed the wolf, cut it open and saved Red Riding Hood and her grandma. The end,” Isa summarized while chuckling.

“Hmm. Good.” Phara nodded in approval of the ending as he squeezed her middle. “Thank you for sharing your tale.”

“I couldn’t leave you wondering after my comment earlier about big teeth.” She smiled at them.

It grew quiet as the men continued to leisurely wash her. She stared up at the vaulted stone ceiling as she relaxed, still giggling inside at their reaction to the story. The natural rock formations really were lovely. Caves had always fascinated her. They were an entire world underground, wonderful and mysterious. Many first people used them as homes, and the Vorto had taken that to the next level.

“I don’t like that story,” Galis announced, after a few minutes, boisterously breaking the silence. His hand paused with the washcloth on the back of her knee.

“Galis!” Phara said in admonishment.

“No. It’s okay,” Isa chuckled, wondering what was rolling around in Galis’ head. “Please share what you think. I grew up having to censor everything I said and it’s tiring,” she encouraged them.

“Your hive really told hatchlings that a predator would eat them?” Rego spoke up instead, clearly aghast.

“Agreed. I didn’t like that, either,” Galis concurred, pointing at Rego.

“And the predator was dressed up as the queen mother,” Gregis incredulously chimed in.

“That was a disturbing element,” Phara acknowledged. “I understand the need to warn hatchlings about dangerous fauna, but this tale seems like a particularly frightening way to do it.”

“You aren’t wrong,” Isa laughed, amused that all four of them found her story unsettling. She was so used to it, she forgot how creepy it truly was. “I think the point is that sometimes bad people could pretend to be good people, and to watch out for them.”

“Do you mean repetitive rule breakers?” Phara asked.

“Yes.” She nodded.

“That is an important lesson, young should avoid rule breakers, but that is still very disturbing to tell a hatchling,” Rego decided.

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