Tribal

47

Daisy arrived at the Hive, Heading into her castle she was approached by many different bees, all pilling onto her.

"Your majesty! Where have you been!? We were so worried!" One shouted.

"You aren't hurt are you?" Another asked.

"Are you hungry at all?" A third called out.

"Everyone please, I promise to explain my absence. But first I need to relax a little." Daisy said.

"Of course my liege, would you like to select a male to spend the night with?" Typical, the suitors were always trying to sleep with her. But she always denied them.

"I will be fine. I just need to sleep." Daisy walked off to her room.

Daisy arrived at her room and collapsed on her bed. It didn't feel as nice as it usually does, she felt like it was empty without Ash being with her. But she would see him soon, so she decided to go to her council. As she walked in, the other counselors immediately took their seats and waited for her to give the ok for them to speak.

"First piece of business then," Daisy said tiredly.

"Where have you been, your majesty?" One asked.

"Royal business. To summarize, a rival kingdom was on the rise and would have made living in Hallownest much harder. So I, along with the rulers of all the other nations helped to assassinate the leader of this new kingdom. They are no threat without their king." Daisy couldn't tell them the truth, it would break their little minds.

The counselors all clapped in a standing ovation.

"Our queen is so brave!" One shouted.

"What a selfless act!" Another exclaimed.

"Please please everyone have a seat, we have more matters to discuss no?" Daisy said before she would have reveled in their praise, but now she just wanted to see Ash again.

"Yes, the topic of your heir and future mate is of great importance!" Ah yes, this was a topic she had grown accustomed to.

"Who do you have this time?" Daisy sighed.

"We believe this suitor will finally appeal to you!" The counselors handed her a file with the name of a possible suitor.

Daisy opened it and took a look over, she knew this bee, he was strong. But he was an idiot, so she denied it.

"No, I do not find this suitor appealing. Besides, I already have a suitable mate in mind." Daisy revealed.

Almost immediately, the counselors were all acting like gossiping high school girls.

"Please, let's keep this professional. I will be going to meet him tonight." Daisy said.

"Who is he?" One counselor asked.

"Ash, one of the three mantis lords," Daisy said, slightly flustered but with a hint of pride in her voice.

The counselors cheered for her, congratulating her on her achievement.

"Ladies, we can celebrate another time, but for now is there anything else we can go over?" Daisy asked, becoming more and more exhausted at their constant questions and celebrations.

"No your highness, you are free to go see your husband." The counselors giggled like schoolchildren.

"Have a good night you all, please inform the others of my whereabouts." Daisy stood and walked out.

. . .

As soon as the two lords returned to the tribe, they were bombarded with questions. But Clover was too stressed to deal with the citizens now, so she waved them off and retreated to her home with Reed. Ash decided he would handle the crowds. He dismissed the pill bug family and addressed the crowds.

"I do apologize for my absence, and for any behavioral changes I may have exhibited. I was not in a good head space, many of the recent tragedies have been a huge misunderstanding on all sides. I am back, and my mind is my own again. Clover and Acacia will return to us in due time. Clover is on the cusp of childbirth and Acacia still has many personal issues to handle outside the tribe. But rest assured, neither are traitors to the clan and will return to rule soon. Are there any questions?" Nobody spoke up, as Ash had answered most if not all the things that they had on their minds.

Ash finished addressing the tribe before he and the pill bug family made their way to Clover's hut, she wasn't looking too happy and was laid up in bed.

"What's wrong with Auntie Clover?" Markus asked innocently.

"She is in the middle of something very important and not feeling too well, I recommend that the only people that go inside be the ones that she wishes," Reed answered.

"Who has she requested?" Haley asked.

"Myself and you Haley," Reed responded.

The rest of the present company nodded and Haley and Reed walked into Clover's room. The next few hours were filled with Clover's screams, Stan took Markus home so that he wouldn't hear anything. Ash decided to attend to some stacked-up paperwork while Clover was busy. Making his way to his office, he walked in to see Daisy in his office chair.

"How's Clover?" Daisy asked.

"Not enjoying her time, but she is strong, she will be alright. I doubt there will be much sleep in the upcoming night." Ash responded.

"I am sure she will be fine. What were you about to get up to?" Daisy asked, looking at the piles of paper around the room.

"Alliances between kingdoms require much more paperwork than I would like. But I will get through it, eventually." Ash did not look excited to be getting back to work.

"I think I can help make it a little better~" Daisy spoke with a sultry tone.

"How so?" Ash asked, oblivious.

"For every hour you work, I'll reward you with a single round. How does that sound?~" Daisy was looking at Ash like a predator eyes its food.

Ash stiffened a little at her offer, a slight shiver running down his spine.

"I suppose that doesn't sound too bad." Ash was slightly flustered, he walked over to his chair and Daisy stood up to let him sit down.

"Just gonna make me stand?" Daisy pouted.

"No, I'll go find you a chair" Ash began to stand when Daisy pushed him back down.

"I think I'll be okay right here~" Daisy sat down on top of his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, her legs hanging over one arm of the chair.

"Daisy, what if someone walks in?" Ash asked embarrassed.

"Let them look, I'm here and I'm not leaving anytime soon~" Daisy said and kissed him on the cheek.

"A-Alright." Ash began working while Daisy kept him 'preoccupied'.