"Then there is little that specifically needs my assistance, but much that generally requires my leadership?" I summarized as we finished our conversation.
"A crude but effective summary." Sybil allowed with a flare of her frills. "I believe that the specificity of your guidance necessary for establishing the differences between Shemira's, Percral's, and Took's spheres of influence needs your specific work, but I suppose that is a general requirement from leadership."
"Good." I grinned back at her. "It seems that the majority of the difficulties the Empire faced in my absence have been handled by you, but I never expected anything different. For now, I think I'll seek out Ytte, unless there's anything else my gravid mate needs from me?"
"There is nothing more your mate needs from you than what little part of your time that you can offer." Sybil nodded her head, her posture half teasing and half honest. "Your Zaaktifi has many demands on your time, but your mate hopes to gain your ear for what little time you have remaining."
"A fair enough request." I bowed my head and nuzzled at the place her jaw and neck met. She leaned into the contact and breathed in my scent. "Let me make this promise, then. I will spend tonight's meal with my mate, even if she is embroiled in the demands of state."
Sybil smiled more widely as she walked out of the house. Brutus and I followed suit as my mate walked forward no more than three steps before being joined by her retinue. Instead of guards, as the Alqat were, each of her little shadows' focus was to strengthen Sybil's understanding of the Empire's current disposition and needs. As soon as she stepped into her Zaaktifi persona, no more smiles or playful twists of her hips remained. Instead, a focused, sharp Keel strode through the streets of New Nievtra, her mind constantly moving. As she stepped out of view, I turned to Brutus.
"You say that none of your lives compare to mine in terms of importance. In many ways, I wonder if hers eclipses mine."
"No." Brutus disagreed. "Another two or three could fill her spot, if less effectively. There are no individuals or even packs that can replace you. Even so, I see your point. She has been resistant to her own safety being prioritized in the past, perhaps that will change soon."
"I'll talk to her as well." I added, somewhat disregarding the first point he'd made as we made our way towards wherever I assumed Ytte would be. "Between the two of us, we'll convince her to allow some of the more martially minded of our number to stay nearby."
"Shemira already fills that place to an extent." Brutus shrugged. "It'll be done, perhaps while you're working with Ytte."
I flared my frills as we walked in silence towards the center of the city. For the first time since coming back home the day before, I truly took in everything. We'd gotten some snowfall overnight, though it was already melting off pretty quickly. The buildings that filled the city were showing more and more signs of life, though Sybil had told me that all efforts of reconstruction had slowly died off as the war with the ants escalated. As such, rudimentary was a kind word for the roofs and walls that'd been erected since my departure.
The streets were well tended, the stones that'd previously made up the paths dug out from the centuries of growth. I swore I could remember Ytte saying something about feeling the paths down there, but frankly, that hadn't been important enough to me to internalize it. Now that I was going to speak with her, though, I remembered my [Quests] regarding establishing the Empire and so on. There would be much to talk about, I was sure, but for now, I needed to find her. Following the path, it wasn't long before a couple unassuming Kha'Tal stepped out from around a corner I wasn't paying attention to. Brutus bristled at their sudden appearances, but as soon as he saw who it was, he stepped back.
"Basit." I greeted the bowing Kha'Tal. "You're here to guide me to Ytte?"
"Indeed. If you'd follow me?" Basit didn't meet my eyes, though not out of fear but an obvious, genuine respect. More and more, I understood the place of the castes, and I appreciated her place as a supporter for the rest of us.
"Thank you for keeping my new Empire functional." I said to Basit as we walked. "I'm sure that Sybil has benefited greatly from you and your caste in my absence, and I'll continue relying on your quiet support."
"Of course. Thank you, Zaaktif. The Kha'Tal are glad to have a leader such as yourself."
Not a minute later, we walked into a building that was shimmering with heat from outside. I subconsciously cocked my head to the side and evaluated the edifice. Different from every other one I'd seen until now, it was built exclusively from stone. It almost looked like it was Earthspoken into existence, but the stones that made up the walls and ceiling weren't uniform enough to be. Could it have been something else, I wondered, but only for a moment. Ytte's magic was often so subtle that I discounted her from being able to work greater miracles with it. However, I'd also seen her smash a true Earthspeaker's wall to bits with a mixture of her body's strength and her magic.
Appraising the building again, I saw how she'd taken stones and, instead of forcing them into a single stone, conglomerated them into tightly interwoven stone building blocks. Looking even closer, I could see ridges and divots that were magically created to slot the stone together tightly. While I nodded in approval, Ytte walked out of the building.
"Please, come in. There are plenty of things to discuss. Actually, first, this. Stay out here."
While the single Keel Kha'Tal changed her mind, I waited patiently, curious as to what she would bring out first. She ducked back into the workshop and came back out less than a minute later. In her hands, she carried something I couldn't quite recognize. As she held it up and the fabric fell out of its bundle, I saw it for what it was. A robe large enough to wrap around my shoulders and drape down to the middle of my shins. Without further explanation, I pulled it from her hands and thrust both arms through the sleeveless holes.
As soon as the robe was settled over my shoulders, Ytte pulled a long linen sash out of a pocket I hadn't seen in the robe. I held my arms out to the sides and allowed her to belt it onto me, holding the robe mostly closed. Frankly, it was a sorry excuse for clothing, the threads merely dried plant fibers that were tied together. With my scales, I didn't mind the rough-spun nature of the fabric, though I could feel in my shoulders where it pulled tight and some of the fibers began to snap.
"Clothes?" I asked as Ytte appraised the prototype robe I wore.
"Indeed. As we establish the Empire, Sybil and I have become more and more convinced that wearing clothing will allow those who see us to better believe we are civilized. Even so, this is but a quick test, and I didn't want this to get burned inside the workshop. Take it off, if you would, we'll make a better one for you later. For now, I want you to take a look at this rock. I've finally found out its purpose."