The Spider Queen

To my precious Sophie,

It has been sixteen years since we have been separated and not a single day goes by without me worrying about your safety.

Have you been eating well? Are the humans bullying you?

Your father taught me how to write in the human language, but my grammar may not be perfect so please excuse me.

On the day you were born was one of the happiest moments of my life without a shadow of doubt.

I am a princess of the Arachne empire and have seen countless rare and exotic materials but when I held your small body in my arm…

…. I had never seen such a priceless treasure.

Please forgive your mother for not being strong enough to protect both you and my darling husband from the wrath of my race. The secret of your birth could not have been concealed forever and I had to trick your father to escape and abandon me.

I…I said some terrible things to him. I hope one day he can understand the selfish choice I made was for the two of you to survive.

You were born with my golden eyes and your ears were also adorably pointed but the rest of your body appeared to be fully human.

My brethren would not accept a hybrid much less one with so little in common with the rest of the hive.

I figured that you would be able to grow up safely among the humankind. Your father always boasted about his high position and unmatched strength in the Federation. If only fifty percent of his tales are true, then he should be able to protect you well in my absence.

It is no secret that there is conflict between the Insectoid Empire and the Earth Federation which will put you in danger from both sides.

Not all tribes have participated in this conflict, but it is only a matter of time before the Arachne race steps forth onto the battlefield and becomes exposed to the rest of the universe.

I am deeply afraid that you will be too human for the Insectoids and too Insectoid for the humans…

Thankfully, you appeared to have inherited none of my distinguishing features but who knows what changes will happen in the future. You are the first offspring of a human and an Arachne so I will not be able to predict what direction your body will develop.

Just in case, I have given you a necklace which contains a rare cultivation method that only the princesses of the Arachne empire are allowed to practice. It will only activate if your body changes to suit the art.

Life in banishment has been pretty boring so far, I was exiled to a desolate star system and there are guards at the entrance of the nearest stargate to prevent me from leaving.

I am not alone and plenty of prisoners have been keeping me company.

Cough…cough…. I may have overthrown the top gang leaders and become the queen of the prison, but that story is for another time.

The matter of your birth has been kept as an open secret among the general nobility, but none should have any idea that you survived.

It was the only way to keep you safe.

Beware of no good human males and females who just want your companionship for ulterior motives. I have no doubt that you will grow up into a peerless beauty just like me and attract all kinds of annoying pests.

Many suitors have visited the prison to attempt to gain me as a wife but well…let us just say that they left with no such ideas in mind.

The only man for me is your father but do not tell him that or his ego will swell even more.

I know we have been apart but if your father dares to take another wife.... hmph see if I don't beat him up until he becomes a cripple. I do understand that certain human nobles have multiple partners but...

I. do. not. share.

Owmq qveqmuw fx iph Eisrpqi wsat lr cgkm…zi wsat lr cgkm isi s aqiikabm.

My apologies…. I got a bit heated and wrote down some words in my native language of Veralis which tends to happen when I get upset. The meaning of that statement is,

"When members of the Arachne fall in love…we fall in love for a lifetime."

Your father is not a disloyal man but do make sure that no flies swarm around him just in case!

I have been training relentlessly against the primordial creatures that roam this god forsaken place and my cultivation has improved!

Within the next five years I plan on escaping this prison and disguising myself to visit and live with you in the Federation.

I miss my family.

Tell your father that when I return…. we will need to have a rematch to see who has gotten stronger!

In all honesty…I do not know if you will ever see these messages but just writing down these words gives me the feeling that I am talking to you.

I sincerely hope that one day, I can hold you in my arms again.

I love you my darling,

Princess Thai'lle

A woman placed down her pen and looked at the parchment filled with carefully written words with a sad expression on her face. She reached across her desk to find a small envelope and folded the parchment slowly before placing it inside.

There was a small chest hidden under the boards of the floor and Thai'lle ran her finger across a certain spot which caused a small blue light to scan her fingertips. The chest opened up with a creaking noise and the numerous stacks of letters inside were almost overflowing.

Thai'lle added yet another envelope to the pile inside the chest and closed it shut with a resounding thud.