Chapter Text
Herrah stays silent, waiting for the Pure Vessel to give even the slightest hint about what they wanted to do. Though, as she considered the situation, the Queen of Deepnest realized that the poor child, even if they accepted that they were allowed to have an opinion on the matter, likely did not have the tools to communicate with her. After all, a hollow being would have no need to read, write, or speak to another bug. And the Wyrm was very fucking insistent that the Pure Vessel was hollow.
Taking stock of what she knew, Herrah realized that the Pure Vessel did have one, very rudimentary method of communication.
“Can you please nod your head if you understand what I am asking you?”
The Pure Vessel nodded. They understood what she was asking. They could nod to say ‘yes’.
“Do you know how to signify a ‘no’ response?”
Nod.
“Show me.”
The Pure Vessel shook their head. They could say ‘no’.
“Can you communicate with me in any other form?”
Shake.
Shit. If Herrah was going to get through to a child with only ‘yes or no’ questions, this would take far longer than the time she had. She did not fully understand how the Wyrm could order the Kingsmoulds without uttering a word, perhaps the constructs share his will or he can telepathically communicate with them. Regardless, the Kingsmoulds had likely already informed the sentries that Herrah was to be considered an enemy and maybe even one of the Great Knights. Best to be as direct as possible with the Pure Vessel, the faster Herrah could leave with whoever wished to come the better.
“Do you want to come to Deepnest with Hornet and I?”
No response.
Herrah internally sighed, but tried not to let her frustration show. That was a ‘yes or no’ question so it should have elicited a response. Then the realization hit her like a brick: the Pure Vessel didn’t think they were allowed to want. Shit. This was more than she could likely handle in a single one-sided conversation, but Herrah needed to persist. She knew there was no way that child was a hollow being. They could want, and so Herrah began attempting to dance around the word ‘want’ within her questions.
“Do you know where Deepnest is?”
Nod.
“Hornet and I are the Queen and Princess of Deepnest. I’m not sure if your father-”
The Pure Vessel’s eyes widened and their posture straightened. Was that fear or pride? Herrah wasn’t sure, but the Pure Vessel at least knew that the Wyrm was their father. Did that make things more or less fucked up? No matter, she could ponder that later.
“I’m not sure if he ever told you, but we can accommodate you and grant you a better situation. You do not need to sacrifice yourself for the messed up world the Gods of Hallownest made. You can come with us. Will you come with Hornet and I?”
No response. They were clever enough to know their answer to that question would signify a want.
“Mama, is Holly coming for a sleepover?!” An excited voice shrieked.
Herrah turned to face Hornet, who seemed almost bursting with excitement. She had gotten her things together quicker than Herrah had expected. Typically, Hornet stalled as long as possible whenever she needed to pack, loathing the act of stuffing all of her belongings into a parcel and making the journey between the White Palace and Deepnest. And in Herrah’s desperation to seek an answer from the Pure Vessel, the Queen had failed to notice the padding of Hornet’s legs upon the cold marble floor. In any other circumstance, Herrah would indulge her daughter’s whim and answer in the affirmative.
However, Herrah wasn’t the only party involved in that choice, “Hornet, the Pure Vessel needs to make this decision on their own. It’s a very important one, it could change their life forever.”
Hornet smiled as she turned to her sibling (oh Gods, they were half-siblings. No, think about that later), “Ok, Mama! Holly, be honest, but I really really want you to come with us. If we really aren’t coming back…”
It looked like the gravity of the situation had hit Hornet all at once, as the young spider began to shake. Herrah knew how cruel this must feel to Hornet: her mother was forcing her to leave what was effectively Hornet’s second home, abandon everyone she met in the Palace, and potentially separate her from the Pure Vessel, who she already considered to be her sibling. Reaching out to comfort Hornet, Herrah had a list of soothing lines to say.
But before she could, the Pure Vessel picked up Hornet and placed her on top of their head. It was strange needing to look up at her daughter, but the gesture seemed to calm Hornet down.
“Thanks Holly! You always know how to make me feel better.” Hornet hugged their left horn.
It was only then that Herrah understood the gravity of the gesture. The Pure Vessel had not been ordered to pick up Hornet or to comfort her. They had done so of their own volition, without any direct prompting from Herrah or Hornet herself. The Pure Vessel reached up to stroke Hornet’s shell, somehow already knowing the perfect way to comfort their sister. Hornet giggled and tightened her grip on Holly...that is a good name for them. A term of endearment turned into something more official.
“Do you accept the name ‘Holly’?” Herrah asked.
Holly nodded, causing Hornet to squeal with laughter as she ascended and descended alongside Holly’s horns.
Hornet moved her body to face her mother’s, “See Mama? I told you their name was Holly! I already asked them if they were ok with it and they said yes!”
“Of course you did, my gift. I’m...I’m so sorry for not listening to you sooner about Holly. Their name and everything else, you were right,” Herrah made eye contact with Holly, “And I’m sorry that I didn’t do anything for you until now. That I played a part in all of this. Gods, I tried to force my own daughter to ignore your sentience-”
Holly vigorously shook their head, spurring yet more laughter from Hornet. They took a step closer to Herrah, then paused. Holly began to shake, appearing distressed over something. But what exactly that ‘something’ was, Herrah was unsure about. Hornet climbed down from Holly’s horn and adjusted herself to where she was facing Holly while attached to their shell.
“It’s ok, Holly. Dad isn’t here right now, so don’t be scared about anything. And Mama is strong enough to fight Dad if he comes in and she needs to, so don’t worry about him! Mama...she’s just apologizing. She doesn’t wanna scare you or make you feel bad, it’s not like when my step-mom does it. Mama did a bastard Wyrm thing, but she’s gonna be better now! And if you come to Deepnest, you won’t ever have to worry about anyone doing stuff like that ever again!” Hornet nuzzled her sibling’s shell.
Herrah refrained from remarking that, well, she had actually just stabbed the Wyrm in what should have been a fatal location and even that was definitely not enough to kill him. Instead, she took in the sight of her daughter comforting her older sibling. In that moment, Hornet seemed older than her age and twice as kind. Her immaturity was not gone, but Hornet’s usual bluntness was now a tool she wielded with care, diving past ‘what’s wrong’ and immediately tackling what Holly seemed to be afraid of. Her coos resembled Herrah’s own. Herrah swelled with pride. Despite the strange and horrible circumstances surrounding her, Hornet was growing up beautifully. How much of this was due to Herrah’s teachings and how much was simply in Hornet’s nature? Shakes subsiding, Holly fidgeted with their cloak and listened to their sister’s soft words. Had the two been bonding like this under Herrah’s nose for a long time? How long had Hornet known that Holly wasn’t as hollow as everyone said they were?
Herrah cleared her thorax and steeled herself, “Holly, I know this is a big decision I’m asking you to make. But we only have so much time before someone comes to take Hornet and I away. So, I’m asking you again. Will you come to Deepnest with Hornet and I?”
A beat of silence. Then another.
Finally, Holly removed Hornet from their mask and placed her on top of their head again. And Hornet beamed.
“Yay!! Let’s go get your favorite toy!” Hornet steered Holly into her room, soon re-emerging with a stuffed Mosscreep.
Herrah let out a sigh of relief, “And how do you know that’s their favorite?”
“Because whenever I ask them to play with me, they always pick it up first! Even if Holly doesn’t say what they like, it’s not that hard to tell when you’re as smart as I am.” Hornet replied.
Herrah wasn’t sure if Holly’s actions were truly an affirmative response or whether they had simply chosen to go along with what Hornet wanted. Regardless, Holly had made their choice: whether because they wished to leave the Palace or they had wanted to stay with Hornet. They were coming to Deepnest. And that made Herrah feel more satisfied than she had felt in a long time.
“Do you have anything else we need to get?” Herrah asked Holly as she returned their nail to them.
Shaking their head, Holly allowed Hornet to pilot them over to the door to her room. Holly prepared to open the door and Herrah followed closely behind.
“We need to get to the Tramway. The Wyrm has put the Stag Station on lockdown, but the Tram should still be operational,” Herrah took her Tramcard from out of her satchel, then handed it to Hornet, “I’m giving you my Tramcard now. Hornet knows how it works. I’ll fight anyone who gets in our way, so you two just focus on getting to the Tramway. You two might be able to move past the guards easier than me, so I’ll move separetly but close behind. If I don’t get there by the time you start getting surrounded by sentries or Kingsmoulds, leave without me.”
Holly’s eyes widened as they looked over at Herrah, but Hornet just nodded, “Got it, Mama.”
Herrah readied herself, gripped Holly’s hand and kissed Hornet’s shell, and then let out a quiet scream.
“Garama!”
The trio surged forward into the palace hallways. The harsh metal accents seemed more cagelike than ever as the Queen of Deepnest ascended to the rafters, hoping to remain undetected. The Wingmoulds were still working out their kinks and were easily neutralized by a single needle hit. Looking ahead and noticing that the Hornet and Holly were moving ahead unimpeded by the Kingsmoulds, Herrah began traversing along the sharp metal that hung along the palace.
Herrah got as far as the Palace entrance, where there was nothing but an expanse of mist above her, before she knew she had to descend. She could attempt to blend into the crowd (a near impossible feat given that only 3 spiders have ever set foot in the White Palace and one of them is dead ) or charge forward (likely meeting resistance from the Kingsmoulds and a variety of bugs). Both options were viable options in some places and a suicide plans in others.
There’s no time for being indecisive or thinking long and hard about things. Herrah charged, knocking anyone in her way aside and making a break for the exit. Running was the only option available for someone like her, she had no chance of blending in. At least 2 of the Five Great Knights would usually be standing in front of the gates, forcing Herrah into fighting them and impeding her progress. Fortunately, only Isma and a few sentries + Kingsmoulds were on duty at the Palace Entrance, and Herrah had a headstart on the slow but heavy-hitting Great Knight. The Queen reflexively drew her short-ranged needle, before realizing that fighting enemies would only slow her down. Herrah was not the hunter in this situation, she was the prey. And the best way to avoid being a Deepnestian hunter’s meal is to flee quickly, not even bothering to look back. A moment of hesitation in prey is enough to seal their fate. Herrah charged past Isma, denying the Great Knight a fight, and emerged from the Palace’s gate.
Out of the Palace entrance and into the Basin, Herrah rappeled upwards through the caverns. She heard the short metallic clink of her traps falling apart beneath her. They lasted longer than she imagined they would (how much damage did Herrah deal to the Wyrm?), but she was still not at the tram station. The Wyrm and other Dreamers would break out soon. Were Monomon and Lurien helping the Wyrm still, or were they still processing all of what they’d learned? Would they stand against her if it came down to it? Why the fuck were they so loyal to their pedeshit king, enough that they’d justify the senseless killings of so many children? Herrah felt herself begin to sob, something she had no time to start doing now. Shit, keep going.
Once she made it to the tram station, Herrah noticed the silhouettes of Holly and Hornet just outside of the tram. Then, a white glow permeated the entire cavern. The Wyrm was free. Had his foresight allowed him to see what she was doing? Presumably so, as Herrah heard the flapping of wings come closer to where the trio stood.
“Get in and start the damn thing! We’re going the direction I’m facing, hurry!” Herrah ordered as she wove 3 traps within the entrance. Only enough to delay the Wyrm for about 4 clicks, but that might be all they need.
Holly looked back and froze. They had come so far, why were they freezing now? Were they already regretting their decision to come to Deepnest or were they just nervous? Herrah would likely find out in due time, right now she just needed Holly to get onto the tram. Hornet pushed Holly’s horns forwards. That seemed to do the trick, Holly obeyed. After muffled yelling from Hornet, Holly held the door open as the tram began to move forward. A white hot glow filled the room, just a few clicks too late. Herrah dove into the tram and helped Holly push the door closed as an enraged scream echoed across the chamber, causing Hornet to clutch Holly’s horns tighter and Holly to retreat into themself. Herrah just watched.
She watched as the Wyrm attempted to rush towards the tram in vain. She watched as his hands grew to talons and his wings extended to their full width. She watched as the fury in his eyes continued building, his entire body now leaking Soul.
She watched as the Godly father of her daughter, Holly, and all those little children in the Abyss faded until he was a speck in the distance.
“He’s gone, you two. I can’t see him anymore.” Herrah turned towards the two cowering children and embraced them in an attempt at comfort.
Hornet nuzzled into her mother’s cephalothorax and Holly just...sat there. No reaction, though they did not pull away from the touch either. But of course they weren’t reacting, the child was still likely under the impression that they lacked permission to react. That blasted Wyrm…no matter, there would be plenty of time for that once they got to Deepnest. Plenty of time for growing up with their sister, plenty of time to learn who they were. Plenty of time for warm embraces from Herrah, who had already taken responsibility for this child’s future.
And as Herrah saw the two siblings doze off together, Holly delicately clutching Hornet as if she were the most precious thing in the world, she knew that whatever consequences came of her quick actions would be worth it. Herrah would die for one moment with Hornet, she could live with herself for this moment with the two siblings together.
*Back in the White Palace*
The King tore through the Palace, but in vain. His Pure Vessel was gone. The traitorous spider had stolen it after attacking Him. He formed a council with the Five Great Knights, the two remaining Dreamers, and several other important figures in Hallownest. Without the Pure Vessel, the Kingdom would fall. There was not enough time to ‘make’ another one. The King spoke, His voice filled with great weight and authority.
“We will find the Pure Vessel and ensure the Beast keeps to her oath, We shall put forth the strongest effort of Hallownest. Do not listen to the lies she will attempt to sway you with. Beasts seek only their own survival, they care not for Us and Our Kingdom. This matter must be handled directly and quietly, nobody outside of this room shall know what occurs here. We give you Our command: Bring the Pure Vessel and the Beast to the Palace alive . The Kingdom shall reward you however you wish. Geo in mounds that loom above the City’s tallest towers, Honor to your name for generations to come, Resources for whatever projects you may undertake. If you can imagine it, Hallownest will provide it.”
The Knights bowed in deference. The Tamer stroked her beast. A Scholar lifted his head from his research. The Masters fidgeted with their nails. Many others readied themselves with their weapons and wits.
Intrigued by the impassioned speech, the Flame began to dance. The Sun glared toward the Basin.
And something at the bottom of the world began to stir.