Traum von Asterhive

The Queen

The Queen flies down to you on wings of water and stardust.

"Why have you come?" she asks.

"Everything's falling," you say, and find yourself rather miffed that she doesn't even know what's happening to her kingdom.

"That's natural," she says, and turns to some flowering bush nearby. "That's what happens when a Queen dies."

You see her arms as she plucks a bloom. You think for a moment that she's wearing black gloves, but no. Her fair skin is laced with black veins.

"You're dying?" you ask.

She nods. "And when I die, so will Asterhive."

A stupid rule, you think. "Is there a way to save you? To save it?"

Her eyes flitter to you. The sheer darkness of it all- sclera, iris, and pupil completely indistinguishable from each other, is unsettling. She looks at you for too long before saying, "A new Queen to take my place."

You stare at her. "Are you kidding me?"

"Why would I?" she replies.

"How does that even work?" you ask. "Isn't Asterhive a mall? That a new queen will fix it all- that's stupid."

"Is it now?" she asks, " Is it really?"

"Yes."

She stays silent. Then, "It grows, you know. It gets sick, and tries to stave off the infection. But it cannot fix everything by itself. New blood could help it."

You give her a flat look. "That still explains nothing."

"I have wings," she said. "A vermin creature has caused an epidemic, your toys have come to life as people, does anything about this place make sense?"

No, you don't say. Instead, you kick the ground in spite.

"It needs a new Queen," she says again, tucking the flower into her hair.

"And if I take your place?" you ask. "Would the place stabilize?"

She raises an eyebrow at you. "You're not a very good specimen for Queen. You'd last a mere decade before needing a successor."

"But will it fix what's happening right now?"

She looks at you thoughtfully. "Perhaps."

That's really all you need to hear.

You stride up to the woman. You give her your most level stare.

"Then make me Queen."

She purses her lips at you, then smiles a sharp-toothed smile.

"As you wish."