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[Hollow Knight] Dryya x Traitor Lord

Requested by ChickenZebra

Dryya had always been known as a fierce warrior and a loyal friend.
She had great respect for her fellow knights and was always willing to listen to worries and offer her advice.

So Dryya had been just as heartbroken as Ze'mer when the Mantis Tribe denied her the union with the one she loved so dearly.
Especially since there was nothing Dryya could do to change what had happened, or comfort her dear friend in such a state.

Then, as if to add to all the horrible things that had happened to the knights recently, the Hollow Knight failed and the Infection began to take over again.

Chaos abruptly began and the Five Knights did their best to attempt to calm the panic.

Hegemol helped seal of the capital and retreated to the higher areas of Hallownest.
Ogrim and Isma stayed in the sealed off city and suddenly disappeared.
And when Ze'mer heard the news that her beloved lover was dead, retreated to her house to mourn.

Dryya had not seen any of them in quite a while, but faithful continued her duties.

She was quite busy with so many of them, but she remained steadfast in her resolve to continue to faithfully perform her role in the crumbling kingdom.

Sometimes she felt that resolve was driving her mad.

But nevertheless, she continued.

Today she had been sent to resolve a conflict with the slowly falling apart Mantis Tribe. One of their Lords (the one who had caused Ze'mer's misery and grief) had been saying that all they had to do to be stronger was embrace the Infection.

His sisters were calling him a lunatic and a traitor. Which... to be fair... he was.

But Dryya had been sent to assist the Sisters in whatever it was they planned to do with their brother.

When she arrived in the Village there was total chaos. Infected mantis were attacking the ones with their own free mind and Dryya immediately stepped in to assist in the slaughter of the Infected.

Once they had been reasonably suppressed, the Great Knight found the Sisters of Battle, angrily shouting at their brother.

"There is only one acceptable punishment for this kind of behavior!" One of them shouts.

"I say we ignore our traditions of banishment and just kill him ourselves due to the danger our people have been in because of him!" Another spoke.

"No." The third spoke calmly, malice in her voice, "We must not stoop to his level. We will banish him and his followers to Deepnest."

"I will assist you." Dryya spoke up, causing all the Mantis Lords to turn their attention to her, "I have been ordered to do so."

The Sisters nod.

"You may deal with our brother, we have his followers to retrieve." The other three leave the door to Deepnest open.

Dryya holds her nail defensively.

"Lady Dryya, you wish to be strong enough to protect the people?" The traitor says.

"I have a clear enough mind to know who my enemies are." Dryya tries to shut down the conversation as she pushes him to Deepnest.

"But do you have the strength to defeat the alone?" He asks her. "Your loyalty and courage have always been traits I admire about you."

"Then you should've thought about those things when you destroyed the love of my dear friend!" Dryya pierces clean through his exoskeleton, causing him to panic and flee into the beasts' den.

She turns around and watches the sisters lead their brother's followers to go after him, to where the beasts would most likely destroy them.

"Thank you. We can manage ourselves from now on." One of them spoke after the last had gone and the door was closed.

"I understand. But please do tell us if you require our assistance." Dryya nods.

The Infection was still worsening.

Soon there would be no one left.

Dryya found herself now guarding a sealed up White Lady in her gardens, a task proving to be difficult due to all the mantis that had fled to the area.

Every time she cut one down a new one would take its place, there was no end to them.

"I'm sorry, my Queen." Dryya thought as they finally began to overwhelm her, "I have failed to protect you."

The Infected mantis did not know why he found remorse over the bug. All he did know was that she was important, that he wanted to protect them.

So that's what he would do. He would stay here and protect the one he felt compassion for until he was met with death.

No matter who it was. He would destroy any who came too close to them until he let out his dying breath.