A Familiar Void

Chapter 49

Henrietta stared at the Insect in front of her.

From where she was standing, she assumed that they were currently in the 'main center' of Tarbes. As that was where she had directed to go when one of the guards had approached her about an Insect that had wanted to meet her.

At the time, while she was trying to help heal some of the villagers, soldiers, and even some of the Albion Nobles currently being held captive, she had almost dismissed them. But when told that it was apparently the Queen of Hallownest, she was surprised.

She hadn't expected to see her so soon, especially after such an attack. She assumed that she'd hole herself and her citizens within Hallow Nest while the whole thing was happening, waiting for things to blow over.

Apparently, as she stood staring at the Black Eyes of this Insect Queen, she was wrong.

Queen Hornet stood with an entourage of her own guards, not much different from the ones that she had seen helping her own at Tarbes. With the sole exception being the weapons that they carried.

Soul Wands that glinted in the sun.

Honestly, if it wasn't for the pile of corpses that they had carried with them, that would probably be the most intimidating thing about the queen and her entourage of guards.

Speaking off corpses.

Henrietta eyed the bodies wrapped in the 'Silk', Oh by Brimir she hoped that it wasn't actually produced by the Insect in front of her, with a slight hint of apprehension. Even if most of the bodies that she saw were from Albion, she couldn't help but wince at seeing some of the bodies were Mages and thus Nobles.

Albion wasn't going to be very happy.

But then again, they did attack first.

Still despite the uneasiness that she was feeling, Henrietta steeled herself and walked forward to meet with the Insect Queen. The Guards around her similarly steeled themselves, gripping their weapons in case this initial meeting turned sour.

The sight of the Insect Queen was an odd one to her.

A bright red dress that went down to her 'Knees', seemingly unadorned with anything it was just a simple red dress almost looking like a red cloth was draped over her. Her head, or skull or whatever an Insect's head was meant to be, was a stark white that even in the sun seemed to glow a pale white, almost enough that she could see it.

And then her eyes.

It reminded her of it.

A village in ruins, with bodies strewn about.

It appeared in a flash of darkness and disappeared just the same.

A weapon glowing a pale white glow.

A grey cloak that covered its body.

Black eyes on a White Shell.

If she didn't know better, she would've thought that they were siblings. But she pushed aside such thoughts, lest she accidentally direct her anger to one that had nothing to do with the terrors that it had committed.

Instead she made a polite motion of a curtsy and introduced herself to the Queen "Greetings, Your Majesty Hornet, I am Henrietta De Tristain, princess to the throne." She looked the Insect in the eye, but made sure to keep her face neutral. "An honour to meet you."

The Insect Queen, oddly enough, seemed a bit at loss at her greeting. Staring at her for a few moments, before she tilted her body slightly forward, in what Henrietta could only assume was a bow.