Repentance

Bitter Lies, Bitter Truth

The winds beat against her shell, but Hornet resisted the shiver running through her body. She held the gaze of the mantis warrior before her, the other two standing still as a statue. There was a half-eaten carcass leaned beside them and an empty nest.

"You think you're capable of capturing her here?"

"Didn't you come for the same purpose?" She crossed her claws, tilting her head in fake interest.

"You think you're capable of capturing her here?" Despite her even tone, Hornet was fuming on the inside. They didn't follow her, she knew so; she made sure of it. Which meant that either The Lords were already one step ahead of her --something she didn't want to believe-- or that Drools was overheard yesterday.

The mantis didn't bother answering her, lifting her head to watch the sky.

Hornet did the same. "She is not going to come back here."

"The point is to force her out of hiding." The mantis stated simply, as if Hornet should have already knew.

She clenched her fists, sharp nails digging into her shell. It was all she could do not to kill them there. It would only bring trouble.

At least, this way she could keep an eye on them. Hornet saw something dash across the horizon and she hoped Ghost would get to her first.

They would get to her first.

---

You remained tossing and turning that night, not really having the nerve to sleep. Drools left at one point and you didn't bother stopping him. He had been there for you every night you woke up gasping for air, twisting in the made up pain which lingered where the strings cut through.

He was probably tired of comforting you, tired of the no doubt crazed look in your eyes and helping you lie to the Queen who wasn't faring any better. The Hollow Knight's visits weren't as frequent as before and she slowly withdrew, talking less and less.

But what if he wasn't? You couldn't help the silver of doubt which remained at the back of your mind, a Hornet-shaped shadow looming over you. If Drools turned out to be a traitor, it would be all your fault. Even then you still couldn't help but notice how...jaded he had been looking lately. That glint of childish innocence was absent. Drools as a whole was absent; even as you chatted with him, you knew he was lost somewhere else because you were too.

Then there was Ghost who you felt had no right to worry about yet you did all the same. You had tried painstakingly to understand them, but nobody knew what went through their head. You remembered the gentle way they regarded you when you first woke up, fragile and disoriented. Although you had a nail now, a hut and a new duty, you didn't feel any less helpless than you did then. You craved to be held so badly; for someone to kick out the chill that had taken home inside your very core.

It was when Drools came back with hardly contained sobs that you broke down.

You didn't cry. A numbness effortlessly engulfed you, a feeling akin to a fading bruise. Something still hurt deep below and you had to keep prodding at it. Drools held your hand as you continued down the spiral of all the times you'd messed up, all the people who were hurt and all the people whom you'd hurt.

You didn't push him away when he leaned against you, pulling a quilt to better cover your shivering form. If Ghost had hugged you then, you would've recoiled in disgust from yourself. But Drools, you realized, had nothing to do with you or this kingdom. Someone you hadn't wronged yet. Someone who saw something in you worth loving.

He wiped the remains of his own tears before settling down.

The White Lady had let out her own wistful sigh. Even keeping your secret no longer felt as benevolent an act as you first thought it was.