The Hollowed Melody

Two Strings

L,, Lacenet,,, that's it,, just gæ bug time :) expect a lot of Lacenet because it's my favorite ship 🥺

A quiet picking of an instrument had been bugging Lace for a long while. She at first tried to ignore it, but every now and then the sound would return. Though she preferred to be in Deep Docks she'd occasionally pass by the entrance to Moss Grotto where the sound would come into fruition. It was a not very graceful sound, just a single pick of a string that made a monotone ding, as if the musician was not satisfied with the music they attempted to play. Lace, though aforementioned to be annoyed by it, found herself sitting at the mossy entrance. She quietly listened to the now becoming familiar sound. She admittedly loved the sound of music, specifically the bell as it was a sacred melody to Pharloom, she was not very familiar with newer musicians though as all she felt was annoyance. She herself was somewhat talented in terms of playing as she had been conceived around it though rather rusty, she felt even a bit tempted to go teach the newer musician a thing or two about playing. Sometimes she envied her younger self who once hated having to get every note perfect, nowadays she had to listen to every sound around her as they could be caused by something wanting to rip her life away. She had closed her eyes as she listened, but then heard nothing. The sound of a frustrated groan made her eyes open, almost making her want to laugh at the suffering bug.

Curiosity took her over as she stood up and entered the moss filled area, deciding to look for the musician. She carefully stepped across the rocks and green below her, the sight of dead moss bugs catching her attention. She became a bit apprehensive as she approached the area where the sound had originated from, taking out her golden pin. She climbed up a rock face, then carefully peeked over. As if her timing was perfect, a more beautiful harmony was played so passionately as her sight was opened up to an old, dark, church looking building. As her eyes peered down from the old stone to where her attention was caught to a being wearing a red-magenta cloak, they were facing away from her. Their head had two long pale horns, she could not see their face. They appeared quite lithe, two black thin legs being seen from under the cloak that gently swayed in the breeze. Then the sound reassured her that the musician was this being that stood before her, they appeared to be carefully standing on a small stone with excellent balance. They continued to play whatever stringed instrument rested in their hands, Lace beginning to admire the beautiful sound. But as they continued, she heard the sound of the pick they had been practicing which made a rather sordid note compared to the previous chords which made Lace's eyes widen as she had not been expecting it.
"By the gods!" A feminine voice shouted angrily, her arms shot downward against her legs to which what appeared to be a weapon was in one of her hands. Lace snickered at the stranger's frustration, but apparently too loud as the being hesitantly turned around. Lace stared at her in surprise, then quickly ducked back down.

Oh shit... Lace began to panic but then remembered she should not be so afraid. She quickly dismounted up and right in front of the being, making her back up.

"Who are you? And why were you watching me?" The being shouted before Lace could speak. Lace took out her pin and pressed its tip against the being and pushed her away.

"I was about to ask who you were but I suppose it is now my job to answer first." Lace's eyes trailed down to the silver weapon in the being's hands, noticing what appeared to be silk tied from a loop at the end to the tip of its blade. Lace pointed at it with her pin.

"Were you playing that nail?" Lace inquired, the pale faced being quickly looked down then back up to her.

"Yes, why does it matter to you?" The stranger seemed slightly embarrassed but kept up a more threatening demeanor. Lace watched as the being was able to carefully take off the silk, surprising her as no regular bug was able to take off such a substance without it getting stuck to their body. Thoughts sparked up in her mind as she processed the stranger, she realized what she had thought to be a nail was actually a needle. Needles were a common weapon among Weavers, suspicion then raised as she remembered she had been given a job to stop a certain Weaver who had been previously captured. The being in front of her did not resemble one, but the fact she could touch silk made her back off.