My Post Infection AU [Hollow Knight]

Part 4: Hive of Glass

Vessel woke with a terrified scream the following morning. She felt as though she hadn't slept at all. The dream still fresh in her mind didn't make much sense to her either.

There was something about a bee and an ooma? Maybe the Uumuu? Followed by a massive shade with eight eyes looking in rage upon a golden figure. This was, of course, before Vessel had found herself falling over the edge of the fountain again. But instead of her father's piercing glare it felt like she was staring into her own reflection.

She also had a horrible headache that wasn't really helping her think about it. Maybe she should head to Fog Canyon? The Hive?
Now that Vessel thought about it, no one had gone to see what had happened to the bees, it's possible they drowned in the water from the City of Tears.
But who was that golden figure? It made Vessel mad just thinking about them, like they had some impossibly hard challenge that no one like very much. Unless they were a fan of death and difficulty.

The tired queen groaned, burring her face in two pairs of hands, unaware of the moth that had come to see if she was ok.

"That was quite the shriek. Are you ok?" Stardust asks, a little amused at the being of void's distress.

"Yeah, I'm ok now. I didn't get ambushed or something if that's what you're concerned about." Vessel stands up, touching the wall to get her balance and walks over to the door. Stardust stood back so the queen could exit.

"Did you have a nightmare? With the Dream Realm in shambles I'm certain the balance has been thrown off and the Nightmare Heart has much more power." Stardust asks, not having fond experience with the Nightmare Realm.

"Not exactly. Just bad memories resurfacing to haunt me." Vessel says walking through the now much wider corridor, "Did someone call a gardener to come? I believe this walk way was much more of a squeeze yesterday."

"Yes actually, a group came while you were away and carefully started removing the thorns and another group started making the passageways much more..." Stardust pauses looking for the correct word to use.

"Walkable?" Vessel finishes.

"Yes, but not quite. More like... not a giant death maze." Stardust laughs slightly.

Both of them laugh at the accuracy of that wording.

"Why were there that many saws anyway? Where did they get the funding for that?!?" Vessel questions.

"Oh, your majesty! Lady Stardust! Good morning." One of the people assisting with the repairs of the castle greet, holding a massive pair of clippers to cut through the vines of thorns.

"Good morning." Vessel returns the greeting cheerfully, with a slight headache still. "Thank you for clearing these thorns out, the difference is very noticeable."

"Well, just, uh, doing my job." The light bug says embarrassedly.

"It's paying off. Keep up the good work." Vessel smiles at them before leading Stardust to the entrance to the castle. "Did anyone check on the Hive at all?" Vessel gets straight down to the things on her mind.

"Oh sh- Hi Ogrim!" Stardust cuts herself off as she sees the Dung Defender approaching.

"Hello Stardust, Queen Vessel. How are you this pleasant morning?" The knight asks cheerfully.

"I'm doing well, thank you. I was just asking if anyone had visited Vespa or her hive since the Infection disappeared." Vessel tells him.

Ogrim has a similar reaction to Stardust with an 'Oh no' expression immediately coming to his face.

"Did we seriously forget about them?" Vessel asks both of the people next to her, "I get their hive was in a rather hidden location but that's a little ridiculous!"