No Heart to Love [PURE VESSEL x READER]

<{PROLOGUE}>

>Rewritten: 01/03/2022

Thousands upon thousands of tiny, white-shelled vessels stood in lines, with horns of all sizes and shapes being the only distinction amongst the creatures born of god and void. 

Several tried to stand out, unable to truly reach this goal, oblivious to the fact that any simple detail or imperfection could spell death for them. Oblivious to how that simple gasp they let out after seeing their own King, their own father, kicking one of their siblings into the endless abyss below, meant that they would be the next child to be sent spiraling downwards to the depths to join their kin. 

Those who knew of this questioned the actions of the King: Did he feel any guilt or pain, throwing his own spawn to their deaths, even if to his view it was for the good of the Kingdom?

First, he disposed of the most obviously weak children, those who were small, deformed, or showed outwardly fear, repulsion, sadness, anger.. All and any child who expressed such traits or similar was thrown away as if simple pieces of garbage.. And yes, at first he was barely capable of looking at the children, confused and afraid as they heard their siblings' necks snap and their shells break.

But this brutal routine went on for hours and days, desensitizing the King as time passed and he grew more desperate and the infection spread, and he still saw himself unable to find the right vessel. Now to this point, he was so tired, so desperate, so cold, he was not even fazed by the sight of the abyss' walls, conformed by the thousands of empty, broken shells of his children.

The only other being who was aware of what he had been doing to his own children, was, of course, the Root known as the White Lady. Unlike him, she was absolutely terrified and saddened, refusing to speak to him, refusing to even look at him in the eye or stay in the same room as himself. But by now, the King had lost the ability to comprehend her reaction.

He might have been kicking innocent bugs, barely hatched from their eggs, into the dark abyss, completely aware and because of the feelings they show, but it was his only option, and it was for the greater good! 

What are the lives of disposable beings that weren't supposed to have feelings in the first place, compared to his immortal kingdom, free of the painful, bright blight? The eternal happiness of his subjects, their worship of him.. Yes, this was all for the greater good. If there were other options, he certainly would've used them. Now, it is his last resort.. 

Atleast, that's what he had convinced himself of.

However, he wished to see his queen smile again. He loved her so dearly, as much or even more so than he loved his loyal subjects. Each moment in which he remembered her, his heart hurt as if thorns of pure cold, unfeeling void and agony embraced it until it bled out.

No cost too great...

He reminded himself, with a shaky sigh, letting the vision of his Lady fade away, replaced with that of Deepnest- There he saw himself with Herrah, the Beast Queen of the savage Deepnest. He felt weak for the first time in his long life, weak and small before the Beast, especially remembering the purpose of his visit.

The Pale King had made an agreement with three powerful and famous bugs of Hallownest, his Dreamers. They would sacrifice their life, falling in eternal sleep to seal his Vessel when the time came. Even if the Infection corrupted his Vessel, it would be contained perfectly. It made perfect sense.

However, one of these Dreamers, Herrah, wanted something in exchange for her seal.

An heir to her throne.

A child.

And, seeing as her mate had died.. 

I had no choice.