Shiver sighed as she trudged along the stony path, the cold, damp air emanating from the sea below seemed to pass through her chitin and settle in her chest, stealing away what little warmth she may have had. The ratty cloak she wore did nothing to stop the wind, or keep the rain from soaking her. But then again that was not its function.
The cloak she wore was not meant to protect her from the elements, but rather to conceal her body from any prying eyes that may be present. However, Shiver doubted that there would be any, especially in a storm like this.
It likely wouldn’t matter, however, if some creature did see her. Soon there would be no trace of her presence here, and any search parties would merely assume the witness had to much to drink the night before and was mistaking shrubs and pillars of stone for dragons and hydras.
She felt the bundle on her back shift slightly and she sighed again, the movement providing a sober reminder of why she was taking this trip away from the hive. Picking up the pace, she buzzed her wings slightly in hopes of keeping them quiet, she didn’t know if she could handle it should they start fussing.
She was pulled from her thoughts when the soft crunch of gravel under her hooves disappeared as the path transferred to hard stone and she took her next steps carefully so as to be less affected by the wind that had picked up. As she reached her destination, she removed the bundle from her back and unwrapped part of it to reveal the small face of a hatchling, fresh from the nursery.
The luminescent blue eyes lit up even more than they already were at the sight of her and the hatchling let loose a happy squeak that made Shiver feel even worse for what she was about to do. Checking them over she ensured that they were wrapped securely before continuing.
She traced her eyes along the softly glowing crack the shone brightly on the smaller beings’ face, up from under their chin, to the right of the muzzle and up between their eyes, curling slightly around the base of their horn before disappearing.
The sight of the iridescent blue line brought back the memories of what had led her here, when she had first brought the hatchling before the Queen on the orders of the Head Nurse, who she had brought the hatchling to for evaluation.
The scene stood out in her mind, as if it was just moments ago.
“So this is the one” The Queen asked as she observed the bundle held up by Shiver, eyes tracing over the glowing scar that stretched across their face.
She was able to easily tell that this Hatchling came from the Royal Nursery, the formation of his face and body betraying his nature as nobility to those who knew what to look for.
“Y-yes my Queen, the Head Nurse sent me straight here after I brought them to her” Shiver said trying her best not to tremble visibly in front of the ruler.
“What exactly happened there, leave out no detail.”
Shiver wracked her memory and did her best to keep the stutter out of her voice.
“Well, I had originally brought the hatchling to Head Nurse Scarab for inspection. A-and likely to be Blanked and sent to the drone nursery, as is protocol with d-defective royalty hatchlings” She waved a hoof vaguely at the offending mark before continuing
“But when she went the perform the Blank, well”
“Spit it out nurse” Chrysalis snapped.
“She couldn’t! It was a-almost like, like…”
“They weren’t connected to the hive mind…” She finished grimly, stare now impassive as she gazed at the hatchling, if one knew the Queens expressions especially well they could even say it was bitter.
“Y-yes my queen, Nurse Scarab immediately sent me to you saying you had precautions laid out for such instances”
The Queen nodded slowly at these words, expression hardening into one more stern, a commanding aura exuding from her as she handed the hatchling back to Shiver, her horn lighting up at the same moment with the Queens magic.
Shiver felt the Hive Mind twist and bend as she was given her orders directly from her connection, her eyes widening as she received them, shock filling her body.
Her legs however moved on their own as she began to leave the royal chambers mechanically, guards, workers, and even royals parting in her path as the queen manipulated the minds of her subjects, the tell-tale emerald glow in their eyes revealing it.
If she could weep, she would of, but there was nothing she could do now, she had her orders.
And a changeling never disobeyed their orders.
The sudden increase in intensity of the rain around her broke Shiver from her recollections. She realized that she had almost reached the peak.
Shiver gazed down the side at the long drop below her, fog obscuring the ocean below, hiding it almost completely if not for the sound of seawater crashing against stone and the occasional wave reaching above it.
The light sprinkle had turned to a strong rain, drops slamming against her chitin hard enough for her to feel it push on her entire body. The downpour had thoroughly soaked everything, including herself and her passenger. The hatchling was now quietly crying, unhappy with the chill that now gripped them tight.
Bringing them down from her back she gripped the bundle tightly, feeling her foreleg lock around them as she held them close. She lightly bounced the younger, hoping to at least calm them somewhat before what was to come.
“It’s ok” She said as she took a step forward.
“I’m here” Another step.
“I’m sorry for this” only a couple more
“I have my orders” One more
“But a least were in this together”
They fell, the open air whistled past them as the fog fast approached. Soon they were within the fog, all sight obscured by gray.
Shiver curled her body tight around the hatchling and went still as her last orders echoed through her mind, compelling her even now.
Make your way to the sea
Find the highest point
Hold the hatchling
Fall
Die
She knew that Changelings couldn’t, shouldn’t cry, but on the way down she swore that she shed a tear, just one.
“I’m so sorry” She muttered to the hatchling; a look of sorrow etched onto her face in her final moments. The hatchling continued to stare at her, confused at the events that were taking place around them.
It was some comfort she supposed. They died before they were even aware of what death was.
And then they hit the water.
And Shiver fulfilled her Orders.
