Work Text:
Ogrim was the white defender, he held such pride to know he was one of the few bugs who the King had chosen as his royal guard. One of the five strongest bugs within the kingdom! His burrowing ability was only second to those garpedes and burrowing worms.
It would technically mean he was in third but he was still very great at burrowing! And especially in feces, those were his favourite to burrow in due to its scent and the smooth texture. It helped him emit an heroic odour that made others respect and acknowledge him!
He enjoyed the company of the Queen, she was kind and caring of others. It was a good trait to have, just like the strong Isma! The other guardians respected Ogrim for his strength and he went especially well with Hegemol for his humour and Isma for her cheerful personality.
Why, he’d refer to the three of them the jovial trio of the knights! He was so happy that he had been chosen for this position.
Ogrim didn’t notice things going awry immediately, too caught up in the knowledge that the king and queen would be getting eggs , heirs to the throne! It was a jovial occurrence, to know of an heir that was on the way.
Thus, it wasn’t until Isma started to act strange that he noticed something was awry.
The first time it happened, he simply dismissed it as Isma being tired. She wasn’t as joyful or lively when she was off like that, but she still performed her duties perfectly like always. Ogrim doubted that anyone other than him, and possibly Hegemol, noticed that something was off with her during those moments.
And when she returned to ‘herself’ once more she always seemed to be ill at ease. As if she was on guard but trying to hide it from others. Ogrim approached her about this and assured her that she could always come to him if she needed assistance!
Ogrim had never seen her so horrified before.. and she had run away before he could ask her what was wrong.
Ogrim wanted to speak with her again, but that disease, that disease appeared out of nowhere and the knights spread out to investigate it. The whole kingdom was in an uproar about it and as knights, they had a duty to the kingdom!!
He just wished he had more time to talk with Isma. Because the next time they managed to meet, she looked worried beyond belief. She had derailed into a panic and told him to run far from the palace, far from the Queen and Isma herself. He was so confused, she didn’t make *sense*. She wasn’t the cause for the infection so why should he leave her?
But she confessed to him that she hadn’t been herself, that she was the cause… so he ran away like she asked.
He was determined to save his friend, save his kingdom so he hid within the waterways. Where feces gathered and no one wanted to approach because of the smell.
There he waited. Waited and watched as the world he knew crumbled under this plant infection. He watched his friends and people wander around, controlled by this-. This plant as if they had been stripped of their will
He managed to save the watcher of the city through clever digging and took him to safety before those root creatures could get to him and his assistant. Deepnest and the royal waterways had become two safe locations from this plague. With the watcher’s help, they made contact with Monomon. And together they’d put a stop to this, the few bugs who survived joined the two safe zones. The mantises never allowed anyone to enter their abode… which was wise in retrospect.
When the results came out that the Queen was the source of this plague, Ogrim didn’t want to believe it. He refused to believe it. For such a kind individual to cause this? To doubt the person his king had chosen to have by his side? Impossible! Unthinkable! He was loyal to both of them! They were royalty and he was a royal knight who served them!
He promised Isma to run away and survive. But he wouldn’t take down the monarchy to do so!
At least… until their children arrived.
Ogrim could immediately recognise them as the King and Queen’s spawn. How couldn’t he when he had known them so well and knew they’d have offspring?
But they said the Queen was the cause of this… them as well.
No! He refused to believe it! He wouldn’t believe it! No!
And so they battled.
And so he lost…
They tried to convince him again, convince him of lies, lies, lies. But the watcher approached then… reminded him of all he had seen… of his fellow knight’s condition, especially Isma’s predicament. Whose grove he had so dutifully protected. How these roots were white and glowing in the same light as the queens…
And so he yielded…
He agreed to help the young royalty to rid of the monster their queen had become. He helped them free Isma from her mind control and mourned her passing. For he knew she wouldn’t survive… he left before they did, to prepare with the watcher after he had heard her last words. To put off his mourning until their task was finished.
Once given the signal, he, along with the other allies the royalties had gathered, stormed the castle and did battle against the roots of the higher being. He was so happy to see Isma, alive and well, as well as his other fellow knights.
All except Dryya…
Ogrim saw her standing in front of the throne room gates, motionless like a statue. Just like the others that had been overtaken by roots… their movements were usually slow during this state. He needed to save his friend!
And so he went on the attack first, claw raised in preparation to stroke. But before he could strike at her, she had reacted to his presence and turned to pierce her nail through his shell, much faster than an infected should've reacted.
He looked into her eyes as he hung there and could see the regret in her expression.
She was fully aware…
His body was tossed away like a discarded toy and Ogrim let himself fall and roll, in too much shock to react to it in any way.
She had been a traitor all along…
He just didn’t want to see it.