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It was the middle of the night when Hornet appeared in his room, silently and abruptly. Her scarlet cloak was an eye piercing through the dark.
He had a feeling he knew what was going on, but he still asked. “Why haven't you slept yet?”
Hornet was about to respond, but the fatherly tone of the king's question had stopped her. She responded without giving it much thought. “Father, you also haven't slept yet.”
The king sighed softly and decided not to argue with her. "Is there anything happening?"
“Yes.” Answered Hornet. “It's Hollow, they have a nightmare again.”
As expected, the king thought to himself. This is the fourth time of the week, that poor child…
“The little one cannot calm them down this time?” His question needed no answer. It was clear that little Ghost was unable to soothe their sibling, which was why Hornet was here.
“They might be able to. But Hollow needs you the most anyway. You know that, Father.”
The king was already on his feet. “Yes, I know that.”
When he arrived, the room was mostly dark. The only light in there came from a Lumafly lantern. Ghost was there, sitting cross-legged on top of their sibling's chest. The dim light from the lantern reflected on their mask, making them appear even more like a pale ghost.
Ghost got to their feet as soon as they saw him. They turned to Hollow and seemed to have a silent conversation with their sibling before jumping down and heading out of the room. They gave him a quick glance with their unreadable, empty eyes before disappearing into Hornet's room. He then heard his daughter's silk friend shout something. Hornet, who was standing in the hallway, suddenly dashed back to her room to solve the situation. Leaving the king alone with Hollow.
When they saw him, they sat up nervously, looking guilty. The bed was obviously too small for them.
The king sat on the bedside. His light glowed softly next to the Lumafly lantern. "Seems like you've been visiting Grimm's realm quite often lately." He teased.
Hollow hunched into themselves even more. They brought their knee up to their chest and grabbed his sleeve with only two fingers. They still acted this way only around him, afraid to express their desires.
“It’s alright, child. We already had a talk, remember?” He said. "Allow yourself to think and feel. You do so with your sibling but not with me.”
Because it was him who made them this way. The king reminded himself. It was his fault.
Hollow’s tense shoulders relaxed a bit. Stretching their legs, they let go of his sleeve and point shyly to his lap.
The king was stunned for a few heartbeats before coming to his senses. “Oh, you mean you want to…of course, child, you can. Come here.”
He steadied himself on the bed, then motioned Hollow to lie on their stomach, carefully guiding their head into his lap. His frame was obviously too small for his child to sleep on. Their weight was serious. The king felt himself being squeezed into the bed.
He chuckled faintly. “Apparently, I made you grow too big.”
Hollow held the hem of his robe with their remaining hand. Pleased.
The king began rubbing their horns, and Hollow nearly melted. If they had a voice, they would probably be purring by now.
“Do not expect me to sing you a lullaby, I certainly cannot.” He said. "Your sister once asked me to sing for her when she was young, and your mother forced me to. It was rather embarrassing.”
Hollow raised their hand and signed a short sentence. Father’s song surly wonderful
“No, honestly, it was not.” He laughed nervously, "Ask your sister tomorrow. When she heard me sing, it seemed as if something inside of her had broken. Probably her faith in me. Your mother has never forced me to sing since."
Hollow's body shook silently, possibly from laughter.
He was relieved to see that their mood had improved. "Would you mind telling me about your nightmares, child?"
Hollow paused for a moment before raising their hand. Same. Me, in there again.
His chest ached upon receiving an answer. “I see.”
No longer frightens me. Hollow signed, slowly and clumsily due to their lack of a hand. Not to mention that they were still new to this method of communication. Just a little unpleasant.
He could hear his voice trembling with guilt. “Child, I…”
But Hollow pressed their mask against his abdomen, cutting off his sentence midway. Their hand moved more quickly. Just be with me. I will be fine. That’s all I ever want.
“All you ever want?” He asked.
Father. With me. Hollow signed.
“And I will be, child. I promise.” The king rubbed their horns again. “I love you. I promise.”
Hollow returned their hand to his robe, holding it like a baby grub.
The night went by peacefully before the king spoke again. "Although I can't sing you a lullaby, how about I tell you some stories? Does that interest you, child?"
Hollow appeared to have dozed off for a while. They looked up at the king and signed. Yes. Please.
He kept rubbing their horns, then began his stories. His voice was quiet and calm. Hollow was slowly lulled into sleep, this time there was no nightmare, no dream at all.
When He looked down at his child on his lap again, they were already asleep.
It was difficult to tell whether Hollow was asleep or not because the holes in their mask were not like normal bug eyes. They could not close. But Hollow stayed still, their mask looked calm and serene. So the king assumed they had already fallen asleep. He let out a sigh, then realized his mistake.
He was paralyze, with his child's weight pressing on his body. He could not move Hollow’s head to the pillow without the risk of waking them up, which meant he would have to stay in this position for the rest of the night.
This must have been uncomfortable. By tomorrow, he would be aching all over his body. Actually, his back and thighs were screaming right now.
The king glanced around the room looking for help, and then he saw Hollow’s little sibling.
Ghost had entered the room without him noticing. The tiny figure blended in strangely well with the darkness. Their small white masks were illuminated by the king's pale light, creating an otherworldly appearance. Again, the king thought it made sense for his daughter to name them Ghost.
As Ghost walked closer to the bed, the king could see a faint crack across their mask. Little Vessel hopped onto the bed and curled up next to Hollow's body. Preparing to sleep as well.
He had no choice but to lean against the headboard, trying to make himself as comfortable as possible given his position.
“Thank you for letting me stay with them. The king murmured quietly in the dark. Not knowing if Ghost was listening. "I know there is nothing I can do to make amends for my actions, but this is the least I can do for Hollow."
Ghost did not respond. They rarely interact with others, especially with him, but the king had the feeling that they understand everything.
“There is nothing I can do to amends for all of you but…” He hesitated, his hand hovering around before tentatively placing it between Ghost's horns. That action was met with an immediate response. Ghost sat up abruptly, causing the king to pull his hand back slightly. Both exchanged glances in the darkness before the king tried again. He gently rubbed Ghost's head, as he had with Hollow. Ghost remained motionless for a full minute before yielding. They lay back down again.
He chuckled faintly. Just now, the king realized that this was the first time this Lord of Shade had allowed him to touch them. Their mask felt cold and smooth. He noticed that their horns were slightly smaller than Hollow's when they were young, but apart from that, they looked identical. With some remorse lingering, he recalled Hollow from their youth. Their body fit perfectly in his lap. When they sat, their tiny horns would occasionally brush against his chin.
"You remind me of Hollow when they were younger, you look nearly identical." The king murmured. It was as if he was speaking to the darkness of the room, not knowing whether Ghost was listening.
"I've never encountered another vessel…I mean your other siblings, so I'm not sure if this is the most you can grow." He took a quick glance at Ghost's tiny body. “I made Hollow grow unnaturally large… too large, if I must say. Because they need to be strong enough for…their duty. But I do suspect what their normal growth rate is, however."
Ghost made no response, and the king assumed they had fallen asleep. Yet, they suddenly raised their hand and signed. Some like me. Some taller than me. But none as tall as big sibling.
The king halted at that. Ghost had never communicated before, even with Hornet. When she found a bug who offered to teach Hollow sign language, Ghost accompanied them at all times, but they never showed that they had learned it too. For a discarded vessel, Ghost was seemingly the most hollowed out of all.
He remained in shock as Ghost went on. Not matter anymore. They all back to shades now.
“You can talk?”
Ghost lifted their head to give him a quick glance. The king thought their empty eyes looked annoyed. Can’t. I use hands.
"I mean, you have never communicated with us before. So I thought you…” He paused for a beat. "You can think then."
We all can. You too dumb to know. Ghost looked even more annoyed.
The king frowned. The last time someone was this rude to him, it was Herrah, and she was also the queen. A mortal queen, yes, but he reluctantly accepted her attitude toward him. This little vessel was a different story. There were just…
They were just his child. A child he had abandoned. His frustration subsided quickly.
“You were right, I have no right to question about that. I apologized, Ghost.” He said softly.
Ghost dropped their head back onto the bed and remained silent. They had finally fallen asleep this time. The king leaned against the headboard again, intending to sleep as well. Hollow moved slightly on his lap, causing his back and torso to scream once more.
Ghost would turn over and press their body against his hands every now and then throughout the night. Their tiny frame fit perfectly into the king's palms, and as he held them close with his hand, they would unintentionally snuggle against him in their sleep.
The king initially thought he would never sleep well with the weight of Hollow pressing on him, but he eventually fell asleep.
When morning came, the one who woke him up was Hornet.
He opened his eyes to find his daughter looking at him. There was a glimpse of a soft smile in her eyes. "I suppose I've dropped down the ranks now. She said.
He was still half asleep. His lower body was no longer feeling anything. "What rank?" He asked, puzzled.
“Your favorite child.” Hornet said mockingly. She tapped Hollow's mask with her small hand. "Hollow, wake up. You are going to crush father flat soon.”
“I am fine.” He did not feel fine. He noticed that Ghost was already gone.
On his lap, Hollow woke up. They lifted their heads from him, and the king felt his hemolymph flow again.
Hollow gave the king a shy glance and signed an apology.
The king laughed. "I am paralyzed now, child."
“Hollow is sooooo heavy.” Hornet's voice was full of empathy. “I let them sleep on my lap once, I almost die.”
Hollow got even more embarrassing. They tugged on the hem of Hornet’s cloak, gesturing for her to stop testing them. They turned to him and signed again. I am sorry.
“It’s alright, child.” He massaged his thigh, amused.
“Meet us outside then.” Hornet said. "I had left Lace with Ghost. They can't get along for a single second. I don’t want them to burn down the kitchen. There are not many houses left in Dirtmouth.
Hornet left the room.
“Alright then.” Said the king. “You will have to carry me for a while, I can’t walk right now.”
Hollow nodded, and they easily scooped him up with their remaining arm before getting on their feet as if he weighed nothing.
"The next time you want me to lull you to sleep, consider sleeping on a pillow. I will just sit beside you." He teased.
Hollow averted his gaze and walked out of the bedroom to meet others.