A/N: A shorter chapter than usual, and more set up. Have a fun read!

"City of Tears, City of Tears, City of Tears…" Louise mumbled as she flipped through the pages of the book that was titled 'Tristain's guide to Hallownest and Insects Vol 4'.

Next to her, Bug and Sib were both similarly flipping through their own books. Having followed her example once she started flipping through a couple of books herself.

Normally she'd appreciate the help. But considering Bug was flipping through a Bestiary and Sib was flipping through cook book, she wasn't sure if they could produce any results that she would want.

She shook the thought out of her head and kept flipping through the book as she tried to catch a glimpse of the city that Bug had named.

The city that had produces such vivid memories within her mind.

A city with impossibly tall buildings that reached higher than some castles. With steel walls and glass floors made so abundantly.

The Insects were known of their rather amazing architecture, not as much as their mining capability, but Hallownest was often known to be a place where their houses were built underground. Yet they could hollow out entire cave structures and build an entire city, with buildings that often put castles to shame.

Their most famous city, was the Grape Vine. It was a city that was said to have the roots and vines from Tarbes many grape plantations be used as organic decorations. It was even said that in certain parts of the city, the vines and roots themselves were shaped into houses and buildings for them to live in.

So to hear about a place called the City of Tears, a beautiful city that was apparently built underneath a blue lake, and acted as the Capital of Hallownest.

And to not immediately find it in the many books she had gone through about Hallownest?

The memories of the city being overrun by corpses that walked again was the first sign that something was off, considering she didn't recall anything about Hallownest having been ransacked by walking corpses.

Bug had been insistent about it being the Capitol. When she asked about Grape Vine, it asked if she meant Green Path.

That brought a new series of memories that she didn't want to deal with.

In the end, she found herself looking through book after book to try and find something about a City of Tears.

Putting down the book in her hands, Louise found no such cities. And her pink eyes stared into the image on the front cover of the book she had been reading.

The city of Grape Vine was the background, while a single object was plastered in the middle of it.

It was a red Insect shell, with four fang like horns at one end while a diamond shaped stud was placed at the other. From both sides were it's 'Wings', three membrane shaped wings on each side.

"A Seal of Hallownest? These ornate seals were the official symbols of the King and his Knights, and were treasured by those who carried them."

Her head started to pound again, as memories that weren't hers started to seep into her brain.

"Knights?" She gritted out, wondering why the symbol was making her head spin.

She was brought out of her headache when she felt her left temple cool down. She blinked and turned to see that Bug had walked up to her and had placed its stubby little hands on her forehead.

MASTER?

She sighed and placed her hand on Bug's forehead "Bug," She said turning towards it "I can't find anything about this 'City of Tears'." Her eyebrows furrowed "Are you sure you didn't just imagine it?"

NO.

The answer came immediately.

Her lips pulled into a line as she stared back at the book. Her fingers tapped against the cover of the book, the sound only slightly louder than Sib's continued frantic page flipping.

"Something feels wrong," She shook her head as she tried to massage her temple. She paused in her attempts as she suddenly felt Bug try and to massage for her.

Her hand quickly grabbed its tiny hands before the immense strength inside them could rattle her brains.

She looked into its empty eyes.

She blinked.

And stared at the statue of the adult Void Vessel.

It stood there in the middle of plaza, tall and proud. The centrepiece of a beautiful fountain, surrounded by three other robed figures. Elevated from the ground on what looked like a flower. Water flowed from the petals and into the basin below.

The rain from above continued to fall, and made it seem like the statue itself was crying.

She looked at it, before she lowered her sights to see the plaque.

The words were incomprehensible, save for two.

Hollow Knight.

"This was your Sibling that was chosen wasn't it?" She asked out loud.

At her side it nodded its head.

She closed her eyes.

And opened them again.

"Your Sibling shouldn't be alive, am I right?" she spoke. Even with the words that she couldn't understand, she knew what that kind of statue was.

It was a memorial, to honour those that had fallen.

YES.

"The one that attacked us back in Albion, that was the Hollow Knight wasn't it?"

Bug hesitated, silent for a moment, but it nodded.

YES…

Louise sighed and pulled her hand away "I can see why it was chosen to fight this Ancient Enemy of yours." Her hand went to her stomach again "But I don't understand why it would attack us though…"

I DO NOT KNOW.

"Shame," She reached up and pulled her Familiar's hand away from her forehead "Well, if anything we can probably ask this Pale King about it."

Bug tilted its head, and she heard Sib pause in its frantic page flipping.

She raised an eyebrow "What, do you think I'm just ignore what he did to you?" She reached forward and gave her Familiar a pat on a head "The leader of Hallownest is going to be present during the wedding, and I'm gonna have a few words with him. If not at the wedding, we can go there afterwards."

Bug could only stare at her.

Louise stood up, brushing aside her Familiar's hands on her forehead as she did, and stretched her body "Though I am still curious about this City of Tears," She complained "Maybe we can head towards Hallownest before the wedding, I always wanted to see that place."

[Scene]

"I can't believe I'm headed towards that dreadful kingdom," Count Mott complained as he approached the carriage that he had prepared for his trip.

Just a few days after his return trip from Romalia, the Palace Messenger found himself receiving another order.

This time, however, he had been graced with an entire entourage from the palace. And the reason was very clear when he read the scroll.

A personal invitation to the 'King' of Hallownest for the wedding between Princess Henrietta De Tristain and Germania's Emperor.

His face pulled into a scowl at the mere mention of the Kingdom, but he had no choice. Personal feelings meant nothing to his job. And when the palace deemed it necessary to send him protection, well that just meant that not taking the job was tantamount to treason.

"Did you dislike the Insects my lord?" The one that had lead the entourage of guards questioned the Noble. He was the only one riding a Griffin, instead of horses. He also had a Sword Wand instead of a normal blade by his hip. With the wide brimmed hat and the cloak, it told Mott that he was another Noble like him.

"I have no love for those creatures," He answered easily, ignoring the rather irritated looks of his guards. "The commoners may enjoy their presence, but I see them as a blight upon Halkegania. Just because of their Golems, their buildings, and their attempts in joining the merchant trade, they think that they're important enough to be guests of honours for the wedding." He shrugged with a grin "I'd say something about what her Highness is thinking of, but I would be overstepping my bounds."

He ignored the angry muttering of his guards.

"But they are useful," He admitted, looking at a few Lumafly Lanterns that dotted his estate. They were pretty "And I hear that some of the," He paused as his eyebrows furrowed "Women? The females, tend to have lovely singing voices." He shook his head "If only they weren't so ugly, I would've employed some of them here."

"I see." The guard nodded his head.

"What of you?" Count Mott asked as he climbed into his carriage "Do you see the Insects more favourably?"

The guard gripped the brim of his hat and pulled it over his eyes. His mouth stayed stoic as he simply shook his head "I do not."

Mott wisely acknowledged the response. "What is your name?" He asked.

The Noble lifted his head and bowed as properly as he could upon his steed "I am Viscount Jean-Jacques Francis de Wardes, captain of the Griffin Knights. At your service."

"I see." Mott's eyes widened, understanding the response he had received. He himself bowed towards the guard "Then I Count Mott, am honoured to have you. Please protect us during this trip. We are in your care."

"As it my pleasure to guide you."

"Well men, let's be off!" Mott ordered, his voice spurring his entourage to move "We head towards Tarbes, and then Hallownest!"

Wardes followed by the carriage, a smile on his face.

[Scene]

"What are you happy about?"

Percepteur turned to one of the guards that were standing by the Lexington.

They were loading the warship with the necessary supplies for their trip. Food, clothes, weapons, and enough ammunition to wipe out the Tristain fleet.

The man looked over the ship. White eyes staring at the cannons that he had upgraded, glancing at the sails that he had enhanced. Then he reached out, and touched the ship.

For a split moment it glowed.

Symbols incomprehensible to human eyes flashed over the ship.

"Fuck!"

There was a crash as a few of the men that were transporting the items suddenly fell over.

"Damn it man, watch where you're going!"

"Don't look at it. Tell the jack ass in front of me to keep moving."

"Hey asshole I didn't do a thing. You fell over by yourself."

Percepteur laughed under his breath "I am simply excited." He answered the question of the guard "I've heard many things about Hallownest, and I wonder if my upgrades can help in your attempts to take it down."

"Oh," the guard looked more than a little confused "Well you might be disappointed, because the Lexington isn't going to fit into shit hole that the Insects live in. Caves and airships don't work together you know."

"Won't it now?" Percepteur hummed "What a shame, and here I thought you could make use of the cannon upgrades and the barriers."

He walked away from the warship, eying the rest of the dock as more and more ships were being prepared.

He kept walking, leaving the docks as he entered into the castle once more.

And crossed paths with the corpse of Prince Wales.

Black eyes stared into white ones.

"Greetings spirit, are you excited for what is to come?" Percepteur waved, the scarf hid his smile.

Blue eyes widened, before he closed as their owner bowed "Hello sir, are you referring to the invasion?"

"Oh don't be like that," Percepteur walked in closer both of his hands behind his back, his taller height allowed him to loom over the corpse "We can all feel it can't we?"

Red eyes opened before they narrowed in confusion "What do you mean?"

Percepteur crossed his arms as another gestured to the window, where the sun was shining in the sky "We all know what I'm talking about." Another arm poked him in the chest "And I'm asking you, if you're excited?"

Orange flashed over his eyes, before they turned black, before they snapped back to blue. Wales stumbled back as his hands went to his head.

Percepteur leaned in closer "Oh don't worry little spirit." The hand that had been poking him in the chest reached up and patted him on the head "Once you know where you belong, It'll be fine."

Red eyes peeked through the fingers.

The four armed figure looked at him from behind a glass wall, those white eyes promised protection, promised safety.

As long as the spirit remained in his collection.

Wales stumbled backwards, his blue eyes wide in panic as Percepteur looked at him.

Once more he was just a man with two arms, covered head to toe in cloth that hid his figure.

The corpse of Prince Wales turned away and ran.

Percepteur watched.

[Scene]

Montmorency stared up at the sun.

The heat didn't bother her; the blinding light didn't bother her.

The Water Mage just continued to stare up at the burning orb with her blue eyes.

"I won't go easy…"

She turned away from the sun and forced her attention back towards the book on the table.

A page that had the recipe for a potion.

"Whatever that Familiar of yours did me Louise, I can get rid of it." She moved from the table and started gathering the rest of the ingredients for her potion.

She paused as she noticed that she was missing an important ingredient.

She let out a frustrated growl, but she reigned in her anger.

"Calm down Montmorency," She took a deep breath and picked up an empty vial. She stared at it, her orange eyes reflecting off the glass "I guess I need to pay a visit to the Water Spirit in the future if I wann-"

Her grip on the vial suddenly tightened, and it shattered in her hands.

She gritted her teeth as the glass shards stabbed into her skin.

She glared at her palms, her blue eyes staring into the reflected orange ones "You're not stopping me." She growled at the reflection.

Unaware that she was grinning the whole time.