The Lady of the Astral Clocktower.
Maria was currently resting in her favorite chair within the foyer of the Astral Clocktower when she felt a weathered hand rest on her shoulder and nudge her awake. "Mmmmn… Hm?" She mumbled looking up to find Gehrman smiling at her warmly. "Gaile and Nerco are here, they have a favor to ask" He said as she nodded and stood up from the chair and walked forward as Gaile and Nerco slowly walked up the small staircase that led to the foyer. "Gaile, Nerco." Maria said with a nod to the two as they returned the gesture. "Gehrman says that you've a favor to ask of me?" She questioned as the two nodded. "I know I have no right to ask this of you Maria, especially after having gone through it once already but My daughter may have been taken by one of the dominant hives in the Nightmare." Nerco said as Maria's eyes widened in shock. "They've taken Flora?" Maria said as Gaile shook his head. "We don't know for sure but she's been missing for more than sixteen days now and Nerco is really starting to worry." Gaile said as Maria fixed him with a hard look. "And you aren't?" She asked as Gaile's face hardened in return. "Of course I'm worried that's my daughter out there!" Gaile said in a raised voice.
At this, Maria nodded. "If Flora has been taken by the hive there's really not much I can d-" She started to say before Nerco cut her off with a desperate tone of voice. "Please Maria!" Nerco said in a raised voice. If there was one thing Maria knew about Nerco, it was that she didn't beg. Yet here she stood before her, begging her to save her daughter. "And what about the two you already sent after her?" Maria asked firmly. "Merrick and Kara I believe were their names." Maria said as Nerco looked to the ground. "They… They've yet to report back to us but-" Nerco started to say but was cut off by Maria. "They came to me asking for the location of the hive entrance, however reluctant I was… I gave them what they wanted to know." Maria stated. "If they've yet to return you can most likely assume the worst for them." Maria said as Nerco looked down at the floor once more. "I know why you're so reluctant to help Maria… Gaile told me what happened the last time you went into a breeder hive." Nerco said somberly as Maria had a flashback to her ordeal in the hive, the sickening pleasure she felt as the breeder's ovipositor surged inside of her, the feeling of egg after egg slipping past her cervix as she was slowly impregnated by the disgusting beast that originated in her homeland, but was banished to the Nightmare upon its discovery.
Shaking her head to clear the memories, Maria turned around and walked back toward her chair and grabbed her beloved Rakuyo from its place next to the chair and slid it into the crimson red sash she wore around he waist. "I will help you both, but you owe me for this Nerco." Maria said as the ancient woman nodded to her. "Of course Maria, anything, don't hesitate to ask." Nerco said as she walked past the two out into the wilderness of the Hunter's Nightmare. Reaching into the lining of her coat Maria produced a rune brand, it resembled a worn feather quill but had a blunt tip touching it to her skin the tip heated up on its own as Maria carved several Caryll Runes into her arm with a wince at each design she wrote on her arm. A Ghost rune to silence her movements, A Void rune to help avoid the Breeder's detecting her presence and an Etherium rune to delude her presence and make her unseen to hostile eyes. Coming upon the entrance to the hive she sent Merrick and Kara to she slid down a steep slope and hopped away at the last moment to avoid crashing into a resting female that had lain down at the foot of the slope. Gracefully she landed on both her feet in a perfect landing and set off in the direction of the birthing chambers, the most likely place to find Flora if she had indeed been taken by the hive. As she set off, she was unaware that the same Breeder who had impregnated both Flora and Kara had easily seen through her rune based deception and was silently following this potential new host who smelled as though she had been impregnated before.
The Breeder was interested by this potential host, if she had been impregnated before but escaped she would be a dangerous opponent as she knew what to expect and could likely defend herself well against an average male or female but this one was smarter, more cunning, it would lag behind her and observe for a while before making a host out of her surely the Queen would understand its reluctance to engage her right away. As Maria made her way into the birthing chambers she let out a sigh to calm herself before she came to a sealed sphincter entryway that blocked her path placing her ear to the fleshy wall she heard two voices that were moaning in what sounded like pleasure but Maria knew better than that. They were likely moaning due to the fact that their wombs were packed with as many eggs as they could possibly hold without bursting. Channeling the old blood rites of the Cainhurst Knights, Maria stabbed both blades of her Rakuyo into her chest and withdrew them swiftly as crimson fire danced on the blades and she effortlessly cut through the barrier that blocked her path. Pushing through the opening she had made, Maria had found who she was looking for and more as she Spotted Flora, Kara, and Merrick all suspended by the fleshy mold that the breeders made their home out of.
Flora and Kara's legs were held open as they pushed egg after egg out of their wombs only for the eggs to roll down the rounded wall and land in two piles, Exhausted, Flora stopped and relaxed for just a moment before she looked around the room to see Maria fade into view as she deactivated the Etherium rune. Flora was about to speak but Maria silenced the both of them with hands over their mouths. "Your mother is worried sick about you Flora" Maria said with a somber expression as she looked at Flora's swollen belly. "I'm going to help you get the eggs out… This is going to be painful for you but it will get them out much faster than simply pushing them out." Maria said as she rested a gloved hand on Flora's stomach. "On my signal push as hard as you can but whatever you do try not to scream no matter how much it hurts" Maria said as she slowly counted to three and Flora nodded to her. Closing her eyes a look of exertion formed on Flora's face as she started to push again. "Here we go Flora." Maria said as she firmly pushed down on the bulge of her stomach. Flora let out a pained groan but noted that the eggs were passing through her dilated cervix much faster gritting her teeth to ward off the urge to cry out she felt her stomach rapidly shrinking as she successfully passed all the eggs. "Get me down please Maria I want to go home!" Flora exclaimed as the Cainhurst Noblewoman nodded and swiftly cut through her bonds unaware that the Breeder was in the room with the two of them silently observing their every move.
Once more the Breeder was intrigued by this woman who helped the host to quickly deliver the Queen's eggs. Deciding that the time was right, the Breeder hissed from the shadows of the birthing chamber and made its presence known as two orange glowing eyes flicked open. "Oh no! That thing… Its back!" Flora began to scream out as she thrashed in her bonds. "Not again! I don't want to be filled with eggs again!" She continued to scream out as Maria turned and glared at the beast. "So you're the one responsible for her torment?" Maria asked not expecting and answer but was shocked when the beast curtly nodded to her. Maria wore a look of shock for only a moment before she collected herself. This thing was vastly more intelligent that she had initially guessed as it had understood her question and answered in turn. She would have to be careful while engaging this foe as one wrong move was all it would take for her to share in Kara and Flora's fate. The Breeder stood tall regarding his prey with cold intellect as she absentmindedly slashed through the bonds that suspended Flora as the ashen skinned girl dropped to the floor of the birthing chamber and looked up at Maria. "Get out of here, you know the way Flora!" Maria barked out the command as Flora nodded and ran for dear life from the birthing chamber. For a moment the beast disregarded Maria and moved to give chase to Flora but was blocked by a well placed Gunshot that struck it in the shoulder as Maria quickly holstered her Evelyn. "I'm your opponent leave the girl alone." Maria said coldly as she advanced on the Breeder as it let out a high pitched roar and charged at her.
Feeling the pain burning in its shoulder from the quicksilver slug fired by the woman's pistol the Breeder roared at her with much ire as it charged at her in an attempt to knock her off her feet but the woman seemed to disappear into a cloud of red dust and ashen embers as she appeared on the other side of the room and freed Merrick from his restraints. "Take her and go!" She commanded the young man who swiftly drew his Ōkatana and cut through the bonds that suspended Kara and caught her, "It's okay Kara… I'm here" Merrick said as he pressed his forehead to hers, Maria spared them a small glance. "What are you waiting for? Take her and go Merrick!" She yelled out as she deftly dodged a lunge from the breeder and in return swiped her saber at the beast slicing off one of the tendrils surrounding its mouth making it let out an agonized squealing noise that hurt Maria's ears slightly. "And leave you here to fight this thing alone? No chance in hell Maria!" Merrick said as he brandished his Ōkatana and took a high stance with it as his crimson eyes set it slits as he channeled his inner beast. "I help you with this Maria, and in return you do for Kara what you did for Flora, help her pass the eggs please." Merrick asked of her as she nodded and the two charged the beast head on.
Merrick was first to attack as he delivered a deep slash into the shoulder joint of the Breeder making it jump back away from the two while Maria fired another shot from her Evelyn and struck the beast in the chest making it reel back in pain as pale orange ichor spouted from the wounds inflicted by the two before without warning the six limbs enclosed around the Breeder's chest opened up to reveal another opening similar to its mouth before a barb shot out of the opening at lightning speeds and struck Maria on her neck causing her to drop like a bag of stones. "Guh! Damn that thing! Using such an underhanded trick!" Maria thought to herself as she was unable to do anything but lay there and hope beyond hope that Merrick could fight this thing off or she was doomed. The Breeder would have smirked at the Cainhurst Noblewoman if it was capable of doing so, victory was at hand for the beast as it lunged toward Merrick who rolled to the side to dodge its incoming charge but fell short as the beast was faster than he had anticipated as it grabbed Merrick in its mass of pseudopods and brought him in close as a sharp beak emerged from its sphincter like mouth and bit into Merrick's neck as it tore open his throat and unceremoniously dropped him next to his ashen skinned lover who watched in horror as he slowly bled out next to her. "Merrick… No Hey… stay with me! STAY AWAKE DAMN YOU!" Kara screamed out as she reached into his coat and produced a blood vial and injected its contents into his chest though nothing happened as he continued to bleed out next to her. "K-Kara… I'm S-Sorry" Merrick said weakly as his skin paled due to blood loss. "Don't talk idiot! You'll only make the bleeding worse!" Kara said as tears streamed down her cheeks before she gasped as Merrick's hand came to rest on her cheek. "I will… Always… Love You… In this life and the… Next..." Merrick said as his hand fell away and his chest slowed to a halt. "Merrick?" Kara said as tears continued to stream down her cheeks. "Merrick wake up." Kara said as she looked at his still form. "WAKE UP DAMN YOU!" She yelled at the top of her lungs before realization kicked in and she buried her head in his still, unbeating chest as quiet sobs racked her form.
Elsewhere, Flora had made it to the large slope she had climbed down when she first entered the hive turning around to glace behind her she cursed as she saw several breeders charging towards her location grabbing ahold of one of the mold covered hand holds of the slope she retched at the sensation of the stuff squelching through and around her fingers but she had to press on, no way was she going back to that hell, she would sooner die than play host to their brood again. Continuing to climb the slope, she heard the unmistakable voice of her parents. "MOM! DAD! HELP ME!" She cried as she heard their footsteps approach the entryway of the hive. "Flora! Oh my god!" Nerco cried out as she bent down to try and help her daughter unaware of a Breeder hanging from the ceiling of the hive entrance which Gaile quickly shot down with a rapid burst from his Mauser pistol splattering the beast on the rocky terrain of the slope with ruthless aggression on his part. "Get the hell away from them!" Gaile hollered as he fired round after round at the encroaching Breeders that were climbing up the slope after Flora. "Almost..." Nerco said firmly as she held out her arm for Flora who was nearly there.
Flora could almost reach her Mother's arm when she felt something slimy take hold of her ankle, "No..." Flora said as she grasped her mothers arm and was pulled up the slope by the combined efforts of her parents. "G-Get it off me!" Flora screamed out as she looked at the tendril of bubblegum pink flesh that was locked around her ankle willing searing heat into the palm of her hand Nerco took hold of the tendril and scorched it as a wail of agony sounded from down in the depths of the hive. "Hands off my daughter wretch!" Nerco said angrily as the tendril loosened its hold on her and sank into the shadows of the hive entrance. "Nerco get a rift open we're getting out of this godforsaken place!" Gaile yelled out as she nodded and quickly drew her blade in a graceful slash the split the very fabric of space and opened in a rift to their home in Byrgenwerth. "No! We can't leave yet! Maria, Merrick and Kara are still down there!" Flora tried to reason with her parents who shook their heads in a clear no. "We'll come back for them getting you home takes priority right now!" Gaile said as he offered her his boneash duster to wrap up in so that she could at least cover herself from prying eyes.
.
Down in the birthing chamber Maria awoke to find herself in the tattered and shredded remains of her garb She was like her last time in the hive affixed to the walls by the fleshy mold that accompanied the breeders infestation of a given area. "My children are busy dealing with the escapee and her parents so you and I will be getting very closely acquainted, Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower." a chilling voice spoke as the Queen of the Breeders, Mairah Grimm walked into the birthing chamber paying the sobbing form of Kara a saddened look of remorse before she continued walking towards the imprisoned Maria as her ovipositor slid out into view from between her legs bulging with eggs. "You've been slated for a great honor Lady Maria..." She said as she stood before the Cainhurst Noblewoman. "Not everyone can say they got to bear the brood of a Queen." Grimm said as four thick tentacles grew from her back and wrapped around Maria's thighs and ankles and forcibly spread her legs open giving the Queen a view of her womanhood who licked her lips in a predatory fashion as she buried her ovipositor inside of Maria's depths drawing out a moan of pleasure from the Noblewoman as she slowly pulled her hips back and withdrew the ovipositor until just its tip remained inside of her before she thrust her hips forward and buried the egg laying organ deep inside of her again repeating the motion several more times Grimm began to pick up her pace thrusting into Maria's soaked pussy.
Maria couldn't help but enjoy herself as Gehrman in his advanced aged simply couldn't hope to compare to the ribbed outer texture of the Queen's soft ovipositor as she continued to thrust inside of Maria's depths before without warning she thrust forward even more and pushed through her cervix causing Maria's inner walls to clamp down on the ovipositor as an orgasm rocked Maria's body as a sheen of sweat was visible on the bodies of both Maria and the Queen who had begun to moan as she felt her eggs travel down the ovipositor. Coming down from her high of pleasure Maria's eyes widened in horror as she felt the first egg push past her lower lips. Looking down, she tried to clench her vaginal muscles as the egg progressed ever closer to her womb before it slipped past her cervix with ease and was deposited into her womb. Her will to resist broken by the pleasure the Queen had given her she relaxed her muscles as egg after egg was pumped into her womb by the Queen who was constantly moaning in pleasure through the whole event, did it really feel that good to lay her eggs inside of someone Maria idly wondered as she let out a light groan of discomfort as her belly began to expand with the sheer volume of eggs the queen had laid inside of her before she felt a hot discharge of orange sticky goop gush inside of her that leaked out around the ovipositor and trailed down her thighs…
Withdrawing from Maria's depths the Queen let out a sigh of contentment and planted a kiss on Maria's forehead as she drifted off into a blissful sleep. "Sleep well Lady Maria… For when you wake you too shall be a queen..." Grimm said as she walked away leaving her suspended against the wall as her metamorphosis took place...