Spider-King The End
That story really needed an end.
I was relieved when we left the Spider-King behind, even to the point where I stood on the high deck by the navigator's cell, feeling relief that the enormous creature was growing smaller in the eye and the mind. Becoming more inconsequential.
Albrich had much to say on the subject of the Spider-King, and his backhanded insult.
”To think that this... this thing somehow puts me in the same category as a dead man!” The future emperor was swimming excitedly around his tank. ”I've got a good mind to declare war on Hierodalch, once I enter into my adult estate”.
The captain, a very diplomatic man from some distant sphere close to the Abyss raised one restrained eyebrow.
”A daring endeavor, Highness” he said. ”If you were to succeed you would the first in the known spheres. The bones of many brave warriors who have attempted such a feat float in the Midheavens, bleached and bare.”
I half expected Albrich to scream ”insolence!” and have his guards throw the captain overboard, but he surprised me by keeping his mouth shut.
The Lover of Leaving was glad to see the back of the Spider-King as well.
”In that you and I are of the same mind I think” it purred. ”You are yet too young to settle down yet, and living in that kind of supplication would be too much like giving up”.
”How do you mean?” I asked.
”It would be against my nature. Being content”. It laughed.
I did not eat any of the provisions we picked up on Hierodalch. The Lover had told me horror stories about how the wonderfully decadent foodstuffs we had taken on board were created from fungi growing around the enormous creature's spinnerets.
I was very hungry when we reached our next port of call.