Chapter 2
Winter scoffed, blinking a few times before he actually realized what even happened, as instead of the cool breeze that had been touching him on the area of Jade Mountain, he was feeling a most familiar chilly breeze around him, and as he turned his head he noticed how all the Icewings were back at their palace, everyone looking confused and still on arms.
And then his head quickly turned to the side as he heard a pretty much non regal screech coming from the front of the group, since Snowfall was currently suddenly screaming at random dragons.
"WHAT HAPPENED!? HOW ARE WE BACK HERE? WE WERE JUST THERE!" Snowfall asked calmly.
"I-I don't know, your majesty," one of the Icewings she was shouting replied with haste. "Only way would be with a spell!"
"But HOW is that supposed to WORK!? These earrings are meant to make us immune to the Darkstalker's magic!" She exclaimed.
"Maybe someone else casted that spell? I honestly don't know," the other dragon replied.
That sentence made Winter quickly consider the most likely events. Darkstalker couldn't have done this, they were all protected from his magic, and besides… He wouldn't only teleport the Icewings back to their kingdom if his magic worked on them. So Winter had to pin this on some other Animus, which meant either Turtle or Anemone.
That's their idea to stop a war? Just bringing both sides back to their home? And I think "both" because surely they wouldn't be dumb enough to only teleport the Icewings…
Wait, no, they didn't "just" do that. The odd time where I felt and saw everything in these Nightwing's minds… The other Icewings looked shocked as well, and I felt their thoughts too. An attempt to stop conflict with mere sympathy?
"Ugh, no matter! Is anyone hurt, dead or having murderous thoughts towards their own tribe after that spell took place? If not, then follow me and we'll just strike again!" Snowfall exclaimed.
"What if we just get teleported again?" An older Icewing questioned.
"I… Are you QUESTIONING me? What do you propose to the whole tribe that we should do instead, oooh wise old guy? The queen and all Icewings are here to listen to your VAST KNOWLEDGE. What will you say? Sit down and let the Nightwings roam free after trying to KILL US ALL?"
"I'd like peace…" The old dragon replied, and there was a general murmur of agreement around. Snowfall looked shocked then stomped her talons on the ground.
"You want peace? Well. guess what? ME TOO! And the only way that the Icewings will live in peace it's if we BRING DOWN ALL NIGHTWINGS ALREADY!" Snowfall argued.
"Your majesty," a female Icewing spoke up next. "Did you… Feel these outside thoughts and memories too? I did and I think that most others did as well," she said looking at the crowd, who nodded in agreement. "I saw that a lot of them had dragonets and hatchlings waiting for them back home, and their thoughts sounded so scared… And did you see where they lived? These poor dragonets…"
Snowfall huffed at this. "Oh WOW, you're telling me that other dragons have CHILDREN? I truly had NO idea about that. Guess we should cancel all wars now because dragonets exist! Congratulations, you just managed WORLD PEACE!"
"That's not…" The other Icewing muttered, but Snowfall leaned closer to her, the queen's spiked tail whipping behind herself.
"Did the Nightwings care about our dragonets and… Our mothers before sending that plague? No, no they did not…" She grumbled.
"Because they didn't know."
Winter found himself speaking up, which might have been a mistake as now Snowfall had her eyes on him as she squinted upon looking at Winter.
"You're here? You must be feeling VERY bold right now, coming here after you somehow cheated the system and ended STilL ALIVE!?"
It's not like I had a choice on whether I wanted to be teleported here or not, Winter thought.
"I don't think that most Nightwings actually knew this was happening to us, but rather, it was something that Darkstalker himself did basically the night after he re-appeared," he wouldn't admit it, but he was glad that Qibli told him that detail back at the Sand Kingdom.
Snowfall huffed at that. "Are you seriously DEFENDING the Nightwings? My cousin, perhaps you are quite behind on the events, or you don't realize what this crown on my head means, but they KILLED THE QUEEN!"
Winter wasn't quite sure why he just kept on arguing, maybe in part simply due to him arguing with Snowfall already was something he was used to, or maybe because he saw at least the intent behind the latest spell, and he might just be the only one from his group that could stop Snowfall now before she tries attacking again and sending more Icewings to die. The heat from the battle was being quelled and frozen over, so he was thinking more straight now.
"I'm aware of that," he said coldly but trying to remain calm, unlike his cousin. "But again, that was only Darkstalker's doing, not the whole tribe is to blame. And besides, if you heard what their thoughts and memories had to say, it sounds like they thought we were going to attack them purely due to hate, nothing about retaliating, or being surprised that we lived."
Winter heard the whispering behind him from the rest of the army. It wasn't very Icewing-like to question the queen or confront her like this so publicly, but he had the feeling that after experiencing these memories from others, it might have opened their eyes enough to think twice about it.
"WHAT ARE YOU ALL WHISPERING ABOUT?" Snowfall exclaimed, looking at everyone. "If it is SO interesting for you to whisper in front of THE QUEEN, then feel free to share!"
Everyone remained silent for some seconds, most likely aware that talking to Snowfall wouldn't be nice with how absolutely angry she is, but then a daring dragonet of about Winter's age stepped forward.
"Majesty, I… Don't want to fight the Nightwings!" He exclaimed, which got a glare from the queen. "I've been at other battles before, but it wasn't the same, normally you don't hear the deepest thoughts and emotions of the dragons you're about to kill, so just like this it feels wrong!"
Winter saw one of Snowfall's eyes twitching, and he did feel pity for her. She had just turned queen after a situation impossible to expect, then had to wage war, and now her subjects are going against her.
But as much as this might annoy his cousin, she couldn't go for another attack right now. Winter didn't feel regret for killing the Nightwings he did during the battle, it was a fight for survival and everything goes. But that doesn't mean that he actively wants that to keep going if it could be prevented.
"Now's NOT THE TIME to try to stand on some non-existent moral high ground! So what if they don't know of the plague? They're Nightwings, they hate us. If they were told they'd probably rejoice!"
"But they were scared…" Another dragonet pointed out. "That's the last thing I heard from them. Would they rejoice just because we'd be dead, or because they wouldn't have to fear someone?"
"WHY IS EVERYONE SUDDENLY ACTING AS IF YOU CARED ABOUT PHILOSOPHY IN SCHOOL!?" Snowfall questioned, utterly perplexed. "I can't describe how appalled I am when I see the proud Icewing tribe just acting like… This!"
"But what if Prince Winter is right?" Another Icewing spoke up from the middle of the crowd. "One dragon tried to wipe us out, so now we try to wipe out a different tribe that might not have known?"
"BY THE GREAT ICE DRAGON! THAT SPELL TURNED YOU INTO SOFTIES!"
Really not doing a great look on herself right now, Winter thought as he shook his head slightly at this.
"Your majesty," an old Icewing general croaked. "If I may give an idea, maybe we could send scouts to see the outcome over at Jade Mountain? Then we could see what the Nightwings might actually be trying."
Winter saw Snowfall gritting her teeth, probably not wanting to just agree with that, but he hoped that after her tribe actually argued against her, coupled with her calling everyone a softie while arguing back, she might at least have the decency to agree with this one thing.
Finally she let out a loud huff. "FINE! Send as many scouts as you want! Then let's invite the Nightwings over for some ice cream! Let's give the Darkstalker a CAKE WITH A SMILING FACE! Whatever!"
She really needs some help. I really hope that I've never sounded like that to anyone in the Winglet," Winter thought, just looking baffled at this.
The old general bowed to her, then began to issue some orders to a few other dragons to follow him, then they left the room.
"And what's the rest of you looking at!? You just heard it, we'll have to WAIT for some scouts, so, go scramble!" She said, turning to everyone else, who quickly began to move around the palace.
"Oh, and I need Prince Hailstorm and ex-prince Winter, in my throne room, RIGHT NOW!" She announced then stormed off to the throne room. "At least I'll have ONE thing working out today…"
A few guards suddenly approached the brothers,and Winter winced, knowing that Snowfall is not going to be happy about the whole… Fiasco with the Diamond Trial. He looked at Hailstorm with worry, and he tried to assure him with just his expression.
Then they followed the guards without any arguing or talking until they reached the throne room where Snowfall had just stormed into. With the queen at the front, sitting on the throne and clearly trying her hardest to look imposing.
"So, you're here," Snowfall said, staring down at Winter in particular. And he almost found it amusing how she was trying to now act regal after looking crazy in front of the whole army.
"That is right, I'm here, and still alive," Winter nodded.
"Which, unless you're a GHOST, should quite literally be IMPOSSIBLE, because Hailstorm won the Diamond Trial so you DIED," Snowfall replied.
Winter remained silent, just meeting Snowfall's gaze, who was glaring down at both him and Hailstorm.
"So since you're alive, of course that makes me think that some foul play has been done. Because the time a pair of brothers enters the trial, BOTH just happen to come out alive? You are not tricking me!"
Winter tried to keep a straight and composed face, not wanting any sort of expression to ruin everything for both of them, he could not allow for something to happen to Hailstorm, after all this time, the searching, and giving up his own home and becoming an exile for his brother… He couldn't allow Snowfall to punish him with something like potential death.
"It's not as you might quite imagine, your majesty," Winter stated calmly. He felt Hailstorm subtly gazing over towards him, but he didn't gaze back. "You probably believe that both Hailstorm and I tricked the system, but in reality it was only me."
Snowfall raised an eyebrow at that. "Riiight, and I am supposed to just believe that?"
"I…" Winter sighed, knowing he was about to tell a lie to the queen. "I was scared of dying, so I tricked Hailstorm. During the trial he hit me with the spear, then I faked my death by falling down one of the many chasms, then left hours later when he was gone."
Winter really hoped that Hailstorm would follow along with this, and that he isn't currently giving him a look. There is no point for the two of them to fall, just one is enough.
Snowfall now looked perplexed. "Seriously? You did that, despite knowing that if you ever showed your face around here again, then you'd have to face punishment?"
Winter hated to say this, but the next words might just be what is needed to save Hailstorm. "Because I am a coward, like how my family often likes to remind me, weak and my brother is better, so I didn't have much to lose."
"Winter…" Hailstorm said, looking at him, and Winter met his gaze, trying to stay calm as he gave his older brother a light smile.
"Hmm…" Snowfall said, tapping her chin with a claw. "Yes, that sounds quite accurate. Unlike you, Hailstorm has been more of an Icewing, yeah, doing something like that would be very much out of character for him…" Then she turned towards the door. "GUARDS! Seize Winter and bring him to the dungeon! By decree of the queen, tomorrow he shall face what he should've faced during the trial!"
Winter felt his breath stiffening, and as if his blood stopped running for a moment upon hearing these words. He was well aware that this was a possibility ever since he was magically forced to step foot into the Ice Kingdom, but to actually hear it from the Queen herself… It was different.
Two guards were quickly walking closer to him, and Winter felt Hailstorm hold one of his talons.
"Thank you, Winter," he said in a hurried whisper. And based on his expression, Winter knew that he wanted to say more, but knew that after what Winter had said, it could be too dangerous if he whispered much.
But the apologetic expression on his face told him enough, he was sorry that it ended like this.
The guards surrounded Winter, and forced him out of the throne room.
The dungeons of the Icewing Palace were large, able to fit large quantities of prisoners if it was ever needed. With several cells with bars made out of a crystal that was enchanted to be unbreakable to make an escape basically impossible, and the place was lit up by a moon globe on each corner, giving plenty of light.
This was a place that Winter never thought he'd ever have to go to. There never was a reason for him to come all the way down here, and now the first time he arrives, is for actually being put inside of a cell, but at least the guards didn't shove him in there, they just opened the door and let him keep some dignity as he just walked inside, and then the door was closed.
Winter let out a sigh, examining his cell. It was rather spacious, with just this one cell alone able to fit at least 3 dragons, there were some simple beds against the walls, and the walls had elegant writings about the Icewing laws, and mentions of honor and striving to do better.
And that's when he heard someone talking through the other side of one of the walls.
"Oh my, I heard a pathetic sigh, and also smell something weak nearby, could it be…?" A very familiar voice was heard, one that he didn't want to hear at the moment.
"Icicle," Winter said coldly, of course he ended up in the cell next to his sister's.
"It is you," Icicle said and let out a short mocking laugh. "I thought everyone had forgotten about me, all company I got is when a guard brings food, or when I was about to die and someone clipped this ugly earring on my ear. So anyway, you should be dead, I was at least told you did the Trial against Hailstorm."
"Yes, sister, I've been reminded a lot today that I should be gone, but don't worry, tomorrow that's going to happen," Winter replied.
That made Icicle silent for a moment before she talked again. "So whatever trick you pulled off to cheat death was uncovered? Well… Good riddance, brother."
That made Winter scowl, he shouldn't have expected Icicle to ever have anything nice to say, but her casually telling him this just showed again how she had never cared for him.
"Thank you, sister," Winter said, words dripping with sarcasm. "What about you? How have you been ever since you kept failing at killing some dragonets?"
That got him a grunt coming from his sister, as she apparently punched the strong wall with a talon. "Don't act so smug now! At least I am not on death row for being one of the biggest failures that this kingdom has seen!"
"That is true, so it means that you'll get to enjoy your long life in the 7h Circle for years, and it is doubtful that mother would bother going all the way there for any visits," Winter snapped back at her.
He was going to be executed tomorrow, all of his life will amount to being killed like that, no rank, no life… And no friends nearby.
"At least I'll still have the chance to work my way back to the top! It's a taint in my career, but I can easily get back up, and you won't be holding back our parents with your constant lesser ranks!"
"Our parents?" Winter said slowly, and Icicle remained silent for several moments.
"Winter? Earlier you only mentioned that mother wouldn't visit me, and now you say that. Earlier I heard a lot of rushing and caught words about a war. What happened?"
Winter remained silent for a moment, realizing that he shouldn't have said this, because Icicle was going to learn the truth so suddenly and in such a harsh way.
"What happened!?" Icicle exclaimed, fury and some panic slipping through her tone.
"Father is dead," Winter said in a soft tone.
"Liar," Icicle immediately hissed. "You're saying that in a vain attempt to get back at me. Our father, dead? No, no… He cannot be, you're just a liar!"
"Icicle, I was right there when it happened, and so was Hailstorm, we saw his body on the ground after he threw himself in front of Snowfall to save her," Winter slowly said. "So at least, he died with honor after saving the queen, the Great Ice Dragon should receive him well."
"No," Icicle grunted. "Father is strong, skilled, and more of a dragon than you ever were!" Icicle snapped, her voice rising. "How could you be alive!? If you were there and there was a war, how did you live when even father died!?" She exclaimed, slamming a talon on Winter's wall from the other side.
"Father threw himself in front of the queen at the start of the battle, Hailstorm and I were watching each other's backs for the few minutes the fight lasted," Winter explained.
"Father can't be dead…" Icicle muttered in a tone that Winter had never heard from his sister before, one that could be considered… Defeated, "I wasn't there. While everyone else fought honorably and father lost his life, I was here, rotting in some dungeon, forgotten by everyone!" She snapped, stomping on the ground multiple times. "They could have released me and I would have helped, I could have shown my worth to everyone again! Unlike you, maybe I could have saved father!"
Based on the sound that Winter heard, Icicle must have plopped down to the ground, whispering something to herself, so he had to lean very close to the wall.
"... And last he saw me… I was pathetic… No rank, no name…" Icicle was… Sobbing? His stalwart, cold and harsh sister was actually lamenting this loss to that extent. "During his death, he'd remember me as something shameful like you… I wanted to make him proud again…"
Winter was at a loss for words, Icicle had never shown this side of her before. But here, with only the two of them in the deepest part of the palace, lamenting the outcome of the short war, she seems to have finally cracked down enough to show her emotions. Not even when he found her at the burned down Nightwing island, with Icicle having hurt herself and skipping sleep for days, did she sound simply this broken.
He placed a talon on the wall that was between his cell and Icicle's, even knowing that she wouldn't see this, and lowered his head.
"I'm really sorry…" he whispered, but she didn't respond.
Then after a few minutes, he moved over to one of the beds and laid down, his wings pressed against his body as he stared up to the ceiling while he prepared himself to sleep.
"I wish…" Icicle's voice spoke up one more time. "That it was you. An honorable death, sacrificing yourself to save the queen… That would have been a better outcome for everyone. Father would still be alive, and as it is tradition, your name would have been in the First Circle for a day to honor the most noble of sacrifices… This is just the worst outcome."
The dreaded next morning arrived, and Winter had slept terribly. Having nightmares where different dragons were laying dead in front of him during the battle, and instead of father there was mother, then Icicle, then Hailstorm, his whole family dead. But ironically, he would be the one that they would see die today.
And just bad dreams wasn't everything. His mind was constantly going back to Jade Mountain, wondering what happened to his friends. Darkstalker was immune to magic, so after the Icewings and maybe the Nightwing armies were teleported, did he remain there, which meant that nobody would be around to protect his winglet from the terrifying dragon? Were they even alive?
During the night, he kept hoping for a sign, maybe someone would use a dreamvisitor to share some good news with him. Or perhaps they would teleport him back to the Mountain and thus Winter would narrowly avoid his fate here at the Ice Kingdom.
But nothing happened, which left him with some somber options. Darkstalker probably wouldn't outright try to do physical damage to Moon from what he'd heard, but he could have killed or maimed the rest of his winglet. Or maybe they were all under his control and influence.
Or maybe… Another part of his mind thought. They managed to defeat Darkstalker and are happily studying at the mountain… And forgot about you and your conflict with your tribe.
That thought was enough to scare him a lot, almost to an unimaginable extent.
No, they couldn't have just forgotten. Moon wouldn't be like that. And Qibli always talks about how he's my best friend, and I don't think a friend like that would just… Forget.
But what did they see you doing before you were teleported? Leaving them behind and fighting against the Nightwings. And even before that, the argument with both Moon and Qibli… Maybe they wanted to leave you.
Not the best thoughts to have during the day of his execution, he wished that he could believe in his friends and not think about them that way before his death as last impression, but he couldn't stop the thoughts from coming, and he knew that whatever scouts they had sent, most likely wouldn't come back until either late today, or the next day, when Winter wouldn't be there to hear the news.
Some guards reached to his door and opened it, beckoning him to step outside, before that he turned for a second to the wall.
"Farewell, sister," he spoke, but unsurprisingly, there was no answer.
He followed after the guards, trying to at least stand as proudly and dignified as he could. He wasn't going to show how scared he was truly feeling, and just how much doubt there was in his mind.
After they went up the stairs and through the door to leave the dungeon, the group was stopped by two dragons.
"Wait, can you let us talk to him for just one minute?" Hailstorm asked.
"You don't have to worry about the queen, she's currently arguing with some dragons back at her throne room, so it'll be some time until she's ready for… This anyway," Lynx said.
The guards looked at each other for a moment, before nodding slightly at the other two and gave them some space, although still looking ready in case they attempted anything. Winter guessed that with a request that simple, there wasn't much reason to refuse this to two members of the First Circle, one of them his own brother, especially if Snowfall was still busy.
"Thank you," Hailstorm said to the guards, who gave him a small bow.
"Hi, Winter," Lynx said, she was giving him one of her usual smiles, although it was easy to tell that she wasn't really feeling as happy. "When Hailstorm came back to the palace after the Trial, of course I thought I'd never see you again, and then I saw you right before the battle and that was great! Buuuuut well, now… You know."
Winter snorted slightly at that. "Yeah, I'll admit that this whole situation caught me off guard too, not all that great. I believed that after my trickery I could live the rest of my life outside, but that didn't even amount to one month."
Lynx looked at him with interest, and just like how he was taken aback from hearing Icicle breaking down last night, it felt wrong to see a saddened expression in Lynx's face.
"You know? I didn't get much of a chance to talk a lot to you before the trial, and I wished that I had. And now once more I won't have much time for a chat, but at least I wished to give you a proper farewell in person, and tell you that I hope the Great Ice Dragon respects you," she said.
Winter heard these words, and allowed himself to smile, giving that to Lynx along with a nod.
"Thank you, it really makes me feel better to have some supportive talk before my big moment," he said. "And I should tell you, when I decided to leave the Kingdom in a self exile, I thought about how at least I'd miss you. You were one of the few good things within these palace walls."
Lynx's smile turned more genuine and cheerful after he said that. "Woah, those are some of the nicest words that I've heard someone say, thanks. No matter what anyone else says, you will be missed, okay? You stirred a lot of dragons yesterday with what you said."
Then she stepped back and let Hailstorm have some more space, the two brothers looked at each other.
"All of this just feels so hard to believe," Hailstorm admitted. "You saved me and brought me back home, then I thought I wouldn't see you again, then we fought together in battle… And now I will for certain never see you again, you deserved better."
"I knew the consequences that could happen when I made all of these choices," Winter said. "I also wish that things had gone differently, and I regret a good amount of things, but not these choices in particular. I wouldn't forgive myself if after everything, I just let you die."
Winter's eyes met Hailstorm's gaze, and with these words he wanted to tell him that if he didn't regret lying to Snowfall to at least save his life, then Hailstorm shouldn't feel possible guilt over this.
After a moment, Hailstorm gave him a slight nod. "I… Understand."
And then after yet another moment, Hailstorm took a step closer, and awkwardly gave his younger brother a short hug. Winter didn't expect it, but he also gave him an awkward hug until Hailstorm pulled back.
"Yes, I am aware that's not very Icewing-like," Hailstorm said. "But it's the least I could do. Farewell, brother."
The guards went back to his sides, and Winter had to wave goodbye to Lynx and Hailstorm, who followed from a distance until they reached the palace's courtyard, with a good amount of Icewings around, a few probably just going on their day-to-day, but others appeared to be waiting for something.
Winter was placed in the middle of the courtyard, where he made sure to be standing upright, his head raised, as he just waited for the time to come.
Whispering occurred, footsteps were heard approaching, and there was Queen Snowfall stepping into the courtyard, another Icewing, which Winter recognized as a general named Ivory, and the general was currently holding a spear.
"There you are, right in time, perfect," Snowfall said, her voice echoing through the silent courtyard, with any Icewing that was just walking around also stopping to look. "Ex-Prince Winter, son of Tundra and Narwhal, you have been accused of being a traitor to the tribe who attempted to CHEAT the system, and of course the punishment to that is Death."
Snowfall paced around the place in a semicircle, her eyes always on Winter, just like the eyes of every other Icewing currently present. And Ivory was starting to approach him slowly.
"Dishonorable! Treacherous! That's what you are, someone unworthy of any title or rank they might've had! So tell me, before the sentence is executed, do you have anything to say?"
Winter glared at Snowfall, his head still raised up, not backing down at all in front of the queen, even during his last moments.
And as he heard the question, he thought of everything that he had in his mind. His worries about whether his friends, his new family were even alive at this point. If they forgot about him or even cared about his fate.
About the fact that he never got to say out loud the words "I love you" to Moon, and he will never have the chance.
So much more I could've done, so many times where I could have acted differently, or said something else, but it is all wasted now. So right now I can just hope that wherever they are, all of them are safe… And that Moon and Qibli might be happy.
However, absolutely none of these thoughts related to his current situation, and Snowfall didn't need to hear any of it.
"No, I have nothing to say," Winter stated coldly.
"Oh, kinda disappointing to be honest, but okay. General Ivory, do the honors," Snowfall ordered.
Ivory had stopped in front of Winter, spear raised up. If there was a time for a miracle to happen, a sudden appearance of anybody, a spell bringing him out, now it would be the time.
However nothing sudden happened to spare Winter's life, and a moment later he felt an intense pain as the spear easily pierced straight through his chest.
And then he felt nothing.