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Wing beats, dragons swooping through the air, diving, soaring, gliding. All things Snowflake would never have the chance to do again.
She slumped against the ice rail of her balcony in the Ice Palace. She hated it here, she hated everything now.
Her right wing was useless, huge holes and gouges had been burned into her flesh and scales. It was ugly and Snowflake wanted to rip the whole thing right off. If only she wouldn't look far more hiddeous without it.
Cold tears gathered at the edges of her eye lids. Yet she refused to let them fall, that would be weak, and she already looked weak enough.
She hated that where ever she went, pitiful eyes followed. She didn't want anyone's pity. She didn't need it. All it did was hurt her more.
Eleven years had passed by now. Eleven, Queen Diamond and Prince Arctic nothing more than monsters forever trapped in the icy halls of IceWing history.
This left Snowfox as the Queen.
The one thing Snowflake had wanted, well, one of two things she'd wanted. At least she'd gotten both.
Of course she barely had any time with her, she was always busy. Being Queen was hard work, especially with the other tribes possibly posing as threats to some of their more outer posts towards the south.
Snowflake had listened to Snowfox talk all about it that one council meeting she'd attended.
She never went to another, finding the council members eyeing her as something that wasn't near their level. Like dirt to a diamond.
Snowflake had been so infuriated by this she had barely been able to wait till she and Fox had gotten back to their rooms before she lost it.
She'd spent every second fuming over it, so much so she'd forgotten she was married to the Queen and if she so much as disliked someone. Fox might do her the favor of hanging them as punishment.
Unfortunately Snowflake had only been able to convince Fox to replace them.
The thing was, these Queenly duties stole away the scraps of time they'd been reserving for each other.
Snowflake desperatly needed Fox. Fox's being Queen made that very difficult. It'd gotten so bad, that Snowflake had worked out a whole schedule of when she'd be able catch some alone time with her. The longest of those times being at night.
Lucky for Snowflake, that meant she'd be here soon. Then Snowflake could hide away, tucked close to her chest. Where no one could judge her, where no one could send looks her way, determine her weak.
"Snowflake?" Fox's voice called, muffled from inside the room of ice. Her voice was like a song to Snowflake's ears. A music that was unique, perfect, soft, something that'd never get old. Snowflake spun on her heel and ran, bursting through the two doors.
Both doors swung open in an arch. White, billowing curtains hid the dragoness from Snowflake's gaze for nearly a moment to long. Their eyes met, lighting up like it was the first time.
Fox threw her wings open, catching Snowflake as she collapsed into her embrace. The IceWing curled into her lover, tucking her snout into the curve of Fox's neck.
"Sorry, I wasn't able to catch a break," Fox said as they pulled apart, Snowflake kissed her instead of giving an outright answer. It lasted for several moments, and once they pulled apart, they were left breathless, cheeks flushed blue.
"I was okay, don't worry," Snowflake said, she hated lying through her teeth to her, but Fox didn't need another problem to balance on the already heavy weight of responsibility upon her shoulders. It's to bad Snowflake isn't good at lying, at least with Fox.
The IceWing Queen had spent the past eleven years studying every little thing about her. Nothing went over her head, she always knew. Gently, Fox cupped Snowflakes face in her talons.
Not the way Diamond had all those years ago. Studying Snowflakes cheek bones as she spoke of how she liked her quiet. How she hoped Snowflake and her son would make equally silent brats.
Diamond could choke on a goat, that is, if she weren't already dead.
Fox may be related to her, but she was nothing like her. Fox held her face between her talons as if Snowflake was made of glass.
Her brows knitted with concern as she peered into Snowflake's eyes. Trying to pull the source of all her problems from the depths of her soul, it seemed.
Her gaze drifted to Snowflake's scorched, mangled wing and her face fell upon the realization.
"No seriously, Fox, I'm fi—"
"Please don't lie to me, Snowflake,"
Snowflake clamped her snout shut, ears drooping, she did hate being dishonest to her lover... But wasn't it for the best? Less stress for Fox, or was she making it worse? Making it harder with her having no idea what's wrong with her or how to help her?
"I know you don't want to tell me, Snowflake, but understand all I want is to help." Fox stopped to pull Snowflake closer, affectionately kissing her forehead before pressing their snouts together. Unifying them. "But, I can't do that unless you be honest with me,"
Snowflake swiped at the stupid icy tears that had begun to slide down the pale scales of her cheeks. Her face grew hot with embarrassment, she hated crying. She hated it. She hated it. She hated—
"Snowflake," Like a knife cutting away dark, looming vines that threatened to suffocate her, came Fox's voice.
Talons ran down her sides, soothing her into letting out a long, shaky breath she was sure she'd been holding for years now.
"It's alright, you can cry, no one will know... but me and you..."
With that Snowflake couldn't hold back, the lump in her throat hurt and the cold tears stung at her eyes. She hid away in Fox's chest and let the flood crash down.
It felt like she cried for hours. Yet, throughout it all, Fox stayed, her beautiful wings encircling them both. Their tails twined together so tight they might be stuck.
That didn't matter to Snowflake nor Fox. All that mattered was each other. The trust and the love they both shared. How they would get through this together.
They were all they needed.