Winglet: Finding Himself

The Trial

Some days, Hailstorm wishes he was Pyrite again. Being Pyrite was so much easier. Pyrite had a circle of thoughts, one dragon she cared about, and wasn't of any importance.

Here, in the Ice Kingdom, he was needed to keep up his family name after Winter and Icicle had brought disgrace upon their family. Winter associated with other dragons and Hailstorm wishes he could be so lucky. Lucky enough to associate with whoever and love whoever.

Here, his life was planned out and there was no wiggle room.

Hailstorm missed his little brother. Winter had risked his life to save Hailstorm's and Hailstorm had risked his life to save Winter's. While they were even, Hailstorm would do anything for Winter. Icicle tried to do the right thing but took the wrong road to get there. Hailstorm loved his siblings but they were both "disgraces" as their parents say. Hailstorm wished they could be remembered better.

Today was Icicle's trial and Hailstorm was preparing for his sister's death. Could he take her place? Would they let him?

Sure, Icicle tried to kill several other dragons but she did it to save Hailstorm and now she was paying the price.

Both his siblings tried to save him and are now disgraces because of it. Why did they bother to save him anyway? Sure, he was their brother and all but Hailstorm wished he could be Pyrite most days.

The Ice Kingdom was rough.

Hailstorm thought about his life before Pyrite. How could he have ever been that confident, strong, and... happy?

The door opened and Hailstorm sat there and sighed. Maybe this was his assassin. A voice claimed, "The trial is starting. You may want to prepare and be down in ten minutes."

Hailstorm turned around and saw the dragon he was suppose to marry. She was ranked fourth in the first circle. He nodded and got up. She stared at him like he was crazy and rolled her eyes when she walked away.

Frost was so BORING! She took orders, did whatever her parents needed her to do, had no fun, and worst of all, she didn't have a sense of humor.

Then again, that's what IceWings should do. That's what he should be.

Hailstorm never did what he should since returning. He would fly out the window in the middle of the night and go watch the stars for hours before returning. Sometimes, Hailstorm would fly to the edge of the Ice Kingdom and back. Sure, he was tired the next day but it was worth it to think about everything.

He sighed and stood up. It was time to hear Icicle's trial. Hopefully she gets away with imprisonment. She could've been dead awhile ago if Queen Glory was evil and crazy.

Hailstorm admired Queen Glory. He had never met her in dragon but he wished to one day. She sounded like the best queen in all of Pyrrhia. Queen Glory had traded Icicle for a cutting off of their tree to bring the NightWings joy. She put both the NightWings and IceWings before one of her own subjects, Kinkajou. Not to mention, Kinkajou was Glory's friend. Glory took a peaceful route and started becoming a role model for all queens.

She was amazing, or at least from what Hailstorm can gather. He wished to meet her in dragon one day.

Hailstorm walked out of his room and down the cold hallways to Icicle's trial. 

He was sure he hadn't gotten rid of every bit of SkyWing in him still. The Ice Kingdom chilled him a little bit and it didn't make any other IceWing cold. Strange.

Icicle was bonded by chains on the  stage.  She had a muzzle on (Hailstorm knew Icicle loathed anyone who shut her mouth), her wings were bound, and her legs were tied to the stage. IceWings sat in the bleachers at the front of stage. Glacier was at the front with a few high ranked IceWings. They all looked very imitating and ready for this to be over.

That couldn't be good for Icicle. 

She caught Hailstorm's eye and looked at him with anger. Then, her face relaxed before she looked afraid. It was strange, she had never wore that expression before. It kind of scared Hailstorm.

He gave her a hopeful smile and Icicle's eyes wandered around, shooting other IceWing's dirty looks. He laughed on the inside.

Hailstorm was representing his sister's case for why they shouldn't kill her. He had been preparing for this for a few days now. His case had to be beyond great if he was going to save his sister from death. 

Hailstorm took a deep breath and walked up onto the stage. He had to save his sister, he just had to.

Everyone went silent, waiting for the trail to start.

Glacier took her spot at the judge's stand. She eyed everyone before saying, "Let the trials begin."

Everyone took a seat and Hailstorm sat next to Icicle. She let out a small growl and Hailstorm was almost glad she couldn't talk. There wouldn't be a trial of Icicle's mouth was unbound because when she was angry, she had no filter.

Glacier nodded at him and that meant Hailstorm needed to present his case first.

"You Majesty, Icicle is in this mess trying to save me by herself. She couldn't control the fact Scarlet dream visited her, in fact, Icicle had no choice but to hear Scarlet out. Scarlet threatened to kill me and Icicle but myself and her tribe before others. If I'm right, that should make her honored," Hailstorm explained. 

Glacier looked over at Frost, who was presenting the case on why Icicle should be in jail. Anther reason Hailstorm didn't like her, the queen asked her to do it and Frost agreed immediately. She researched everything on Icicle's case.

Hailstorm could beat her, he just had to.

"Your Majesty," Frost said. "It is clear that Icicle has betrayed the tribe and nearly turned every tribe in Pyrrhia against us. She could've started another world war. She attacked a Dragonet of Destiny and a subject of Queen Glory, who has two tribes under her command. Not only that, but she did it to save a dragon we already though was dead. So, was there really a purpose for her to go find him?"

Hailstorm's blood pounded against his veins. Fine, if she wanted to play that way, they can play that way.

"Queen Glacier, since Winter was conspiring with other dragonets, Icicle needed to prove herself and our parents worthy of being up in the ranks. She did what any other IceWing would've done if their sibling brought disgrace upon the family. She was trying to make our family go back up in the rankings by saving me. She wouldn't have just been a hero, she would've brought back the toughest prince in the IceWing kingdom to also help bring the family's ranks back up," Hailstorm explained as Frost wrinkled her nose at him.

"Your Majesty, Icicle was trying to do the right thing but she had no guidance at Jade Mountain Academy. That's why she was looking for Hailstorm but while she may have been trying to do the right thing, it was the wrong thing that almost turned every tribe against us. We cannot change the past and Icicle has ruined our reputation as IceWings. That shouldn't stand, as I see it. Besides, all Narwhal and Tundra's children have done is destroy their family's reputation. How do we know Icicle wasn't associating with others or trying to destroy us from the inside out? Do we really know her intentions and her allegiance to us?" Frost explained, giving Hailstorm a grin that said "I win".

Hailstorm didn't address the queen like he was supposed to do. Instead, he shot all of his words at Frost, exclaiming, "You knew Icicle since she hatched! The only dragonet my parents had that moved away from our traditions was Winter. He didn't fight to be in the first circle like everyone else did. Icicle was always loyal to her tribe, even at Jade Mountain Academy. She didn't even ask for Winter's help to rescue me! Instead, she went the IceWing way, solo."

"Technically, Icicle was associating with Ex-Queen Scarlet, who was a nasty queen and an IceWing enemy--" Frost started.

Hailstorm cut her off, "Her options were save her brother and kill a NightWing or let her brother die and save the NightWing. A NightWing! Our worst enemies. Not to mention... " Hailstorm growled at Frost. She stared at him, shocker, he cut her off. That was beyond rude in the IceWing's world.

Hailstorm realized what he just did. He proved Frost's point and she knew that. Her point, he brought disgrace upon his parents. He also forgot to acknowledge Queen Glacier. The trial was over, she'd won. Icicle was going to die. 

"Everyone meet back here in one hour and Icicle's fate shall be revealed," Glacier said.