Work Text:
Snowfall is the queen of the IceWings.
She never thought she would be queen so soon. She wasn't going to challenge her mother for another ten years at least.
(was she going to challenge her mother? could she kill her? her own flesh and blood? it was hard enough facing the thought of fighting Crystal-)
And if her mother had chosen a queen herself, to prevent another war like the one they'd just gotten out of, she would have expected it to be Crystal. Crystal was older. Crystal was more experienced. Crystal had actually fought in the war. Crystal-
(don't think about Crystal don't think about Crystal don't think about Crystal)
But she was queen now, the youngest queen the IceWings had ever had, barely out of her dragonet days, with little or no experience.
She had used to love the crown of the IceWings, all diamonds and silver. She used to fantasize about wearing it.
But the cost...
(her mother, on her bed-her deathbed-struggling to breathe coughing choking Mink crying crying crying IceWings don't cry Mother is dying Crystal standing tall too hot too dizzy can't see clearly can she kill her own sisters? looking at Crystal looking at Mink looking at Mother facing the prospect of her daughters killing each other as she dies-
"The next queen of the IceWings is Snowfall. That is final.")
(final)
The coronation had been a blur, hurried, quick, uncertain, everyone too sick to do the usual ceremony (not that she knew what that was). There had been lots of bowing, and a solemn pledge Snowfall couldn't remember, and the crown (heavy heavy so heavy) placed on her head, and a scepter in her talons, and then she was Snowfall, Queen of the IceWings.
(Mink in the corner, her snout still wet with tears IceWings don't cry but who will chastise the youngest princess? queens have no such luxuries but Crystal is missing Crystal is gone no one can find her where is Crystal? is she hiding angry jealous vengeful will she challenge me we promised Mother will she poison me will I accidentally die one day hunting or something will she-)
And so the responsibilities of the entire Ice Kingdom fell on her shoulders.
She had to find a cure for this plague, this sudden deadly cursed plague that had sprung out of nowhere, affecting every IceWing everywhere, and then when salvation arrived in the form of a half-SeaWing hybrid with a golden earring suddenly the ground fell away beneath her claws because his news made it even worse.
(Darkstalker is back he's out to kill us he killed Mother he killed twenty IceWings what are we going to do what can we do what can I do we're all going to die I'm going to be the last queen of the IceWings Crystal would have-)
(why didn't Mother tell me about that animus before? she could have saved her she could have saved us curse you Foeslayer)
And they went into battle, battling a cloud of black dragons-they outnumbered them, they could win!
But the NightWings had special (cursed) powers, given to them by their new leader. There was no way the IceWings could win this.
(dragons dying dying to save her her her what can she do can she fight they won't let her)
Snowfall was to be protected during the battle at all costs, since if she died, the only other heirs were Crystal, who was missing (didn't even stay for Mother's funeral didn't she at least owe her that?), Icicle, who was in prison, and Mink, who was barely two.
And then the empathy spell-
Oh, the empathy spell.
(they're as panicked as I am they don't believe in me they don't think I can be a good queen or even just a queen they think Mother was best they think she should have chosen Crystal they think I should have died instead of Mother they think I should have disappeared instead of Crystal they think I'm only a little immature shouting insignificant unready dragonet with a crown and a throne too big for her)
(they're not right)
Well, she was the queen. Mother had said so. She was the queen, and she hadn't thought it would mean having to listen to all these "advisors" she barely knew and didn't like telling her what to do-why should she listen to them? She was the queen!
And she hated working with Tundra. Tundra wasn't even her aunt by blood, only by marriage (to Narwhal Mother's brother dead dead to save me blue blood on white scales I don't owe anything to her I don't do I?) but she had "experience" and "knowledge" so Snowfall had to listen to her. Not that Tundra respected her as she should. She did a very good job of acting like she did, but Snowfall could tell. Snowfall knew very well what Tundra thought of her.
(don't think about it)
What they all thought of her.
(DON"T THINK ABOUT IT)
It doesn't matter. Snowfall is the queen of the IceWings. She gives the orders around here, whether they like it or not. They must listen to her, whether they like it or not. Mother chose her, not Crystal, whether they like it or not. Snowfall is the queen of the IceWings.
Whether she likes it or not.