Here’s the first half of one of the Wings of Fire
weight gain stories I’ve been promising for a while now lol
This is only half the story, the other half is coming soon!
These stories are going to happen roughly in chronological order for how they occur, starting with this one, thousands of years ago with Darkstalker’s parents.
If you’re not too familiar with wings of Fire idk how enjoyable this series of stories will be, just enjoy a story about fat dragons I guess lol

And  Solar_Flame45 was extremely helpful in writing this story with ideas and revisions :)
the cover art was made by the talented https://x.com/DragoThicc

And obviously, this is fanfiction and these characters and the wings of fire universe aren’t mine

next > 1 pt 1

Without further ado, enjoy!

In the slightly less frigid south of the Ice Kingdom, where frost still clung to every surface and the air itself seemed to shimmer with cold, Foeslayer felt utterly out of place. Her dark NightWing scales, ideal for blending into shadows, stood in stark contrast against the blinding whiteness of the Icewings southern palace. She shivered involuntarily, her breath misting in the frigid air, as she trailed behind her mother, Prudence.

Her mother was an advisor to the NightWing queen, which came with many responsibilities, as she liked to remind Foeslayer every single day. At the moment, she led a small delegation of four NightWings, including Foeslayer, to meet with IceWing royalty. It was an attempt to forge an alliance between the two tribes, a move that held the potential to prevent conflict. As they crossed the inhospitable courtyard and approached the meeting hall, Foeslayer couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. She had always heard the IceWings were known for their stoicism and hostility towards outsiders.

Just outside the imposing entrance to the hall, Foeslayer stumbled upon a solitary figure sulking near the doors, seemingly lost in thought. His white scales shimmering in the pale light as his gaze met hers, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.

Arctic's eyes widened slightly with interest as he took in the sight of the NightWing before him. She was unlike any dragon he had ever seen, her scales deep shades of black and dark green that seemed to absorb the light around her. She was also shivering and stamping her talons desperately in the frozen, crunchy snow to stay warm. Despite the chill in the air, there was still a warmth in her eyes that intrigued him.

"Good day," Arctic greeted her almost robotically, still seeming absorbed in his own troubles. "You must be one of the NightWings here for the meeting."

Foeslayer nodded, her breath hitching in the cold. "Yes, I am," she replied, her voice tinged with discomfort and a hint of nervousness. "I’m Foeslayer.”

Arctic inclined his head politely. "I am Arctic, Prince of the IceWings. It is a pleasure to meet you, Foeslayer."

As they conversed, Arctic couldn't help but notice how Foeslayer seemed to struggle against the cold, her breath coming out in small puffs of mist. "You seem uncomfortable," he observed, uncharacteristic concern coloring his tone in a way that surprised even himself.

“Oh, really?” Foeslayer asked, feigning surprise. “What could have possibly given that away?”

Arctic snorted with amusement, this strange dragon’s humor was a welcome change of pace from the dry, serious demeanor of Icewing nobility.

Foeslayer nodded, her teeth chattering slightly. "But yes, the cold... it's not something I'm used to," she admitted, starting to rub her talons together in a feeble attempt to generate warmth.

Arctic's expression softened, a flicker of sympathy crossing his icy features. "I can imagine," he replied, his tone gentle. "The Ice Kingdom is not the most hospitable place for other dragons."

A small smile tugged at the corners of Foeslayer's mouth. "No, it certainly isn't," she agreed, her eyes meeting Arctic's gaze with a mixture of gratitude and curiosity. “But I’m learning not all it’s inhabitants are as unwelcoming as they appear.”

Just as their conversation began to go beyond pleasantries, Prudence's voice shattered the moment like a crack in the ice. "Foeslayer, come inside this instant!" she barked, her tone sharp with impatience.

Foeslayer hesitated, torn between obeying her mother's command and lingering a moment longer with Arctic. Sensing her hesitation, Arctic spoke up, his voice surprisingly gentle. "You should go," he said softly. "Your mother needs you."

“Oh, I know.” Foeslayer glanced back at Arctic, her eyes lingering on his for a moment longer. "I never follow orders," she replied defiantly, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“You.. what?” Arctic stared blankly with confusion for a few awkward moments before his gaze softened, a faint smile touching his lips. "That's... um, admirable," he admitted, the concept of disobeying rules totally foreign, yet intriguing to him.

When Foeslayer reluctantly turned to follow her mother into the meeting hall, Arctic lingered outside a moment longer, less bothered by the cold wind than her and not yet ready to face more boring responsibilities, but as the doors to the meeting hall closed behind her, Arctic found that the cold seemed a little less tolerable than he remembered without Foeslayer’s warmth.

The next day dawned with a crisp clarity, the sky painted in hues of icy blue as Arctic found himself once again wandering the corridors of the IceWing palace. Though he had official duties to attend to, his thoughts were consumed by the memory of the Nightwing he had met the day before.

As if drawn by some unseen force, Arctic found himself gravitating towards the visitor's quarters that were magically climate controlled by the animus gift of diplomacy, where the NightWing delegation was housed during their stay. Though he told himself it was merely a coincidence, he knew he was only wandering there for the chance of seeing Foeslayer again.

And sure enough, as he rounded a corner, he caught sight of her standing alone in the courtyard, her dark scales standing out against the pristine snow reflecting the morning light. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he approached her, a sense of anticipation fluttering in his chest.

"Foeslayer," he greeted her, doing his best to pretend he hadn’t been looking for her specifically. "What a pleasant surprise to see you again."

Foeslayer turned to face him, a mixture of surprise and delight crossing her features. "Arctic," she replied, her voice tinged with warmth. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Arctic shrugged nonchalantly, though inwardly he couldn't contain his excitement. "I thought I would take a stroll and enjoy the morning air," he explained, though his eyes sparkled with mischief.

Foeslayer arched an eyebrow, a playful smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. "In this part of the palace?" she teased, her gaze lingering on him with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

“Well… “ Arctic hesitated, then reached under his wing and withdrew a small wooden box. "I brought you something," he said, his voice soft with sincerity.

Foeslayer's eyes widened in surprise as Arctic opened the box to reveal a stunning necklace, its silver chain adorned with large diamonds that sparkled like stars in the night sky. "Arctic, it's beautiful," she breathed, her fingers tracing the intricate patterns of the necklace.

"It's nothing compared to you," Arctic replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "I thought it might help you feel more at home here in the Ice Kingdom."

Foeslayer batted him with her wing playfully.”Alright, that was sappy.” She glanced up at Arctic, her eyes filled with gratitude. "But this must be worth a fortune," she protested, a hint of concern in her voice.

Arctic shook his head. "No one will ever notice it's missing from the treasury," he assured her with a grin. "And besides, there's a budget for gifts given in the interest of diplomacy."

“Oh, so I’m not really worth breaking rules for then, am I?” Foeslayer teased as she fastened the necklace in place.

“One more thing” Arctic added once she was wearing it proudly around her neck. “I need to be touching the necklace for this. May I?”

“Oh, sure.” Foeslayer replied as she unclipped the necklace and handed it back to the Icewing, curious as to where he was going with this.

“Thank you.” Arctic said almost absentmindedly once the shiny gift was in his talons again. His thoughts were focused mostly on what he was about to do. He knew that this would be a complete betrayal of his entire tribe and his responsibility to them as both a prince and an Animus, but he didn’t care. Arctic had barely slept the previous night contemplating if this was the right way to use his rare gift, and he’d finally decided Foeslayer was worth it.

Arctic held out the necklace and looked at it intently, and then in an authoritative tone said “I enchant this necklace to keep the dragon wearing it warm and comfortable no matter the climate, and completely safe no matter the danger.”

When he was done, he offered the necklace back to Foeslayer, who’s usual playful demeanor had been replaced with stunned silence. She stared at Arctic, then back at the necklace, which still sparkled innocently in his talons, looking exactly as it had only moments ago.

After a moment’s hesitation, she gingerly accepted the gift and fastened it around her neck once again, unsure what to expect. Almost instantly, her incessant shivering stopped, and she seemed fully relaxed for the first time since she entered the ice kingdom.

“It worked.” Foeslayer breathed, her mind racing to catch up to what just happened. She felt warm, comfortable… and safe. “So your tribe does have magic. Powerful magic”

“Only a few of us.” Arctic admitted, as he happily watched Foeslayer enjoy his gift, scooping up fluffy snow in her talons now that she wouldn’t freeze. “And we have very strict rules about how to use it. Every dragon that hatches with this magic can only use it once in their life, as a carefully planned out gift for the whole tribe.”

Foeslayer stopped playing in the snow and snapped her head up to look at the prince in shock. “And you… wasted it on me?” She asked, as she realized just how incredible of a gift Arctic had given her.

“I don’t think it was a waste at all.” Arctic replied happily, more confident he’d made the right decision now that he knew Foeslayer would always be safe. “And besides, maybe I’m not much of a rule follower either.” He added with a grin.

That afternoon, inside the meeting hall as the second round of long, nauseatingly boring negotiations were about to commence, Foeslayer attempted to subtly make her way over to the other nightwings, hoping her mother wouldn’t notice Arctic had almost made her late. Of course, Prudence’s scowling gaze snapped in her direction immediately.

“Where have you been?” Her mother demanded. “Prowling around the palace looking to cause trouble?” Then she noticed the fancy new necklace that glittered proudly around Foeslayer’s neck. “And what is this?” She demanded again, even more furious. “We’ve been here a day and a half and you’re already stealing jewelry? I thought I told you how important it was not to mess this up, like you seem to do with everything else!”

“Wait, I didn’t steal anything, it was a gift from someone!” she protested. Ignoring her, Prudence grabbed Foeslayer roughly by the shoulder and was about to yank the necklace off her when she abruptly let go, wincing as if she’d been shocked. “Arctic enchanted it to protect me from any danger.” Foeslayer recalled as she watched her mother rubbing her injured talon despite how much she despised showing any sign of weakness. “Even my own mother.”

“You put that back where you found it at once.” Prudence hissed, trying not to draw anymore attention to them than she already had, but it was too late.

“Is everything alright here?” A new voice asked haughtily from behind them. Both nightwings turned to see the icewing prince standing nearby, and Foeslayer could tell that despite his calm, regal expression he could barely keep a heroic grin off his face. “He must have nearly sprinted across the hall to get to me that fast.” Foeslayer realized.

“Just reprimanding my daughter for stealing from icewings, nothing to worry about.” Prudence replied as coolly as she could despite the awkward turn of events Arctic had created. “I’ll make sure this is given back to its rightful owner at once.” She added, gesturing to the necklace she was reluctant to touch again.

“That, “ Arctic replied, “would be incredibly rude.” The prince took a few steps closer to Foeslayer so he could subtly brush his wing against hers in a supportive gesture while playing it off as an accident, and Foeslayer realized just how much trouble they could be getting into when that little move made her heart flutter.

“The necklace was a personal gift, from myself to your wonderful daughter, as a token of the new friendship between our tribes, so you could understand how refusing that gift would reflect poorly upon these negotiations.” Arctic continued, with the haughty tone that Foeslayer had originally expected a prince to use on everyone. Foeslayer wished he hadn’t made it so obvious they had already met, this was only going to make her mother more angry later.

“Of course, Prince Arctic.” Prudence replied apologetically, something Foeslayer didn’t think her mother knew how to do. “I hope this little misunderstanding will not interfere with our business today.” And then she stalked off, seemingly upset her daughter had not actually done something wrong. Arctic gave Foeslayer a brief smile once no one was looking, before putting his neutral, icewing royalty approved, expression back on and rejoining the royal family on the other side. What neither of them saw however, was the satisfied smirk on Prudence’s face as she stalked away, knowing her plan was falling into place.

A week later, Arctic and Foeslayer were huddled together in one of the smaller libraries of the palace. They had waited until the window of time early in the morning when both the icewings and the nocturnal nightwings were sleeping to meet under the cover of darkness, and after some careful planning they were finally able to sneak off to be alone.

The library itself was a chamber of austere elegance, its walls lined with towering columns of ice carved shelves that reached towards the vaulted ceiling like frozen sentinels. Each shelf was meticulously organized, its contents ranging from ancient tomes of history to scrolls of arcane knowledge.

Arctic and Foeslayer sat huddled together amidst a pile of furs and cushions in a far corner of the library, their breath mingling in the frigid air as they leaned close to one another. Despite the cold that permeated every room in the palace, Arctic reveled in how his nightwing companion’s body radiated warmth, unlike every other dragon he had ever known.

Over the last week, Arctic had noticed that nearly every time he’d caught a glimpse of Foeslayer during the busy negotiations, she’d seemed a bit more interested in the delicious food the palace kitchens produced for each meeting than the proceedings themselves, earning disproving scowls from her mother.

Even when they occasionally managed to have brief, nonchalant conversations throughout the day, trying their best to a look like they were merely acquaintances to everyone around them, Foeslayer only responded to his small talk in between bites from a fatty hunk of seal meat or polar bear she’d snagged from the buffet table.

And it was starting to show on her body, Arctic observed as Foeslayer leaned over to grab another bowl of the cold, sweet, delicious Icewing treat Arctic had introduced to her, her movements graceful yet betraying a hint of eagerness. He couldn't help but notice the subtle changes in her physique, her gut was no longer quite as slim or toned as it appeared that first day they met. Instead, it was a bit softer and rounder when he looked carefully. Even her face appeared a little softer than before. And, Arctic noted when she settled back down with her next bowl of the Icewing dessert, her now slightly softer haunches squished out wider just enough to be noticeable.

However, as Arctic was beginning to discover, he didn’t mind these changes in the slightest. Arctic had never seen even a plump dragon before, as Foeslayer was gradually becoming each day of her visit, because of how strictly controlled by routines and schedules every aspect of life was as an upper circle Icewing, even mandatory times to sleep, eat, and train. Foeslayer, on the other talon, was not bound by such regulations and was unintentionally giving Arctic the opportunity to realize what his own preferences might actually be.

"And what did you say this was called?" Foeslayer asked cheerfully between mouthfuls of her fifth bowl of the night, breaking Arctic away from his thoughts as he realized he must have been staring.

“This is ice cream.” Arctic replied, pointing to the dish Foeslayer was holding. “I believe it’s made by combining milk from coconuts with different flavored syrups, then freezing it with our breath, or just leaving it outside sometimes. We don’t have it very often, probably because of how hard it is to get coconuts here.”

“And you got all this, just for us?” Foeslayer asked as she gestured at the spread of ice cream and other little snacks Arctic had arranged to be waiting in the library for them, realizing Arctic had once again put together an impressive gift for her. “You don’t need to buy my affection, you know.” She said teasingly around a mouthful of ice cream as she batted him gently with her wing.

“But is it working?” Arctic responded playfully, spreading one of his wings over her like a blanket as he watched Foeslayer demolish another bowl of the frozen treat. Normally, that much contact with an Icewing would be unbearably cold to most dragons, but Foeslayer’s necklace ensured it was just a cool, comfortable sensation.

“Yes.” she responded happily, leaning up against Arctic a little more.

“You know, I’ve heard most dragons from other tribes that get the chance to try it, find eating that much ice cream that quickly very uncomfortable.” Arctic pointed out teasingly. “I think they call it brain freeze, whatever that means.”

“Well of course you wouldn’t understand that, your brain’s already frozen.” Foeslayer fired back playfully. “But yes, I think your wonderful necklace protected me actually.” She added more seriously, frowning down at the necklace while thinking about how unbelievably valuable the gift Arctic had given her was. “You should really take this back.” She said after a few moments of silent contemplation. “Believe me, I appreciate the thought you put into this just for me, but you said you should only use your power once, right? And it’s supposed to benefit your whole tribe? So take this necklace back, and give it to the queen, and call it the ‘gift of protection’ or whatever silly name you use for magic jewelry.”

“First of all.” Arctic replied with exaggerated indignation. “Those names are not silly. They are very serious, carefully thought out titles that explain the purpose and capabilities of the magic. Secondly, no. Absolutely not. I made that so I would know for sure you would always be safe and happy, not my mother. You deserve it and she doesn’t, it’s that simple.”

Foeslayer already knew that obviously, but hearing him say it out loud made her heart swell with affection for him even more.

“And finally,” Arctic continued, swapping his previous sincerity for fake indignation again.”That is no way to talk to a prince, nightwing.” Making Foeslayer laugh before she replied.

“Right, because that breach of verbal etiquette is the rule we’re breaking that I should be worried about here.”

“Well of course.” Arctic responded, happy to move on from the subject of the necklace. “What could we possibly be doing that’s more serious than your disrespectful, irreverent speech?”

“Falling in love, silly.” Foeslayer said, finally pointing out what they’d both been afraid to say out loud since the moment they had met. Then she snuggled a little closer to Arctic, still comfortably under his wing. “Are you going to finish the rest of the ice cream?”

In the heart of the IceWing palace, Queen Diamond sat upon her throne, her regal form radiating an aura of power and authority. Her piercing blue eyes surveyed the bustling activity of the court, taking note of every detail with keen observation. But beneath her icy exterior she was contemplating what should be done about her son, Prince Arctic, whose recent behavior, especially around those insufferable nightwings, had raised suspicions in her mind.

It was then that one of the palace kitchen staff, a loyal and diligent IceWing named Frostbite who worked in the palace kitchens, approached the queen with a grave expression on his face. "Your Majesty," he began, his voice crisp and formal. "I come bearing troubling news regarding Prince Arctic."

Queen Diamond arched an eyebrow, her interest piqued. "Speak," she commanded, her tone cold and commanding.

Frostbite cleared his throat nervously before delivering his report. "It has come to my attention that Prince Arctic has been frequenting the smaller library in the early hours of the morning," he explained, his words measured and precise. "He has been requesting sizable amounts of snacks to be left out there and a few other discreet locations, away from prying eyes."

The queen's eyes narrowed at the revelation, her mind racing with possibilities. "And what, pray tell, has he been doing with these snacks?" she inquired, her voice laced with thinly veiled suspicion.

Frostbite hesitated for a moment before responding, his gaze unwavering. "I cannot say for certain, Your Majesty," he admitted. "But it is clear that Prince Arctic has been engaging in secretive behavior that warrants further investigation."

Queen Diamond nodded, her expression inscrutable. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Frostbite," she said, her voice icy and formal. "Your loyalty to the crown is duly noted."

As Frostbite bowed respectfully and took his leave, Queen Diamond's thoughts returned to her son and the Nightwing who had seemingly captured his affections. Anger and betrayal simmered beneath her cool exterior. With a steely resolve, Queen Diamond vowed to herself she would take swift, decisive, and violent action against the nightwings, before they made Arctic’s reluctance to perform his duty to the tribe any worse.

“I didn’t believe you could do it Foeslayer, but somehow you found a way to ruin a plan even as simple as this one!” Foeslayer’s mother berated her as they entered the room they shared in the visitors quarters of the Icewing palace.

“What are you talking about, mother?” Foeslayer replied, confused, and doing her best to conceal that she was a bit out of breath from following her mother’s brisk, angry pace all the way back to their room. “I’ve stayed quiet and listened, like you asked. I haven’t interrupted the negotiations for a moment since we got here.”

“Do you really think that’s why I brought you all the way here, Foeslayer?” Prudence asked condescendingly. “To sit there and listen to me try to reason with these insufferable, arrogant Icewings? Of course not!” Prudence's laughter was like ice against Foeslayer's wounded soul, mocking and cruel. "Oh please, Foeslayer," she sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. "I gave up on that fantasy long ago. You were always too soft, too sentimental to be a true NightWing advisor."

Foeslayer felt her heart sink as the truth of her mother's words washed over her. She had hoped that this trip to the Ice Kingdom would be a chance to prove herself, to show her mother that she was capable of more than she gave her credit for. But now, it seemed that her hopes had been nothing more than naive dreams.

“Then why am I here, mother?” Foeslayer replied, tiredly. She had assumed that this was yet another attempt from Prudence to force her into her job, so she was a little surprised to hear otherwise, but she wasn’t interested in playing her mother’s games at this point.

“To have that infuriating little prince’s eggs, stupid!” Prudence roared, enraged by having to spell it out for her daughter. “Don’t you realize what he can do? What your children would be able to do? Your fancy magic necklace confirmed that to me.”

Foeslayer's stomach churned at her mother's words, the weight of her betrayal crushing her spirit. She had thought she had found a connection with Arctic, a chance for something real amidst the politics and intrigue of their tribes. But now, it seemed that her mother's ambitions had poisoned even that.

“But you found a way to ruin even that, didn’t you?” Prudence added bitterly. “Do you think I haven’t been paying attention to you two during all those meetings? You could barely be bothered to look up from that buffet table to return his stupid little flirty smiles! And now, you’ve gotten yourself so damn fat, there’s no way he’s still interested in you.”

As Prudence continued to berate her, Foeslayer's gaze drifted down to her own body, and she felt a surge of shame wash over her. Her heart heavy with sorrow and self doubt, Foeslayer couldn't help but glance down at her own reflection in the polished ice floor. What she saw there was a far cry from the sleek, graceful NightWing she once knew herself to be.

In the dim light of the chamber, she could see the changes that had taken place in her physique during her time in the Ice Kingdom. Her toned body had softened and expanded. Her belly, no longer flat and firm but instead soft and round, a growing layer of fat beginning to sag beneath her torso, its surface soft and yielding to the touch as her mother poked her accusingly with a talon.

Foeslayer's face had also undergone a transformation, the sharp angles of her jawline softened and rounded slightly, giving her the beginnings of a second chin. Her cheeks had also become plump and rounded as she had enjoyed the exotic icewing cuisine.

But it was her limbs that bore the most noticeable change, their once slender contours now thickened and softened with layers of newfound flesh. Little rolls of fat had begun to form around the base of her legs and wings, evidence of her growing appetite and sedentary lifestyle in the Ice Kingdom.

The realization hit her like a blow to the chest, the weight of it all crashing down upon her shoulders. She had let herself go, indulging in the comforts of the Ice Kingdom without a second thought to the consequences. She had allowed herself to become complacent and soft, all in the name of fleeting moments of pleasure and comfort. And now, faced with the harsh truth of her own reflection, she couldn't help but feel a surge of shame and regret.

"But... but I thought..." Foeslayer stammered, her voice trembling with hurt and confusion. "I thought you wanted me to learn from you, to follow in your talon steps."

Prudence's laughter was like ice against Foeslayer's wounded soul, mocking and cruel. "Oh please, Foeslayer," she sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. "I gave up on that fantasy long ago. You were always too soft, too sentimental to be a good advisor. And now, it turns out you’re too fat and lazy to even get with a bored, lonely pri- “

Foeslayer looked up suddenly as her mother was abruptly cut off mid word, to see Arctic standing behind her holding a fancy silver dagger that looked much more decorative than useful.

“Did you… is she… ?” Foeslayer began unsure what Arctic had just done to her mother.

“She’s fine.” Arctic reassured her in a rush. “Just frozen in place until I tap her with this again.” He added while casually waving at Prudence with the ornamental dagger. “Does she always talk to you like that?” Artic asked, his voice filled with concern.

“That was pretty typical.” Foeslayer admitted ruefully, Arctic’s sudden appearance already improving her mood. She wondered briefly how much Arctic had heard before continuing, “Usually she’ll find some way to blame me for any random thing that’s gone wrong in our lives, or her job, or politics of kingdoms I’ve never been to. This time, I think she was right though.”

Arctic looked surprised. “You think she’s right that I won’t love you?” He asked, almost sounding a little hurt.

“Well, no. I didn’t mean that!” Foeslayer replied nervously. “But she’s right that I’ve let myself get fat. “She added in a rush. “And I understand if that means you don’t like how I look now. I’m sorry.” She finished sadly.

After taking this in for a moment, Arctic couldn’t help himself from replying in a slightly teasing tone. “You really think I haven’t noticed?” Foeslayer didn’t look convinced, so he continued. “Do you really think I wouldn’t have brought it up or even stopped bringing you ice cream if that actually bothered me?”

“Well, I thought you were just being polite I guess, at least until after tomorrow when you don’t have to see me anymore.” Foeslayer replied, her mother’s harsh words still ringing in her head.

“I believe I should have made myself more clear.” Arctic said in that official prince voice he only used with Foeslayer when he was kidding around. “Foeslayer, I don’t mind that you’ve gained a bit of weight since we met, no matter what your mother believes.” His voice became much less regal with a hint of nervousness that she found adorable when he added “I actually… kinda like it.”

After a few moments of surprised silence, Foeslayer rushed forward and pulled Arctic into a hug, her wings wrapping around him. Arctic reveled in the soft, warm sensation of being embraced by someone with a much higher body temperature, and body fat level, for a minute before continuing. “But that’s not why I’m here. Like you said, tomorrow is supposed to be the last day we’ll see each other, but it turns out my mother has different plans.”

Foeslayer pulled away from their embrace suddenly, her happier mood evaporating just as quickly as Arctic had given it to her. “What do you mean?” She asked, looking at him nervously.

“Well, I heard from one of the lower circle dragons in the palace that I try to be polite with despite how it infuriates my mother, that she knows we were meeting up at night.” Foeslayer’s heart plummeted as he continued. “On top of that, she was already furious that the last two weeks of negotiations were inconclusive and pointless, which she of course blames on you nightwings. So, she wants you all dead, or worse, and it will probably happen tonight. She doesn’t like to waste time.”

“Worse than dead?” Foeslayer asked, terrified.

“She’s an animus, remember?” Arctic reminded her. “She’s already used her power for a gift, but no one would dare question her if she did it again. And who knows what she’ll do to get revenge. What she’s not counting on, is that I will too.” Arctic added, his expression filled with icy determination. “Could I touch your necklace again? It’s probably best if you don’t even take it off.”

“Oh, sure.” Foeslayer replied nervously, leaning forwards a little for him. Arctic reached out and placed one talon on the silvery necklace.

“I enchant this necklace to keep the dragon wearing it immune to any of queen Diamond’s magic, and hide her location from any spells Diamond might cast.”

Foeslayer looked back up at him from the necklace, stunned once again by how much Arctic was willing to do for her. She adored how every spell he cast was made with his love for her in mind. “Thank you.” She whispered sincerely. “But what about you?” She asked nervously.

“I doubt my mother will try to do anything to me directly.” Arctic answered confidently. “That’s not really her style, and I have my own magic to defend against anything she might try.”

“I… guess that makes sense.” Foeslayer replied, unconvinced.

“And now that she can never find you, we can run away together somewhere! “ Arctic continued excitedly. “Foeslayer, when I heard that my mother was planning to hurt you somehow, I realized I don’t want to spend the rest of my life following her orders. I want to be with you, always. So let’s go somewhere we can disappear! Maybe we can find some island somewhere nobody ever visits!”

“Arctic, I… you have no idea how happy that makes me.” Foeslayer replied. “I really want to run away somewhere with you too. But we can’t just leave these other dragons behind.” She added sadly, gesturing to her mother that was still frozen mid word. “You know Diamond will do something awful to them to get revenge if we disappear. She’s still my mother even if she can be horrible most of the time, and I can’t abandon her like that.”

“You’re right, of course.” Arctic admitted, his happiness evaporating as he realized his wild plans were unrealistic. “But what should we do? I wasn’t exactly picturing your mother joining us at our romantic island hideout”

“We don’t have to run away to some island, silly. I’d be happy with you anywhere, Arctic.” Foeslayer answered laughing. “You can come back to the night kingdom with me. Sure, it would be a bit of an adjustment for you, and we’d have to see my mother sometimes, but we could be together, and everyone would be safe.”

“I… guess that would work.” Arctic replied reluctantly. “As long as we’re together.” He added more hopefully, holding Foeslayer’s talons in his. “But right now, we have to go. Fast.” He said in a more serious tone as they heard many footsteps echoing down the hall towards Foeslayer’s room.

Arctic took a few steps to where Prudence was still frozen and tapped her again with the glittering dagger. Immediately, she started moving and talking again like not a moment had passed.

“-nce.” She finished bitterly, then suddenly noticed Arctic, confused and startled. “How long has he been there?” She snapped at Foeslayer. “What did he hear?”

“He knows everything.” Foeslayer replied, standing next to Arctic confidently. “He knows what your plan was, and he knows that I didn’t know about it, so he knows our feelings are real. And no matter what you think, he does love me. Arctic is going to come back with us, because we’re in love, and you’re just going to have to deal with that.” She finished triumphantly.

“I’d expect something like this from you Foeslayer.” Prudence said venomously after taking these developments in for a moment. “I did not think the prince would be dumb enough to go with you. Or that he’d still want to now.” She added, glaring angrily at her daughter’s chubbier form. “But very well. You two idiots better have kids with magic powers so we get something useful out of this whole mess.”

“I think we should go.” Arctic interjected as the sound of many angry dragons approaching their room got closer. “Now.” He added as he flicked his tail in the direction of the open window and balcony that gave the room a view of the open, snow covered tundra that stretched south, away from the palace.

Prudence was the first to act, getting a running start and leaping off the balcony. “I’ll find the other two.” She shouted as she beat her wings furiously and spun in the direction of the other nightwing’s rooms. “This whole fiasco will be even more trouble than it was worth if I don’t bring everyone back.”

A moment later, Foeslayer followed, running forward and taking to the sky. Arctic, lingering behind, couldn’t help but notice how her body wobbled slightly as she ran to the window, and how she sunk a bit lower after jumping off the balcony before she recovered, her wings not used to her extra weight.

Once he saw Foeslayer was in the air and heading south away from the palace, Arctic also leapt off the balcony, just as the first couple guards stormed in through the door. After flying furiously for a few moments he turned and faced the window he had exited through. Arctic whispered a few words under his breath, then turned again to catch up with Foeslayer. Behind him, a thick, sturdy, and perfectly transparent sheet of ice grew rapidly across the window until it completely blocked the opening, just moments before the fastest guards slammed face first into the barrier with a thud. He felt bad since he knew they were just trying to do their jobs, but he doubted he’d hurt them too badly.

Arctic beat his wings rapidly to catch up with Foeslayer, which ended up being easier than he anticipated. As he rapidly got closer to the plump nightwing, he could see why. She was breathing pretty heavily for only having flown for around a minute, and it seemed like her wings were already starting to show signs of fatigue.

“Are you doing alright?” Arctic asked as he swooped in to fly alongside her. He hadn’t anticipated Foeslayer being particularly out of shape in any way that would interfere with their escape, but looking back now he realized he hadn’t actually seen her do much of anything that was actually strenuous throughout their entire visit.

“I’ll be alright.” Foeslayer replied, discomfort evident in her voice. “I haven’t *huff* flown at all since we got here actually.” She admitted ruefully. “I guess I’m a little out of practice is all.”

“We will leave you behind if you slow us down Foeslayer.” Prudence yelled scathingly as she flew ahead with the other two nightwings in their group, making Foeslayer even more visibly embarrassed.

“I won’t.” Arctic told her reassuringly, staying right by her side as Foeslayer battled the extra weight and drag she had acquired during her visit. He looked behind them to see that more soldiers were pouring out of various other exits from the glittering, frozen palace that his magic had not blocked, and were quickly catching up with the fleeing runaways. He watched, horrified, as one of them held up a bow and took aim at the nearest nightwing, Foeslayer. The arrow shot forward and sailed past Foeslayer, missing her by mere inches. Now that they were in range, several more soldiers took aim with their own bows and sent a volley of arrows whistling in her direction.

Foeslayer, terrified, managed to speed up a little despite her burning wing muscles. However, as more wicked looking arrows were launched her way, every single one went whistling past her. “Even if those guards were the worst shots in the world, one of them should have hit me accidentally by now.” Foeslayer thought to herself as more arrows swerved past her. “It’s the necklace!” She realized suddenly. “Arctic is keeping me safe again.”

She looked back at Arctic to see he had stopped and turned to face the oncoming psoldiers, holding the fancy dagger he had used to freeze and unfreeze her mother.

“Arctic, wait, the necklace!” She tried to remind him. “I’ll be fine, we just have to go!” But her slightly breathless exclamation got lost in all the chaos. Arctic held the dagger out in one talon and slowly, deliberately, pointed it at each approaching guard. One by one, they froze midair in whatever position they happened to be at the moment, unable to move a muscle.

Arctic turned back to Foeslayer, grinning heroically as he caught up with her again. Then, he noticed that each frozen dragon was plummeting from the sky and slamming into the ground below with a dull thud. His smile vanished.

“Wait, I meant stay frozen in the air!” He tried to add desperately, but he couldn’t take the spell back. He helplessly watched the consequences of his reckless magic. “I didn’t want to hurt them.” He told Foeslayer sadly as they flew after the other nightwings.

“I know.” Foeslayer assured him. “Thank you for rushing to protect me, Arctic, but the necklace was already doing that, remember?” She reminded him.

“Right.” Arctic replied sheepishly. “Now I feel even worse about using magic on them.” He added.

“This is fresh snow *huff* from yesterday, right?” Foeslayer asked him somewhat breathlessly, gesturing at the landscape beneath them. “I bet it’s pretty fluffy then. I’m sure they’re alright, Arctic.” She reassured him.

“I hope you’re right.” Arctic replied sadly, then they flew in silence for a while, taking in the frozen landscape beneath them as they approached the great ice cliff to the south, where far beyond that, their new life together awaited in the nightwing kingdom.

A few months later, the Nightwing kingdom was a tapestry of shadows and secrets, its towering spires reaching towards the star-strewn sky like dark sentinels and its rocky canyons were perpetually bathed in shadow. It was there, amidst the labyrinthine corridors and hidden alcoves, that Arctic and Foeslayer had made a home together, far from the frozen grip of the Ice Kingdom and the watchful eyes of his disapproving mother. They did have to deal with Foeslayer’s bitter, manipulative mother, but she was far less vengeful at least.

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