Shining at the Top

Written by: Starwatcher
Main Character: Crystal
Dedicated to Wavesplash and RandomWeirdoDragon, because I quite literally couldn't be writing this without them
For this contest
==Chapter 1==
Crystal looked down at her newest letter. The IceWing royal palace walls around her sparkled as the sun gleamed through, surprisingly bright. Squinting, Crystal hunched over the crumpled scroll.
Dear Crystal,
I miss you. Ever since you moved to the palace, you've been far away. You didn't respond to my last letter. Are you okay?
Thinking of you,
Ivory
Crystal rolled her eyes at Ivory's choice of words. Of course she was "far away" after moving to the palace. She had jumped from second circle to first circle. Ivory was stuck in third of all places. Dumb dragon. She knew, of course, that Ivory had meant "Unwilling to continue being friends", but Crystal was over her childhood friendship. No one told her what to do now. Ivory would have to deal with it. Crystal took out a small blank scroll and a quill.
"Ahem". A dragon was standing in the doorway. Prince Stormy flashed Crystal's mind. How long was he standing there? she thought warily. 
"General Crystal, you're invited to the royal table for dinner tonight, beside Queen Hail." the prince stated, over enunciating the word 'General' as if he didn't think she deserved the title and casting a huge eye roll throughout the whole message.
Crystal fought to keep the delighted smile off her face and wiped all emotion from her voice. "Tell the queen I accept the invitation, please." she stated in a clipped, professional tone. With yet another eye roll, Prince Stormy closed the door, and Crystal could hear him huffing as his talons clicked against the floor. Grinning, Crystal opened the jewelry box on the table next to Ivory's letter. Spilling out the contents of the box, Crystal began to sift through the sparkling necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and tail bands.
Crystal admired a bright blue sapphire earring and clipped it in her right ear. Poking the jewels, something caught her eye. An ivory necklace, made out of a seal's tusk. Crystal's mind flashed to the moment she'd been given it. Ivory had made it for her, and Crystal had made one out of a crystal. That way, they'd said, they would always be connected. Crystal's heart ached for her friend.
The earring caught the sunlight, reflecting pale blue light onto the necklace, reminding Crystal what she was supposed to be doing. No. she thought feircly. I can't let anything distract me from reaching the top of the rankings.
Crystal picked up the scroll and hastily scribbled a note to Ivory.
Ivory,
My life has nothing to do with you anymore. I don't need any dragons nagging me over my shoulder about what I can and can't do. 
I was just fine until your letter arrived. I think it's best if you stop writing to me.  I don't need you.
General Crystal
==Chapter 2==
Crystal flounced into the dining room, adorned with her most impressive-looking jewels. The queen turned and nodded politely, and Princess Blizzard smiled at her. Crystal took a seat by the princess and fiddled with her earring. "It's my pleasure to be here." she said quietly. Queen Hail looked down her nose at her. A familiar lump rose in Crystal's throat. The queen seemed to have a natural ability to make dragons uncomfortable.
"Crystal." Queen Hail sniffed. "Welcome."
Crystal breathed in and sliced herself a peice of polar bear meat. The queen did the same, then cleared her throat. Swallowing, Crystal cocked her head at her.
"Crystal, I need you stationed by the Great Ice Cliff with Stormy and Sleet tomorrow." the queen commanded. Prince Stormy groaned from the other end of the table. "C'mon, mom, I did it last time." he complained. Crystal rolled her eyes. Some prince. 
"You will leave tomorrow evening, and stay for a week until the next shift comes. Do your best to stop any invaders." Queen Hail continued, ignoring her son. Crystal nodded briskly, and, once the queen had her back turned, shot a razor-sharp glare at Stormy. He was by far the worst of the princes, and was just awfully whiny sometimes. 
"Scared?" Crystal mouthed tauntingly at Stormy. The prince narrowed his eyes and scowled. Pleased, Crystal smiled and placed her fork on the table. "Thank you." she nodded at the queen, and headed off to her room.
==Chapter 3==
"Sleet, Prince Stormy." Crystal politely dipped her head to both dragons as she landed by them. The sun was slowly making it's descent across the sky as all three dragons landed in front of the Great Ice Cliff. "You ready?" Sleet asked Crystal. The IceWing guard had moved into the palace about a month before Crystal, she'd been told.  
"Of course." Prince Stormy butted in. "Now let's go."
The prince took to the sky as Crystal rolled her eyes. "Wow." she muttered under her breath. "Way to wait for us."
Sleet giggled. Crystal swung her head around. "What?" she snapped. Sleet started laughing even harder. "Isn't he...... just.......... the worst?" Sleet gasped between laughs. Crystal raised one eyebrow. 
Who does she think she is? What kind of guard laughs that hard over nothing?
What can I do to make her leave?
But then again, an ally in the palace would be useful.....
Who knows? Maybe Sleet can drive Stormy away.
She can get me what I want.
A grin spread across Crystal's face. "Yeah, he really is." she agreed truthfully. Sleet sat up, gasping for breath. "I like you." she noted, and leaped into the sky.
Crystal followed the guard, her first circle necklace banging on her chest. 
"Hurry up, slowpokes!" Stormy yelled from further ahead.
"I bet you've never had a chance to say that to someone besides yourself before!" Crystal yelled back.
Sleet covered her mouth with her talons to hide her giggles. 
"I can't hear you! I'm too far ahead!" Stormy mocked.
This is going to be the worst week ever.
==Chapter 4==
Crystal landed a moment after Stormy, the snow crunching under her talons. Stormy gave a single victorious bark of laughter that make Crystal want to claw his ears off, but she tried to keep it together.
“Let’s start by hunting, then we’ll find shelter. “ Stormy announced. Crystal shook her head. “We can’t do that, it’ll be to dark to find shelter by the time we’ve hunted.” she pointed out smugly. Stormy growled softly. “What’s your plan?” he asked.
“Sleet, find shelter. “ Crystal ordered. “Stormy, hunt. I’ll find out how close the SandWing border is. Meet back here.” As Sleet flew off, Stormy narrowed his eyes at Crystal. “I’d much rather scout ahead then hunt.” he huffed. “Why can’t you hunt?”
Crystal rolled her eyes. “Fine. I will. As long as you keep your big mouth shut from now on." she snapped. Before Stormy could continue arguing, Crystal was in the air.
Spotting a polar bear, Crystal dove down. The poor creature didn’t see her claws coming, and it was dead within seconds. Pleased, Crystal flew back to the meeting spot.
“Nice catch.” Sleet observed, eyeing the bear as Crystal landed. Crystal shrugged. “Where’d Stormy go?” she questioned. Sleet shrugged. “Maybe the border is far away.” she suggested. Crystal shook her head. “I think,” she said slowly, “that our prince is in trouble.”
"Come on, Sleet!" Crystal called for the fiftieth time. The dumb dragon somehow felt the need to examine everything they passed, from possible prey to just plain old snowdrifts. "One second, I think there's a scavenger in there!" Sleet called back, licking her lips and diving into a pile of fresh snow. The guard disappeared for a moment, then reappeared with a dissapoined look on her face. "Just a stick." she sighed. Crystal facetaloned. "Sleet, why don't you go tell Queen Hail that Stormy is gone." she suggested. Sleet brightened. "Sure! But what about you?" 
Crystal continued flying. "I'm looking for him on my own. The queen can help me, if she likes." she called over her shoulder. Sleet blinked once, then flew in the other direction. Once she was out of sight, Crystal scoffed. Way too easy. 
==Chapter 5==
Crystal passed over the IceWing border just as it started to get warm. 
What kind of dumb dragons  choose to live here over the Ice Kingdom? The SandWings must be idiots!
Not long after, a dragon was in front of her. 
"Excuse me, IceWing, do you want something?" A guard asked in a gruff voice. Crystal gave him an innocent look. Then she laughed. "No, I can't say I want Prince Stormy back, but Queen Hail sure will." she stated. The guard's eyes widened in realization. "Oh, you looking for him?" the guard asked, shocked.  His eyes darted back and forth. "You'd better come with me."
Crystal sighed and followed the SandWing into the air. Her scales felt like they were going to melt off, by all the moons, it was SO HOT.  Before long, they approached a large fortress in the desert. "What's this?" Crystal inquired. "A palace in the making " the guard replied. "Come. " 
As the SandWing landed, Crystal flew just above him, not keen to put her talons in the scorching heat of the sand. As they neared the entrance, dragons walked up to the guard leading her. 
"So sorry, Succulent"
"I can't believe it."
"I feel so bad!"
The voices murmured around the SandWing, Succulent, coming with sympathetic wing bumps and hugs. Succulent just looked sad. He looks like someone ate his pet. Crystal thought. They finally got to the door, and the two slipped inside. Panting, Crystal followed Succulent into a large, circular room with no roof. A sobbing SandWing sat in the middle, with her legs chained to the dust floor. The queen sat upon a throne glittering with rubies, looking as if she didn't really want to be there. 
"What's going o-
" SHHHHHHH!" Succulent interrupted Crystal midsentence. "Don't interrupt the trial!"
"Trial?"
"SHHH!" Crystal's outburst earned her a glare from Succulent, and she huffed and turned to the SandWing in the circle. 
"Bright, you've been charged with fourty years in the dungeon, for mating and having eggs with another tribe." the queen stated. Crystal studied Bright's wing pattern. It was a pattern of dark yellow circles, kind of like Succulent's. Realization struck her. 
"Your sister." Crystal whispered in Succulent's  ear. The SandWing nodded. 
"Bring in the other one." The queen instructed. Three SandWings walked out of a tunnel, carrying a squirming prisoner. Without looking, Crystal knew who it was. The queen stalked into the circle, next to Bright. "Well, Prince Stormy?" She spat. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
Stormy held her gaze. "I love this dragon." he announced. "I don 't care who you are, or why you're trying to seperate us, but nothing will change that. "
Crystal narrowed her eyes, spread her wings, and stepped out of the shade.
"How about a claw up your nose? " she snarled.
==Chapter 6==
"Crystal?"
Stormy's voice sounded angry, scared, and shocked, all rolled into one. "Wh-what are doing here?"
Crystal snorted. "Wow, you're even more of a lizard brain than I thought you were. Didn't you think I would have noticed you were gone?"
Stormy growled softly. Crystal fixed him with a burning stare. "I can't believe you." Crystal continued. "What'll you're mother think?" 
"I'll tell you exactly what I think." Queen Hail's smooth voice rang out. Crystal bowed as the icy queen landed, followed by a patrol of nine dragons, Sleet among them. Stormy looked absolutely horrified. 
"How- Wha- What are yo- Huh?" The prince spluttered. Queen Hail looked down at her son as one might look at a bug. 
"You filthy excuse for an IceWing."  Hail growled. Crystal smirked. No way he was getting out of this.
Stormy stood up and brushed himself off. "These SandWings," he began, "Have unjustly captured me and brought me here while I was sleeping, and have blamed me for crimes i didn't commit."
Crystal took to the sky to join her queen. "Don't lie." she spat. "You just announced your love for this SandWing in front of every dragon here."
Stormy looked outraged. Above him, his mother wore a matching look. 
"I'm leaving you here." Hail snarled as Stormy threw a wing around Bright. "If you dare to come back,  I have an army. If they see you, they'll kill you."
Crystal gave a satisfied grin to the  appalled prince and followed the queen and her troop.
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Fanfictions (Semi-Canon)
Category:Content (Starwatcher the RainWing-NightWing)