Part I: 20 AWSS

Of all of the old monarchies, the Icewings were undoubtably the most tyrannical. Once a dragon entered a particular circle, it became nigh impossible for one to advance in status. Furthermore, the highest circles were comprised almost entirely of relatives and friends of the monarchy. Any dragon in the lower circles was forced to do the most menial or undesirable tasks available with all the fruits of their labor going to those in the higher circles. Twenty years AWSS (After the War of Sandwing Succession), there came a long period in the ice kingdom fraught with both famine and prey shortage. Starving and desperate, the lower circle Icewings took matters into their own talons.


"I've had it" cried Frostscale, as he threw his empty plate across his room with a crash. His mate, Coldclaw, looked up in alarm at both the sound of the plate shattering and her husband's harsh tone. She relaxed after realizing that the anger was not directed towards her, and she twined her tail around his to comfort him.

She shared his sentiments completely; her stomach was as empty as his was. For about three years now, both of them had had to eat less and less with each day that passed. When the famine had first hit the lower parts of the Ice Kingdom, below the Icewall where it was warm enough for crops to grow, things weren't that bad, but then it continued. She and Frostscale had both spent much of their time out hunting to put food on the table, but now there was practically no prey to be found. They hadn't had a decent meal for two months, and there was practically nothing on their plates today. They were tired and hungry, and now Frostscale was angry as well.

Not much help was coming from the capital, either. The Icewings had busted their finances while supporting Blaze in the War of Sandwing Succession and had received nothing in return, despite Blaze being the only Sandwing princess to survive. The Ice Kingdom was in financial ruin, and Queen Snowfall's only real solution was to tax the lower circles. Coldclaw could understand that, to an extent, and could even deal with the extra financial burden if it weren't also for the fact that she had no food and no money to buy food.

Coldclaw nuzzled his cheek slightly, hoping to ease his anger. It seemed to work as he visibly relaxed. "I know you're hungry," she said "and I am too, but there isn't much we can do about it. No one in town can do anything about it. We're all together in this."

"You're wrong," Frostscale sighed out, nuzzling her back "There is something we can do, and there is someone who isn't in this with the rest of us. The baron has plenty of food, and he's not sharing."

He was right, and Coldclaw knew it. Baron Whiteheart was a first circle dragon, being one of the queen's cousins, and the official ruler of Wintergreen, the small town that they lived in. Unlike the other fifth, sixth, and seventh circle dragons that made up the population of Wintergreen, the Baron was practically untouched by the food shortages ravaging the land as well as being exempt from the Queen's taxes. Word was that he had storehouses full of grain, and even live prey, in his estate in the town's northern quadrant. Coldclaw herself had only seen him two or three times since the famine had started, and he certainly did not look as if he had been eating less than he had three years ago.

"A lot of dragons are pretty resentful of the Baron," Frostscale continued, "For the last week, there's been talk about taking control of his food by force. It's not right that he should have so much food while he does so little and we do so much."

Coldclaw pulled away a little, looking at him quizzically. "What are you saying?" she asked, "Are they going to do it? Are you going to help?"

He nodded. "I wasn't sure until now, but now I am. I've had one empty stomach too many, and this is one dragon who isn't going to starve when someone has plenty of food a stone's throw away. There have been riots in other cities, why not here?"

It was true. All throughout the Ice Kingdom, dragons had been in the same situation as them. Riots had become almost commonplace, and upper-circle dragons like the baron accused of hoarding food were having it stolen—and were sometimes killed in the process. Tensions were had been high for the past year between all of the Icewings, and something was bound to give soon.

Coldclaw had some doubts about how things would end, but her stomach urged her to do what she had to. She nuzzled Frostscale again as she made up her mind. "If you're going, then I will too. When are they planning to do this?"

Before he could answer, she heard shouts coming from the streets outside.

"Unless I'm mistaken," Frostscale said, "It's happening now."

"She looked outside to see a crowd of Icewings gathering and heading slowing to the north towards the Baron's residence. She looked to Frostscale for conformation, then slowly went out to join them. Frostscale followed her into the growing crowd of angry and hungry dragons, many of which were calling out for even more to join. She twined her tail once more around his as they marched north to change history.


Disclaimer: I do not own Wings of Fire