Peace and its Shadow

Chapter 13: Piece by Piece

It was the last day before Peacemaker and Mink had to leave. Peacemaker was still a little sleepy from not sleeping the night before. He had to be shaken awake by Mink.

"Peace? Peace. Peacemaker!" Mink yelled startling Peacemaker. Mink let go of Peacemaker.

"What?"

"It's time to wake up silly," Mink burst. Peacemaker looked around the home before getting up.

"Where's Winter at?" Peacemaker asked.

"He's at work with his friend and the human he had," Mink replied. "He wanted to stay but I insisted it was fine, besides we have each other." Peacemaker smiled remembering the night walk he and Winter had together.

...

"So how's the Ice Kingdom?" Peacemaker asked. Winter sighed,

"I guess the usual, still exiled from it even after years. Though I am allowed more visitation for Hailstorm and even Icicle sometimes."

"Exiled? For what?" Peacemaker questioned.

"I..." Winter hesitated. "I kind of ruined the whole Diamond Trial in the Ice Kingdom, although for good reason." Peacemaker recognized the Diamond Trial. A day after Peacemaker informed Mink and Cliff that he'd be going with Mink to visit Winter, Mink mentioned the Diamond Trial and how she found it mostly unfair how Winter was still banned from his home. She showed visible disliking towards it which got Peacemaker questioning about it since Mink was never really shown to dislike something from the Ice Kingdom. Then again, as a princess, she may not be comfortable talking about the problems there, Peacemaker thought. It intrigued Peacemaker enough that he went to Starflight and asked about scrolls of Icewing royalty. Peacemaker noticed at Starflight was gradually calmer when talking to Peacemaker. He still hadn't forgotten the sudden reaction the first few times they talked. Unfortunately, the Diamond Trial was mostly a secret of the Icewings and all Peacemaker got was just simply about the economy, hierarchy, and how the order is maintained with the circles. Something Mink wasn't fond of either, Peacemaker remembered. Mink never stated it but Peacemaker was good at reading dragons and quickly saw how there was a sour expression on Mink when the circles were mentioned by an Icewing nearby.

"What was so bad about the Diamond Trial?" Peacemaker asked. At least there is someone who could be willing to give some information. Winter.

"Queen Snowfall might kill me if I release the information but let's just say the Icewings were doing pretty bad stuff to a specific dragon out of so-called vengeance or however Queen Diamond saw it," Winter explained.

"Foeslayer..." Darkstalker muttered. Foeslayer? Darks's mother? Peacemaker realized in shock. The "specific dragon" Winter was talking about was Foeslayer. Probably about an animus enchantment that kept her alive for 2,000 years. That's how Darks could have seen her five years ago.

"Foeslayer," Peacemaker muttered to himself, but he wasn't quiet enough so Winter was able to hear it.

"Yeah, that was her name...wait. How did you know?" Winter asked, puzzled. "I'm pretty sure the Diamond Trial wasn't talked about in detail in the scrolls, or what's outside the Ice Kingdom."

"You're right it wasn't," Peacemaker said slowly, thinking of an excuse. "But let's just say, you being exiled still left quite the ruckus to Icewings outside of the Ice Kingdom and rumors spread." Winter sighed looking down.

"But hey, at least you must've gotten her out," Peacemaker smiled. "That's better than most other Icewings would have." Winter looked at Peacemaker, he seemed to be lost in thought in something. Winter then chuckled,