Wish hadn’t dared to go anywhere near the chunk of ice. He let tears come from his eyes, and kept flying. He flew to the Ice Palace to tell people of what had just happened.

His tears froze on his cheeks. He would never see him again.

He remembered that Orange was the second thing he saw straight out of the egg. He remembered how they would always play games together. And how he would understand when Wish told him about bullies on his first day of school. How they would make things together, out of wood, and how he built his house in the forest for him.

Before he knew it, more and more tears were overlapping on top of each other. When he reached the palace, he collapsed in front of the guards, crying.

Of course, they were disturbed. Why is there a NightWing dragonet bawling his eyes out? Should we help him? How is he not frozen? What are his intentions? Is he a distraction? What are we supposed to do?

Make them help you. Use them as a control. You know you can do it.

Because you said so, I won’t.

But it’s the best way to get over your emotions at this point. You need them to be your servants.

No. I refuse. I will do it on my own.

“I need-” Wish started, his voice cracking and slurred. He breathed in. And out. He calmed. “I need to talk to Queen Mink. The RainWing gate keeper is gone.”

“Did- did you do it?” The guard on the left asked.

“NO!” Wish cried, snot dripping from his snout. “He was my DAD!!” He whined. He hadn’t felt this immature since he was 2. When Marmoset had stolen a berry from him.

He breathed again. He needed to be an adult. Or nobody was going to believe any of his stories.

Inhale…

Exhale…

Inhale…

Exhale…

In…

Out…

And into the Palace. Just walk in there like you own the place.

Wish found himself walking before he could think against it. He walked past the guards, and then stopped. “Is- is she here? Now?” Wish asked them.

“Yes. She is.” Said the other one. They looked at each other, debating things with their eyes. “We’ll take you to her room.”

They didn’t trust him. He got that both from their heads and from the fact that they grabbed his forearms, taking him by force.

Nobody should be able to trust him. He’s not a trustworthy dragon. He doesn’t deserve this magic.

He instead focussed on the Ice palace. It was beautiful, even the walls seemed to shine and shimmer like falling snow. He noticed something strange, though.

There was a tree in the courtyard. With glowing blue spherical fruits.

How odd.

No odder than you.

Again, Wish pushed his thoughts away. He needed to be aware of what thoughts are good and what thoughts are evil.

There were several hallways in the walls, going up. Wish assumed that all of them led to different areas of the castle. Several for sleeping quarters, a few for the dining rooms, studies, and at the top, the Queen’s room.

He guessed that the other tunnel up there was for the treasury, but he could be wrong.

The guards landed on the ledge, and pushed Wish in front of them. It was rather rude, in his opinion, but he kept his mouth shut. They walked along the corridors, and he noticed that there were names on each of the doors. He couldn’t read most of them, but he recognized one.

Sandy

That made him feel a bit better. Knowing that she’s allowed to live in the castle, being a hybrid and all.

Maybe he could be welcome here, too.

Finally, at the end of the hall, he was directed to a door on the right. There was no name. But it was obvious who lived in it. This was where Queen Mink spent most of her time.

The guards pushed open the doors. And the room was empty. I wonder why? He thought. After looking around for a moment, he took a step inside.

“If she’s not here, then there’s one other place she should be.” Said the one on his left. “But, knowing her, she’s probably not in her study.” He ducked his head.

The right one jabbed him with her elbow. “That’s treason!” She commented.

“Is it really though?” He asked, rubbing his ribs where he got poked. “We still gotta check.” He remembered. The guard twirled out of the room and trotted down the halls.

“WE, still gotta check, Whale…” Said the other one. She pinched her brow in frustration. After which she ran down the halls after him.

Leaving Wish alone. In a queen’s room. Nothing to do at all. He heard a noise, like distant laughter, and slowly crept towards the balcony.

He pushed open the door, and stepped outside. Down in the yard below, he saw four figures.

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One was mainly brown, with a few icicle spikes in his neck, he was very young, around one and a half.

Two others were a more general mix of IceWing and MudWing. They were playing together.

The fourth figure was leaning against a snowbank. That one’s Sandy. He thought.

Then he looked closer. She wasn’t leaning against a snowbank, it was another dragon. MINK!! He thought ferociously, then remembered he’s the only mindreader around, and just waved in her direction.

She noticed, patted her niece and told her something, and flew up to meet Wish. “What are you doing here?” She asked, kindly.

“I seek refuge.” He said, very formally. “I am trying to get away from Onyx. Here is the only place safe enough for me.” He bowed. Trying his best not to let his numbness get in the way of his posture.

“Come here, Wish. You need warmth. Did my gatekeeper not give you any?” She told him hurriedly, she rushed over to a chest made of ice, opened it up to reveal a blanket.

Just a blanket. Looking very old and tattered. Although, when she draped it over his shoulders, he became very warm. “What-” He stuttered. “How-” Then his brain gears turned normal again. “Magic blanket?” he asked, sounding very undignified.

“Yes, it’s a magic blanket.” Mink told him. “Darkstalker enchanted it to keep the wielder at the perfect temperature. He made it specifically for his sweetheart, but we decided it would be of best use here, in the palace.”

He squinted at it. “Darkstalker’s magic?” He questioned. It was such a sweet thought, though. How could the legendary nightmare monster have had such kind intentions? How could it be helping Wish? What’s the catch?

“Now, I will have to have Orange punished, he can’t even keep his own son warm.” Mink complained. Wish winced at the mention of his father’s name.

“Actually…” Wish started, his eyes beginning to leak again. “He’s dead.” He looked at his talons. His guilty, black, shiny, dangerous talons.

Mink was silent for a long time. The only sound was her troubled breaths. “How did he die.” She asked. It was more of a command than a question.

“He was crushed by a large portion of the cliff.” Wish said, closing his eyes. “His last words were, ‘it’s totally safe’.” He slammed his talon into the floor. Of course it wasn’t safe! How could he not see that?

Queen Mink comforted him. “You’re going to be okay, Wish.” He opened his eyes. He saw his claws again. They just looked sad. Those were sad talons.

“I could have stopped it from happening.” Wish admitted. “But I didn’t. I could have said a talonful of words and saved his life, but I didn’t.” His talons were guilty. Shameful. Weak.

Unworthy.

Undisciplined.

Unable to use the tools at hand.

Unable to do what needs to be done.

Unable to save your own father.

I could have though…

But you didn’t. You wouldn’t have.

Yes I would! I would change almost everything about my life!

Then do it.

That would be wrong!

How can you be the judge of right and wrong?

“Mink.” Wish said, debating his own brain. “I need your opinion.” He breathed hard, trying to clear his mind.

“What do you need?” She asked, fully intent on answering.

Wish looked up and met her eyes. “Where does ture power come from?”

She thought about that for a long while. She hadn’t made up her mind yet.

“Like the power that makes people respect you. The power that all the rulers in the world should have.” He specified. “Does it come from brute strength? Being cunning, and smart? Being likable, even with no other good qualities?”

“You just explained Burn Blister and Blaze.” Mink told him. “Do you think any of them were fit for the throne?”

Wish was a bit stunned. “I-” He started. “No. No, they were all terrible!” He burst out.

Then what. What makes a good ruler? What creates respect?

“What makes a good queen, then?” Wish asked. He was genuinely curious at this point.

“I believe it’s a mix. You need to be smart, be able to solve problems well, and know what outcomes will emerge from your decisions. You need to be easygoing and kind, be able to make friends and make jokes. For those dragons who are just plain idiots, and do not listen to reason no matter what, you need strength. You need strength to defend you and your people.” Mink took a breath. “Queen Thorn had those qualities. I bet three silvers and a scavenger head that she was the best queen to ever walk the planet.”

Wish looked at her worriedly. “You’d decapitate a human?” He asked, shocked. “That’s a bit unfair.”

“Oh, sorry.” The queen responded, looking embarrassed. “I grew up in a time where sca-- humans were just another prey item. We had no idea they had intelligence.”

“Well, the more you know.” Wish said with a shrug.

“The more you know.” Mink echoed. “Hey, what got you so interested in this stuff anyway?” Mink questioned. “You aren’t turning into another King obsessed dragon, are you?”

“Oh, no, definitely not.” Wish said.

Not for now… King Wish of the Entire World…

No. That’s not what I want.

Imagine the power!

Imagine the responsibility!

Wow. Wish’s thoughts just mocked his own thoughts.

With magic, you can wipe away any responsibility. You can do ANYTHING.

Life is a mountain that you have to climb. It takes effort, and you may find other ways around a ledge, but sometimes you may find yourself on the shadowed side of the mountain. Where there are less overhangs, and it’s less steep, but it’s cold and dark, and alone. I will consciously choose to stay on the sunny side of the mountain.

That was a terrible metaphor. Life is more of a river. You end up where you end up, it’s destiny. Life is a river, not a mountain.

I could compare destiny to a book. Destiny is not set in stone, a scroll already written, it’s a novel you write yourself. Life can be like a mountain, destiny can be like a book.

Where do you pick this stuff up?

Places you are too blind to look in. Blinded by things you don’t need, or even want.

Life is a river, it goes where it goes and accept where it takes you. Destiny is a book you write. And it never climaxes. It only gets more and more stressful, unless you use a different quill. Use your magic.

Life is a mountain, destiny is a book you write yourself, and the choices you make now change where you are in the future. Get entitled to your magic now, become evil later. Be wary now, be a peacemaker later.

With your magic you can rewrite your destiny as many times as you want. You turn evil in one timeline, backtrack and fix mistakes. Why do you think that humans invented erasers?

Control yourself, using your magic to erase mistakes will eventually erase your personality.

We can stop that, too. Every problem, every mistake, every mishap, every wrong step of the way, we can do better. We can be perfect.

Stop talking about us as one. You are acting like an antagonist.

Oh no. Sue me.

I can’t. What I will do is talk you out of your mistakes before they get worse.

I just won’t listen. I’m gonna keep talking until you realize that I’m right and you're wrong. I’m going to keep explaining, and lying, and defying reality, and I’m going to be your worst nightmare.

I will try. That’s the best I can do.

It’s all you’ll ever do.

I wish to prove you wrong.

Suddenly, as he was having a seizure on Mink’s bedroom floor, Wish’s eyes snapped open. He just did a spell. And it was going to come true.

He could feel it in his very scales.