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She sighed. A trip to Pantala to establish good political relationships sounded good on a scroll, but the queen was about to kill whoever suggested that idea. She just wanted to have a relaxed night in bed, not worrying about the millions of responsibilities that rested on her slumped shoulders. (She really needed to work on her posture, she was too hunched over and it was unprofessional...)
But alas, when she woke in the morning, all her necessities were packed and the royal court and guards were waiting to leave.
Snowfall gingerly rose out of bed, stepping onto the cold hard floor and immediately wishing for the soft comfort of the bed again. But, she continued, stepping over the ice and collecting the last of her things, lastly placing the oversized crown on top of her head. she sighed again.
When she trotted down the stairs, the crown wobbling atop her head, the first thing she saw was a speckled blue snout peering up at her. She sharply flinched back, and Lynx just smiled up at her.
Snowfall sighed deeply, relived to see it was Lynx and not some pompous advisor come to comment on her. Lynx sheepishly stepped out of the way and Snowfall made her way down the rest of the steps. In front of her was a large cluster of dragons, ranging from stark white to a vibrant sky blue; but all of them had a snobbish aura around them, Snowfall tried not to scrunch up her nose at it.
Tundra stood rigidly at the front of the group, whipping her head around to the young queen as her talons touched the floor. "Finally," she started, already making Snowfall stiffen up.
"We're going to be late, we need to get going, your Majesty."
The last two words sounded bitter on Snowfalls now flattened ears.
With that, Tundra whisked around; and the others followed suite, walking in unison to the arched exit of the palace. Snowfall sighed again, and Lynx, (who was successfully ignoring Tundra,) turned to the Queen. Snowfall looked back, grateful that she had decided to take a friend. Kinda friend? It was complicated...
Either way, Lynx and Snowfall trailed their way to the front, brushing wings as the council-adivisors-royal court and the Queen stepped outside.
It was a soothing, smooth kind of cold, not the kind that hit you like a ton of frost-breath, and the sun was blissfully bright, adding a soft vibrancy to the air. Ivory, the head of the royal guard, lifted off first, quickly taking her place next to the queen, with Lynx on the other side.
They flew away, past the now-fully-destroyed Ice Cliff and Snowfall caught Tundra giving a sharp, nervous look at the icy rubble. Jeez, when Snowfall destroyed the ranks and circles in front of Tundra, she almost passed out. Needless to say, her reaction to the Great Ice Cliff having a hole in it was... a bit bigger of a reaction. Snowfall lightly snickered thinking of her aunts face, plastered in horror at the Great Ice Snow-Cone.
Snowfall sighed, shaking sand out of the cracks between her scales. Of course, instead of flying a bit farther to a stone island, they HAD to stop on an island where it was just sand, sand, sand.
Snowfall sighed for perhaps the millionth time that day. All of her guards were sleeping around the island, with a few patrolling around. She shifted again, only yielding more sand everywhere. Maybe she would tell her guards and move to another spot, maybe by the water where the sand was more clump-y.
Snowfall gingerly stood up, shaking more sand out of her scales and talons and walking towards where she knew a guard was stationed, specifically Ivory. There was a metallic clash, and the Gift of Stealth that Ivory was entrusted with deactivated.
"Yes your Majesty?"
"I'm moving to another sleeping spot, just keep watch." She reminded. Ivory nodded, and with another clash, disappeared.
Snowfall trotted to the edge of the island, and dug a hole sized for her in the wet sand. She briefly waded in the water, crouching to let the waves roll the sand off her before laying down in the ditch, carefully twitching her tail in annoyance at her inability to sleep.
"Hey sleepyhead."
Snowfall jerked around to face Lynx, who was sleepily gazing at Snowfall, smiling, hunched over to gaze at the queen. Snowfall sighed at Lynx, although not upset.
"Hmph, ya woke me up." Snowfall huffed.
"Aw, do you need your beauty sleep, princess?" Lynx purred, tipping their head playfully.
"I'm your queen, actually. Make that mistake again and I'll execute you!" Snowfall teased, flicking her tail across Lynx's snout.
Lynx flinched back, laughing heartily, yet softly. "Come on, you know I'm your favorite dragon." Lynx trilled.
Snowfall had shivers down her spine as Lynx gently ran her tail down Snowfalls back, releasing a sigh and closing her eyes.
"Its nice," Lynx purred, satisfied at seeing Snowfall more relaxed. "I'd almost think you weren't a queen with how relaxed you are." Lynx gently rubbed circles on Snowfalls back with the talon on her wing, gazing at Snowfall sappily.
Snowfall huffed, amused. She gently rested her snout on Lynx's talons, relishing in her cool, smooth scales. "Don't think it will last forever, I still have duties, particularly big ones one we get to Pantala."
"So you need to relax for now."
Snowfall shivered happily as Lynx ran her spiked tail down her neck and to the base of her tail again, and then snuggled up next to the Queen, curling her tail up and laying it across Snowfalls waist. Lynx slid her snout up against Snowfalls shoulder, smiling as the Queen begrudgingly spread her wing across Lynx's back.
"Aww, whatcha thinking about?" Lynx purred, twining their tails together.
"How much trouble you're in if one of my guards comments on this." Snowfall replied sarcastically, narrowing her gaze at the slightly smaller flecked dragon beside her. Snowfall would never admit how adorable those freckles were, or anything else positive about Lynx to Lynx, to be honest.
"Hmph, I don't think you'll mind that much." She commented, eyes heavily lidded, and yawning deeply.