Let The Chaos Continue

Beluga

As Haze lay awake that night, speculating over Boysen's words, another dragonet was about to be dropped into one of the biggest problems of her life.

Permafrost wasn't a huge fan of her life in the Ice Kingdom. Sure, she didn't HATE it, but she certainly didn't like it.

But she was well off. Her parents were kind, and she had a place in the fourth circle- not low enough to scoffed at, but not high enough to have responsibilities.

The only thing Permafrost really minded beside the general dark, emotionless Icewings was her Aunt Beluga. Her aunt expected Permafrost to be the best, and had wanted her to be in the first Circle when she turned seven. But seeing as Permafrost did not care about Circles, she didn't meet that goal. Beluga was a very strict dragon, the polar opposite of her sister; Permafrost's mother, Aurora. Beluga often did things that no one else liked in an attempt to boost herself or Permafrost up higher on the social scales.

But one day, Beluga went too far. And Permafrost and her parents would end up paying the price for it.

It was late afternoon when Beluga entered their home, dropping her belt of knives on the table. Permafrost never understood exactly WHY her aunt carried the knives, but she also didn't really want to know. Beluga could be scary sometimes. She was not a dragon you pushed your luck with.

"I have wonderful news!" Beluga declared, drawing the attention of Permafrost and her parents. "I've found the perfect way for Permafrost to move up in the rankings. This could boost her to high third Circle for sure, if not Second Circle."

"What is it?" Permafrost asked. It was always wise to be wary of Beluga's plans.

"I've arranged for you to marry one of the royal's cousins. You wouldn't be direct royalty, but the title would still be there." Permafrost and her parents stood frozen in shock.

"You put her in an arranged marriage?!" Aurora finally exclaimed.

"Yes. They're quite common, you know, and it'll be-"

"I can't get MARRIED!" Permafrost yelled.

"Why not?"

"I... I have a boyfriend!" She cried. Permafrost knew it was a horrible idea to reveal Stardust to them, but she could NOT be forced into marrying some Icewing she'd never even met.

"You do?" Beluga questioned. "What's his name?"

"Stardust." She mumbled in response. Her parents seemed to freeze even more.

"Is he an Icewing?" Aurora asked.

"...Well, he's PART Icewing, technically.." Beluga looked ready to kill.

"A HYBRID!?" She screeched. "Absolutely NOT! You will end this relationship at once!"

"I will not!" Permafrost retorted. "You can't force me to marry somebody I don't know- I want to be with Stardust!"

"Permafrost, you know you can't do that," Her father, Vast, insisted. Aurora nodded in agreement and Permafrost gaped at them.

"You two didn't have a problem when I was dating Rin! And she was a Nightwing Princess, for crying out loud!"

"Yes, but we both knew that relationship was never going to work out." Aurora explained. "The Rainforest would have protested and Rin's family would've forced her to end things with you anyway. You know that princesses can't be with other girls, anyhow."

"Yes they can! What about Queen Glacier?" Permafrost insisted.

"Those were filthy rumors and nothing more!" Beluga declared. "Now if you won't break things off with this, STARDUST, then I will!

"Don't you dare," Permafrost warned, but Beluga wasn't listening.

"You are getting married at the end of the week and that is final." Beluga announced.

"No she isn't." Aurora shot back. "YOU are not her mother, Beluga. I am. And I'm not going to force my daughter into marrying some stranger!"

"Too bad. The decision has been made and the agreement has been signed."

"You have no authority to sign such a document!"

"I am the highest ranking member of this family, so YES, I do have the authority, and Permafrost is getting married."

"I am NOT!" Permafrost screamed. "I won't!" But then Beluga was there, pinning her to the wall, Her serrated claws dangerously wrapped around Permafrost's neck. Aurora let out a cry.

"You listen here," Beluga growled. "This fantasy world you're living in? It stops NOW. You are an adult, and you can't go frolicking around in some daydream world where you could actually end up with an abomination like that hybrid, or worse, that PRINCESS." She spat the word in Permafrost's face. "This is your future and it's time you accepted it."

"Get away from my daughter." Aurora snarled.

"Or what?" Beluga growled back. "You're the one who has corrupted her. You're the reason she's like this. Why she's tainted."

"There is nothing wrong with her." Beluga studied her sister for a minute before releasing Permafrost and stalking over, her talons rapping on the table that held her knives.

"You're right," Beluga declared, her eyes glittering dangerously. "It's not Permafrost there's a problem with. It's YOU." Before Permafrost could even comprehend that her aunt had grabbed a knife, it was over.

Beluga had snatched up a knife, and she plunged it into Aurora's heart. Vast let out a pained cry of anguish and Permafrost screamed as Beluga ripped out the knife and let Aurora's lifeless form drop to the floor.

Then Beluga grabbed Permafrost, and threw her in her room, locking the door behind her.

"YOU'RE A MONSTER!" Permafrost screamed through the door.

"You are getting married at the end of the week. Seeing as you won't behave, you'll remain in here until then." Beluga explained.

Permafrost shook her head in despair. This couldn't be happening. Her mother was dead. DEAD. And her worst fear was about to come true. She didn't mind the Ice Kingdom because her parents were there, but if they were gone....

Permafrost couldn't imagine a worse fate to her life then being married to some heartless Icewing, and doomed to remain in the Ice Kingdom forever. The thought alone terrified her. And what about Stardust? Permafrost would be lucky if she ever even got to write to one of her friends again, let alone see them. She dropped to the floor of her room and sobbed.

How had everything fallen apart so fast?

That night, after determining that escape was impossible, Permafrost fell to her bed, hoping that this was all just a horrible dream she'd wake up from.

But judging by the haunted look on Vast's face as he shook her awake, that was not the case.

"You need to leave." He whispered to her.

"What?" She hissed back, blinking the sleep from her eyes.

"Beluga's asleep. Now's the only chance you'll probably ever get to escape. You have to go." Permafrost stared at him, not believing what she was hearing.

"But I can't leave you here with HER," She insisted. Vast shook his head.

"Permafrost, listen to me." He began. "I didn't want to stay here either. I wanted to find somewhere else just as bad as you do. But then I met your mother and plans changed." His eyes glimmered with sadness. "I don't want you to be forced to stay here like I had to. If you want to go and be free and love that hybrid, then go. Hell, I don't even care if you end up marrying that princess- just go. Fly and don't look back and NEVER come back. Not while Beluga's alive. Do you understand?"

Permafrost nodded slowly and hugged him.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Me too, Permafrost," he replied. "Me too."