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Glacier had lost track of the years. Enough battles, enough war tends to make time lose all meaning. Almost all meaning, anyway. She may not have known exactly when it happened or what caused it, but she did know that her thoughts for the last 2 years had been of nothing but the Princess, and not in the usual protective war-related way she had gotten used to either. Blaze had become more than just a war asset or even an ally in her mind. The SandWing had thoroughly wormed her way through Glacier’s brain and left her feeling something that approached sickness when the two were alone.
She couldn’t deny her truth any longer. She was in love.
The fighting had died down recently and it was a relatively peaceful lull in the war. There was a chance for festivals to return and hushed rumours of potential ceasefires to allow for said festivals to take place in true, even if temporary, peace. Glacier knew the rumours were false, but given the existence of the Great Ice Cliff ensuring their safety, it was probably good for morale to let the rumours stay.
Soon enough, the solstice festival would be held once more and all the commoners from the outer villages of her kingdom would gather again in the northernmost reaches of the palace grounds and celebrate the midday aurora. Glacier wouldn’t be there. She would be south of the Cliff, not too far from the SandWing stronghold in her territory and would be calling it a “festive outreach to their SandWing allies who would not survive the journey through the polar winter.” No-one needed to know it would just be her and Blaze.
Blaze was somewhat of an open book to her. She found every action of Glacier’s endearing and always was by her side when she could be, but was never all there. Whenever the pair tried to have a more serious conversation, Blaze would always deflect with boredom and disinterest or just sit there confused. But Glacier knew that Blaze wasn’t exactly bored or disinterested in her and they did enjoy each other’s company. She suspected that Blaze was also a bit avoidant of her feelings, though in hindsight the signs were somewhat obvious.
One night out under the aurora and they’d sort this out, for better or worse.
The weeks went by, anticipation and an equal nervous dread building as the solstice drew nearer. It hadn’t helped that Glacier still needed to talk war and diplomacy with the allied SandWings, Blaze included. She waited until almost the last minute to announce the festivities, just in case the war picked up again. Small skirmishes were still happening on the absolute limits of the border, but they were minor and infrequent enough that things would still go as planned.
She arrived at the SandWing stronghold the morning of the solstice with not even an escort. Her scales were freshly polished with just a hint of makeup to accentuate her features and the spikes on her head and neck were neatly groomed. She went with slightly more jewellery than she’d usually consider wearing but considering the day, it was a good call.
The SandWing guards bowed at the entrance of the stronghold. Glacier held her head high, kept her composure and walked into the warm, stone keep. Blaze sat, as usual, in her quarters on a pile of pillows. She smiled up at Glacier with wide eyes that glanced over her scales with an indeterminate expression. Her maw was loose in surprise but the rest of her body was tense and an almost imperceptible blush was just visible through her makeup.
“Glacier! Good to see you again! What’s the occasion this time? Oooh are we finally having that party I asked you for? I never thought I’d see the day!” Blaze was somehow even giddier than usual. She didn’t even wait for Glacier to reply before she got up from her pillow nest and began sifting through her jewellery, humming to herself and muttering under her breath something about her sail.
“Hm. No, I’m afraid not. Today is the solstice. The aurora will be visible tonight nearby and I’d like you to come see it.” Glacier held her royal demeanour and posture with a suitably neutral expression.
“Well, if you insist,” she responded, with much lower energy this time. “I’m going to need my coat aren’t I? Hmm… maybe I can make it work with… this!” She pulled out one of her favourite tiaras with a matching set of earrings, bracelet and necklace. The SandWing princess looked over to her mirror, adjusting the set before flinging her favourite winter coat over her and carefully preening her sail to just the right angle. Blaze looked over her shoulder and smiled at the Queen, and to her surprise the barest hint of a smile cracked through her thick exterior of formality.
“We’ll need to leave now to get there before dusk. I’ll carry the firewood for you. You might find it cold.” Glacier turned around with a practiced grace and headed back to the entrance, scooping up the promised firewood and stretching out her wings. Blaze followed a few steps behind but caught up quickly in a nervous trot. The guards looked mildly confused at each other before the pair took to the skies.
They flew wordlessly for a while to where a secluded fjord met the ocean. The sun’s short life for the day had already started ending as they set down in the opening of a cave overlooking the mouth of the fjord. Glacier set up the firewood into a decent pyre, ready for Blaze to light it when it got too dark and cold for her. She knew the sun would be set completely in under an hour and the aurora would light up the skies very shortly after. Her gaze wandered aimlessly to the horizon as she took a seat and relaxed herself.
Blaze wasn’t the most comfortable dragon in Pyrrhia in the cold with the sun rapidly sinking, but she did admire the beauty in the sunset before her. Her breath fogged up in front of her, which also brought a smile to her face every time she’d noticed it. Leaning down, she lit the pile of firewood with a short puff of her flamebreath, bringing her a nice amount of warmth. She may not have been the most comfortable, but she was content.
The pair sat there silently, lost in their own thoughts. Glacier gazed off aimlessly into the distance as she went through her feelings in her head, trying to work up the courage to admit everything to Blaze; Blaze’s eyes wandered over the rocks, the water, the cliffs, her scales, her claws, really everywhere, picking out little aesthetic details and imperfections in her mind. Soon enough however, the sun set and in the dimming twilight, the lights of the aurora began to faintly glow.
The SandWing princess caught the lights out of the corner of her eye and she shifted her attention. Usually she was quite scatterbrained, always looking around at different things or getting lost in her own thoughts but the growing aurora held her fascination. Her jaw hung loose as the colours reflected off of her near jet-black eyes, lost fully in the moment. The IceWing Queen by her side looked over and smiled gently before staring back out at the dancing greens and reds. Blaze snapped out of it after noticing that Glacier had looked over to her.
“I can see why you wanted me to see this, Glacier. It’s the second prettiest thing I’ve ever seen. Behind me, of course,” she said smugly, putting a claw to her chest.
“That it is,” Glacier found herself saying as she gazed out of the cave again.
“Well- wait, what? No ‘hm’ or pushback? I-” Blaze was stunned. Never once had the Queen given in and agreed to her boasts of beauty. She felt herself blushing, strong enough to be visible even through her makeup.
“Blaze…” The IceWing took a breath, locked eyes with the SandWing and took a careful step closer. “I- I brought you out here tonight for a reason.” She sat on her haunches and nervously fidgeted her talons. “We’ve been allies for a long time and…” Her words began to catch in her throat and she shook her head.
“And? Is something wrong? Do you want to-”
“I love you, Blaze,” Glacier interrupted. “I have for a while now and I needed to say something.”
The SandWing didn’t hesitate to almost leap forward into a hug, wrapping her wings around Glacier and nuzzling her cheek into the coolness of her neck.
“I know I’m not the smartest of dragons, but I knew there was something more between us. Oooh does this mean we get to wear matching jewelry now? I’ve seen so many couples do that and now you wanna be one we ca-”
“I’m glad you feel the same way Blaze but can we maybe slow this down a bit?” A soft chuckle escaped her as she wrapped her paws and wings around her now-partner, squeezing lightly before gently nudging her away slightly.
“Oh, okay.” She backed off, sitting beside Glacier with her tail very carefully brushing up against the IceWing’s, barb kept far away to avoid any mishaps.
The pair sat nervously, neither having a clue what to do next. Glacier felt her stomach in knots and her heart pound, her mind wrapped in a haze as she was trying to process every little sensation and emotion coursing through her.
After a minute that seemed like forever, the IceWing wordlessly inched closer to her partner until she felt the scales along their flanks starting to touch, sending pleasant chills and shocks through her. Blaze looked up at her, blushing madly and wide-eyed in adoration before leaning into Glacier’s shoulder. Their tails twined just a bit as Blaze felt a wing drape around her clumsily. Glacier let go of a breath she didn’t even know she was holding as the SandWing used a paw to pull the wing over her better.
“This is nice,” Blaze said softly, her cheek in the crook of her partner’s neck, staring out of the entrance and up at the vibrant aurora. “The lights go wonderfully with your scales. And that tiara and necklace. Also the makeup too. You’re even prettier than normal, which is already really pretty and-”
“Blaze, can I um…” Glacier’s cheeks flushed dark blue as she stumbled over her words. “Can I… give you a kiss?” Blaze blushed fiercely as the words entered her ears, carried by an awkward yet gentle and soft voice.
“Of course you can, darling. I’d like that.”
Glacier fidgeted a little beside her, taking a moment to swing her head around closer to Blaze’s. Her heart thumped hard enough that Blaze could feel it in her tail. The pair suddenly felt as if everything else had melted away into a haze as their heartbeats grew and synchronised, both a little short of breath. Moments passed and the IceWing pressed her snout tenderly up against the cheek before her, feeling the softness of Blaze’s scales against her lips. She felt as if she opened her wings she would be gliding in the currents again, carefree, exhilarated and utterly in love.
“And can I?” Blaze giggled softly, giddy and intoxicated from the contact with her lover.
“Moons, yes.” She craned her neck, giving Blaze easy access to her cheek. She didn’t aim for there, however.
Blaze reached up underneath Glacier’s muzzle with her own, working her lips into a soft and rather sensitive spot where the jaw met the neck, pressing with the softest scales Glacier had known with a much more measured passion. Chills and warmth rushed through her body, radiating out from where Blaze’s snout had caressed her. Her heart raced and she let out a pleasured gasp in shock at the sheer intensity of the sensation.
Eventually, Blaze pulled her lips away and as she did a wave of breath washed over the scales and sent a tingle through Glacier. They pulled back slightly from each other, repositioning to face each other better. Glacier’s talons gently rested up against Blaze’s as they closed the distance between themselves, gazing longingly into each other’s eyes. Hesitantly, their snouts drifted closer until their anxious breath mingled, the warm breath against the IceWing’s lips intoxicating and the cool breath against the SandWing’s lips enticing.
Glacier slowly pushed her lips forward and shut her eyes, meeting the soft scales of the Princess with an inexperienced touch. She felt Blaze adjust herself before returning the kiss and her heart skipped a beat. The taste on her lips was unlike anything else she'd ever experienced. It was lightly sweet with a subtle richness and fragrance to it that she was utterly enraptured with. She pressed herself up against her partner, wrapping her wings tightly around her, holding talons and twining their tails.
The dull throb of their heartbeats were felt through their lips, tails and wings and slowly synchronised as they quickened. Glacier felt her breathing hasten as Blaze tilted her jaw and parted her lips slightly. She followed the cue of her lover, feeling a tongue carefully tease its way in and meet with her own. Their tongues slid against each other in what could only be described as the most sensual dance Glacier had ever known, one that mirrored the subtle movements and holds of the rest of their bodies.
After what felt like hours, Glacier broke off the kiss to catch her breath, finding herself almost panting. Their cheeks were both thoroughly flushed from the intensity and the intimacy of the moment. Blaze leaned in close and carefully dropped her coat. For the first time, Glacier had felt the warmth and softness of scales against her own. She pulled the SandWing close, letting her still feel the heat of the fire beside them but insulating her from the cold outside the cave.
Blaze fell gently on her back onto the coat, pulling Glacier with her and resuming the kiss with renewed fervor. They lost track of time, unsure if moments or hours had passed in their passion until they needed air again. Blaze looked up at her Queen, drinking deep of the brilliant dark blues in her eyes.
“I love you, Glacier my darling. You're so gorgeous and you care about me so much and I don't want this night to end.” The words left Blaze in a flustered flurry.
“Me neither, my sweet flame. But it will end eventually, so why not make the most of it?”
Glacier took the lead, kissing her SandWing with an unrelenting passion and feeling the warmth of her scales against her own. The lights of the aurora danced at the entrance of the cave as the flickers of the fire bathed their scales in a soft, warm glow. They felt fully encompassed in this tender moment by the purest of passions and beauties either had ever known and their embrace continued on into the glorious night.