Wings of Fire-The next generation

Epilogue

It was Glisten's very last night at Jade Mountain Academy, and she was preparing for her graduation ceremony. It was tradition for the family and friends of the graduates to send them jewellery or flowers to wear, and the female dragonets in the Jade Winglet were preparing together.

"Those earrings are gorgeous, Lightbringer," Glisten said, as her clawmate slid two onyx earrings on.

"Thanks, Glis," Lightbringer smiled, "They're a gift from my grandparents, Queen Thorn and Smolder."

"They are NOT your grandparents," Firefly said bossily.

"Well, they may as well be," Lightbringer rolled her eyes, "Better than my real grandparents, anyway." She adjusted the amber bracelet her parents gave her for her fifth hatching day, so that it sat just as she liked on her arm.

"I cannot believe we are ACTUALLY graduating!" Firefly exclaimed, as she placed a flower crown her mother had painstakingly woven for her on her head, "How weird is that?" Firefly still completely lacked the ability to sit still, and her silver earrings were bouncing.

"It is crazy," Fen said. Her only ornamentation was a necklace with five river pebbles, each one representing one of her siblings, "Though not as crazy as you, Firefly."

"Nothing is as crazy as Firefly," Lightbringer said. She took out a precious-looking opal necklace that Glisten had never seen her wear before.

"That's so pretty," she said, "Where did you get it," Lightbringer ducked her head, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Um...Rainstorm got it for me. As a gift." Firefly oohed energetically.

"I SMELL ROMANCE! And I'm a NightWing so my sense of smell is pretty good,"

"Even I smell romance, Lightbringer," Fen said sensibly, "And I am not what you would call a romantic."

"We'll see what happens," Lightbringer smiled, "I think we're all nearly ready to go down. We look lovely, girls." All that Glisten was wearing were a pair of silver earrings, which her parents had sent her. She knew that it was all that they could afford, and that she had no other family, but she still couldn't help envying Lightbringer, with all her family to send her beautiful things. Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"Yes?" Lightbringer called, and to Glisten's surprise, Princess Floe stood there. Over the course of the year, the IceWing princess had become more relaxed and friendly, although she still maintained her somewhat haughty demeanour and bearing.

"I'd like to speak to Glisten, please," she said. Glisten stepped out into the hall. Floe, of course, looked very beautiful, and all her jewellery was matching diamonds.

"Yes?" Glisten said nervously.

"I wanted to give you this," Floe handed Glisten a beautiful diamond necklace, "I know that you wouldn't have many jewels, and that none of your extended family would have sent you anything, but whether they like it or not, you are part of my family. I am your cousin, our parents are brother and sister and Queen Snowfall is our first cousin, once removed. And I have far too many jewels. This necklace is pretty, tasteful and I think it would suit you."

"Thank you!" Glisten gasped, "Floe...this is too kind."

"Nonsense," she raised her head regally, "There are many words to describe IceWing royalty, and 'too kind' has never been among them." Glisten wasn't sure whether this remark was supposed to be humorous, but she couldn't help smiling.

"Well, see you later," Glisten said as she and Floe returned to their Winglets. The girls did one last check that they were all tidy (Firefly's earrings had become tangled in her flowers, and they spent a few minutes fixing that), before going down towards the Great Hall, where parents and relatives would be gathered. They grouped with the boys on the way down.