3 months later

The massive Orphanage was dark. And cold. Just like the day he was brought here. Damp. Quiet. Still.

"YOUR PARENTS NEVER LOVED YOU. NO ONE DOES. DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? YOU BELONG NO WHERE."

It rang through his head, looping. Over and over again. Until the point he might have cried, if he wasn't doing an escape plan. Shard looked out the hallway, it was empty.

No footsteps echoing. Mistress must have been asleep. Or dealing with whatever the latest issue was. Something about an Icewing that killed her own sister. Huh.

It had been the last straw. When she had told him what haunter his mind, AND didn't let him eat for 3 days. He spent the whole time figuring our how he could leave the wretched place. He had had enough.

He carefully, soundlessly, crept into the hall. He loathed every part of the place. Specifically because he was thrown against all the walls. And floors. And windows.

Shard speeded down the hall, all the way down until he reached the attic stairs. This was the tricky part.

He had to be careful not to make too much sound. Shard tentatively put his talon down on the first stairs. It didn't creak. Thank the moons.

He continued carefully stepping up the stairs. Freedom was only minutes away. Your probably wondering why he didn't ask the other dragonets to come with him...

He did. And they threatened to tell Mistress if he tried. So, 2 weeks later, he was here. He didn't need then anyways. He didn't need anyone.

When he finally reached the top, he almost danced with victory. He didn't know where he was going. But he would find out on the way. He exhaled in relief.

Well. That was, until he heard the slow clapping.

"Well well well. What do we have here? Little Shard trying to escape." Talia said and Shards heart dropped. But he didn't let it show.

"Talia, get out of my way." He huffed and moved forward.

Talia stopped him and smiled her wicked smile. "No."

Shard scowled with all the hatred he could muster. "Move NOW." He yelled and she looked at him in surprise. She didn't expect that.

Talia moved towards him threateningly. Shard felt that same fear again. But this time.....he did something different.

He shoved her away from him, hard. Talia, not expecting this, stumbled backwards. She hit her head on a bored and tripped.

Shard watched in horror as she stumbled out of the window, flailing her wings, trying to keep balance.

He was frozen and he heard her scream. Shard knew what he had done. Even if he had just been protecting himself in a fit of anger.

BAM!!!

He put his claws up to his mouth in shock and horror. No. No no no no no no. What had he done? No. No. No.

He felt tears press against his eyes. He looked out the window and saw dragons come out if there homes to see why someone had screamed. He would be caught, blamed for murder and then put in jail. Or worse..

Shard quickly climbed out of the window, and up the roof. He sprinted to the top, careful not to fall. Then, he lifted his wings. He heard some people saying,

"OH MY MOONS!!"

"ANOTHER MURDER??"

"THE ICEWING KILLER STRIKED AGAIN!"

"SOMEONE GET THE QUEEN!!"

Shard didn't want to be a murderer. He didn't want anyone to die. No matter how awful they were. But....they wouldn't believe him if he said it was an accident.

No one ever listened to him. Not when he tried to explain how awful things were. Not when he told them how Sheveara hit them. No one listened.

"Oh please. Your being dramatic. Dragon up and quit complaining. Be a true Icewing and deal with it." They told him. No more.

Shard grit his teeth, burying his guilt in his anger. Anger at the Icewings. Anger at Talia. Anger at Sheveara. Anger at his stupid parents that left him and didn't give him another thought.

He lifted into the air, not turning back. Not showing any guilt, sadness, fear or remorse.

Never again.