The Planet's Ruler (closed)

[JadeKnight]

The planet Rutheria was tucked away in a small corner of the milky way galaxy, sitting on the tip of one of the many arms of the spiral galaxy. The solar system contained four planets orbiting the main star in it's center. Rutheria was the second planet from the sun, the right distance for life to develop. Two moons orbited the planet in a cross pattern, one along the equator and the second traveling between the poles.

One billion years after the formation of the planet, it became covered by mostly water and one very large landmass. Constant shifting of the planet's plates split the land mass into four sections floating through the water. A large ice shelf also developed on the southern pole of the planet, covering nearly half of the southern hemisphere.

During the next two million years life began to form in various forms of land, water, and air creatures. The ecosystem changed rapidly, creating the need for rapid evolution among the many lifeforms on the planet. Though the evolution was slowly for the smallest of the creatures, the lizards, they soon became the most powerful and ferocious lifeform after one million and seven hundred years. The lizards had evolved the ability to fly with wings nearly as long as their body mass. They would grow to stand nearly two stories tall at the height of their growth and grew up to fifty feet in length from head to tail.

After nearly three hundred thousand years of being the largest and top of the food chain, the dragons began to have a major effect on the environment. The food chain was barely able to keep up with the massive amount of resources need to sustain them. A struggle was soon being fought between the dragons and the world at large.

It was during this time of famine, as the dragons referred to it, that a strange dragon was born. Unlike most dragons who developed only solid colors for their scale coloring, this one was a multi-colored dragon, consisting of black, white, and red scales. His mother named him Thratux. Thratux was just over five thousand years when a disease struck, killing over half of the dragon population and rendering most of the females infertile. He took it upon himself to try and bring together the rest of the dragons, settling on the northern most landmass. Despite the attempt of bringing the dragons together, the inability to reproduce took its toll, as well as the changing environment. An ice age set in as half of the polar ice cap broke away and made it way along the planet.

As the glaciers reformed the surface of the planet, the dropping temperatures made it harder for the dragons to hunt as more animals attempted to flee the danger. Thratux ordered the dragons to find shelter for the coming ice age, believing it to only last a short while. Every dragon took shelter in any nook or crevice they could find.

As the glaciers moved along the surface, they helped push the landmasses together into two large landmasses. The sheer weight of the glaciers changed the land above and below, trapping or killing the dragons where they had taken shelter. Thartux was lucky in not being killed, but his hiding place became part of a large mountain range that ran along the equator of the planet on one of the two landmasses. The sheer pressure also helped to form a diamond rich vein along most of the mountain range.

The second landmass was smoothed out by the glacier, becoming one large fertile continent. It was soon covered completely with forest and several lakes. The glaciers settled into the northern pole, forming a second ice shelf. Multiple islands dot the vast ocean that covers the nearly terraformed planet.

Two thousand years after the ice age, a new series of life cycles take over the planet.

 

[La_Reina]

Princess Mila Vangeline Laroche stared boredly out the window as her History Professor drone on and on about the early years before her people ruled this land. It had something to do with dragons and blah blah blah. Mila didn't care. She was 18 and in her kingdom she still had 3 more years of schooling before she would be considered an adult. She just had to past the exams that all people of age took before finding their careers. Except Mila had passed the exam 2 years ago. She was exceptionally bright. The only subject she hadn't passed was the History of the Lands. How boring. So here she sat day in and day out studying a subject that bored the life of her. Not that she would need this subject to do her career when the time came. She was a princess and the sole heir to her parent's throne. Still her father insisted she take a, what most would call, dead end subject. Hell, even if the commoners didn't pass History they still graduated, but she was being made an example of.

"Miiiiiiiiiiiiila!"

Mila turned to see her mother was looking stern at her and her Professor was tapping his pointing stick in his hand. "Yes, mother," Mila said.

"You weren't listening. This is why you haven't passed History yet. As punishment you will not be coming with us to the borderlands. You will stay here and study!"

"Mother, but -" Mila started, but was cut off by her father.

"You heard your mother. We will be traveling to the far mountains. There has been great talks of a huge discovery there. Maybe artifacts of our beginning so now it's even more important you know your History, young lady. Besides if your Prof. sends word that you are doing much better by the time we leave the mountains we may send for you."

Mila nodded. "I will. I promise. I want to go with you both."

Mila's mother and father hugged her. They loved her a great deal. "So we'll leave you here. You can see us get in the carriage from the window. We love you Mimi. Study hard and in 5 days times you'll be with us going to the borderlands."

"Yes mother and father. I promise." She hugged them both fiercely and then went to the window to see them enter the grand carriage. They waved and she waved back as they entered the carriage, took off, and was gone from sight. She slowly returned to her seat and tried to focus on the most boring thing she had ever experienced.

The next days flew by as Mila only thought of studying. She studied day and night trying to prove she had done better so she could join her parents. It was during one such night that she felt a powerful earthquake. Her heart pounding she quickly grabbed the lamp to stop it from tumbling over. She raced out of her room walking onto the landing. Already guards were coming up to her. "I'm fine. Check the rest of the castle. Make sure there isn't any fires or anyone hurt. Than go into the village and see to the people."

She watched them hurry back down the steps. "Very good thinking," her Professor said from behind her. Mila turned and smiled at the man. "Your parents would be proud." He retreated and left Mila alone.

The damage was minimal and her people were safe. She retreated to her room and fell quickly asleep. The next morning she did her usual studying. She knew that her Professor had sent word to her parents that she was being more attentive and had learn a deal. Mila was just antsy for the returned reply. It seemed it would never come. She hoped the messenger wasn't too late and had missed her parents.

It was late evening when there was a loud clamor downstairs. Her professor went to see to it as Mila went on with her studies. The noise was getting louder and Mila glanced up just as the door opened and her Professor had a weird look on his face. Oh no! Did the messenger miss her parents.

"Princess Mila Laroche. The earthquake was caused by ... for some reason part of the far mountains collapsed."

"Oh. Well we should see into it. Find out what caused it so it could be avoided again." The Professor gave her a weird look. "Professor what is it?"

"Mila you're parents were at the far mountains." Mila sat there dumbly slowly seeing where this was going, but unwilling to go there. She slowly started to shake her head no. "Yes, Mimi you're parents are dead."

"DON'T SAY THAT!"

"I'm sorry. You are now Queen Mila."

Mila didn't have time to mourn. Professor was her new advisor and he helped her with everything. The finding of her parents bodies, the worshiping burial of them, the newfound initiation, and learning everything her parents did. Something that was supposed to happen over 10 years or more was crammed in a few weeks as she learned to be the leader her parents were: kind, fair, and strict.

Mila never did find out what had caused the earthquake, but there were rumors that something strange had happened. She just hoped it wasn't something bad.

 

[JadeKnight]

There was nothing special that caused the earthquake. The shifting of the plates wasn't anything new, but they had not been closer to the magnitude of this one. It had been so long since the last quake, it was no wonder it had caught them off-guard.

It wasn't the earthquake itself that woke Thratux up, but the small landslide piling over him. One of the rocks gave him a hard enough hit to jar him from his sleep. Leftover water from the glaciers had seeped into his small hole and carved it out in a large cavern. He shook himself free of the rock pile, letting his eyes adjust to the total darkness. He spotted the large space in the ceiling where the rocks had been. He laid his head down again, trying to go back to sleep.

After a few minutes, when sleep did not come, he unfurled his massive bulk and examined the formed cavern. It was twice as big as he remembered it and the hole he had entered was blocked by a second rockslide. He growled softly for a moment and went about clearing the rubble away. It took only a few moments to reveal the opening once more.

He entered the tunnel and began to follow it. The tunnel was not what he remembered, going upwards along the mountain rather than down to the lake he remembered at the base of the mountain. He didn't realize that he had passed over a collapsed portion of a mine, moving away from it steadily. His journey took him to a newly formed opening that was on the opposite side of a town he didn't even know about.

He squinted his eyes at the brightness for a moment, not expecting it. Once his eyesight adjusted to the light, he took a deep breathe, filling his lung with the crisp mountain air. He frowned as he smelled several strange new scents, but the clouds at his altitude did not let him see much.

"How long have I been asleep?"

 

[La_Reina]

Mila was observing from her chair the 5 day feast and party that was the Playfest of her people. Every year on the first day of spring her people celebrated living; well living through winter. Winter was always a harsh experience and one never knew if you would run out of water or food or some other necessity to survive it. But once spring came well you had to celebrate and be happy. You made it through another winter and now it was time to eat, play, drink, and be merry.

Her parents usually sat there all mid day - when it started and night long showing a strong presence. Dancing and drinking with the people and hearing the stories of wrongs that needed to be right. Usually her father would listen to the tales and pass judgement. This was the first time Mila was going to do it. She didn't know how long they lasted but after 3 hours and there was still a long time her patience was running thin and it was beginning to show. She wasn't unfair, but the exasperation was starting to set in. This was her duty and she would do it with the best of her ability and with honor.

"Perhaps, my Queen, you should find a suitor to help you run your kingdom," Professor advised.

Mila snorted. She wasn't ready to get married, but she would need a husband soon. If not for these tasks than to make sure no other kingdom thought to take what was rightfully hers.

"Speak to me again after the fest. For now let's hurry through these matters and then be merry."

Professor nodded and retreated always beside her; helping her and guiding her but never making the queen look like she didn't know what she was doing or overstepping her.

 

[JadeKnight]

Thratux took in a deep breathe, inhaling the mixed scents of the world. A few he recognized, but many he did not. The clouds blocked his view of the world from his perch, so he climbed up to the peak of the mountain range, stretching his wings as he went. Frost settled on his scales as he climbed higher, but he ignored the dropping temperature. At the highest peak, he sat back on his haunches, viewing the land through patches in the clouds.

"I must find the others. Maybe one of them will know."

He leaned his head back and opened his mouth wide. A loud bestial roar was released, carried far and wide. He listened for a few moments before repeating the roar a second time. The sound of his roar was unlike anything heard on the planet for two thousand years. As he waited for any answering roar, his stomach began to growl from the lack of food. He growled at the lack of an answering call, as well as his hunger.

His focus was on the land below, which had been dotted with strange square unnatural objects. He studied the strange objects before a scent of possible food reach him on the wind. He spotted a field of large four-legged creatures in a faraway field further away from the mountains. Licking his mouth for a moment, he leaped into the air, flying through the clouds towards the field.

It took a few minutes to reach the clouds above the field. The field was very large, filled with the four-legged creatures he didn't recognize. A few of the strange square objects were a mile away from the herd, he he paid no heed to the at the moment. He folded his wings and dove towards the herd rapidly. To on-lookers, he would have been a black streak. Moments before coming in contact with the ground, his wings spread wide as he went into a glide just above the herd. He knew few creatures could outrun him, and these were of no exception. He plucked two of them up easily in his front talons before flying back into the air into the clouds, heading towards the mountain to feed.

 

[La_Reina]

The second day of the fest went well and uneventful. She and her people were having a grand time and the final day of the fest was here. She had put off things opting to enjoy the fest, but she was going to have to handle those affairs. The first being finding a suitable suitor, ranking up her soldiers in case she didn't find a suitor and they were under attack, and general upkeep of her kingdom. All things that had to be done aside from the other smaller duties she had. How had her parents done it and make it look so easy.

She still had yet to figure out what those noises were from the first fest and they hadn't heard again since. She had sent trackers out, but they came back with nothing to tell. There were rumors that the devil was here. Sighting of a black blur flying around was becoming popular. She believed it, but didn't know what to think about it. How do you save your people from a black blur or their fear of something no one could name. She would have to send for a huntsmen soon. But aside from a few random sightings they hadn't heard or seen anything since. Still it would put her people at ease if she had answers. She was fearing she was already looking incompetent.

"Your Highness. The Last day of the Fest is starting. Would you like to sit in the High Chair and overlook the festivities." Mila wanted to wave it today. She had bigger things to figure out. Like what to do about tomorrow. "I believe your people have a surprise for you."

Mila smiled. "Then let's not disappoint them." She stood up and walked out to sit in her chair. She must, after all, keep up appearances.

 

[JadeKnight]

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/l2m5n

The two creatures were plenty to satisfy Thratux for at least three days. After eating, he made his way back to the area where the herd was, landing in the forest. He had managed to use the forest as a hiding spot so that he could observe some of the strange two-legged creatures from earlier. From a distance, the observations didn't go very well, since he really couldn't hear them. A few passed near him, but he used his shadow magic to make himself seem just apart of the shadows. He heard the sounds of their language, but he wasn't able to really understand it since he had nothing to compare it to. He needed to understand what was going on around him, but just hiding in the forest wouldn't help.

Like all his dragonkin, he could shapeshift, but most didn't see the need to while they had been alive. For Thratux, it was his way of getting to understand and outsmarting the natural order around him. However, he knew most of his knowledge of the old world wouldn't help him here. He knew the first way to get attention was probably to act as if he had gotten hurt somehow.

His first course of action was shape-shifting into one of the two legged creatures. He formed himself in the same shape as one of the workers, muscular and well-built. He duplicated himself perfectly, but his eyes were a little different. His irises were a deep red, but his black pupils were vertical slits.

He made his way towards one of the square objects, waiting till one of the two leggers came out. He stumbled out like he was favoring his left leg, moaning softly. The person was a man, who froze for a second at the sight of him. The man called out as he hurried towards Thartux.

"Are you ok? What happened?"

To Thartux, it was just gibberish, so he waved his hand around for a moment. He dropped to the ground, holding his "injured" leg. The man tried once more.

"Are you hurt? Can you understand me?"

He stared blankly at the man, saying nothing. Though it was rare, dragons had used written icons for communication, understandable only by them. Thartux didn't think they would understand, but he would try anyway. Using a finger, he wrote out a series of symbols which roughly translated as "I am your king, so obey me." To the man it was all strange symbols, except for one. The one Thartux had used for king, a circle with four dots above it, the man mistook as royalty.

"You must be a prince. I need to tell the mayor."

The rest of the day and the next were mostly a blur for Thartux. He was clothed, and fed strange food. He was placed in an inn by the mayor of the small village while a courier was dispatched with instructions on how to deal with the new situation. It would take at least a day or two for the message to be given to the proper person.

 

[La_Reina]

Mila sighed as she looked at all the paperwork she had to do. She placed her arms down on the table and let her head fall on top of them. How was she going to get through all this? It covered more than half of the great long table. She had to sign off on so many tasks, oversee so many projects, okay so many things she thought her head was going to explode.

"You know," Prof. said, "if you found a suitor ..."

"Oh hush," Mila said interrupting him.

The Prof. just laughed. "The paperwork for a ball to find a suitor is somewhere near the front of all this work. It'll cut the paperwork in half too."

"A ball?"

The Prof. nodded seeing a way in with his little protege'. Maybe he could get her to commit after all. this kingdom needed a King and Queen. "Yes. A ball. You get dressed up and you're the center of attention.:

Mila tilted her head thinking about it. "Maybe this will be a good idea after all."

The paperwork for the lost royalty was the first paper she would have grabbed if she had picked up any paperwork. Instead she pushed past it going for the arrangements for the ball and reading it over. Who knew it took so much planning for a ball, but it would be a ball in her honor.

 

[JadeKnight]

It took five days to receive a message back on how to handle the new prince. A invitation to the ball was given to the mayor, but he passed it onto Thratux instead.

in an attempt to help Thratux out, a guide was given the task of helping him around. She acted as a tutor as well, trying to teaching him their language and customs. Though five days was a very short time to learn such a task, he was able to easily pick up the basics of what he needed to communicate.

He could pick up an undercurrent of fear from the people of the little town, mixed with curiosity about him as well. Some of the people tried to stay out of his way completely while others were drawn to watch him where he went. He enjoyed the fact they had a bit of fear towards him, a large step to him in getting back his position of ruler.

The mayor placed Thratux in a private carriage to the capital, wishing him luck. He was also given a couple of basic language books and a gift from the mayor. The gift was a box that contained a note and several items. The note thanked Thratux for his visit and generosity for visiting the little village. The mayor also stated the items might help him out at the ball, to lessen his impact for first impressions. The dragon laughed at the idea, but liked the idea anyway.

The items included a mask, dress gloves, and a cape. The mask was painted to be half black and half white. The eye holes had tinted lenses to hide the redness of his eyes. A square hole was cut out to leave his mouth and chin visible to view. The gloves were made of fine silk, one black and one white. The cape was made of the same material, designed of equal black and white halves.

Thratux spent the three day journey carving scales onto the mask with one of his claws and studying the books to further his knowledge.

 

[La_Reina]

Mila had assigned her Professor to help her with some of her tasks which included doing some of the initial work so that she could focus on more important things. Which meant the paper on the loss royal was handled by him. He figured it would be easier to send out messengers requesting who had a missing heir and to invite him to the ball to stay in a custom he was more used too. He had told Mila about it, but she had just nodded her head as she thought of a Masquerade. But not just any masquerade a white ball. So it was slightly different. Everyone was to wear white and to help with definition in costumes black was allowed as well. It was to be spectacular.

Mila herself had a huge white dress fringed in black and when the light hit it correctly it looked like the black had moving flames coming to consume her from the floor up. She had tried it on and when she twirled it look like she was going to go up in a ball of black fire. Her mask was one that she could wear at all times keeping her hands free. The black mask actually accentuated her red hair going into her hair line and making her look feral and ferocious; like the fire was something that she could control and wield.

Before she knew it the ball was here and her guests were arriving. She knew at least a dozen of her guests were to be staying in the castle for the night. Prof. had seen to that. Most of them were couples, and single women, and only a few were bachelor men. She wasn't the only one looking for a potential mate. As customary Mila was a little late to the ball and she flitted through the guests saying hi and trying to guess who was whom. She laughed when quite a few wouldn't say who they were liking that everyone was enjoying the ambiance and thrill of the unknown. Except everyone pretty much knew who she was.

"Thank you everyone for attending. I'll keep this short ..." Mila went through the customary greeting and thanking and made sure that everyone had a good time. Her royal guards were posted everywhere so there was no sneaking off. Her guards were the only ones wearing red...though they had masks as well. "... I do so hope everyone has a great time."

The music started up and it was appropriate, but with an underlying tone of sexuality. If you weren't musically inclined, which few of her guests were, you wouldn't hear it. It'll be like a subliminal message. Mila wasn't musically inclined. She just knew the music sounded much better than usual and she went down to dance. People danced a little too close and the masks made it easier to lose normal inhibitions. No one knew who you were. Except of course Mila didn't have that luxury so she made sure to keep up the requiem though she did dance a little too close too.

 

[JadeKnight]

For the ball, Thratux used a touch of magic to alter his outfit the way he wanted it. The long sleeved tunic, pants, and boots did contain white. However he gave it the same pattern as his tri-colored scales, white, black, and red. The pattern had a small mesmerizing effect that seemed to make him stand out, and yet blend in at the same time. He left the cape off, but donned the gloves and mask. A thin strip of white leather held his mask on so his hands would be free.

He spent a bit of time at the beginning of the ball just watching the rest of the guests. He moved among them quietly, giving occasional nods from time to time. He chuckled softly as he watched the spectacle with amusement with the way everyone showed themselves off. He didn't believe that the Rutherians, since he didn't have any other name to call them by yet, could smell the amount of pheromones they were giving, but they certainly noticed through body language. He also picked up the undertones of the music, amused.

"Some things never change."

It was just another mating dance he had seen time and time again long ago. However he knew he needed to participate if he was to regain his power once more. As he watched, he knew the one he needed to go after was the female in the black flames and red hair. He smiled for a moment as he watched her move and dance, taking in her every movement.

He joined in with the dancing, but he merely moved with the flow of the music. He danced through the sea of lust, not staying with any partner for long. His path took him towards the princess, the scales dancing under the light of the chandeliers. He came up from behind her, the black gloved hand on her waist for a moment. He leaned forward and whispered lightly in her left ear as he inhaled her sweet scent for a moment.

"The flames burn ever so brightly tonight."

In the next moment he pulled away from her, dancing into the crowd once more. Perhaps a little game of cat and mouse would be fun.

 

[La_Reina]

Mila noticed that the dancing though still proper with the waltz and the foxtrot was getting more like that tango. It was getting steamy and through it all decorum was still held even if touches lingered too long or bodies brushed each other. After all this was a ball of the royalty. Still the decadence that the girl in all white including platinum blond was dancing with the almost entirely of black male exclusively. Mila noted and was happy that she had made a match for someone even if it didn't include herself.

She was dancing with whom she thought was the baron, whom she knew was married, but whom seemed to one to occupy her all night. Mila wasn't here for the 'romp in the hay' as she was going to call it. She was looking for the other to help her. That's when she felt it, a hand on her waist and a whisper in her ear. She blanched and turned swiftly. How dare someone touch her so intimately? She turned her head, but didn't see anyone .. that was until a smile caught her eyes.

"Excuse me," she said to the mask man (whom she desperately hoped wasn't the baron, because how awkward was that!) and stalked across the room to the smile.

"Mila it's me. Henry."

"Henry!" Mila couldn't believe her childhood friend would touch her and say such words to her, but it made sense. No wonder he would be so familiar with her. He knew her intimately and that put her at ease and made her anger die down. She playfully swatted his arm. "You rouge. I was so angry with you," Mila missed his confused look as a new song came from the band. "Come dance with me and see my flames burn brighter," she said teasingly. Maybe she had found her match after all.

 

[JadeKnight]

He chuckled softly seeing the princess's reaction. After all, it was just part of the game. It would have taken all of the fun from it if she had spotted him. He watched her for a few more moments as he decided on the next step to take.

Though the party was young, there was time enough to heat things up, in his own way of thinking. He knew that the females of his species got very would up when they were in the heat of mating, so perhaps he would see how heated he could get things here. To the others, he was merely a face among the sea of black and white, enjoying the party.

As the song played, he moved among the dancing pairs dancing as well. He reveled in the mixture of pheromones as they filled the air, the princess's most enjoyable. As he moved among the crowd, he ran a hand along the asses of the dancing females, using the proper color to blend in with they dresses. He could here several gasps, followed by various forms of their partners being called naughty in some form. Though some seem offended, many were enjoying it, moving closer to their partners.

He grinned as his path took him towards the princess once more. He had noticed she was offended by the mere touch on her hip, so things would become more so interesting with his next action. Henry's hands were both occupied with Mila's hand and waist, so he would see how much she would notice his touch. He moved along behind the two, dancing near another couple. As he passed behind her, his black glove passed gently over her shapely rear for a moment before he was out of reach once more.