Chapter 2: The Birthday Ball
The sunset sky exploded in a burst of colours and sparks as fireworks were flying through the sky like shooting stars.
The entire kingdom of Ketsueki and others were celebrating in the palace courtyard while the royals, dukes and duchesses from all five kingdoms had come to Ketsueki to celebrate a momentous occasion.
The Prince's birthday...
All the royals, dukes and duchesses were gathered in the dining hall, getting ready for a performance in the Prince's honour. This play was always put on during a royal birthday, as that is one of the rare occasion when people from all five kingdoms are together.
This performance was called Sanctus Agnus Dei.
At one end of the dining room was a small wooden castle with five windows. At the other end sat King Dominus of Ketsueki.
King Dominus was not born into the royal family.
Before Dominus was king, Ketsueki was ruled by the tyrant king, Oroku Saki. But the people called him 'The Shredder'. He was the youngest son of the Emperor, but he worked his way into the former king of Ketsueki's heart and was named his heir.
But Saki ruled the land with a cold, iron fist.
He was known for torturing people even suspected of treason until they begged for the mercy of death. He also taxed the people mercilessly until they couldn't buy food, and if they didn't pay their taxes they too were executed.
His reign lasted 15 years.
It came to an end thanks to a middle-aged toy maker named Dominus Kame. Dominus was the brave soul who united others in an attempt to overthrow the king. He and his rebellion created a tunnel under the castle and destroyed it from within.
As his rebellion fought the king's army, Dominus took on Oroku Saki himself.
The battle was won when the mutant turtle beheaded the Shredder with his sword.
For his bravery, leadership and victory Dominus was crowned king and his sons were now the princes.
At either side of the dining hall were two long dining tables with royals on one side and dukes and duchesses on the other.
Suddenly the room silenced as drums thundered into the room, signalling that the show was about to start.
Then five women stepped into the room and stepped up into the windows of the small wooden castle. They wore white gowns and sliver masks over their eyes. Each one was hold one different coloured rose.
Then five other women stepped in and lined up in front of the castle, parallel from a woman in white. But unlike the ladies in white, these women wore black gowns and masks and held fake blades the same colour of the rose they were parallel from.
After them 10 men walked into the room and lined up in front of the king. The men were dressed in fake gold armour, gold masks and each held fake swords.
"I don't understand this play at all." The queen of Vuelie sighed as the ten men bowed respectively to the king before turning around to face the women.
Next to her, the Emperor of the Cloud Empire, Hamato Yoshi, chuckled.
"The ladies in the castle represent the good in people: red for Passion, yellow for Joy, green for Harmony, blue for Purity and pink for Hope." He explained.
"And what of the women in black?" The queen asked.
"Those women represent everything wrong and evil in people: Hate, Sorrow, Discord, Corruption and Defeat. They are keeping the women in white prisoners in the castle, depriving the world of their goodness."
"What about the men?"
"They represent all the qualities in a king: Loyalty, Honest, Courage, Patience, Leadership, Strength, Intelligence, Power, Compassion and Confidence."
"Are the king's sons among them?" She asked, completely missing Yoshi's scowl.
"I'd imagine so."
Suddenly a giant, hulking mutant turtle stood up. "As Sir Strength, I demand you release your prisoners." He ordered the women in black.
"As Lady Hate I laugh at your desires." The lady parallel from Passion grinned.
"I ask you one last time, release these fair damsels that you keep so cruelly." 'Sir Strength' said.
"Never."
"Then you leave us no choice but to attack and breach your defences."
"No knight shall ever breach my defences."
With that the men charged at the castle. While half of the men 'fought' the women in black the other half climbed up to the women in white and took the their hands.
'Sir Courage' looked up and his heart skipped a beat when luminous green met shining sapphire.
"Lady Purity, you are my prisoner now." He whispered to her and she just smiled as he helped her climb out of the window and lead her to the empty dining hall floor. They were soon joined by the other ladies and their male partners.
As they danced to the soft music the green eyed turtle couldn't take his eyes away from the beautiful blue eyed turtle before him.
But it didn't last forever.
The dance soon ended and the dancers turned to the king with a bow as the audience applauded them. The king then sent the guests to their rooms to prepare for the night party. 'Sir Courage' watched as the female turtle disappeared into the crowd...
When he returned to his room, 'Sir Courage, removed his mask to reveal himself to be Prince Raphael, or just Raph by his close friends.
Raph was a 16 year old, Kelly green mutant turtle with a goo green eye colour and was pure muscle from head to toe. There were scratches and chips on his shell like a lightening bolt shaped crack on the right corner of his plastron.
He was 'ruggedly handsome' as turtles go.
Suddenly his older brother Prince Slash stormed into his room with a smirk on his face.
Slash was a 21 year old, giant, hulking mutant turtle with teal green skin, jade eyes and a spiked shell. He was also heir to the throne.
"Happy birthday, little brother. I got you a present." He chuckled and handed he a red box with a white bow. However, the second Raph opened it he from a face full a glittery hearts. Raph turned to his brother, ready to kill.
"Easy Raph, it's a joke. Get cleaned up or you'll miss your own party." He laughed before running out the room...
Night soon fell and the royals, dukes and duchesses were gathered in the ballroom. King Dominus was sat in his throne with his sons on either side of him. One of the servants was announcing the royals that came up them to give Raphael his birthday present.
"King Jackson and Queen Elsa of Vuelie."
A human man white pure white hair and dressed in blue robes and a female snow leapord in a light blue dress approached and bowed before placing their gift with the countless others.
"Emperor Yoshi, Princess Karai and Princess Leona of the Cloud Empire."
Hamato Yoshi and his daughters bowed respectively to the king and his sons. Hamato Yoshi was a 45 year old mutant rat with black, brown and white fur, a droopy white beard, red eyes, whiskers, a pink tail and a pink nose.
He wore a red kimono and a walking stick made out of green crystal.
His eldest daughter, Princess Karai, was a 18 year old human/snake mutant hybrid, and was quite slender. She had short, dark black hair with a large portion of it dyed blond in the back, jade green snake eyes, small fangs and folked tongue.
She wore bright red eye liner over the tips of her eyebrows and red lipstick.
She wore a black ball gown with a single shoulder strap and blood red silk around her neckline.
But it was Yoshi's youngest daughter who caught Raph's eye.
Princess Leona. Leona was 16 year old e him with a lean and well toned build and beautiful leaf green skin. She wore a strapless ice blue dress with a white silk ribbon around her waist and soft blue eyeshadow.
But what amazed Raph was her eyes.
There sparkled like a thousand sapphires yet mysterious as a vast, blue ocean.
These were the eyes Raphael had fallen in love with...
