Blue Blood Book 1: The New Dawn

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."