Fantasy RP The Dragon’s Kingdom (Lux)

[FaeWhisperer]

There were old wives’ tales of dragons shapeshifting and living amongst the humans, how they had adapted over time to survive. There were even stories about dragons swapping out human newborns with their own, in hopes that their offspring would have better lives than what they could offer them.

One such story, actually happened- even if it did seem like a myth at first.

Astraea Emberwood had been swapped with a human baby, only hours after she had been born. Luckily though, the dragon who had swapped the babe, had chose a house who was in close ties with the King of that nation. Astraea was now the daughter of the king’s right hand commander, and considered a noblewoman as she grew up. Her dragon mother figured it would better for her child as currently the dragon species were in the midst of a war, and a power struggle— and it was not safe at the time for hatchlings- as most of them would be dead by other dragons who sought to kill and eradicate any nesting behavior. The mother had already lost the rest of her brood, and wanted to at least try and save this one.

From there on, Astraea had grown up as a normal human child, and at the age of 26, she currently did not have a clue about her heritage- that she is a dragon in hiding.

And growing up practically in the palace of the king that she knew, there were some things she still wasn’t aware of.

There had been a time she had heard there was a dragon attack, and the king and his men had fought it, but for some reason when the king had returned after the battle, she noticed that he acted differently- and seemed to age much slower than normal. Not to mention that he had begun to wear gloves almost every day now, which was even more curious to her.

Of course, all of these things that she thought of— she didn’t exactly want to discuss with him, but sooner or later she figured she would eventually know what had happened.

For her and the king’s relationship was actually quite nice in her opinion- as he was very kind to her, and always seemed to want to share her company.

---

@Kkjib

 

[Kkjib]

The sun rose on the kingdom. The light streamed through the corridors of the king's castle.

Said man was in his bed chambers already wide awake. Adonis was thinking, his mind running miles, far faster than he needed it to be this early in the morning.

Getting up he'd get himself ready was not out of the norm for him now. He'd ordered for no one to assist him, he had decreed that ever since that day he... changed.

The plan was to have his commanders meet in the great hall. Apparently there had been developments in this ever growing war. Grabbing his gloves before walking out the door he set off to start his ever dawning and exhausting day.

"I wonder if Ms. Emberwood plans on joining her father for this meeting...." Adonis thinks as he pulls and tugs on the leather gloves, making sure that they're on all the way and covering any pesky scales that want to peak through.

 

[FaeWhisperer]

Unfortunately Astraea was kept from this particular meeting, for her mother had insisted on her upbringing as a proper lady, and put her in the library to practice her etiquette. Her mother's exact words were 'A woman shouldn't worry about 'men's affairs' '- but those words had fell on deaf ears as she had enjoyed staying and listening to the men talk, and strategize. For as she had observed she had picked up on several things- especially about this ongoing war. It was much more than she originally thought it was, and she was shocked to learn one time about the war being against...dragons, of all things.

The meeting would once again be about the flying beasts- and what would be their best way to cull the lot of em, especially the dragons who seemed set on being the only ruling race- and eradicating humans as it were. (they attack on sight, purposely go and seek out villages/towns/cities to burn-) But- there were some dragons who despite not having any contact with the human species- were also fighting against these genocide driven beasts as well, effectively helping the humans in this war, ironically enough (these dragons just leave the human race alone ((or they were like in the wives' tale- they had become shapeshifters and integrated into human society to adapt and survive longer ((and run from the war)).

Astraea had slipped away from where her mother had placed her--and had eventually made her way into the great hall, quietly standing behind where her father, Lionel- sat at the table, and was waiting for the King to arrive.

 

[Kkjib]

The doors were opened and the room quieted from the quiet chatter it had before. There stood Adonis and all his glory.

Taking large strides to his seat at the head of the room he sat himself down with such grace. Crossing one leg over the other Adonis looked over to the side, his gaze pointed at Astraea's father before it lift up to the young lady.

He gave her a faint smile before his gaze falls to her father again, his hand gesturing for his top commander to start this meeting.

 

[FaeWhisperer]

Lionel gave a slight nod to Adonis, and he cleared his throat, "As you all are aware- our current troops who had been out on the frontlines just returned - and what they had found..was disturbing." He started, and looked around the room, giving an intense detail of what they had discovered, multiple bodies of dragons of all sizes and ages - dead, brutally slain by other dragons-the dragons who wanted all humans gone and any other dragons who opposed them would perish as well-, and unfortunately one of the cities of Brighton had suffered at the claws and fangs of these dragons also. It was then there that they had decided to turn back, for this war so far had been futile, and they had lost so many men as well.

Astraea had noticed the king's smile and she gave her own faint smile in return, but it soon turned into a frown as she heard what her father spoke of. The killings were becoming out of hand she would think..

 

[Kkjib]

Adonis had rested an elbow on the arm of his chair as he raised his hand. The rough leather brushed against his cheeks and lips as he covered his mouth in thought. This was new news to him, he was slightly aware of the bodies of dragons being found... but the city. He knew the damage of a dragon attack, he only hoped that there were someone left of that town.

"The city... Are there any survivors? Or was the entire city desecrated?" Adonis inquires as he pulls his hand away from his mouth. His voice was low as he looked to Lionel.

 

[FaeWhisperer]

“The entire city is..desecrated, sire-“ Lionel said in a low tone matching that of the king, Adonis would notice how unsettled everyone was, and how it was very serious. If those dragons continued this, who knows when they would reach the kingdom they called home.

Lionel shifted in his chair, his face looked towards the war map on the table, with markings and drawings of where their troops were meant to be, but they had no other choice to draw back. The fact that these beasts were having the upper hand in all of this- if only they could think of something…

That’s when Astraea spoke up, even though she really shouldn’t have.

“Has…the idea been brought up about…forming an allegiance with those ‘peaceful’ dragons that fight against the ‘tyrant’ dragons?” She asked, looking around the room.

A bunch of the men looked a bit bewildered at the idea, murmuring out how that could only end on bad terms, once they helped the good dragons rid of the bad, then it was an only a matter of time before the good turned on the humans.

Astraea had read once in a fairytale book on how a society of dragons lost their king, and that’s what had sent them into war- without one to rule, they were each fighting for power.

This felt all too similar. Perhaps the dragons were fighting because they too lost their ruler and were now in a power struggle.

 

[Kkjib]

Adonis looks over at Astraea with a blank look. He then looks down clearly considering it.

Though he ends up sighing. "There is no garintee that could happen happily. The last time we tired to help or make an allegiance with Dragons they turned on us." Adonis points out. "And while that would be ideal so there can no longer have bloodshed on both accounts, dragons are unpredictable creatures."

Adonis stands from his seat, fixing his gloves as he steps up to the map and lays his hands on the edge of the table the map layed on.

"If you can think of some way it could work, then I'll personally have you be by side as I go and ask their current "appointed" leader."

 

[FaeWhisperer]

Everyone was sort of..shocked, to say the least when the king spoke in return to Astraea, giving her the option to even come up with another idea on how that could work.. but-

Adonis would probably be mindful of his current situation- he could supposedly make it work for them and use it to their advantage in this ongoing war. Then again, no one in this room knew what had happened that day, nor what had become of their king.

No one knew that a dragon was right there in the room with them, standing by Lionel.

And Astraea did not know of it herself, and did not know of her lineage either, of what type of dragon she was, and just how much more of a dire situation she was in than she realized.

For the daughter of the last dragon king, who had been put into hiding all these years—

Astraea listened as the others talked about these matters, saying to get a dragon on their side was impossible and that Astraea should have known better than to speak up, but they didn’t really outrightly say that, but Astraea could understand they were not too happy that she was there anymore.

When she was younger, they had found it quite endearing, but now that she was older, and more…opinionated- the men at the table wished for her to stay out of these matters as much as possible.

 

[Kkjib]

"Now... Is there anything else anyone would like to speak up about? Any news? Preferably a little light hearted." Adonis spoke his voice starting out low and harsh as he usually used in meeting like this but later in his words his tone soften slightly hoping to ease the tension clean in the room.

Feeling a little antsy he made his round around the room walking behind the chairs of the other attendees in the room.

This was a usually thing he does. If the king needs to think or is speaking he likes to walk.

No one ever really knows why though. Whether it be he walks around so people hear him or he does that so he can watch and analyze the faces of those he's speaking too. All anyone knows is that his father used to do the same thing, and his reason was still a mystery.

 

[FaeWhisperer]

That was when Astraea and excused herself from the room, she felt as if she should leave, and didn’t feel the most comfortable anymore with certain eyes on her. Sure the king interjecting their own comments did make the room ease up a bit, but he would see those faces of uncertainty.

Mostly of when and how they would win this war, but on another topic, some had announced the arrival of their newborn- someone’s son had finally found a wife- those sort of things. It was all too real to think about, where one they could see their children either being born or killed the very next day all because of the looming threat that the dragons could infiltrate their kingdom— the tale of the dragons being shifters was making some of Adonis’ men more paranoid by the minute.

 

[Kkjib]

Thus making Adonis fear for his life.

He does not know how anyone would react to him being a dragon. Not by choice but at the end of the day he was still a dragon.

It was another hour or so before the door finally opened and the attendees filtered out of the room. Adonis had sat himself down back in his chair by that time.

He wanted to speak with Astraea, so he pulled her father aside and told him to go fetch his daughter.

 

[FaeWhisperer]

Adonis would see Lionel nod to him, before going off to find where Astraea had headed to, and shortly it had been a few minutes before she arrived back in the great hall.

She was wearing a simple dress today, and it looked like the corset she had on wasn’t all that much uncomfortable-then again, she had been used to them most of her life. The dress she wore was silvery white, with golden accents laced on to the bodice. The skirt of the dress was long and flowy, but did not have many underskirts, as she preferred- because she has found them to be quite heavy and she didn’t really enjoy that sensation.

She pushed some of her long auburn colored hair out of the way as she approached Adonis, her deep green eyes falling on his handsome face. “You requested for me, my king?” She asked, wondering what he would talk to her about

 

[Kkjib]

Adonis nodded as he leaned back in his chair slightly.

"Explain to me.." He starts as he gestures her to come closer. "...Your thoughts I mean. What made you think of- well of that?" He asks, wanting to know further on her thoughts and reasonings for her out burst during the meeting.

He faced forward not really looking at her, his gaze trained onto the map on the table. So of the markers were knocked down while others were set up.

 

[FaeWhisperer]

“I-I’m sorry, your highness- I did not mean to speak out of line,” she quickly apologized, watching him look to the table and she could feel her heartbeat quicken ever so slightly. She knew he wanted an explanation but she didn’t want to be on bad terms with him- especially since her father and him were- in her eyes, considered close.

“I do not know why I thought of it…it just..came from my mouth, the fact that forming an allegiance is commonplace during wars, it was something I figured could potentially work in our favor..” she murmured out next, keeping her hands in front of her, folded and resting against the front of her skirt.

 

[Kkjib]

Adonis sighed. "While it is not unfavorable it is just.. alittle troublesome to deal with." He adds with a small huff a hand moving back and forth in a dismissive manner. He didn't mind her outburst, not at all. In retrospect she had a lot more guts and fire then most of his men, so he appreciated her thoughts and words just like he does for her father.

His gaze then shifted to her. His golden eyes bore into her with such intensity. "Why do you believe it would work in our favor? We had one before and the dragon burned down an entire town once it found us to be useless to it."

 

[FaeWhisperer]

She looked at him as he spoke, and she then looked down the moment he waved his hand in a dismissive manner- but she could tell form his tone and how he talked to her, he wasn’t particularly upset with her outburst earlier at the meeting. She let out a little sigh of relief, and looked back up to him as he asked her why it would work in their favor and she gave her explanation.

“Well.. there have been recordings and sightings of dragons who leave the human race alone and..fight against the dragons that are harming the humans— so..” she trailed of, trying to make sense of her thoughts. “If we find the dragons who want to fight the same ones we do, perhaps that may work more for us in the long run?”

She felt like she was rambling and trying to put her thoughts together, but she hoped the king could understand what she was trying to say.

 

[Kkjib]

Adonis let's out a small huff as he looks away from the young woman.

"Those dragons are little to none, Ms. Emberwood. Finding a dragon that doesn't hate humanity and every other creature that isn't them is practically nonexistent." He responds his voice sharp and harsh as his left hand closed tightly and rests on the arm of his chair.

"Trust me.. if that were possible I would've tried that. So many men have died to the claws of those creatures." He looks back to the table and stands up resting his hands on it slightly leaning forward in the process. "Nearly 200 casualties..." He mumbles

 

[FaeWhisperer]

As his voice was sharp and harsh, she couldn’t help but flinch a little from those words- and she looked away when he spoke, her heart racing again. Usually his words were never harsh towards her, but this time they actually stung.

“I…understand, I’m sorry,” she apologized again and gave a curtsy to him, “I won’t speak on the matter again,” she promised to him- what Adonis didn’t realize that the solution was right there in the room with them, he was meant to be that dragon- but perhaps fear would overtake the man first before he could figure it out.

Astraea waited to be dismissed, and hoped it would be soon, for she didn’t particularly want to catch Adonis in more of a foul mood than he already was.

She couldn’t blame him though, with is many casualties- all this stress on him..she knew she hadn’t been helping.

 

[Kkjib]

Adonis stayed quite as his fingers tapped the table in a uncertain rythym.

"Do not apologize, I-" He starts as his shoulders slump and his voice lightens slightly. "I appreciate your thoughts just like I do your father's. You think quite alot a like."

He then looks over his shoulder at her his eye much less harsher and sharp than they were before. "Your mind is one of greatness. I'm glad you join these meeting often." He adds.

He knew everything was like a weight he'd have to bare, and the fact he still has to hide the fact he's a dragon now... it often gets too much. He'd live for someone to confide with but there's no one who'd listen to him. Well with out panicking, he thinks.

 

[FaeWhisperer]

As he stayed quiet, she wondered if he would dismiss her yet, but then came the complements. She looked at his frame as she listened to what he told her and she couldn’t help fight the blush that arose on her cheeks from how he described her mind and that he was glad she could join these meetings.

She gave a shy smile, “I do love attending them,” she murmured out in reply, but noticed something else was weighing on his mind. She wanted to ask him, but she wondered if that would be too straightforward.

Then again, they were alone in the room together. So she began, “Is..there something else troubling you, sire?” Asking that would not be a first of hers- she was very perceptive in one’s emotions and that was one of the few things she was proud about herself.

 

[Kkjib]

Upon her words the king looked over his shoulder at her. He stared before his gaze fell back to the table, immediately locking in to his hands as they clenched tight.

Adonis opened his mouth. Oh how he wanted to say something.

To finally have a person to talk to. To be himself with. To no longer hide with.

But doubt crept in.

He was terrified of telling her. What if she took it the wrong way? What if she hates him after this? He doesn't want that. No. He-... He finds himself liking her. He enjoys her being around. Her presence calms him.

"No... Nothing you need to concern yourself with."

 

[FaeWhisperer]

She watched his movements, noticing how he hesitates before telling her that there was nothing she needed to concern herself with. She then gave a small nod, “Of course, your majesty-“ she said softly, but she knew something was bothering him, yet she wished he could confide in her, she wished he would take more of a liberty and explain to her all of the troubles that plagued his mind.

She lingered a while longer, only until he had dismissed her, and she curtsied once more before leaving, soon heading back to the library where her mother was waiting- and she received a harsh talking to- the fact that she had twice in one day, don’t do anything for her spirit. She knew Adonis didn’t truly mean his words, but her mother..

Was something else.

Unfortunately her mother- Astraea had known that she liked going around and sleeping with anyone in the palace- and she felt sorry for her father, for he had been such a faithful and loyal man, but learning of his wife’s infidelity took a hard toll on his heart.

Astraea wouldn’t have been surprised if her mother had even tried for the king, but not like it mattered, the king- to Astraea’s knowledge had many lovers, but not like he had chosen exactly who would bear his offspring—- even though these rumors were mostly false, she blushed at the very idea of him courting someone.

She sat back down in the wooden chair and continued her lessons, wanting to be done the moment she reopened the book.

It wasn’t until much later in the day that she finished, and she was happy to know she could finally eat, as her mother always told her she couldn’t until she finished her studies. And that made Astraea very lightheaded.

 

[Kkjib]

(Damn. You ate)

It was later in the afternoon for her. At this time the kitchen staff had already started cooking as I would soon be the king's meal time.

Adonis had busied himself with his other work, whether it be appearances or holding an audience with the common flow who asked for him.

He'd sit in the throne room while the doors were opened for the citizens of the kingdom to come to him for their grievances. As exhausting as that was he felt that it was necessary. He needed to be present for his people, he wouldn't be a king with out them.

Though he is much happier when it is all done. He had looked outside of the large windows in the throne room to see the sun past it's peak.

Dinner was coming soon.

 

[FaeWhisperer]

(Thank you! I’m gonna post a few more then I’m gonna go to sleep-)

Astraea could smell the food being prepared in the kitchen, and she made her way over. She walked in and the cooks were always happy to see Lady Emberwood, and as she greeted them, she managed to snag a strawberry to eat for the time being, and she knew that they knew her mother wouldn’t allow her to eat during her lessons- let alone drink water. And it wasn’t like she could easily just do so, for her mother had the servants watch her, to make sure she wouldn’t break this rule.

It had always been this way ever since she was growing up, and now, nothing had been quite changed, except the fact that perhaps the king seemed more fond of her company, but that was it.

“Are you okay my lady?” One cook asked, and she steadied herself on one table, “Mm— no, I didn’t really have a breakfast, as my mother made me attend my lessons early on in the morning,” and the cooks looked between one another and said they could whip her up something light to eat real quick before the main dinner and she shook her head, “No-I’ll be okay,” she promised, she knew she shouldn’t eat until later, after the king had eaten. Sure she had shared meals with the king, but that was whenever her father was in the dining hall, but as of late, her mother had been keeping her longer and longer, and she felt so, so hungry.

Adonis would eventually hear some commotion going on in the hallways, and some servants had rushed towards where the kitchen was.

 

[Kkjib]

Adonis heard a little bit of the commotion, causing him to slightly tilt his head.

He leaned his head in and looked about the kitchen at what was happening.

He goes unnoticed for a bit before a chief noticed the king and let out a small "Your majesty" with a small bow accompanying it. Oh no. He was caught.

 

[FaeWhisperer]

The commotion was surrounding someone on the floor, and one woman looked up and gasped as the king had entered, she looked down to an unconscious Astraea, and then back up, and so she explained herself.

“She collapsed from exhaustion, sire —“ she trailed off, knowing better than to tell Adonis that they had told Astraea they would make her some food before the king, and they wondered what they should do.

With Lady Emberwood passed out, her usual pale skin was paler than normal, and Adonis would notice something else, that she did seem quite thin as of late.

 

[Kkjib]

This caused him to analyze the young woman. Yes her skinnwas naturally pale but this. This was sickly. Why hadn't he notice this earlier?

Adonis took wide strides to Astraea and crouched by her side. He looks to the chefs with shrap eyes. "Go get the palace doctor. Tell him to meet me in my bed chambers." He orders as he impulsively picks up the lady in his arms.

He didn't know where she hailed or where her private chambers were but-... he needed her in a bed resting. His chambers were the best bet.

She was so light in his arms it was.. concerning. While of course she would be lightly he'd never expected her to be this light.

 

[FaeWhisperer]

The chefs took no hesitation in doing so, they went ahead and fetched the doctor for him, who soon had turned up at the king’s chambers. He didn’t ask why Astraea was currently in the king’s bed, but he figured Adonis had just acted on instinct.

“Adonis,” the doctor called him by his first name, which made sense, as he had been around since Adonis was a small boy- he looked back to Lady Emberwood, and then back to the king. “Is she eating properly?” He asked, but already knew the answer.

“She seems to have pushed her body to physical exhaustion, and from that..I can also tell by her skin that she is severely dehydrated”he sighs and looks to her corset. “We should probably take this off of her-“ he stood and began to undress the young woman, so that she would be comfortable, more so than she would have in her current outfit.

The doctor had left her undergarments on, to give her some decency still, and then he looked in his bag of medical equipment briefly. He pulled out a dark brown bottle and told Adonis this, “She is to receive two teaspoons of this medicine over the course of five days, this should give her body the extra strength she needs to recover quickly..” he explained, and then also mentioned she should definitely increase her intake of fluids and food as soon as possible- especially when she wakes. He also left another bottle to use if she develops a fever from her body trying to fight off it’s starvation.

And it wasn’t until after the doctor left, that Astraea finally woke, groaning softly as she felt her head was heavy. She didn’t quite know where she was at the moment, but she realized just how comfortable the bed was.

(And with that goodnight! I’ll rp later today when I wake up XD)

 

[Kkjib]

(GOD I JUST WANT TO EAT YOUR WRITING!)

Adonis had found a place to stand right next to the bed. He'd give enough space for the doctor to work and even looked away when the man undressed the young woman.

Holding the bottle Adonis looked down at it with interest. "Two teaspoons." He mumbles under his breath.

The bed felt oh so comfortable for Astraea. The plush bedding. The silk sheets. Only thing was it felt unfamiliar. This wasn't her bed.