The young Empress sighed. It was her first day of several in Renoka, a neighboring island where her mother and father, the prior Empress and Emperor, had established a colony. The colony had prospered wonderfully. Empress Karen was making it a kingdom in her Empire. She was campaigning in Renoka at the moment. She had sighed because the natives, Renokans, were being quite standoffish. They didn't seem to care that the Empire had helped them for years, keeping the hostile Koblikobs and Seakings away and helping them in times of drought. The Empress had the impression that they didn't take to kindly to strangers in their land. She sighed again, and then turned to her main lass, Toebon-nea Smoop.
"Toebon, would you please fasten this? I cannot seem to get it to," Empress Karen requested.
"Yes, my Empress," Toebon-nea responded. With that, Toebon-nea fixed the clasp on the back of the Empress' dinner gown. Toebon-nea grinned to herself. Toebon-nea knew that the restraining royal outfits were not favorites in the Empress' closet. They were not the Empress' idea of comfortable. But Royal responsibilities made it important that she look the very best she could. When in training, or in any other place that didn't have dress codes for that matter, she wore a simpler outfit of trousers and a connecting shirt. Her long hair was let to hang down her back when she was in a royal outfit (And it was streaked), but she preferred to have it braided half way, and then be streaked with the color of her outfit. It was very rare that the natural blond color of this girl's hair was shown. Streaking was something that had been down since she was first showing pale puffs of hair. At first, it was so that they could easily identify her (It was forbidden to have unnatural hair in the Empire unless you were ruling a country) It became rather a habit, and besides, she was rather pretty with her hair all done up. Everyday, the dying went on for an hour in the morning and an hour in the night so that she could sleep with her natural hair color. Toebon-nea rather wondered if the Renokans considered her a freak for the hair, but wouldn't suggest such a thing as to get it the natural blond. The Empress would be angry, hurt, and shocked. No, let them think of her hair as they may, the Empress wouldn't change it for any one.
"Toeby, do you think perhaps I should wear my low-healed shoes here, or my platforms. I was observing their outfits here, and even though I rather prefer my platforms, they all have low heeled shoes," The Empress was worried. If she gave the wrong impression, then she could be ruined her as an important figure in government in Renoka. A sudden idea came to her, what if they started streaking their hair? Her hair was her weak point. Every Saturday she had special oil put on it so that it would remain beautiful. If there was one thing she was vain in, it was her hair. She loved to have people stare at her. She knew that everyone knew who she was when he or she spotted her. Some of her safety advisers worried, as she was not hard to spot in a crowd, that she would be an easy target for snipers, assassinators, and just plain madmen. An argument of hers was the trail of ten lasses who followed her whereever she went.
Years ago, lads and lasses had been assigned to the various political leaders in Ruok. The lads and lasses acted mainly as friends, but were trained to fight for and protect their ruler. It was a large job, but they were never called on to fight since the Seakings sent spies and snipers in Ruok. The lads and lasses wore heavy face make-up that made their faces a dark green, the official color of Ruok. They had an artificial birthmark applied to their cheeks. Each kingdom in Ruok had an official color. That color would circle the outsides of the cheeks, starting from the bottom of the eye to the middle of the chin. It was rather like two backwards "C's" that made a heart. They also wore the same colored trousers and shirts. Since the lasses of the Empress didn't belong to a state, they used a white paint and outfits. All lads and lasses had a stunner at their side. If necessary, it could be turned on to blaster. Blaster would injure a person, not just stun them. But they were always put on the lowest stun setting at the end.
Froniganne was not a state, but it was not a city. It was the area that Imperial Ruok called its Capitol. The main palace and home of the Imperial Ruler was located there. The first buildings ever built in Ruok lie within the limits of Froniganne. The very first street is there, but it is in a glass building in which there is no door. You must enter the street by tunnel, but no one but the cleaners and Royalty ever did. It was forbidden. But the people who lived in Froniganne didn't really care. They could see into the street, and they knew it was safe. They were satisfied.
Her thoughts were interrupted with a snort from Toebon-nea. "I don't think you should care what they think. This is your outfit, and these platforms are quite lovely." The word quite came out rather fiercely. Toebon-nea noticed that a couple of the girls stared at her. But she was certain that they all knew that some natives had thrown some dung at the lasses and one hit her. She still smarted from that event. It had taken all her control for her hand not to take the stunner from her belt. The stunner would have surprised these people. But her self-control was one of the things that got her this job, and she did have great self-control. Her anger was still great, though. "They are primitive, and will probably love the chance to see your 'city' clothes!"
"Don't hold anger within you, Toeby," the young Empress said.
"Dung! They threw dung at me! Me!" Toebon-nea was very angry. She was held with high respect in Ruok, but this island was awful!
The Empress' laugh echoed throughout her chambers. She rose and said, "I must go a minute, and deliver this speech. Please," here she looked at Toebon-nea, "don't hurt the natives. Doni Lee, come with me." With that, she left with Doni Lee to the waiting room.
