#1 OCT 2, 2011 · 14 yr ago
Hello- just want to say I love the new Thundercats show. I have a plot bunny in my brain that will not leave me alone. Any one familiar with anything I've written fanfic wise ([EMAIL="jdalyblueeyes@yahoo.com"]jdalyblueeyes@yahoo.com[/EMAIL] on fanfiction.com), knows I do not shy away from original characters. This story has four- and they are all mine :P The rest are borrowed without asking. If you don’t like developed OCs, then this story may not be for you.
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The Traitor's House by blueeyedkitty
"All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others."- George Orwell, Animal Farm
Chapter One: The Scandal
He was a traitor of questionable lineage. His name was Roj and his scandal had been the talk of Thundera. When the scandal erupted it was written about extensively in pamphlets sold in the slums. Lion-O was too young to understand the full implications when it happened. Tygra however was not, and read the tabloids secretly. For King Claudius had forbidden the shameful things on the royal grounds.
But it was what everyone whispered about. In fact, it became such an embarrassment that the king sent one of his upcoming generals to deal with the problem. Grune was dispatched, and returned in a month’s time.
"My lord," Grune bowed. "The matter has been dealt with."
The king nodded and nothing more was said. Claudius assumed nothing more needed to be said- that the shameful business had been appropriately "put to bed."
But he was mistaken.
Three weeks later a private letter arrived to the king. Tygra and Lion-O watched their father's face contort in shock and the outrage as he read the scroll over and over again. The king burned the offending document and left the throne room without a word.
The next day in court, King Claudius decreed "Let all communal and personal property belonging to Roj, be turned over to his long suffering mate Shenna, in order to compensate her for her suffering. It is by royal command that I hereby dissolve all matrimonial bonds between her and the traitor Roj. Henceforth, he is exiled until the end of his days."
So of course, once again the black market pamphlets surged in popularity. For everyone wanted to know what was said. Speculations flew far and wide. Lion-o asked his brother privately about it.
"This isn't a matter for cubs, Lion-o."Tygra dismissed.
Years passed.
Then one day while over looking some tech in the black market, Lion-o’s eye caught a glimpse of some worn booklets tied together with used string.
"What's that?" the prince asked.
"Oh those?" the black market merchant shrugged. "Just trashy reading. It’s about the Roj scandal."
Lion-O looked at him blankly. The hidden meaning of it was lost to him.
"That's right. You were just a cub when that mess happened. Well your father did right by keeping this from your ears. But I think you’re old enough now to handle it."
"How much?"
"Consider it on the house." the merchant laughed. "You should know your own history, after all."
Surprised, the young prince took the booklets. He noticed they were the size of his paw, for easy concealment he guessed. He tucked them under his cloak and left the shop.
It was hard for him to find a quiet place where he could read away from prying eyes. At last he settled on a tree in a rarely used quart yard and settled himself in the thick of branches so he could not be seen. He sat on a branch and took out the pamphlets.
The first one read:
WIFE DISCOVERES SNAKE MISTRESS OF HUSBAND.
Lion-o's eyes widened. "Wow. No wonder everyone was talking." A mistress was scandalous enough. Affairs did happen, though not openly discussed. But with someone from another species? In one move this Roj had broken one of most ingrained Taboos of Thunderan society, and isolated himself from his own kind.
Lion-o read on. This Roj was a spice merchant, and one of the few of the non warriors who had gone beyond the city walls. He had made a fortune from exotic spices, and apparently his tastes ran not only to exotic foods but women as well. His wife was living in Thundera in an expensive house rivaling the nobles for opulence when this scandal broke out. There were no cubs, which was all the better.
The Wife, Shenna, had gone to the port of Talam to the East. Talam was a neutral port, and all sorts of things went on there, it was rumored. She had gone to surprise her husband, but instead received the shock of her nine lives. According to her interview, He had a mansion he had bought in the upper class section of the port town. There she found them together.
Found them together? Lion-o thought. That could only mean one thing.
On the next page was crude drawing of a young Thundearn entwined with a voluptuous serpent woman.
"It could have only been in Talam where the species mix with no shame!" Shenna was quoted. The article then described how the marriage between her and the straying Roj had been arranged by their two merchant families so to capitalize on all monetary connections for maximum profit.
What a profit, indeed! Concluded the article
The next document reported how sales to the Roj's house of Spices had plummeted due to the scandal. The wife was in quite a state- furious at her spouse, yet dependant on him for her survival. She had already stated that she would have to go into her dowry money. The paper predicted that if things did not turn around the business would be done for and the family destitute. And what were her husband's words?
Nothing. He had said nothing.
The next edition escalated the scandal. The headline read:
WIFE'S DOWERY USED TO PURCHASE SNAKE CONCUBINE.
"Wow." Lion-o said to himself. "This guy just gets worse and worse."
It was then described in detail the type of snake that had brought a respectable family to its knees. She was named Nagita, but for some strange reason Roj in question called her "the lady Nagita". The impudence of this title was harped on for several paragraphs- what a farce it made of any royal or noble heritage. For it was well known that the snake women- Naja as they were called- were highly prized in the pleasure trade, for their skills and for their longevity. For the serpents had been blessed by whatever demon they worshiped with unnatural long life- the average life span being 600 years. So it was possible for a Thunderan to have a Naja pleasure slave that never seemed to age- that remained seemingly eternally young. A much sought after bonus.
According to the tabloid, this infamous Nagita had been a dancer at some higher class brothel, where Roj spent some of his free nights. The writer went on to discuss at length the Naja's typical gyrating dances; blatantly delighting in the details. Apparently it was from here, that Roj spent his wife's dowry to pay off the snake’s debt to owners of the brothel. The worse thing about being long lived, the article said, is the more you lived the higher your debts went.
What was worse is that though his deviance was discovered- Roj made no move to hide it. Quite the contrary, according to the article Roj took his "snake harlot" out in public: to the local tavern, to the shops, to the theatre. There was another crude drawing of a cat and Naja arm in arm in some public square. The snake wore a slave collar with the Thundera symbol on the center of it. It was scandalous and would enrage the public.
As it did. Several editions followed, always with the same sordid descriptions of Roj's total lack of propriety. Many citizens wrote in decrying his behavior and demanded the death of his slave. Or at least this Nagita should be put in the stocks to be publically humiliated and her life spared. After all she only did as she was commanded, one reader commented. However, Roj should be forced to stand trial for adultery and perhaps treason. His guilt was inescapable.
Meanwhile, Shenna was written about extensively saying about how their business was suffering, and how she had returned to her parent’s house. She had also now mentioned that Roj had been physically abusive to her, making him even more despised if possible. She also mentioned that he also had a snake cook as a slave at his home in Talam. There this cook made meals that were fine enough to be served to the royal family. And these fine meals were served to an adulterer and his whore, who did not deserve them. Again the public was outraged.
"Wow." Lion-o said. He could feel the hate and envy leap off the printed page. He was glad for a moment that Roj had never returned home, for he certainly would have been killed by a mob. In fact there were many editions that dealt with many theories and guesses as to what Roj was up to. And the biggest mystery of all was how Roj still continued to flourish finically, despite Claudius decree. His success was even more of an insult to the Thunderan people, the tabloid stated.
The last pamphlet was published a month after all the others. And it contained the worse insult of all: Roj's own words.
He had written apparently not only to the King, but sent message to the tabloid as well. The tabloid published a letter for the reading public. Roj denounced his own species for their cruelty. He himself was cruel and merciless with his words, accusing his own kind of being nothing more than tyrants who were hated world over. It was better to stand apart from his own species, than be with them when the tide inevitably changed against them. For the victors would become the vanquished, and masters the slaves.
These last words had the odd echo of prophesy in them, Lion-o thought. He remembered when he first read Roj's words he was shocked at the merchant's self hatred and disgust at his own kind. For no cat had ever walked away from the pride before, to live among savages and slaves- preferring their company to his own kin.
And yet, the unthinkable had come to pass: Thundera had fallen, and it’s people the vanquished.
All of these memories flooded into the young lord's mind as he stood before a worn wooden gate that surrounded the entrance to a port town. In the weather beaten letters a sign read: Talam. Lion-o saw a great expanse of sea behind it, with large ships coming to and fro.
"Isn't this the town where that traitor lives?" Tygra said. "The one they wrote about a few years ago?"
Lion-o nodded and said nothing.
"I wonder if that traitor will have the courage to show his face." Tygra mused. "I've always been curious as to what he really looks like. Well that and that woman of his."
Lion-o scowled at his brother.
"Oh come on." the tiger smirked. "Don't tell me you're not the least bit curious."
"Well regardless, we need supplies and we still haven't gotten that blasted book fixed up to Thundertank yet.”Pantro said. “That blasted thing is making the Thundertank malfunction every time I turn around."
Lion-o nodded.
"Let's get what we need and get out of here." He didn't want to say it, but there was an aura around the place that set him on edge. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, and did not wish to discuss it.
"Let's see what other damage we can cause."Tygra teased Pantro, and the general opened the hood to the thundertank.
To be continued in Chapter 2: The Traitor
_____________________________________________________________
The Traitor's House by blueeyedkitty
"All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others."- George Orwell, Animal Farm
Chapter One: The Scandal
He was a traitor of questionable lineage. His name was Roj and his scandal had been the talk of Thundera. When the scandal erupted it was written about extensively in pamphlets sold in the slums. Lion-O was too young to understand the full implications when it happened. Tygra however was not, and read the tabloids secretly. For King Claudius had forbidden the shameful things on the royal grounds.
But it was what everyone whispered about. In fact, it became such an embarrassment that the king sent one of his upcoming generals to deal with the problem. Grune was dispatched, and returned in a month’s time.
"My lord," Grune bowed. "The matter has been dealt with."
The king nodded and nothing more was said. Claudius assumed nothing more needed to be said- that the shameful business had been appropriately "put to bed."
But he was mistaken.
Three weeks later a private letter arrived to the king. Tygra and Lion-O watched their father's face contort in shock and the outrage as he read the scroll over and over again. The king burned the offending document and left the throne room without a word.
The next day in court, King Claudius decreed "Let all communal and personal property belonging to Roj, be turned over to his long suffering mate Shenna, in order to compensate her for her suffering. It is by royal command that I hereby dissolve all matrimonial bonds between her and the traitor Roj. Henceforth, he is exiled until the end of his days."
So of course, once again the black market pamphlets surged in popularity. For everyone wanted to know what was said. Speculations flew far and wide. Lion-o asked his brother privately about it.
"This isn't a matter for cubs, Lion-o."Tygra dismissed.
Years passed.
Then one day while over looking some tech in the black market, Lion-o’s eye caught a glimpse of some worn booklets tied together with used string.
"What's that?" the prince asked.
"Oh those?" the black market merchant shrugged. "Just trashy reading. It’s about the Roj scandal."
Lion-O looked at him blankly. The hidden meaning of it was lost to him.
"That's right. You were just a cub when that mess happened. Well your father did right by keeping this from your ears. But I think you’re old enough now to handle it."
"How much?"
"Consider it on the house." the merchant laughed. "You should know your own history, after all."
Surprised, the young prince took the booklets. He noticed they were the size of his paw, for easy concealment he guessed. He tucked them under his cloak and left the shop.
It was hard for him to find a quiet place where he could read away from prying eyes. At last he settled on a tree in a rarely used quart yard and settled himself in the thick of branches so he could not be seen. He sat on a branch and took out the pamphlets.
The first one read:
WIFE DISCOVERES SNAKE MISTRESS OF HUSBAND.
Lion-o's eyes widened. "Wow. No wonder everyone was talking." A mistress was scandalous enough. Affairs did happen, though not openly discussed. But with someone from another species? In one move this Roj had broken one of most ingrained Taboos of Thunderan society, and isolated himself from his own kind.
Lion-o read on. This Roj was a spice merchant, and one of the few of the non warriors who had gone beyond the city walls. He had made a fortune from exotic spices, and apparently his tastes ran not only to exotic foods but women as well. His wife was living in Thundera in an expensive house rivaling the nobles for opulence when this scandal broke out. There were no cubs, which was all the better.
The Wife, Shenna, had gone to the port of Talam to the East. Talam was a neutral port, and all sorts of things went on there, it was rumored. She had gone to surprise her husband, but instead received the shock of her nine lives. According to her interview, He had a mansion he had bought in the upper class section of the port town. There she found them together.
Found them together? Lion-o thought. That could only mean one thing.
On the next page was crude drawing of a young Thundearn entwined with a voluptuous serpent woman.
"It could have only been in Talam where the species mix with no shame!" Shenna was quoted. The article then described how the marriage between her and the straying Roj had been arranged by their two merchant families so to capitalize on all monetary connections for maximum profit.
What a profit, indeed! Concluded the article
The next document reported how sales to the Roj's house of Spices had plummeted due to the scandal. The wife was in quite a state- furious at her spouse, yet dependant on him for her survival. She had already stated that she would have to go into her dowry money. The paper predicted that if things did not turn around the business would be done for and the family destitute. And what were her husband's words?
Nothing. He had said nothing.
The next edition escalated the scandal. The headline read:
WIFE'S DOWERY USED TO PURCHASE SNAKE CONCUBINE.
"Wow." Lion-o said to himself. "This guy just gets worse and worse."
It was then described in detail the type of snake that had brought a respectable family to its knees. She was named Nagita, but for some strange reason Roj in question called her "the lady Nagita". The impudence of this title was harped on for several paragraphs- what a farce it made of any royal or noble heritage. For it was well known that the snake women- Naja as they were called- were highly prized in the pleasure trade, for their skills and for their longevity. For the serpents had been blessed by whatever demon they worshiped with unnatural long life- the average life span being 600 years. So it was possible for a Thunderan to have a Naja pleasure slave that never seemed to age- that remained seemingly eternally young. A much sought after bonus.
According to the tabloid, this infamous Nagita had been a dancer at some higher class brothel, where Roj spent some of his free nights. The writer went on to discuss at length the Naja's typical gyrating dances; blatantly delighting in the details. Apparently it was from here, that Roj spent his wife's dowry to pay off the snake’s debt to owners of the brothel. The worse thing about being long lived, the article said, is the more you lived the higher your debts went.
What was worse is that though his deviance was discovered- Roj made no move to hide it. Quite the contrary, according to the article Roj took his "snake harlot" out in public: to the local tavern, to the shops, to the theatre. There was another crude drawing of a cat and Naja arm in arm in some public square. The snake wore a slave collar with the Thundera symbol on the center of it. It was scandalous and would enrage the public.
As it did. Several editions followed, always with the same sordid descriptions of Roj's total lack of propriety. Many citizens wrote in decrying his behavior and demanded the death of his slave. Or at least this Nagita should be put in the stocks to be publically humiliated and her life spared. After all she only did as she was commanded, one reader commented. However, Roj should be forced to stand trial for adultery and perhaps treason. His guilt was inescapable.
Meanwhile, Shenna was written about extensively saying about how their business was suffering, and how she had returned to her parent’s house. She had also now mentioned that Roj had been physically abusive to her, making him even more despised if possible. She also mentioned that he also had a snake cook as a slave at his home in Talam. There this cook made meals that were fine enough to be served to the royal family. And these fine meals were served to an adulterer and his whore, who did not deserve them. Again the public was outraged.
"Wow." Lion-o said. He could feel the hate and envy leap off the printed page. He was glad for a moment that Roj had never returned home, for he certainly would have been killed by a mob. In fact there were many editions that dealt with many theories and guesses as to what Roj was up to. And the biggest mystery of all was how Roj still continued to flourish finically, despite Claudius decree. His success was even more of an insult to the Thunderan people, the tabloid stated.
The last pamphlet was published a month after all the others. And it contained the worse insult of all: Roj's own words.
He had written apparently not only to the King, but sent message to the tabloid as well. The tabloid published a letter for the reading public. Roj denounced his own species for their cruelty. He himself was cruel and merciless with his words, accusing his own kind of being nothing more than tyrants who were hated world over. It was better to stand apart from his own species, than be with them when the tide inevitably changed against them. For the victors would become the vanquished, and masters the slaves.
These last words had the odd echo of prophesy in them, Lion-o thought. He remembered when he first read Roj's words he was shocked at the merchant's self hatred and disgust at his own kind. For no cat had ever walked away from the pride before, to live among savages and slaves- preferring their company to his own kin.
And yet, the unthinkable had come to pass: Thundera had fallen, and it’s people the vanquished.
All of these memories flooded into the young lord's mind as he stood before a worn wooden gate that surrounded the entrance to a port town. In the weather beaten letters a sign read: Talam. Lion-o saw a great expanse of sea behind it, with large ships coming to and fro.
"Isn't this the town where that traitor lives?" Tygra said. "The one they wrote about a few years ago?"
Lion-o nodded and said nothing.
"I wonder if that traitor will have the courage to show his face." Tygra mused. "I've always been curious as to what he really looks like. Well that and that woman of his."
Lion-o scowled at his brother.
"Oh come on." the tiger smirked. "Don't tell me you're not the least bit curious."
"Well regardless, we need supplies and we still haven't gotten that blasted book fixed up to Thundertank yet.”Pantro said. “That blasted thing is making the Thundertank malfunction every time I turn around."
Lion-o nodded.
"Let's get what we need and get out of here." He didn't want to say it, but there was an aura around the place that set him on edge. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, and did not wish to discuss it.
"Let's see what other damage we can cause."Tygra teased Pantro, and the general opened the hood to the thundertank.
To be continued in Chapter 2: The Traitor
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