THE DARK PHOENIX

CHAPTER 1

"Long time ago, during the reign of Emperor Lin- sook, the kingdom was thrown into a state of turmoil, the once prosperous land had become a home for vultures and hyenas… ". Hi-ra gasped in mock fear, her bright blue eyes, sparkling with mischeif. " Oh dear, that is going to be a problem. Vultures and hyenas terrify me". Master jun groaned in fustration "It was a figure of speech, young mistress. It means that it is now a waste land, stay with me".She rolled her eyes and he continued. " According to the prophesy, only the true blood of the pheonix can help restore the land". She jumped on the table, in the most unladylike manner and screamed "Here I am, Hi-ra, blood of the phoenix, come to restore your land and rid it of hyenas and vultures.. " Master jun turned red in the face and tried to pull her down. "Be serious , young mistress". She turned to him and bit her lip. " It hardly makes any sense, it is the blood of the phoenix they want, can they not drain my blood? . Must i go through with this marriage thing… ". She looked around before lowering her voice "...plus, I heard that the first prince is really mean". Master jun tried to pull her down from the table but she remained stubborn. The door opened and her father walked in, Master jun bowed immediately but Hi-ra jumped down and walked to him " I will not marry crown prince Lee". Her father smiled and pinched her cheeks "Continue your lessons, Hi-ra". She folded her arms " Did you not hear me?. I will not marry the crown prince". He put his arms around her shoulder and led her to the table, master jun shifted uncormfortably as Hi-ra began "To be honest , I don't see the point of this marriage. That history stuff is not adding up". "Nobody remembers the dragon and phoenix prophesy. Your marriage to the crown prince is part of your duty". She huffed in fustration " I won't marry him father, I'd rather live in the woods". He laughed and hugged her "You won't be able to survive". She glared at him. He let go of her and turned to master Jun " Please continue with her lessons".

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Lee glared at his step mother, as she gave him a sly smile. He hated her so much, he forced a smile and bowed "I apologize your highness, but I have things to attend to. " He began to walk away but her voice stopped him. "A coward, just like your mother". He paused and stared at the ground as he tried not to strike her. He turned to her and smiled again " Good day to you, mother". He strode to his father's bed chamber, the old man lay on the bed, the royal physician standing beside him. The stench of stale food and body waste filled the air. "Your Majesty. the prince is here". His father struggled to sit up, the physician rushed to help him. When he was finally up, he looked at Lee through squinted eyes " Come". He said, Lee fought the urge to flinch, he mentally shook himself, he was a grown man now, he had fought wars and killed enemies. He would not hide like a little boy, he walked towards his father, cautiosly. His father studied him with cruel grey eyes "Stand straight boy, you are the dragon's heir behave like one". He fought the urge to obey, it had always been like that, he had always fought to be loved and accepted by his father. " Straight boy, I command you". He took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders. His father grunted "I want you to be here tomorrow, to welcome your bride". Lee clenched his fist, fighting the anger building up in him. " I cannot be here,  father. I have things to attend to". "What could be more important than your bride? ". "The peace treaty with beijin". His father snorted in disgust. " Why would you care about a peace treaty with those peasants? ". Lee swallowed trying so hard to control the rage rising in him. ".... Because we invaded their lands, killed their sons and defiled their daughters". His father closed his eyes and said " I want you here, tomorrow and that is that. " Lee bowed "Is that all, your majesty". His father waved his hand " You may go". Lee walked out of his father's bed chamber feeling defeated, no matter how he tried, he would always be a little boy, too afraid to stand up to his father. He walked to the east side of the imperial palace. A young maid bowed to him, he turned to her "Where is my mother? ". " In the garden, with the fourth princess". He nodded and went to find them, he saw them, his sister was braiding his mother's hair. He smiled, they were the only ones who truly cared about them. Rayna saw him and waved, he waved back and walked to them "Mother" He said and bent to kiss her on the forehead. Rayna hugged him fiercly "I've missed you, Lee, so much". He ruffled her hair " I've missed you too Rayna". "Tang? Is that you my son?". " No mother, it is Lee, your other son". "Lee?, I dont have a son named Lee. Tang, Tang. My boy, where are you? ". She tried to stand up but Rayna held her back, she tried to fight her " What have you done to my baby, where is my Tang? ". Lee stood, feeling helpless. Tang had been his older brother, he had died from poision. The investigators had concluded that it was one of the nation's enemies, but he knew better. There were three concubines, eight princes and four princesses all coveting one throne and Tang was the crown prince. He had been sad and heartbroken, Tang had been the father, he had always wanted and his death had been a blow but his mother did not take it as well as he did, she had run mad with grief. Sometimes she forgot she was the empress, sometimes she forgot Tang, sometimes Lee and Rayna. Rayna held on to her struggling mother as maids ran to subdue her, "Where is my Lee? " She said softly, Lee went to her side and she hugged him "My beautiful baby boy" She wisphered as everyone watched, he looked into her warm brown eyes and whisphered back "I promise to find the killers of Tang and i will torture them so slowly that they will beg for death, and I will hand you their heads. " She smiled and patted his head "I just want all my children to be happy". He nodded " That will make me happy, very happy".