Rise of the Demon Queen

Scarlet Dragon Kingdom.

At the dark and deep forest, the wind furiously howled like a wolf as if wanting to warn everyone to leave its path clear to hunt its prey.

Ran Ai Ning limped as she tried to get away from the villagers who wanted to kill her. She was hit with something hard on her head that made her stumbled to the ground. Fresh blood oozed from her head wound, one of her eyes was swollen from the beating she had received earlier.

Some of the hair matted on her forehead with sweat, her long wavy tresses unruly and tangled on her back. She laid on the ground hopeless and powerless. Her gaze cold, it was filled with anger and rage as she looked at the group of people with a familiar old man in the crowd.

The man sneered as he looked down at her as if she isn't his blood. His eyes filled with hatred, that made her heart ache and her whole body shudder with fear. Her own father wanted her dead and she wondered why.

"Father, why?" she asked.

"You are a disgrace to our family, " he replied without a remorse. "You shouldn't have born into this world. Unlike Meng Ren, you only bring shame to us, " he added.

The man turned his head to other men that followed him. They must take Ran Ai Ning or else the demon lord that is in need of virgin maiden will stop giving protection to their remote village.

She was born during the night of the blue moon years ago and there is a belief in their kingdom that any girl born on this day will either be a blessing or a curse to their nation.

Ran Ei Tai was deeply disappointed to have her as his firstborn daughter. She was born with a weak body and the right part of her face, starting from her temples to her upper cheeks was tainted with a dark red patch since birth. It made her look unappealing to everyone's eyes.

Although she was smart for her age, being an intelligent woman was not something to look for in their culture. It was some kind of miracle that her childhood friend, Ma Dan Fei whom she had secretly loved for years, had agreed to have a marriage arrangement between their families.

Ran Ai Ning looked around her with her good eye. She could feel the blood filling her mouth. Was she going to die soon? As she blinked her eyes landed on a man staring at her. Her face was drained of any color that remained in her. Man Dan Fei, the man she swore she would love for the rest of her life had betrayed her.

Her heart broke when she saw him standing there, watching her die. Another familiar person clung to his arm and Ai Ning stared at them with disbelief. Ran Meng Ren, her twin sister was in love with her betrothed?

"Why? Why did you do this to me?" Ai Ning cried. She didn't know if she was asking her betrothed or her younger sister. She had been good to them for years. How come she didn't know or didn't notice that they had a secret affair?

Meng Ren grinned at her sister. She was pathetic if Ai Ning thought she could get the man of her dreams. If only Ai Ning did not exist, she could be the eldest daughter who could marry Man Dan Fei. Everything that Ai Ning had should be hers. They were both born under the night of the blue moon yet Ai Ning was treated well and with respect by the elders of their clan just because she was born before her.

"Older Sister, I'm really sorry. Please don't blame brother Fei. It was me who wronged you. I fell in love with your man." Meng Ren said, her voice laced with sorrow but her eyes flashed with mischief. She would always be the perfect daughter for their father.