Dark Nightingale

Chapter 1

The white manor stood proud on top of the hill. Lightning strikes as General Li shouted at his youngest daughter for not serving his afternoon tea. Li Aifen even at the age of 7 was a beauty. She had white clear skin, round brown eyes, and hair as black as coal. Some say she's the Snow White of the west. Little did they know she was more like Cinderella, abused and mistreated by her own family. Living in the servant's quarters, given crumbs of bread to live on, Li Aifen's life was a living hell.

It wasn't really that bad, even though no one talked to her as General Li ordered, she had Stormy, her black wolf which she found in the forest while she was picking blueberries. Two years ago Stormy was a pup, barely the size of two fists put together. It was curled up next to it's dead mother whom died of a caused Li Aifen did not know.

Being a girl with a golden heart, Li Aifen decided to give the little wolf food and shelter until it was strong enough to go into the forest again. She tucked the little wolf in her blueberries filled basket and prayed that no one at the manor would find out. She then continued to go back to her so- called home. Once she reached the servants quarter, she carefully took the little wolf out only to realized that it had eaten all her blueberries and now was snoring softy. Shaking her head softly, she made a mental note not to let this wolf near her berries ever again.

Stormy became Aifen's best friend. She once let it out into forest in hopes of letting it go back to the place it belonged, and when it ran right into the thick trees Li Aifen could not stop the tears the rolled down her face. She bent down to pick up the basket she had put Stormy into, a small growl got her attention as Stormy came back with a white rabbit in his jaws. The rabbit was still alive and he dropped at Aifen's feet. Aifen scooped Stormy into her arms and the wolf licked at her tears and whined. Aifen gave a short laughed and went inside the forest to find blueberries, a fruit Stormy loves.

Several years have passed and now Li Aifen was 12 years old. Today was her birthday and went on her usual routine, cleaning and serving meals just like it was any other day. She felt as if her birthday was her most unfortunate day. The day she was born just to suffer by the hands of her own father. She long wondered why she wasn't loved but she wasn't the type to go digging for information that would not be useful to her. It was fine that nobody like her as long as they give her food and shelter she will endure this treatment.

Well she was right that her birthday was an unfortunate day as it marked the day she was kicked out of the manor. Mistress Li suddenly wanted an extra cup of tea so Li Aifen was called to serve her. Two servants followed her, whispering and giggling. Aifen paid no attention to them as it was not her concern. Li Aifen was serving afternoon tea to the mistress and her children when a unknown forced pushed. The tea set in the tray Li Aifen was holding flew into the air, one of the teacups landing on her younger step-sister Li Maifa who was two years younger than her. Blood dripped from Maifa's forehead causing the Mistress to scream.

There was chaos, Li Maifa was crying, her step mother was screaming at her and the servants were pushing the blame on one another.

Then it was quiet. She could hear footsteps approach her. Aifen looked up to feel rather than see a hand slapped her right across the face. The impact made her fall on the broken teacups making it sink in and cut her hands.

"Darling" Mistress Li spoke with tears streaming down her face " This insolent girl, tried to kill our Maifa. You must do somthing about it!"

All eyes turned to Li Aifen. Still shell-shocked she did not reply. Perhaps she knew that no matter what she said the General would not believe her.

" Get out of my house" The General said in a cold voice. " By the time the sun sets I want you out of my estate."

Li Aifen did not cry nor did she beg. She picked herself up and walk to the door. Not once did she look back at the person who's supposed to be her family. With her head held high she promised that she'll be back for revenge.