Chapter 1: Arrival

--

Da Ji had never been the apple of her father's eye. He had always favored his older daughter, Da Qing Jie, who was his idea of the perfect little girl. Da Ji could not argue her father's favoritism; she had always gone out of her way to make his life difficult. She scorned him, other officials of Yousu, which was her home state; her own mother and siblings. Her father simply could not endure her belligerence and, multiple times, had attempted to marry her off. But Da Ji was no ordinary girl. She did not seek valor, goodness, understanding, courage, or heroism in a husband-but rather ambition, a thirst for conquest, and a love of chaos. And, under mysterious circumstances, every man that Da Ji married died the day after the wedding-to the point that her father could find no man willing to call his daughter wife. Or, maybe it was her strange appearance that frightened men-her elbow-length hair was an unusual shade of purple, as it cascaded down her head and over her pointed ears. Her skin was a marble gray, her pupils, a clear violet and dilated beautifully.

"Qing Jie, Ji," Master Su, Da Ji's father, said, "there is to be a meeting held in the palace today. King Su tells me he has an important statement that must be said. I want you to dress in your finest attire, and," he looked pointedly at Da Ji, "to be on your best behavior." Da Ji held her father's meaningful gaze for a few moments, but after he turned away she allowed the features of her face to darken in a hateful glare.

"You know, Ji," Qing Jie remarked in an off-hand sort of way, "you should be easier on Father. He tries his best to provide for us, and, well…" As she untangled herself from her casual robes, she spared her sister a shrug of her shoulders. Da Ji frowned. "Leave me alone, Qing Jie. It's only fine with you because you're his little angel. What am I to him?" Da Ji looked very deliberately away from her sister; her sister that she envied beyond anyone's knowledge. Her sister that was so perfect and beautiful in every way. Her sister that made her feel like nothing without even knowing. Without even trying. "He might like you better if you weren't so…so…well, so, you know, rebellious," Qing Jie countered. Da Ji made a face. She assumed her most revealing outfit, the one in which she was most scantily clad. The one her father rebuked her for wearing even in privacy. It was almost a full body suit, made from a translucent black legging. It was cut in the waist area, revealing her middle. There were cuts in the leg area, revealing her pale skin. Stretching from her knees down were elaborate, red silken boots, the bottoms cut so her bare feet padded against the ground. On her arms she slipped gloves made from the same black legging, rimmed with black silk. On her head she wore a silken red hat, shaped like a crescent moon, with cream colored string hanging from its edges. For the final touch she donned floral gold earrings that were so long they came to rest on her chest.

Of course, always the perfect child, Qing Jie dressed in her most conservative, elegant silken robes. Her long, dark locks were piled atop her head and pinned with a golden needle and a mass of soft flowers. Both girls entered the main room, where their father had said the meeting was to be held. Her father, who was standing next to King Su, caught sight of Da Ji. His eyes bulged from his head and, excusing himself with a bow, left the king's side and darted to his daughter. "Da Ji!" he exclaimed, gripping her by her shoulders and shaking her violently. "You horrible girl, go change at once…" He glanced over his shoulder. A long, groaning sort of noise could be heard. He rushed into the main room, his daughters by his side. The enormous doors, at least 5 feet thick, flew open with a pained moan. And framed in the doorway was the silhouette of what seemed to be a towering, misshapen beast.