Ultimate Temptation

~Introduction~

There are more frantic knocks on the door so loud I'm forced to leave the bed. 

There had better be a good reason for this disturbance or I swear.. 

Pulling on a robe, I open the door to see Tessa tweaking her thumbs as she usually did when nervous or scared. 

"What part of do not disturb don't you understand?" I shout into her face. 

"I'm sorry. I know you're busy but.. It is Aris"

"What about her?" Agyris asks coming to stand behind me. 

"S-she..the plants..garden" Tessa stammers pointing in the direction of the garden. 

Sweeping past her, I run down the stairs towards the garden. Agyris voice echoes behind me as he shouts for me to slow down. 

I run into the garden but stumble in alarm at the sight in front of me. 

What the hell? 

***

Arya tried to catch her breath as her wild auburn hair whipped around her face in the wind. Her husband, King Argyris finally caught up to her and together, they stared at the twelve feet charred pit which replaced half of the garden. 

The garden which once bubbled with life was as still as night itself in the fading evening sun. The birds which once chirped and filled the garden with their music now lay dead on the soil amongst the wilted flowers and the smell of death lingered in the air. 

There in the middle of the pit stood Aris, Arya's two year old daughter. She was covered head to toe in soot and dirt with her fist clenched around a dead rabbit as she bawled her eyes out, tears streaming down her face in sooty torrents. 

The most astonishing thing was that the spot where Aris stood was untouched by the disaster and the grass there grew lush and green. Based on the outward black marks on the ground surrounding Aris, she was the cause of whatever had happened.

"Oh dear" Arya said, mother instinct kicking in as she ran to her daughter, ignoring the sharp pins from the thorns on the soil as they prickled her bare feet.

After forcefully prying the dead rabbit from Aris, she gathered her cold small body in her arms. 

Argyris was already shouting out orders to the shocked onlooking servants, his voice quivering alittle with worry.

"Tessa follow me. I want to know exactly what happened" Arya said to her sister as she started up the stairs with her husband in tow.