The Devil's Temptation!

“Don’t keep him waiting,” the physician camly reminded while letting his hand out for her. “Can you walk?”

Anna immediately responded with a nod of her head. Well, she had rested the leg for a while and thanks to his unique medicines, it always reduces the amount of pain she feels. She might not be able to fully walk well with it but she can always limp with it.

“Yes yes, you’re right, I really shouldn’t keep his majesty waiting.” She accepted the physician’s proffered hand and cautiously got up to her feet, flashing the half-worried physician a smile that meant she was alright.

“I have to go now, thank you for your help...and we’ll talk more about this forbidden being another day.”

She bowed in appreciation, causing a little smile to tug at the corner of his lips as he watched her limp her way to the door. The moment she was out of sight, his smile slowly faded like it had been blown away by the soft breeze which suddenly filled her room.

The king knew she was injured and still insists on calling her presence, as much as he tried to avoid it, he couldn’t deflect the unsettled feeling crawling up to his chest and could only hope Anna was alright.

.....

Making her way to the spacious and elegantly designed main hall, Annalise could sight the King and princess Calista sitting on their thrones while awaiting her presence, but what she wasn’t expecting was to find the main hall crowded with the crying people of Euphrasia.

The mournful sight of her people had left her speechless for a split second, but once the people of Euphrasia took notice of her presence, their expression changed into one of hostility and started laying curses on the clueless nineteen-year-old girl.

“You murderer!” They yelled painfully.

“You’ve been caught up with your evil deeds today!”

“She’s the cursed girl!”

“You’re such a wicked soul!” And more curses were thrown at her, leaving Anna to stare in confusion and puzzlement at the same time. She had gotten used to their curses to let it break her heart but calling her a murderer, who did she kill???

“Silence!” The king’s deep voice rang out orderly in the main hall which expressed his power and authority, immediately silencing his people who wouldn’t stop making a ruckus and the hall became quiet again.

Anna, who felt grateful for the king’s intervention continued to limp her way forward and stopping before the altar, she was obviously confused and due to her sensitive ears, she could still hear some of the crowds wishing her bad luck, yet chose to ignore it since it was a normal thing.

“G_greetings my king.” She bowed politely despite having an injured knee, she had to deal with the pain and keep her head bowed since she wasn’t allowed to look the King in the eye, afterall, she was nothing but a common maid.

“You can rise.” He permitted Anna to raise her head up but when she stole a quick glance at Calista, wanting to get a hint of what the situation was, even Calista looked broken down and that left her even more perplexed, what happened??

“Are you aware of the reason why I sent for you?” The king asked with a serious gaze, causing Anna to shake her head in all honesty.

“No my King, I’m aware of nothing.”

She kept her gaze low while feeling her heart drum heavily in her chest, as clueless as she was, she couldn’t dissipate the feeling in her chest that she was in trouble. Due to the spiteful gaze of the maids, guards and people of Euphrasia, it felt like they wanted to set her on fire with just their gazes alone. Except for Calista who only had a look of pity in her crystal blue eyes..

But what for??

“Six people were murdered mercilessly, close to the river bank last night, are you aware?” The king questioned while keeping his study gaze locked on the clueless Annalise whose eyes unknowingly dilated at the news.

Six people???

“No my King, I wasn’t!” She truthfully responded, the shock obvious in her gaze but her response seemed to irk the King’s second trusty guard whose name was Arlow.

“Lying before the presence of the King? How shameless can you be??” He spatted in fury, causing Annalise to return her gaze back to the King, looking directly at him out of impulse.

“How can I lie about something as heartbreaking as this? How could I have known such??”

“Cause you’re the one who killed them!” Sir Arlow responded yet again with utmost fury. The crowd, to Anna’s teary gaze, supported his statement with a nod and that only gave him more courage to speak up, “you killed them last night you murderer!”

“Silence Arlow.” King Olis finally spoke up, shutting his trusty guard up who immediately bowed his head in guilt.

“Forgive me your majesty, I was out of control.” He immediately explained but the King had his gaze on Annalise. The cluelessness in her eyes really confused him but yet again, he couldn’t tell if she was just acting it out or if they were really genuine as they came out to be.

“Annalise.” The King began, his voice audible to the crowd as they seemed to be soaked in silence. “Last night, six of our people were murdered close to the river bank, the devastating news reached the palace as early as dawn and being there to witness the crime myself, a certain man was still alive but it was only for a few minutes....” His gaze suddenly turned pitiful, his expression showed he was greatly saddened by what he witnessed but found the strength to continue.

“...during those few minutes, he mentioned your name Anna.”

“My name???” Her eyes widened in shock after hearing the king’s words, shaking her head in confusion.

“Father...”

“This is a serious matter Callie, do not interfere!” Her father warned before she got a chance to speak, causing Calista to keep quiet after sensing the finality in her father’s tone.

She feared him more when he was this angry.

“Did you or did you not murder those people last night?” He asked, yes he did Anna a favor by letting her live in his palace and repaying her father’s favor, but that doesn’t mean he would ignore the rules of his own land, be it his most trusted warrior’s daughter.

Annalise fell to her knees, finding every matter of this accusation to be completely false.

“I swear on my life your majesty, I have no hands in the death of those people.” She voiced out while holding herself not to tremble in despair, it was more like the people of Euphrasia were mocking her with their silence.

“You don’t need to swear on your life, you’ll be dead anyways!” Sir Arlow wickedly pointed out, his eyes filled with disdain for the girl who was on her knees. He’s hated her right from the very day she was brought to the palace, the hate only heightened after figuring out she was Sir Mateo’s daughter.

“But father, how could she have done it?” Calista equally voiced out, “she was injured last night, you can see the wound yourself, so how could she have done something like that??” Calista refuses to believe Anna was capable of doing something as unimaginable as even killing?

She was older than Anna by just a year, that made her eight years old while Anna was seven and Anna has been her maid right from childhood, they spent quality times together so she knows her too well to believe such accusation.

“You’re too naive my princess, she’s only playing smart.” Sir Arlow also spoke out, “She must have done it and faked an accident to hide her crimes, she deserves to die for committing such an atrocity!”