ARIA

Chapter One

Everything was dark around her. Aria thought that she might be at hell for the sin of trying to steal her younger sister's love.

"This is not hell, my child."

"Who are you? show yourself." A surprised Aria looked around in search of the owner's voice. A beautiful lady in white plain dress suddenly appeared in front of her. Aria froze because she knew the lady in front of her. She once saw the lady's statue. Metallia, the Goddess that the people worship.

"My child, I am truly sorry that you have a such a sad life." She had a sad smile. The goddess was crying.

"This was not supposed to happen." the goddess continued.

what?

"Everything you know is not entirely the truth."

what?

"I'm sorry that I could not help you with everything. Go, my child."

Everything went black and the next thing happened Aria could heard birds chirping outside of the mansion. I'm not dead yet? — was her first thought.

She slowly opened her eyes and realised that she was alone in her bedroom. A knock could be heard from the other side of the door.

"Milady, may i come in?"

"Yes, come in."

"Good morning, milady." a maid smiled to Aria as soon as she entered the room. The maid walked to the windows to open the curtains. "Today is another beautiful day." she continued. When she looked back at her lady, she noticed Aria had an expression of being confused. "What's wrong, milady?" she asked.

"I'm still alive."

The maid giggled when she heard it. "I'm sorry for laughing, milady." She quickly stopped laughing when she realised her lady intensely looking at her. "Of course, you're still alive, milady." the maid reached for her lady's hand.

"See, I can touch you. I will feel sad if you die, milady."

Aria was still confused. Was everything about her younger sister and the prince a dream? Her own death was a dream? That could not be just a dream. It was too realistic. Was meeting the goddess a dream too? That could not be just a dream too. She truly met the goddess!

Something suddenly came to the maid's mind. She almost forgot to tell Aria that the lord wanted to meet her after the breakfast.

"Oh milady, the lord wants to meet you in his study room after breakfast."

Aria had stopped having her meals together with her family after she realised that her father favors his new family and he was strict to her because of dislike.

"Tell him that I will."

"Yes milady."

After her breakfast, Aria went straight away to the study room. She took a deep breath before knocking the door to the study room. When she heard her father's voice telling her to come in, she slowly opened the door and saw her father who was busy reading the work papers.