It was four years ago…
Queen Melinda of Enchancia hadn't been feeling well for a long time. At first, she thought it was because of that flu that had spread throughout the kingdom, but it had gotten worse over the next few days. In fact, her illness became so bad that she was finally ordered on bed rest.
"I'll be right back, Melinda; I just need to talk to the doctor," her husband, King Roland, murmured.
Melinda nodded, settling back on her pillows. Suddenly, the amulet on her bedside table glowed. She looked up to see a girl, who looked maybe a few years older than her almost eleven-year-old daughter Amber. "Who are you?" she murmured.
"My name is Sofia," the girl said. "I'm from the future. King Roland married my mother and I became a princess."
"That's good. Roland deserves to be happy, and we said if either of us passed away, the other could get married again," Melinda smiled.
"I'm afraid I also have bad news for you about your son James," Sofia said sadly.
"James? What's wrong? What will happen to James?" Melinda asked, thinking of her soon to be eleven-year-old son.
"James is going to practice so much rehearsing the song he and Amber will sing that he loses his voice," Sofia replied.
"Oh, no…" Melinda murmured. "But of course, it's just an accident, isn't it?"
"Of course it is," Sofia assured her. "But James takes it very hard. In fact, he takes it so badly that he vows to stop singing in public altogether."
"Oh, dear…poor James," Melinda said softly. "I have to tell him that it's not his fault."
"You will be doing that," Sofia assured her. "Three years from now, Royal Prep will have its annual singing contest. James will be singing in it in a disguise."
"That's good to hear; even if he's disguised, he deserves to sing and be happy," Melinda admitted.
"Yes. But something will happen during the contest, which will make James consider giving up singing altogether," Sofia told her.
"That simply can't happen!" Melinda exclaimed.
"And it won't," Sofia promised. "Like you, I wear the Amulet of Avalor, and it summons you. You tell James that you never held him to the vow he made to stop singing, and that it's all right to sing in public."
"I could never hold him to such a terrible promise," Melinda sighed.
"And you don't," Sofia assured her. "You tell James that his voice is a precious gift, and he should use it."
"His voice is a precious gift," Melinda agreed, smiling as she recalled all the times they sang together.
Meanwhile, Roland was in the hall talking to the doctor. "Have you discovered what's wrong with my wife?" the king inquired.
The doctor looked at him with concern, not wanting to tell him the results, but knew he deserved to know the truth. "Your Highness," he started, "I'm afraid the prognosis is not good."
"What do you mean?" Roland asked.
"Your wife has a rare virus that has no known cure," the doctor started. "The truth is that she only has three or four days left to live. I'm so sorry, Your Highness."
Roland fell into a chair, stricken with grief. After gently sobbing for a few moments, he looked up at the doctor again. "Will she be in any pain?"
"No," he answered. "She will lose more and more strength. At the end, she will simply pass away in her sleep."
"I understand," Roland sadly acknowledged. "Thank you for all your efforts, doctor."
Roland spent the rest of the day with Melinda. That night, he called James and Amber into his study and broke the news that their mother would die in a few days. As he'd expected, the children were devastated.
The royal family stayed at Melinda's bedside until the end. After her death, Roland, James, and Amber were numb with sadness. With Baileywick's help, Roland made the arrangements for the funeral. As part of the service, they decided that James and Amber would sing. Melinda had always loved singing and music, and enjoyed hearing her children sing too. Roland suggested to James and Amber that their song could be considered one last precious gift for their mother, and she would enjoy hearing them as she looked down from Heaven.
The day of the funeral, James and Amber practiced the song they would sing. The day Melinda died, James learned that this song had always been her favorite, and every night before he went to bed, he would do extra practicing. He and Amber decided to sing one verse each, and do the chorus together each time. James even practiced Amber's part, just in case something happened to her, or she became too emotional to continue. Soon, it was time for them to go to the front.
"I don't…" James started his part, but he immediately knew something was very wrong when his voice squeaked. He tried again. "I don't take my whiskey to extremes…" He was suddenly cut off by a bout of coughing. He managed to stop, but he knew that it was too late. All that practicing, both his part, and Amber's part, had been a waste. His voice was gone. He covered his face with his hands in humiliation, whispering, "No…why now? Why now?!"
"I'll take care of it, James," Amber assured him.
James didn't hear her; with a barely audible "I'm sorry," he ran off.
James listened in the back of the church as his sister's sweet voice sang the song. Waves of guilt washed over him. He felt like knives had pierced his heart. This was supposed to be a duet, not a solo. And it was all his fault. He'd practiced so much, just in case Amber couldn't sing, and he sang the whole song until he got it right.
"It's all right, James. Nobody knew this would happen," Roland tried to console him on the ride to the cemetery.
James didn't hear him as he slumped to the ground. This had officially become the worst day of his life, in more ways than one. "I'm sorry, Mom…I'm so sorry," he hoarsely whispered over and over again as tears streamed down his face.
James had always been the singer in the family, just like his mother. The two of them were always getting together to sing. Sure, they also sang with Amber, and she liked singing, but she had her own interests too.
"Never again," he whispered later when it was just Roland, Amber, and himself at the grave to pay final respects to the queen. He finally stood up as his father and sister looked up in surprise at his raspy words. "I will never sing in public again."
Roland and Amber gasped in shock. Never was an awfully long time. "James, you can't be serious," Amber protested.
"I'm very serious," James whispered. "The only singing I will ever do from now on will be in my room with the door closed. I don't want anyone to hear me."
"James…" Roland started.
James hoarsely cut him off. "If nobody hears me sing, they can't get hurt."
Roland felt numb all over again as he helped them into the carriage. He barely felt Amber burying her face in his chest. He knew how upset she was before, but now he knew she had a new reason to cry. He watched James, but his son was just staring out the window, alone with his disheartened thoughts and silent vow.
As James stared out the window, he thought back to some of the times when he and his mother got together to sing, and even recalled one of the songs they sang. It was on the family's new boat. Melinda had even named the vessel after the song.
Flashback
"Roland! Amber! James! Come see our new boat!" Melinda called, motioning to the vessel.
"She's beautiful, Melinda," Roland smiled, looking the boat over. "What's her name?"
"The John B," Melinda smiled as the family came on board.
"But, John's a boy's name, and you called the boat 'her,'" Amber looked confused.
"All boats are female, Amber; it doesn't matter what the name is," James explained.
"That's right, James," Melinda smiled, "And I thought of the perfect song we can sing on her.
We come on the sloop John B
My grandfather and me
Around Nassau town we did roam
Drinkin' all night, got into a fight
Well, I feel so broke up, I want to go home
As this was also one of James' favorite songs, he joined her. So hoist up the John B's sail
See how the mainsail sets
Call for the captain ashore
Let me go home, let me go home
I wanna go home, yeah yeah
Well, I feel so broke up, I wanna go home
He sang backup as Melinda sang the first verse. The first mate, he got drunk
And broke in the captain's trunk
The constable had to come and take him away
Sheriff John Stone
Why don't you leave me alone? Yeah yeah
Well, I feel so broke up, I wanna go home
They sang together, So hoist up the John B's sail
See how the mainsail sets
Call for the captain ashore
Let me go home, let me go home
I wanna go home, let me go home
Why don't you let me go home?
Hoist up the John B's sail
Hoist up the John B
I feel so broke up, I wanna go home
Let me go home
James took the next verse and his mother did backup vocals, The poor cook he caught the fits
And threw away all my grits
And then he took and he ate up all of my corn
Let me go home
Why don't they let me go home?
This is the worst trip I've ever been on
He and Melinda sang together, So hoist up the John B's sail
See how the mainsail sets
Call for the captain ashore
Let me go home, let me go home
I wanna go home, let me go home
Why don't you let me go…
End Flashback
As James recalled the memory, he sighed and shed a few more silent tears. Singing that song in his mind only reminded him that he couldn't sing out loud.
When they were back in the castle that night, Amber came into James' room with a tray containing a glass of orange juice, a glass of pineapple juice, and two bowls of ice cream; one chocolate, and one strawberry. "This always helped us when we had a sore throat," she said as she put the chocolate ice cream on his bedside table, and handed him the orange juice. She spread a napkin over her lap and took the strawberry ice cream and pineapple juice for herself, knowing that her brother loved chocolate in any shape or form. She wasn't hungry, but she'd gotten a snack for herself so she could keep him company.
"I remember," James nodded as he took a few sips. He sighed in relief as the juice cooled his throat, but his voice was still hoarse.
"And when your voice comes back, we'll still sing a certain song on our birthday, won't we?" Amber hinted.
"You mean…our royal twin song?" James looked up at the mention of the song he and Amber had made up when they were younger.
"Yes, for our birthday in March," Amber nodded. "And singing on Wassalia."
James had actually forgotten about their royal twin song. But unfortunately, in his opinion, that counted as a song that they sang in public too. "Maybe if we're together, but that's it. And we only sing in this room," he compromised.
Amber sighed sadly. In all the time she'd known him, she'd never known her brother to be so serious about anything. "All right, if that's what you want…"
However, she wasn't giving up. A few weeks later, when it came time for their birthday, she knew something that would get him to sing. And if this didn't work, nothing would.
"James?" she called, knocking on his door. All she heard was a muffled groan. She entered, and found James dead to the world. 'He's been up all night helping people again,' she mused. It was good he had something to do, but he was wearing himself out. She had to do something for him, and if this didn't help him, she didn't know what would. "I've got something for you."
"Uhh…?" James mumbled.
"Singing telegram!" Amber sang.
I'm your twin
You're my twin
We stick together through thick and thin
No matter what I do
I'm always stuck with you
James looked up, but he was still half asleep. "Amber?"
Amber continued the song.
And if trouble comes our way
I know my twin will save the day
Wherever you may be
You're always stuck with me
James moaned, putting the pillow over his head. "Five more hours, then maybe I'll get up later, I promise…"
"Come on, James, just one little song for old times' sake?" Amber gave her brother the 'I'm the cutest princess in the world' look; the one she used to give their father when she was in trouble.
She started singing again,
I'm your twin
You're my twin
We stick together through thick and thin
No matter what I do
I'm always stuck with you
James was a little more awake by this point, but he still sounded tired.
And if trouble comes our way
I know my twin will save the day
Wherever you may be
You're always stuck with me
He and Amber then sang together,
When you're feeling sad and blue
Call my name and I'll find you
We have a bond that's tried and true
You and me
Me and you
Two by two
Suddenly, he looked up, noticing that the door was open. He closed it as Amber sang softly,
What if I never find you?
What if I'm a twin no more?
I'd give all the kingdom's treasures
If you came walking through that door
James breathed a sigh of relief that nobody had heard him sing with the door open as he finished the song with Amber.
When you're feeling sad and blue
Call my name and I'll find you
We have a bond that's tried and true
You and me
Me and you
Two by two
"Well, wasn't that fun?" Amber tried to smile.
"Yeah, it was kind of fun to sing again," James admitted. "But next time, shut the door before you have me join you."
"I'll try to remember," Amber smiled, but it was still a little sad that James still stuck by the decision he made. However, at least this was a start.
Author's Notes:
Well, it's official. The Secret Love Song has a prequel! I hope you like this story as much as you liked that one.
I would also like to give a big thanks to Niagara14301 for helping me with a lot of the details.
The title of the story is a reference to the deaths of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper, which in music history is known as "The Day the Music Died".
Sloop John B, the Beach Boys song that James and Melinda sang in the flashback, is not mine.
George Strait's Carried Away is the song James sang in The Secret Love Song.
Both versions of Two by Two are from Two Princesses and a Baby.