Chapter Fourteen

Cliffhanger

Crescendo, Jazz, and Ballad were the only ones who awoke early enough to see Cello, Melody, and the messenger Lute off. "We'll see you again in a week." Cello promised. He slung his large knapsack onto his back and motioned to Melody and Lute to do the same. Just before they left Jazz pulled Cello aside.

"If anything happens to her," he nodded his head towards Melody, "I'll kill you." Cello rolled his eyes.

"Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed." He muttered. "Of course I'll watch her." The trio began walking out of the city and towards the snow covered mountains. Only Melody waved goodbye.

Hours passed and the group slowly moved upwards. The mountain wind was bitterly cold and strong. More than once they were knocked over into the ever deepening snow. "I wish I'd taken the ship to Forte." Lute said, his teeth knocking together. "When do we reach those caves of yours?"

"They're not mine." Cello grunted as he pulled himself to the top of a ledge and turned to help the others. "We'll get underground tomorrow morning."

"What?!" Melody shouted. "I thought you sai-" Cello quickly covered her mouth with his gloved hand.

"Idiot!" He hissed. "You want to get us all killed?"

"What do you mean?" Lute whispered nervously.

"Loud noise can cause avalanches." Cello said, moving his hand away from Melody's face. "So no more shouting. Understand?" Melody nodded meekly. "Good. I'm glad that's settled, let's go." No one talked again until that evening, when Lute had discovered an overhang which they could sleep under. Cello had, after many failures, started a fire and was trying to find more dry wood.

"So," said Lute, when Cello was out of ear range, "How long have you know him?"

"A little over a week." Replied Melody.

"Do you trust him?"

"Not really. But I don't think he'll kill us or anything."

"The mountain might though."

"Yes, especially if you keep talking that loud." Cello said. They had not heard him return and both hoped he had not overheard their entire conversation. If he had then he pretended that he had not. "We're about a mile from the cavern entrance, But we'll have to climb a cliff to get there. Don't worry." He added, seeing the frightened expressions on his companion's faces. "It's only fifty feet or so." Melody suddenly felt very sick.

They did not get up as early the next day. The sun was up when Cello woke Melody and Lute. Silently, they packed their bedding and followed him into the sunshine. The wind was stronger that day and Lute voiced his concern about climbing. Cello nodded thoughtfully and then said they would wait for the wind to die down when they reached the cliff. Cello said it was fifty feet, but to Melody the rock face could have been a thousand. It looked massive. A few minutes passed and then Cello began to climb. "The wind is low," he said, "now's our chance." Cello reached the top with ease and after throwing his pack into the cave he leaned over the edge. Lute was almost to the top and Melody was right beneath him when Melody lost her footing. She gave a small, but loud shout. There was a rumbling overhead and Cello looked up. A few small pieces of snow and ice fell, but that was it. He breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly there was a loud crack. Cello glanced up again and saw the mountain's snow layer break away and come rushing down towards them. "Hang on to the rock and don't let go!" He yelled, diving into the protection of the cave and its overhang. He covered his ears as the deafening avalanche passed and shook the ground. As soon as it was quiet he ran back out, climbing over the snow left behind. Cello looked down. "Melody! Lute!" There was no answer so he swung himself over the edge and looked down again. Melody was still on the cliffside. She had gripped the sharp rocks so hard that they had cut into her hands. She was sobbing and beginning to loosen her grip. "No! Don't let go Melody! I'm coming to get you! Don't let go!" He had almost reached her when she dropped. Cello threw himself off the cliff face and caught her in the air. As they fell he braced himself for a hard landing, but it never happened. They sank into the new snow that had accumulated at the bottom of the cliff. "You alright?" Cello asked, once he had gotten his breath back. Melody did not answer. "Melody? Melody?" He checked for a pulse. Yes, she was still alive. He propped her up and began to search for Lute. After calling his name multiple times with no reply Cello began to dig. It seemed like hours passed as he tried to find any clue as to where the messenger may be. Finally he found him. Lute's body was twisted in pain and his lifeless eyes were staring up into Cello's good eye. He pushed the eyelids down and pulled everything he thought was important out of Lute's pack. At that moment Melody regained consciousness. She was shaken and bruised, but not seriously hurt.

"What happened?" She asked, once Cello had wrapped her in blankets and heated some water for her to drink.

"You fell, there was an avalanche, you and Lute hadn't reached the top yet." Cello explained kindly.

"Where is Lute anyway?"

"He's... He didn't make it." He pointed to where Lute's body lay. "We'll stay here a little longer. Then I'll help you back up the cliff." Melody nodded, but did not try to climb until nearly evening.

------

There was a knock on Crescendo's bedroom door. He had been looking over some paperwork about his upcoming wedding. He got up and opened the door. Standing outside was one of his servants. "Yes?" The prince asked.

"Begging your pardon, your highness, but there's some people from Forte here to see you."

"Right, tell them to meet me in the throne room. I'll be out shortly." The servant bowed and ran off as Crescendo shut the door and changed into a stately looking uniform. He headed downstairs and entered the throne room.

"Prince Crescendo!" Someone cried with glee.

"Beat?" Crescendo said surprised. It was Beat. And Polka, Frèdèric, and a boy whom the prince had never met. "What are all of you doing here? And who is this?"

"This is Allegretto," Polka said happily, "Allegretto, Prince Crescendo." Allegretto bowed awkwardly.

"Good to meet you your highness." He said very politely.

"And you as well Allegretto."

"We couldn't stay in Ritardando." Chopin explained. "Waltz has army recruiters out on the streets nabbing any boy they see." Crescendo frowned.

"That's not good news." He said. "Well, your friends should be around here somewhere. I was planning to eat lunch with them. Do you remember the way to the dining room?" Everyone except Allegretto nodded their heads. "Excellent. I have some other business to attend to but I'll see you again there shortly."

"He seems nice." Allegretto remarked as they made their way to the dining room.

"He is nice." Polka agreed.

Jazz, Viola, March, and Ballad were eating with Serenade when the group entered the room. Ballad had been in the middle of a story about his growing up in Forte City. "So Symphony says to me: Ballad, you need to get a life, go out and... and... Retto?" Everyone looked up from their plates and soon the entire party was talking about what had happened while they were apart. Crescendo came and sat down at the table later and joined in the merriment. After lunch the prince asked if he could talk to the princess privately and the friends were left alone. Everyone wandered off in different directions. Polka went to the gardens. None of the plants were blooming since it was too cold, but the fountains and sculptures were beautiful.

"Pretty, isn't it?" Polka turned around to see who had spoken. It was Viola, who was also admiring the scenery.

"Yes, it is." Polka agreed.

"Say, do you believe in good luck charms?"

"Yes, I tend to take them too seriously." Said Polka, fingering the stone in her pocket.

"Alright," Viola smiled, "I'll teach you a good one, hold your fingers out like this." She extended her arm out and made a fist, but left her smallest and thumb straight. "This charm works pretty well and it's really easy to use."

"What do I do?"

"Just hold your hand like this in front of the person that you love. If you do that, then the charm's supposed to make them fall in love with you too. Easy, huh?"

"That's it? Really?"

"Really! And you can see the results right away. Hey," Viola acted like she had just thought of something, "Why don't you try this out on Allegretto?"

"Oh Viola, don't tease me like that." Polka said, as she ran away, looking down. After Polka had run back inside Viola noticed Jazz was also in the garden.

"I don't think I've never heard of that charm before." He said.

"Well, yeah. Of course you haven't heard of it. I thought it up just now." She smiled. "Maybe I should patent it." The two laughed.

"You shouldn't joke around with her too much though Viola."

"Don't worry about it. The charm won't work, I was just trying to give Polka some courage. Watching those two together is making me crazy." Jazz nodded in understanding.

"Well, don't go overboard. Anyway, I was looking for the prince. Have you seen him?" Viola shook her head and said no. Jazz thanked her and began to walk away. Viola sighed. I'm the one who needs courage. Making sure Jazz did not see, she used her new charm on him and sighed. As she let her arm drop Jazz turned around. "What about you?" He asked.

"What?"

"Do you have someone special like that too, Viola?" She grinned when Jazz said this.

"Of course I do!" She whistled and her pet ran to her shoulder. "Arco's with me all the time." Jazz smiled and continued inside. Claves then Falsetto... Looks like I'm third of three players. She thought.

------

Crescendo and Serenade were in his study talking. "I found something in your room." Crescendo admitted.

"What?" She asked innocently. Crescendo unraveled the paper that had been tied to the pigeon's leg and handed it to Serenade. She read it and then looked up at Crescendo, wide-eyed. "I can explain." She started, but Crescendo shook his head.

"No. No. You work for Waltz, don't you?" He asked. She looked down.

"Yes." She replied. The prince searched for the words he wanted to say, but was interrupted by Serenaded suddenly cocking a pistol and pointing it at his head. His hands instinctively rose above his head.

"What are you doing?!" He shouted.

"What needs to be done." Serenade said calmly. Crescendo shut his eyes and there was a gunshot.