Disclaimer: I do not know Gail Carson Levine nor am I Gail Carson Levine. Many of the settings and some of the characters used in this story are hers.

A/N: I'm sooooooooo SORRY! I think it's been like 3 months, right? August, September, October, November…Oh wait. 4. Or 5. Your choice. Anyway, I'm soooooooooooooooooooo incredibly sorry! I'm awful! I admit it! I didn't think I'd be this overwhelmed with crap to do. It seemed like everything happened this year, and it was totally crazy with school and life outside of school. But anyway, the good news is that I updated. The bad news is that it took me 5 months. And the other good news is that I'm going to shut up so you can read it.

R/R!

Aria's Melody

Chapter Ten: Mysteries and First Kisses

The court had grown amazingly restless in the span of a week. Rumors were floating everywhere about the ragged man who had come stumbling to the castle one night, demanding to see the king. The guards, seeing no harm in the impoverished, obviously on the verge of dying man in front of them, brought him to King Randall.

In a thin, barely understandable voice, the man had managed to tell his curious audience that he had been a servant in the Tallkes castle and had overheard King Joelm plot to kill Prince Frederick. But before his stunned onlookers could ask questions and demand more out of the man, he had died.

The only explanation at first had just been that the man was some sort of runaway, desperate for help or attention. But some contested, asking why the man had been so near death and why he would make up something as morbid as what he had said.

A letter had been sent to the Tallkes king, asking for a possible explanation. As a precaution, the agitated King Randall had ordered soldiers placed at the border, and for Frederick to remain in the castle at all times.

* * *

King Joelm clenched his fist angrily, before slamming it down on the dining table. The gold plates and jeweled chalice jumped at the impact of his fist, along with the servant next to him, who'd been unlucky enough to be assigned the task of bringing the king the bad news.

"That fool of a man!" The king let out a flow of curses. "Almost ruining my plans! Any person who aids the enemy will suffer a horrible death!" King Joelm glared at the servant next to him, who cowered and whimpered quietly.

The king turned his attention back to the letter from King Randall in his hands a moment longer before crumpling it in one swift movement.

"No matter," he growled. "Everything will just have to be speeded up a bit."

* * *

Jessalyn paced back and forth across the length of her room, her steps silent against the plush rug under her feet.

"What an unfortunate turn of events," she muttered angrily to herself, her slender fingers clenching and unclenching. She'd had everything planned out. But now, with the unraveling of events concerning Tallkes, her plan was going to be much harder to go on with than she'd anticipated.

Jessalyn stopped mid-way across the room to look into the mirror on the chiffonnier to smooth the golden hair that fell in waves down her shoulders. She'd come into this expecting her plan to be carried out easily, her goal obtained quickly and efficiently.

The obstacles that had presented themselves had been somewhat unexpected. Prince Frederick wasn't quite the putty she'd imagined he'd be when in her hands. And that Aria… Jessalyn wrinkled her nose in disgust. It was obvious the prince of Ayortha liked her. Although Jessalyn couldn't understand why…

And now this about a Tallkes servant! Jessalyn threw her hands up in frustration.

She would just have to work harder.

* * *

"This is so insane!"

Aria turned to look at Emily with amusement. She had hardly seen her friend ever so hyped about something before. It was exactly a week after the incident involving the man from Tallkes, and the two were relaxing under a maple tree in the fields near the castle.

"What's so 'insane'?" Aria already had an idea of what Emily was "insane" about, but she was eager to hear her friend openly admit it.

Emily frowned at Aria. "I don't know what you're looking so terribly amused about."

"Well, what's so insane?" Aria continued to grin uncontrollably at her friend.

A slight color rose in Emily's cheeks. She suddenly seemed to take a strangely deep interest in her the design on her dress. "This—this prohibition of Frederick outside the walls of the castle! That's insane!"

Aria leaned back against the tree, satisfied that Emily finally had admitted what she was so hyped about.

"What are you looking so smug about?" Emily asked irritably.

"You like Frederick, don't you?"

Emily spluttered. "I'm just a concerned citizen! Is there anything wrong with being worried about Frederick?" A red tinge had darkened in her cheeks. She was silent for a moment. "But I guess I can see why they aren't letting him out. It could be really dangerous…if all this about Tallkes is true."

Aria nodded, the amusement that had been present in her eyes a second ago fading. "Yes…if it's all true, it could be terrible for Ayortha."

"And there's all these rumors about the Tallkes king floating around, which isn't helping at all."

"Like what? I haven't heard any."

"Well, I overheard Father and Mother talking about how he's very cruel…he mistreats his servants, has a daughter—and he isn't even married!"

Aria opened her mouth to speak, but stopped when her eyes landed on a lone figure in the distance walking towards them.

Emily followed her gaze and smiled. It was her turn to be amused. "Well," she said casually, standing up, "I do like Frederick."

"Wha—what?" Aria turned her head up to look at Emily. "Sorry, I didn't hear you."

Emily laughed. "I didn't think you would. But anyway, I'd best be going—my harp lesson's in less than an hour."

Aria nodded and glanced back quickly at the person heading towards them. "I think I'll stay here a little longer. Have fun at your lesson."

"Sure thing. Have fun with your Terence." Emily grinned as Aria blushed a bright pink.

"He's not mine!"

"Close enough!" Emily called over her shoulder.

Aria got up from her position on the grass and smiled, watching as Terence neared her. Her heart beat irregularly as she watched his lips turn up and spread across his face, tanner since his stay in Ayortha. His hand raised in a wave, and Aria waved back.

"What are you looking so happy about?" Terence asked, approaching her.

Aria smiled broader, watching as he touched a hand unconsciously to his sunburned cheeks. "My friends. And you."

Terence grinned back at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I guess that is something to be extremely happy about, isn't it?" he joked, beginning to walk as he followed Aria down the slope of grass. "But I'm happier."

She glanced at him. "And why's that?"

Terence cleared his throat. "Because of you."

Aria smiled. "You flatter me, dear Sir."

"It's the truth." Terence's sunburned skin seemed to redden even more. He paused to look at the girl next to him quickly. "Where are we going?"

"The river. It's not far into the woods." She pulled on his arm. "Come on."

Terence resumed his walk next to Aria. "I received a letter from my mother today. My father's back home. Thankfully, the ogre uprising has been mollified."

"Oh that's wonderful! Is your father alright from his trip?"

"He's doing okay. Weary, but nothing Mandy can't cure."

The sound of trickling water was beginning to grow audible. Aria pulled on the hand in her grasp. "We're getting there. Who's Mandy?"

"The best cook! You'll have to meet her."

Aria's eyes widened. When would she ever meet his cook? They were silent for a moment as they walked slowly through the woods, watching the sun's rays filter through the leaves and cast a golden glow throughout the forest. Birds chirped quietly through the trees; nature never seemed to have been closer.

"How is your father? I caught word that he is back from his merchant trip?"

Aria beamed. "Yes! I'm so happy. He was telling me about these wonderful elven pottery pieces that he was able to obtain; there was one that he said was a small white castle—which reminds me—do you have a grandfather named Sir Peter? That's who my father said he got the pottery pieces from. He said the man was your mother's father."

Terence frowned. "Yes…my grandfather is Sir Peter…but one of the elven pottery pieces you mentioned—it was a castle?"

"Yes, my father said it was beautiful. It had candleholders coming from each of its tiny towers and clothes hanging from its miniature windows… I didn't get to see it though, unfortunately."

Terence's frown deepened. "But Aria…my grandfather traded it a long time ago. He hasn't had it for years. I remember my mother telling me about it once when I was little, exactly like you described it. She asked my grandfather about it, but he said he'd traded it a long time ago, before she married my father."

Aria bit her lip. Why was there an uneasy feeling in her stomach? "Are you sure you aren't mistaken? I'm sure my father said…"

Terence shook his head firmly. "I'm sure of it."

"That's strange. Unless my father was mistaken." She shook her head, trying to drive the restless feeling out of her stomach. It wasn't too difficult, for at that moment they finally reached the river, the water gurgling happily through the grassy clearing.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Aria walked down to the river and lifted her head up to the sun, basking in the warm sunlight.

"Yes, beautiful."

Aria opened her eyes just in time to see Terence fling water from the river her way. "Hey!" she said laughing, wiping the cool droplets from her cheeks.

She reached into the river and pulled out a handful of water and raced across the grass, trying to catch up with Terence as he ran to the other side of the clearing.

The prince finally stopped, reaching the end of the clearing. Laughing, he pulled Aria down next to him onto the grass as she flung the water at him. The droplets of water rained down on them both as they rolled across the ground. They finally stopped next to the river, their bodies close and their faces even closer.

"You're perfect," Aria said softly, breathless from the chase. She looked at the face next to her, his eyes studying her carefully. Terence's curls lay across his forehead, glistening with drops of water. His emerald eyes shone brightly, and Aria studied them as he studied her. She saw the kindness and the virtue shining from his, and she shyly smiled when his hand reached out to push a lock of hair from her face.

For awhile, only the sound of the river next to them could be heard—but even that seemed faraway.

Silently, Terence leaned in, his lips gently meeting hers. Aria's eyes closed and butterflies fluttered in her stomach.

And without another thought, she kissed back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Ah yes, the romance, erhm, "blossoms" and the evil…grows. Heh. OH yah! Before I forget—about Catching Cael (my other story), I WILL update it. I just don't know…when. *grins sheepishly*. Really! It's not my fault! My parents are just really on my back at the moment about studying. Crazy, I know. Anyway, just wanted to tell those of you wondering, so you guys don't think I forgot about it or anything.

Anyway, I wanted to thank all of you (readers, reviewers, or both) for reading, reviewing, or both. I wouldn't be doing this without y'all!!! So thanks! And all of your reviews made me smile/laugh. It's awesome. So thanks to everyone!!!!!! If this sounds incredibly corny, blame it on the holidays. Really. It'll make me look less stupid :).

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!