Play Me a Melody [ONC 2022]

Chapter One: Richard

It was another beautiful day in the kingdom of Ishlora. The golden sunlight seemed to only highlight the beauty of the two people enjoying their tea in the garden. The sunshine seemed to bounce off of the golden curls of Prince Richard Arlington as he sat in the garden. Sitting across from him was a lovely young woman with hair that would shame the darkest of ravens.

Despite the fact that they generally enjoyed one anothers company, the young prince really would have preferred to have been able to sleep a little longer. That was never quite possible for him but one could not help but dream. His daily agenda seemed to have every time slot filled to the brim every day of his life. It could get exhausting, especially if any of his meetings did not go smoothly.

The bright spot of today was that lunch with Lady Serenity Augustine tended to be an amusing affair. They had been betrothed when the Prince was five and the Lady was three. It was a match full of political advantage for both sides as well as a reward for Duke Augustine's loyalty to the King.

It was a match that would have deep friendship and a healthy dose of platonic love. It was also not one that was destined to become romantic. Richard had been an accidental witness to one of the reasons for this when the Lady had been sixteen. With his own eyes, Richard had witnessed just how fond of her fellow womenfolk that his bride to be was.

The sight that he had seen of feminine limbs entangled in passion had been a mildly traumatizing sight. Not because he had harboured any romantic notions about his betrothed. It was merely the fact that seeing just about anyone taking part in such intimate acts in front of him was disturbing for him. He supposed that he was a bit of a prude when it came to himself.

He did not fault his betrothed though nor did he shame her for it. Richard knew very well that the type of society they lived in was the sort where marriages were political and affairs were romantic. It was enough for him that they trusted one another to know their deepest secrets and be close friends.

A fact she seemed to know as she now felt free to flirt with maids in front of him as well as gossip with him about her torrid love affairs. She was a spitfire, that was for sure. There were worse people that he could marry. The world of nobles was akin to a wild forest full of predators and prey.

Lady Serenity Augustine was no prey. She was a lioness in a dress and Richard adored her for it.

As they enjoyed their time together, Richard was trying to think of a way to bring up his latest secret. Not that he typically had an abundance of them. This was the deepest one he had ever had though and he would need her help in the following days. How to broach the subject though?

"Lady Solana tried to make me look like an incompetent fool in front of the Baron of Ashburn. I feel she thinks that I have designs on him despite the fact that I am promised to a prince." The fork that speared Lady Serenity's cake made the Prince pity the woman who had tried to cross his betrothed. "She is lucky that I am such a magnanimous woman, willing to overlook her slander and envy."

Richard was brought out of his thoughts and almost choked on the cake he had just delivered to his mouth. "Right." It was amazing how much one word could cause the woman seated across from him to scowl.

"You disagree?" Lady Serenity looked like she might stab him with the fork if he misspoke. He knew she would not but it was always safest to not press his luck. Perhaps now would be a good time to bring up his own issue. Besides, he needed her feeling fond of him for what he wanted to ask of her.

"Oh no. You are definitely the picture of compassion and generosity." Darn it all, Richard could hear the sarcasm in his own voice. Luckily, the Lady just laughed and continued to eat her cake. Good. He had not completely stuffed up his chances of asking her for a favour.

"What else is on your agenda today, my Prince? Though we already know lunch with me was the highlight of your day." Modesty was not something Lady Serenity saw the need to feign when it came to her betrothed.

The moment was right but Richard found himself unable to speak. Luckily, the woman knew that there was something on his mind.

"What is it, Ritchie? I know that look on your face. It means there is something you want to ask me but you know I will probably say no."

Richard wrinkled his nose in distaste of the undignified nickname. She was the only one that would dare to call him that. To his face, anyway.

"There is something but I am not sure now that I am sitting here with you."

"What is it? Just tell me."

"I found something interesting among my mothers things." It had been a little over a year since her death so speaking of her was a little easier. Though that initial jolt of emotional pain still persisted.

"Like what? Love letters with a man besides the king or something?" Now that would be something given how in love the King and Queen were always said to have been.

"No, nothing like that. Some letters to me."

"What did it say?"

"That she wanted me to explore before I am crowned King one day. She left a list of places to go and things to do. She wanted me to see the Kingdom through the eyes of a commoner."

There was also a music box that he could not open because he could not seem to find the key for it. He could not bring himself to mention it nor the passage in the letters about wanting him to have true love. Had she known that Lady Serenity had attractions that Richard could not fulfill?

There were also some parts that confused him. Such as the statement about having sent a message out into the world. That his true love would seek him and the music box out and that he should follow his heart. What did that even mean?

"So what are you going to do as she wanted?"

"It was a dying wish so I feel I should, which is where you come in."

"What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to cover for me. I want to do as my Mother desired and explore Ishlora with the eyes of a commoner. I cannot do that with the full Royal guards my father would insist upon sending with me."

He had somewhat expected the young woman's shock at his words. It was always her doing something that shocked him.

"That is dangerous, you are our Prince! If anything happens to you... "

"I promise I will be safe. I have hired a guide that will double as a guard. They have also been sworn to secrecy."

"There's no stopping you, is there?"

"Fine, I will help."

Richard smiled despite the scowl on the Lady's face.

"I promise I will be safe. I do know how to wield a sword and I will be in disguise. Besides, the guide I hired is said to be quite skilled."

"Said to be?"

"Well, I could not very well go out and hire a sentinel myself. I entrusted the task to one of my most trusted manservants."

"Then what do you know of this man who will be with you? How will you know what he looks like?"

"He will be purposely placing a blue feather into the band of his hat with a matching feather in his coat pocket. There is also going to be a signal so that I know it is the right man. It will be fine, I promise. What could possibly go wrong?"