Once upon a time…

Long, long ago, there was a young princess named Aria. 

With hair of rosewood, skin of honey, and eyes the color of cinnamon, she was beloved by all who knew her. While one might guess it was her beauty that enchanted those around her, hidden beneath her appearance lay a talented musician.

She was a beautifully skilled violinist and the melody of her violin travelled throughout the kingdom. The music spread good spirits and brought the kingdom to life, as its tune was straight from the golden heart of Princess Aria. Her violin was like none other, and its unique flower engravings along the edges glowed as she played.  

For sixteen years, Aria lived in the East Wing of the palace, where her bedroom window overlooked the royal gardens and the forest of enchantment. Oftentimes, Aria would wander to the forest to practice her violin. When she played, animals sang along with her and together, they created a beautiful collection of sounds.

One day, a prince from a neighboring kingdom was passing through and heard the echo of Aria’s violin. Captivated by its sound, he and his trusty steed set out to find the source. He followed the sound through the forest until he finally reached the young princess. Mesmerized by her grace and talent, Prince Coda invited her to play at his upcoming ball.

Aria thought for a moment before accepting his invitation. She had never played for an audience of that size. Usually she just played for herself or the forest animals. However, she decided she quite liked the prince and would have hated to disappoint him by showing fear. 

The prince smiled in victory, and as he rode back to his kingdom, he couldn’t stop thinking about the beautiful princess.

To prepare for the ball, Aria’s lady-in-waiting, Melody, helped her through every step. She styled the princess’s hair into a waterfall braid and applied some makeup from berries and other natural assortments onto Aria’s face. Then, she helped Aria into an elegant golden gown that shimmered like the morning sun.

As Aria prepared for the ball, she suddenly felt butterflies in her stomach. Although she played her violin in the open forest all the time, she had never performed for an audience as large as this. In fact, the princess couldn't remember the last time she played in front of another human, let alone a prince that she wanted to impress.

Once Aria arrived at Prince Coda’s castle, she unpacked her violin in a hallway near the ballroom. She noticed another young musician who had bright chestnut hair and a stunning white dress that contrasted it nicely. The two quickly exchanged greetings, and Aria learned her name was Harmony. It turned out that the maiden played the viola and was also nervous about performing. They wished each other luck and went their separate ways.

The ball began and as Aria patiently waited for her turn to perform, her nerves grew with every passing second. Had she chosen the right outfit? Would the prince like the piece she chose? 

When her time arrived, she took a deep breath and began playing. The song began as it always did, and the violin began to glow, but as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. The princess continued to play, but as fear and nervousness overtook her, the free spirited comfort of her music began to fade. Her violin no longer glowed, and it took everything within Aria not to cry. 

As soon as her solo was over, she ran from the castle, speaking to no one, not even the prince.

When she returned to her kingdom, tears streamed down her face as she darted to the East Wing, desperate for the comfort of her room. As she ran, violin in hand, she mistakenly plucked a note. Instead of the warm golden glow that usually radiated from its edges, a black fog escaped rapidly, consuming the flights and flights of stairs. Everything behind Aria began to disappear, but she didn't notice because tears clouded her vision. With each disappearing step, she went farther and farther away from anyone who could help her back down.