The Princess and the Pauper (Arabella) novel Chapter 1513

"I've heard that even renowned violinists shy away from performing this piece in public, you know? They're afraid of being compared to the likes of Mr. Jarvis or Jamie Noelle. But young Alma here, bless her heart, she's got guts. And tonight, she didn't just step up to the plate - she knocked it out of the park."

"Absolutely. To coax out such sound and feeling at her age? It's quite an accomplishment."

"And if Jamie Noelle were in the crowd, I bet she'd scoop Alma up as a protege in a heartbeat. Looks like our chances are slipping away."

Alma, absorbing the praises from the stage, could feel she had improved leaps and bounds over her last performance. She locked eyes with Arabella, a mix of confidence and pride in her gaze.

"Your turn," she passed the violin to Arabella.

That was when many of the guests realized - a duel of the strings was about to unfold.

"Boy, Alma's really putting it all on the line, eh? Facing off against that girl, knowing full well she's Queena."

"Sure, Queena's a whiz at chess, but her violin chops? That's anybody's guess."

Arabella took the stage, bow in right hand, fingers dancing on the strings, and spun an enchanting melody that gripped everyone instantly.

"That sound, isn't it eerily similar to Jamie Noelle would produce?"

"We just had Jamie Noelle's rendition of this piece, and now hearing Arabella's take, it's like they're cut from the same cloth - their skill, tone, the sheer presence."

"I'm floored. I thought Alma played beautifully. However, same rhythm, same violin, yet Arabella plays better than her."

And not just a rung or two higher - Arabella's playing was in a different league altogether!

Her music, pure and crystalline, seemed to elevate the room, whisking the guests away into the heart of the composition, leaving nothing but the image of a girl and her violin, narrating the joys and sorrows of life through her strings.

Alma had only seen life through the lens of cinema, while Arabella had truly lived every bit of joy and pain over the years - emotionally, Alma could never surpass her.