The Swan Princess & The Swan Princess 2

Chapter Seven

It was officially time for the Festival Days Ball and I was a ball of nerves. Finding myself once more in the early morning pacing around the grand staircase after yet another nightmare that was the same as last time.

It was unnerving to see yourself swallowed by a green light mass and then wake up to feeling of death creep around you. I could never tell Grant as it would cause him to go mad. Not only that but I had reached death rather close the last time magic had been around me. Knowing that magic could be the root of horrid dreams and only hoped that wasn't my problem.

I still found no comfort from monitoring the halls, up and down the staircases. I hesitated. I would really love to go outside right now. So, looking around and noticing no one was there, I decided to take a swim in the large lake outside the castle. Not the nasty one that always had frogs and things crawling out of it but the one that had boats and fishermen around it.

When I reached the lake, a deep fog had covered it from the frostbitten fall morning air. The water was absolutely freezing but she didn't mind. One thing I really missed about being a swan was the ability to not feel cold in the water. Being out of the water well that was a different story.

I didn't take off my nightdress knowing that if anyone saw the Queen in a compromised position she would never hear the end of it. So instead she took to swimming, floating and thinking.

Should I use the spell?  I had thought of it often and at the worst of times really. In counsel meetings, conversations with Grant, setting up booths for the festival and even now. It scratched at the back of my mind like something was calling me to use that spell. 

Switching to a backstroke to swim, I noticed that the sun was starting to come up. Not realizing how long I was swimming, I was about to head back when I saw Terrence coming over to the lake. I was about to call out for him as I was coming up to the dock when I heard him talking to someone.

Who was he talking to? I noticed that there wasn't anyone AROUND Terrence. In fact, with his legs kicked over the dock it almost looked like he was talking to his reflection. As I inched forward to see what he was doing, a familiar green glow began to circle in the water. 

Creating a small waved tornado. The green light, the same eery color that haunted her in her dreams. Then, from the green light came an older woman's reflection that Alivia could hardly see but she knew it was a woman from the raspy-ish voice.

"Did you find the scrolls?" The woman hissed out of the water.

Alivia looked to Terrence and noticed a hazy neon green color radiating from his eyes (it was rather frightening to see his eyes gloss over like that).I wonder what is causing his eyes to look like that. She said softly to herself, slowly swimming closer. 

"I couldn't...No one seems to know where or even what they are. The only time I've heard it mentioned was once and it was at dinner. It was a brief conversation about the Queen Mother having them." There was a pause and the green light shifted around. Almost as if the woman in the green light could have it move when she moved.

So this was definetly a magic problem. What kind of magic problem? No clue. 

"So..it's the Queen Mother that has the information. See what you can find out. I'll show up to the Festival Ball and see what information I can find out." With that, the green light in the water make a splash and was gone. The green light in Terrence's eyes was also gone as well.

What astonished me, was that afterwards, Terrence's body stance, his posture and his memory seemed to be different. I heard him whisper "when did I get here?" and "how did I get here?". It was then, I realized that this was possession magic. Magic Rupert only used once and it was on me when he first took her so she wouldn't scream and cry out.

So that confirmed to me that there was indeed a message in my nightmares, from magic or intuition...it had something to do with that green lighted magic.

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I was not in the least bit excited for this ball and I hesitated getting ready. Eugenia of course requested that if she wasn't to be there other than to sit that it should at least be a costumed mascarade party. Which worked out perfectly for whatever evil plan was about to unfold here.

I noticed that Grant must have chosen my costume as it was a Swan...how thrilling. His own costume a black swan. I tried to see how he was trying to be cute but once you have to pluck your own molting feathers, you'd understand.

Knowing that he might plan something like this, I had another costume ready so I could escape if something was to happen that would draw my attention. My spare costume was a boy's costume--which currently the tunic was underneath with the mask hidden under the grand staircase. (It was a lion's costume). 

Eugenia had decided to go as a peacock, which I tried not to see or label it as 'fitting' but it was. I heard the door open and a black swan emerged from the door.

"Are you ready?" Grant asked, his blue eyes shinning through the black feathered mask. His crown looking regal as ever on his head.

I placed my own on my head and nodded. "I guess. I don't usually have great luck at these things. The last one I died at." I didn't mean for it to hurt Grant's feelings but it did and I couldn't retract what I said. Giving an embarrassed smile he thankfully shrugged the comment off.

"Shall we head down?" Grant said, taking his my arm.

"As I will ever be." I never felt more like a lamb in the lions den.

Hey guys SO sorry it took so long to update after my wisdom teeth removal. I've been working on a story to enter into the Watty's this year, it is titled Secrets & Scandals. It is an Anthony Bridgerton x OC story from the show Bridgerton on Netflix. It is finished and amazing so if you have time....check it out! Other than that I am back to this story and eager to finish!!

thequeen2375