The Swan Princess

Chapter 1: Golden Ticket

The castle shines like the diamond on a newlywed's finger.

I land from the sky, and my transformation begins. The wind picks up, and the light changes from pearly white to iridescent silver as it swirls around me. I lift up my arms, and the white feathers start to glow and shrink until my normal arms appear. My eyes process color again, and the sky lights up in front of me in vibrant reds and oranges. It's sunrise, which means my transformation into myself is complete, and I can set out with my mission for today.

I trek through the woods, my feet shuffling off the freshly fallen foliage. The air is cool and surprisingly pleasant. Birds chirp in the background, brightening my mood. At the top of the hill, I can see the castle I'm heading towards. It's imposing, gleaming, and decorated with white and gold swirls.

Rumors around the neighboring villages say that Prince Sieg's 21st birthday ball is tonight. Since I don't have an invite, I've spent my whole week planning how I'm going to sneak in. Thankfully, I've got some semblance of a plan, which I'm willing to risk discovery just to pursue.

As I walk, I rehearse in my head everything I know about the elusive Prince Siegfried. He's supposed to be turning 21. He's young. Charming, and handsome. He's the second son, but is taking over for his aging father, the King of Svenia. Most importantly, he's looking for a bride at the ball tonight.

I can hear the neighs and whinnies of the horses as I approach the castle. Although I am not walking directly on the roads, I travel along beside them to keep my way. Unfortunately, I'm not the only girl hoping to meet the prince tonight.

Carefully, I sneak peeks through the carriages traveling down the roads. I can see vibrant colors, elaborate fans, and sparkling, glamorous jewelry glinting. I look down at my own drab seamstress clothes, and I know I'm going to have to snatch something better for tonight. Among other workers, I look decent, but I can't compare to old-money royalty.

6 princesses were directly invited to the masquerade ball tonight: 2 stunning Russian sisters, the Spanish opera singer, long-lost Hungarian royalty, and the Neapolitan heiress. Besides them, there are upper-class women from around the country putting on their finest to compete for the prince's hand.

I have my targets for tonight in my mind already: The Rothbarts. I have an old history with the Rothbart dynasty father, but tonight, I'm seeking my revenge through his daughter.

A little birdie told me Odile Rothbart and I share the same size. So, all I have to do is find out where she's staying, steal one of her dresses, and add enough details so that it's not obvious it's hers. Since I've taken up a seamstress apprenticeship lately, I know exactly how to make a gown that royals would wear.

I creep closer to the path, hoping I can see the signature black-gold pattern of the Rothbart family carriage. I think I see it, get excited, and then suddenly –

"Looking for something?" a deep male voice ponders.

I swing around, and there's a smirking, tall man looking back at me. He's got the striking jaw and imposing frame of a dangerous man. Exactly the kind I would make questionable life choices for.

"Who are you?" I ask cautiously, subtly reaching for the dagger in the back pocket of my dress.

"I'm the court jester," he responds, smiling, his dark brown hair ruffling in the wind.

"Why would a court jester be wandering the woods during working hours?" I reply, noticing the expensive embroidery on his clothing.

"What would a peasant be doing stalking the Rothbarts?" he retorts, leaning an arm casually against an oak tree. His ice-blue eyes stare directly into mine, in contrast to his joking smile.

"Finding a court jester of theirs to murder," I reply sarcastically, deciding I'll just fight him if I have to. He looks too pretty to be good in a fight, anyway.

"You'll have to catch me first."

He returns to standing away from the tree, and continues the unnerving eye contact.

"Do you seriously think I would chase you?" I answer.

"Most women chase me," he replied.

"If most women are chasing court jesters, they must really enjoy being a peasant," I declare, wondering what this guy's end game is. He's definitely too self-righteous to not be somebody important, but I don't know enough about the upper class to know who he is. The closest I've ever gotten to wealth was hand-sewing the lace on princess Annalise's dress.

My thoughts are interrupted by a loud crash from the castle drawbridge, opening to let people in. Without the drawbridge, it would be impossible to cross the moat that separates the castle from the rest of the mossy green hill it was built on. I quickly turn around to glance, and I can see the elites filing in.

When I turn my head back around, the mystery man is gone. I scan the area around where he was, trying to figure out where he went. I've never seen someone disappear so quickly. Worse, there's no telling what a guy like him could do if he accuses someone like me of sneaking around the castle, which is off-limits to commoners.

But why did he leave? If he wanted to threaten me, he could have done so where we were. And to disappear, how did he pull it off so fast?

Abruptly, I walked towards where he was standing, trying to process what just happened. In the distance, I can only see misplaced, scattered leaves and some paw prints in the ground. That doesn't give me anything to go on. Approaching closer, I see something shiny resting on the tree he leaned on.

On a gold card, in shining, elegant script, it says:

A Royal Invitation for

Prince Sieg's 21st Birthday Ball

And on the back, in impeccable cursive script:

I'll see you there, peasant!