The Swan Princess

Chapter 18: Up in Arms

Supposedly, after Prince Siegfried sent the other women away, there was much in the means of complaints and concerns.

"Why did we get sent away so fast?" a princess asked.

"Will she be alright, being so isolated with him?" Edlyn wonders. "He has the reputation, and she is a respectable princess..."

"Woof!" the hound added.

"If he begins with Insun, it would only be gentleman-like to continue on a series of dates with everyone."

"Ooh, a series!" Her confidante gushed. "Yes, that would be most enjoyable!"

"What will the order be?"

The queen, who wished for the entire fiasco to be over, ended their speculation with, "Silence."

There was silence.

"In fairness to our guests, my son will personally meet with everyone throughout the day. You will be summoned when he is ready for you."

"Thank you, Queen Sera!" Most of the ladies said to her face.

"Finally!" some of them confided to their friends.

"You are dismissed."

***

After my revelation that I am, as usual, in over my head, I feel like I'm on the verge of bursting.

What if this all falls apart?

What if I'm not good enough?

What if everything is revealed, and I humiliate myself, and I can never come back, and I can never see my fair Lukas—

Bright white flashes before my eyes. My body collapses, and my vision is descends 4 feet lower than it was before. From here, I can see only the tips of the surrounding shrubs.

Swan vision.

I waddle, determined, as I plot.

I need to calm my raging emotions. Compartmentalize. Focus not on my problems, but on the solutions.

Solution 1: Lukas falls in love, and my curse is lifted. Given that it has not happened yet, perhaps there are some commitment issues? Unspoken doubts? I will have to find a way to meet with him soon and engage in deeper conversation.

Solution 2: Steal Prince Siegfried away from Odile. This ruins Odile, and thus, Von Rothbart's plans. This accomplishes both my revenge, and also my backup, in case Lukas does not work out. Although that would require Prince Siegfried to truly, devoutly love someone he considered a potential mistress once... I will pray to the stars it will not come to that.

I idly paddle my feet through water, filling the castle garden lake. My thoughts trail off as awareness buds in my blood.

Closeness.

Excitement.

Prince Siegfried has appeared.

Across the lake, they have set up a new location to receive Prince Siegfried's dates. It satisfies me to see that it has returned to its long size, with the prince a proper distance away from his suitors.

What a prime spying opportunity! I can observe Prince Siegfried's dates from here!

How does he see the other women? What does he like, dislike? How can I cater my flirtation skills to out-compete the other women?

How can I outcompete my greatest nemesis— Odile?

I can see the ladies approach, one by one, from here. They're at the same table I abandoned some time ago, but moved to a location by me.

Each one approaches differently. Many smile coyly and bat their eyelashes. Some curtsy. The boldest reach out, stroking their hands up and down his arm. I see red whenever he lets them.

Noted. He desires touch. The rational side of me notes this, at least, while my delusional heart is screaming.

Odile approaches last. She moves like a serpent toward the seated prince.

They exchange words. I wish I was close enough to hear them. Odile is leaning, pressing her lips to the prince's ear, who appears amused.

Once moment, she's standing next to him, and, in the blink of an eye, she sits into his lap. Straddles him.

Sometimes, I think murder is okay.

His eyes widen, but his body relaxes when she wraps her arms around him.

Fuming from my head to my webbed toes, I take flight. I land beneath the canopy of the nearest tree and saunter over to them. The lovers are so enraptured in their own compromising position; they fail to notice me walking under the table and behind Odile.

I rear my head back before launching forward and biting her in the ass.

"Ow!" she yelps, sliding partially of prince Siegfried.

"What?" He sounds befuddled.

I'll fight her. Right here and now. I'll wrap my obnoxiously thick swan neck around hers and choke her. When I finish with her, I'll deal with the player. Speaking of which—

I bite the prince on the ankle, hard.

"Ah!" His foot flinches back, nearly toppling them both.

"HONK!" I screech.

They look down. Odile looks horrified, then murderous. Prince Siegfried looks down in derision, before he breaks out into a wide smile. The features lift his entire face into a boyish smirk.

"I can handle this."

He shoves Odile off of him, letting her fall on her bruised behind on the grass. Good, my savage heart thinks. More pain.

Quicker than I can bite him again, he has me by the neck in one hand, and the other hand holds my body to his chest. Neither is holding me enough to hurt, only tight enough for me to avoid escape.

"What infused you with such viciousness, lake creature?"

"Hmnhnm" I grumble.

"I don't suppose you would let me keep you as feisty pet?"

"Hmnhnm" I grumble. More emphasis this time.

He releases a loaded breath. "Most unfortunate. I like to gaze upon pretty things in my bedroom."

We reach the edge of the gardens. "Time to fly away," he says. "Probably away from Odile, unless you want her to maim you with a crossbow. By the way, she already threatened to do so. She's complained about you multiple times."

Odile must think of my initial heist often, then. Excellent.

Although, this man seems to talk pretty deeply to an animal he should not expect sentience from.

Siegfried releases his hold on me, resting me on the soft grass. "Fly away, and then return, jealous bird. You add much excitement to my life."

Maybe he sees me as an intelligent pet. Or maybe he just appreciates how often I terrorize Odile. Pondering that, I flap my wings hard enough to launch into the air. His gaze burns, tracking my flight path as I soar away.

His authoritative call still reaches me in the clouds. "Come home sooner rather than later. That is an order!"