The Swan Princess

Chapter 20: Cross My Heart

6 months ago

Prince Siegfried

Damn, I probably should have passed on the wine last night.

My head is pounding, my body hurts, and I stumble over the chandelier that's currently broken into splinters on the floor.

"Fie, you really shouldn't be doing this," Fynn scolds.

"But I'm so good at it," I retort, dodging the broken glass pieces on the floor.

The eldest brother, Flynn, wears a face of scorn and derision.

"We have a guest today," he adds.

"He doesn't want to meet the middle child," I respond, shielding my eyes from the overhead glare. "Why is it so bright in here?" The light does nothing for my raging headache.

"You're hungover," Flynn states. "Get your ass up and get dressed by noon. A wizard is coming to offer us a deal."

With that, he strides out, adorned in the regalia and grace of the heir apparent. The superior scholar, the more charismatic talker, and the most responsible sibling. He's the only one of us two that deserves the title of prince.

***

"Sit up straight," mother orders. Her and father are sitting in their thrones, solidifying the sullen air of the throne room. Father's throne is the darkest, with gold-tipped spires that reach the glittering ceiling. Mother's throne is the opposing twin, glistening gold with blue caps. On father's right, in a navy throne of half the size, sits Flynn. I sit to his right, and our sister, Annalise, is all the way over to the left of Mother.

Together, the chairs form a half-circle of judgment around our visitor: the wizard.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

He's a middle-aged man, not very interesting, and wearing simple clothes. Compared to the finery of this room, he looks rather... bland. I can already see Annalise's eyes glazing over, her thoughts wandering elsewhere. She was hoping the visitor would be a young, handsome suitor.

Flynn, mother, and father, however — are paying rapt attention.

"State your cause, wizard." King Leon's commanding voice echoes through the Great Hall.

"I would like to offer you a deal, Your Majesty."

"Of what sort?"

He pulls open his dark purple cloak, revealing a rose inside. "A marriage proposal," he rasps, rotating towards my sister. He goes down on one knee.

"I am a strong and powerful wizard, dear princess." Annalise snaps her head down at him in horror, arms clutching the edge of her seat. "Would you accept this rose and marry me?"

Father looks to Annalise, eyebrows raised.

Mother stares at the visitor with an intensity hot enough to melt sand into glass.

I'm about to vomit. Why do I have to witness this?

Annalise is frozen in embarrassment.

Flynn is the one who responds, hissing out, "Absolutely not."

The wizard turns to him. A cloudy expression brews on his face.

"Would you have preferred a ring?" Smoke starts to waft in from the open windows. Mother shifts around in her seat, feeling for her hidden weapons.

"She doesn't want to. That's answer enough." Flynn jumps out of his seat. "I'll escort you out myself, simpering fool." Of the siblings, he's most protective of Annalise. She used to heal him when father cut into him too hard after swordsmanship class.