The Swan Princess

Chapter 32: Darkest before Dawn

Odette

The woods are just as I remembered them. Welcoming.

Tree limbs brush my skin as I pass by. "Just passing through," I tell them. "No big plans today."

I'm recovered from my last showdown with Siegfried, passing through the friendly trees. I had nowhere to go, but I knew these woods would make me feel at home.

I settle down between a cluster of trees, head in my hands. What now?"

A branch taps my shoulder. It slithers forward, wiggling enough so that an apple falls onto my lap.

"Thank you, tree." I kiss the branch. At least the trees are loyal, unlike some other people I've kissed recently.

The apple crunches as I bite in. At least now I can eat. But where am I going to go? I'm done with the castle and all its inhabitants. If I wanted to go home, I would need to use a magic mirror. Which means I would need to ask Luk—

No. He's not Lukas anymore. He's Siegfried.

I'm on my own.

***

Sieg

"Deliver these to the mirror."

I hand the letter to the servant I summoned. Emilia. She's been withdrawn ever since Odette was taken away. I told her she lives, of course, but she's been sullen and quiet. I am, too.

"Of course, Your Highness." She curtsies and takes my most recent one away.

With each rose petal that fell, I've written a new letter.

Come home. Humiliate me where I can see you.

I'd wrangled with that smartass mirror, which, for all my prodding, would not reveal Odette's location. It did, however, promise to deliver my messages.

Come back and tell me about your homeland. Better yet, bring it with you. I'll take in any refugees you send here.

Emilia has been running off with each letter I send her, but, it's not caused my Odette to return.

Maybe I should be more drastic.

Tempt me at dinner again. I want to test more than your frosting on my tongue.

Weeks pass. I want her home.

If you were planning on hurting me — you have succeeded. Quit being a coward. Return and stab me in the heart like you mean it.

The castle is boring without her presence. I hate it here.

I was wrong. I should not have deceived you. I should have admit I knew you were both princess and pauper. Let me make it up to you. Come home, and be spoiled by your Prince.

It matters not. Time passes, and I wish I would.

***

Odile

This transformation stuff is a pain in my side. First, I had to stuff that wailing servant girl into the dungeon. That was annoying.

On top of that, the ugly dress I stole from Emilia is unflattering, and it makes me look just as frumpy as she does! And the prince, my stars! He writes so many letters! Every week, he gives me some ridiculous letter, expecting me to deliver it to the magic mirror.

I throw them away.

This disguise has served its purpose in allowing me to have closer access to the Prince. Which means the only thing I've gotten to see is how starstruck he is for my sister. Hideous.

I'll need to don a different disguise if I am to seduce him as my queen. One that's more— sister shaped.

I study the handwriting of his most recent letter. This will have to serve as my guide.

Carefully, I mimic his handiwork.

Odette, you have betrayed me unforgivably.

You never came home, and I realize I never wanted you to.

Swans disgust me. Return to the waterfowl.

I am marrying Odile, and I never wish to see you again.

I drop the letter into the mirror, and it disappears into the other side.

***

Odette

I'm still living in the enchanted woods, becoming one with the forest. Perhaps I should retire here as a forest sprite. The idea of becoming a nymph is appealing.

I'm picking apples off the trees, humming along, when a note lands in my basket.

My eyes skim over. Time halts.

My body lurches forward, and then I'm running. I take off in a sprint, legs pushing against the solid ground as fast as they can, until my thighs burn hard enough to hurt. I use the pain, the emotions, and the turmoil in my heart to shift as I launch up, flying away.

I feel such a strong surge of nausea, I'm breathless an about to vomit.

How did everything fall apart like this?

I let out an anguished wail, falling a few feet, moving from the cloud line to the tree line.

This is the end. The end of my hopes, the end of my dreams, the end of the love I thought I had.

All because I couldn't put the obvious clues together, and realize the man I loved was the man I used.

A tear slips down my face when I remember the way Sieg looked at me when Odile injured me. How he ripped out a man's heart for me. Courted me, send books to me, and rescued me time and time again.

The pain on his face, when I told him it was all a game, and how badly I hurt him.

My entire life with this man starts to flash before my eyes. Every conversation, every flirtation, every foolish hope I had about my future.

I'll never spend another day with my knight in shining armor. I'll never get another dance partner who follows me everywhere, whether in wolf form, in armor form, or in splendid royal regalia. I'll never get to peer through the castle doors in a white dress, and see my prince's devious smile waiting for me at the aisle.

I'll be alone.

Unloved.

Unwanted.

Replaceable.

Cursed.

The tears are streaming fully now, clouding my vision. My heart, which had been hammering this whole time, slows its flow. My breathing slows, and I allow myself to take in one last breath.

I close in my wings.

I let the air in the wind caress me for the last time.

I free fall, dropping at the speed my dreams were crushed.

It's all over now...