Swan Lake

The Swan Queen

Siegfried raced Benno through the underbrush. Ignoring the sounds of the night creatures, they rode on till they came upon a clearing with a calm and gentle lake. Sigfried immediately recognized it. They looked at it, breathing heavily. Memories flooded to Sigfried and he requested for Benno to leave him and return back to the castle.

"But, my Lord, I-." he pleaded.

"Now, Benno." Sigfried commanded. Benno bowed submissively and walked out of the forest were he rode towards the palace.

Alone know, Sigfried stared at lake until he heard the sounds of wings heavily hitting the air and the voices of swans. He bent behind the reeds, crossbow in hand, ready to shoot at any moment. He watched as the swans glided onto the water. He jumped from the reeds, knee deep in the water about to shoot. But, before he could shoot, the moon removed it's dress of dark clouds and stood in her glowing radiance. The swans became surrounded in moonlight as the glowed like under black-lights. The light particles consumed them. When the light faded, a group of girls swam in the water. Slowly, they arose, magically, on top of the surface, the water running off them. They appeared to be dry! Sigfried looked closer no longer surprised but intrigued. They began to walk gracefully on the tips of their toes. Sigfried had never seen something like that before. They came closer to the shore as Sigfried back back up into the weeds. Then, they stopped.

"Who's there?" called one frightened. She had a small crown upon her her instead of a crown of feathers like the others. "Rothbart?" They huddled and trembled in fear, but their leader stood tall and firm her arms shielding them, like a duck protecting her ducklings. Sigfried silently laughed at the irony. She called once more. "Show yourself!"

Sigfried came from the reeds and rushes. The women gasped and froze. Sigfried noticed that the leader no longer showed her bravery. "I am prince Sigfried. I promise I will not hurt you." he said, putting his crossbow in the water. He walked towards the group who are still miraculously above the water while the water was chest level. e looked at them all, more intrigued than before.

"I am the Swan Queen Ode-"

"Odette!?" he interrupted her with alarm.

"Freddy?" her voice broke, tears entering her eyes.

"What happened to you?" he said gesturing to the bodies of the group.

She shook her head sorrowfully. "Go to the shore and place your crossbow upon the ground. Then, walk on the water where it is not dark for it will carry you." Sigfried did so. he jumped over the dark water and on the water the moon touche and found that he did not and would not sink.

"What matter of sorcery is this?" he whispered to himself as he looked down at his feet. He walked closer to Odette and the young women. She walked forward and embraced, letting out a dry sob.

"My companions and I are victims of a terrible spell cast by an evil sorcerer Von Rothbart, my uncle. When he changed me, he continued to do so with others." she looked over to her friends who had left her side and had given them some privacy.

"Can you change into swans any time?"

"By day, we are changed into swans and only at night, by the help of the moon and the magic lake, do we return to human form."

"Can the curse be broken?" he asked hopefully taking her arms into his hands.

"The spell can only be broken if one who has never loved before swears to love me forever. It would be impossible because I thought-" her voice broke once more, "Rothbart said that you were-" her chin trembled and she hastily enveloped Sigfried into a hug. "How did you ever find me?" she said in a quiet, child-like voice.

His voice became nervous. "My friends, and I followed you when you were swans."

"Are the here?" she asked alarmed, her eyes wide as she looked into the dark forest.

"No, I told him, my good friend Benno, to leave as soon as I recognized the lake." he sighed, " I am sorry you had to find out this way. That I am a prince."

She scoffed. It was something that Sigfried had never imagined Odette would do. "I am sorry that you had to find out this way. That I am a bird. Only good for the hunt." Her voice lowered and softened. "Why did you never tell me?"

"I enjoyed what we had together. I did not want my title to ruin it." he explained. "But, I can break the curse!" he exclaimed excitedly. "Because I love you, Odette." he held her, excitement shining in his eyes.

"You love the idea of me, Sigfried." she said, her eyes darkening.

The fact that she used his full name hurt him like a blow to the chest. "That is NOT true." he replied enraged, rejection clear on his features.

"You love the idea of the prince who fell in love with a peasant and made her his queen. You love the idea of the damsel that the hero needs to save. But, in truth, you think I am a freak that your princely heroism is obliged to save. Otherwise, I am only useful for the hunt."

"Freakishly beautiful." he replied quietly, looking at his crossbow that sat on the magic water. His hands were clasped together. No one had ever treated him this way except the queen. It was surprising yet endearing that he did not stop her insults. In a way, it made him love her even more. Odette slumped her shoulders in defeat.

"I am not an object, Fred." she said quietly, head downcast to the floor.

Sigfried took a step forward and lifted her chin. "No, you are so much more." he kissed her, clasping her cheek. Then, a black thing morphed behind Sigfried. Odette cried out with wide eyes, ending the kiss. Sigfried whirled around while Odette's eyes lowered into malicious slits. "Rothbart." she spat with so much loathing. Sigfried quickly reached for his crossbow and aimed at Rothbart, earning a "no!" from Odette. Rothbart laughed heartily, taking the boy as a joke.

"Kill me, son." Sigfried looked to Odette confused.

She shook her head frantically. "If he dies before the spell is broken, it can never be undone." she explained hastily.

"Well with the turn of events, I might just go kill myself!" He let out a cackle. With a flourish of his cape, he jumped into the air and morphed into a giant owl. Odette and Sigfried continued to stare up even after he was gone. The other women filled the clearing. Sigfried took Odette's hand and walked her to the bank. then, he dropped her hand, letting it hang, as he brought the crossbow across his thigh and breaking it.

"I will earn your trust back, and I will break this curse!" he said determinedly.

"Only if you can wrap your head around the fact that you need to fall in love with water fowl."

He looked up sharply, once more enraged. "This curse has changed you. I am not speaking about the fact that it changes you into a bird. This curse has made you malicious and sarcastic."

"Tis not the fault of the curse. Tis the situation." she replied, looking to the east, as the sun rays seeped over the mountains and trees. She left his side, walking towards the waters edge.

"Odette!" he called. she looked back at him expectantly. He gave her a small, nervous smile. "Come to the palace tomorrow. The queen is having a ball for my coming of age where I must choose a bride. There, I will swear my love and adoration to you in front of the entire court!" he explained comically. Excitement shone in his eyes.

Odette returned his small smile. "I will try." she replied gently. Then, the sun rose over the mountain range, and Sigfried watched as the sunlight consumed her. The entire lake was filled with a white radiance as all the women turned into swans. Odette waddled to the lake shore.

"I will break this curse, Odette!" he called. "I swear it!" With that, he ran into the forest, ful of heart and hope.

A/N:

Odette started as a peasant and is now a queen. She is of higher rank now than Freddy.

I hope it was not too obvious that Fred and Sigfried were the same person...

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Bye :) <3