Swan Lake

The Lake

Odette reappeared among her new friends who had been sleeping in a circle

The awoke and started towards her. "My lady, what hath caused your disappearance?" asked Alfild, who was once the daughter of a baker.

"I think it is apparent that Rothbart had taken her." Roysa replied. She was the fiery cygnete, only 14 years of age.

Odette answered. "I was taken by my Uncle, to the castle that I had failed to reach this evening. He showed me that Sigfried had betrayed me for another."

"That is utterly despicable and horrid!" gasped Florine, the daughter of a lord.

"He was so charming." whispered Rosemund  dreamily, the youngest cygnet at thirteen years of age who had been a princess before captured.

"I am sure he did not mean for that to happen." cried Johanna.

"Yes, we all know that Rothbart is a despicable man." agreed Florine.

"I do not know what to say." Odette replied sadly.

"I believe that he will come and rescue you." Maybalinne stated.

"You do know that swans mate forever, right?" asked Florine.

"Aye, unless their mate dies." Rosanna agreed.

"Then they mourn and mourn and some even die from heart break." Alfild said. She shrugged. "I guess you were doomed in the first place."

Florine and Maybalinne looked to Alfild shocked. "Do not say such things. He will come for her." cried the romantic Maybalinne.

Odette silenced them with a gentle gesture. "I have resigned to my fate. You all should too. Tis' foolish to place so much hope in one man."

"All will be right." Alfid comforted. The rest agreed, trying to comfort Odette in vain.

"Shall we dance?" asked a younger girl with a sigh. "We only have our legs at night, dears."

"Yes," replied Rosya, "Let us dance."

All arose and danced with very solemn, sleepy movement. Once they finished in a beautiful array, Odette came forward complaining and crying about what happened to her once more, frustrated and emotional.

Sighing, she went to the swan-maidens that hid their faces in their laps and said, "Arise, my darlings. You must not be afraid of my wandering emotions." They sat up on by one when they felt her presence pass.

"It is just so frustrating that I have no control over my situation!" she screamed.

Then, with their animistic instincts, they realized trouble was afoot. They did not have the ability to flee, so they became restless in their places.

All of a sudden, Rothbart flew into the clearing, and Odette's fellow swan-maiden's surrounded her in a failed attempt to hide her. the water churned and the banks of the lake fell in the water. Rothbart ran into the flock of girls and grabbed Odette. He lifted her up like a claimed prize. Even though she was human, Odette flapped her arms like wings, trying to escape Rothbart. he held her in place as she tried to run, the feeling of his hands on her waist made her stomach sick.

The swans, not having the courage to confront Rothbart ran around him and Odette like chickens in a hen house that was being attacked by a fox.

Rothbart turned her around, their chests touching. "I told you that he would betray you." he sneered, his mouth right against her ear. "Now you are mine."

"You lied to me." Odette spat. "He was alive the entire time."

"Yes, well, it was the only way I could take your heart from him. Now, no one has it."