The Ballet of the Swans

Act Fourteen

"Ahiru, Ahiru" a melodic voice echoed its call through the forest, Ahiru found herself running to its source, without understanding the reason.

'Who is calling me?' she thought as she ran through the endless maze-like trees 'Do I know this person?' She got closer to the voice with every step. Suddenly, she broke through the trees, finding herself in a beautiful flower garden, filled with flowers from all over the world, most of which Ahiru couldn't name.

"This garden..." Ahiru muttered as she walked through the flowers, images of herself running through the same field flew into her mind, "is the garden where I used to play as a child at the church with my..." She said, walking into a small clearing with a large twisted trunked oak tree, and low branches.

Hidden by the branches' shadows, a person stood at the base of the oak tree, at first, Ahiru thought if might be Garhyn, but looking more carefully, she noticed it was an older woman. Sighing, relieved, Ahiru slowly walked towards her. "Ahiru, my sweet little baby, my little swan." Spoke the woman when the girl was only ten feet away from her.

Ahiru froze as the lady turned around, the moonlight revealing her face. "Mama" the sapphire eyed breathed. Elaine smiled, nodding, as she opened her arms offering a hug to her daughter, Ahiru ran into them without thinking twice.

Mother and child fell to their knees clinging onto each other. "Ahiru, you have become so beautiful, like a true swan" Elaine said as both cried in tears of joy which sparkled whiter than the moonbeams falling onto them.

"Mama, Mama!" Ahiru could say nothing but that, as she buried her face on her mother's neck after such a long time.; Elaine stroke her daughter's long, wavy locks. "My sweet little swan," she said "come with me, we'll go where Papa is, we can be a family."

Ahiru raised her head to answer, her eyes widening as she saw the nightingales filling the oak's branches, all of their glowing little eyes locked onto her. "The Nightingales!" Exclaimed the girl. Elaine caressed her daughter's face, trying to get Ahiru's attention back. "Don't look at them, Sweetheart, listen to me..."

"We will have none of that, my dear" a familiar voice came from the tree "it's best for you to go sleep now." Obeying the voice, Elaine's arms became limp, her eyes closed, and before Ahiru could prevent it, her mother vanished leaving only feathers behind.

"Mama, no!" She exclaimed, as she looked up. "Give her back, Garhyn! Give my mother back to me!" She yelled her voice caused most of the nightingales on the lowest branches to fly away.

Appearing at the highest branch, Garhyn smiled at her. "Even your voice frightens off my servants, my dear Ahiru." He said, Ahiru glared at him, and he sighed, leaping down the branch.

They stood at six feet from each other, none of them dared to move. "I'll see that your mother is taken care of, I would never hurt her." Garhyn said finally, Ahiru thought for a moment she had seen a hint of the other Garhyn in his icy eyes. "But I ask of something in return" he continued, Ahiru tensed up, as he held his hands up quickly. "No tricks, something small, is what I ask" He assured, she looked hard into his eyes, trying to find any lies within them, but she found none.

"Something small" she repeated as she thought about it, then she understood. "A date" she said, Garhyn blinked at her, putting his hands down, nodding. "Not a couple date, just a date, I want to know about you." Ahiru continued. "Because the other Garhyn said you two are the same, but you act so different. He is kind, and wishes for my friendship and you..."

"And I?" Encouraged her Garhyn, feeling a bit rejected. Ahiru's heart tightened.

"All you have done up until now, is harm my friends and I. For that, I fear and hate you with most of my heart." Said she "you wish to have locked up as a caged bird, which I am not." She could almost see the wounds her words had inflicted in his heart. Garhyn snapped his finger and a simple white-pinkish petunia appeared in his hand.