Swan Lake

The Dying Swan

The sun rose, awakening all of it's day creatures. The shadows danced among the trees and the lone bird sang followed by a chorus of birds. The wind gently caressed the mountain grasses.

That day, Odette received a letter:

Dear Odette,

Sweet heart, meet me at the lake again in the evening, and we will watch the sun set together.

I miss you so much and cannot wait to see you.

Your love, Fred.

Ecstatic, Odette could hardly wait and prepared.

When evening came with it's foreboding shadows, Odette ran down the trail to the lake.

When she got there, everything was still. There were no birds, no wind. The sky greyed; the scenery around her in shadow. Odette tensed and became silent. Something was not right. Instead of calling her lover's name, like she wanted to, she waited behind a bush.

After some time, she walked out of the bush like a timid deer.

"Greetings, my child." Odette's head turned at lightning speed and at that moment, she was the deer in the head lights, for what stood before her made her die a little.

"Rothbart."

"Hello, sweet child. What's wrong, you don't look so well." he snickered at his sarcasm.

"What are you doing here?" asked Odette, teeth clenched, she started, backing away.

"Well, I invited you, sweetie. You got my invitation, did you not?"

"I thought that was from-"

"I know." he rolled his eyes. "But how else were you going to come willingly?"

"Where is he?"

"Dead. I killed him. Now, he is not in the way." Odette's lip trembled and she brought her hand to her mouth. She was quickly blinded by tears. Tears left her eyes. Starting  to run, tears were left behind with footprints. A wall of foliage blocked her path. She searched for a new path until she was blocked again. This repeated. Soon, Rothbart became tired of his game of cat and mouse, and a root shot out of the ground tripping her.

"Stop crying, girl. Come." Odette did not listen and stayed on her knees weeping. Von Rothbart lifted his hands and conducted the plants to a clashing tune. The possessed plants brought her to him, tears streaming down her face, creating rivers.

"Hmm, you definitely look the part of the heroine, when you cry like that. Beautiful, even when stained with tears."

"Please, stop." The vines caressed her body, painfully leaving marks on her soft skin.

"Nope. Surrender."

"No." Odette said determinedly, struggling in his grip. Von Rothbart walked up to her and touched where her heart beat fast in it's cage.

"I want you to willingly give me your heart."

"I can't and I won't." She struggled once more.

"What do you mean you cannot?" Rothbart eyed her suspiciously.

Odette closed her eyes. "I gave my heart away." Rothbart inhaled a sharp breath, running his hands through his black hair. His handsome feature strained.

"There's away to get it back."

"You silenced him. Took him from me," she paused, "therefore killing me. I am dead, just a corpse now. My heart is with him."

"What a stupid thing to do, but I didn't expect anything more. Teenage infatuations never last, dimwit. Your love would never last. He would betray you and cheat you."

"No. Our connection is so strong that not even Death himself could separate us."

"That is a reason to why I am keeping you alive." he smiled sadistically. "Oh, and he will betray you. I can prove it."

"No, you cannot because it is not even a possibility. But, rejoice Rothbart and not over the slain. We have something in common now."

He let out a laugh. Then his piecing eyes stabbing her own. "What is that?"

"We are both heartless."

He chuckled. "Fine!" The wind howled loudly, uprooting the trees. "If you cannot belong to me! You will never belong to anyone!"

'I never and will never belong to anyone. I am independent.' she thought to herself.

You have cursed yourself, Odette." he said, enunciating each word.

"I was cursed from the beginning." Odette replied, softly.

"No, your love is your curse."

"And, I am yours." With a searing pain, feathers shot out of Odette's arms, trickling blood on her limbs. Her legs became smaller, and her neck longer. A big white bird fell to the ground.

"You're white." Rothbart said disbelievingly. "You were supposed to be a black swan!" He kicked her with his boot. "Your purity sickens me. К черту это." Then, with a big roar, he shot into the air, taking the form of an owl. With a mighty cry, he was gone.

The orange sun set slowly, taking all light away. When the last rays of light were gone, Odette turned into a girl once more. She was clothed in rich white cloth stitched with feathers and diamonds. Her head adorned with a glass crown. On the ground she lay, crying. She grabbed at the dirt, and her hair as she sobbed.

"Why? Why God!? What did I do to keep losing the people I love!? Help me!?" she screamed and cursed the star lit sky. "Answer me!" she sobbed. She stilled on the green needled bed. Then, silently, she got up bravely, her chin trembling; her legs weak. Looking at the lake, she walked towards it, robotic. On the water, walking slowly, Odette made it to the center.

"Freddie..." she sobbed silently.

She danced to the starlit sky, looking for Freddie's soul. She looked to the depths of the lake, hoping it would engulf her, swallow her whole. No words where expressed, yet all her emotions could be seen through the dance. She exposed herself completely. She would dance herself raw. Brokenly, she danced. It was not technically polished, but it was heart breakingly perfect.

"Our heaven has become my hell." she said to him, silently. Tears that fell from her long dark lashes created ripples, moving the entire lake, disturbing the bull rushes.

Her heart was gone, yet she still danced. She expressed her love for Fred, her family, Mr. Smith, Priscilla, her home, the mountains and the flowers. She expressed pity and regret for her uncle who was wicked and confused, the one she could never love and who would never be loved.

With each step, she gave another piece of her soul to God.

She danced the dance of a dying swan.