Secret Story of the Swan: A Jensoo Swan Lake AU

Chapter One: The Rebellious Princess

"Your highness? Your mother's waiting for you in the gardens."

"I'll be right down," I told the maid.

She hurried down the steps as I slowly got up from the couch. Mother always wanted to talk to me about something, whether it was necessary or not. I had a feeling I knew what this conversation would be about before I even left the room.

I had turned twenty-five just recently, which meant that I was eligible to inherit the throne. Did I want it? No. Absolutely not. But Mother wanted it badly. She wanted me to marry a prince from one of the neighboring kingdoms so that a political alliance could be formed. She didn't care if I loved him or not. All she cared about was if I looked good on his arm.

I'd always wanted love. It was something that I dreamed about as a young girl. I thought it would be like in the stories where the girl meets the guy and they fall in love instantaneously. But I woke up from that daydream a long time ago. Love was only an entity fabricated for young people to fantasize over. Ce n'est pas la vraie vie.  [That isn't real life.]

"Jisoo, darling." Mother walked over to me as I neared the garden. "Shall we take a stroll, my dear?"

"It's about my engagement, isn't it?" I cut to the chase.

"Can't we just have a nice mother-daughter conversation for once?" she questioned.

"Don't lie to me, Mother," I responded. "I know what this is about."

She sighed. "I suppose you're right. It is about your engagement."

"Let me guess, you want me to marry a prince that you're having shipped in from God knows where?" I jabbed.

"His name is Jin and I think you'll really enjoy him."

I scoffed. "He's just another posh prince."

"You're very quick to judge people, darling," Mother said. "You'll never find a husband that way."

"Why should I need a husband?" I retorted.

"That's just the way it is," she replied. "Without a husband, you shan't inherit the throne."

"I don't want it!" My voice raised. "Not if I have to marry a man to get it!"

"Jisoo, I don't think you understand," Mother tried to calm me.

"No, I understand clearly," I huffed. "All that I'm good for is being arm candy, is it not? That's what everyone thinks of me. I don't want to be some pawn to a stuck-up prince. I want to be me."

"But Jisoo-"

"Va te faire foutre!" I yelled.  [Fuck off!]

I stormed out of the garden, despite Mother's shouts for me to come back. Her beliefs were far too traditional. She believed that women should only be typical housewives and provide children for their husbands. I thought that was bullshit.

In my kingdom, women were looked down upon. They were seen as lesser than men and are constantly objectified. I had gone to the village many times and been harassed by men just because they thought I was pretty. They all saw me as just a plaything used to fulfill their pleasures. But I would never stoop so low as to pleasure one of them. They didn't deserve it.

I hurried to the stables, where I knew I'd find solace. I had always loved horseback riding, even if Mother didn't think it was a ladylike thing to do. One of the stable hands taught me how at a young age, which I now used as an escape from reality. And that young stable hand is exactly the girl I wanted to see.

"Lisa!" I called, grabbing the dark-haired girl's attention.

"Your highness!" She bowed jokingly. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"