Secret Story of the Swan: A Jensoo Swan Lake AU

Chapter Two: Swan

I blinked multiple times before confirming that this was indeed reality. I'd heard of magic, of course, but I'd never seen it with my own eyes. Especially not shapeshifting magic.

The woman turned around, surprising me even more. She was quite possibly the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. Her hair was dark and wavy, with small sparkles woven through the strands. An effect of the magic, no doubt. Her eyes were a deep brown that reminded me of chocolate cake. She wore a stunning white dress that framed her petite figure beautifully. The dress seemed to be made of feathers, like those of a swan. I suppose that made sense. She looked like the quintessential fairytale princess.

My crossbow dropped to the ground, causing her eyes to lock with mine. She jumped back in surprise, her expression filled with fear. A squeal escaped her lips as she was about to run off. Oh God. It didn't even take me five minutes to scare her off.

"Wait!" I called.

I heard her squeal again as she escaped my view, followed by a branch breaking. I ran towards the sound to see what had happened. When I got there, the woman was on the ground, leaves and grass all over her gorgeous dress. I immediately knelt down to her level.

"Are you okay, miss?" I asked.

She simply nodded without saying a word. She tried to get up, but instead, she winced. Her skirt moved slightly to reveal a scrape along her calf. It was bleeding, and a bit of the blood had already stained the edge of her dress. I winced too upon seeing it.

"That doesn't look good. Do you mind if I help?"

The brunette looked up at me, her eyes truly crystalline. She blinked dazedly, as if she was unsure how to answer me. I held out my hand to her, which she hesitantly accepted. Her hand felt so soft and gentle, as if it was made of porcelain. She attempted to get up again, but to no avail.

"Ah!" she grunted in pain.

"I don't think you can walk, miss," I doubted. "D-Do you mind if I carry you?"

She reluctantly shook her head, timidly biting her lip. Steadily, I moved closer to her. One hand went under her legs and the other went to her waist. I lifted her up, shocked at how light the young woman really was. I heard her take a sharp breath as her arms wrapped around my neck. I moved her to the edge of the lake, resting her down on the smooth pebbles.

"May I?" I gestured to her dress.

With a nod as a response, I lifted up her skirt to see her wound. It did look rather painful. I quickly took out my emergency pack that I always carried with me. This wasn't the first time I'd treated an injury on a hunting excursion. I found a disinfecting liquid vial in the bag and took out a handkerchief.

"This might sting a little," I cautioned the poor girl.

Her lips pursed, as if she was prepared for the outcome. I knew firsthand that this shit hurt like hell, especially for those who were unfamiliar with it. I extended my hand out to the brunette, who looked at me in confusion.

"You can grip my hand if you want to," I explained. "It might help."

I placed the dampened cloth onto her leg, causing her to wince loudly. Faster than lightning, her hand gripped mine. If she gripped it any tighter, it might've fallen off. I rubbed my thumb over the back of her hand in an attempt to calm her down. It seemed to help slightly, as her pained noises quieted down. I finished treating it by tying another handkerchief around the wound.

"There, it's done," I confirmed.

Her grip on my hand loosened as she wiped a few tears from her eyes. She gave me a slight smile, one that I couldn't help but smile back towards.