"What else is there?"
That! That is what Derek had said. She could hear her family now discuss it heated whispers; they thought she was asleep. She had failed, tremendously. Odette fell back on her bed and inhaled the night air, her reset curls fanning out on the mattress as she played with her fingers trying to get the dirt from under her nails. She looked up at a wooden mobile of swans that her father had carved for her before he went to the angels; her eyes were almond shape and the bluest of blues. "What else is there?" she said aloud.
Her father was a poor craftsman in the business of making spinning wheels before they were banned by the king. After his death Odette's mother Kiera had moved them into a crammed cottage with her aunt Marie and cousin Odile. So long Odette had felt sorry for Odile. Odile was so beautiful, like an angel with pale skin and large sea green eyes that sparkled like gems, but unlike her cousin she was shy and inwardly tragic and dark; secluded within herself.
She knew Odlie was envious of the many friends she thought Odette had; but really all they were- were friendly by passers on the street. Odette often tried to convince Odile to be more outgoing but to no avail. Odette also knew that Odile had hatred towards her, and was more than pleased with the events of the day.
It was because Odette had failed. Odette had failed them all. Today she was presented to the son of a wealthy merchant. The whole household had scrimped and saved all their earnings to buy her a fine virgin-white gown for the occasion in the hopes that Odette would return the betrothed of the affluent Derek.
It was going so well; Derek was decent mannered and Odette found the conversation agreeable; he feigned interest in poetry and her love of wildlife quite nicely and for his sake she listened to his barbaric hunting stories. He laughed only slightly at her aspiration to become a teacher, and Odette smiled and nodded at his like of the awful king. By the end of the evening Odette had decided that she could learn to like Derek in time, however in the eyes of Derek there was no such thing as time. Derek had ordered for the marriage to be arranged right way, yet Odette had pause. "Wait." She had said.
"Why? You're all I ever wanted, you're beautiful."
"Thank you." Replied the dark haired girl blushed, before biting her full bottom lip, debating to say the question pulling at her heart. "But what else? Is beauty all that matters to you?""
He stared at Odette long, hard and confused. She dug her nails into her palm until blood began to surface, if he could think of one more thing, one more single thing that he liked about her to rush into an eternity together she could give up all her pride of romance and marry for wealth for her family to gain prospect, all he needed to do was give her one realistic reason that he could at least like her. "What else is there?"
Odette sighed sitting back up on the edge of the bed; tomorrow she would return the gown and work overtime at her job as a barmaid. She went to the window… and smiled. She was glad he could think of nothing else! Life could go on now, of course under the heated gazes of her aunt and cousin; but still she could have a chance to find her own happiness. She opened the window to be greeted by a very old friend, who she knew was waiting for her as he did every night since she had rescued him. She reached out soft fingers and touched his face and he cawed in gratitude. Odette smiled at the midnight colored bird and asked. "What else is there, Diaval?" and by saying nothing at all, he said more than Derek ever could.
I also ship Diaval/Aurora and Diaval/Maleficent
but I liked the idea of a swan and a crow
please review :)