Hey, everybody! I know I haven't updated in a while, but I've been involved in school and also suffered a lack of muse for a while. I would have updated sooner if I'd realized that I'd already written some that I hadn't published yet. Soo you guys get two chapters today because I feel bad about not updating for so long! Enjoy, we're at the climax!!
Rothbart had created a carriage for Odile to ride to Derek's castle in. He had sent her off late to further the assumption that she was Odette and to make sure that her entrance was noticed. Odile barely spoke a word the whole time; her heart ached at what she was about to do. Her long, luxurious blonde hair flowed loosely to her waist behind her. Odile rarely liked wearing her hair down like this. In the past she'd only done so when she was portraying Odette. Her gown was black with red accents. Odile liked red usually, but when she'd looked at herself in the mirror before leaving Swan Lake, she couldn't help but feel … evil. Like an imposter. These feelings had never bothered her before when she'd taken Odette's place. Why did they suddenly show up now?
Rothbart did not accompany her to the castle. She didn't know why, but she was glad. It would only make things worse. The footman opened the door to her carriage and when she stepped out, he looked astonished. She presumed that it must be because Odette had been missing for months, and now here she was, supposedly. She walked up to the steps of the palace, the one that she'd loathed visiting when she was a child and loathed even more now, and knocked on the door. There was a considerable pause before the chamberlain opened the door. The sight of him in his ridiculous uniform eased Odile slightly, but not enough to make her comfortable. She winked at him as she had in the past, but he seemed very pale. She walked quietly down the stairs toward where Derek stood.
Seeing him after more than a year shocked her. He really had grown up and become quite handsome, and it was difficult for her to place the irritating boy she'd known into his body. She supposed it didn't matter, though. She concealed her mixed emotions easily behind a lovely mask, one that she had perfected over her lifetime. She approached Derek and paused before him. "I was so worried! I almost thought –" he began, but she cut him off.
"Nothing could keep me away," she said, as instructed by Rothbart. But what had he thought? It sounded like he had been afraid she wouldn't come! This might just be because he was so disinterested in all the other princesses present that she seemed like his best option. She felt nervous under the eyes of everyone in the ballroom. They were just as shocked at her appearance at the ball as the footman had been. With everyone staring at her, she felt that her ruse would be discovered at any moment. She began to dance with Derek, a motion that felt off to her. She had no feelings for him and as far as she knew, he had no feelings for her. Then why was he looking at her with such passion in his face? Something didn't seem right. It made her feel even more like a liar. It had been easy when they hadn't cared for each other, but now it felt like she was lying in the worst way.
"Something about you seems … I don't know … different," Derek said to her. Odile held back the look of shock that had been about to cross her face. Different? How would he know? He'd never met Odette save for last night when he'd met her accidentally. How could he tell? Wait, maybe he didn't. Perhaps he was just speculating. She, Odile, was different anyway. She wasn't the same girl that had left this castle nearly a year ago and never returned. She knew much more pain now, and perhaps that was evident in her demeanor. But to distract him, she pulled from the small pocket in her dress the locket that belonged to her sister.
"Don't worry," she said. "After tonight, everything will be perfect." This was another lie on Odile's part. Nothing would be perfect, not for her, and not for them. It would be better, certainly, but definitely not perfect.
"Yes! Yes, of course," Derek replied, taking the locket and slipping it around her traitorous neck. Why did he sound so convinced? He didn't love her! How could he think things would be perfect? "Rodgers! I want to make an announcement! Stop the music!" Odile stopped dancing and curtsied, concealing her surprise. He would do it so soon? Her heart clenched now with every word that he spoke. His words would condemn them to a life together, didn't he know that? They'd always been miserable together, and now he was going to bind them for eternity? Her heart sank at his foolishness. He knew as well as she that this was the way things had to be, happiness aside. Derek led her to the middle of the ballroom.
Meanwhile, Odette had escaped from the tower that Rothbart had locked her in. She couldn't have done it without her friends, but she flew with all the speed she could muster to Derek's castle. She wasn't human, but she had to get to the ball! Otherwise she would never be free. Finally she arrived, and she flew by the window to the ballroom. On looking in, she nearly fell out of the sky at the sight she beheld. It was her sister, Odile, in the ballroom! Not only that, she was in Derek's arms. She gasped. She hadn't seen Odile in months! Why was she there now? Had they found her and were now forcing her to take Odette's place as Derek's bride? Why was Derek acting so lovingly toward her? The devastating thought occurred to her that he didn't even know that it was Odile and not Odette. She had to get into that castle!
"King and Queens," Derek began, addressing the assembly. "Ladies and gentlemen. Mother," he said, looking towards Queen Uberta. Odile's heart was thumping uncomfortably in her chest. "I have an announcement to make. Today, I have found my bride!" Cheers erupted around them, and Odile held her breath to keep from screaming. "I present her to you as the future queen of our fair kingdom." Odile slipped her hand into Derek's trying to be convincing. When he looked at her, she smiled at him as though she loved the thought of being his wife for the rest of her life. She caught of glimpse of something behind his head and out the window, though. When he looked, she nearly lost it.
It was Odette, in swan form, outside the window! What was she doing here? She didn't want to marry Derek, so was she here, trying so hard to get into the castle? Why was she still a swan? Rothbart had promised that he would set her free! Odile began to realize that she had been tricked. Odette would remain a swan forever if she did this!
"And as proof of my love to her, I make a vow to break all vows; a vow stronger than all the powers of the earth!" Derek continued. Odile grabbed onto his arm to try and get him to stop speaking, but he misunderstood and drew her closer. Everything was going wrong, didn't he see that? "…before you, and before the whole world…" Why was he still talking? Odile stepped away from him, still trying to get his attention with her eyes. "I make a vow of everlasting love … to Odette!" Odile's heart sank. This couldn't be happening! She wasn't Odette! She wanted to scream. She looked to the window and could no longer see Odette there. Just as she looked, the windows all around burst open and the candles went out. Odile felt frozen with terror; she knew magic when she saw it.
The large doors at the other end of the ballroom opened wide, and Rothbart entered. Odile stumbled backward. What was he doing here? She'd done everything he'd asked! She trembled as Derek advanced forward towards Rothbart. "Hello, little prince," Rothbart said.
"Who are you?" Derek demanded.
"So you have pledged your love to another, eh?" Rothbart taunted, raising his eyebrows.
"What are you talking about?" Derek asked. "This is Odette!" He motioned one arm back to the trembling princess. She wanted to scream no, but her voice had fled from her body with any courage she'd once had.
"No! Odette is mine!" Rothbart informed the prince menacingly.
"You!" Derek said as if in recognition. How would he know Rothbart? Had Odette told him last night? "You have no power here! I made a vow! A vow of everlasting love!"
Rothbart cackled. "You made a vow alright! A vow of everlasting death!"
Odile's eyes widened as she saw the blast of magic coming at her. As the fire hit her bones, she collapsed to the floor. She felt herself beginning to transform slowly. "No … no … no!" she moaned, cringing against the pain. She vaguely heard Derek cry Odette's name as he ran over to her. He turned her over and drew back sharply as he beheld Bridget's face on her body. It was made uglier by the sorrow twisting her face.
"You should have left her to me!" Rothbart exclaimed. "Now, Odette will die!" He motioned out the window. Odile and Derek both looked to see a swan flying away from the window.
"No! Odette!" Derek screamed as Rothbart vanished into the air. He turned to Odile and shook her. "Who are you?" he demanded. Odile was sobbing and had trouble getting her words out. She found, however, that her body was changing but her voice was left in her. Rothbart must not have done the spell correctly.
"I … I am Odile! Odette's sister!" she said between sobs. "He tricked me, he said he'd set us free! He made me do it! I didn't know!" She curled up and cried into her wrinkly old knees. "Derek, you have to hurry! She really will die, I feel it!" Odile gazed up at Derek through tear-streaked, pleading eyes. He was up immediately running off to get his horse. Odile struggled to stand and then followed behind him, but she was stopped at the door by guards. "Please, no!" Odile said. They seized her anyway and threw her on the ground before Queen Uberta, who suddenly looked more menacing that Odile had ever seen her.
"Please, Your Majesty!" Odile begged. "Believe me! Rothbart cursed me as well into this body, and he promised that he would set Odette and I free if I took her place at the ball! I'm so, so sorry! He tricked me!" she spoke swiftly, begging on her knees to the queen. The queen still looked doubtful, however. "My name is Odile Jacqueline Trinette, daughter of King William and Queen Annika. My sister is Odette Marguerite Renée, the eldest of the two of us, and she has been betrothed to your son Derek since she and I were born on September 19th, nineteen years ago!" She tried to pack as much information into one statement as she could.
Uberta looked shocked, but she muttered, "I believe you. What can be done for Odette?"
"I was held captive in Rothbart's castle for many months, and I know where his magic is. I don't know, but I might be able to save her if I could find a spell!" Odile had never performed magic in her life, but her sister's life was at stake. She had to at least try.
"You know your way there?" Queen Uberta asked.
Odile nodded fervently. "All I need is a horse!"
"You have it!" Uberta snapped her fingers and the soldiers led her to the stable and gave her a horse. She charged it on to Rothbart's castle, hoping that it wouldn't be too late to save her sister.