I don't own the Swan Princess
As night settle over swan lake, Odette and Derek were happily enjoying their rest when the unmistakable scream of their daughter woke both of them. Within her own room, the young princess was tossing and turning in her bed, caught deeply in an awful nightmare
"No, Luna stop. Please no! LUNA!"
"Elise wake up! It's just a nightmare!" Odette said as she gently shook the child awake. Elise bolted up, wild eyed and covered in sweat.
"What, what happened?"
"You were having a terrible nightmare!" Derek explained as he checked her for injuries.
"I was?"
"Yes, you kept shouting and jerking," Odette said.
"I don't remember anything. Are you sure?"
"Completely, we were so scared something had happened to you!"
"I'm sorry for scaring you,"
"Well the important thing is that your fine. I think we should all get some sleep," Derek said.
"Daddy I think I'm gonna stay up,"
"No Elise, you need your rest,"
"Then if I go to sleep, you'll watch the sunrise with me,"
"Okay, it's a promise," both parents kissed their daughter lightly on the forehead as the made their way back to their own room.
"Love you Mommy. Love you Daddy,"
The next morning, Elise awoke before the sun, completely recovered from the events of the night before. Entering her parents bedroom, she launched herself on top of the bed, trying to awaken her family.
"Daddy! Mommy! Come on get up! It's time to get up!"
"Derek, daughter's awake,"
"Before sunrise Odette, she's your daughter," Elise eventually got her father to look at her.
"You promised!" She announced with a pout. Derek gave in.
"Alright, alright I'm up,"
With a yawn, the two parents followed their child to the roof of the castle. The sky was decorated with streaks of orange, pink and yellow as the glowing orb of light rose into the sky. Though it was beautiful, Odette couldn't help but stare at her daughter, who was fixated on the sun. Elise always seemed to give off a heavenly glow at dawn and at dusk, like a crown of mist and light atop her head and her clothes even seemed to completely change for just a second. Then, her eyes. It wasn't just a reflection, but it seemed as if the sun itself rose and set in the her eyes. Brushing off these thoughts, Odette laid against her husband and brought Elise into her arms, enjoying the warm feeling of being with her family.
While enjoying their breakfast, the royal advisor and Elise's tutor, Lord Rogers, came walking in with schedule.
"Good morning your majesties. I hope the night treated you well,"
"We all slept quite well as I hope you did as well Rogers," Derek replied. Chamberlain suddenly entered.
"Queen Uberta has arrived!" He announced. Immediately after, the Queen entered in great excitement.
"Odette! Derek! It's so wonderful to see you again!" She said hugging them. She then waltz to her granddaughter.
"And of course my special little one!" Elise gave Uberta a great big hug. Rogers of course broke between them.
"Well yes, your highness if you are done with your breakfast, we may begin with your studies for the day," Just as Elise got up to head for the study, Uberta grabbed her arm.
"Oh poppycot! Today marks the one month anniversary of Elise's arrival at the castle and I decree she will have fun!" Rogers grabbed Elise's free arm.
"I am sorry Uberta, but she is my student," He began tugging on the princess's arm and Uberta did the same.
"We'll she is my granddaughter and mine to spoil!"
"No she is mine to mold!"
"State, state! Tu me malum facere!" Elise cried.
"Ah! Latin! And who taught her that?!" Rogers yelled.
"Then what did she say?"
"She said, stop! You're hurting me!" Derek translated while batting their hands away from Elise. Odette gently picked up the small child and turned to the arguing pair.
"Elise is all of ours to love and cherish. Now Rogers, we believe Elise should have the day off,"
"HA!" Uberta yelled.
"But mother we also agree Elise shouldn't be attending your beauty pagents until she's at least 14,"
"HA!" Rogers said in replied.
"How about today we all go to the carnival?" Odette asked her daughter.
"Etiam! Etiam! Videtur eximius fun!" She cried happily.
"Derek, honey? Translation?"
"She said it sounds like fun,"
"Well then lets go! And tell her to speak English,"
"Elise, sed nunc Anglice vertit. Vos non potestis facere, dum in historia Latino "
"Bene Daddy,"
At the festival grounds, the royal family enjoyed the day together. Derek quickly won a prize for both his daughter and wife at every booth there was.
"Look mama! The royals!" A little boy cried, catching sight of the family. Elise hid behind her mother's skirt. She was pretty shy and being a princess didn't help the situation. Derek suddenly picked up and started tickling the little girl. Elise was helplessly laughing at the hands of her father. Uberta suddenly appeared with a servant who was leading a beautiful blonde stallion with a white-ish mane and a mahogany leather saddle. Derek brought his hand to his forehead.
"Mother, you didn't,"
"Isn't he magnificent!? He'll be perfect for Elise! Go on sweetheart, give him a try!"
As Elise walked up to the stallion, Odette walked over to Uberta.
"Uberta, please. Elise doesn't even know..."
She was interrupted as Elise preformed a perfect circle and led the horse with a master's skill.
"He's amazing grandmother!"
"Elise, where did you learn to do that?"
"I watch you and daddy with your horses and I learned, Mommy. I'm gonna call him Spirit!"
The horse whinnied, obviously happy with his name. Derek then picked his daughter off the saddle gently.
"Okay that's enough for one day. Alex, take Spirit back to the castle and get him groom. Elise, tomorrow you'll have a proper horse riding lesson,"
"Okay daddy!"
As the stallion was led away, Elise saw a group of kids not to far away and recognized them as the kids from the orphanage.
"Mommy! Daddy! Look the other kids," The girl ran over to her friends who were happy to see her.
"Christopher! Christina! It's so good to see you again!"
"Why I'm honored. The princess of Swan Lake knows who we are Christina,"
"Oh be quite Chris!"
"It's really good to see you too Elise. We miss ya at the orphanage!" Christina said.
"So how's life in a castle?" Chris asked.
"It's amazing! I have my own room, the chef is a genius with food, my tutor's been teaching Latin, I even have a horse now!"
"That sounds awesome!" Chris cheered.
The royal decided to stick with the orphans for the day. When the carnival was over, they headed for the orphanage which wasn't far from there. All the kids gathered around the fireplace, asking Elise about her time in the castle.
"Hey Elise! Tell us a story!" A boy suddenly cried. That got everyone going.
"They just love Elise's stories," Markell explained to the monarchs.
"I can understand why," Derek said remembering all the stories Elise had told them.
"She has a real gift," Odette whispered.
"Okay, what story?" Elise asked.
"The dragon and the Dog!"
"No, the story of volcanos!"
"How about the Sun and Moon sisters?"
"YEAH THAT'S THE BEST ONE!"
"Why haven't heard that one yet Elise,"
"Okay mommy, the Sun and Moon Sisters it is,"
Everyone became quite as Elise told the tale of the ancients and how two sisters were chosen to bear the sun and moon, the elder one the moon and younger one the sun.
"There then came a dawn when elder one's secret jealousy of her sister's praise caused her to attack the girl. Not finding it in her heart to fight, the little one fled, only to be shot out of the sky by her own sibling. As punishment for her jealousy and violence, the elder sister was banished from the earth, never to return. The end,"
"But Elise, what happened to the younger sister?" Chris asked.
"I don't remember. Whenever I try to, it becomes fuzzy. She probably got away and lived on earth happily,"
"Well that was quite a story, but the royals must be leaving now," Markell announced. Everyone groaned sadly.
"Don't worry! I'll visit again with another story! Bye everyone!"
On the way back, Elise stared at the full moon, trying to remember the ending of her story. Odette chuckled and kissed her forehead lightly.
"Don't worry, you'll remember one day,"
Elise yawned and curled into her father's chest. Falling asleep, Odette leaned against her husband.
"It must be tiring for her,"
"And us to!"
"I just don't know what we'd do without her,"
"Don't worry Odette, we won't have to know," As Odette and Derek soon fell asleep as well, a malevolent tone laughed from the shadows.
"That's what you think, hunter prince,"