Chapter 2- The Swan Lifts Its Wings
Flashback: The Enchanted Forest
…
It was back in the Enchanted Forest, during the time when Snow was on the run from her stepmother. In those days all she did was hide: cowering in damp caves, stealing a few hours of sleep in a hayloft, and living in hollowed logs. She was miserable running from one spot to another like a frightened mouse while her people suffered under the oppressive rule of the Evil Queen. But what could she do? After Regina had tricked her by disguising herself as a peasant woman, Snow had vowed not to get involved with people, not to show herself ever again while she robbed, ran, and collected enough money to leave this kingdom, forever.
This is not me, she thought angrily as she whittled angrily away at an old stick, just to pass the time until night fell and she could sleep. Not only has she robbed me of my right to rule, she has taken away my ability to…to help others, to be a part of something bigger. She smiled at memories. Like I did with Hercules when I was a girl.
She threw away the stick in disgust and sighed as she shifted her weight trying to get comfortable. She was seated outside of an old hollowed tree that would serve as her home for the next…she did not even know how long honestly. Distracted as she was, she did not notice the dark form gliding down into the Enchanted Forest until it honked.
She turned her head upward. Even though she was alone she spoke out loud out of habit, "A swan?" That was a bit unusual. Swans tended to not care for this enclosed, heavily-treed area of the Enchanted Forest. Then she shrugged and forgot all about the unusual sighting.
A few hours later the moon had come up. As she fetched her skin bag to fill it with water down by the lake, Snow White could not help but pause at the sight. If there was any silver lining in her current situation it was the chance to see the moon and the stars at night, shining in the heavens without the light pollution of palace torches or village lampposts. To be alone, instead of constantly surrounded by servants, ambassadors, and her bodyguards, and to appreciate the stillness was something that she did enjoy. On her way down the familiar path, she was startled out of her star-gazing muses by a foreign sound in the Enchanted Forest.
She paused, listening for the sound again. A soft moan and then a rustle of brush. Snow frowned. Was there a wounded animal nearby? If that was the case, maybe she should try and help it.
She stole through the trees, coming out into the clearing where the lake was, then paused at the sight.
A woman was kneeling just on the edge of the lake water, sobbing her eyes out. She was only dressed in a thin, white full-length chemise and was clearly all alone. Her long, blonde hair hung wet down her back and her dress was fully soaked. Snow saw she was shivering, probably from both cold and fear. The strange woman was in the middle of the Enchanted Forest, clearly without any supplies or weapons, and it was the middle of the night. Wolves, thieves, and other manner of dangers could be out and about.
Of course, I am friends with wolves and I myself, am a thief, Snow thought wryly. It occurred to her that she was staring at the woman, not making any attempt to move in and help. Should I even try to help her? What if it's another disguise trick by Regina? What if she is a bounty hunter? What if…?"
"Derek," the woman had spoken out loud. Snow was a bit startled but then quieted herself to listen. The stranger hung her head, still crying. "I know now that I will never find you. I have searched and searched and still cannot find you." For some reason, she lifted her wet hands close to her face and studied them. "This…this curse, it will prevent me from ever coming to you and declaring my love," she sniffed, "but all I ask is that you do not blame yourself. Rothbart was after my father's kingdom long before we met and I…if we cannot be together, I want you to forget about me and be happy someday because…" she lifted her tear-streaked face to the moon, basking in its magic, "because I love you."
Snow could not stand it. This woman clearly needed help and if there was one thing bandit Snow White would fight for, it was true love.
I'll have to risk it; it may be a trap but it may not be. That settled, Snow emerged from the forest edge with the stealth of a cat. The woman jerked her head sideways, giving a yelp of strangled fear when she caught sight of Snow. She stared at Snow with wild, wide eyes and rose quickly to her feet, clearly ready to bolt.
"It's okay, it's okay!" Snow held up her hands and said soothingly, "I'm not going to hurt you."
The stranger trembled as she continued to stare and did not look convinced. She eyed Snow's bow and arrow slung across her back as if it was something she completely loathed. "Who are you? What do you want?"
"I'm a friend," Snow explained quickly least the woman bolted, "My name is Snow; I live here in the Forest and you…you clearly need help."
The stranger looked mystified, and then her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "How do I know you are not working for him?" She took a tentative step backwards, into the lake.
"I am not working for anyone, I promise" Snow stepped forward as well. "You clearly need help at finding someone and you're just going to have trust me." She studied the woman in front of her. Her eyes, gray-blues, seemed haunted. As if she had seen too much and been through too much.
"Trust is earned."
"Well then let me help you so that I can earn it otherwise you're just…"
At that moment, the moon receded behind the large mountain pass surrounding the lake. Soon every object in the forest lost their smooth outlines and shadows became even darker, longer, consuming all. Snow hardly noticed because her eyes were glued to the sight that she would have thought impossible. The young woman had stepped further back into the lake with a small murmured "No" before an arch of water and blinding light surrounded her. Snow was forced to shield her eyes but she saw enough. The stranger covered her face as if in agony while the arch of water covered her…and then, she was gone. A small splash resounded and a large, pure white swan emerged from underwater, flapping its wings and shaking the last droplets of water off of its sleek, feathered head.
Snow felt her mouth drop open and her eyes widen. What sort of magic was this? She already knew of one person who was forced to transform into an animal on a full moon but why had the strange woman turned into a swan only after the moon was gone? What was she doing way out here in the middle of the Enchanted Forest?
While these thoughts raced in Snow's mind, the swan glided along the lake shallows, its long head stooping downwards. A single tear cascaded down its black beak and dropped forlornly into the lake.
Snow's heart felt as if it would burst with sorrow. Now she knew for certain that she had to help this creature.
…
The next morning the sun rose with a vengeance. Snow had been watching the swan all day and frankly, nothing interesting had happened. The creature had not approached her, not even when she offered some food, and reassured it again that she meant no harm.
Standing by the lake Snow called out loudly, "I saw that happened to you. There is no point in trying to deny it." The swan honked, sounding as if it was annoyed at her. "If you'd just come over here, maybe I could help?"
The swan raised its head as if to answer when a distraction caused the neck to whip around, gazing deeper into the forest. Snow turned to look to but saw or heard nothing. Suddenly, the creature lifted it magnificent wings and whipped itself into the air with excited blasts of splashes and flying feathers.
"Hey!" Snow yelled out. She scooped up her cloak and gave a chase.
The swan dodged this way and that, trying to make its way through the dense forest as fast as possible with Snow right at its heels. Had this chase occurred two years ago, when Snow first started living in the Enchanted Forest, it would have been impossible for her to keep up. As it was, years of banditry had given her fleetness of foot. She followed the flying creature as best she could, panting and gasping for breath.
The swan had just rounded another clump of sapling when suddenly, from behind a large tree angled on a hillock, a figure burst out shouting at the top of his lungs, "This one is for Odette!" He had a bow pulled back to its maximum and an arrow at the ready.
Snow did not even think twice. She burst into a sprint, ran up and shoved her shoulder into the back of the hunter, knocking him down just as he released the string. It was enough to miss a fatal shot and only ended up grazing the swan on the right wing.
The two humans rolled down the hillock for a moment, tumbling to the bottom of a small gully. Snow White sprang to her feet first, quickly adjusting her hood so that her face would not be seen by this hunter, and dashed back up the hill.
"You! Stop!" the man who had shot the arrow yelled after her. He was clearly not as nimble as she was; he stumbled many times while getting out of the ditch while Snow shot like a bolt from a crossbow in the direction she had seen the swan fall.
After only a second of searching, she found the bird struggling under the forest undergrowth and knelt to make a quick assessment. Not dead, merely injured. The arrow had grazed the right wing superficially. Regardless, the bird was clearly not going to be able to fly well so Snow scooped up the animal, quickly tucked it under her arm as best she could and pelted back in the direction of her hiding tree. She ducked underneath the uprooted bottom of a large tree, concealing herself until she could reassess.
The hunter stumbled to the rise of a log, his sides heaving for breath and his face streaming with perspiration. Clearly he knew he had been outwitted because he suddenly let out a frustrated groan and then stood straighter.
"You can't hide from me forever Great Animal!" the hunter shouted into the deep, dark forest, "I know your form now! I will find Odette!" He turned and tramped away.
Snow waited until he had been gone a sufficient amount of time then quickly left her hiding spot. She ran fast, fighting to keep the bird quiet until they were a safe distance away. For some reason the woman-turned-bird was struggling to get out of her arms.
She was forced to clamp a hand over the snapping black beak. "Calm down!" Snow snapped as she continued to run. "Haven't I earned your trust yet?"
The animal quieted at that and then ceased her efforts. Snow did not stop running until they had reached the relative safety of her hollowed-out tree.
Later that evening Snow shared her meal of fish and freshwater clams with the bird. The swan snatched up the food then made some cooing noises Snow took to mean it was satisfied. She had bandaged the hurt wing as best she could, but was more concerned with when, or even if, the bird would change back into a human. Clearly she could not shift her form at will like Rayne the wolf-girl because she would have done so already. So what was the curse's guideline? Would she remain a swan forever?
Night fell and the unlikely duo were still hunkered down in the tree. Snow was fighting to stay awake and watch the bird, making sure it did not try to run away to find that hunter again and get killed. Her tired mind managed to close her eyes for a moment only to be woken by the sound of scratching at the entrance to her tree; the swan had pushed back the netting covering the entrance to release itself and was now waddling as best it could towards the lake shore.
Snow quickly got up and called out, "Wait!" She scrambled out of the tree and into the moonlight. "You can't leave, that hunter was after you!"
She was completely ignored as the creature waddled faster towards the lake, flapping its wings desperately to outrun its pursuer. By the time Snow caught up, the bird was already paddling in the lake again.
Snow stood on the lake edge, catching her breath. She was about to call out again when the change occurred. The same arch of water, the same flash of blinding light, except this time the swan lifted its wings as if embracing the magic, the feathers melted away to reveal a beautiful woman once more.
Snow was completely dumbfounded. "How…how did you do that?"
The woman wadded in knee-deep water towards the lake edge, slipping a little on the muddy shore and grasping Snow's outstretched hand for support. "Well, it's a long story, but after this—" she held up her right forearm where Snow's bandage was still wrapped— "I think you have earned that trust."
It was then that Princess Snow White came to know the story of Princess Odette of Schawnense: how she and Prince Derek had fallen in love, how the evil sorcerer Rothbart had attacked her carriage, killed her father, then cast the spell on her in revenge for her rejection of his advances to turn her into a swan with the condition that she can become human only when the moonlight touches the lake.
"And you have to be on the lake in order for the moon's magic to work," Snow confirmed.
Odette nodded. "Right, and no matter where I am at, when the moonlight leaves the lake I become a swan." She looked down at her hands, clasped together in front of her. Now Snow understood why she was so intent on them; she only saw her human hands for a few hours every night. "I've been searching for Derek for so long, often not returning to this lake for weeks on end, but have not found him. And if I stay a swan too long, I start to lose things—memories and my thoughts become less focused. But then—" she smiled and even gave a little chuckle "—I finally found him yesterday!"
A thought occurred to Snow, crazy as it was. "Do you mean to tell me that the hunter that just tried to kill you is your true love?!"
Odette shrugged her shoulders. "He obviously did not know it was me. I have heard that he has never given up on finding me, even though his entire kingdom thinks I am dead. "
Snow shook her head, her forehead creasing as she struggled to figure it out. "But why was he yelling about a 'Great Animal' while shooting at you? And what does he hope to accomplish by killing you?"
Odette's eye became distant and haunted. "The night that my father…the night that Rothbart attacked, he turned himself into some kind of creature with wings. A great owl-like monster with fangs and claws. Maybe someone got word of this to Derek and he assumes that I am this shape-shifting 'Great Animal' who carried me off."
The two women were silent for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts at the impossibility of the situation.
"Well then, the solution is simple," Snow said suddenly. "We get Prince Derek to come here while there is moonlight, you change back into a princess, perhaps a True Love's Kiss occurs and then, —" she gestured widely"—you are free of all of this."
"But we don't even know where to find him again," Odette pointed out, "There is no guarantee he will be able to find this place again."
Snow was already standing up and pulling back the camouflage netting on the tree. "Come on. I have a friend who can find him for us."
Snow White led a very confused Princess Odette deeper and deeper into the dark forest. She was a bit more than frightened but tried hard to keep up with the long, fluid strides of the other princess.
I wish I had her fortitude, Odette thought at some point, Imagine, living alone for years in this dangerous forest with its bloodthirsty bears, monsters, and wol—" she was interrupted in her ponderings by a lone wolf howl, sounding dangerously close.
Odette clung to Snow's arm. "Snow, there are wolves here. We should go back."
Snow patted the other woman's arm assuredly. "It's okay, it's okay. That's the friend. She said she was going to meet me the night of the full moon with news of the kingdom."
Before Odette could process this information further there came a rustling in the immense forest foliage and a white wolf jumped right out of it. The swan princess let out screech to raise the dead as the animal curled its lips and growled right up at her.
Snow quickly stepped in. "Rayne calm down, it's me!"
The furry head of the white wolf turned, regarded Snow with a very puzzled look, and then ceased her affront. The animal sniffed at the damp hem of Odette's skirt, snorted once or twice, and then stepped back.
A second later, a young woman with eyes the same golden tone as that of the wolf's was standing in front of both women, scowling. "Honestly, why do you people always screech like a couple of seagulls and assume I am going to eat you whenever you see me?" She spread her hands, gesturing to her smaller stature. "Do I look like I am big enough to take down a fully-grown human by myself" Her audacity was astounding.
Odette did not answer, just dropped her mouth open in a very un-princess like manner at the sight of a wolf turning into a woman, and apparently scolding her.
"Sorry about that Rayne," Snow quickly said, "I didn't have time to explain to her whatyou are."
"Oh, hello Snow," Rayne smiled at her friend. Then she looked back at Odette and seemed to regard her a bit more kindly, "Well I suppose that is understandable." She turned to Snow again. "I have the latest news of the kingdom if you are interested."
"Actually right now we need your help with something."
After explaining the plan, Rayne the wolf-girl took a disbelieving step back. "And you want me to do what?!"
"Please! We can help her."
"What makes you think he will follow me?"
Odette had stayed silent throughout the exchange, not wanting to push her luck, but then finally found the courage to contribute to the conversation. "He has already assumed I am the 'Great Animal' and if he sees another animal in the forest, with the same color but a different form, he might come to the conclusion that the 'Great Animal' has shifted and come after you." She finally decided to act below her station and plead. "Please I know it's dangerous but…"
"Are you kidding? This will be fun!" Rayne's demeanor had done a complete turn and she practically skipped with glee. "I have not had a proper adventure since I helped the mermaids take back their cove." She turned away, scanning the black forest with her golden wolf eyes that reflected the moonlight. "I'll start sniffing out his trail tonight and see if I can trace it to his castle grounds before morning. Then tomorrow night, when he comes looking for you again, I'll surprise him and get him to come to the lake right as the moon rises."
She turned and fully folded herself to put her hands on the forest floor, but then paused. Turning to Odette while crouching on her human haunches, she smirked, "Just don't scream again please?" Then she was a wolf again, bounding into the expansive forest.
Odette did not scream, but gasped loudly and inched closer to Snow as if for protection. "You have interesting friends Princess Snow White!"
Snow just shrugged. "You have no idea."
…
The following evening, Snow White crouched on a hammock on the far end of Swan Lake. Her bow and arrows were slung across her back, her knife was at her side, and she was ready for anything. She knew that there was no guarantee Rayne would be able to get Prince Derek to follow her, or even that she would find him, but she was prepared to see this mission through. If only to give herself a sense of accomplishment since she could not protect her own kingdom right now at the risk of exposing herself to Regina again.
Odette crouched next to her as well, her white swan form sticking out like a sore thumb in the dim Enchanted Forest. Her light honks sounded worried.
Snow hesitated before reaching out to stroke the regal feathered head. "It will be okay Odette."
The swan's head turned this way and that, scanning the dark forest. Snow was not sure how much she could understand as a swan but assumed it was appropriate to speak to her as if she could understand all of it. This was, after all, a little different than talking to her blue birds. "You have to have hope Odette. You can't just dwell on how much has gone wrong or will go wrong," her eyes took on a faraway look, "Ever since my stepmother almost caught me when she disguised herself I have been wondering what will happen to my kingdom for over two years now. At first, I just accepted the fact that I was never going to be ruler again and that I would have to live as an outlaw for the rest of my life but lately…I have had a feeling that I will not be satisfied with that." She sighed and adjusted her position. "I know it sounds crazy but I want to help my people, I want to take back my kingdom, but I'm not sure how? I mean, I have no magic and Regina has her powers, she has all of her knight's hunting me down, and I don't want any one hurt on my account."
The swan who was a princess turned its head and honked quietly again, as if answering. Of course, Snow did not have the foggiest idea what it said. She smiled and stroked the feathery head again, feeling her spirits lighten a bit and allowed her mind to drift back to the present mission. At least I am helping this princess get her happy ending. Maybe that will be enough for now.
The sound of rustling foliage startled her from her reflections and she glanced across the lake. She recognized the signs of pursuers. It originated from an animal trail, a far less travelled path that what Snow had taken when arriving at Swan Lake. She crouched down further; making herself more invisible, then gently pushed the swan down to do the same. Out of the rustling bushes a small white wolf jumped. Snow allowed herself a small sharp intake of breath in relief at seeing Rayne.
The swan quickly rose to its feet and attempted to waddle towards the lake. Snow held fast. "Not yet," she cooed. The wolf twitched its nose back and forth, studying the shoreline of the lake intently. It finally caught sight of Snow and the swan on the other side and nodded in approval. Then, without further pause, it spun on its heels and scampered down another path, racing away from the lake edge and out of sight.
No sooner had the animal disappeared than Snow heard another rustling of branches. In only a moment, a familiar sturdy figure leaped out of the brush and Snow risked lifting her head a little to get a closer look. He certainly had the bearings of a prince, with a fine tunic of brown leather, well-maintained boots, a gilded quiver of arrows, and a strong hunting bow in his hands. He quickly cast his eyes this way and that as if taking in the sight of the lake was surprising to him.
"It's time Odette," Snow whispered to the bird. "Look!" She gestured to the rising crescent moon.
For some reason, the bird hesitated. Snow could hear it breathing harder now, as if terrified beyond measure. Snow glanced again at the figure across the lake. He did have a 70-lb bow ready to shoot at anything he deemed a threat.
"Odette, you have to do this," Snow urged, "If you don't do it now, you may have lost your chance for life."
The swan quieted its worried honks, then lifted its regal head and gave the briefest semblance of a nod as if saying Alright, I'll do it! Finally, her glorious white wings lifted and she drifted downward towards the lake, landing quietly on the small shade of moonlight. Immediately, the pursuer on the other side of the lake lifted his head and caught sight of the bird. He had a look of complete confusion and hesitated for a few precious seconds.
Snow quickly looked heavenly. "Alright come on, come on!" she whispered urgently to the moon. But her prayers were not answered; the moonlight was fading from sight by a mass of dark clouds covering its face. Snow looked in horror at the helpless bird on the lake trying to swim into the receding moonlight and then the sight of the prince knocking an arrow and aiming it right at Odette!
Snow's keen bandit ears picked up what was said from the prince, even way across the lake. "I got you now."
Without thinking, Snow knocked an arrow of her own, intent on sending it flying across the lake to distract the prince when a golden light distracted her. Prince Derek lowered his own bow as he took in the glorious sight. After a few seconds of the magic that Snow had seen twice before, Odette was standing in front of him, her arms outstretched. Upon dropping his bow, the two lovers raced towards each other in the lake. Odette was lifted off the ground and swung in a circle by her ecstatic true love before the two shared a passionate kiss.
Across the lake, Snow White could not stop smiling. It was a truly magical moment.
…
"Snow!"
Snow jerked awake. She had fallen asleep leaning against a stump whilst the two lovers were discussing things across the lake; it was after all, the wee hours of the morning and she had been up all day long. Odette was in front of her, shaking her shoulder hurriedly.
"I'm up, I'm up," she quickly said while touching her knife in her belt in case there was danger. "What is happening?"
"Derek has gone. I sent him away in case Rothbart was spying on us." Odette glanced up at the sky as she talked. The moon was starting to disappear behind the mountains. "I don't have a lot of time, so listen carefully."
Snow stood up, wide awake now. "I'm listening."
"The only way to break this curse is if I receive a vow of everlasting love from the one who cares for me. It has to be declared in front of an assembly of witnesses and with certainty," Odette explained hurriedly, "Derek has told me that his mother is hosting a ball tomorrow night where she will be parading a whole parcel of princesses in front of him in the hope that he finds a suitable one to marry—" she scowled, "—and forget about me."
Snow nodded, "So what do you propose?"
Odette took a deep breath. "I am going to leave the lake after I transform tomorrow, sneak into the castle, and then meet Derek at the ball. When we are together, and before the whole kingdom he can declare his love for me and then—" she examined her human hands with relish—" this curse will be broken."
"That's wonderful Odette!" Snow exclaimed.
Odette smiled and held out her hand. A heart-shaped necklace etched with the beautiful figure of a swan was in her palm. "He gave this back to me, I thought it was gone forever. It was something I wore all throughout my childhood." She slipped it around her neck, gently touching it while she adjusted it.
Snow admired the necklace but then her mind was racing with a plan. "I can help get you to the castle faster if I steal, er…borrow some dresses, and then we can both go in through the…"
"No Snow!"
Snow did a double-take. "What?"
"No, I cannot risk your life like that," Odette took Snow's hands into her own. "You have already done so much and I know the Evil Queen is after you. If you expose yourself at the ball, you risk your life!"
Snow withdrew her hands and shook her head sharply. "No!" The words just stumbled out. "No I have to see this through Odette. I have to see good win."
Odette opened her mouth to protest again but Snow cut her off, "I know you must understand this somehow as a fellow princess; I have to help you. Your showing up at this lake while I was here, getting to talk to your true love, it all has to be happening for a reason. And I am not going to let you do this alone."
The Swan Princess eyed the steely glint in Snow White's forest-green eyes and finally relented. "Alright, but at the first sign of trouble you have to promise to leave!"
But Snow was smiling. "There will not be any trouble Odette I guarantee it. I promise you will get your happy ending!"
…
