Chapter 2: How To Offend Women In Five Syllables Or Less:

Siegfried's POV:

"What else is there," asks Lord Lavrenty, "She says, 'Is beauty all that matters?' And you say, 'What else is there?!'"

"It was dumb, I know," I said while playing chess with Bromley.

"You should write a book," says Lord Lavrenty, "'How to Offend Women in Five Syllables or Less.'"

"Your turn, Grand Duke Siegfried," says Bromley and I made my move.

"I didn't know what else to say," I said.

"Oh! You lost your queen, Siegfried," says Bromley.

"That's twice in one day," I said.

"Maybe you should think about how she makes you feel," says Lord Lavrenty.

"She..." I had trouble getting the words out.

"Personally, I think you're better off," says Bromley.

"You wouldn't understand," I said.

"You're right, I don't," says Bromley.

"I'll prove it to her. I'll prove my love! Checkmate!" I said as Bromley looked shocked at his loss.

Odette's POV:

As I was heading home with my father, and he was mad at me. I just wanted to see if Siegfried loved me for who I am and not what I am. That's all, but now I regret asking him that. We got attacked. It was Hsi Wu.

He had ash-black hair with three spikes at the front, much like antennae, along with an upside-down ash-black spike on his chin as a beard. He had a pointed chin and a wide grin. He also had Sangria-brown eyes. He wore a dark grey bat-themed hanfu with a grey upper and lower yichang and a light grey bixi. He's wearing straw shoes with socks. He's also wearing an Asian amulet that's almost looks like that it was made out of thirteen different color amulets.

"Today's the day, Ori... Everything you own, everything you love, will be mine." says Hsi Wu.

"What do you want," asks my Father.

"I haven't shown you my true form!" Hsi Wu then turned into the demon he really is.

Hsi Wu is a ash-black impish bat or gremlin-like demon with a lizard-like tail. He is smaller than any of his siblings, but he is still relatively larger than a fully-grown human.

Siegfried's POV:

We had a visit from one of Tsar Grigori's guards.

"It's Tsar Grigori's captain!"

"We... we were attacked," says the Guard, "the..." He then falls.

I realized Odette was in trouble.

. . .

I raced to find her, only to see she'd gone! Then I found the Tsar.

"It was the Sky Demon," says the Tsar, "Listen to me, Siegfried! It's not what it seems! It's not what it seems!"

"What do you mean... where is Odette."

"Odette is... Odette is... gone." He then dies.

I was shocked by what he said.

"ODETTE!"

There's no way that she's gone. she has to be alive; I just know it. I made a vow that no matter what happens, I will find Odette.

Odette's POV:

I woke up and found a porcupine and a skunk.

"Where am I," I asked.

"You are in the lair of the Sky Demon," says the Porcupine.

"You can talk," I asked.

"We were once elves, but then the Sky Demon turned us into forest creatures," says the skunk.

"This is a dream, right," I asked.

"It's no dream," says Hsi Wu as he appears, along with his Black Swan who's on his left arm and he's still wearing that strange Asian amulet, "I have an offer for you. I planned to take over your father's kingdom, but that hasn't quite worked out. But there is another option. Marry me!"

"I would rather die first," I said.

"Then you leave me no choice!" He then zapped me, and when I opened my eyes... I had feathers. "It looks like people will now call you the Swan Princess!" Hsi Wu and his Black Swan then laugh, which I didn't know that swans can laugh, and they fly away.

"So, how is your day," asks the Porcupine.

"What's with the Black Swan?" I asked.

"That is no Black Swan... well... actually it is, but she's also Hsi Wu's witch. Hsi Wu gave her the ability to change her form; she'll be human when the sun sets, and in her true form, the Black Swan, when the sun rises." says the Skunk.

"Which means that she's a swan during the day and human during the night," says the Porcupine as I stare at them while I'm wondering on how do I get out of this situation.

A Squirrel's POV:

My name is Hans, and I was walking through the forest when I saw her. Margarita. She is the most beautiful squirrel I have ever seen. Too bad she has no interest in me.

Hans: They say love is just a game
They say time can heal the pain
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose
And I guess I'm just a fool
I keep holding on to you
I told you once you were the one
You know that I'd die for you
Although it hurts to see you go
Oh, this time you should know
I won't try to stop you
Don't you forget about me baby?
Don't you forget about me now?
Someday you'll turn around and ask me, why did I let you go?
So, you try to fake a smile
You don't wanna break my heart
I can see that you're afraid
But baby it's too late'
Cause I'm already dying
Don't you forget about me baby?
Don't you forget about me now?
Someday you'll turn around and ask me, why did I let you go?
Wherever I go, I won't forget about you (Chorus: oh no, oh no, oh no)
Wherever you go, don't you forget about me?

"Hans," says Margarita, "did you hear? A girl turned into a swan!"

"Oh, well, that's... WHAT?"

Now, there's something that you'll never hear every day... and I just heard it. But a girl turning into a swan is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard... is it?

To Be Continued

In the next chapter, Siegfried meets Yaroslava.