What you recognize I don't own. This starts when Derek arrives at the ambush site and changes from there, I'm also going to do highlights from most of the other movies as well but because I can't really think of a way of adapting them properly won't go into great depths
Derek stayed with William's body, covering it with his cloak so that William could have a proper burial. When the soldiers arrived they knew instantly that there were no survivors, and that the Princess was gone
"Sir, we're ready to go"
"Right, we take King William back to the castle so that we can prepare his body for burial, and when I find Odette, and when she's ready I will take her to where he's buried so that she can have closure"
"But sir the princes is gone, the King told you that himself didn't he?"
"I don't believe it"
Suddenly though one of the soldiers shouted
"Captain! Prince Derek!"
"What is it?"
"King William...he's still alive!"
"Impossible"
However Derek quickly saw that it was true, though it was very shallow King William was breathing, however he soon realized it was also irregular
"We have to get him back to the castle, now, and hope that he survives"
"Right"
And so they get William back to Uberta's castle and Uberta insists that William stay in her room. Over the next two weeks William would be delirious with intermittent fever and only calm in the presence of Derek and even that calm wasn't one that lasted for very long. And he mainly simply repeated that it wasn't what it seemed, though no one could figure out what that meant, and in the meantime whenever he could be spared a moment away from King William Derek searched for any information about a "Great Animal" which was also a mystery to everyone, but finally William's fever broke for good and it was Uberta who was by his side when it happened due to Derek being forced to sleep by the royal physician drugging him to sleep
"Uberta?...how am I...alive?"
"Later William, we can talk later, right now you need to regain your strength"
William starts to go back to sleep when suddenly he sits up (as much as his weakened body allowed anyways) and cries out
"Odette! She was taken"
"Later William, you can tell us the full story later I promise, but right now you've got to regain your strength, you've been weak and near death for two weeks, besides Derek will want to speak with you as well and he's also asleep right now"
Ultimately it would take another three days for William to regain his strength enough to tell the story of what had happened, but regain his strength he did and he explained about Rothbart and how Rothbart had taken Odette and had transformed into an animal of some kind
"I believe my daughter is still alive, Rothbart wouldn't have taken her if he'd wanted us all dead, he probably means to marry her to take over my kingdom believing me to be dead"
"I won't let that happen"
Eventually Uberta's physician insisted on speaking with King William in private
"How bad is it really doctor?"
"To be honest King William it could be several months to a couple of years before you're strong enough to head home, if you try the journey home now it would certainly kill you, and even if you do regain the strength to return home not only will your health never be the same, but in the meantime your people are going to be ruled by a regent who will essentially be you in all but name due to how long communication takes between our two lands"
"I see...can you please let Uberta know I want to speak with her?"
"Of course sire"
A few moments later Uberta came in
"What is it William?"
"Can I borrow Lord Rogers and one of your official couriers?"
"You need to send word back to your kingdom and yet you're not strong enough to write yet are you?"
"Partially, I also...I'm asking for permission to permanently live here in your kingdom, either here at the palace or in another location that works best for everyone"
"You're abdicating your throne?"
"Yes, Uberta if I journey home now I will not survive according to your physician and there's a chance I will never recover enough to return home"
"Abdication is the best option then, do you know who you're going to hand the throne over to?"
"Yes, it's someone Odette has never met for security reasons but I trust them with my kingdom"
"Very well then, I'll get Rogers and make sure my fastest courier is available to send your letter to your kingdom"
"I thank you Uberta"
And so Rogers is sent in and William dictates his letter to Rogers to write and then seals both the letter and the envelope with his seal so that the recepient knew that the letter truly was from William. Rogers had been surprised to learn that William had a secret cousin that would be taking over the throne with the abdication of William but took the information in stride. A week later Derek would tell William that Odette was alive, but cursed to live as a swan
"Is there any way to save her?"
"Yes, I must make a vow of everlasting love, and prove it to the world"
"A ball, we can hold a ball for you and your intended"
"That should work"
"But mother..."
"Please Derek, it's the only thing I can think of that might us help save Odette"
"Very well"
"William, the people won't know that you're not the King of your kingdom when the ball happens, nor will they know just how close to death you were originally, how do you want to handle this?"
"I'll attend the ball if the physician allows it, and if not...we might want to spread rumors that something happened to me when Odette went missing and that you're not sure what exactly it was, simply that I also disappeared, either trying to get help and thus might be dead or Derek arrived and never found my body and robbers might have taken it"
"We'll figure it out somehow"
"With the physician's help"
Ultimately the physician decided that it was better to let it be known that William was alive, but did agree that unless the secret cousin also arrived to the ball that no one should know that William had abdicated his throne and thus was no longer King of his kingdom
"Then let us prepare the ball and hopefully allow Odette the chance to be freed from this curse of hers"
And so the ball is held and then suddenly everyone sees someone who looks like Odette enter, even though the last time William and Derek and seen her the dress had been white, and thus William decided to do a test to see if it was truly Odette or not
"Odette?"
"Father?...but you died"
"No my daughter, Prince Derek arrived in time to save my life, but tell me do you remember that night? I'm only asking because there was a storm suddenly and things happened so fast, I barely remembered it for a time"
"Lightening struck a tree and the carriage was hit, and then we were separated"
"Do you remember stopping and seeing someone on the road"
"But father, you know no one was there"
At that and a very, very subtle look in the eyes of the person who looked like Odette, William knew the truth, though it also helped that he saw the swan at the window and a subtle sign from Derek indicated that Derek had also seen the swan and knew it to be Odette and thus he raised his hand (Uberta had already told the people of the castle that while she and William would never marry each other for they were only friends bound together by a bond that she would not explain, William would have the same authority over the people of the castle as she did) and spoke immediately
"Guards!, arrest this impostor immediately!"
"Father!"
"ENOUGH!, you are not my daughter, you look like her, you almost sound like her, but you are not her, Prince Derek and I know the truth"
Derek then speaks up
"Open the windows!"
The windows were open and Odette flew down in front of Derek, who knelt in front of her, confusing everyone who didn't know the secret, and while stroking her head spoke
"Odette, I make a vow of everlasting love to you, and some day we will free you from Rothbart completely, for now though know that I love you, and have for a long time, I'm sorry about what I said that day all those months ago, I just...couldn't find the proper words at that moment"
Suddenly the swan started glowing and soon turned back into Odette
"Odette!, but...but how I thought that the moonlight on the lake was the only way"
"Your vow Derek, that freed me, like I told you...father...you're alive, I thought...I thought Rothbart had killed you in the attack"
"It was close Odette, but I survived, Derek arrived just in time"
"Though I really did think you were dead until another soldier noticed that you still lived"
Derek then saw Rothbart and though it was a hard fight eventually won the battle and soon after Derek and Odette were wed
"Congratulations you two"
"Thank you father"
"Yes, thank you"
A year later on the wedding anniversary William wasn't exactly happy that Derek had forgotten about it but could also understand that his people were important, he was also not happy about Clavius showing up, but still in a weakened condition couldn't do much about it, the same would happen with Zelda since it only happened a few months after the whole Clavius situation. A few years later when Alise entered his life he was joyful at being a grandfather, even if it wasn't in the most conventional of ways, and Alise learned that while her grandfather loved to do things with her, she had to be more gentle with him and not do very active things, and that he was a bigger worry wart then Uberta in some aspects, but he always treated Lucas like a person and not just a tulip farmer that didn't make much money. And though it took a little bit of time, just like he had adapted to a talking turtle, frog, and bird he eventually adapted to talking squirrels, and a ghost squirrel as well. At Alise's coming of age ball he helped her realize that she truly did love Lucas, that her feelings for him had changed over the years from friendship into the love that they now had for each other, and that change had happened not only through their adventures together but just by seeing each other regularly after they had become friends. And then one day Uberta asked to speak with him in private and he wondered what was going on since while they talked regularly about the going on's of both Uberta's kingdom and William's former kingdom (his cousin wrote regularly to William, not just for advice initially but also to simply talk due to being family and letting William know how his kingdom was faring under a new ruler and that if possible they would love to see William again, even if it was only for a visit since technically speaking Odette was still their Princess and William their former king, and William was now strong enough to handle the long journey to and from his former kingdom)
"Uberta, what is it?"
"I think it's time that I do what you did, even though for you there wasn't much choice"
"You mean to abdicate the throne in Derek's favor?"
"Yes, it's time William, I've had to be so strong in the wake of Max's death and I think I've rule well, but it's time to pass the torch to the younger generation"
"Perhaps you're right, Uberta...even though you never believed it, and later I realized that you were right, Derek still doesn't know the full truth about his father's death, do you think...it might be time that he's told the truth, before someone accidentally says something in his hearing range and you're forced to talk about it on Derek's terms instead of your own"
"No William, my decision stands"
"Very well"
The preparations were intense and William had to temper Uberta's advice with his own, while giving Derek some tips on how to be king and while the coronation wasn't perfect, it still went well in his mind and then the Chamberlain came and told Uberta that a guest was there to see her
"I'll come with"
When they saw the person Uberta said his name and then Magnus the painter revealed what was underneath and mentioned how it was done as best as Magnus could remember
"It's his very image, you've done well"
"Indeed, it's just like I remember him as well"
Uberta and William left and then the next day were confronted by Derek about the fact that Max had been accused of making a deal with pirates and he had never known
"Do you honestly believe that mother?"
"Never"
"Rogers?"
"I also don't believe it"
Odette then spoke up
"What about you father, do you believe it?"
"No, I don't and while I don't think I ever truly believed it, I found it hard to understand what other reason there could have been for Max's ship to have sailed out that night, or why his journal said what it did"
"His journal, where is it?"
"It's hidden away where the council of crowns meets, not even I know of it's hiding place, only Ivan knows and we don't talk much since I abdicated my throne to my cousin"
"Tomorrow, when I take father's place on the council of crowns I'll find the truth out for myself"
"Derek, this is a dangerous path you tread, and you might not find the answers you're looking for"
"I have to try King William, I have to try"
A few days later while at the castle with Uberta, William found out that the final entry in the journal was a forgery and that Rogers could prove it due to knowing Max's handwriting like his own. And then only a day later Derek and Odette returned
"Thank goodness you're safe"
"Yes, thanks to Crispin, and we know the truth mother, King William, we know what happened to father and who was behind everything, King Ivan, he plotted with the pirates to abduct my father, though I still don't know why"
"And Max?"
"He...he was put on a small boat and drifted to unescapable island"
"Then most likely he's dead Derek"
"I know, but once we learn why King Ivan did what he did then I will go to that island and bring my father's body home, so that he can be buried in his kingdom like he deserves"
"Very well"
"King William, I know you haven't attended the council of crowns since you abdicated the throne, but I think you should learn the truth as well and as such will invite you as our guest to the meeting place if necessary for that to happen"
"Even though I no longer attend, as a former king I am still allowed to go there and bring issues up before the council in person should I request it"
"Not for this though, I think I will formally invite you and everyone to hear the truth"
"Very well"
And so that night everyone on the council learned why Ivan had done what he'd done and was thus kicked off the council and then Derek left to bring his father's body home finally after 25 years
"Scully look after Derek for us"
"I will king William"
Several hours later though Scully returned without Derek
"Scully, is he..."
"He's fine, and he's found King Max, who's alive"
"Max is alive?"
"Yes King William, but they need a boat to pick them up since Derek's got lost at sea"
"I'll pick them up myself, Odette, tell Uberta to wait for me at the docks"
"Will do"
And so William was guided by Scully to where Max and Derek were and William instantly hugged Max as soon as Max was on his ship
"I've missed you so much"
"Derek has told me about you being a companion along with Rogers to Uberta, and how your health has never been the same since you were attacked by someone banished from your kingdom"
"I may not have the same strength I used to have, but I have healed well enough over the years to handle short journeys, oh there's so much to tell you about Derek's life with Odette, a granddaughter to meet and...come on let's get you home and I'll tell you everything"
And so on the way back William and Derek told Max the whole story and then found everyone on the dock's, though Odette and Uberta were front and center
"My heart, is healed"
Suddenly a person in a cloak arrived and sank to their knees in obvious exhaustion or shock and when the hood came down, everyone was shocked to see that it was Crispin who had survived the fight that had allowed Derek and Odette to escape the pirates and Max immediately went over to him and called him friend, later that night Max met Alise, his granddaughter and the next day saw the painting that Magnus had done of him from memory. A few weeks later Max would take his place as the chairman of the council of crowns per the request of everyone currently sitting on the council and William was there to see Max accept that honor, though that was the last journey that William would be able to take for he got ill soon after and due to the fact that his health had never truly recovered, even if he was strong enough to travel between kingdom's even if he had never done so, his health took a steep decline and William would die only three months after being reunited with Max and learning the full truth of what had happened all those years ago. But before that happened Max asked about how Alise had entered their lives in the first place and so explained about the fire
"You know, though I didn't know it at the time I helped my future granddaughter"
"Oh?"
"Yes, Alise didn't speak when she first came into the castle, and so before Odette tried to do anything to cheer her up I told Odette that I would talk to Alise and I simply talked to her as someone who knew what it was like to grieve and miss the person you loved, even if the love between Aubrey and I was different from the love that she'd lost, Alise had lost her father while I had lost my wife, it was still a loss that I remembered well. So I simply talked about my Aubrey and how even though she was gone and I still missed her I also knew that Aubrey would want me to let someone else enter my life if I ever had felt that way about someone again, and that I was sure her father wanted Alise to let Derek and Odette into her lives due to her father's last words to Derek, which were to take care of Alise"
"But Derek and Odette could have done that any number of ways without adopting Alise"
"That's true, but I think they were ready to be parents by that point and Alise entered their lives at just the right time"
"I see, and the ghost talking squirrel? I mean how does he come into the picture?"
William let's out a chuckle before speaking up again
"Ah yes, Scully is definitely something to get used to, but he saved Derek, Odette and Alise, ultimately at the cost of his life and so we're grateful to him"
"How?"
"He destroyed the crystal and that helped us defeat the Dark Arts once and for all, but by doing so he died, and yet he was able to return as a ghost soon after and thus we were able to, somewhat, properly thank him for saving their lives"
"It looks like I owe him a debt of thanks as well then, I'm also wondering if you want to do a visit of your kingdom alongside me soon"
"No, while I'm now strong enough to handle the journey it will take much out of me, my health doesn't permit much travel anymore and to be honest if I returned now there's a chance people will ask for me to retake the throne even though my cousin is doing a fine job ruling the kingdom"
"I understand, so, tell me more, I mean your daughter has told me in private about the story of what happened, but I want to hear it from your perspective, including after Alise entered the family since this Scully obviously cares about all of you, I mean how did you even find out he was still around as a ghost anyways?"
And so William would tell Max the whole story from his perspective over the period of a night, with Scully speaking up from time to time to give Max a fuller picture of the stories being told due to being there when William hadn't been. After William's death Max naturally mourned along with everyone else, but it was Scully who helped them through the grieving process, and Max and Scully became good friends in their own right, having their own adventures together whenever the council of crowns wasn't having a meeting that month and when Max did eventually die for real and was confirmed dead instead of just presumed dead he had as grand a funeral as William's had been, with Uberta following him only a year later. Eventually Derek and Odette would follow in Uberta's footsteps and abdicate the throne in Alise's favor and Alise and Lucas would go on to rule just as well as Derek and Odette had ruled, and they had partially followed Derek and Odette's example too in adopting their first child, and naturally giving birth to twins a few years later though those were their only natural children due to Alise nearly dying during the birthing process and thus the physician recommending that Alise never becoming pregnant again