EVERNA The Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky, Retold by Alistair Kane - A Fantasy Short Story

EVERNA The Swan Lake

Written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Retold by Alistair Kane

The vast Kingdom of Borgia in Aurelia Continent was actually a union of kingdoms. Before that union took place at the beginning of the Arcane Age, four major city-kingdoms of Freidle, Ballax, Handelburg and Gasken were on the struggle to survive from the occasional, yet repeated skirmishes by the Fjornian and Bjordanian barbarians.

Among the city-kingdoms, only Freidle and Ballax were situated closely between each other. The bordering landmark was Cygnusleid Lake, the northern shores belonged to Freidle and the southern side to Ballax. The lake was named Cygnusleid due to the large population of swans there, making the scenery more beautiful than most lakes in Aurelia, including the legendary Ovalna Lake and Norell Loch.

Countless times the royal families of Freidle and Ballax visited the Swan Lake for vacations or merely to relieve the pressures of palace life. However, the two families never encounter each other, because they never bothered to cross the border to the other side of the lake.

The Cygnusleid Lake sparkled like diamonds in the sun, its clear waters reflecting the blue sky overhead. The Princess Odette Rummenige of Ballax Kingdom walked along the shore, taking in the beauty of her surroundings. The tall trees that surrounded the lake rustled gently in the breeze, their leaves whispering secrets to each other.

As she walked, a shadow fell across her path. Odette looked up to see a figure looming over her. It was Karl Von Rothbart, a warlock from the distant Gasken Kingdom. Odette took a step back, her heart pounding in her chest.

More so, that shadowy man moved stealthily and killed all Odette's guards and companions. When the warlock came close in front of Odette, the princess was already shaking all over.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice quavering with fear.

"I have come to offer you a gift," Von Rothbart replied, his voice smooth and oily.

"I don't want anything from you," Odette said, taking another step back.

Von Rothbart stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Odette. "Oh, but you will want this gift, my dear," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "It will make you more beautiful than any woman in the land."

Odette's eyes widened in surprise. "I don't believe you," she said, trying to sound brave.

"Believe what you will, Princess," Von Rothbart said with a smirk. "But take this gift from me, and you will see the truth of my words."

With that, he raised his wand and pointed it at Odette. A bright light shot from the tip, enveloping her in a blinding glow. When the light faded, Odette felt a strange sensation washing over her body. She looked down and gasped in horror.

Her hands had turned into wings, and her feet had become webbed. She tried to scream, but only a hoarse croak escaped her throat. She flapped her wings in a panic, lifting off the ground and soaring into the sky.

Von Rothbart laughed, a cold, cruel sound. "Fly, my pretty swan," he called after her. "Fly and know that you are mine."

Odette circled above the lake, her heart heavy with sorrow. She knew that she would never be able to return to her human form, that she would be a swan forever. And worst of all, she knew that she was now in Von Rothbart's power.

==oOo==

The city-state of Freidle was alive with music and laughter, the air filled with the scent of roasting meats and sweet pastries. Prince Siegfried von Lacheln's twenty-first birthday was a cause for celebration, and the people had turned out in droves to honor their beloved prince.

As the festivities reached their height, the queen mother Hilda von Lacheln made her grand entrance, her regal presence commanding the attention of all in attendance. She presented her son with a crossbow, a gift fit for a warrior, and announced that the time had come for him to marry. Seven days from now, right at the prince's birthday, he must choose the bride at the grand gala among the fairest princesses and noble ladies from all over Aurelia Continent.

Queen Hilda stated, "The valiant Siegfried, whose name I took from a mythical hero from the Old World, must have the most beautiful and extraordinarily special bride. So, choose wisely."

Siegfried felt a weight settle in his chest at the queen's words. He had always known that this day would come, but he had hoped for more time. He didn't relish the thought of choosing a bride from a lineup of strangers, no matter how worthy they might be.

As the revelers began to disperse, Siegfried wandered outside the palace gates, the cool night air soothing his troubled mind. He stared at his heirloom, the legendary sword Durandal once belonged to the prior Siegfried to kill the dragon Fafnir and to perform countless heroic deeds. He always brought the sword along with him wherever he went.

A blond, beautiful lady dressed in blue approached the prince, saying, "I see you're in quite a dilemma, Your Highness."

"Who are you, o' fairest lady?" asked Siegfried as politely as possible.

"My name is Galateia, but you can call me the Blue Fairy. I'm here to give you a gift."

"What gift? And what do you know about my dilemma?"

Galateia related Siegfried's problem so accurately as if she was the prince herself. "So, I suggest that you go to Cygnusleid Lake to clear your mind, and to clear your mind only. Do that, and the solution will come to you in the most extraordinary, magical and bizarre way."

The prince didn't quite understand what the Blue Fairy meant, but he complied anyway. He set out for Cygnusleid Lake early the next morning and arrived on the spot after sundown.

As the moon casted its silvery glow upon the Cygnusleid Lake lakeside, Prince Siegfried sought to clear his mind first as per Galateia's advice.

Hours passed, and nothing happened. And then, in the distance, the prince spotted a flock of swans flying overhead, their graceful movements mesmerizing him.

Without thinking, he reached for his crossbow and took off after them, his heart racing with excitement. He followed them deep into the woods, his footsteps soft against the forest floor.

As he emerged into a clearing, he spotted a beautiful swan perched on the edge of a nearby pond. Its feathers were as white as snow, and its eyes sparkled in the moonlight.

Siegfried raised his crossbow, his fingers trembling with anticipation. But as he took aim, he heard a soft voice calling out to him.

"Please, don't shoot."

Siegfried turned to see a young woman standing behind him, her hair as dark as midnight and her eyes as blue as the sea. He lowered his crossbow, struck by her beauty.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice filled with wonder.

"I am Odette," she replied, a note of sadness in her voice. "And I am not a swan, but a princess from Ballax cursed by a wicked warlock."

"Ah, a neighbor! Siegfried's my name and I'm the crown prince of Freidle."

Siegfried listened in awe as Odette told him of her plight, of how she was cursed by the wicked Von Rothbart, and of the spell that had transformed her into a swan. He vowed then and there to help her break the curse, no matter what the cost.

The problem was, neither Odette nor Siegfried knew how to break that curse, as both of them were strangers in the lore of magic and supernatural arts.

So, as Vadis, through the Blue Fairy has caused them to find each other, Siegfried and Odette expressed and vowed their love to each other. The perfect atmosphere of the lake and the nymphs' song were triggered by the overflowing love energy they emanated. So, the two lovebirds showered each other with love through a lovely dance later known as ballet.

As they danced together, their chemistry became undeniable. And they became more and more attached to each other as the night was slipping and dawn was about to break.

However, their moment was interrupted by the arrival of Von Rothbart.

"Well, well, the fish has come to take the bait," said the warlock. "Tell you what, you two just enjoy your moment here. It's time for me to go and prepare the next stage of my plan."

Siegfried seized his crossbow and aims at the evil enchanter, but Odette shielded Von Rothbart. She explained that if Von Rothbart were to die, the spell imprisoning her could never be broken. Von Rothbart escaped with Odette as his hostage, as seven other fair maidens came to rescue their queen. It turned out that Von Rothbart had cursed other maidens before Odette, maybe as a practice.

The other swan maidens danced, while Siegfried searched for Odette. When Odette appeared, they expressed their tragic love in a slower ballet dance. As the dawn broke, Odette must change back into a swan. Siegfried bid her a tender farewell and watched her take flight with her fellow swans.

Feeling heartbroken, Siegfried was determined to break the curse and save his beloved Odette.

==oOo==

A week had passed, and Siegfried's birthday came at last.

As the guests gather for the grand ball, Prince Siegfried cannot help but feel troubled by his thoughts. His heart belonged to Odette, the queen of the swans, and he couldn't bear the thought of marrying any of the princesses and ladies his mother has selected for him to choose.

As the dances commenced, Siegfried watched the elegant movements of the dancers, but his mind was elsewhere, lost in his longing for Odette. Odette's dance was more graceful and beautiful than all of these, how could he forget that?

To test out the candidates, Siegfried must dance with each one of them. First, the Arcadian Marquise girl danced with him. And then a princess from Escudia tried to mesmerize him with a robust Flamenco dance. Noble girls from Merida, Valanis and Ashtri had their chance too, and even twin sisters from Narvik in the vast land of Val'shka impressed Siegfried with their identical folk dance.

However, even as the last candidate has completed her dance with Siegfried, the prince still couldn't decide whom his bride would be. Odette's impression in him was too strong.

Suddenly, the trumpets blared and the herald announced the arrival of two uninvited guests, Von Rothbart and his daughter, Odile. Siegfried couldn't recognized the warlock from his transfiguration magical disguise. But he readily recognized Odile as Princess Odette from Ballax Kingdom.

Siegfried couldn't believe his eyes as he gazed upon the enchanting Odile. He saw only the semblance of Odette in her and was swept away by the passion and beauty of the moment. As Siegfried and Odette began the Black Swan dance, Siegfried felt as if he was dancing with Odette herself, but he didn't realize that he was being deceived.

As the duet reaches its climax, Galateia the Blue Fairy interfered. She casted her magic and a vision of Odette appeared in the middle of the ballroom.

But Von Rothbart's spellbinded the court, preventing anyone from realizing the truth. Siegfried was so enamored with Odile that he declared his love for her and his desire to marry her. His mother, Queen Hilda expressed her approval, but the disguised Von Rothbart demanded the prince to swear a formal oath. Siegfried, unaware of the deception, innocently complied with the request. And when he has done so, Von Rothbart and Odile revealed their true identities, laughing mockingly.

"Well, as you can see, we're actually from Gasken Kingdom," said Von Rothbart. "I am the prime minister with the king of Gasken as my puppet. As if Adair blessed my plan, I have a twin bastard daughters from the queen of Ballax. I took care of Odile, and she raised Odette. With Siegfried's oath sealed with magic, I shall return Odile to replace the missing princess of Ballax, Odette. Gasken, Ballax and Freidle will be within my power. I'll unite those kingdoms into an empire, and I'll be the first Emperor of Borgia!"

After saying that, Von Rothbart and Odile vanished, teleported away magically before Siegfried and Queen Hilda's men could apprehend him.

The prince realized his mistake and just saw a vision of the weeping Odette made by Galateia. He was frantic, and his heart ached with pain and regret. With his trusty sword Durandal in the scabbard, Siegfried fled the palace in search of his beloved, hoping to make amends for his terrible mistake.

==oOo==

Back at the Cygnusleid Lake, the prince and Odette were left alone on the lakeside, the water lapping softly at the shore under the tender full moon. The swans gathered around them, their eyes filled with sorrow for their queen.

Odette was pained by Siegfried's broken vow, but his explanation of the situation brought her some measure of comfort. She forgave him, but the knowledge that she would never be able to break the curse weighed heavily on her heart.

"Heed my words. I shall abandon my princely status and stay here with you, no matter what the cost," Siegfried declared in earnest.

"I understand, my love," Odette said, her voice soft and sad. "But I cannot bear to remain a swan forever. I would rather die."

Siegfried was beside himself with grief, but before he could say anything, Von Rothbart appeared, his twisted face contorted in rage.

"How dare you, you insolent runt!" The warlock bellowed. "How come you're willing to abandon your status as a prince just to be with a swan maiden? No, that cannot do. You must go back to your palace and marry Odile! Odette is mine, and I shall stop at nothing to get her!"

"I can and I will! Nothing will stop the power of true love that we have! Over our dead bodies!" said Siegfried valiantly, pointing his trusty sword Durandal at the ultimate foe.

The lovers took a stand together, determined to fight for their love, but the warlock's power was too great. Two spells from Von Rothbart, namely Dark Disintegration and Eternal Banishment left the couple heavily wounded in agony.

In that critical moment, a blue fairy appeared. It was Galateia, the Fairy of Love. "Do not despair," she says, "for love is the most powerful magic of all. Here, I'll give you the way to use it, and you can defeat even the darkest of spells. Listen, this is the Reflect Magic spell..."

Siegfried and Odette looked at each other, their eyes filled with hope. They take each other's hands and, together, they focus their love into a bright, shimmering energy. The warlock's dark magic tried to snuff it out, but it couldn't. The power of love was too strong.

As the result, Von Rothbart's Dark Disintegration great rayblast was deflected by Siegfried and Odette's force field and it was backfired. At that critical moment, Odile appeared and shielded her father with her body, killing her instantly.

"No! Odile! My plan...! How dare you shatter my ambition...!" Von Rothbart choked blood from his mouth. The despair of losing his daughter, the pawn of his mission and the wounds he still suffered from his own spell's backfire shattered his concentration by entirety.

Seeing this golden opportunity, Siegfried raised his sword, Durandal, ready to strike, and Odette stood by his side. With one swift motion, the sword found its mark, and Von Rothbart collapsed beside his fallen daughter, his evil magic shattered for good.

Slowly, seven of the swans turned back into their original forms. The cursed maidens let out a joyous cry, and Odette felt the curse lifted from her. She was free! Siegfried took her in his arms, and they shared a passionate embrace.

"We have defeated the warlock's curse," Siegfried declared, his voice ringing out across the lake. "And we will be together always."

Odette looked into his eyes, and she knew it was true. They would unite the city-states and  rule together as the king and queen consort of the united Borgia. But most importantly, they would have each other's love for all eternity.

 

Retold by Alistair Kane for Everna Saga: Lineage II Anthology. More information in linktr.ee/evernade.