Odette entered the hidden meadow tentatively, afraid that this was all just a dream. A nightmare. Her feet were bloody from running through the forest barefooted. Her breathing was fast and light, entirely too insufficient for her body; she began to feel light headed. As Odette went further and further into the meadow the less she had to force herself to go at a walking pace; the meadow was the essence of purity. It was as if nothing bad could ever happen there.
As Odette slowed, she realized how tired her body was. She had been running for hours in the forest, clueless to her location, but only caring that she was not near Him. At the very thought of him Odette’s body tensed; her limbs gave out and she fell onto the ground, the plush grass breaking her fall.
Odette was so tired, but she forced herself to stay awake. Off in the distance there was the noise of someone approaching. She could barely left her head, but when she did she saw that it was nothing to fear, just a harmless doe. Odette started breathing again, but she didn’t remember holding her breath.
Odette clenched her feet and a stab of pain shuddered throughout her body; closing her eyes, she tried to control her breathing. When she opened her eyes, she closed them and than opened them again hoping that what she was seeing wasn’t real.
“Hello, Odette.”
Odette tried to scream, but it caught in her throat. Her eyes clouded with tears as she shook her head. Her captor, Eric, kneeled next to her and stroked her cheek. He smiled a terrible grin and said, “My little swan almost got away, but have no fear I found you again.”
She tried to scream again, but it was futile. Even if she did manage to scream, there was no one around to hear her. She was sobbing then, her whole body was shaking.
“Calm down, don’t be frightened my little swan. Your prince is here now. Come on, I’ll take you back and tend your wounds.”
Eric lifted her up into his arms and held her close. Odette just stilled in defeat. No matter where she was, Eric would find her. No matter how safe a place seemed, Eric would get to her. No matter what, she was doomed to an eternity of being the swan princess. Except she was never saved by her prince charming, instead her prince was killed by the beast and she remained forever under a spell with no way of undoing it. She was stuck in the pond, just waiting for the moon to hit so she could turn human once more.