“To the palace!” Swooping past, Odette hurried to the pool and was surprised to find it nearly surrounded by people.
Sun low in the horizon, the royals would normally be taking their meal, indoors. Today, however, they gathered around a golden couple, both blond and shimmering.
Odette slipped into the water, swimming toward them.
“Siegfried!” She recognized her lover immediately, but who was the girl beside him?
“I take you, Odile, as my bride and future queen.”
Odette froze, momentum pushing her toward the couple she longed to flee. “No.” To her dismay, she couldn’t look away as he kissed the girl. “No!”
Finding her feet again, she swung around and swam away just as Anna approached.“Yes!” she quacked. “Tonight, we can be with our family!” She turned to follow Odette to the far end of the pool. “What is wrong, Odette? Aren’t you happy?”
Her mournful honking drew attention from the wedding guests, but Odette didn’t care. Not only was he not looking for her, he’d replaced her.mi
Anna swam up a few minutes later. “I’m so sorry, Odette. The sun will set soon. Then you can talk to him.”
“He’ll be with her. It’s their wedding night. I can’t stay here, Anna. I will understand if you do, though.”
Anna fluttered her wings and quacked. “Now? We just got here.”
“I can’t stay. I can’t watch them day after day.” It felt as if her heart were sinking to the bottom of the pool.
