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Chapter Text

Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away, a humble and kind peasant girl called Marthe lived in a village. This village was nearby to the queen`s castle. The queen had only one heir, handsome and young prince Siegfried. Siegfried would always try to escape from rules and duties to join the peasants. And each year, at the harvest festival, he used to dance with Marthe. Marthe would blush, as she was in love with the prince, whenever he would visit the festival with his best friend Benno. But this time, everything would be different.

Marthe was very excited. It was the prince's 21th birthday and all the villagers would throw a splendid party for the prince. Her father had also prepared a special birthday present for Siegfried: a crossbow – because the prince loved to go hunting. When he and the other villagers were preparing vine with cups and barrels, Marthe put on her beautiful green festival dress. "Aw, the prince will fall in love for sure with you!" her friends Emma and Lise gushed over Marthe's look. Marthe smiled and put her wreath made of daisies on her chestnut hair.

Together with her friends, they waited for the prince's arrival. He was accompanied by Benno von Sommerstein and his old,jolly tutor Wolfgang. It was a beautiful summer afternoon and the prince was highly welcomed. He treated his subjects on equal terms, and apparently also the girls. He gave each peasant girl a bonnet, he rejoiced about the crossbow and then he declared: "It's time for a waltz!". When the peasants danced, also Marthe found herself dancing with the prince. She felt his heartbeat, when they were following the joyful rhythm of music. Yet, although the prince smiled and smiled, this smile didn't came from the gaze of her eyes, but rather from the garlands and the festivities. When the music stopped, suddenly Benno rushed to Siegfried and whispered something.

"Alas, my mother is coming!" the prince cried and ordered the villagers to hide the vine bottles. The queen entered with her entourage the village and embraced her son.

"Siegfried, I see you are enjoying yourself. But now you're grown-up and will be soon king. After your father's death, I ruled the kingdom alone. Look at the noble statue of our ancestor here – I wish you to be as heroic and knightly, and not just a peasants' merrymaker. It's time to choose a bride and settle down. Tomorrow I will throw a ball with all eligible noblewomen of the kingdom and the most beautiful princesses from aristocratic monarchies. You have to choose one as your bride." The queen said and left with her maidens.

All girls in the village stood there, listening carefully to this message. The prince stared after his mother, then he laughed and said: "Let's celebrate my last day in freedom! Why did the music stop?"

While Benno was surrounded by Emma and Lise, Marthe was asked to dance by Siegfried again. His blue eyes were sorrowful, and he didn't say anything. "What a beautiful day." Marthe started the conversation. "It is indeed. I love to be here. It's so much better than being caged in the palace." The prince sighed.

"But it isn't lonely with a girl you love." Mathe said.

"My heart is like a bird, it's free and doesn't know love yet. I don't want to marry by now." The prince said, and Mathe was upset. Siegfried had admitted that he didn't feel anything for her!

Suddenly, they were stopped by loud laughter. Wolfgang had drunk too much and tried to dance with Lise and Emma. When he was finally staggering and falling down, the prince rushed to the rescue. Anyway, the party was over.

The prince called Benno and his friends: "Let's go for a hunt! I want to make use of my crossbow and celebrate the last day in freedom." "But you'd rather prepare for tomorrow." Benno hesitated. "No way", the prince brushed through his blond hair, "look at those beautiful swans in the evening sky!" Together with Benno and some other hunters, the prince went to the horses and set off for hunt. Marthe stayed behind, together with her father, who said: "Do not desire too much, daughter, and always remember that a noble heart doesn't need a crown. It matters, what's behind our skin, and not the glittering and golden surface."

The next morning, after a kind of sleepless night, Marthe heard the doorbell ringing. Marthe put on a coat and opened the door. To her surprise, it was Benno von Sommerstern. "My lord…" Marthe gasped. He bowed and asked to talk with her. She led him to the kitchen table.

"I have to tell you about the hunt last night. The prince and me were following the swans in a forest and found them at a lake, at an eerie, ruin, like a chapel. Suddenly, a swan with a crown appeared and changed into a beautiful woman with a white dress – and this crown. She asked us why we were hunting her – and she told us that she was indeed the swan."

"Impossible!" exclaimed Marthe, but Benno laughed and narrated: "The prince did say the same, but the girl told him that she was actually a good fairy. Her mother had been also a good fairy and married a knight, against the will of her father. The knight did destroy his wife and remarried a witch. This stepmother is now threatening Odetta – that's the swan princess – in the disguise of an owl and only a vow of true love would release Odetta from the stepmother's clutches. By then, she is protected by the crown and allowed by her grandfather to fly in swan shape, together with her friends. This grandfather did weap so many tears that this lake was created."

"That's complicated. So, this maiden is in swan shape and only the prince's pledge of love could rescue her?" Marthe summed up.

"Exactly. Then other swan maidens came out of the chapel and started dancing. I found myself dragged by two swan maidens, and also four cygnets were dancing at the lake."

"Lovely."

"No, it isn't. The prince declared his love for Odetta…"

"Indeed NOT lovely."

"but she didn't believe him and laughed about him. He invited her to the ball tomorrow night, but she told him that he had to pass a test and had to fear the stepmother's magic. And that's the problem! This simple ball tomorrow will be crushed by some magical beings! I did see indeed a big, gloomy, howling owl, flying across the Swan Lake. I'm really afraid that there will be magic used and our kingdom could be threatened."

"And what's now the point?" asked Marthe,who wasn't pleased that the prince would have found love in a swan! She felt very jealous, although she would never want to harm anyone.

"Please, come and save the kingdom. Better he'll marry you than any swan and the kingdom is saved. Go to the ball and persuade the prince he's better with a real woman!"

"I'm not invited, I have no dress and nobody to introduce me."

"Don't worry. I will order the queen's tailor to make a stunning green dress for you and I will introduce you as the daughter of the ambassador of Naples. You don't have to do anything bad. Just dance, enjoy yourself and show your beauty."

"You think I'm beautiful?" Marthe whispered.

"I did say so. Let's go." insisted Benno and pretended to have to hurry now…

Chapter Text

"I'm so nervous!" confessed Marthe, when she entered the grand stairs towards the castle. "Don't worry", encouraged her Benno. He gave the master of ceremonies the invitation cards – actually, because he was already known, it was not really necessary. Marthe did wear a beautiful, much too precious green silk dress and a delicate veil. She gasped, when she realized so many beautiful noblewomen with their parents, with shiny sparking dresses. The whole ballroom was filled with lights and roses as decoration. Then the queen entered with her son, Prince Siegfried, accompanied by his tutor Wolfgang. Although Siegfried was dressed every inch a true prince, he barely seemed to notice any beautiful girl. His gaze seemed to search something far behind the windows and Marthe guessed that he was awaiting the swan princess. The master of ceremonies announced the brides and the music started to play. Each princess came by and by to the prince, and he bowed and danced a bit with her, but just to be polite. Even when Marthe did dance with Siegfried, his eyes were still searching for the beautiful swan maiden he met at night. Would she come? Was Benno right with his worries? Marthe felt still some love for the prince in her heart and she also wanted to protect him and the kingdom from any magical threat. So, she smiled and hoped, as any other girl in the ballroom. But when the queen gave the prince a bouquet for his chosen bride, the prince denied and declared: "There is no girl in the room I could ever love. I don't want to marry any of these beautiful maidens."

The queen turned angrily around and when she was heading to her throne, suddenly again trumpets announced the arrival of more guests. Everyone was curious. The candles did shake a bit, when an important looking knight arrived with a young woman. This knight did wear such a shiny armor just like kings or emperors would wear and he had a long, red beard. The woman was very beautiful, with raven-black hair, red lips, piercing blue eyes and a swan-like neck. A golden mask did hide her face, and the dress she was wearing was all golden and glittering with sequins. It looked…magical. Each man in the room did stare at this beauty. The master of ceremonies took the invitation cards and announced: "Baron von Rotbart and his daughter Odilia."

Odilia. This did remind Marthe of the swan maiden's name. No, it was Odetta. But both so similar beginning with Od. The knight presented his daughter and then they joined the dances. Marthe observed how the prince was staring at the perfect movements and the astonishing beauty of this new guest. He called Benno.
"Doesn't she look similar like Odetta?" Benno shook his head and declared quite amused.
"Honestly, not at all! You see your swan-Odetta everywhere. Why don't you rather try a dance with some of the other guests?"
But Siegfried didn't move and when Odilia came closer, she was accompanied by some Spanish Bolero dancers, who were tossing their fans and twirling around in their fancy dresses.

Siegfried left his place and grabbed her hand. Soon, they were dancing together – and this time the prince's eyes were only reflecting the gaze from his beautiful golden maiden. There was something mysterious and magical in her way of dancing. Soon, also other guests did join in popular dances, just like Mazurka or Czardas.

"Would you like to show me the famous Neapolitan Tarantella? It is, of course, just played for the honor of you, so would the ambassador's daughter allow me to dance with you?" asked Benno suddenly Marthe. Marthe accepted gratefully – a dance like this would distract her a bit. She loved the bubbling, cheerful sound of music and the vivid dancing steps. Surprised, she realized that she enjoyed it very much with Benno and she studied carefully his brown hair, his brown, warm eyes and his big, tender hands. When the music did stop for a break, Marthe realized that the prince and Odilia were standing at the window, and the prince holding her hands.
Marthe shared a gaze with Benno,then she turned to the prince: "Your highness, could you listen to some advice? It's me, your friend Marthe!" she began.
The prince barely looked at her. "Whoever you are, don't disturb me in one of the most important minutes of my whole life" he murmured. Marthe gasped. The prince seemed to have fallen deeply in love and seemed not to remember anything else! Was this magic? Now, also the queen and this mysterious knight – who did remind now Marthe of the ancestor-statue in the village – came to the young couple. The queen said with a big smile: "My son, I see you have a preference. Remember, that you should only touch your bride's hands on this way."
"Then, she is my bride. I swear eternal love for her!" the prince exclaimed. The knight did now also show a croaked smile and he put the prince's hands into his daughter's.

Suddenly, a wind swept in, a lightening bolted, the candles seemed to lose their lights, Marthe shivered, and was there in the window the vision of a swan with a crown on its head? Anyway, in the mist, the knight suddenly appeared to be like a demon-like creature, bursting out in laughter. The prince stared horrified at Rotbart and Odilia. Odilia put her mask down and threw it down to the prince's feet. "Odetta?Odilia?What am I doing?" the prince exclaimed, while these strange guests left the ballroom. Marthe had never seen the prince so much in despair, crying desperate. The queen tried to comfort her son, but he at once left the room into the darkness. Everyone was also in horror, discussing and running, and the queen near to a faint.
There, Marthe felt how Benno grabbed her hand: "Come, we need to help Siegfried! Whatever has happened so far, we have to find out how we could stop even worse." He lifted Marthe outside on his horse and they began riding together at the Swan Lake.
"Do not desire too much, daughter, and always remember that a noble heart doesn't need a crown. It matters, what's behind our skin, and not the glittering and golden surface." Mathe remembered her father's warning. True! Siegfried was blinded by the dazzling party guest and now broke his pledge of love.

At the Swan Lake, it was very dark and cloudy. Benno and Marthe did witness some swan maidens, whispering. And there, there was a maiden with raven-like hair and swan-like neck and a crown on her head. Indeed, she did look similar to Odilia. Now, the swan princess was weeping. Another swan maiden was talking: "I told you we couldn't trust mortals. But you still have still a chance! Forget this faithless knight who did break his vow and failed. Come with us! Find another man – and put down your crown to his feet and you will be saved!" With some sniffs, a very soft and fair voice was heard: "But…but I love him!"

A wind started to blow more and more, and the moon was disappeared behind the thick clouds. The water in the lake was shaking and the trees were moving their leaves.

There, a man was rushing through the woods to the Swan Lake. "Sister, follow us!" the swan maidens cried, leaving the shore and turning themselves into beautiful white swans. But Odetta stayed behind, shivering and trembling. Marthe shivered, too, and Benno put his warm cloak around her. "Let's wait, what is happening!" he told her.

The prince did now arrive and went down on his knees: "Forgive me, fair Odetta! It's you I do love and want to marry!" Odetta stood, still trembling, but said with a firm voice: "I do love you, too, but I can't stay anymore. I can't forgive you. We'll never see each other again…I'm so, so sorry" she told the prince, with a shy look, and then she turned around at the lake. "No, no, you can't fly away like a swan. You and me, we belong together!" the prince demanded. The swan maiden's tears were now dropping on the lake, when she spread her arms, that were ready to become wings. "No, Odetta, I will save you!" the prince rushed at her and tried to grab her. With this push, the maiden staggered and the crown fell down from her head. "No!" Odetta screamed, when a big, gloomy owl suddenly appeared and grabbed the crown. "What have you done! You did ruin me - Now I can never be human again and also never fly as a swan anymore." Odette whispered.

Marthe and Benno stood quiet.

Siegfried was also very quiet, horrified about the result. But he embraced Odette and said: "I will follow you, wherever you go. And if you are dying, I will also drown with you." He took Odetta in his arms and, carrying her, he walked slowly at the lake. Both were sharing a passionate kiss.

"No!", this was Marthe, when she saw how the prince and Odetta were walking into the lake.
"Wait", Benno said, and both witnessed, how the waves did cover the lovers slowly. But then something strange happened. The lake got quiet. The clouds vanished. And the sky got bright and rose, as the dawn appeared. And also some swans were swimming on the peaceful lake.
"It's like a dream…and still..oh dear, they are dead. Are they?" Marthe cried.
Benno hugged her and said: "Siegfried never was happy in the palace. He always wanted to be free like a bird. And they are indeed united now..I imagine both living on the ground of Swan Lake happily ever after. It's her grandfather's home below there."

"Do you know this?"

"I believe with all my heart."

"Thank you."

"I`m sorry for you..I wished another happy ending for you."

"But why? I realized that I'm not in love with the prince anymore…I..I learned that someone else is much more caring and the best man I can imagine!" Mathe said and smiled.

"But…who? So, show me the man and I will…what, why are you laughing,,,wait…me?" When Marthe nodded, Benno smiled and went down on his knees.

"Marhe,do you want to marry me?" he proposed.

"I do..I do!" Marthe agreed happily.

The hardest thing was telling the queen about the events. Nobody could really explain what happened. Wolfgang didn't want to tell the queen that her son had probably drowned. Benno tried to explain it first with a boat that saved him and his princess in the last minute, but the queen still demanded the full story. So, Marthe told the queen that the prince did fight against the evil wizard Rotbart (no one would ever find out, who the mysterious knight had been, even though Marthe had a certain idea…), and so the prince had followed the princess into her enchanted kingdom to rule about her subjects.

The queen was quite satisfied, but as she had no heir, she decided that her son's best friend Benno was worthy enough. So, Benno and Marthe got married and were crowned king and queen of the kingdom. Everyone celebrated the couple, and Marthe did still remember her father's words: a noble heart doesn't need a crown. It was true as Benno had the noblest heard she did know, even he was not a prince by birth. And it also was true as Odetta hadn't need her crown and also Siegfried didn*t want her as a princess, but just as the woman he loves.
Marthe and Benno would often visit the Swan Lake, and pray at the lost chapel, watch the beautiful swans, and most important, sometimes they would see something sparkling in the lake, as if someone would laugh and wave.