Welcome to the MidWeekTease! I'm sharing another snippet from my Swan Lake retelling. Poor Odette is in for a shock. Don't miss all the other great teases this week!
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| Borrowed from We Heart It |
Flapping wings and pedaling feet through the water, Odette
lifted up, hovering above the pond she and Anna had found to practice flying.
Anna tried next and Odette honked encouragement. They were
improving, taking to air nearly every attempt. Staying airborne was still an
issue.
“Nearly there!” Odette told her. “If we can just manage a
little more, we can make it to the pool at the palace.” That was their goal.
When night fell, they would be able to present themselves.
“I’m going to try again.” Anna was the weakest of the pair.
Odette might have cleared the remaining distance yesterday, but she couldn’t
leave Anna behind. There was also an even chance she wouldn’t make it the
entire stretch. Ending her flight on land would require time to reach a new
water body. Normal swans might be able to take off from a standing start, but
Odette couldn’t.
Anna sprinted over the water, pushing with her wings. She
lifted off the surface and over the trees. Before she could circle back, Odette
honked. “Keep going! I’m behind you!” Using more power than her previous
attempt, Odette lifted off the surface of the water, over the trees and past
the still-flapping Anna.
“Glide!” Odette told her, using one great push to circle
around beside her friend.
Anna wobbled in the air, spreading wing and tail feathers
until she could control her position. She started falling, but like Odette, she
only need a good push to rise again.
“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.
