Swan Lake. Dragon Empire. Natalie Yacobson

Christian repeated. «You killed my father, didn’t you?»

      A wicked grin ran over Edwin’s spiteful lips. Odile involuntarily recoiled and from the side, leaning her hand against the wall, watched their duel. The rivals’ swords crossed. Odile watched them and did not know what to do to save the one she loved.

      The duel continued, Edwin’s sword gleaming in the darkness as if forged from magic steel. For a moment their swords lingered against each other, and Edwin’s eyes flashed with fire, and the hiss of a dragon escaped from his lips.

      «This is your death,» he said, but it was too early for him to triumph. Odile with a wave of her hand blinded Edwin for a moment, and Christian’s sword sank into the shoulder of the opponent.

      Blood gushed from the wound and Edwin grabbed his shoulder with a hand in an urge to stop her.

      Odile ran to Christian, they were just children in love with enemies, but they loved each other as much as those who separated them could not even imagine.

      «Run,» she whispered, giving him one last hug, «save yourself, for my sake.»

      «I’ll stay with you,» he replied boldly.

      «You must leave,» Odile replied, «I will never forgive myself if now you die here because of me, you must leave.»

      He looked at her for the last time, they were not parted forever, and he knew it.

      «I’ll come back for you,» Christian whispered, he knew that Odile was now cursed forever, but he loved her, even if she was a black swan.

      He disappeared into the distance, and Odile looked after him with sadness. She didn’t even turn to look at Rothbert who had come up. Her eyes were full of tears. She has no way to a simple human life, but the love in her heart will never disappear. And now she could only look after Christian, leaving for distant Spain, to forget about her.

      Death lilies

      Today, all the noblest and richest people of the kingdom have gathered in Odette’s palace to celebrate the princess’s coming of age. Odette became different, life made her joyful and beautiful, she was an adornment of her kingdom, but today sadness crept into her heart, she remembered the dazzling eyes of her handsome prince, but fate separated her from him, and even today for some reason she remembered Richard, her faithful friend.

      What happened to him? Where has he disappeared so mysteriously? It was impossible to find him anywhere, but he was alive, Odette knew this and hoped that someday she would see him again.

      The dance ended, and Odette sat down in a graceful curtsy to the gentleman who danced with her. Finally, she was able to quietly leave the ball and go out into the garden by the palace. Here the lake shone in the light of the moon, and its water shone with all the shades of night beauty. The lake both amused and soothed, it was Odette’s favorite place, and now, not knowing why, she came down here.

      Swans swam on the clean and transparent surface of the lake. At the sight of them, the legend of the king of darkness was recalled, the king bewitched the girls he liked and turned them into swans.

      «Where are you, Richard,» said Odette and before she had time to say it, the whole lake was lit up with bright light, and on the dark road to the palace flames flashed, creating a whole bridge of light.

      A rider on a black horse appeared in the distance. Odette immediately realized who it was. All in black, on a shining stallion and in a black mask, from under which dazzling blue eyes shone, it was he, who was called the dark prince. The one about which legends were made, but how could he find himself here, a ghost on a black horse, a prince from the kingdom of elves.

      He drove onto the road of blazing lights, his horse whinnied, and flames burst from his nostrils, his hooves beat impatiently against the ground, he was waiting for something and could not wait. Odette could not believe what she saw, the dark prince jumped off his horse and, approaching her, knelt down in front of her.

      «Leave with me, Odette,» whispered the elf, who came to the realm of mortals, he raised his face to her, and Odette recognized Richard’s fiery eyes.

      Who was in front of her: her old friend or the prince of the fairies? She did not know what to think, her thoughts were in confusion, and she closed her eyes for a moment, who could believe that the prince of elves was once a mortal man and loved a mortal girl, and now he came for her to take her with him to the kingdom of witchcraft.

      He bowed his head in respect, and Odette did not know what to do, she could not believe that Richard was standing in front of her, her old friend and faithful lover. Did he come for her from the kingdom of witchcraft, again came to the world of mortals. She did not know whom she loved more: the mortal prince Etienne or the dark prince.

      Yes, it was him, her friend Richard, but how he had changed. He became the king of darkness, not light. He had long suggested that she run with him, but now she had to decide, and Odette did not know what to do, she could not escape from her kingdom, she was his princess and could not leave it. On the other hand, she was drawn to the world of elves and fairies, from which Richard came for her to take her along with him to the wonderful world of endless witchcraft.

      Richard was on his knees before her, raising his beautiful eyes to her, he begged her to leave with him, but Odette could not make up her mind.

      «Richard,» she whispered.

      «Now I am the prince of darkness,» he answered sadly.

      She squeezed his hand, but suddenly lightning tore their hands. In a minute, Richard was no longer with her.

      Where did he go? He always appeared and disappeared like a ghost, like a vision, now he was the prince of the elves, and this divided them in a way that the enemies could never separate.

      And in the thicket, not far from the palace, beautiful eyes followed her and a voice whispered:

      «I would give my life for you, but my life belongs to witchcraft.»

      Odette turned around, it seemed to her that some quiet voice called her, but there was no one here, and she alone stood by the transparent lake and could not recover from this short meeting.

      Richard disappeared as he had many years ago. She didn’t know if he would ever return.

      Suddenly Odette saw a dark figure in the light of the lights. Suddenly, the shape of the figure began to change, the dark folds of his clothes turned into locks of red hair, and a red-haired witch stood in front of Odette. Odette froze with horror, but the vision faded, and before her stood only an old woman in tatters. She walked over to Odette and bowed her head politely.

      «Hello, Princess Odette,» she said.

      «How do you know my name?» Odette was surprised, but the old woman just grinned.

      «Who doesn’t know Princess Odette,» she said, «everyone in the country says that she is the most beautiful girl in the whole kingdom.

      «Thank you,» she burst out.

      «And seeing you,» the old woman continued, «one can understand why you are considered the most beautiful.»

      The old woman walked around Odette, peering at her, as if at some antique statue.

      «Today is the day of your majority,» she said, «believe me, this is the most wonderful day that can only be in the life of a girl like you. You are very beautiful.»

      How did the old woman come here, since the gate to the garden was guarded by guards?

      «How did you get here?» Odette asked.

      «By chance, and at the same time not,» she replied strangely.

      «But the gate is guarded.»

      «Nothing can be so well guarded that no one gets inside.»

      «There are guards there, how did you get in?»

      «Witchcraft can