In a beautiful lake, lived the most beautiful swans. People loved to see them as they danced around the crystalline blue waters that glowed under the sun.
Amongst all of the swans, there was one that stood out the most. This swan captivated everyone, whether when she is dancing or just floating above water basking under the wonderful heat of the sun and the gazes of many. No one can take their eyes off of this swan, she was admired by many, they placed her above all the other's swan just because of her beauty.
All the swans in the lake and the humans who adored her gave her gifts and everything she would have ever wanted. Jewels, beautiful tiara's, golden combs all of which interpreted their undying devotion to her beauty. It made the swan feel superior from everyone else and she used their admiration for her to give her more of what she could ever want even though it wasn't meant for her to have. Eventually, everyone started to address the beautiful swan into Swan Queen.
The Swan Queen however, like any other swan inevitably fell in love. Although she feared that everyone would stray away from her for loving someone, that fear did not came to be as the other swans and the humans only revered her more for being together with the most beautiful male swan among their bevy. The male swan was a devoted mate, an equally captivating swan who she danced around until the people cried with total admiration.
The Swan Queen was equally in love and devoted to the male swan that they started to call as, Swan King. Their mutual love made the whole bevy happy and so did the humans. They celebrated their love and even created statues for them. They became the symbol of love in all of the town and not just the lake. They became the beautiful King and Queen of the beautiful lake and of the rest of the swans.
Together, the Swan Queen and King lead the swans in every dances and where ever the King and Queen would go humans and swans watched them and kept them safe from any harm.
What they did not know is how the Swan Queen's fame and glory has eaten her. Anyone who tried to outdo her beauty would be impaled or driven away by other swans with just a whisper of her persuasive words. All this she did without even being blamed. That's how powerful and manipulative she had become with just using the fame she was given.
Her beauty masked the darkness and selfishness in her heart. She swore no one in the time of her existence will there ever be someone more beautiful than her.
Until one day, the Queen announces of her pregnancy of their first child. Everyone celebrated in so much joy! They were sure that their offspring would be as beautiful as the parents and as talented in dancing as her parents. They celebrated for 7 days alone for the announcement of the pregnancy and after that everyone became more careful around the Queen. They spoiled her even more and did not stop until the Queen says they stop.
One day the Queen was looking at the beautiful mirror gifted to her, she saw how her pregnancy is changing her body and she feared this child will destroy her beauty. She panicked! She must find a way to get rid of her! She can't let this child ruin her! With her unreasonable panic, the Queen gave birth to her child pre-maturely.
Luckily the princess, yes a beautiful daughter, was safely given birth by the Queen.
Oh how the swans danced and sung of the Princess' beauty! The humans were equally captivated!
Once again, the Queen fear of her fall from her title! They were singing the princess' name and not hers! She thought of how easily the swans and human alike were weak to beauty! She became mad at them and most of all she envied the innocent swan she had given birth to. There is also her concern of her increasing age! She is becoming old and whether she like it or not she WILL become old, ugly and weak! The mere thought of her fame fading before her eyes scared the Queen!
However, the Queen also started to hear the praises of her name much louder than ever! They sung out her name with more admiration with how an angel like her can also create a beautiful angel! No one can do that but her!
That's when a brilliant idea occurred to the Queen! For the swans and humans to continue to admire her she just simply has to raise the Princess into her likeness!
In that instant the Queen announced that the Princess will have the name as her, although she in fact has a name of her own, and the swans and humans listened to her without any protests not even from her loving husband.
The Princess was raised indeed like the Queen, she was taught to dance as identical as her mother. After all if she would be the key to the Queen's immortal fame she must become her!
The Princess grew loving her mother Queen and only listening to her words just like all the others. She grew up with only one thing in mind, for her to be like her mother.
Came the day of the Princess' official performance in front of everyone that her parents reign over and she can't help but feel their piercing gaze go through her. She felt like they were not there to watch her dance but to watch how much she is like her mother. At that moment the Princess could only remember her mother's words,
"Don't make any mistakes. I don't make them."
At that moment she felt the pressure of such words and although she did danced with no mistakes the Queen was still not happy with her performance and only pointed out the most subtle mistake or rather, the most subtle difference between them.
As the days turned into months, and months to year. The Queen's obsession of turning the Princess into her exact copy only grew more deeper while the Princess slowly saw her mother's obsession and although it took a toll on her health, she did not stop from doing what her mother wants her to do because she loves her mother and genuinely looked up to her.
But what can happen to love when greed prevailed more each day? It disappears.
The Princess rebel from her Queen mother by marrying a lowly swan. The Queen was disappointed with the Princess and drove her away from their beautiful lake, and finally after all the years of keeping her freedom away from her the Princess was freed from the shackles of her mother's greed even though it cost her, her fame and prestige.
The Princess and her husband lived happily in a different lake without her mother's intervention. She danced when she wanted to and danced with gusto! She learned of unconditional and beautiful love. A feeling she'd never felt before! A feeling she had always wanted!
Happiness reigned over despite the hurt and the pain of the past. Until one day a tragedy befalls the beautiful lake, the Swan King has died! It was not long for the announcement that the Swan King has died spread all around the lake and to the next.
The Queen sought after her daughter's comfort and the Princess, with her love for her mother still there, gave the love and support she needed.
What the Princess didn't know is when she came back to her mother she would be shackled once again by her mother's obsession with her that the she hid under the guise of needing her daughter's support as she grieves for losing her husband.
The Queen made the Princess dance for her like how she did before, and her desire to turn the Princess just like her was ignited even more. She was continuously driven by her mother to dance like her pretty little puppet once again and if she won't dance, the Queen will tell her how ungrateful she is and how she should be thankful for being the Swan Queen's child!
The fire that burned from her greed was scorching, and little by little it burned the Princess.
The vicious cycle she was put in was something that not everyone could comprehend and so none was able to help her. She suffered with it again and again, her only comfort are the tears that run down her cheeks every night.
The Princess danced till the Queen's content every time, and in every step she made she felt how she is losing a part of herself. Just like that, the happy Princess was back to her miserable past. From a free-spirited dancer she became an empty vessel once again, filled with nothing but her mother's greed and personal desire.
What can greed do to a person? It devours them.
Her mother's greed devoured the Princess from her heart, her body, and her soul. She felt as if there is nothing left for her to feel, nothing to call hers. Her beautiful mind succumbed to the fiery pits of her mother's scorching fire. Nothing, not even her beloved could save her from this burning feeling that she wanted nothing more but to escape from.
In front of everyone who had fed her mother's pride and greed, the beautiful Princess danced for one last time until she broke into a thousand pieces, the dust that was once her body rode with the wind like glistening stars.
Although her body has disappeared into the wind, she left her golden heart behind. Her love, her happiness, her only strength.
"My little Mauve. I love you baby."
The Princess whispered one more time to the wind before she took her place on the beautiful night sky as one of its brilliant stars.
🌊🌊🌊
I wanted a chapter that told the story of Mauve's mom, Chontelle.
I hope this chapter atleast cleared up some confusion about Chontelle's name which changed from Antoinette Beau to Chontelle Belmaire.
So yes, she carries the maiden name of Helene and her second name as a stage name, which Helene also used when she was a ballerina. I hope this chapter and this little explanation made it clear.
This is a double update once again! Because I wasn't able to update on time again. See you on chapter 18!
-Shiena🤍