[Odette stands alone at the edge of a pond. From the other side, a strange figure slowly makes their way across the water. Odette stared at it in confusion. Tears rolled down its dark skin like black tar. Its eyes were pitch black, and yet its expression was filled with sorrow. Other than that, it was a spitting image of her. She had the same white dress, same pearl headpiece, and the same feathers around her ears.]
Odette: "What are you?"
[The figure's tears pooled into the pond's water, slowly turning it black. It reaches out its arm to Odette, beckoning her. Odette grasps it, and the figure places her hand on its chest. Its mouth moves as if it were speaking, but no words come out. Instead, the sound of its heart beats slowly gets louder, until it is the only thing Odette can hear. The sound is in her chest, in her throat and in her ears. It won't stop. Odette puts her hands by her head, but the sound continues to consume her.]
[And then Odette jolts up in a panic, now back in her swan form. The pond is back to its clear state, and the mysterious figure is nowhere to be seen. The noise has stopped, but she can still feel it pounding in her head. And then it disappears, just as quickly as it began.]
[No matter how much she tried, Odette could not make sense out of the dream she just had. Was that person supposed to be her, and if so, what did it want? Before she could think about it any further, another swan rushed over to Odette's side. The swan quickly looked around, checking for any dangers to the rest of the flock before turning back to Odette]
Penny: "Is everything alright, love?"
[Penny was one of the tallest swans in the flock. Kind yet sometimes overbearing, she has been by Odette's side since the day Rothbart's spell took its hold on them.]
Penny: "Did you have another dream about Rothbart?"
Odette: "No, this time it was different. There was a person who looked like me but felt different somehow.. It was as if she was someone else entirely who was wearing my face. It seemed like she wanted to tell me something, but after that all I remember is that everything got too loud for me to think clearly."
Penny: "Well it's obvious you've spent too much time alone today."
[Penny turned and nodded her head towards the pond]
Penny: "You should join us this time. Cydney said she's going to tell us everything new she's learned about the neighboring kingdom. It would be a good way to get your mind off of things."
Odette: "Sure… I'll join you all later. I just need to stretch my wings for a bit."
Penny: "Well, at least make sure you come back before dusk!"
[Odette took off in the direction of the forest, having barely heard Penny's warning. Penny meant well, but Odette knew that taking a moment to feel the wind through her feathers would help clear her mind much more than Cydney's gossip.]
[After flying for a couple minutes, Odette heard a noise from beyond the trees. She could see a man push his way through, a crossbow in his hand. Odette froze, trying not to draw attention to herself. Despite her best efforts, the man still spotted her. As he raised his crossbow at her, the sun slowly disappeared beyond the horizon, and the light of the moon shone from behind the clouds. Odette began to glow shortly afterward, and transformed back into her human form. All that remained from her cursed state were the feathers around her ears and dress.]
[The man slowly lowered his crossbow, as if he was under some sort of spell. After a short while, he collected himself and bowed to Odette. He looked up at her with awestruck eyes.]
"I am Prince Siegfried of Thornwood. And what might the enchanting young lady before me be called?"