Undoing the Swan Girl

by Natalie-Nicole Bates

  Erich’s head turned back toward the door, and then returned to her. “No one will come in, Princess. Don’t worry.” He held out his arms to her. “Now come to me. Hurry! We don’t have much time!”

  Princess did not hesitate, and immediately flung herself into his waiting arms, which then encircled her tight and pulled her close, his lips crushed down onto hers. By instinct, her eyes closed. She wound her arms around his neck, her breasts pressed against his hard chest, her nipples tingled beneath the thin fabric of the nightgown she wore, and she could feel what she soon realized was his fully erect cock pressed against her belly.

  The tip of his tongue pried open her lips, and passed into her mouth. Princess never experienced such a jolt. Never had she known these wonderful secrets shared between men and women in the privacy of their bedroom. His tongue found hers, and together began an intimate dance.

  Then nothing.

  Princess’s eyes flew open to nothing but darkness. Her arms clutched at emptiness. No longer was she in Erich’s arms, lost in his deep kiss, but back in her little cloistered cell.

  He was gone.

  And Princess began to silently cry.

  Chapter Four

  Days passed uneventfully, and turned into weeks. Princess settled into a routine. Every evening she left her little cell to work in the kitchen of the Swan Club. Sometimes Noreen would visit, but it was difficult to hold a conversation when only one person could speak.

  As often as she could, she secretly ventured out of the cell, and tip-toed through the endless hallways and corridors, hoping to catch glimpse of her brothers, but never found them.

  Every night when she went to bed, she longed for Erich to return to her in the secret dream-like state they shared; to feel his arms around her, to taste his mouth. Yet she woke again every morning without experiencing his touch.

  The loneliness now grated on her. Yet Princess knew with each day and night that passed, she was closer to the six-week period when not only her beloved brothers would return to themselves, but once again she would be able to speak. Maybe someday she would feel like singing.

  It was a day like any other since she’d arrived at the Swan Club. She lay in bed staring at a tiny spider that crept slowly across the cracked, pitted ceiling. Sometimes she would indulge in an hour or two of studying the sex manual Tinsel left behind, and daydreamed of her next meeting with Erich, imagined his touch on her skin, his lips upon hers, of what he would do to her body. How it would feel. How she would eagerly please him in return.

  The door to her cell suddenly swung open, and Princess startled. Shock turned to dismay when she saw Valentina enter, and close the door behind her. Valentina, dressed in her usual dark red satin, carried with her a compact of silver, bejeweled with ruby gemstones. Valentina liked expensive things, and most likely, Princess knew her father financed such luxuries.

  Princess leapt to her feet, and did a little bow. Yes, she learned all the right protocol when it came to Madam Valentina.

  “Sit, Bella,” Valentina commanded.

  Immediately, she dropped to the bed, and folded her hands demurely in her lap.

  Valentina opened the compact, and a palette of shimmering colors appeared inside, along with a delicate pearl brush.

  At once, Valentina began to brush the rainbow of colors onto Princess’s eyes, and puffed white powder on to her cheeks. She remained very still, eyes forward, and hoped the woman didn’t realize her repulsion towards her.

  What was Valentina up to?

  When she finished with the colors, Valentina reached for a hairbrush and began to brush and plait her hair, pulling, tugging and twisting the entire time. Princess knew not to shed a tear. Instead, she squeezed her pain into a tight fist, until her nails pierced her palm.

  Valentina rummaged around in the bottom drawer of the bureau that held all of the feathery costumes that once belonged to the former tenant of the cell, Tinsel. Removing a gold hair comb elaborately decorated with white feathers and jewels, she slid the comb into Princess’s hair, and then held the hand mirror.

  Princess stared at herself. The reflection did not appear to be herself—at least not who she knew. Her hair was plaited into many intricate swirls pinned to her head. Tendrils of hair fell in wisps, framing her face. The colored powders took her skin from pale to alive and shimmering. Her lips were full and pink.

  Finally, Valentina held one of the feathery costumes. “Strip, Bella.”

  Princess obeyed, but a sense of red hot shame flamed across her body, as she fumbled to remove her black uniform. It wasn’t so long ago that she emerged before Erich fully nude from the creek, believing it was a natural act.

  Her body trembled as Valentina went about stuffing her into the tiny costume.

  Did she not understand that Tinsel was a much smaller girl?

  “The smaller it is, the more appealing you look and that is all that matters,” Valentina commented, and smoothed the shoulder straps in place. “You’re shivering like a trapped little mouse. Perhaps we should call you Mouse instead of Bella.”

  Princess didn’t much care what she called her. All she wanted to know was what would come next.

  “Come along, Bella.”

  At the last second, she caught sight of herself in a full length mirror. She had become a swan girl! Not a real one of course, but one meant to catch the eye of lustful, love starved men who would line the coffers of the club with their money.

  Princess followed her through the twist and turning hallways and corridors, until they reached the doors to the Swan Club.

  Her heart fluttered in her chest. Was she going to dance?

  The club was quiet before the guests’ arrival. Tables and chairs sat empty. Behind the closed stage curtains, the band warmed up for the evening show. A few girls dressed similarly in swan-like costumes, mulled around the ballroom, some in conversation.

  Valentina clapped her hands, and everyone came to immediate attention.

  “Anna! Martha! One of you get Bella a glass of wine!”

  The two girls scampered out of the ballroom, returning a few minutes later with a dark red filled crystal wine glass.

  “Drink up, Bella. It will relax you.”

  Princess never so much as sniffed wine. Father never kept anything alcoholic in the house. She took a tentative sip. The fruity liquid glided over her tongue. The taste was not quite unpleasant.

  A few minutes later, a warm heat filled her body, and her senses swam. She sank into a plush velvet chair, closed her eyes and enjoyed the heady buzz.

  Some time passed, and Valentina appeared. Princess’s little heart nearly stopped when she saw the mutant swan creature trail behind her. It was clearly her brother Alexander.

  She opened her pink painted mouth to say something to him…anything, but there was no sound. Silently, she thanked Erich for this protection. If she retained her voice, surely her secret would be out now. When he looked at her, it was more he was looking straight through her, and did not recognize his own sister.

  “Up, Bella, onto the stage, we’re going to open the doors soon.”

  She jumped at once, and followed Valentina up the small staircase, and through the curtains she parted. As if on cue, the swings descended from above, and Valentina led her before a swing elaborately decorated with lilacs. The swing was quite a distance from the floor of the stage.

  Valentina looked at Alexander.

  “You! Lift the girl gently on to the swing! If you leave one mark on her, I’ll pull every feather from your horrendous body until you writhe in agony!” With her words, she yanked a feather from his wing, causing him to cower.

  Fear for her brother filled Princess. There was nothing she could do but watch, and pray they survived until the six weeks passed.

  Alexander lifted her by her waist, and set her on the swing. At once, the swing rose up from the stage, and she clutched the twisted ropes to stay balanced.

  Now what?

  “Just smile, and look beautiful, Bel
la. Make every man in the audience lust for you, and every woman want to be you,” Valentina called to her.

  She could do that.

  Over the next many minutes, Princess strained to listen as the club doors opened. Patrons poured in and took seats.

  And the music rose up, the great red velvet curtains parted, and light flooded the stage.

  Across the stage another girl dressed similarly to her, but in pink, slowly propelled her rose covered swing, a smile radiated from her face.

  Princess copied the behavior, and applause filled the club.

  She liked the attention.

  As she caught on to the routine, Princess learned that by simply changing the angles of her arms, or twisting her legs, it evoked murmurs of delight from the patrons, who were mostly men. She soon discovered she could maintain the routine, and make eye contact with the patrons at the same time.

  Then, from her vantage point high above the stage, she saw something else.

  At each door, one of her brothers, in their full mutant swan form, stood at fierce attention guarding the club, and its patrons.

  The situation wasn’t ideal, for sure, but she now knew them to be safe. She could watch over them to a small degree.

  As time passed, beautiful women entered the stage. Some sang, some danced, but all were gloriously magnificent. They also had something else in common, too. They were all dressed in white feathers. Obviously, these ladies were Valentina’s chosen favorites. White was something to aspire to and something Princess would surely attain while at her short time remaining at the club. This she promised herself.

  When finally, the night drew to a close, and the patrons were ushered from the club, the swing descended once more to the floor. Her brothers exited, and a band member, a blond gentleman with a lovely face and soft hands, lifted Princess from the swing with a smile. As handsome as he was, he stirred no passion in her. Her heart still ached for Erich’s return.

  Afterward, there was no more eating in the kitchen with the other servants. The servants now brought plates of food and wine to the club tables for the band, and the stage girls. Although she couldn’t speak, she sensed an immediate acceptance, and that pleased her. Never before had she experienced anything like this in her nearly twenty years. Once she had been perfectly satisfied behind the doors of her palatial family home, with only her father and brothers.

  Now, she was seeing a new side to life. This was magnificent splendor.

  And she liked it.

  She liked it a lot.

  ***

  When Princess returned that night to her cell, she used a thick cream to strip away the heavy layer that colored her face. She removed the pins and adornments from her hair, and let it fall out past her shoulders with a silent sigh of satisfaction. She brushed it until it became soft and shiny. Finally, she removed her costume, extinguished the lights, and crawled into her welcoming bed, and fell fast asleep.

  When she opened her eyes, everything had changed around her. No longer was she in her bed in her tiny cell, but outside in darkness, the only light thrown from the nearly full moon above. A soft wind blew, and the scent of jasmine feathered the air. She floated several inches above the mossy earth floor.

  A small boat rowed to the edge of a misty lake, and a hand beckoned to her. Excitement welled when she saw Erich in his true form, not the deadly nightshade being. Sprinting to the lake, he took her hand into his, and pressed a kiss into her palm, before helping her step inside the boat.

  She settled back in the boat, while he rowed out into the lake. Her eyes settled on the midnight black sky above, and the scattering of stars held within it.

  Princess lulled her head back, her arm outside the boat, fingertips grazing the pleasantly warm water. She wasn’t sure how much time passed before Erich secured the oars, and held his arms out to her. Gleefully, she crawled into his warm embrace, and relaxed against him. His fingers stroked her bare arms, his lips pressed against her hair.

  He spoke no words, but at that moment, no words needed spoken. Princess felt something she hadn’t experienced for a very long time.

  Contentment.

  Yes, she was content to remain like this, adrift with Erich, for a very long time. To not have to think about returning from this wondrous place back to her body, back to her little cell. Back to the knowledge that soon she would need to smuggle her brothers out of the dangerous confines of the Swan Club.

  Why couldn’t they stay together in this bliss forever?

  When he retook the oars and rowed the boat back to the edge of the lake, Princess wondered if this is where their night ended. Even if it did, she wouldn’t trade their time together, no matter how short, even to be the featured dancer on stage at the club.

  He helped her from the boat, and no sooner than her bare feet touched the ground did he pull her into his arms, his firm lips crushing down onto hers, parting them. His tongue searched for hers. At that moment, she nearly swooned, and collapsed against him.

  He pushed the filmy white fabric of the nightgown she wore off her shoulders. It slid from her body, and pooled into a puddle at her feet. She dared to run her hands along the hard planes of his chest, over his flat belly. Every touch was something new.

  He pushed down his own white gauzy trousers, and they stood face to face, naked beneath the moonlight. Princess could not break her gaze from his handsome face. When he stepped closer to her, his full erection pressed against her bare belly and enflamed every nerve within her.

  Gently, he lowered her to the soft bed of leaves on the earth, and stretched out fully on top of her. If by their own will, her legs bent at the knee and pulled back to received his cock now pressed against the wet entrance of her womanhood. Her body vibrated both from excitement, and a bit of fear of what might come.

  His body lurched forward, and the force of his cock entering her caused her body to involuntarily arch upward, her mouth falling open in a silent gasp as a sprinkling of stars filled her sight. There was pain, but it was brief, and Erich comforted her with deep, penetrating kisses.

  As her body adjusted to the feeling of his cock stretching her, going deeper, the pain she felt earlier was now replaced with a warm, pulsing feeling as he moved his length in and out, gently sawing her pussy. It was unlike anything she ever experienced, even when she pleasured herself at night time.

  His tempo sped and his breath came in pants, and she found her own hips matching his thrusts until her release burst from her root center and cascades of pure, raw pleasure came in wave after wave after wave. When her senses stopped spinning, she watched the rapture on Erich’s face as he found his own release.

  He peppered her face and neck with kisses, and his now receding cock slipped from her. It was the oddest, yet most titillating feeling.

  Now up on his elbows, he stared down at her. His blue eyes were ethereal in the moonlight.

  “I feel our time is about to end, my Princess. Don’t forget me. I live for the time we share together.”

  Panic filled her at his mention they would now part again, and the achingly loneliness she felt when they were apart would return once again and consume her. After what they shared, how could it just fizzle and fade away? She clutched his forearms, and vehemently shook her head.

  “You know I will be back for you, Princess.”

  His gentle expression, the softness of his voice calmed her. When his lips covered hers once again, she dissolved from their paradise.

  ***

  Princess woke again with the same intense loneliness she experienced when Erich was parted from her. A sadness filled her heart, as she stared at the ceiling above her and contemplated yet another day alone, another lonely night at the Swan Club.

  At least she could lose herself in a few hours of fantasy at the club, soaring high above the audience on her flower draped swing.

  When the door to her cell opened, she startled momentarily until she saw Valentina’s dark shock of hair. Now she felt only repulsion she would need to mask.<
br />
  She swung her legs over the side of the bed, and quickly got to her feet to give Madam Valentina a small curtsy.

  “Good morning, Bella.” The evil witch of a woman placed a cup of steaming tea on the night table next to the bed.

  Princess nodded in return.

  “I came to give you this, Bella.”

  The woman held out a gold compact, encrusted with lilac gemstones. It was the most beautiful item she had received in a long time. It almost made her forget how much she detested Valentina, and being called out of her real name.

  She reached for the compact with quivering fingers, but stopped at the last moment.

  “It’s okay, Bella. Take it. It’s yours. A little gift for the wonderful performance you put on last night. The audience loves you, and I can tell how much you love the performance.”

  She took the compact, stopping to run an admiring finger along the rough cut stones. Opening the hook latch, she saw a palette of colored powders, just like the ones Valentina made up her face with the evening before. It was simply stunning.

  She mouthed the words ‘thank you’ to Valentina.

  In return, Valentina smiled, and for a one fleeting moment, she appeared as a beautiful woman to Princess, rather than the repulsive witch who destroyed the lives of her brothers and herself.

  Valentina ran a hand through Princess’s hair, her fingers with their long, lacquered red nails, stroked over her cheek. On her first finger was the onyx rose ring Erich mentioned to her. It was the ring that contained her poisons. Princess held as still as she could, and fought the urge to slap her hand away. She came too far in this bitter adventure to ruin everything now.

  When Valentina bent forward and covered Princess’s lips with her own, she didn’t understand the gesture and froze. Was this how women showed affection? This was how she thought a man kissed a woman. How Erich kissed her in their little dream world.

  Yet, Valentina’s lips parted slightly and deepened the kiss, her lips soft, rather than the firmness of Erich’s lips. It wasn’t unpleasant, and in fact, if she didn’t despise this woman with every fiber of her body, she might have enjoyed this new twist.