Paddling in the shallow of an end of the lake where the reeds became thicker. His long neck reached out as his black beak to reach the water in picking up the rich grasses of the lake to nourish his body.

The boy had not come with pleasant words and bread for the swan as he did.

Worry was not a normal feeling a swan of his kind might feel in this. Just he did, it was an odd thing to feel in his thoughts being pulled to concepts he could not hold or wish to try to.

Still, he paused, in listening to the voices of the humans doing things, woman humming while sewing under an oak tree, a scream of children in full games, the cries of his own as a few took flight in running over the surface of the lake. Just those swans were not his own kind.

Was the boy? Blinking his violet eyes, his mind pulled back to the memory that flooded his mind. Recollections of a previous life in some other body, one of two legs and two hands. Hands that held books for learning, a sword, and bow for fighting and a crown he held only once on that night.

How long ago? He lowered his neck close to his body in grief, shaking slightly in the flood of the past carrying his soul away to some other time, some other full moon night which was coming in hours away.

That night.....

Already some fireworks from the local town flared into the sky to burn in cheers of the folk of all kinds and walk of life exalted in the naming of the Heir that night! Bars lay open as many a fire might cook food for all, children dashing around in bright ribbon streamers flowed in the pleasant light as couples danced in music fled from corners!

This was night 16 years in making for Valor to take his place, to be king and lead his lands to fruitfulness and peace. Just now even if Valor had been groomed for this post, the young black-haired man had jugged down half a bottle of mild wine to alleviate his nerves.

Well, tragic thing was the wine only seemed to make him more nerves and jittery. In only an hour, he would walk out into the ballroom, lit up with fey lights of many colors to make a living rainbow on the white marble. Clear crystal trees that were shaped by the Fey in the days past and left as a gift to the family would flow and hum in the sounds of silver bells. Over the ballroom, the stars had been painted into the dome, moving as if the real sky and a shower of shooting stars blazing a trail down to crash on the floor below to dazzle up in playful sparks when hitting. Bubbles, rainbowed in prism floated on the pleasant air of the gardens as the windows let in the crisp air of the stormy spring.

Swallowing the last drop from his glass, Valor stood. Slipping on his black jacket and straightening it. Feeling the pendant of the silver swan that was the symbol of his house and all members of the family and close friend would where. This would be the night to transform his life!

Receiving the golden horns call the ceremonies to start, the prince stood taller in his place. Eyes on the doors he would walk out into the throng of his peers and his father and mother waiting for him in love and pride. Val smiled, recognizing he was ready!

Just that midnight would go down as he might think, nor his family or any of the individuals of the kingdom. Deep in the older part of the castle, a light flickered along in a blackened room. Bare minus a bed unmade for weeks, a stained mug shattered on the floor only the fire's light could see.

It danced, this blaze in the hearth. Enchanting the soul who saw the fire for more, shapes in it casting out in the sparks. Uttering a pleasant whisper as it done for months now to Rothbart, younger brother to that so-called king. The monarch he should have been would have been if not for his weak body. His curse perhaps of some deeds he had done to gain the Magic he had, just it was their magic, the genuine powers are given to him to do their wish in these lands.

"Soon my son.... soon." the fire hissed in mothers' voices to him.

He smirked, tasting the coppery blood in his mouth as he sucked on a tooth and spat it out onto the stone floor. It leaped a few, leaving a wet trail for the fire to reflect in the mix of blood and salvia. Feeling already the change in his body, the push of a new tooth in the gums to replace the one he had lost.

"Soon my love...." they whispered, the fire dancing, glowing brighter in the glee of the events to come that night.

Fluttering in the recollection, the swan shook his head in trying to clear or rid himself of the human thoughts. Hearing the voice of the man he had once been shouting out in the memories so familiar now in his soul.

What lingered was an impression no other his kind might hold in their breast: hate. Such a feeling was not known to any animal that had been born into this land or any place. Hate was a human emotion, a mortal feeling born of grief or betrayal. He had this sense in the wash of memories lingering in his mind. Puffing out his feathers and coming to flap his immense wings in making ripples over the reeds to the beach.

Trying to shudder away this emotion, still, it did no more good. The swan let his body steady and the water around seeking to calm. Somewhere, the mournful of a loon sounded out as the sun was setting, casting out the deep shadows of the ruins of the castle. Only two of its towers stood, recalling a magnificent kingdom before that night.

That night the royal family died had loved and ruled these lands of Erdin. He cast a steady look at the towers, stirring in the scorn as his violet eyes narrowed in clicking his beak, trying to speak maybe? Feeling more of the memories crawl out of his soul, knowing the moon was close in her fullness and would be soon on this lake.

If only that night had not happened..

His body ached, having slide over the marble floor from the blast that just happened. He felt his back burned from the fire as shards one of the crystal trees had also launched into his back from the slide. Hitting a table, Valor muffled a cry of pain in inhaling any air his lungs struggled to have to feed his body into the shock of what had happened.

Blinking, he lay on his left side, in everything was a moving blur while over the ringing in his ears. People screamed in confusion, running in every which way, a woman not too far from her with her brown eyes open had parts of her scarlet dress burned right into flesh in odd parts. The French braid her long black hair had been in tossed over her shoulder as the blue gems fixed in her hair lay spread around from the throw of the blast.

He detected the acidness of scorched flesh, his own and hers in a meager. Working to push his upper body up, every part of him in ways he could not name. Sealing his eyes to regain more grasp, the yellings and screaming of the guest edged deeper it seemed.

Hauling himself up, he pushed away from the pain burning in his back in his hands touching the floor under him shudder from something. Valor for the moment shook his head as the ringing still fought to stay in his ears. Advancing with a fist when a steady hand gripped his forearm to get him up.

Ducking a little at the swing, Luke only grasped his shoulders to make his face closer. "Valor! It's me!"

"Luke?" he thought, his eyes concentrating on those jade eyes and or was it one eye? He got to his feet, his back and limps whimpering in the strain still feeding his body from the hit had taken.

Still hurting, his mind formed thoughts. "Luke, my parents?"

Spitting out blood in his mouth, his eye tooth had broken up. Valor only blinked, his eyes steadying only a limited to see a horde of smoke, it wasn't smoke? It floated on the air, oily and moving as flashes of blood-tinted colors mixed with the twisting thing. It was at the altar where he and his family had been standing just heartbeats ago!? What got him to stop was the body of his father.

He had always seemed immense, not just on his impressive shoulders. His aura filled the room whenever he took a step into it. Only did it go was when his wife and queen might have a tough word with him or in any of his children got sick or hurt. Then he was a friendly and humble man, loving and teaching all he could to make them ready for the world.

Now he was dead, his whole head had been demolished in, bits of his skull poking out in the flap of his skin. Black hair burned to the scale with blood still leaking out from the lashes of hands that had crushed the man's skull as if nothing. Limps had been the twist with joints all the incorrect ways and further blood smearing on the pristine floor, pooling dark in the fey lights reminding in the storm danced in the glee of its kill of this so-called king of his nation.

Valor felt his world collapse, his father gone! Only Luke's substantial arm kept him from falling to his knees from the confusion of this all, "Valor, we need to get out! We can't do anything! Mari already got your mom and dragged her down the tunnel to the below."

Grinding his teeth, his other thoughts jumped to his sister. "Luke, get my sister and get her the fuck out! Protect her and my mom! She's all we got left behind!"

Gasping, Luke gripped his prince and friend tighter in a mad man's grasp and dragged him away. "No Val! You are the Inheritor, you have to get out!"

"NO!" He shoved his companion aside with his hatred now maintaining his power, his magic boiling in his blood to be used on that thing. "I'm the only one left with energies that might slow it down! Promise me! Promise me you will defend them and get them to my mother's people!"

Luke looked at his prince, his friend with his one reminding good eye. Nodding, he knew this was the last time he would see Valor. Grasping his shoulder, he noticed he had blood on his hand. "With everything I have, I will look after them Prince Valor, my friend!"

Nodding, Luke only took back a step back in drawing his long sword and offering it to Valor. Not making eye connection, he took the blade's hilt and his magic fueled the gems that would channel his powers into the blade. Standing off, the knight ran in knowing if he looked back, he would do anything to fight by the Heir's side.

Prince Valor took a step forward, his magic now lighting up on his skin in a pale lilac, sparking in the call for blood. The mass seemed to grow smaller, denser in having the reaction of the magic of this boy who would dare to fight him. It seemed to laugh, acutely and brassy as it shimmered, crafting something more into a human-like mold in sickly amber eyes, vacant of anything smiled.

Valor narrows his eyes, his body struggling to keep the power flowing. Blood dripped down his back, hearing it drop on the floor louder than he wanted. His world was shattered into taking everything he had left and not thinking, brought his blade up for an attack and took a run at the killer of his parent.

Laughing, the mass changed into a shape he had known. A face close to his fathers, just lesser in steps. Just now before Valor might over a cry, the mass reached out and gripped him in the whisper now embracing him in the slithery clouds.

"I curse you so called once a prince, more than maybe the sweet death I gave your daddy. To never die, never in the shape of a man, only on a full moon so you can relive this moment in how you failed over and over. Never to die, trapped in a cage like I was, the one my brother made for me! Enjoy being the so-called symbol of this fallen house!" He whispered, twisting the shape of the prince as he cried out.

Valor fought, feeling his flesh being burned away, torn and shape like clay by his uncle. His mind reeling from the rape of the magic now clawing into his bones, lighting them and bending them for a new body as he screamed out his last human cry......to that of a....

Writer Notes:

Well here is the 2ed part of the Swan Prince!   This took a bit longer to write and edit!   Any comments and votes is loved and keeps me writing!   Thanks to all!