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"Duchess thinks about the night that her parents never came back."

Characters
Duchess Swan

Duchess' Parents

Story
The night was calm. The air was still.

Tonight was a beautiful night.

Duchess laid there on the dew tainted grass. She was looking up into the night sky.

On a night as clear as this one, you could see everything. Even the second star on the left was out tonight; but she wasn’t focused on that.

She only had eyes for one star.

The brightest star in the sky, the first one she saw that night.

As she lay on the soft patch of grass, she could not tear her gaze away. It was the one thing that drew the most attention, the one that stuck out the most. Every student made a wish on the wishing star. Perhaps for love, money, or just a happily ever after.

Not Duchess.

She stopped making wishes to the wishing star a long time ago.

Now, the only thing the star meant to her was some memories.

She still remembered them.

The small details were fuzzy; she couldn’t remember how old she was with the first memory. Was she three? Was she four? Maybe she was five? She didn’t know, all that she did know was that she was at an age where she didn’t understand the world. She didn’t understand just how cruel reality was. That night should have been her first sign.

 She was just a small child, and just like many children during such nights she had nightmares. The routine of a nightmare would have been the same, she would wake up during the night and cry from the fear of the images that she had to bear witness created from her very own mind, then her parents would come rushing to calm their crying baby girl – this night did not go the routine.

 “Ma...ma…”a young Duchess sat in bed, trying to speak out between sobs, “ma…ma…” she cried out for help again and again – but no hero came to her rescue. This should have been her first hint about the real world. The young girl sobbed silently to herself, waiting for someone to come sooth her.

 But no one came to her room.

 The shock of fear was beginning to disappear, her heartrate started to go back to normal. The lucid state of her started to disappear, her vision started to clear. She finally was able to notice that she was no longer in the nightmare world, but that she was in fact in her bedroom; albeit alone.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> “Mama?” Duchess called out.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> But no one came.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> For a child, the darkness was a scary thing. Even a young Duchess couldn’t just go back to sleep after the event that had just taken place. She made her move.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> Crawling out of the bed, she grabbed her little stuffed frog that she had always slept with and made her way to the door to her bedroom. She opened the door. She could hear some noise from down the hallway.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> The hallway was quiet. Unlike most children of her status, Duchess didn’t live in any extravagant house or anything of the like. It was just a simple log cabin, fit for three: a child and her two parents. That was the essentials this family needed. Duchess made her way to her parent’s bedroom.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> Though the halls were not long or big; to a child’s, the night made everything seem scary. To a small child that had only just awoken from a nightmare, the shadows themselves would cause her to remember her horrific time earlier.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> Duchess squeezed the stuffed frog tighter in her arms; squeezing it closer and closer to her heart – hoping that if she held it close enough, it would protect her. If she kept going, the shadows weren’t going to reach her. Once she made it through the dark tunnel she was going to find her happy place.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> She saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> She heard the fighting.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> “You don’t get it!” a woman spoke up.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> “Of course I get it!” another woman spoke.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> Two voices spoke from the room, both of them familiar to Duchess. She crept closer to the slightly opened door that the light was shining from.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> “If we don’t do this, then everything will be for naught, Odette.” The first woman spoke again.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> “I can’t do that,” the second woman, Odette, spoke, “We can’t do that to her.”

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> “But if we don’t do it, we will put her in danger! We will put our daughter in danger.”

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> Silence fell between the two. Duchess leaned in closer to the door, looking through the gap with one; watching the two people in the room.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> The young child watched as the woman, Odette, fell to her knees. “For the love of fairy godmother,” covered her face with her hands. “Why does this have to happen to us!” she started to cry.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> The other woman walked into Duchess’ view, she leaned down to one knee to be at eye level with Odette. “It’s because we fooled with destiny; worse, we are sinners.” She placed a hand on her shoulder. “And we can’t let Duchess suffer with us, not for what we did. She can’t be blamed for our sins.”

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> Odette looked up to the other woman; in tears. “Do you regret it? Regret us falling in love?”

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> The other woman smiled, “Of course not,” she said. “If we had the chance to repeat this story; I would have told you sooner how I felt.”

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> Duchess watched through the crack of the door as the two women kissed; something that she wasn’t unused to after all, these were her parents; but something was wrong. At the time, Duchess didn’t understand the situation; but even she wasn’t blind to the atmosphere…she just didn’t know what it was.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> “Mama!” Duchess spoke up.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> The two women turned to look at the door. “Duchess!?”

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">Duchess laid there quietly on the soft bed of grass, her eyes staring up at the night sky – how many times had the event of that night replayed in her mind? At this point and time; it was too many to count.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">Why was it that reality cruel? Even to a child?

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> “Thank you, mother” Odette spoke up.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> “It is no problem, my child.” The older lady said as she held tightly unto her granddaughter.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> Duchess wasn’t sure what was going on; still in the unknown. From the night before until this moment; where she was being held by her grandmother – a couple of suit cases were lying next to them; apparently she was staying with her. The issue here was the most glaring one.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> “Mama?” Duchess turned in her grandmother’s arms, turning to look at her parents. Again, she didn’t understand, but she knew that something was wrong. Something was going on.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> “Don’t worry, Duchess.” The other woman spoke up. “You are going to stay with grandma for a few days; it’s nothing to worry about.” She put on a big smile for her daughter. “We will be back in a few days to pick you up, we promise!” she placed a hand on her daughter’s cheek.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> Something was wrong. Even Duchess could tell her mother was lying.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> “Mama?!” Duchess was now scared.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> “Now, don’t you worry your pretty little head.” Duchess’ grandmother spoke up. The two of us will have fun together; and we will wait for your parent’s return.” She smiled; but it was a fake smile.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> Everybody was lying.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> “Thanks, mom.” The other woman spoke up, looking to the old lady with a smile.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> “No problem, my dear.” She said, tightening her grip on her grandchild. “Just please, come back safely.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> “Don’t worry we will.”

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> Why couldn’t anybody tell the truth?

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);"> Held tightly in her grandmother’s arms, Duchess watched as her parents disappeared. Never to be seen again since that night.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">Duchess gritted her teeth.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">“But, mama said they would come back for me!”

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">How many times had Duchess repeated those lies to her grandmother? Too much for any child to say, that was the only truth. She was mad at the fact that her parents just left her like that, and why not? It was totally reasonable to be angered at the fact that a good chunk of her childhood, she was led by those words that was spoken to her.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">Her entire childhood was about those lies. How many times did she hope that her parents would come to school? How many times did she hope that they would walk in on her birthdays to surprise her? How many nights did she stay up, hoping that they would come walking in to pick her up; only to fall asleep by the door way?

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">Everyone lied to her so much, she was lying to herself.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">Duchess lifted up a hand to the night sky. She reached out as if she was trying to grasp the brightest star.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">How many times did she wish on the brightest star in the sky? How many times did she wish on the wishing star? How many nights did she waste trying to wish with all of her heart? But nothing came. They never came. No matter how much she wished.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">Wishes were meaningless.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">They were pointless.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">This world was too cruel.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">As a child she didn’t understand it, but now she did – but it didn’t make things better. Sure, her parents may have gone off the book, but why did she have to suffer? Was this the ending that duchess was going to face? All because she was born this way?

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">She clenched her fist tightly, as if trying to say that she would crush the wishing star.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">She didn’t need wishes.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">She wanted to change her story. She wanted a happily ever after.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">Her mothers’ story was that of Odette and Odile, twin swan birds that fell in love with one another. In that, it was that love that gave birth to Duchess. They went off the book. Even worst, they were sinners. She was born from the seed of that sin.

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">Why was it that Duchess had to suffer for the sins of her parents?

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">Why was it that her parents had to be taken away because they loved their child?

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">If their love was forbidden did that mean that Duchess was forbidden?

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">Was love even forbidden for Duchess?

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">Why did she have to face such a story?

<p style="outline:0px;font-weight:normal;font-size:15.12px;font-family:"LucidaGrande","LucidaSansUnicode","GNUUnifont",Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:1.286emauto;line-height:1.5;color:rgb(42,42,42);">She didn’t choose to be born into it.