Swan Princess

I catch her just before she hits the ground and lift her in my arms, the feathers of her dress tickling my face when I do.

“Well, this is not what I expected to be doing tonight,” I say, looking down at her masked face. 

“Aren’t you the hero,” Dominic says, peering at her as I lay her down on one of the stone benches before the lake. He fingers some of the feathers on her dress. “What do you think she’s supposed to be?”

“A swan, you idiot,” I say, peeling her mask away from her face. 

The moment it’s off, I stop dead.

“Holy f—,” Dominic says when he sees her face.

“No way,” I say.

Dominic pats me on the back. “Princess got out of her tower, Brother?” 

I ignore him and peer closer at her. “It’s not her. Can’t be.” 

“Her doppelgänger then. Let’s go back to the party.” He starts to walk away. 

“We can’t just leave her out here with idiots like those two wandering around, can we?”

“Take her inside then. She’s not your problem. Not yet.” He waggles his eyebrows like he finds this hilarious.

I shake my head. If anyone finds out she’s here, it will not go well. My family will be a laughingstock and I don’t even want to think about the consequences that will follow.

“Don’t tell me you care what happens to her,” Dominic continues.

I look at him. He’s watching me curiously. “I care that word would get out.”

He shrugs a shoulder. 

I shake my head, look around at the feathers that have fallen off her dress as she begins to move, sitting up slowly. Opening her eyes. 

Whiskey eyes. 

I haven’t forgotten them. In fact, I still see them some nights when the image of what was done to her repeats in vivid clarity. 

She stares up at me, then glances to Dominic who’s quick to adjust his mask over his face. 

“I’ll see you later, Brother. I’m meeting a couple of friends upstairs. Good luck.” Just like that he walks away, washing his hands of this problem that’s not his problem at all.  

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