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knightoftheswan"This is stupid," Lohengrin grumbles.
"She wants to help you," Siegfried says. "You've been mourning for years. If you keep holding on to this grief, you'll never find any peace."
That would be fair, the knight thinks to himself. Elsa's last moments weren't peaceful.
The prince put a hand on his companion's shoulder.
"I don't know if Tutu has ever felt such sorrow before but I think you should give her a chance."
"By dancing with her?"
It was a strange idea, brought up by Siegfried when he learned that Lohengrin accidentally stumbled upon him and Princess Tutu practicing ballet in the courtyard. Their steps had been quiet, toes rustling the grass underneath. They glided effortlessly, as though they were a pair of Siegfried's swans. But what the knight found strange and captivating was their conversation.
He couldn't understand everything said but recognized the tone of voice. Siegfried had been uncertain. And Tutu was soft and steady, building until Siegfried was once again confident. The prince may have led on one side but the princess led the other. And though Lohengrin thought he should feel jealous that this girl was a confidante to the prince, knowing Siegfried had someone who could make him strong made him somehow glad.
"Aside from your pain, what do you have to lose?" Siegfried asks to answer Lohengrin.
It's the last thing said between them before Princess Tutu arrives, giving a graceful curtsy to the men.
"He's taking some convincing, Tutu," the prince says, giving the knight a pat on the shoulder.
"I won't force you to do anything against your will, Lohengrin," Tutu assures.
She then twirls her hands over her head, holding one out to the knight.
"Will you please dance with me?"
Siegfried takes his hand away and steps back. The choice is Lohengrin's alone.
And with some hesitation and a touch of a sigh, the knight accepts the hand of the princess.
"You should know I don't know ballet," he warns her.
Tutu shakes her head and says, "That doesn't matter. What's important is the movement."
Lohengrin leads her in a simple waltz, his steps not nearly as light as either hers or Siegfried's. The growth all around them in the courtyard made sure all of his motions were known.
Was she going to stay quiet this entire time? Was she going to ask him anything? Was he expected to do the talking? He wonders all of this while leading her into a turn.
"You're strong," Tutu finally comments, his hand firmly guiding her by the small of her back.
"I have to be."
"Because you are left?"
He stops there and just looks at Tutu. The princess's eyes are thankfully closed and, though she smiles, happiness is not what's found.
"The weight of what's missing is greater than one might think," she continues.
Tutu gives Lohengrin's left hand a squeeze. The act is oddly comforting.
And somehow that triggers it. Everything Lohengrin ever thought, felt, dreamt, or remembered about Elsa begins pouring out in a steady stream of words as they move again. How he came to meet her, learning of her hobbies, the horseback rides they took together, the stories she would tell, the games they would play...
And somehow her death wasn't in his mind. Somehow it didn't hurt as much now as he easily dips Tutu, a smile of fond remembrance on his face.
And when he sees her smiling back, her blue eyes are more like her own and not Elsa's.
He rights her once more and takes a step back, but his hands do not leave her.
"Was I any help?" Tutu asks.
Lohengrin subtly nods and says, "More than I thought. Thank you."
She gives his hand another squeeze before taking a step out of the knight's grasp. The princess curtsies and he returns it with a bow. She then turns and goes to Siegfried's side, the pair taking their leave.
The knight sits in the courtyard, unwilling to let go of the halcyon peace that has eluded him for so long. He smiles and idly turns his wedding band.
"She wants to help you," Siegfried says. "You've been mourning for years. If you keep holding on to this grief, you'll never find any peace."
That would be fair, the knight thinks to himself. Elsa's last moments weren't peaceful.
The prince put a hand on his companion's shoulder.
"I don't know if Tutu has ever felt such sorrow before but I think you should give her a chance."
"By dancing with her?"
It was a strange idea, brought up by Siegfried when he learned that Lohengrin accidentally stumbled upon him and Princess Tutu practicing ballet in the courtyard. Their steps had been quiet, toes rustling the grass underneath. They glided effortlessly, as though they were a pair of Siegfried's swans. But what the knight found strange and captivating was their conversation.
He couldn't understand everything said but recognized the tone of voice. Siegfried had been uncertain. And Tutu was soft and steady, building until Siegfried was once again confident. The prince may have led on one side but the princess led the other. And though Lohengrin thought he should feel jealous that this girl was a confidante to the prince, knowing Siegfried had someone who could make him strong made him somehow glad.
"Aside from your pain, what do you have to lose?" Siegfried asks to answer Lohengrin.
It's the last thing said between them before Princess Tutu arrives, giving a graceful curtsy to the men.
"He's taking some convincing, Tutu," the prince says, giving the knight a pat on the shoulder.
"I won't force you to do anything against your will, Lohengrin," Tutu assures.
She then twirls her hands over her head, holding one out to the knight.
"Will you please dance with me?"
Siegfried takes his hand away and steps back. The choice is Lohengrin's alone.
And with some hesitation and a touch of a sigh, the knight accepts the hand of the princess.
"You should know I don't know ballet," he warns her.
Tutu shakes her head and says, "That doesn't matter. What's important is the movement."
Lohengrin leads her in a simple waltz, his steps not nearly as light as either hers or Siegfried's. The growth all around them in the courtyard made sure all of his motions were known.
Was she going to stay quiet this entire time? Was she going to ask him anything? Was he expected to do the talking? He wonders all of this while leading her into a turn.
"You're strong," Tutu finally comments, his hand firmly guiding her by the small of her back.
"I have to be."
"Because you are left?"
He stops there and just looks at Tutu. The princess's eyes are thankfully closed and, though she smiles, happiness is not what's found.
"The weight of what's missing is greater than one might think," she continues.
Tutu gives Lohengrin's left hand a squeeze. The act is oddly comforting.
And somehow that triggers it. Everything Lohengrin ever thought, felt, dreamt, or remembered about Elsa begins pouring out in a steady stream of words as they move again. How he came to meet her, learning of her hobbies, the horseback rides they took together, the stories she would tell, the games they would play...
And somehow her death wasn't in his mind. Somehow it didn't hurt as much now as he easily dips Tutu, a smile of fond remembrance on his face.
And when he sees her smiling back, her blue eyes are more like her own and not Elsa's.
He rights her once more and takes a step back, but his hands do not leave her.
"Was I any help?" Tutu asks.
Lohengrin subtly nods and says, "More than I thought. Thank you."
She gives his hand another squeeze before taking a step out of the knight's grasp. The princess curtsies and he returns it with a bow. She then turns and goes to Siegfried's side, the pair taking their leave.
The knight sits in the courtyard, unwilling to let go of the halcyon peace that has eluded him for so long. He smiles and idly turns his wedding band.
