The Morning
Dec. 23rd, 2012 10:02 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
knightoftheswanKing Heinrich's throne room was sparse that cold morning in contrast to the merriment of last night. The Knight stood before the King, his wife clutching his arm with uncertainty.
"What has brought you before me with such heaviness, cousin?" Heinrich asks.
Lohengrin bows his head and goes, "The time has come to reveal all."
"Oh?"
"Last night, I was asked for my name by the one whom I'm bound to answer." he says with a subtle squeeze to Elsa's hand. "After the attack on our bridal chambers, I told her with the promise of completion in the morning. So here we are."
The King nods while the Knight takes a breath.
"I am Sir Lohengrin, a knight in service to Prince Siegfried, sworn enemy of the Monstrous Raven."
A murmur ripples through the few gathered and Lohengrin can feel Elsa grip him tighter.
"And now that the truth is out," he continues, "I must rejoin Prince Siegfried in his fight against the Raven."
Elsa sucks in a soft sob, her hand flying to her mouth as the sound of the swan comes closer. King Heinrich stands and leads the group out to the courtyard.
"Swans?" he asks.
Lohengrin steps forward at the use of the plural.
"There are two?" the Knight asks.
"One last little display of my handiwork," a familiar voice chills through his ears. The Witch once again makes herself seen and gestures to one of the swans with, "He may not have been murdered, but like this he's good as dead."
"So you are the one who has brought this evil on us," King Heinrich growls. "You're the one who has brought such pain to my family."
"You flatter me," the Witch coos with a smirk.
In the following silence, Lohengrin approaches the swan and carefully lays a hand on him. He murmurs reassurance before drawing his sword and cutting the swan free of his harness and collar.
"Even in defeat, you find a way to undo all my fun," the Witch mutters to the Knight as the swan returns to his human form. And she departs from the place, King Heinrich sending his men after her while Gottfried embraces Lohengrin.
"Oh brother!" Gottfried cries with joy. "I knew you would help us! I knew even as a swan that Prince Siegfried would send you to us! How I missed my sister but how I knew you would care for her! Oh Elsa!" The boy pulls away from the Knight to hold Elsa. "I have returned to you, sister! Why do you appear stricken with grief? We are together once again!"
His excitement finally quiets and he holds his sister's hand while Elsa steps forward to her husband.
"Lohengrin..."
The Knight turns to his wife and takes her other hand. She makes a noise of protest but he doesn't lessen his grip or its press against his chest. He kisses her once, twice, five times, he loses count when the tears begin to fall.
(How he wishes he could stay for a hundred, a thousand...)
"Oh husband," she says with despair when he finally pulls away and lets go of her hand.
A quick move and Lohengrin's mask is returned to his face, lest he fall to the temptation to simply stay and kiss her forever. Then he takes his sword and sheathe from his belt.
"So that Gottfried and I can always protect you," he says as he presses it to her hands. "As long as he has this sword, victory will always be his."
He steps away and she steps forward, a dance he doesn't want to be part of.
"I love you."
"Lohengrin?"
The Knight bows his head.
"Goodbye, my Elsa."
And before he could lose his nerve, he leaps into his chariot. The swan flies him away even as he hears her cries.
"Oh Lohengrin! My husband! Oh please come back! Please stay! I will take any punishment for breaking my promise if only you'd return!"
He's sure his knuckles are turning white as he resolutely holds to the chariot.
"Please! Lohengrin! Lohengrin!"
And then her voice fades away to be replaced by a wave of concern and a wail of grief.
He tells himself he shouldn't. He tells himself that this is a trap. He tells himself that Orpheus regretted looking back and so will he. But his body still turns to the back of the chariot to see.
He's met with the sight of Elsa limp and lifeless being picked up from the ground.
"What has brought you before me with such heaviness, cousin?" Heinrich asks.
Lohengrin bows his head and goes, "The time has come to reveal all."
"Oh?"
"Last night, I was asked for my name by the one whom I'm bound to answer." he says with a subtle squeeze to Elsa's hand. "After the attack on our bridal chambers, I told her with the promise of completion in the morning. So here we are."
The King nods while the Knight takes a breath.
"I am Sir Lohengrin, a knight in service to Prince Siegfried, sworn enemy of the Monstrous Raven."
A murmur ripples through the few gathered and Lohengrin can feel Elsa grip him tighter.
"And now that the truth is out," he continues, "I must rejoin Prince Siegfried in his fight against the Raven."
Elsa sucks in a soft sob, her hand flying to her mouth as the sound of the swan comes closer. King Heinrich stands and leads the group out to the courtyard.
"Swans?" he asks.
Lohengrin steps forward at the use of the plural.
"There are two?" the Knight asks.
"One last little display of my handiwork," a familiar voice chills through his ears. The Witch once again makes herself seen and gestures to one of the swans with, "He may not have been murdered, but like this he's good as dead."
"So you are the one who has brought this evil on us," King Heinrich growls. "You're the one who has brought such pain to my family."
"You flatter me," the Witch coos with a smirk.
In the following silence, Lohengrin approaches the swan and carefully lays a hand on him. He murmurs reassurance before drawing his sword and cutting the swan free of his harness and collar.
"Even in defeat, you find a way to undo all my fun," the Witch mutters to the Knight as the swan returns to his human form. And she departs from the place, King Heinrich sending his men after her while Gottfried embraces Lohengrin.
"Oh brother!" Gottfried cries with joy. "I knew you would help us! I knew even as a swan that Prince Siegfried would send you to us! How I missed my sister but how I knew you would care for her! Oh Elsa!" The boy pulls away from the Knight to hold Elsa. "I have returned to you, sister! Why do you appear stricken with grief? We are together once again!"
His excitement finally quiets and he holds his sister's hand while Elsa steps forward to her husband.
"Lohengrin..."
The Knight turns to his wife and takes her other hand. She makes a noise of protest but he doesn't lessen his grip or its press against his chest. He kisses her once, twice, five times, he loses count when the tears begin to fall.
(How he wishes he could stay for a hundred, a thousand...)
"Oh husband," she says with despair when he finally pulls away and lets go of her hand.
A quick move and Lohengrin's mask is returned to his face, lest he fall to the temptation to simply stay and kiss her forever. Then he takes his sword and sheathe from his belt.
"So that Gottfried and I can always protect you," he says as he presses it to her hands. "As long as he has this sword, victory will always be his."
He steps away and she steps forward, a dance he doesn't want to be part of.
"I love you."
"Lohengrin?"
The Knight bows his head.
"Goodbye, my Elsa."
And before he could lose his nerve, he leaps into his chariot. The swan flies him away even as he hears her cries.
"Oh Lohengrin! My husband! Oh please come back! Please stay! I will take any punishment for breaking my promise if only you'd return!"
He's sure his knuckles are turning white as he resolutely holds to the chariot.
"Please! Lohengrin! Lohengrin!"
And then her voice fades away to be replaced by a wave of concern and a wail of grief.
He tells himself he shouldn't. He tells himself that this is a trap. He tells himself that Orpheus regretted looking back and so will he. But his body still turns to the back of the chariot to see.
He's met with the sight of Elsa limp and lifeless being picked up from the ground.
