[ for danielle ]

it is the turn of the century, and as bloody revolution sweeps across a snowy human kingdom, the faerie court - hidden away from the mortal world in a mirror universe, an alternate reality - takes a beautiful human prince as a pet.

an accomplished ballerina, with eyes as pure as moon-pale frost-lilies, the entire court is immediately enamored with the once-prince. like the other human captives, the prince is cursed to remain in animal form during the day, only changing back in time to perform after the sun goes down. under the diamond-blue skies, it is whispered that the queen herself chose his particular creature: a swan.

night after night, the prince dances until his feet are bloody under crystal chandeliers that glitter icicle-bright, silver like starlight. as the years pass, his hair does not grey and his flesh does not wrinkle, trapped as he is where the earth does not turn and the seasons do not change. but all magic has a price, and mortals are not meant to remain in the realm of the fae for long.

when the prince starts coughing blood, dark with rot and reeking of decay, he knows that he does not have very much time left. his salvation, however, may just come in the form of a stubborn girl with hair like fire, bright like a springtime he barely remembers . . .