Private Finished Swan Lake

Cosette had not been able to sleep properly during the last week or so, not since she came back from France. She wasn't one to worry unnecessarily, but the things Cosette had seen back home...they weren't right. And for the first time in her life Cosette felt frustrated about the gullible nature of her kind.
Cosette had seen the dark side of people and society, she had been trampled both figuratively and literally, and that had stripped her of the ignorance she had carried before. Perhaps that was why Cosette had so clearly seen how those people, those fae, used her sisters and mothers. Under the guise of kindness, of a better life and love, they lured her sisters to their court, only for them to never return. But it wasn't like when Cosette had vanished, they knew where the missing swan maidens were, they were with the "kind" fae, living a life of luxury. But Cosette had seen the look the fae had in their eyes before. She knew the look of lust, of contempt, of twisted obsession and pride. Cosette had been looked upon with those eyes before, and back then she had thought that they meant love. Now she knew better, and she wanted to help her family. But...
Cosette had no proof. And if being held captive by Ulric had taught Cosette anything it was that you could get nowhere without proof. All Cosette had was her experiences, desperation and bad feelings. But those were shallow, they wouldn't move the ones who Cosette needed...

All this swirled in Cosette's mind, as she flew leisurely above the forest below her. She had burned some macarons and her master had sent her home early. Cosette's head wasn't in the game, or so her master had said. And Cosette agreed, she was much too distracted to focus on work and learning. Being able to learn to be a patissiere was a dream come true, and Cosette did not want to destroy that dream with her uncertainties and worries.
Cosette saw the lake that was near the academy in the distance, and since her wings were getting tired she headed towards it. Cosette had decided to take a leisurely flight around, since she hadn't been able to do so for a while. She hadn't dared take out her robe in the Nesting ground, she had been too afraid the fae would take it and Cosette would be captured again. She still saw nightmares of that happening...
Cosette descended and glided gracefully into the water, floating around calmly as she let her wings rest. Cosette enjoyed flying in her swan form, it gave her mind time to wander and think things through, something she couldn't properly do on the ground sometimes. Too many distractions.
Cosette let out a single honk as she swam around in her own private swan lake.

Cosette did not expect to get company, much less another swan. As the bird approached she carefully paddled away so it could land properly. But despite Cosette moving away the other swan deliberately glided towards her. Well, naturally it would crave for the company of someone from the same species. Cosette hadn't talked to actual swans in a while...

But turned out the swan wasn't normal, because as it came close it honked out words that sounded very...human. It flabbergasted Cosette for a moment, and she just stared with one of her eyes.
"Are you...like me?"
Cosette honked back, and if her eyes could get wider in this form they would be very wide. Cosette had never encountered any other swan shifters or swan maidens on the island and she had felt slightly alone, but if this person was neither of those things...

It took Cosette a moment to process all that this swan, no, person said. She was a...swan goddess? She could feel Cosette's concern? Somehow that made Cosette feel...uneasy. And guilty, she didn't want to burden anyone with her worries.
Cosette didn't answer for a moment, looking at Lebeda uncertainly. But before long she opened her beak again, and her honks were shorter and quieter now, a sign of her hesitation.

"It's very kind of you to offer help, but..."
Cosette looked away briefly and shook her head slightly.
"I don't know if there is anything you can do, and I wouldn't want to burden you with my worries."
Cosette didn't like that she couldn't be as expressive in her swan form, she didn't have facial expression. But from her body language it was evident that Cosette was in low spirits.
"I have never heard of a swan goddess, not from my mother and sisters either..."

Two years...Lebeda had been in her role for only two years. Cosette thought back on the last two years. During one of those two years she had been suffering in Ulric's clutches, her Nesting ground had been possibly suffering from an abuse from fae both of those years, and when Lebeda said she was to protect all swan maidens Cosette felt...angry. It wasn't a new emotion to her, but she felt it rarely, and when she felt it it wasn't this intense. Cosette wasn't angry that Lebeda hadn't protected her and her Nesting ground, because even for a goddess that was a lot to ask. There were many Nesting grounds in the world, with many other swan maidens. No, Cosette felt angry because she didn't want Lebeda to say those words so lightly, didn't want the woman to burden herself with something that was most probably impossible. Cosette felt angry at whoever had made this person a swan goddess only to make her think she should succeed at a task that was impossible. Because Cosette just knew, she could tell, that this person was like her. She blamed herself if the things she tried to fix didn't get fixed, even if it was outside her control. And Cosette felt such anger and sadness that she suddenly couldn't remain like this anymore.

Cosette swam to the shore and took off her robe. In a quick flash of white light where there previously had been a pure white swan there was now a young woman, clad in a robe was of white feathers, wearing white leggings and a pink tank top under it. Cosette turned to look at Lebeda, wherever she is, and she was crying.
"Forgive me for the rude words I'm about to say, but...what could you do to possibly help me? If I tell you my worries, what kind of abilities do you have that could aid me? You have a good heart, I can tell, but you are so very young. I can tell that too. And I can't in good conscience expect you to share in on my burden just because you are kind enough to try and protect me."
Cosette said in a quiet voice and sat down on the bank of the lake, sniffling quietly as tears of frustration and sorrow rolled down her cheeks. She wiped some of them away, and managed a gentle smile.
"Your divine duty is a noble one, my goddess, but I don't wish for you to be dragged into my mess because of it. Thank you for offering to help, but I will find a way to help myself."

Lebeda was determined, very much so, and Cosette looked at this beautiful young woman with sorrow and sympathy. She was so young, that she still spoke of duty. Cosette had noticed that as age, whether physical or mental, started piling up on a person's shoulders they often forgot duty and it morphed into twisted routine, something you did not because you believed but because you had always done it and didn't want to re-evaluate or observe your stance and life. Cosette had fallen into that position, until her friends had shaken up her world and she had been freed from her twisted routine.

Cosette's smile was still gentle, as she reached and carefully wiped the tears away from Lebeda's eyes. Cosette had already done too much, if she had caused Lebeda to cry with her. It was nice, to know that Lebeda emphasized and could understand that Cosette was hurting. But...
"Your concern is more than enough, Lebeda. I don't need a transformation or more power, even if I had that it wouldn't do much. It wouldn't solve my problem. This problem is beyond just me, and you."
Cosette frowned in worry, and wiped away some of her tears as she turned to face Lebeda some more. Her expression was now serious, that of an adult, because Cosette couldn't remain crying. She needed to stay strong, even if Lebeda's identity and words had caused her to break a little.

"Lebeda, my problem isn't simple enough to be fixed with just you, or me. It's a problem for law enforcement, or perhaps not even them. I have friends, who have ties to places that may be able to help me. I am talking very informally to you even though we only met, but I will talk honestly to you because we are kin. My problem is dangerous, involves people that may hurt you if you get mixed in. And I will not put you in danger, because you are clearly a pure-hearted and good young woman. So, I will take your concern and tears and hold them dear in my heart. Thank you, for finding me, and crying for me."
Cosette's smile was genuine and radiant, and she gently took Lebeda's hand in hers and pressed a chaste, grateful kiss to her knuckles.