[action]
[The smile recedes now, because this is actually the saddest part of the story.]]
Rothbart eventually broke into the ball and told Derek of what he'd just done, and upon hearing it, Derek ran to follow Odette back to the lake. But once he arrived, he saw her lying on the ground. She'd transformed back into a woman, but she'd been significantly weakened.
Even telling her that his words were meant for her, Odette's fate couldn't be reversed.