A Feast for Ducks [open]

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The Royal Gardens are a place of tranquility. Not that Cole could use any more of that. So far most of his days had been quiet and uneventful. That was to be expected for someone new to the city. He could find peace just about anywhere, seeing as he had no relation to anyone here and most wouldn’t hassle a priest. He’s mostly out here for a change in scenery, having spent far too much time in the Moon Temple.

There is more green space here than any other place in the city. It’s almost reminiscent of home. However, even the nature here has been molded to civilization’s liking. It was only allowed to exist so much as it pleased people. Completely tamed and a little boring if he’s perfectly honest. Still, he’s grown tired of seeing tightly packed buildings with only roads in between.

He carries with him stale bread. People occasionally left food offerings at the altar. Food offerings that never got touched, and needed to be removed before they went rotten. Since eating the food himself would be in poor taste, he walks over to where he can find a pond. Crumbling up pieces of bread in hands, he throws them toward a group of ducks. It isn’t long before he is surrounded. Smiling, he can remember why he used to do this as a child. Hearing footsteps, he looks up to see another person. “Would you like to feed them too?” he asks, offering a piece of bread.

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”That sounds amusing, there chatty little fellows aren’t they?”

A silky amused voice spoke out behind him, a pale long fingered hand took the piece of bread that was offered. The young female came and knelt by him scattering the pieces of food to the ducks. However she was quickly surrounded by other birds from the gardens as well. She smiled as a couple took spots clinging to some of her mass of wild dark red hair. She fed bits of the bread from her fingers to them, a smile spread on light painted lips.

The woman had angular features, and pale percaline skin with a healthy pink glow. Her hair a deep red that sparked different shades like that of a garnet held up against the sun. Her hair was tucked behind delicately pointed ears, bare of any adornments. Her dress was a pretty thing, in shades of blue, and embroidered with gold. She even had slippers that matched. She turned her head to face the stranger, revealing the blazing scar that arched up the side of her face. Her kind blue green eyes sparkling with amusement.

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It is true that the ducks are loud, but he hasn’t noticed it much. “I suppose they do seem to talk quite a bit. However, I wouldn’t be able to tell you a word that they are saying,” he says, laughing a little. He has some educated guesses though. Probably mostly them yelling at him to toss more food in their direction. He has trouble picturing them saying please and thank you. It’s not as though manners, at least in a human sense, were necessary to their existence.

It is nice to be able to interact with someone outside religious ceremony. He watches as he tosses more bread and attracts even more birds. For wild creatures, they seem oddly calm in her presence. The young lady is surely of higher standing than him. His blue-black priest robes were unimpressive compared to her dress which seemed to sparkle in the light of the sun. However, he can’t place a name to the face, and he thought he knew most of the high status nobility. It’s frustrating to not know the individual, and it would be embarrassing to admit as much.

He smiles sheepishly and looks back at the ducks on the ground. Tossing another piece of bread in their direction, it seems like they appreciate his presence even if they don’t thank him. “They certainly seem to like you. Do you visit them often?” It’s a partially probing question. Even if she wasn’t from Teair Nova or the royal family, it would explain why he doesn't know her.

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Aria stroked one of the little birdies heads, smiling as it hopped from her hair to her fingers. Eventually fluttering to a different branch when it realized she had no food left for it. She chuckled at his response to her comment about ducks being chatty.

”They sometimes don’t have a meaning, they have to quack so often that just breathing can trigger a quack. Right now they are excited enough for the food, I like to attribute it to a child hyperventilating when they see something that excites them like treats.”

One of the other little birds that had found itself a seat in her hair, a yellow finch, chirped loudly. Causing a chuckle to escape from Aria.

”Yes, I know you can control when you chirp, now fly along before you make my eardrums bleed.”

She shooed the rest of the birds off her person. However no sooner did that happen three more plain starlings flitted into their places. Aria raised an eyebrow; apparently the ones she fed from her cabin had come to find her here. She turned her attention back to the man in front of her.

”Yes and no; do you come here often?”

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Cole passes the noble woman more bread when she runs out. The ducks excitedly start looking to her in eager hopes of her throwing it to them. They do remind Cole of small children now that she mentions it. Way too happy over the smallest things. It’s cute. “I wonder how they tell between a quack that has meaning and one that does not. I suppose it all goes down to context, doesn’t it?”

He watches as the finch and other birds fly off to be replaced by starlings. He’s always preferred starlings even though they were less colorful. They made it up in the beauty of their murmurations. Such a mesmerizing synchronized dance. “And I wonder what all our talking sounds like to the starlings. They can mimic many sounds, but do they know the meaning of the ones that aren’t their own?”

Yes and no. It’s not an answer that gives him an information. Vague answers like that come with being nobility though. “Not yet, but I imagine I will. I’m fairly new to the city and don’t believe we’ve become acquainted yet. I am Cole Merritt.” A little red stains his cheeks in embarrassment as he speaks.

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She said a small thanks as he passed more bread to her. Aria thought for a moment, contemplating his question on the starlings while she broke up the pieces of bread. She tossed more to the ducks, and broke up smaller pieces for the starlings, letting them eat out of her hand.

”I believe most birds know the sound of a warning, or a hunting cry; no matter what the species. That and they have their individualized chirps.”

Aria smiled and bowed her head slightly to the one whom introduced themselves as Cole.

”No I do not believe we have met, a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I’m Aria Wurud, Champion of Saden and newly appointed duchess of Palico.”

She chuckled a bit about that last part, never in her 24 years did she think she’d be referring to herself as a Duchess. She finished off the bread and brushed her hands off and straightened up brushing off her skirts. It would seem she didn’t mind getting them dirty too much.

”The gardens are pleasant, they are an enjoyable place to walk I find, or to sit and read…of course right now with these fellows it would be a little difficult….”

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Cole bows deeply. This was more than embarrassing. It’s shameful. Champion matters only little. There is a new ones almost every year and were difficult to keep track of. The other part is substantially more important. He should know when he is the presence of a duchess. "Please forgive me, your grace, for not recognizing you earlier.”

He frowns slightly. He can’t quite tell if she is implying that he is being a nuisance by attracting a paddling of ducks. “I hope I haven’t disturbed you from your usual activities too much. There are few other places to feed the birds, and offerings need to be cleared somehow. This seemed like the best way. Simply throwing it away didn’t seem appropriate,” he says, genuinely apologetic.

He gets rid of the last bit of bread in his hands before waving them to show that he has nothing left. The ducks seem disappointed by this, or at least he thinks so. “Things should resume being quiet shortly now.” He folds his arms and taps his left arm with his fingers. Meeting a duchess was unexpected, and he wasn’t entirely sure what to now, especially after making a fool of himself.

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Aria blinked surprised; stiffening slightly when she was suddenly bowed to and called grace. Did she really have to get use to this? She waved her hand not really worrying about not being recognized.

”Please relax, I did say I was newly appointed. It has yet to be even a month since the decision was made. Frankly I’m far from use to any formalities.”

Once more it seemed she sent this man into a tisy, she smiled at him apologetically and shook her head.

”T’was a jest, really. The ducks and birds enjoy an easy feast. This is just as pleasant of an activity as reading, and possibly more amusing. That and I’m glad to know that food is put to good use for our friends here.”

She tilted her head to the side curiously.

”You said you are new to the city, what brings you here?”

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Cole relaxes somewhat at Aria’s insistence. At least, he wasn’t forgetting someone that he should have known. Still, he looked out of touch. He imagined most people within the city knew of her. “Thank you, your grace. Recent though? I imagine you must have done something truly impressive to receive such a great title. I would love to hear the story at some point.”

He smiles sheepishly as she claims to be joking. However, he wonders if she is only saying such for his benefit. Interacting with other houses, always put him a little on guard. “Well, I’m glad to have provided you some fun diversion for the day then. And I am glad to have provided the ducks a few meal as well.”

Rubbing the back of his neck, he doesn’t think his arrival in the city was particularly noteworthy in anyways. “It’s hardly that interesting. I am here to replace the late head priest of Zepon, my great uncle. However, I spend most of my time coordinating repairs on the Moon Temple.”