author's note: Hey guys, I'm back with yet another story c: This time around - it's featuring my newest OTP for the show, Swan Thief, aka the ship that's taking the fandom by storm: Duchess Swan and Sparrow Hood! 3 Anyway, since I'm bored, I'm releasing my random fangirl thoughts you guys happen to like :P. It's basically my idea on why Duchess is such a rhymes-with-witch.

Enjoy!

BTW: This drabble sorta takes place during True Hearts Day. If you don't know what it is and / or haven't seen it yet, I kinda advise you not to read this.

-xoxo-

Ruffled Feathers

-xoxo-

"Why are you so against it anyway?" Sparrow questioned, as he began softly strumming the strings on his forest green guitar. "Y'know, the whole True Hearts thing - and everyone doing what they want?"

Duchess scoffed, and rolled her sparkling amber eyes, placing her hands on her hips in a defensive sort of manner. "Because," she muttered. "It isn't fair."

"How you figure?" he asked.

She let out a huff of frustration, and folded her arms. "Everyone else gets Happily Ever Afters, and I don't," she snapped, slightly pouting like a toddler who was denied a cookie. "So I try to make them see that they shouldn't go against the story, and just be happy with what they have. I would kill for any of their stories. Being a maid or sleeping for a century isn't that bad. Better than the ending I've got."

It took a minute of ignoring her, or at least pretending to, but suddenly, something clicked in Sparrow's mind.

"So why don't you join them?" he inquired. "The Rebels, I mean."

With that said, Duchess's expression immediately contorted into disgust, only before she began to think for a moment, pursing her lips as her thoughts danced.

The story of Swan Lake wasn't just the beautiful ballet people thought it was.

Compared to other fairytales, Duchess's story was actually quite dark.

She would have her True Love taken from her, and she would be cursed to spend the rest of her life as a lowly swan - depressed, lost, confused and lonely.

Her friends would start out with rough patches, and end with happiness.

To be fair, one could say that Duchess was going backwards in her tale.

And she didn't like it one bit.

So, somehow, in someway, there was a spark of jealousy in her heart, and it turned into a flame, one that was turning her into this spiteful, jealous girl..

...and in all honesty, she knew who she was. She just wanted everything to stay as it was, though.

"I suppose you have a point," she sighed. "Rewriting does sound tempting, but I'm scared about the harm it could do to other stories."

Sparrow let out a bit of a metal scream, blowing out a riff on his guitar, causing the Swan Princess to glare at him, but he just laughed and shook his head. "You know you love it," he boasted. "Everyone does."

With an arched eyebrow, Duchess released a deep breath. "I can't believe I hang out with you," she said.

"Because I'm the only one who can give you a chance?" he replied.

She let out a chuckle, slightly smirking, only before she noticed his seriousness-

-and she realized that he was right.

Aside from her friends, who really hung out with her due to the fact that they were all royalty, no one ever gave Duchess the time of day. Except Sparrow. And she didn't know why. He just did - him and all of his crazy and wild musical goofiness. He stuck by her side, and until now... Duchess never questioned it.

She was too lost in her own personal rage to know that she had a real friend.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"No problem," Sparrow smirked, swinging his guitar around to face his back. "I don't mind hanging with Princesses. Especially pretty ones."

Duchess didn't want to admit it, but she could've sworn that she felt her cheeks heat up.

"You're just a dork," she argued.

Oh Godmother - did she really just say that?

His silliness was getting to her.

He laughed, and let his ginger locks fall in front of his emerald eyes. "Whatever you say, Princess," he drawled, in a sing-song manner, with a bit of a teasing smirk.

~ la fin ~

author's note: Like I said, I wrote this 'cause I was bored and I had extreme shipping feelz. Not my best, but I still thought that it should be shared with you awesome people :).

Reviews are my crack and they make me smile brighter than the sun!