Note: Originally written for a challenge at the rh_drabblefest LiveJournal community. This is set in the first series, during the "Parenthood" episode.
Love is for the Birds
The bird was skittish, beating its wings frantically against his gloved hand. Vaysey stroked its head and feathers, calming the bird as it began to feed.
He considered that birds were much like women. Most could be broken with just a few honeyed whispers and the promise of a tasty morsel. Some were sparrows, silly little creatures that mistook attention for love. Others were vultures, circling about for something to prey on. These birds did not interest him. They were easy to possess and just as easy to be rid of.
The best of the birds were falcons—clever, haughty and deadly. They were nearly impossible to bring to the fist, but it was exactly the sort of challenge he relished. A good falcon was as good as any man, and twice as dangerous.
Every now and then though, he came across one that simply could not be tamed. No matter how much he fed it and cared for it, no matter how he tried to discipline it, the falcon simply remained as it always was—wild and utterly unpredictable.
Ah, Marian…I may never be able to break you, but it's time to clip your wings, my lady.
