The Trials and Tribulations of being a Duck
With the destruction of Drosselmeyes's story everything in town returned to normal, and that included the weather. The once sunny and bright town was now subject to normal weather changes and patterns.
Night had come early this night, storm clouds obscuring the night sky from view. Everyone stayed inside their houses, doors and windows tightly closed against the elements. Everyone, that is, except Ahiru.
The rest of the wildlife had felt, returning to their woodland dens, or they had flew to safety. Ahiru, the tiny duck, however, hid beneath the dock, using it as a shelter from the winds which destroyed the serenity of the lake before her, and from the rains which had begun to pelt the ground, leaving indentations in the dirt where it fell.
"Quack." Ahiru shifted her weight nervously as she stood under the dock, wondering if the safety of her hiding place was really the safe haven she had thought it to be.
"Quack." I wonder what Fakir is doing, I hope that he is safe in this storm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fakir watched the storm from his bedroom window, a brooding expression on his face. Storms never came like this before. People seem scared of it. If we had not interfered maybe the people would be happier.did we do the right thing, changing the ending of the story, changing everyone's life? Mytho and Rue are happy now, but what about everyone else?
Fakir shook his read, chasing the thoughts away. Ahiru and I did what we had to do. Mytho deserves happiness. He didn't need to loose his heart again, he didn't want to loose his heart again. But if we hadn't Ahiru would be.
Fakir turned away from the window. "The rain is depressing me. We made Mytho and Rue happy, that is what matters most." Fakir wanted to believe his own words, but in his heart he wished for something else. He wanted a part of the story that could never happen again.
"I wonder how Ahiru is doing in the rain?" Fakir once again glanced to the window, and then lay down on his bed, his hands behind his head.
"The sound of rain is relaxing thought." Fakir's eyes slipped closed as he listened to the pitter patter of rain on the rooftop. Soon he fell asleep, dreaming of that which was not.
"Quack, quack." Ahiru settled her wings nervously around her, lightning cracking and thunder booming all around her. The winds tore at the surface of the lake, throwing sheets of water at Ahiru.
"Quack, quack." I cant's stay here, this isn't safe. Ahiru looked around, trying to see shelter through the solid walls of rain.
Maybe if I can get to the trees. Ahiru began to run towards the tree line, the winds beating against her body, trying to force her back into the water.
"QUACK." Ahiru forced herself into the wind, and after many wind propelled backslides in the mud, Ahiru reached the tree line.
"Quack." Running was a little easier here, the rain thinner. Ahiru worked her way deeper into the forest. Suddenly a gust of wind blew through the forest, curling around trees and gaining speed. The wind slammed into Ahiru, lifting her from the ground, and slammed her tiny body against a tree.
Ahiru fell to the ground, the world spinning around her. Weakly the quacked at the world went black.
Fakir.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ahiru!" Fakir gasped, sitting up in bed. His body was rigid as he bolted upright, a cold sweat visible on his body. "I dreamed that Ahiru-I have to go find her!" Fakir leapt from bed and down the stairs, sprinting out of the house and into the rain.
Hold on Ahiru, I'm coming.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ahiru moaned and tried to open here eyes, but it was so hard. The rain hit hey body hard, and it felt as if each raindrop left a bruise on her body. Besides the pain all Ahiru could feel was an overwhelming sense of cold.
"Qua."
"Ahiru!" A voice called and Ahiru tried harder to open her eyes.
"Ahiru!" The voice called again, closer, and with an edge of panic.
Ahiru managed to force her eyes open, issuing a weak quack as she did so. She forced her body from the ground and stumbled towards the voice that called her name.
Fakir.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ahiru!" Fakir ran into the forest, his eyes searching everywhere for Ahiru. His clothes had long since been drenched in rain, and the cold was beginning to settle in his bones.
"Ahi-" Words died on his lips as he saw a small yellow duck staggeringly stumble from behind a tree.
Fakir was instantly at Ahiru's side, picking her up and cradling her protectively in his arms.
"Hold on Ahiru, I've got you. It will be alright, you will be safe soon."
Fakir ran towards his house, and it was hard to tell if he ran with more urgency than he had been running with before.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Qua." Ahiru murmured weakly, her duck body shivering. She lay in Fakir's bed, her head cradled by pillows, blankets tucked with the utmost care around her shivering body.
"She wont warm up, I don't know what else to do." Fakir sat on the edge of the bed nervously. His eyes traveled to the bandage on Ahiru's head, hiding the bruised and bleeding knot on the back of her head.
"It might be the head injury, but I didn't think ducks could catch cold like this."
Fakir ran a nervous hand through his hair and sighed. "I should have never let her stay out in the storm like I did. I knew it was going to be a bad storm. It's my fault she is hurt."
Fakir gently touched Ahiru's face. "Get well Ahiru."
Standing Fakir paced to the window. "Why can I never protect her as I wish to?"
Fakir heard Ahiru murmur again, and he walked back to the bed, sitting beside Ahiru. Fakir straightened the covers around her, and leaned back against the head on the bed, his legs crossed at the ankles and stretched out on the edge of the bed.
Ahiru turned in her sleep, rolling with a quiet quack, against Fakir's leg. After a moment her shivers subsided, and Ahiru settled into a restful sleep.
Fakir smiled down at Ahiru, and tried to deny the heat of a blush he felt on his face, as Ahiru rested against his thigh. She seems to be doing better now. I hope she sleeps well. I will have to find a better way to protect her.
Fakir blamed himself for Ahiru's mishap in the storm, even though he really wasn't at fault. His concern for the welfare of Ahiru was touching and his concern for Ahiru ran far deeper than concern for a duck, but Ahiru was far from a normal duck. The duck Ahiru was the girl Ahiru, and the girl Ahiru was a very special girl.
Fakir allowed himself to relax, and sleep came to him. His hand fell from his lap to the pillow as he slept, so Ahiru was cradled in his hand, as she lay against his leg.
It was in this fashion that the storm and night passed, and morning came.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Qua." Ahiru mumbled, aware that something warm lay on either side of her. She didn't want to open her eyes, however.
What happened to me last nigh? I remember the storm, and Fakir.
Ahiru breathed deeply and stiffened. I can smell Fakir. He smells close, but why?
Ahiru slowly opened her eyes. "Quack!" Her quack was sharp. On one side of her body, Ahiru saw, and felt, Fakir's hand, gently cradling her. On the other side, Ahiru leaned against Fakir's leg.
"Q-Q-Quaaaaaack!" How did this happen? I'm laying--- "QUACK!" Ahiru struggled to sit up. "Qu-" Ahiru noticed that Fakir was still sleeping, and she covered her bill with her wings, muffling the noise of the quack she had already started.
As she hushed herself Ahiru noted the bandaged on her head, even as she felt the heat radiating from her red face.
He must have rescued me then. Ahiru smiled, and using her bill and wings, Ahiru pulled the covers over Fakirs sleeping body. Ahiru managed well enough until she reached the top of Fakir's legs. Ever clumsy, even as a duck, Ahiru tripped, and covers in mouth she plummeted towards the ground.
"Quaaaa-" Came the muffled noise and frantic flapping, as Ahiru, clinging to the covers with her bill, slammed to a stop a few inches from the ground.
Ahh. Ahiru let go of the covers and fell to the ground.
Rest well, Fakir, and thank you.
Ahiru waddled to the foot of the bed, where covers pooled on the ground. She situated herself in the covers, making a little nest for herself, and soon fell asleep again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ahiru!" Fakir awoke with a start, as he noticed the absence of Ahiru in his bed. He noticed immediately, however, that someone had placed covers over him.
"Ahiru." Fakir moved down the bed and spotted Ahiru curled up on the floor.
"There you are baka. If you stay there you will catch cold again."
Fakir picked Ahiru up and set her on the bed, unintentionally waking her in the process.
"Quack." Ahiru murmured sleepily, then realizing her surroundings, woke fully, remembering her embarrassment from earlier.
"Quaa-aa" Ahiru tried to speak but she couldn't form a complete quack as she stared as Fakir, whose leg she had slept against.
"Good morning. You seem much better now." Fakir smiled, then frowned down at Ahiru. "Don't do that again, moron. You will really hurt yourself next time."
"Quack quack." Ahiru tried to deny Fakirs words in her quacking and Fakir laughed.
"It might not be your fault, Ahiru, and while I do enjoy saving the princess, I don't like to see you hurt." Fakir lay back on the bed. "I have decided that I need to find a way to protect you better. I might have a way. I will let you know if it works out."
Fakir stood and stretched.
"Stay here, Ahiru. I will be back in a moment with some food." Fakir walked down the stairs, and Ahiru stood frozen in place.
"Qu." What does he mean? Enjoys saving the princess.watch over me better. Fakir, get back here and tell me what you mean!
Ahiru jumped off the bed and hurried after Fakir, the bandages falling to the ground as she ran.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ahiru ran, quacking after Fakir, down the stairs, but unfortunately her duck legs managed to send her tumbling down the stairs instead.
"Baka." Fakir picked Ahiru up off the ground and after looking her over to ensure that she was alright, set her on the ground.
"You had a rough night, be more careful. I don't want to have to fix you up again so soon." Fakir moved over to the stove and placed some water on to boil.
"Quack quack!" Ahiru's voice was insistent and Fakir laughed.
"I wont tell you what I meant by that Ahiru, you will just have to be patient and see what I am up to." Fakir didn't question how he understood what Ahiru's quacks meant, he was just glad that he could understand her. It made things more bearable for him, since he couldn't change the ending of the story.
"Quack!" Ahiru stomped her foot and Fakir laughed once more, his laughs easy.
"I can't tell you Princess."
Over the past months Fakir had loosened up quite a bit. At least as far as Ahiru was concerned. He was almost openly affectionate with her, and that was a rare fact indeed. Ahiru and Fakir were the only ones who remembered how life had been before.
"Have a little patience, Ahiru." Fakir smiled down at Ahiru, and it was a completly unguarded smile. Ahiru always blushed when he smiled at her like that, for it was hard to imagine such a smile being directed at her, but yet, she knew it was directed at no
With the destruction of Drosselmeyes's story everything in town returned to normal, and that included the weather. The once sunny and bright town was now subject to normal weather changes and patterns.
Night had come early this night, storm clouds obscuring the night sky from view. Everyone stayed inside their houses, doors and windows tightly closed against the elements. Everyone, that is, except Ahiru.
The rest of the wildlife had felt, returning to their woodland dens, or they had flew to safety. Ahiru, the tiny duck, however, hid beneath the dock, using it as a shelter from the winds which destroyed the serenity of the lake before her, and from the rains which had begun to pelt the ground, leaving indentations in the dirt where it fell.
"Quack." Ahiru shifted her weight nervously as she stood under the dock, wondering if the safety of her hiding place was really the safe haven she had thought it to be.
"Quack." I wonder what Fakir is doing, I hope that he is safe in this storm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fakir watched the storm from his bedroom window, a brooding expression on his face. Storms never came like this before. People seem scared of it. If we had not interfered maybe the people would be happier.did we do the right thing, changing the ending of the story, changing everyone's life? Mytho and Rue are happy now, but what about everyone else?
Fakir shook his read, chasing the thoughts away. Ahiru and I did what we had to do. Mytho deserves happiness. He didn't need to loose his heart again, he didn't want to loose his heart again. But if we hadn't Ahiru would be.
Fakir turned away from the window. "The rain is depressing me. We made Mytho and Rue happy, that is what matters most." Fakir wanted to believe his own words, but in his heart he wished for something else. He wanted a part of the story that could never happen again.
"I wonder how Ahiru is doing in the rain?" Fakir once again glanced to the window, and then lay down on his bed, his hands behind his head.
"The sound of rain is relaxing thought." Fakir's eyes slipped closed as he listened to the pitter patter of rain on the rooftop. Soon he fell asleep, dreaming of that which was not.
"Quack, quack." Ahiru settled her wings nervously around her, lightning cracking and thunder booming all around her. The winds tore at the surface of the lake, throwing sheets of water at Ahiru.
"Quack, quack." I cant's stay here, this isn't safe. Ahiru looked around, trying to see shelter through the solid walls of rain.
Maybe if I can get to the trees. Ahiru began to run towards the tree line, the winds beating against her body, trying to force her back into the water.
"QUACK." Ahiru forced herself into the wind, and after many wind propelled backslides in the mud, Ahiru reached the tree line.
"Quack." Running was a little easier here, the rain thinner. Ahiru worked her way deeper into the forest. Suddenly a gust of wind blew through the forest, curling around trees and gaining speed. The wind slammed into Ahiru, lifting her from the ground, and slammed her tiny body against a tree.
Ahiru fell to the ground, the world spinning around her. Weakly the quacked at the world went black.
Fakir.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ahiru!" Fakir gasped, sitting up in bed. His body was rigid as he bolted upright, a cold sweat visible on his body. "I dreamed that Ahiru-I have to go find her!" Fakir leapt from bed and down the stairs, sprinting out of the house and into the rain.
Hold on Ahiru, I'm coming.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ahiru moaned and tried to open here eyes, but it was so hard. The rain hit hey body hard, and it felt as if each raindrop left a bruise on her body. Besides the pain all Ahiru could feel was an overwhelming sense of cold.
"Qua."
"Ahiru!" A voice called and Ahiru tried harder to open her eyes.
"Ahiru!" The voice called again, closer, and with an edge of panic.
Ahiru managed to force her eyes open, issuing a weak quack as she did so. She forced her body from the ground and stumbled towards the voice that called her name.
Fakir.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ahiru!" Fakir ran into the forest, his eyes searching everywhere for Ahiru. His clothes had long since been drenched in rain, and the cold was beginning to settle in his bones.
"Ahi-" Words died on his lips as he saw a small yellow duck staggeringly stumble from behind a tree.
Fakir was instantly at Ahiru's side, picking her up and cradling her protectively in his arms.
"Hold on Ahiru, I've got you. It will be alright, you will be safe soon."
Fakir ran towards his house, and it was hard to tell if he ran with more urgency than he had been running with before.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Qua." Ahiru murmured weakly, her duck body shivering. She lay in Fakir's bed, her head cradled by pillows, blankets tucked with the utmost care around her shivering body.
"She wont warm up, I don't know what else to do." Fakir sat on the edge of the bed nervously. His eyes traveled to the bandage on Ahiru's head, hiding the bruised and bleeding knot on the back of her head.
"It might be the head injury, but I didn't think ducks could catch cold like this."
Fakir ran a nervous hand through his hair and sighed. "I should have never let her stay out in the storm like I did. I knew it was going to be a bad storm. It's my fault she is hurt."
Fakir gently touched Ahiru's face. "Get well Ahiru."
Standing Fakir paced to the window. "Why can I never protect her as I wish to?"
Fakir heard Ahiru murmur again, and he walked back to the bed, sitting beside Ahiru. Fakir straightened the covers around her, and leaned back against the head on the bed, his legs crossed at the ankles and stretched out on the edge of the bed.
Ahiru turned in her sleep, rolling with a quiet quack, against Fakir's leg. After a moment her shivers subsided, and Ahiru settled into a restful sleep.
Fakir smiled down at Ahiru, and tried to deny the heat of a blush he felt on his face, as Ahiru rested against his thigh. She seems to be doing better now. I hope she sleeps well. I will have to find a better way to protect her.
Fakir blamed himself for Ahiru's mishap in the storm, even though he really wasn't at fault. His concern for the welfare of Ahiru was touching and his concern for Ahiru ran far deeper than concern for a duck, but Ahiru was far from a normal duck. The duck Ahiru was the girl Ahiru, and the girl Ahiru was a very special girl.
Fakir allowed himself to relax, and sleep came to him. His hand fell from his lap to the pillow as he slept, so Ahiru was cradled in his hand, as she lay against his leg.
It was in this fashion that the storm and night passed, and morning came.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Qua." Ahiru mumbled, aware that something warm lay on either side of her. She didn't want to open her eyes, however.
What happened to me last nigh? I remember the storm, and Fakir.
Ahiru breathed deeply and stiffened. I can smell Fakir. He smells close, but why?
Ahiru slowly opened her eyes. "Quack!" Her quack was sharp. On one side of her body, Ahiru saw, and felt, Fakir's hand, gently cradling her. On the other side, Ahiru leaned against Fakir's leg.
"Q-Q-Quaaaaaack!" How did this happen? I'm laying--- "QUACK!" Ahiru struggled to sit up. "Qu-" Ahiru noticed that Fakir was still sleeping, and she covered her bill with her wings, muffling the noise of the quack she had already started.
As she hushed herself Ahiru noted the bandaged on her head, even as she felt the heat radiating from her red face.
He must have rescued me then. Ahiru smiled, and using her bill and wings, Ahiru pulled the covers over Fakirs sleeping body. Ahiru managed well enough until she reached the top of Fakir's legs. Ever clumsy, even as a duck, Ahiru tripped, and covers in mouth she plummeted towards the ground.
"Quaaaa-" Came the muffled noise and frantic flapping, as Ahiru, clinging to the covers with her bill, slammed to a stop a few inches from the ground.
Ahh. Ahiru let go of the covers and fell to the ground.
Rest well, Fakir, and thank you.
Ahiru waddled to the foot of the bed, where covers pooled on the ground. She situated herself in the covers, making a little nest for herself, and soon fell asleep again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ahiru!" Fakir awoke with a start, as he noticed the absence of Ahiru in his bed. He noticed immediately, however, that someone had placed covers over him.
"Ahiru." Fakir moved down the bed and spotted Ahiru curled up on the floor.
"There you are baka. If you stay there you will catch cold again."
Fakir picked Ahiru up and set her on the bed, unintentionally waking her in the process.
"Quack." Ahiru murmured sleepily, then realizing her surroundings, woke fully, remembering her embarrassment from earlier.
"Quaa-aa" Ahiru tried to speak but she couldn't form a complete quack as she stared as Fakir, whose leg she had slept against.
"Good morning. You seem much better now." Fakir smiled, then frowned down at Ahiru. "Don't do that again, moron. You will really hurt yourself next time."
"Quack quack." Ahiru tried to deny Fakirs words in her quacking and Fakir laughed.
"It might not be your fault, Ahiru, and while I do enjoy saving the princess, I don't like to see you hurt." Fakir lay back on the bed. "I have decided that I need to find a way to protect you better. I might have a way. I will let you know if it works out."
Fakir stood and stretched.
"Stay here, Ahiru. I will be back in a moment with some food." Fakir walked down the stairs, and Ahiru stood frozen in place.
"Qu." What does he mean? Enjoys saving the princess.watch over me better. Fakir, get back here and tell me what you mean!
Ahiru jumped off the bed and hurried after Fakir, the bandages falling to the ground as she ran.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ahiru ran, quacking after Fakir, down the stairs, but unfortunately her duck legs managed to send her tumbling down the stairs instead.
"Baka." Fakir picked Ahiru up off the ground and after looking her over to ensure that she was alright, set her on the ground.
"You had a rough night, be more careful. I don't want to have to fix you up again so soon." Fakir moved over to the stove and placed some water on to boil.
"Quack quack!" Ahiru's voice was insistent and Fakir laughed.
"I wont tell you what I meant by that Ahiru, you will just have to be patient and see what I am up to." Fakir didn't question how he understood what Ahiru's quacks meant, he was just glad that he could understand her. It made things more bearable for him, since he couldn't change the ending of the story.
"Quack!" Ahiru stomped her foot and Fakir laughed once more, his laughs easy.
"I can't tell you Princess."
Over the past months Fakir had loosened up quite a bit. At least as far as Ahiru was concerned. He was almost openly affectionate with her, and that was a rare fact indeed. Ahiru and Fakir were the only ones who remembered how life had been before.
"Have a little patience, Ahiru." Fakir smiled down at Ahiru, and it was a completly unguarded smile. Ahiru always blushed when he smiled at her like that, for it was hard to imagine such a smile being directed at her, but yet, she knew it was directed at no