47 Ducks 1.3

3.

The Emperor was laid in the personal chamber lined up with its nine consorts while its fifty four offspring occupied the outer chamber of the Royal Palace. The Palace was located on the top branches of the bush with the nesting inside it. The nesting was made of the small twigs laid in layers with moss in between. The sides of the nesting were reinforced with larger twigs and strengthen with fine vines. There was also a small pool made from the dried mud of the lake for the Emperor’ personal spa. Next to the spa was the bamboo nesting filled with fresh earth worms from different parts of the lake.

Beneath its nesting were the general assorted nests of its consorts and then the scattered palace grounds for the stewards and servants. There was no personal spa there but a dug out with water for the consorts to laze in when their services are not required by the Emperor. Next to the nesting area, was the cordoned off area where the consorts laid their eggs. There the Stewards laid out the soft nesting for the mothers to gestate their eggs. It’s a forbidden zone for the male ducks except the Emperor and its Stewards. Next to it was the nursery with the direct access to the small pool where the young ducklings learned to swim with their mothers. There were also the lines of young ducklings in tow by the mothers towards the feeding area or the lake side for their waddling sessions when older.

On that morning, the palace was crowded with the younger ducklings kept away at the feeding area while the older ducks throng the long lines to pay their respect to the dead Emperor. The Emperor was placed on his nesting covered in herbs and other fleshy servings while it was guarded by the personal guards of the Emperor led by Othello. All of them had their feathers covered in the dark mud of the lake banks to mask the colorful shades. The stewards were busy serving the arrivals and then it stopped in its work to admire the newly arrived guest.

A commotion was created when one of the consorts went into hysterics; claiming that it want to die with the Emperor. Commander Othello moved into action by knocking the consort to the ground and had it dragged out.

“A disgrace to the Palace.” Othello muttered to itself. It was then the Steward called up.

“Hail, the great Commander of the Legionnaires.” The Steward at the entrance announced the arrival of the Legionnaires. “Hail, the great Caesar.”

The duck walked in with the personal entourage of senior officers including the trusted lieutenant Brutus and Anthony. The Legionnaire Commander was a prime Mallard with the green head with a prominent streak that looked like it was blown out of place making a shape of a crown. From it there to its chestnut-brown chest then shaded to golden, contrasts with the white sides, golden back, brown rump and black upper- and under-tail coverts. It also has a coat of fine twigs over its chest to form an armored piece. The speculum is violet-blue bordered by black and white, and the outer tail feathers were white. The bill was yellow to yellowish-green and the legs and feet were coral-red. Its feathers on the wings were few but the missing ones where replaced with sewn on feathers with its tips adorned with red shades. That was the Legionnaire shade of recognition.

“Othello, tell me what happened?” Caesar quacked out that may had its equivalent with that of a lion’s roar. Othello who was in discussion then with the guards’ looked over. It does not report to Caesar for its role was different. Othello was to reply in a tone of in subornation when the wise adviser to the Palace intervened. The old duck graying in its few feathers with its bill droopy was none other than Merlin. The Stewards have provided the old duck with a fine midnight blue shade feather coat with a set of coated looking glass perched on the bill. The old duck wadded towards the Legionnaire Commander with the assistance of three young ducklings which was its apprentices.

“Commander Caesar, I see you have returned with your Legionnaires.” Merlin quacked out in a low whispers. “Pardon my manners but I am aged. How was the battle at the Cedar End?”

Commander Caesar bowed to the old duck and then reported on the happenings at the far lakeside. The legionaries were dispatched there to remove some intruders.

“Wise Merlin, I have not come back without victory.” With that last quake, Caesar looked the assembled. It was expecting them to cheer, but they were still mellowed in the sadness of losing their Emperor. “I have removed the Call Ducks. These miscreants do not belong with us.”

The Call Ducks looked like Mallard but were of smaller frame. They were bred by some oversight of other clans and have overpopulated the breeding areas of the Mallard.

“The battle was brief but brutal. We lost some Legionnaires but none died without honor.” Caesar flapped its wings and quacked out loud. “I maimed their leather, Duty Call. It won’t dare to come again. Hail the Legionnaires!”

Duck fights were rarely if any recorded, for they were vicious and the defeated were tore into pieces by the winner. If it was compared to a Cockfight, then the duck fight would be triple fold in deadly ratings.

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The call of the legionnaires was soon echoed by the officers and then rippled through the Palace by the assembled Legionnaires outside. All of them cheered their commander. Caesar then looked to Othello.

“Who killed our Emperor?” Caesar asked but Merlin intervened again.

“Commander Caesar, you have brought a guest.” Merlin indicated to the female duck at the rear. It was a Mariana Mallard; the head was green like the Mallard but less glossy, with some buff feathers on the sides, the dark brown eyes stripes that brought out the lids and a faint whitish ring at the base of the neck. The upper breast was dark reddish chestnut brown with blackish-brown spots sporting sexy on there. The wing patch and the tail was also like the mallard including curled-up central tail feathers, but the tips of the speculum feathers were buff. The underside was a mix between the vermiculated grey feathers of the mallard and the brown ones of the darker shade duck. The bill was black at the base and olive at the tip, the feet reddish orange with darker webs and the iris brown.

“Pardon me, Merlin. This is Cleopatra … my bride.” Caesar introduced the other. “She is a Queen of her own clan, the Niles.”

The hush among the Mallards could be heard despite the crowded conditions. Merlin pulled at its coat before it quacked.

“Welcome then to Camel-lot. Hail Caesar to your new bride. It’s time the clans needed to look beyond its line.” Merlin gave its consent. “I salute you for showing us the new ways.”

Merlin turned to look at the darker Mallard.

“You are a beauty with your own features, Queen…..Cleop….” Merlin was interjected by the female duck.

“Cleop will do.” The female duck stood by her lover duck and the bill pouted out in a sexy manner. It was an alluring gesture that stirred up the urges among many of the younger Mallard, but none would dare to challenge Caesar.

“Caesar”, Merlin called on the Commander by name. “Join me in the private chamber with Othello. We have a need to discuss the action to be taken for our Emperor.”

“Dead Emperor.” Caesar corrected the Adviser. “El Gluck is no more Emperors.”

With that Othello stepped up but Merlin intervened again.

“Warriors, the private chamber await us.” Merlin gave the order.