//------------------------------//
// Ducks by Knight of Lycaeus 
// Story: Magic of Love: A Twidance Prompt Collab 
// by ArguingPizza 
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by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~


“A duck?” was the confused and slightly surprised response to the question of what did Cadance bring home with her.

“Actually a pair of ducks.” answered Cadance. “Anything wrong with ducks?”

Twilight shook her head, “No. But you’ve been travelling all over the world, you’ve been to so many new places and met new people. Of everything you could have brought back, you bring back a pair of carved ducks.”

Cadance smiled, “Oh what should I have brought back? Perhaps a tribal mask from Zebrica or perhaps a hunting trophy from the Gryphonic Empire. How about charms from the desert lands of Saddle Arabia or maybe a gemstone carving from a Dragon artisan.” She lowered her head closer to Twilight’s ear, “Perhaps a few new books. I’m sure that there were some good books that I could have brought back to complement the Kama Sutra I gave you for your birthday.”

At this Twilight blushed turning almost as red as a tomato, “Um, that wouldn’t have been necessary. One copy of the K-K-” Twilight paused to steady herself, “Kama Sutra” blurting it out quickly. “is enough.”

“Oh, but I was thinking of getting you another such book. Maybe for Hearth’s Warming Eve instead?”

Twilight still red faced, gulped, “Er, please don’t. Really. I really don’t want my parents wondering about why you gave me one or why I need it.”

“Alright, more ducks then. There are a rather fitting gift for us.”

Twilight perked up slightly less red than before, “How so?”

“I bought them in the Eastern Lands, it was a place of numerous species living in close proximity to each other. Qilian, tigers, pandas, and many more, but what united them were their similar cultures. The tigers and some of the qilian had banded together centuries ago to form a nation, to them the duck became an important symbol. This is for two reasons, their term for ducks is from two opposite terms which represents the male and female duck. It makes ducks a symbol of lifelong partnerships, a partnership of affection and fidelity. While it is male and female in their culture it is still relevant to us for ducks are symbols of a lifelong partnership which we are. The other reason, well the ducks there have vastly different plumage for a male than a female and so for some this unusual differences represents an odd couple or an unlikely pair which we are.” Cadance leaned closer to Twilight to embrace her with a wing, “How many would have suspected that the Princess does not fall for a Knight but for a Scholar. How many would have expected us to last like we did in spite of our differences, our roles which makes living together difficult so much that we are separated by considerable distances for much of the year. We may be apart for so long but I’m glad you’re always here with me.” as she leaned in to give Twilight a deep kiss.