Elizabeth's Guardian Drake

Elizabeth had long had a rather unusual, but loyal, companion. He was a drake by the name of Daffy. She had acquired said pet as a ten year old girl, when she had been visiting the town of Meryton with her father. Daffy had been a mere duckling, destined to be fattened for a tasty soup, but by some stroke of luck, he escaped, ending up waddling and flapping his way into little Elizabeth's arms. He was chased by an angry maid of the Meryton Inn, who was not at all happy with the antics of young Daffy.

Elizabeth was instantly enamoured with Daffy, cooing sweetly as she picked up the terrified little bird. "Oh your poor cute little thing." Daffy, somehow, instinctively knew that he had found a safe harbour, for he quietened in her arms and fixed her with an intelligent eye, seeming to take her measure. He was still a young duckling, all yellow and black down, which only made him all the more adorable to young Elizabeth.

She had barely picked him up when a maid came racing around the corner. "There you are you naughty little creature. Time to get back in your pen now, so you can be fattened up for the kitchen table," she reached out to take the bird back, but a horrified young Elizabeth clutched him closer.

"No!" she shouted. "You can not eat him!" She glared indignantly at the surprised kitchen maid with as much might as a ten year old girl could muster. Then she quickly turned her large, expressive eyes on her father. "Tell her she cannot have him Papa," she demanded.

Even as a young girl, no man could turn down Elizabeth when they saw her beautiful eyes, and her papa was no different. He sighed. "May we purchase the duckling?"

The maid, seeing that there was no chance of her getting the little duckling back, reluctantly agreed. And so, Elizabeth went home that day with a new pet.

He was kept in the chicken coop at night, but was allowed free range of the gardens during the day. When the little duck finally got his feathers, and his beak changed to a yellow-blue, it was confirmed that he was, in fact, a 'he.' Elizabeth soon dubbed him 'Daffy.' The young duckling looked particularly handsome with his green-blue head, white neck ring, smoky grey feathers and a black tail.

At first, Mrs Bennet had been against the little animal, which Elizabeth took painstaking care of. However, when she found that he had a voracious appetite for all the snails, slugs and other insects that dared to venture into her gardens, she was happy to leave him be. As a result, she had one of best gardens in the country, for there were never holes in her plants from little critters - Daffy made sure of that.

Daffy rewarded Elizabeth's care with an unwavering devotion. He would follow her around whenever she was in the garden, and even out into the countryside on her walks. He was quite good at flying and could catch up wherever she went, because his waddle sometimes wasn't fast enough.

He also soon proved to be a very good guard drake. The young fellow had a strong dislike of anything male, and while Elizabeth's sisters could pat Daffy and work in the garden, any male would soon find an angry drake on their heels. Even Mr Bennet was not exempt, despite having paid for the little drake. Any man, who was not fast enough, would be bitten rather viciously, often to the point where blood would be drawn.

Elizabeth took advantage of this particular trait of Daffy's more times than she would like to admit, when unwanted suitors called. A short walk in the gardens with them, and they would soon be running away from her, a vicious drake on their heels. Sometimes they came back again, with the most determined suitor trying four times before he eventually stayed away. Mrs Bennet was not pleased with this, but she could not get rid of the drake, for she did not want to lose her gardening reputation to the likes of Lady Lucas. Elizabeth unashamedly rewarded her guard drake for his efforts with his favourite foods; sunflower seeds and tomatoes.

Due to Daffy's proclivity for scaring off any males, one day, shortly before the arrival of the Bingley party at Netherfield, Elizabeth promised Jane, "Fear not Jane, when I find a man that Daffy likes, I shall marry him, for surely if he has Daffy's seal of approval he must be the one for me."

Jane laughed. "Do you promise Lizzy?"

"Of course Jane. If I should be lucky enough to find such a man, and he should become my suitor, I shall marry him." It was meant partially as a joke, but partially serious as well. Elizabeth had long felt that if she were ever to marry, she must find a man that her guard drake liked, for she could not give up Daffy. He had been a faithful and protective companion for over ten years.

As she and Daffy had aged, he had protected her many times. Once was from a venomous adder that had come too close. Another time, she had been out on her walk, and watching as Daffy flew closer, when suddenly a loose dog came barreling up, with no sign of an owner nearby. Daffy had dived in, landing in front of her and biting the dog hard on its nose. With his wings flapping, he had looked ferocious, and the dog had turned tail and run away. Daffy became Elizabeth's most valued companion, despite being a rather odd one.

He was also her most valued confidant, since he would not spill her secrets, and when Netherfield occupants arrived, Elizabeth shared her first impressions of the proud and aloof Mr Darcy with her drake.

The day after a large party at Lucas Lodge, Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy called on the ladies of Longbourn. Elizabeth soon found herself forced to accompany Mr Darcy out into the gardens, for Jane and Bingley quickly split from them and headed to a different area. The rest of her sisters had no interest in walking outside with the gentlemen, and so the task had fallen to a reluctant Elizabeth. The only reason she had agreed, was because she was sure her faithful guard drake would make his normal appearance, and she thought it would be particularly amusing to see the staid and proper Mr Darcy being chased by her drake.

However, until Daffy made his appearance, Elizabeth felt no need to make polite conversation with a man who felt he was so above the occupants of Hertfordshire. She therefore walked on in silence, while Darcy sneaked peeks at her in consternation. "The gardens are lovely," he finally commented, in an awkward attempt to draw her into conversation.

"Thank you," she replied, before walking on in silence.

Darcy frowned, "Have I done something to offend you Miss Elizabeth? For you do not seem at all comfortable with my company."

Elizabeth had never been one to hold her tongue, even when it would be deemed very inappropriate, and so she turned and gave Darcy her frank opinion of him. "I simply do not see the need to make conversation with a man who so obviously disdains the company of everyone in Hertfordshire, and has never made an effort to know anyone here. It is obvious that my own company is undesirable to you, and so I believe it is best we continue in silence." She was a little shocked at what she had allowed to come out of her mouth, but mostly unrepentant. She looked around desperately for her drake, who had yet to make an appearance.

Darcy was stunned by her words, and he followed her for a while in silence as he mulled over their implications. He had long suspected that she had overheard his comment about her being 'not handsome enough to tempt him,' at their first assembly together, but that his reserve amongst strangers had been taken as pride and disdain was a surprise. He knew he needed to apologise and explain, for he was fast becoming fond of her, and he couldn't bear for her to have such a bad opinion of him. "I am sorry Miss Elizabeth, for any insults or pain I may have been responsible for. It was not my intention, and I can say that any comments I made about you were unconsciously done, with no real thought as to who I was commenting on. It was most appalling of me to do so, and I am heartily ashamed of myself." Elizabeth turned to look at him in surprise. She was shocked that, instead of his aloof and disdainful demeanour, he looked genuinely sorry and humbled.

"I am very reserved in company that I do not know, and I fear that it has left you with the wrong impression. It has been a delight to meet you, and hear some of your intelligent conversations with others. Despite what you have thought, I esteem you highly Miss Elizabeth." She was shocked, and could not say a word. "I believe I shall take my leave now and wait by the horses for my friend. I am sure you have long been desirous of my absence." He bowed and turned.

Elizabeth opened her mouth to call him back and apologise herself for her own mistaken assumptions of the man, but Daffy finally appeared. Before Elizabeth could shout a warning, Darcy leaned down to the bird. Instead of chasing after Darcy, and trying to bite him, Daffy quietly waddled closer, observing the tall man with his intelligent eyes. Darcy crouched and reached out, gently stroking Daffy's neck. The drake arched up into the hand, seeming to enjoy the caress, and Elizabeth's mouth dropped open in astonishment. Her guardian drake had given his seal of approval to the tall man who had insulted her on their first acquaintance.

"Hello little fellow, you are a very friendly drake, most handsome too," Darcy told the bird.

"His name is Daffy," Elizabeth said softly from behind him. He straightened and turned. "He is a very loyal companion of mine."

"Well he is a lovely animal," Darcy commented, unsure of whether she still wanted him to depart. She appeared to actually be making conversation with him now, and he was loathe to leave her.

"Thank you. He was destined for a soup before I rescued him as a little girl," Darcy smiled at the image of a precious Elizabeth valiantly defending her duck.

"How very lucky for him that you appeared."

"Yes. He had repaid me with devotion and protection." She went on to describe Daffy's valiant deeds, and Darcy was soon laughing at some of the drake's funnier antics.

They passed the rest of the morning comfortably, with Elizabeth apologising for her initial assumptions of Darcy, and both of them making an effort to be friendlier. Darcy could not help but be a little jealous, when he heard of all the suitors Daffy had scared away, and he found himself feeling quite grateful to the drake, for otherwise his Miss Elizabeth might already be married to some undeserving fellow. That was when he discovered that his thoughts were already leaning towards having her as his wife. He was a little shocked, but he could not deny his rapidly growing feelings for her, and resolved to see how things went in the coming weeks.

Darcy and Bingley eventually left, with an indignant Daffy being held back by Elizabeth, after he tried to chase Bingley out of the garden. Once they were gone, Elizabeth sighed and looked from Jane to her drake. "Well it seems I have found my future husband Jane, for Daffy has taken quite a liking to Mr Darcy."

Jane's jaw dropped. "Truly Lizzy? You are not joking?"

"Truly my dear sister, and it is thanks to Daffy, that I have discovered that Mr Darcy is quite a nice man indeed under his stern facade," she reluctantly admitted.

And so Elizabeth's guardian drake gave his seal of approval to a most deserving gentleman, who continued to court Elizabeth until she said yes to his proposal.

A few weeks later, when Mr Collin's came to visit, the parson quickly learnt to avoid the gardens at all costs, for he found a particularly territorial drake in there, who took great delight in chasing him, and leaving him with numerous bruises. Elizabeth and Darcy found this particularly helpful, as it allowed them to hide in the gardens, without fear of anyone happening upon them in one for their more amorous embraces.

When Darcy an Elizabeth finally married, no one was more pleased with Pemberley than Daffy, who took great delight in having an entire pond at his disposal.

* This story is based largely on a Mallard drake I used to have that was very territorial, and any strangers who dared venture in the backyard soon found Daffy on their heels (although he was fine with me and my family). The dogs also learnt as puppies to stay well clear of Daffy.

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