Revenge of the Rubber Ducky (ft. the Geico Gecko)

Celine was wandering through the meadow, the grass tall and soft to the touch. Surrounding her were flowers with petals in hues of marigold and violet. The sky was a tranquil blue, complementing the imposing treetops within the forest below. The meadow was comprised of many soft foothills that overlooked the mystical valley below. Celine was on a mission. She was in search of an old citadel that housed a sacred item she so desperately desired. The citadel in the kingdom she lived in was relatively ancient, with crumbling sandstone walls and towering turrets. Surrounding the confines of the citadel was a prized possession guarded by a man named Matthew. Matthew has a job with the citadel to guard the prized possession at its core, but also as a birdkeeper. He trains the regional ravens to look out for intruders and to protect the most sacred gem of the kingdom. The ravens are mostly on duty during the nights when Matthew is sleeping or is elsewhere.

Celine approached the citadel's gates which had intricate patterns of ducks, ravens and lizards made from wrought iron. She furrowed her brow suspiciously. What does this have to do with a citadel? The citadel isn't some zoo, right? Right?! Celine thought. A sudden harsh breeze swept through Celine's short hair, brushing loose strands into her face. She sputtered trying to get them out of the way as she continued inward, reaching a medieval drawbridge. It was lowered, as she noticed a serene moat. A thin layer of minty algae lined parts of the moat, surrounding small islands of lilypads with blossoming flowers. Within the moat, Celine happened to notice a few bubbles coming up to the surface as she saw the blurry scales of trout which appeared to be iridescent in the sunlight.

As she entered the quadrangle of the citadel, Celine paused and saw an ominous figure standing in the shadows. She heard the faint rustling of something in the distance, even though there was nothing there. She tiptoed with caution ahead a little bit, trying not to make a noise on the crunchy gravel. As she drew closer, she heard the cawing of a raven as its slender body was flying closer to her. Celine screamed and hid behind one of the columns in the exposed arched corridors. She held her hand close to her heart in an effort to calm herself down a little bit, as she heard a loud bellowing voice call out, "Come back here Midnight. They aren't a threat, at least I don't think they are." The raven retreated, as the mysterious man showed himself. In the distance, Celine could notice a well-formed jawline, a five o'clock shadow and hair that could only be described as charming. His hair was a dark muddy brown and was slicked back. He remained Celine of the men in fantasy novels she would read in the meadow at sunset. The man is next in line for the throne and is looking to betroth a young maiden to rule the kingdom alongside him. But there was something different about this man. Something that drew Celine in. He had this aura that seemed to permeate throughout the environment. He was mysterious as he was dashing. She peeked out shyly from the stone columns and walked closer to him.

"Who are you?" She called out to him.

"My name is Matthew. I am the guard here at the citadel. I'm also the resident birdkeeper. I train these ravens here to be on the lookout for intruders who are trying to steal that there duck on the pedestal in the middle." Celine couldn't help but laugh. Why in God's green earth would a pathetic rubber ducky need protecting. What is so sacred about a common bath toy? "It's not a laughing matter, miss. This duck holds the power to destroy an entire galaxy. It can kill you in an instant, locking you in like a predator ready to pounce on its prey. Anyone who has tried to steal this duck has met a terrible demise. If you don't believe me, beneath the citadel is the kingdom's catacombs. They stretch beyond the limits of this place. So many people have tried and obviously failed at retrieving this rubber ducky. So don't make the mistake of teasing something that holds so much power." Celine stifled silent giggles, as she looked up at the magnificence of this duck that stood on a cobblestone pedestal reaching ten feet in the air. The pedestal was relatively wide, and the stone had etched markings of failed attempts from climbers trying to reach the top and retrieve the golden rubber creature. Celine went closer but realized that Matthew was gone. The raven, Midnight, still remained on guard standing stoically on a block of sandstone.