The Winning Duck

Euthemia stood still as she looked between the vendor in front of her and her friend off to the side ordering food. She never liked these loud and crowded events, but was never given the opportunity to decline the offered invitation. Instead being dragged by her wrist to the loud music and light filled event without a moment to object.

She simply stood in place, following along behind her friend as she spent what very well could have been every penny of argent she had at any stall that caught her eye. Euthemia didn’t escape her friend’s spending spree either and was gifted a new chain that was promptly added to her top. The new ornament was a foreign sensation against her skin and she couldn’t help but fidget with it throughout the night as she got used to its presence.

However, within the next hour she had also had a rubber duck pressed into her hand and with her friend’s joyful cackle of encouragement, she squeezed it. Watching as its already bulging eyes popped out of its head on some kind of eyestalks. It was a ridiculous gift, but Euthemia found it charmingly entertaining nonetheless. Finding that it was exactly what she needed to distract her from the new chain and the busy buzz of the crowd around her.

Nearing the end of the night Euthemia’s eye finally got caught on a festival stall. The rubber ducks surrounding it reminded her of her friend’s gift. Quietly making her way over she looked over things.

It was one of those childish games where you’d fish a toy duck from a loop of moving water with a magnet, and receive a prize based on the colour or number hidden under it. She thought about it for a moment. Looking over to her friend who was once again distracted at another stall. She was probably spending a ridiculous amount of argent on another game she had next to no chance at winning.

“You get to keep the duck you fish out.” The stall worker chimed up, watching the boisbéni stare and silently weigh the cost of a play. Euthemia’s ears perked up slightly at being addressed and her eyes met the worker’s. They were holding out a brightly coloured fishing rod to her.

Euthemia took one last look at her friend before nodding and walking into the stall, pulling out enough Argent for a single round and gingerly taking the child-sized rod from the worker.

She began to look closer at the ducks ‘swimming’ by, and quickly found one that she wanted. There was something in its beady black painted eyes that told her that it was destined to be a winning duck. Carefully Euthemia hovered the rod in its path. Watching as it began its home stretch. She held the rod steady, eyes narrowed in focus as she went to lower it, ready to capture her prize in the rod’s magnetized grip.

Closer and closer it floated. Even doing a little spin as if it was excited to finally be caught.

Or at least that was its plan until another very rude duck unexpectedly bumped into it. Knocking the target duck out of the way and getting caught in the grip of the magnet instead. Euthemia lifted the rod and glared at the dastardly duck that had stolen her well planned win. Its less charming beady eye taunted her as the worker plucked it from the magnet.

They turned it over before placing it on the booth’s edge and moving to collect the appropriate prize. The winning prize of a teal worm-on-a-string did nothing to quell the fire now lit under Euthemia. She was going to get that duck no matter what.

And with that decision made, she set down the argent needed for a second round. Her eyes narrowed in determination as she scoured the ever moving mass of toy ducks for her beloved duck of choice.

Zeroing in on it she readied the rod again. She wouldn’t let it slip away this time. She would not let this duck go. And with that she lowered the rod at the right time when it passed by, watching the magnet drag across its back.

But it didn’t catch.

And before she could lift the magnet from the water to try again, another duck had attached itself to the magnet. Frustrated, Euthemia gave her squeezey duck one more good squeeze before dumping another round of argent onto the ledge of the booth. Glaring at the duck she pulled from the water as if it had insulted her.

4 ducks fished. 6 ducks fished. 10. By duck 12 Euthemia was just about ready to call it, she could leave with her already won prizes.

That was until she stared hard at the duck she oh-so desired and noticed a slight difference from the other ducks. The barely visible dots on the duck’s backs where their magnets were wasn’t on this one. It was on its head. Where she hadn’t been aiming this entire time.

With a silent frustrated huff she knew what to do this time. She knew this would be the last game. Euthemia held up a finger to the worker. A silent “one more” as she placed the last of her argent on the ledge.

She’d be leaving with this duck.

Dangling the rod back over the river of racing ducks she waited patiently for her prey. Like a kingfisher on a branch she calculated her angles, and knew when to strike.

And when she did. She watched as the duck finally caught. Its painted eyes seemed to glimmer with glee as it was pulled from the rushing water. Dangling by its head as it and its prize felt the warm air of the summer night.

Euthemia had been right about this duck being a winner. Stuck underneath was a silky royal blue charm with waves woven into its fabric. She knew exactly what she had fished out and knew that it was well worth the argent she had spent. The worker congratulated Euthemia as they took the duck and the rod from her hands.

Gently pulling the charm from the duck they handed it to her. “I think you’ll find this a little more useful than I will,” they chuckled as she held it gingerly in her hand.

After receiving a bag of her won ducks and additional prizes, Euthemia silently thanked the worker before hurriedly making her way back over to her friend with excitement. Practically tackling her to the ground in a hug before dangling the charm excitedly in her face. Euthemia’s huge smile was hidden under her mask as her hooves made excited tappies against the ground.

Her friend knew well enough what was under the mask, feeling the radiating joy and excitement from Euthemia she couldn’t help but match it. Pulling Euthemia into a hug she dragged the fellow boisbéni to a stall for a well deserved snack, making sure to get the other something sweet.

“Maybe, just maybe, festivals were fun,” Euthemia thought to herself as she enjoyed the food. Watching as her friend enthusiastically dig through the bag of ducks and laughing at any painting errors.