21 Astron, SR 1245

Isembold – called “Ducky” by his mother’s family – had been born at the Chubbs’ smial; Gerontius and Adamanta had visited them with the children for Adamanta’s last few months of pregnancy. Every year after that, they visited in Astron to mark the occasion, and this one was the most important birthday the little one had yet experienced!

Of course, it meant that Isembold could not choose a cutting from the Memorial Garden to lay upon Hildi’s barrow. As they went out to gather gifts in the light rain, Isembold wrapped up against the weather, his Grandmum Peony reassured him.

“Never you mind, Ducky my lad! It may not be Hildi’s own barrow, but we, too, have a marker for the little one.” Adamanta’s mother showed her youngest grandson the smooth, damp patch of ground, shaded from the drizzle, and the circle of stones. “You may place your gift here, and even choose another for Hildi’s real barrow when you get home, if you like.”

Isembold nodded, thoughtfully picking this gift and that for his parents, grandparents, and brothers. He paused now and then to splash in a puddle, quite at home in the rain. At last, he selected a piece of white bark fallen from one of the shade trees to place in the centre of the circle. “Hildi like that.”

“I think Hildi will like that very much, Ducky!” Peony smiled, cradling the white flower Isembold had given her. “I certainly like your gift.”

“Welcome, Granmum!” And with a beaming smile, after passing out the other gifts, Isembold darted away to splash in the puddles again, startling a wood-duck and her babies from a corner of the garden. He giggled, then approached the duck. “Lo, ducky! I Ducky, too!”

Quack?

Isembold imitated the sound, and soon began making friends with the bird while Peony Chubb, nee Brandybuck, and her daughter watched. Their boy took to the birds as...well, as a duck to water! Ducky, indeed!

“I keep duckies, Mama?” Isembold called. As Adamanta wondered what Lady Sapphire would make of avian additions to the Great Smials, her laughter, and her sons’, filled the garden.

“Why not, dearlove?” It would be a fine joke. And so, when they returned to the Tooklands, the ducks came with them!