She kept two pairs of green and pink lovebirds, named Odysseus and Penelope and Sir Francis Drake and Queen Elizabeth respectively, and a large blue and yellow macaw called Bob, who could say "hello" in English, French, and Spanish.
The constant chattering of the lovebirds and Bob's frequent hellos, bonjours, and holas were enough to drive Reyna to madness. She swore that she would one day see the horrid beasts roasted on a spit.
The clatter began at sunrise, when Miss Titan fed the birds. Reyna overheard the servants complaining about having to bring a dish of breadcrumbs and millet up to the gothic bed chamber first thing every morning and return a few hours later to clean the cage. Between the hours of ten and eleven in the morning, the smell was unbearable. The stench did not seem to bother Miss Titan, who, perhaps, was used to it.
Miss Titan cracked open the door between their two rooms and the stench of bird droppings wafted in. Reyna held a handkerchief soaked in lavender water to her nose.
"Good morning, Dona Reyna," Miss Titan said. She was already dressed in a yellow, round-gown, while Reyna was still in her shift and negligee. A large straw hat with red ribbons dangled from one of her tiny, white hands.
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Pride and Percabeth
Historical FictionFiesty Annabeth Chase is thrilled when she is invited to the Duke of Olympus's house party. While her best friend Piper begins a romance with Lord Jason Grace, the Duke's son and heir, Annabeth crosses paths with Lieutenant Perseus Jackson, a das...
Chapter Twenty-Two
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