[B] Show Off [Regale/Watch Me]

[Ruriska]

Regale was very pleased with herself.

She was normally very pleased with herself but today she had an extra special glow to her.

“And with a cry,” her voice rang loud and clear over the crowd, as the actors on stage moved through their script, “the great hero slayed the dragon, impaled it upon his horn! Mighty and true, they stood, like lovers, life and death hanging in the balance!”

A chorus of kin sang in crescendo, to bring the moment to an emotional end.

The two actors stepped away, the ‘dragon’ taking a knee in dramatic fashion before falling sideways. On the other side of the stage, Watch Me opened his mouth and as the actor hit the ground, thunder rumbled from him, deep and all encompassing.

A poignant end to the scene.

A scene change happened, two Kio’s covered in draped vines, marched through and once they had passed by, the actors on stage had disappeared. While that was happening, Watch Me caught her eye and raised his brows.

She suppressed a giggle and eyed him back, brows also raised in ‘oh what’s wrong dad’ kinda way. It had been a while since they’d seen each other properly, with preparations for the play keeping them both busy. Not to mention Watch Me always flying all over the swamp in search of kin to bless.

Regale had been waiting for this moment.

And it had come at just the right time.

Another actor now approached, stepped out to face the crowd, the forlorn lover.

“My young,” she cried, “I can feel you now, growing. Will your father return home to us? Or will he be slain, as prophecy foretold?” A tear slid down her cheek. “I wanted you to know him. His heart was true and so was mine.”

Recluse’s narration began, as Watch Me continued to stare in her direction.

“The doe waits and waits upon the hill, as the sun rises and falls, growing tired and weary, knowing soon her young would be here. Just as she begins to despair, a figure appears! Her breath stops in her throat, she trembles - and he appears!”

The hero stepped out, his horn still coated in blood.

Silence.

Then -

“NOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

“A tragedy,” Recluse cried. “Her love is dead! For it was the dragon she loved, all along.

More weeping ensues on stage. Watch Me had disappeared in the short moment when she’d been looking away. She felt the flapping of wings beside her and then he was there, leaning in to whisper urgently and with great delight, “you’re pregnant?”

“Oh yes,” she murmured back, as the actors wailed for the audience. “It was with a fine Kimeti buck. I liked him very much. Very sturdy.” She’d never understood her father’s obsession with Acha. They were lovely, of course. She was one. However, her tastes ranged broader.

She lifted her head proudly. “Well, are you going to bless them?”

“Of course!” He said.

And when the play finished, he gladly announced his blessing to the entire gathering. Regale caught some of her family rolling their eyes but she took in the cheers and gloated anyway, basking in the attention.

If she got this much fuss, she would certainly do it again.