The kids were putting on a play at Mhi Khetto's ampitheater, or rehearsing for one, or just making it up as they went. Dogberry wasn't really sure. He was watching them play from across the way. Mostly he fixated on the blonde Roegadyn boy. The tallest of the bunch, for sure. He could pass for a teenage Highlander if not for his gray skin. The boy was eight, about to turn nine. Dogberry knew this because he remembered the day the boy was born. He paced outside for hours while Laughing Bird was in labor. His mother and sisters banished him from the room. When he heard his son crying for the first time, he burst into the room to see Laughing Bird holding this little ball of gray skin and blonde fluff. And here was this boy, too big to hold now.
Dogberry was then suddenly aware of the other adults watching the children from across the way, much like he was. A friendly Elezen lady approached him.
"Are you here watching Rhutshald?" she asked. Dogberry looked up. "Rhutshald Styrseigsyn?" she clarified when he looked confused.
"Yeah," he said once he could collect himself. "Rhutshald Styrseigsyn. I'm his family. Just visiting."
"That's really nice," she said. "Styrseig and I go way back. I assume you're her brother-in-law?"
"Brother, actually." Dogberry said, sounding embarassed.
"That's funny, she's never mentioned another brother." The lady sounded suspicious.
"No, she just has the one," Dogberry said, going from embarassed to annoyed.
"Oh, so you're Daghbheri," the lady said, her face gaining a look of recognition. "Oh, I'm sorry, where are my manners? I'm Marigleise." They shook hands. "You know, we've always wondered why Rhutshald bares his mother's name," she said.
"Why don't you ask her?" Dogberry asked, dismissively.
"Oh, I wouldn't dare!" Marigleise laughed. "It's a touchy subject with her. Of course, I'm just curious. I know so little about Sea Wolf culture."
Dogberry didn't really want to dignify that with a response. Marigleise got the hint and took a few steps away, still watching her own child. He sat, arms crossed watching Rhutshald, but Styrseig's continuing parade of disrespect ate at him. He watched his own boy, and thought about the choices he had to make. None of them were easy decisions, but he felt he at least had acted in the boy's best interest. Didn't he deserve a place in the boy's life? Anger welled up in his chest.
"Marigleise!" He nearly roared out. She jumped and looked over at him.
"Uh, sorry," he apologized, bowing his head to her. "That came out stronger than I intended."
"Fine, fine," she said.
"Y'wanna know the truth about that boy's name?" He asked. "His name ain't Rhutshald Styrseigsyn. It's Rhutshald Daghbherisyn." Dogberry stood while the elezen woman was in obvious shock, and made his way off toward New Gridania.
Dogberry was then suddenly aware of the other adults watching the children from across the way, much like he was. A friendly Elezen lady approached him.
"Are you here watching Rhutshald?" she asked. Dogberry looked up. "Rhutshald Styrseigsyn?" she clarified when he looked confused.
"Yeah," he said once he could collect himself. "Rhutshald Styrseigsyn. I'm his family. Just visiting."
"That's really nice," she said. "Styrseig and I go way back. I assume you're her brother-in-law?"
"Brother, actually." Dogberry said, sounding embarassed.
"That's funny, she's never mentioned another brother." The lady sounded suspicious.
"No, she just has the one," Dogberry said, going from embarassed to annoyed.
"Oh, so you're Daghbheri," the lady said, her face gaining a look of recognition. "Oh, I'm sorry, where are my manners? I'm Marigleise." They shook hands. "You know, we've always wondered why Rhutshald bares his mother's name," she said.
"Why don't you ask her?" Dogberry asked, dismissively.
"Oh, I wouldn't dare!" Marigleise laughed. "It's a touchy subject with her. Of course, I'm just curious. I know so little about Sea Wolf culture."
Dogberry didn't really want to dignify that with a response. Marigleise got the hint and took a few steps away, still watching her own child. He sat, arms crossed watching Rhutshald, but Styrseig's continuing parade of disrespect ate at him. He watched his own boy, and thought about the choices he had to make. None of them were easy decisions, but he felt he at least had acted in the boy's best interest. Didn't he deserve a place in the boy's life? Anger welled up in his chest.
"Marigleise!" He nearly roared out. She jumped and looked over at him.
"Uh, sorry," he apologized, bowing his head to her. "That came out stronger than I intended."
"Fine, fine," she said.
"Y'wanna know the truth about that boy's name?" He asked. "His name ain't Rhutshald Styrseigsyn. It's Rhutshald Daghbherisyn." Dogberry stood while the elezen woman was in obvious shock, and made his way off toward New Gridania.
![[Image: BZneHYK.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/BZneHYK.jpg)
No Gods and Precious Few Heroes
