A Solid Number

Writers: Emma, Heather
Date Posted: 21st January 2019

Characters: K'reyel, Saibra
Description: Another clutch for Erdenth and Chioneth
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 9, day 8 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: Mai, G'nir

K'reyel

Saibra

Even though it had been over three months since she'd given birth herself, Saibra
still felt as though she hadn't fully gotten back to feeling like herself
once again. It resulted in her feeling much edgier than was normal for the
typically laid back Weyrwoman. She remembered how snippy she had been at
K'reyel in the after flight of Erdenth catching Chioneth and still felt a
bit embarrassed.

Speaking of K'reyel...

}:I've let Erdenth know that it is permissible for his rider to join us.:{
Chioneth said, almost as an after thought as she moved an egg into a bit of
sand that she had burrowed out with her nose.

A response came from Erdenth. }:Please tell your rider that mine will be
here shortly. He is fetching klah and snacks.:{

Snacks sounded good, Saibra thought as her stomach rumbled emptily. She knew
her hormones were out of control and that she needed to reign them in.
K'reyel had been nothing but a calm, conscientious partner ever since he
became Weyrleader. He wasn't brusque and calloused the way she felt G'nir
had been. **You're lucky, so quit complaining,** she told herself.

"It's me," called out K'reyel softly as he made his slow way around the
hatching sands to where Saibra was. "I have klah, and the cooks told me that
these," he waved a plate. "These are your favourites."

Her favorites! Saibra felt another flare up of affection for the Weyrleader.

"Thank you, K'reyel, I wasn't thinking at all when I came down here. I
didn't bring a thing," she thumped her forehead with the heel of her palm.

"Don't worry about, Chioneth was clearly ready before we thought," said
K'reyel as he set down the plate, and the klah pot. "I even got mugs, you
want me to pour some?"

"That would be wonderful," Saibra said. "How are Mai and Mayel?"

"Mai is fine, although she's not looking forward to explaining to Mayel he's
too young to stand for another few turns again." Like most weyrbrats old
enough to watch a hatching, Mayel wanted to be on the sands, and there was
no doubt that as soon as he was old enough, he'd exercise the right of a
weyrborn child to formally become a candidate. And given that he was their
only one, he could see Mai being very protective.

"How are your little ones doing? Letting you sleep at all?"

"Well, we have a wet nurse half living with us at the moment to help out,
but even then, sleep has been pretty slim." Saibra admitted, and then
immediately added, feeling a little guilty, "Not that I'm complaining. I
wouldn't trade away one second of it." She would only get so much one-on-one
time with the babies before they began spending more time with a foster
mother. "Do you and Mai think you'll another at some point?"

"The healers told us not to," K'reyel said simply. "Carrying Mayel nearly
killed Mai, she was so sick before he was born, she collapsed and if it
hadn't been for her firelizard I'd have not got healers to her in time. I
nearly lost both of them. Maybe we'll foster at some point."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Saibra had been extremely fortunate in her
pregnancies. "Fostering could be fun. Imagine being the weyrbrat that gets
to go home with the Weyrleader!"

"But think how many of them Mai teaches," K'reyel's tone was teasing. "Mai's
good at it, and to go home with teacher..."

Saibra chuckled, "You're right, that might not be as much fun." She picked
up one of the puffed pastries that he had brought and looked back out to the
Sands. "She's up to twenty."

"I think that could be number twenty one arriving now." K'reyel paused to
count quickly, "How many do you think there will be?"

"I'd say between thirty and thirty-four. Chioneth has always been solid
without a lot of variation." The gold didn't clutch in massive numbers, nor
did she have disappointing ones, just a good clutching each time to bolster
the Wings.

"Maybe we should let her surprise us?" K'reyel suggested as he too took one
of the pastries. "Be happy with what comes." Guessing the size of a clutch
could be fun, but Saibra was right, Chioneth was always consistent.

By the time Chioneth was finished, the basket of refreshments and the drinks
were depleted. Saibra had even napped a little and found herself leaning on
K'reyel's shoulder. "Oh, she's done," the Weyrwoman straightened and
stretched her arms over her head, "what's the final count?"

"I think I get thirty three," K'reyel said after a moment to count. "Unless
she's hiding any."

No gold egg, Saibra noticed with a little disappointment. Not that
Dragonsfall needed another young gold at the moment but still.

"A solid number. Congratulations Weyrleader," she smiled.

"Congratulations to you and Chioneth," K'reyel smiled back. "She's done some
great work."

Last updated on the January 24th 2019

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A Solid Number