Uncertainty
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 6th January 2007
Characters: Nialyn, Birigundi
Description: Nialyn and Birigundi question their readiness as parents when she goes into false-labor
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 1, day 10 of Turn 4
"Biri!" Nialyn yelled breathlessly, pounding on his weyr door. Damn it--what was taking him so long? Wincing, she pressed a fist to her belly, leaning heavily against the stone wall.
"What?!" He yelled back, annoyed at whoever it was pounding and screaming at his door. Flinging it open though, he look became instantly contrite and worried. "Nia!" Birigundi rushed forward and wrapped an arm around her. "Are you all right? What's going on?"
"I think....I think the baby's coming," she whispered, looking rather pale. "The contractions... Biri, they started a while ago and they haven't stopped."
"Oh, shards! Just let me... my shoes..." He could barely think! What was he supposed to do! The baby! Wasn't it early? Well, no, not really.
It was right about time. But shards, he thought he had a couple more sevendays. "Ok... ok... Come inside and sit down, I'll get my shoes and then... We'll head up to the infirmary together. Can you walk? Are you all right?"
Not really trusting herself to speak, Nialyn nodded instead, trying to swallow the sudden tears. Shards! She couldn't cry, not now... "It hurts," she whispered, her lower lip trembling.
"Oh, sweetheart, I know," he murmured gently reaching out to support her.
"Come in, have a seat. Tell me how long this has been going on."
"For a while now. I--I thought it would go away, like the other times."
Slowly she eased carefully down on the sofa. "But when it didn't..."
"Right, right... Ok... So, just let me get my boots. How far apart are they?" he asked as he hurried towards his sleeping room.
"Ten minutes? Maybe less.... I don't know, Biri," she moaned, crushing a pillow to her chest.
"Ok, ok, I'm hurrying!" Birigundi yanked his boots on and ran back into the room. He sat down beside her, laying a hand over her belly and gently rubbing, hoping to distract her from the pain if possible. "Let's wait for this one to pass and then let's go."
Nialyn tensed, tears pricking behind her lashes as she leaned against him, burying her face in his shoulder. Faranth, it hurt! But it wasn't just the bodily pain... It was her uncertainty--her fear of the unknown. Was she truly ready for this? **I have to be.**
"Shhhh..." He rubbed her stomach and kissed her forehead softly. "It will pass, Nia. Just be patient." Shards, she was in so much pain, and there was absolutely _nothing_ he could do! If she was in this much pain now... What would it be like when she's _pushing_? What could he possibily do for her? What if something went wrong? He'd be completely helpless. Of course, that was the healer's job, but still... he'd be useless to her... "It's going to be all right, Nia. Everything will be ok."
A snarl-like whimper escaped her lips as she shuddered, the last contraction fading to that familiar dull ache. Wiping the tears from her cheeks with shaking fingers, she cuddled closer to Birigundi, seeking his comforting touch. "I--I think it's--" she hissed, air whistling past her teeth as her abdomen tightened, then loosened just as abruptly, "--done."
He sat beside her rubbing her stomach gently, waiting to see if it really was done. It seemed the pain had passed. "Shall we go then?" he asked softly.
Gathering her strength--and her courage--she nodded.
He stood to his feet and helped her up after him. Birigundi held her close as he walked her carefully to the infirmary, stopping only to hold her as another wave of pain washed over her. He whispered words of encouragement in her ear to help her through the pain. The infirmary had never felt so far...
~~~
"It's all right, Nia. It wasn't your fault. How were you supposed to know?" he murmered as he rocked her gently back and forth in his arms.
Angrily she swiped the tears from her cheeks--only to have more trickle down. "It's not fair," she whispered, tone edgy with bitter frustration. "It's just not sharding fair." Yes, she had been frightened--something that all pregnant women experienced--but a part of her had also been relieved when she thought that she was finally going into labor. And she didn't know just how relieved she had been until she knew that the labor was false. False!
"The healer said he was sure it would be soon, though," Birigundi said as he rubbed his hands along her back. "It's not much longer." He had to say, he was rather relieved himself. Shards, the thought that in the morning he would _really_ be a father... it scared him, more than he really wanted to admit. He just wasn't ready. There would be so many new responsibilities when he had to take care of both Nia _and_ a baby. And Rigella and then _another_ baby... Shards, how did he get himself into this mess. He hid his fear behind a gentle kiss to the top of her head, hoping she couldn't read the thoughts in his head.
"I wanted it to be today, Biri." She shifted closer, sad disappointment suddenly replacing the anger. "I want to stop waiting."
"But are we really ready today?" he asked softly, both to comfort and because he just had to know if he was the only one feeling unprepared.
She closed her eyes, resting her cheek against his arm. "I don't know,"
she murmured.
"Its just a couple more sevendays. We'll be ready by then." At least he hoped so...
Nialyn nodded, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder.
"Come on. Let's get some sleep." It had been a very long day.
Last updated on the January 9th 2007