Two of Everything

Writers: Kaysea, Vix
Date Posted: 27th January 2008

Characters: Hartam, Tayette
Description: Hartam and Tayette receive a surprise from the Healers
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 8, day 16 of Turn 4

His life had changed recently, and though he felt that the changes were definitely for the better, Hartam was still reeling from the newness of it. He and Tayette had acted quickly after their conversations settling their differences and misconceptions of each other's feelings. They had stood for a simple ceremony before one of the Hold's harpers, a much younger man than Hartam, but well qualified to draw up the contract. Tayette's belongings had been moved to his rooms at the Vintner Hall and he had started spending his nights there, forcing himself to take the walk back to the Hall each night rather than to sleep in the upstairs room set aside for him at the Tavern. The changes had gone fairly smoothly, yet it still felt strange to return "home" to someone else rather than to be alone.

And now - now, today, he was to experience still another change, as he accompanied Tayette to her appointment with the healer. "Are you ready?" he called out to her, impatient to be going, but trying to keep his voice even in his questioning.

"Yes, I'm just," she pulled the heavy fur jerkin over her head as she entered the room, "getting tangled in this." her muffled voice could be heard. "I wish this weather would turn, I'm so fed up with having to wrap up to go outside, and as soon as I'm wrapped I feel like I'll expire from the heat." she exclaimed, finally pulling the article over her head.

"Fortunately, you don't have to go out for too many reasons," her new husband told her. "Though if they're still sending you out on errands, I'll need to talk to someone about a change in duties for you. I worry that you'll slip on the paths." He had never had that type of worry about any other person, but found himself very protective of late.

"No, they haven't been sending me out lately. Though I suspect that fateful trip to the Tavern might have been a set-up all along. But a very nice set-up it certainly was." she gave him a wide smile. "I'm ready!"

He had to agree that it had been a nice set-up, since before then he had been miserable, his estrangement from Tayette almost constantly on his mind. But right now his concern was for his wife and the baby they were expecting. "Then let's get going!" He opened the door of their rooms for her and gestured her through.

~*~

"Tayette! Hartam, welcome, come in, come in, sit down." Felstar greeted them warmly, showing them into his small office in the infirmary. "My woman, you're growing, aren't you?" he gave her stomach a puzzled glance, but a wide smile was bestowed on the pair as they seated themselves. "What are you now, six months?"

"Oh, no." Tayette shook her head looking a little puzzled. "No, only just reaching four, from the last visit and what you thought then."

He opened the folder before him, and briefly read the details. "Hmm. I think I may have been a little out in my estimation."

Hartam shook his head emphatically. "No," he insisted, "the baby isn't that far along. There's no way that could be."

"You're sure it's four months then?" Felstar looked from one to the other. "Please both of you, take a seat, I'll be straight back."

With a worried look, Tayette took the seat offered, reaching out she took Hartam's hand and held tightly to it, as though a lifeline. "He isn't right, he can't be. The flight..." she shook her head, surely they didn't think, no, Hartam knew her better than to think she had been with anyone else - didn't he?

"Four months," the harper muttered to himself. "Four months." He clutched to that idea, and to her hand, shoving all others thoughts from his mind. "You may be a little big, but really. . . why is he making such a big deal of it?"

"I... I don't kn-"

"Here we are," Felstar said, walking back into the room followed by a another healer. "Tayette, Hartam, let me introduce you to Senior Journeyman Teldin, he's studying his mastery, so his knowledge has more depth than mine."

"Hartam, Tayette." the older healer nodded. "Please Tayette, would you stand and come across to the bed please?" he held out his hand and smiled genuinely, "You can stop worrying, I can see it in your face." he attempted to reassure her.

Taking his hand, she stood and walked across to the elevated examination bed, and with some assistance, lay down on it. Her eyes held the healers, she felt reassured just by the kindness showing in his eyes, and smiled tremulously up at him as he lay his hands on her belly.

"You're a little large for only four months, Tayette, which is why Felstar felt the need for me to come and see you, but I can almost certainly assure you, there's nothing wrong with you." He turned and looked at Felstar over his shoulder, "Felstar, come here for a moment, I want you to feel this."

"Do you mind if we move your skirts down a little, Tayette?" he asked quietly.

Hartam had followed them to the bed, but stayed a bit behind the healers. However, when he heard the request to move her skirts, he moved in closer, his head cocked to one side as he watched the examination.

She pushed the waistband of her skirts down under the roundness of her belly, and watched the expressions on their faces closely for any signs whether good or bad. For a moment her eyes caught and held Hartam's and a brief, but worried, smile crossed her face.

He smiled back at her, though he was not sure that there was anything worth smiling about.

"It's as I thought. Not uncommon in women of your age, Tayette, but nothing to be alarmed about. You have other children?" Teldin asked.

"No, none. This is our first." she shook her head, a little relieved to see him smiling at her.

"Ah, I see, well if we were closer to a Dolphin Hall I would send you to be read by the dolphins, to confirm what I believe." His hands were soft and warm on her belly, as he palpated the roundness gently. "However, I can be pretty certain by the fact you are growing so quickly, that you're having a twin pregnancy."

"A what?" asked Hartam, frowning at the healer, those words familiar and yet so unexpected as to need confirmation.

"A twin pregnancy, Hartam." Teldin repeated the words. "Two babies?" he said mischievously, an eye brow lifting as he looked at the harper.

Tayette lay back on the examination table speechless. All these years, and no children, and then once with Hartam was all it took and now - two babies. Slow, steady tears of happiness slipped from the corners of her eyes as she looked up and met Hartam's eyes. "Two babies..." she barely whispered. "Oh Hartam, one was making me so happy - but two." she shook her head hardly daring to believe the healers words.

"Two babies." Hartam's response was whispered as well, but his tone was less joyful and more fearful. He had not expected any children and while he was starting to adjust to the idea of one baby - at least in theory - how would he cope with two?

"I need both of you to come and sit down, we need to discuss your treatment over the next few months." Teldin spoke quietly, "It's different for each woman, but more serious for those with twin pregnancies if we are to deliver healthy babies." He reached down and helped Tayette to an upright position, then assisted her as she stepped down from the table.

Those words jolted Hartam from his wondering about how _he_ would cope. "Serious? Serious in what way?"

"We just have to take more care of Tayette, here." Teldin replied, assisting the still shocked Tayette into a chair. "Make sure she doesn't over do it, and risk her health and the babies." he turned to face Hartam, and held out a hand of support, when he recognised the shocked look on the man's face.

"It'll be okay." he reassured the harper. "We have discovered her condition early enough that all care will be taken."

Hartam had known that some women had problems with their pregnancies, had heard of such things but really did not pay much attention to the particulars. But Tayette? "Are you sure? What can I do?"

"We all have to make sure she doesn't overdo things from now on. I will be talking to the Headwoman and suggesting light duties for the next month or so, and then nothing more than rest from then on." Teldin smiled at the pair, "As for what you can do Hartam, I suggest making her as comfortable as possible and loving her well."

"I can do that," he replied absently, his mind already mulling over changes that needed to be made, including establishing more regular hours for return from the Tavern to the Hall.

"The babies will be alright, won't they?" Tayette asked, her hands covering her belly protectively, now more so than before. She still couldn't get past the fact she had two precious lives within her now, and not just one.

"Babies," Hartam repeated, stressing the plural, and still not quite believing it.

Teldin looked from one to the other, amused by their reactions, it wasn't the first time he had seen them. The people may be different, but the reactions were almost always the same: from a mother who was accepting and almost instantly worried about the health of both babies; to the fathers who were more concerned with the fact there _were_ two babies. But the chances of a multiple were few and far between and extra special care was needed.

"Yes, they'll be fine, we'll be more cautious and extra vigilant with your pregnancy Tayette, and Hartam - you _will_ cope." he tried to reassure the man. "But for now, all I need to do is make some notes and then you can go and tell whomever you please that you'll need two of everything." he couldn't hide the grin.

"Two of everything." The harper blinked, recalling the rooms that had been assigned to him at the Hall, rooms assigned when it had been just him, rooms that were now a little more crowded with the presence of Tayette, though that was quite manageable. But now. . . two of everything that a baby might need? "I think I have much to do."

Taking his hand in hers, Tayette gave it a light squeeze. "This could be my last chance, I can't say I'm sorry this has happened." she said quietly.

"No, not really," he agreed, though he privately admitted that it would take him some time to get used to this turn of events.

"Well, you're free to go." Teldin said, looking up from the paperwork he was completing, "I'll see you again in two sevendays, okay, Tayette?" he smiled across at her, "Don't worry about a thing, just continue to take good care of yourself. I'll send a note to the Headwoman, to make sure she knows the care that must be taken with you, now."

**Don't worry?** was Hartam's thought. **Little chance of that.**

"Thank you, Teldin." Tayette nodded, "I'll take care, I don't want anything to jeopardise this pregnancy." she said quietly, her free hand caressing her stomach.

"Yes, thank you." The harper's response was almost automatic, though he smiled at his wife. "We want all to go well and _will_ take care."

Last updated on the January 27th 2008

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Two of Everything