Just Not This Month

Writers: Dana, Emma
Date Posted: 16th October 2005

Characters: Fayne, Miranek
Description: Fayne goes to Miranek for another monthly checkup
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 8, day 10 of Turn 3

"Nice to see you again," smiled the Healer as he watched Fayne make her way into the consulting room. "Time for that checkup again?"

"It's time," she replied with a smile. Fayne now wasn't as nervous as she used to be when coming for her check-ups.

"Well I guess you know the drill then," he said rising to his feet. "I'll just leave you for a moment while you get changed into a gown, then we'll take it from there." He gave her a quick smile as he stepped outside, and gently pulled the door to.

Fayne sighed, her expression a little resigned as she stripped, then quickly pulling the gown over her head. Every time she came, she was always given the same news: still not pregnant. She and Kiyan had been trying, though she more than ever before. Fayne wasn't as young as she used to be, and with her fourtieth birthday looming before her, she knew that _now_ was the time to have a child.

"I'm ready," she called through the door.

Miranke re-entered the room, "If you could please get onto the table, and I'll get this bit over with as quickly as possible." He gave her a quick smile as he washed his hands and picked up some instruments.

This was never very pleasant. **Men don't realize how lucky they have it sometimes...**

Aware that most women found this distasteful, Miranek tried to work as quickly and efficiently as he was able. From speaking to other healers, he found that some had different ways of handling it. Some preferred to talk to their patients, others were silent, trying not to increase the discomfort of the lady. Miranek preferred silence, except when necessary.

When that particular part of her check-up was over, Fayne asked with a smile, "So tell me, how is your wife? And your children?"

"They're fine. My boys have finally settled into classes here and started to make friends at last. They did miss the people they knew at Jade Harbour. Valnek surprisingly more than Ranval. He'd become quite attached to a daughter of one of the other healers. But now he's learnt to write, so he's figured out how to send her letters." He smiled at that. "Ranval seems to be playing some sort of ball game with some of the bigger boys here, but Helan..." A darker look crossed his face, "We'd like to send her as a student to the Harper Hall, if we can."

Fayne glanced quickly at him before looking down at her hands. "To become an apprentice?"

"As a student," repeated Miranek. Although the Hall had taken a woman as an apprentice, Miranek was not sure that that was what Helan wanted to do.
"She'll learn a little, and find out some more about herself." And if after a few months, that was the route she wanted to take, we'll he'd not stop her, but if she came back here, she'd not be able to wear the knots, or use the rank.

She looked at him, hearing the tone. "Is she...is she going through a rough time?"

"She's like all adolescents, unsure of her place yet. We thought studying a bit might help her work out what she wants to be, what she wants to do with herself."

Fayne nodded in understanding. "We all went through that... She'll find her place."

"And this way she won't waste time, she'll learn something as well."

She smiled. "I envy her the chance to learn at Harper Hall."

"I do too in a way. She's young still and she's got her whole life ahead of her."

"I think it's funny," Fayne began slowly, "that they want to grow up so fast... But when they're our age, they'll just wish they were younger again."

"Tell me about it."

She shook her head ruefully, chuckling a little. "And no matter how much you tell them to enjoy there lives here in the present, they still look so far into the future..."

"You'll make a fantastic mother, and it will happen for you," he said.
"Just not this month though."

Fayne's smile turned resigned. "Just not this month..."

"Keep trying, and relax. Nature has a habit of telling when we are tense and putting pressure on ourselves," said Miranek. "Come and see me again in a month or so, if there's no progress then, we can look at other ways of helping you."

She nodded. "Thank you, Miranek."

Last updated on the October 17th 2005

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Just Not This Month