The Most Precious Gift (part 3)

Writers: Clancey, Emma
Date Posted: 30th April 2008

Characters: Mai, K'reyel
Description: Tabanirth's Flight has more consequences than a change in Weyrleaders.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 8, day 19 of Turn 4

K'reyel

A familiar feeling trickled along her belly and hips, her hands clasping the soft furs on which she lay, trying to nap as the Healers had told her she must.

Lust.

The only thing that ever snuck up on her like that was when a Gold Rose to mate. Long turns of Weyr-living made it something to be noticed, but didn't make her mindless, yet today it made her tense in anticipation.

K'reyel.

Erdenth would Rise to Chase, he always did.

And she was far too far along to chance the danger to her baby, to be here for him..after.. or at least that is what the Healers would say, she knew.

Tears - of anger or sadness, she could not tell - welled as she cursed the timing. Couldn't she have waited just two more months?

And the flight took it's course, as normal. Bronze and Brown dragons took to the skies, calling to the gold who danced so seductively in the air for them. But only one could win, and one by one, the losers took their consolation as the winner led the Weyrwoman off to seal his win.

A few candlemarks later, she sat still on the furs, Tero crooning agitatedly in her lap.

He had not come home. And even more obviously, Erdenth had not come home.

She was not the daughter of a Weyrwoman for nothing; she knew what that meant. Erdenth not being there sealed the fact. She could have believed that K'reyel might have broken his promise in his worry over the baby and stayed with one of the willing women. But Erdenth would have come home.

Tero growled in alarm as her emotions started to rise, anger, aggravation, worry, heartache, sadness all welling up over her as soon as she realized.

K'reyel had won. And it had been Tabanirth. The other gold was too young, and Lenala's had been the last.

K'reyel was .. Weyrleader....

She fell to the side and out of the bed as another type of pain gripped her. Cramps overtook her and she doubled over, tears leaking from her eyes. What was happening?

That was the point at which K'reyel made it pack to their weyr. "Mai!" Fear sent a shiver through him. She shouldn't be out of bed. "What, what's happening?"

There were no words to say; only a moan of anguish as another cramp-like pain gripped her abdomen. She had gained weight over the last couple of sevendays, but instead of comforting, it had rather alarmed the Healers.

Frozen, she stayed on the floor until the pain released her.

Once it had gone, she looked up at him. "I don't know what's wrong; I think the baby is coming."

It was too early, "Are you sure?" he asked. He knew that sometimes near the end of their term, women could experience what the healers referred to as false labour pains. It had happened with Reyela's mother, and they'd gone to the healers only to be told that the baby wasn't coming just yet.

But this was different, the healers had been concerned about Mai since the beginning of this month, saying that they needed to watch how she went, for the sake of her and the child within. And now was certainly not the time to talk about his sudden elevation in status.

"I don't know." She focused on him as another cramp..
contraction...whatever it was.. took over. She had to look away as all she could see when she looked at his familiar, beloved face was a picture of him in bed with someone else. She gasped aloud and clenched her fist together.

"I better go to the Healers. You should stay .. here... I'm sure you need some.. time.. " she managed to say in between the slight grimaces of pain.

She tried to get up but couldn't, and fell back to the floor with a sharp intake of breath. "Ow..www.."

"I'm coming with you," that was non negotiable. He knelt down to get an arm around her once the pain had passed. "Lets get you up, the infirmary isn't far. Do you think you can make it between the pains coming?"

She could not stop it - the flinch - despite her body urging her to worry over other things, she briefly imagined what he'd just been doing with those strong, wonderful arms and hands. And she flinched away.

But then her real difficulties asserted themselves over heartache and she leaned heavily on his arm. "I can make it... I have to don't I?"

"We will make it, for both of you."

She was still not sure she was in agreement with the 'we', but went willingly enough along with him.

Tero chivvied and chirped and tugged on her tunic until he had to be batted away. Disgruntled, the bronze flit went /between/ and then reappeared quite a distance in front of them, squawking, urging them to hurry (or so it seemed).

They arrived, panting, with several mutterings of pain behind them, at the Infirmary with Mai looking like a bedraggled feline. The Healers were immediately startled into action like a flock of wherry and they descended upon Mai with questions following after one another like eager children. Finally, a senior Journeyman restored order and went to fetch a Master, and peace descended on the three.

But also silence, as Mai struggled with her own inner emotions.
And the pain.

"It will be okay," assured K'reyel. "The Master will know how to help you.!"

The Master arrived shortly thereafter, to find Mai still silently gritting her teeth, but tears leaking from her eyes. Rapid fire questions came at her and she had to fight to answer them.

"Yes, not too long ago.. right after.. I realized. Cramping, conistently. Here.. and here." she put her hands to the sides of the bulge of her belly.

"What's happening to me? To him?" She finally said, quietly, not meeting anyone's eyes.

"I don't know love," K'reyel had one of his hands covering one of hers protective of both his mate and child. "Let them look at you and see what they say."

The Master Healer did his work quickly but gently, eventually standing next to the pair. "I think we need to deliver this child sooner rather than later," he said. "A surgical delivery will be necessary I'm afraid."

She gasped aloud and threw her startled glance to the Master Healer.
"What? Surgical...?" Stark, violent fear made her eyes widen and her fists clench. "Will the baby be alright? The baby has to be alright!" Pain filled eyes tracked back to her weyrmate. "K'reyel....
I'm afraid."

"The baby will be fine," assured the healer. He could see the look on the bronzerider's face, the unspoken questions. "You will be too, but we need to do this sooner rather than later."

"Mai, I think he's right," said K'reyel. "We have to let them do this."

Mai managed to nod her agreement, but could only hold tight to K'reyel's hand as more tears trickled down her face. The baby was the important thing, not the mother. They needed to save the baby.

Last updated on the May 1st 2008

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The Most Precious Gift (part 3)