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Writers: AL
Date Posted: 2nd December 2008

Characters: Eliste
Description: Eliste awakens to a bad dream, but it was only a dream.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 13, day 11 of Turn 4
Notes: Riverboat Sungazer

Eliste jerked awake, then froze, ears straining. She could have sworn she heard him, his shout, the curses uttering from his lips strung one after the other at her. He had been coming after her, then he fell. So why did she hear him? Her body trembled at the thought. She could just imagine his hands upon her, the strikes she would receive if he got a hold of her. And Follen...what of Follen? No! He couldn't have her baby!

The woman held her breath and continued to listen, but the only sounds were that of her new husband and her child breathing along with the rolls and creeks of the riverboat. Helvar was gone. He had plunged to his death. He wasn't coming back.

Despite that knowledge and that thought, she tensed when she heard footsteps, muffled as they were, outside the door. They passed, then faded and Eliste relaxed. It was then that Follen stirred and Eliste swept out from under the covers to gather him into her arms. How long had they been asleep? For some time it seemed like. Eliste eased herself back into the bed, Follen with her. It was a tight fit, but doable. she held him close and put him to her breast. The baby instantly latched on and settled down. She smiled and let her fingers roll over the downy hair that covered his head. So perfect, so precious. She knew he wouldn't be little for very log but oh how she almost wished he would stay like this forever. She would blink and a turn will have passed and he would be walking, talking, making new discoveries. Soon after that he wouldn't be a baby any longer, but a little boy. One day he would be a man.

For now, he was her baby, her son, Fog's son. Their child. Oh how she loved the sound of that! It was true, it was officially, they didn't have to pretend any longer. They were both safe. Eliste lifted her gaze to her new husband, lying beside her, his breathing deep and steady. She reached out to caress his arm, but he didn't stir. She wouldn't wake him, it was lovely just to be able to lie there, to know that he was hers. Two people so precious to her. Had she been told what would happen after she ran away, Eliste wondered if she would have laughed. Surely she wouldn't have believed it. She honestly had never left thinking to look for love, but it had found her in a gentle giant of a man. How far she had come from the timid little thing that jumped at the slightest movement. There were still hints of that, a habit that had developed over turns would not be broken so quickly, but it wasn't quite as bad as it used to be. She was healing, day by day, thanks to Fog and to those upon the riverboat who had taken her in and sheltered her. Without them, she would have never come so far.

Fog's breathing changed and he moved a bit, but quickly settled down. Eliste's hand moved to his face where she pushed aside his hair. The scars were there, but he was healing too. They were helping one another, the physical ailments only shadows of the trouble that had lain beneath. They were two halves searching and had finally found one another.

Eliste smiled as Follen finished eating and she shifted to place a light kiss upon Fog's lips before settling down, their son between them. There was nothing written or painted, no song sung that could truly capture the depth of love that she held for her two men, and even the two girls that were not part of her family. It couldn't be quantified. It went beyond anything that had such limitations. Another smile curled her lips upward. Her family. Her own loving family. Eliste let her eyes drift shut, Follen upon one arm, the hand of the other linking with Fog's just before drifting once more back into slumber. Never before in her life had she ever been so complete.

Last updated on the December 4th 2008

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