Upset Stomach

Writers: AL, Suzee
Date Posted: 31st March 2011

Characters: Zathris, Benani
Description: Benani doesn't feel so good.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 1, day 1 of Turn 6

Zathris

Benani

Early morning light percolated through the gap in the drapes and fell
directly across Benani's eyes. As she opened them she looked directly
into her husbands sleeping face. Her hand rose to stroke the side of
it tenderly when suddenly her stomach flipped. Her eyes popped open,
startled. She whipped around and tossing the covers aside with one
hand and jumped out of the bed running for the privy before she
completely lost control and just made it. The sound was most
unladylike but that was the least of her concerns at that moment.

It was always nice to wake up, especially when Zathris had someone
like Benani to wake up to. The warmth of her touch cracked his lips
into a smile and he opened his eyes. But where she once lay, suddenly
she was gone, a rumple of bedding left in her wake. Then there was
the sound of retching and Zathris sat up, his smile gone and eyebrows
furrowed. "Benani?" He pulled the covers off and swung is legs
around, planting his feet flat on the floor and standing to pace to
the privy. "You all right?"

She heard him call from the other room but couldn't respond. Her
stomach was in complete rebellion and even after she thought it was
done her core still clenched. Leaning against the wall she wrapped her
arms around her waist and head against the wall. "I don't know what it
is." she called back. Her voice a little weak. "I just had..." and up
it came again.

Zathris slipped into the privy and winced at the sounds coming from
his wife. But that didn't stop him from crouching down beside her,
hand rubbing circles on her back. It was a strange thing, seeing her
poured over, face flushed with exertion that was involuntary.
"Well...that's not good." Oh yes, stating the obvious.

She pulled her hair back out of her face and looked up at him shaking
her head. "Not good." she repeated but stayed right where she was for
a few moments longer. "Oh goodness, I have so much to do today, I just
can't be sick."

"Tell that to your sickness." Zathris couldn't help but allow a small
smile to escape. "I'm going to fetch a healer. Stay here. Don't
want you ruining the carpet." He pushed himself up and grabbed his
robe, slipping it on so as not to shock the poor drudge who got the
duty of getting a healer for the Lady. He sent the lad onward, then
slipped back inside to check on his wife. "Still here?"

"Ok," she answered. Then she set her back against the wall and closed
her eyes, just waiting completely still. Maybe if she didn't move the
nauseous rebellion would stop. Benani opened her eyes to make a face
at him when he came back but her eyes suddenly widened and she emptied
more of her insides into the waiting receptacle.

Zathris had a lot to do that way as well, but there was no way on Pern
he was going to leave his wife's side when she was not feeling well.
His mind ticked and he patted her shoulder. "Be right back." He
wasn't long, just long enough to have a quick message sent to Wirnan
and letting him know he'd have to meet him later than planned. It
could wait. Nothing was so pressing that he felt he had to leave his
wife.

The healers didn't take long either. Only moments after the second
message was sent, there was a knock at the door. Zathris answered it
and allowed the man in, a nod given in response to the bow offered.
Zathris led him to his wife, then set about getting decently dressed.

"Now my Lady." He was an older gentleman, his shock of hair whitened
with age, but he was in good shape, his wrinkles unable to mask the
energy he still held within. "I hear that you feel rather ill this
morning."

"Yes," she said opening her eyes and looking up at him. "It started
the moment I woke up." She shook her head, "I wasn't feeling this way
last night."

"Oh? Did you eat too much last night? Did you have too much to
drink." With gentle hands, the healer reaches out to palpitate the
lady's neck, then gaze into her eyes. "Any other symptoms?
Dizziness? Weakness? You don't feel warm to the touch, so no fever."

"Not really" she said she as she looked up at the kind healer. She
really had no clue why she was so nauseous. "I've been feeing tired
lately but that was just because of the big Turn Over celebration
right?"

"Tired?" More than normal?" The healer rubbed his jaw. "Aye, could
be just because of the preparations. You've done a lot of work to
make sure people enjoyed themselves. Could be that. Any soreness?
Backaches? Headaches?"

"Thank you, I tried to make it special this year." Benani quickly
looked at the floor, "Well yes, I'm sore.... but my husband..." she
didn't quite know what to say as her hand hovered over her chest a
moment. Zathris enjoyed her body and she his, even if she was _very_
shy about telling anyone else about it. "we're active," were the only
words she could bring herself to say.

The healer's mouth quirked in amusement. "I was thinking more along
the lines of tender breasts. Backaches or headaches been bothering
you?" He reached up and flicked his nose, unable to hide his smile.
"Have you found that you've had to relieve yourself more often or have
you had any cravings?"

She looked back at him in wonder, "Yes, all of that." she said. She
couldn't imagine why he was smiling and her brows drew together in
confusion.

"My lady," The healer asked, his hands loosely laced. "When was the
last time you had a cycle?"

Her eyes rolled toward the ceiling "Why it was just..." she leaned her
hand on the floor and pushed herself to her feet sweeping the hem of
her gown out of the way. "Well," she tried counting back in her head
and... **no.. it's only been a few..." Her hand went to her mouth and
her eyes got big. "Oh..." she said and "OH!..." with more force as she
grabbed the man by his shoulders. Benani, the Lady Holder completely
forgot all decorum and actually bounced.

"Zathris!" she yelled.

"What?" Zathris had been getting a boot on and at the rush of his
name, he jumped, still trying to pull the leather over his foot. He
hopped on one foot, almost lost his balance and let go just in time to
keep from falling. He didn't slow down, but quickly closed the
distance between him and the two in the privy. "What? What?" He
stood in the doorway, arms braced on either side, then arched an
eyebrow at his wife. Who was bouncing. Up and down. Bouncing. Like
a little girl. "Well, I take it that you aren't dying and are feeling
better."

The healer just smiled.

"Yes... no..." the Lady bounced toward her husband "I... Oh Zathris!"
She threw her arms around his neck. "We're pregnant!"

Zathris' arms automatically encircled his wife when she thrust herself
at him, but he could only respond to her enthusiastic exclamation
with, "Huh? What?"

She giggled, it had finally happened just when she stopped thinking
about it all the time. She put her hands on his face. "You are going
to be a dad."

For a minute Zathris just stared at his wife. Then he looked to the
healer, who shrugged, then grinned. "I'm going to assume that means
it's been a while since she's had a cycle. And...I think I'm going to
take my leave now. My Lady, please come by for a proper examination
as soon as you can. We can give you an approximate date to expect and
let you know how far along you are. Until then, by your leave." The
healer bowed.

Zathris nodded, letting him know that he was free to go and watched as
he made his way out, closing the door behind him. A dad. A father.
A baby. Him. A grin spread over his face and a sparkle came to his
eyes. "Well now."

"Yes I will see you soon." she said as the healer took his leave. Then
she laid her head on her husband's chest and just hugged him. "I love
you," she sighed.

Last updated on the April 27th 2011

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Upset Stomach