To The Hatching

Writers: AL, Suzee
Date Posted: 7th June 2011

Characters: Meledei, R'enh, Vandor
Description: Meledei is determined to make it to the hatching
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 18 of Turn 6

R'enh

Vandor

}:The eggs are rocking.:{

Those four simple words from her lifemate were enough to jerk Meledei
from the half slumber she found herself slipping into and she pushed
herself to her elbow, wincing a little at the motion, but already the
pain was getting better. Not gone, still _very_ present, but she
already took the fellis a little less than at first. **They're
coming?**

}:Yes.:{ Elleth confirmed and Meledei growled. **Go ahead and go to
the hatching cavern, I'll be there soon**

"Hey!" Meledei called out and then again until an apprentice hurried
in to see what the goldrider needed. "You. I need one of those
wheeled chairs." She had been around injured riders enough to know
they had them. "I want one in here _now_. She didn't care if she was
still in her infirmary gown, she was going to go watch her friends
Impress!

"Uh...uh...I don't know...I don't think..." The young man stuttered.

"I don't care what you think, I want a wheeled chair, and quickly!
Hatchlings wait for no candidate!" Meledei made a shooing motion with
her hand and the boy turned and darted through the curtain. **All
right...let's see if we can do this." She took a deep breath then
tried to swing her legs over the side of the bed. The pain was sharp
and she bit back a cry, but she didn't care. She was going - not all
the healers in Pern could stop her.

Elleth gave a short bellow as she landed next to Mnoranth in the
hatching cavern and shook her head against her rider's pain. }:You
shouldn't do this.:{

**I'm _not_ missing the hatching.** Meledei gritted her teeth. She'd
gotten her legs over and they stuck straight out, for she was still
mostly reclined upon the bed. She took a short break, then forced
herself up, almost biting her tongue.

Elleth's eyes began to whirl faster and she turned to the bronze
beside her. His rider was a friend of hers. }:Would you ask your own
to assist mine? She refuses to stay in the infirmary during the
hatching.:{

}:Elleth's wants to come to the hatching.:{ The undertone color of the
message included tones of struggle and pain. "Oh oh," he said and the
person next to him turned with a started look. "Dragon," he said by
way of explanation. He got a sudden idea, he had a good place right
here in the stands "Save these two seats for me," he said and pulled
his jacket to lay across them. "I'm going to the infirmary to get an
injured rider."

After the other rider nodded her agreement he ran down the steps and
through the people pouring through the entrance. He dodged through
the crowd and didn't bowl anyone over in the process. Before long he
was loping into the entrance to the infirmary.

"Meledei?" he called as he came toward her area. "What are you doing?"

"Going to the hatching!" Stupid dressing gown. Stupid Threadscore.
Stupid wheeled chair. The hapless apprentice had done what she asked
but he didn't look to happy about it. "What does it look like?" Half
naked in a dressing gown, but going none the less! "R'enh!" Meledei
brightened when it suddenly dawned on her _who_ had come. "Think you
can get a dress for me from my weyr? Elleth can take you."

}:Are you sure you should be coming?:{ The gold asked a bit worried.

**I wouldn't miss it for all of Pern.**

"What's going on in here? Shorent, why do you need a..." Vandor was
cut off by the sight of the goldrider trying to get into the chair.
"And what do you think you're doing?" The large healer asked, echoing
R'enh though he didn't know it.

"Going to a hatching!" Meledei jabbed a finger at Vandor. "And don't
you _dare_ say I can't go! I'm going whether I have to drag myself
naked over the bowl myself! You watch me and I'll do it!"

And there was no doubt in Vandor's mind that she _would_. "Perhaps a
bit of preparation is in order." He stated after a very brief pause,
his words echoed with a chuckle. Granted, she was still infirmary
bound, but she would be released in a couple of days. Surely having
her go to the hatching wouldn't cause too much trouble.

Tavia had been on her way out when she caught a glimpse of the crowd
around the injured goldrider. She shook her head and could pretty much
guess what was going on. She pulled another gown and a sheet out of
the cupboard and brought them into the room. "Here," she said holding
it out. "Put the gown on like a jacket and then cover your legs with
the sheet. That should work."

R'enh stood with a puzzled look on his face when they brought the
wheeled chair and the other things. His fists set on his hips as he
stared at the whole procedure. He shook his head and half grinned at
the healer. "Well you should have thought of the dress before. Elleth
has a prime spot so I don't think we should disturb her. Besides, how
can we possibly push that silly chair across the sands?" He chuckled,
she was so very determined and upset by the whole thing. "If she's ok
to go then I'll just carry her... that would be easier."

"I don't care how I get there as long as I get there!" Though Meledei
did want to be decent. She took a deep breath and managed, with Vandor
springing forward to help her, to get up on her feet. Rather, on her
foot. yes, foot. The other leg wasn't going to have any weight bearing
on it. It just wouldn't stand for it!

"I've got too many friends I want to see Impress." She had a good
feeling this time around for some who had been waiting for so long, and
she didn't want to miss Janani's first hatching as a Weyrwoman!

With the help of the healers, Meledei was slipped into another gown and
then the ties secured in front - now she wouldn't be flashing people.
"Being carried might be faster." She eyed R'enh - she wasn't that big
and he was certainly big and strong enough. Yes, it would be faster,
and probably more painful, but she was thinking speed more than comfort.
"Think you can have the chair waiting for me inside the Weyr?" It
wasn't quite clear whether Meledei was talking to Tavia, Vandor, or
poor Shorent who was still hovering around. "Then I can change into
something decent for the feast." And she jabbed another finger at
Vandor before he could say a single word against it.

R'enh stepped forward and picked her up carefully with the injured
leg. "Goldriders sure learn how to order people around young," he
grinned to take the sting out of the words. The he turned and started
walking out of the cavern to hopefully prevent her from issuing any
more orders.

Tavia followed along behind having already dressed in her new gather
dress. A light sea green it matched her eyes and the ribbons in her
hair. "We'll get you into an appropriate dress," she said not looking
at Vandor for confirmation that he'd actually allow her to attend.

Last updated on the June 8th 2011

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