A Difficult Time Of It (Part I)

Writers: AL, Ames
Date Posted: 15th August 2013

Characters: Meledei, T'nom
Description: Elleth clutches, but it's not an easy one.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 12 of Turn 7

T'nom

}:I believe your rider would wish to know that the eggs are coming.:{
Elleth passed along the message just after letting her rider know.
The golden dragon was already present on the sands and the sun was
barely up in the sky. She hunkered down and waited upon their warm
surface, not quite ready to bring one into the world _just_ yet.

"Wha?" Meledei was barely awake, but after a moment, the news fully
registered. She popped up and grinned, then threw off the covers so
she could wrestle on her clothes before she sprinted out of her weyr
and down to the sands. She hadn't even bothered to put on any shoes,
though they dangled in her hand as she ran. She stopped once she got
inside and then hurriedly tugged her boots onto her feet so she could
get closer without scorching them.

Taldeth bolted awake and gave a bugle which woke T'nom. **What's up
big guy?** He asked confused.

}:The eggs! They are coming!:{ Taldeth was like a young, eager father.
These were his first children. }:Hurry or I will leave without you!:{
The bronze impatiently sent to Tnom.

**Okay, okay,** T'nom replied, throwing off his covers, grabbing a
rather wrinkled tunic and pants and slipping his feet into some shoes.
He darted to Taldeth. **Let's go.**

The two were airborne instantly, circling their way down to the
Hatching sands. The moment they arrived, T'nom jumped off of Taldeth's
back and hurried over towards Meledei. Taldeth circled and landed on
the closest ledge to Elleth.

}:My Elleth. You are amazing,:{ The bronze praised his mate. }:How can
I help you?:{ Having never done this before Taldeth wasn't sure what
she wanted. He stayed high on the ledge, knowing she might not wish
him closer.

"Is it really happening?" T'nom asked, breathlessly as he ran up to
Meledei, a smile of excitement on his face.

"Yes it is!" It was exciting. Her second clutch! Elleth's tail
twitched from side to side, but she did tell Taldeth, }:You are
welcome to come closer.:{

Meledei sat down on one of the benches and let her feet swing. "This
could take a while." She warned T'nom. She'd probably send out for
breakfast, but that would be later for she wasn't hungry right then.

Taldeth took to the air once more and swooped down closer to his mate.
He landed on the rung closest to the Sands. He didn't want to be in
her way on the ground, but he could almost bend over and touch the
golden queen.

T'nom sidled up next to Meledei on the bench. "How long does it
normally take?" He asked, his eyes eagerly watching Elleth as she
moved about. His heart was hammering at the thought of watching
something so very special take place. While the eggs were really
Taldeth's, T'nom felt that they were_his_ also. Just like the little
babe growing inside Pierka that really_was_ his.

"Last time it took most of the day." Meledei couldn't help but
chuckle. "We ordered our food to be brought here."

Elleth ignored everyone for the first egg was coming. She turned
around and around, creating a circle. Then she dog a small pit in the
sand before she turned once more to begin the laying of her first egg.

"Sounds like I better let the wing know I won't be there today." He
turned back to watch Elleth as she moved about. "Looks like she might
be getting ready." He leaned forward in his seat a bit, eager to watch
exactly how this happened.

A clap of Thunder interrupted their conversation. "I suppose it's as
good a day to be inside as any." Even if it was hot there. Meledei
didn't mind, though. She wanted to be near Elleth and witness the
clutching.

Elleth crouched down and made a strange noise. One eyelid slid over
her eyes to give them a milky hue. She stayed there. And stayed
there. And stayed there. Til finally she let out a long, slow, soft
groan.

Meledei frowned. }:Are you all right?:{

}:Fine.:{ It was a short answer, but there was no distress in the
dragon's mindvoice.

T'nom jumped at the sound of the thunder, thinking something had
happened. His eyes darted back to Elleth. "Is she alright?" He asked,
having noted her pause and Meledei's frown.

"She says she's fine. I guess she's...just waiting?" And waiting and
waiting. Finally, Elleth gave out another long groan and all her
eyelids closed. A sigh escaped afterward and when she moved,
Meledei's mouth dropped open. "Wait...that's not a..." No...it
couldn't be...

He turned to gaze at the egg that had appeared. It had been hard for
her to deliver it. It was definitely large. He suddenly had an
overwhelming urge to be there with Pierka when his own child was born.
He hadn't realized just_how_ difficult having a baby could be until
he'd watched Elleth deliver this first egg.

"That's not a gold egg is it?" It was big. Very big. Bigger than
any of the last eggs Elleth had clutched last time." Meledei got up
from her seat and walked to the edge of the sands.

**May I come see?**

}:Yes. But it is not a gold egg.:{

The excitement that had started to kindle within her deflated, but
Meledei still wanted to get a good look. As she got closer, the
excitement no longer clouded her eyes and she could tell that it was
definitely not a gold - but it was still very large. "Wow. That's a
big egg."

}:Next one is coming.:{ Elleth moved to the second cradle that she
had scooped into the sand and crouched down. Like the first, she
heaved and groaned and almost creaked as she brought her second egg
into the world. When it appeared, it was as large as the first.
"Dang, Taldeth!" Meledei laughed. "You make some big eggs!"

T'nom had not joined Meledei on the sands, as he didn't want to
distract the golden queen from her job. He had, however, stood and
moved as close as he felt he could to watch. The egg was large, larger
than he remembered seeing in Elleth's last clutch.

**Looks about as big as your egg did, Taldeth,** T'nom spoke to the bronze.

With a huff, the bronze replied }:I am_sure_ my egg was even_bigger_
than that!:{ T'nom chuckled at the sound of his dragon's voice.

}:You are doing wonderfully Elleth. I am here for you. I wish to ease

your pain,:{ the bronze spoke to the queen. He'd seen how much the two
eggs had been a struggle for her. He hoped the rest would go better.
He disliked seeing the strain on Elleth as she worked to deliver their
children's eggs into the world.

Elleth crooned toward the bronze, but she made no other reply.
Rather, she turned and began to make more cradles. She got five more
down before she did another circle and began to make more noises to
announce the coming of yet another egg.

Meledei moved forward to pat her dragon who moaned with effort.
"You're doing fine." She murmured. Elleth was unperturbed, but
Meledei knew the eggs hadn't been so big last time and Elleth hadn't
had such a hard time getting them out with her first clutch.

T'nom edged just a bit closer. "Do you think she'll be alright?" He
called from where he was. He was worried about the gold. She really
seemed to be straining. **Is this what it will be like to watch my own
child be born?** T'nom felt rather helpless. He wanted to do something
to ease the pain Elleth felt, but he knew there was nothing he could
do.

"She keeps telling me she's fine...and I don't feel anything from her,
like fear or panic or anything." No, Elleth was completely calm. Of
course, she was uncomfortable, after all, she was in labour, but this
one seemed to be more uncomfortable than the last one. Meledei
watched as another egg, larger than the others, finally eased out into
the sand.

T'nom hated not being able to_do_ something while he waited and
watched the goings-on. Then an idea struck him.

"Why don't I go get some food for us? It looks like we're going to be
here awhile." He'd already started on his way out before she even had
a chance to reply. He needed to_do_ something.

Meledei would have responded in the affirmative, but T'nom had already
taken action and left. She remained with her gold who settled down.
No more eggs were coming just yet so she could rest, which, Meledei
thought, was a good thing.

Last updated on the August 18th 2013

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A Difficult Time Of It (Part I)