I Will Help However I Can

Writers: Ames, Heather
Date Posted: 25th July 2014

Characters: Saibra, Gelira
Description: Saibra offers her own form of aide to the young weyrling to keep a promise
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 7, day 26 of Turn 7

Saibra

Did a promise count when the person was dead and the promise had taken
place in a dream? Saibra wasn't sure but she felt, with pure
conviction, that she had to maintain the word that she had given to
Z'an, whether it be a dream or not. She was going to make sure that
young Gelira was taken care of properly. At first Saibra had thought
of just seeing to the young expectant mother's well-being from the
shadows, after all, it wasn't as if the Weyrwoman could afford to play
favorites, but when she heard of Gelira's false labor she felt it
necessary to take a more direct approach in keeping her promise to
Z'an.

So she had scheduled a meeting with the Weyrling. Saibra actually
looked forward to meeting this woman. Z'an had been a flirt in every
sense of the word, but he had obviously cared about the mother of his
unborn child and that sparked Saibra's interest. And possibly, Saibra
knew that she could relate to Gelira better than anyone. Saibra had
lost her own brownrider, and the father of her two children, to
Threadfall, and it had left a lasting impacting on her life. She had,
at least, gotten to see K'fel raise his children up until he perished.
Gelira would never have such a luxury.

}:They are here.:{ Chioneth informed Saibra.

The Weyrwoman went to the door and opened it, a polite smile on her
face as she saw the Weyrling approaching down the hall, "Chioneth said
you were here." She motioned, "Come in and have a seat."

Gelira was nothing if not nervous. Her entire world was so different
at Dragonsfall than it had been at River Bluff. There she'd known
everyone and everything and even been close to the Weyrwomen. Since
her arrival she'd hardly laid eyes on Hygalia, and now the news of her
departure had sent the Weyr on a tizzy. She knew nothing of the new
Weyrwoman. Not all were as welcoming and accommodating to pregnant
weyrlings, that much she did know.

When she'd received the summons she felt her nerves begin. Was she
being called because of her pregnancy? She knew most of the other
weyrlings had not been asked to a special meeting with the Weyrwoman.
Well, besides Genna, she assumed.

Charayoth, sensing her anxiety, refused to leave her side, padding
along behind her as they went to meet the new leaders of the Weyr.

"Good day, Weyrwoman Saibra," **Better to start off formally,** she
mused, it was always easier to go _less_ formal. Gelira, walking with
the gait of one clearly in the later stages of pregnancy, made her way
to the chair and took a seat. A small sigh of relief escaped her lips
as she did. Walking long distances was getting harder and her ankles
already felt like melons.

"How are you feeling?" Saibra asked as she took her seat again and
studied the young woman across from her.

"Alright, I guess," Gelira replied. Her usual happy demeanor masked by
the sadness and difficulties she'd been going through lately. "I tire
more easily now and they've restricted alot of what I can do, so I've
had to get help to care for Charayoth. Thankfully Weyrlingmaster
J'darin has been very understanding." There was no point in hiding the
truth from the Weyrwoman, for if she didn't know something yet, she
would be able to find out whenever she wished. They couldn't take
Charayoth away from her, which was all that mattered to Gelira. That
and the babe.

"I could assign a more permanent helper for you. You will especially
need someone to be looking after Charayoth right after the baby is
born." Saibra offered as she looked into Gelira's eyes.

Gelira's eyes opened wider at the suggestion. She wasn't here to be
reprimanded or put in her place it seemed. Her entire body started to
relax, which would be clearly evident to the other woman.

"Thank you, that would be nice and very helpful. I've been getting
whomever has a free shift among weyrlings, candidates and other
suitable weyrstaff. It's hard to keep explaining the same things to
different people. I wish I could just do it myself, but it's so hard
to get around and they don't want me to over exert myself either."

Saibra jotted down a note so she wouldn't forget, "We will find
someone for you," she smiled back up at Gelira, "I have two children
myself so I remember well what it is like trying to take care of your
own duties while battling fatigue, swollen ankles, and a stomach the
size of a golden egg."

Gelira breathed out a happy sigh of relief at the Weyrwoman's words.
She truly understood. "Isn't that the truth! I won't take for granted
the freedom to move with ease ever again after this!" She patted a
hand against her swollen abdomen. "It is _so_ hard to do even the
simplest of tasks that I used to be able to do with ease! And I
haven't _seen_ my own feet in I can't tell you how long!" It felt good
to share her feelings with someone who understood. The rest of her
weyrling friends couldn't relate.

The Weyrwoman chuckled, "My weyrmate had to put my shoes and socks on
for me. That seems very sweet except for he was horribly colorblind
and often he would put socks on my feet that didn't match at all!
Orange and yellow, purple and blue, you name it!"

Gelira grinned at the image the Weyrwoman painted, but then her
expression dropped as she thought of the words. She didn't _have_ a
weyrmate that could help her. Not that she and Z'an had even discussed
weyrmating, but it felt as though she'd lost that as well with his
loss. Her eyes brimmed with sorrow as she thought of him. He was in
her thoughts everyday.

"It's nice to have someone like that to help you," Gelira tried to
sound pleasant, but she knew she'd failed terribly as her sadness was
winning over in the moment.

Maybe it was because of her promise to Z'an or maybe it was because
Saira hoped someone would help Saidrene if she were in Gelira's place
but the Weyrwoman's heart went out to the Weyrling, "Hey, if you need
help with your socks you have your green bespeak Chioneth. I will even
promise to make sure they match." She winked.

That brought a hint of a chuckle from the younger girl. She wouldn't
bother the Weyrwoman with such a trivial detail, but it was a nice
offer nonetheless. Gelira liked Saibra.

"Thank you. I'll keep that in mind if I have such a need," she replied.

"Please do," Saibra said sincerely, and then added, "I hope you won't
feel too smothered by me checking in on you regularly. Z'an and I
were... Good friends, and I would like to do whatever I can for you."

She felt that hint of sadness at the mention of his name, but she held
herself together. Z'an had had many friends and that gave her comfort.
He was going to be greatly missed not just by her. Somehow it helped
to know she wasn't alone in her grief for him.

"Thank you. I do appreciate any help I can get, especially since..."
her voice trailed off and she gazed down at her hands rather than look
at the Weyrwoman as she collected her emotions once more.

"It will be more bearable in time," Saibra told her, speaking from
experience, "and then you will be able to think back on him and not
hurt quite as much. Until then, know that there are those people here
that are supporting you."

Last updated on the July 26th 2014

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I Will Help However I Can