A Father's Priorities

Writers: Suzee, Heather
Date Posted: 21st January 2019

Characters: Saibra, R'enh
Description: Saibra goes into labor on Threadfall day.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 5, day 23 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: Jadirah

Saibra

R'enh

Saibra took in a deep exhale as she lay curled on her side in bed, one
hand pressed to her large belly, the other clenched in the sheets. She
breathed as quietly as she could and her face was a mask of
concentration. It had been ten Turns since the birth of her last
child, and after all that time, she couldn't remember what "it" felt
like.

Was she just experiencing the normal pains of her body changing with
the pregnancy, or had that been a contraction? It hadn't been
incredibly painful, but she'd felt so miserably uncomfortable for the
past two days that she couldn't distinguish uncomfortable from
painful.

}:Should I send for your weyrmate?:{ Chioneth, who was not an overly
motherly sort was peering into the main area of the weyr, eyes
whirling with concern.

**Not yet, I want to be sure. There's no reason to call him back when
it might be a false alarm. According to the calendar, we're still a
couple of sevendays early.** It might be those false contractions that
some women had that felt like real ones but weren't actually leading
to labor. **Besides, I don't want him distracted during 'fall.**

"Saibra?" R'enh's voice called as he trotted into their weyr all
covered in crackdust. His eyes were strained and he was weary in his
mind and body but he wasn't going to miss this. "Are you alright? Did
I make it in time?"

Saibra's brow furrowed, "R'enh?" She took in the dusty condition of
his jacket and the grime on his face that was typical right after
Threadfall. **Did you call him?**

}:No. I can see Mnoranth and your weyrmate preparing to fly with the
rest of his Wing.:{ Chioneth replied.

But there was another Mnoranth crouched in the shadow of a huge
boulder at the top of the Weyr making himself as inconspicuous as a
giant bronze dragon could. R'enh had run down from the top to their
weyr at almost breakneck speed. "Where are the healers?" He looked
frantically around the room. He knew what was coming and she needed
their support now! "I'm sending Dancer for a healer. You're going to
need one very soon Saibra." With that, he wrote a fast note then sent
the little brown off.

"I am going to fuss at you later, I just want you to know," Saibra
said between clenched teeth. She couldn't believe R'enh would do
something as risky as timing it. At the same time, she was incredibly
grateful for his presence.

"This feels different than I remember," she crawled out of the bed,
the aching throb resting in her hips didn't seem to go away no matter
what position she laid. Saibra knelt down by the bed on her knees as
another wave of pain hit, this one significantly stronger than the
last one. "Oh shells, R'enh. Faranth, I forgot how bad this was," she
groaned, resting her forehead on the edge of the bed as she squeezed
her eyes shut, waiting for the contraction to pass.

"Fuss all you want," he nodded. "I'm here and am not going to let you
go through this by yourself." He stepped forward about to take her
hand but stopped. "And I have got to get cleaned up before the healers
get here. Back in a flash," he said an dashed into their bathing room
and took the fastest bath of his life.

The thought struck Saibra while R'enh was washing up that this would
be the first time she had experienced childbirth without K'fel. In
that moment, vivid images of Kaibren and Saidrene's births came back
to her mind. The way K'fel had curled his large hand around hers and
kissed her brow as she pushed, and the tender look in his eyes as his
firstborn was placed into his arms. He had been such a proud papa.
Tears pressed to her eyes, blurring the patterned quilt that she was
clutching as she closed her eyes and shook her head. Why did such
thoughts come back to her now?

"Weyrwoman?" a voice called into the weyr and was soon accompanied by
the sound of footsteps. It was a healer she had never seen before, but
he wore Master knots on his shoulder.

"Who are you? Where is Jadirah?" Saibra spoke between clenched teeth,
knuckles white on the blanket.

"Master Jadirah is tied up with another patient. She will come when
she can. I assure you, I am quite capable of delivering your baby,"
the man gave a quick nod as if that was supposed to be reassuring.

Saibra looked over the man's jawline, which didn't look as if it had
ever sported a day's worth of growth in his entire life. "Are you sure
you're old enough for this? You're not just playing dress-up with your
father's rank knots?"

The healer had the good nature to laugh as he gestured for the
journeywoman accompanying him to come into the room, "I progressed
rather quickly through the ranks, but don't let this baby face fool
you. Now, would you like assistance back into the bed, or are you more
comfortable there on your knees for a while?"

"In the bed, I suppose," Saibra said, although she didn't move a
muscle. "You could at least tell me your name."

"Oh, forgive me, I am Master Enesar." He gestured to his journeywoman
to help Saibra into the bed.

But R'enh got there first with a brisk "Excuse me," he passed the
journeyman and swept Saibra up into his arms in an obviously practiced
move placed her gently on the bed. He turned and held out his hand
"Master," he said to the knots and raised a brow. He turned back to
the Weywoman. "Are you alright?"

Enesar kept his smile to himself as he directed the journeywoman to
place his stool at the foot of the bed. He was always amused at the
panic of the parents when a child was born when birthing was the most
natural thing a woman's body could do.

In response to R'enh's question, Saibra merely released a strangled
grunt between her teeth as she was helped back up into the bed.

"Slide down here so I can give everything a check," Enesar patted the
foot of the bed.

Saibra wiggled down to where he gestured, "I feel like I need to push."

"I'll say! You're crowning," Enesar's eyes flicked back up to Saibra's
face. "On the next contraction push and we'll see how willing this
baby is to come out."

R'enh's eyes went wide. This was it. Their baby was coming. He slipped
behind Saibra to support her as they'd practiced. He could only help
by being here for her so he whispered in her ear just before the next
contraction started. "I love you."

Saibra couldn't hear anything, blood pounded in her ears as she
gripped R'enh's hands and pushed.

"That's it, Weyrwoman, push, push, push." Enesar coached.

She wanted to grab the man by the throat. What did it look like she was doing?!

"There we go," Enesar was reaching between her legs and then suddenly
holding up a tiny body.

"Congratulations, you have a son." The journeywoman assisting helped
peel down Saibra's top and deposit the squealing baby onto her chest.

"Would you like to cut the cord?" Enesar asked R'enh.

"Um," he watched in wonder for just a moment before he shook himself.
"Ah Yes," he nodded and pulled some pillows to prop Saibra before he
kissed her forehead and stepped toward the healer.

Saibra's eyes sank closed as she reveled in the feeling of the baby
nestled on her chest. She had forgotten how wonderful this moment was
since it had been so long since Kaibren and Saidrene's births. This
moment of "rightness" and harmony.

"Okay, let's take baby number one away for cleaning while we
concentrate on baby number two." Enesar instructed the journeywoman.

The Weyrwoman's head snapped up, "Baby number two?"

Enesar's eyes caught on Saibra's startled blue orbs, "You didn't know
you were carrying twins then?"

Saibra's mind spiraled. Twins? Had she known? She'd felt different
this pregnancy, certainly, but they'd chalked her increased size up to
a miscalculation in conception. She'd never bothered with visiting the
dolphineers as some pregnant women did, mostly because she hadn't seen
the need, she had just been elated to be pregnant, it hadn't mattered
about anything else.

Further conversation was pushed aside as another crippling contraction
hit, making it almost impossible to hear Enesar when he said, "This
one wants to come out sunny-side up, I'll just need to flip the baby."

R'enh was torn between following the journeyman and staying with
Saibra but his mouth dropped open at the stunning announcement of a
second baby and he spun back around. Leaping back toward her he slid
in behind her again and grabbed her hand. He wished he could hug her
but was overwhelmed by the situation. "Hang on," was all he could
think to say.

Enesar gave a nod when the baby was ready, "Okay, we're going to push
baby number two right out. Here we go. Push, push, push."

Saibra followed the healer's orders, not able to fully dwell on the
surprise of another baby as she focused on pushing through the pain
and delivering another child.

"You did it," Enesar congratulated Saibra as he lifted up another
squirming bundle. "A girl this time."

R'enh bent over Saibra's head and rained kisses on her forehead, hair,
and temples. "Oh sweetheart, you are amazing. A boy _and_ a girl."

Two? She couldn't believe it.

"Are they okay? Are they healthy?" she asked.

Enesar and the journeywoman turned, each with a small bundle wrapped
in a tight swaddle. "They are a little small, that's not unusual with
twins. Their lungs sound good, they have ten fingers and toes, and
good color. I think they're ready to eat. If you'd like a wet nurse to
help out we can send one up."

Saibra was given the two babes and when they caught their mother's
scent they began to nuzzle her neck, looking for the food. "Yes, a wet
nurse would probably be wise." She wanted to be selfish and do it all
herself, but the thought of trying to nurse two babies full time
sounded exhausting.

"We'll give you two some privacy," Enesar said with a nod as he
directed the journeywoman out.

Last updated on the January 29th 2019

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A Father's Priorities