Telling Her Wingleader

Writers: Avery, Heather
Date Posted: 19th February 2019

Characters: Erivana, Saibra
Description: Erivana has news for her Wingleader.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 9, day 24 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: K'yne, Lanniya, Saidrene

Saibra

Erivana's mind was reeling as she clutched the piece of hide given to
her by the Healer. **Can you ask Chioneth if her rider is free? And in
her office?** she sent to Seryth.

}:Chioneth, is your rider free? Mine has just seen the Healers and
wants to speak to yours if she is in her office.:{ Seryth obligingly
relayed. She felt her rider's distress and confusion and her eyes were
whirling slightly yellow-tinged as she reacted to that.

}:Yes, she is in her Weyr and says that yours may visit her there.:{
Chioneth informed the young green.

Saibra was down in the floor with a blanket spread and both Saihen and
Brenha were wiggling about on their bellies trying to reach the
rattles and other toys Saibra had placed out to encourage them to
crawl.

"Erivana," she said when the door opened, "come join me."

Erivana came in, looking for her Wingleader to be standing - or seated
- but she didn't expect to see her on the floor. "Weyrwomen , my duty
to you and Chioneth," she started, trailing off.

"Erivana meet my children, well, two of them at least. This little
fella is Saihen and and the girl is Brenha." She gestured for Erivana
to join her on the floor.

The Greenrider sank to her knees on the floor and extended a hand.
"Your twin surprise was the talk of the Weyr for a bit," she said.

"It was definitely a surprise," Saibra said, ebony eyebrows raised as
she patted Brenha on the bottom. "She was the second one out." There
was a deeply affectionate look in the Weyrwoman's eyes. "Chioneth said
you have news from the healers?"

"Yes'm. Healers told me that..." She took a deep breath, rested her
hand on the floor. "They say I'm pregnant."

Saibra didn't look surprised, in fact she was in the midst of wiping
some drool from Saihen's face, "And do you know who the father is?"

"I've only been with one person since I Impressed Seryth and that was
her flight and it was won by Arinoth," she answered.

A cough exploded from Saibra's throat as she swallowed the wrong way
in surprise, making her eyes water as she fanned her face, "I'm
sorry," she choked out, "but did you say Arinoth?"

"Yes, ma'am," she said. "Arinoth and K'yne...he was polite afterward..."

That made Saibra want to giggle a little, "Of course he was. K'yne is
a very polite man." Saibra's mind was racing. She knew how much the
brownrider wanted children, he'd practically taken in Kaibren after
K'fel had died as his own, "I'm sorry, you said that you know it's him
because you have only been with him since you Impressed. Had you been
with someone before that?"

"Everyone keeps asking me that," Erivana blurted before she could stop
herself from it, turning bright crimson. "Sorry, it's just. Lanniya
asked me that before Seryth rose, and the Healers asked me if I was
sure I hadn't been with anyone since senior weyrlinghood and I said I
hadn't been with anyone long before then. But, yes, ma'am, I'd handled
it back at River Bluff some Turns ago. "

"Well, that's a relief," Saibra said, more to herself than to Erivana.
"And you weren't on the teas?" Maybe the young greenrider had wanted
to get pregnant, but from what Saibra had seen of her personality she
didn't think that was the case.

There was no excuse for this one. "I wasn't. I got the lecture from
the Healers, did I. I ran out during early weyrlinghood and it was so
busy I was missing my cycles anyway."

"As Weyrwoman, and as your Wingleader, I need to tell you your option,
although I am sure the healers probably did as well. If it is your
intent to have the baby you'll have the support of the healer staff
and mine as well. We would tailor your duties around the pregnancy and
then once the baby is born find a foster mother. If you do not want to
keep the baby then a trip between would take care of that, under
healer supervision." Saibra took a breath, "I would suggest before you
make either decision that you talk with the father and get his
thoughts."

"I know all the pregnant riders get sent to Queen's, but I know you
need a certain number who aren't on fewer duties to make up for
it...it won't bother you or be disappointing to add one more?" she
asked, looking a little embarrassed still. "I don't mean to be trouble
for the wing..."

"Look at me," Saibra's voice was stern, blue eyes hard, "when you are
making choices like this you think about yourself and the ones
involved. Leave the Weyr to me. The Queen's Wing operated before you
graduated from Weyrlinghood and it will operate without you."

She nodded, appropriately bowing her head. "Yes'm. I just don't know
what I want to do yet, and..." She didn't want to talk to her mother.
She really, really, _did not_. She didn't much want to talk to K'yne
either but she knew she had to. "I'll speak to K'yne tomorrow, before
I make any choices. Sleep on it."

"I think that sounds like a solid plan." Saibra said, as the
Weyrwoman, but inwardly she felt torn. She knew how badly K'yne wanted
children of his own, and now here was a greenrider, pregnant with his
child, and yet the choice of it was completely out of his hands. She
could only imagine how shocked he would be when Erivana told him.

Erivana looked at Saibra and her children. Clearly, the Weyrwoman had
thought it was the right choice for her. She decided to dare to ask a
personal question. "Ma'am, did you choose all of yours, or did you
choose to...not have any?" She fidgeted, a bit. "Or is there another
rider you think I should talk to about this?"

Saibra immediately thought of the night that Saidrene had come to her,
pregnant with J'ackt's child, back before they'd even know there was a
connection there. "I have never had to make the decision for myself,
whether to bear a child or not, but I have helped someone very close
to me make that decision. She was a Candidate and we decided that the
time wasn't right for a baby, that we didn't want to risk her chance
of finding her lifemate. It was a difficult decision, on us both, but
in the long term it was the right choice."

"That sounds very difficult," Erivana said, quietly. "I'll let you
know about my decision."

Knowing K'yne as she did, Saibra was fairly sure she would hear about it,
one way or the other.

Last updated on the March 3rd 2019

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Telling Her Wingleader