Change is Coming

Writers: Miriah, Yvonne
Date Posted: 22nd July 2019

Characters: Lanniya, F'lin
Description: Lanniya tells F'lin that she's expecting.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 11, day 22 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: K'ale, R'enh

Lanniya

~*~

The message had been sent through Anaeyrth to Seneth. }: You must
visit us as soon as possible, Seneth. It is very important that Mine
speaks to Yours. :{

Lanniya in the temporary weyr by the hatching ground, waiting. K'ale
had been understanding in her need for privacy for speaking to F'lin,
but not within _their_ space. She was soon to move into the temporary
weyr anyway, so this was as good a place as any. She was a bundle of
nerves. She'd not visited Dolphin's Cove as she had planned to; she
couldn't now anyway with Anaeryth finally so egg-heavy that it wasn't
safe. She wondered if he was curious why she hadn't reached out to
him.

F'lin arrived just over half a candlemark later, still wearing his
flying leathers from drills. Seneth crooned a greeting to the
egg-heavy queen as he approached. }:You are fat with many eggs,:{ the
bronze dragon said admiringly, }:and your hide is very shiny. May I
land beside you?{:

}: You may. And I am. I will be ready soon. :{ The queen stretched her
wings once, then settled them back, shifting to get more comfortable.
}: Mine is in the dwelling by the Sands. She knows you are here now,
but is very nervous. It makes my stomach ache. along with hers. :{

At their arrival, Lanniya went still and took several deep breaths.
She emerged in the Hatching Cavern, leaning against a short wall to
peer over the sands. She had heard Seneth; soon she too would be large
with a proverbial egg. She wondered if F'lin would find it as
welcoming as her dragon seemed to.

Seneth landed next to Anaeryth and F'lin unstrapped himself and jumped
down to the sands. He pulled off his helmet and smiled when he saw
Lanniya, although there was a faint air of puzzlement to him. "Hey,
stranger. What's up?"

She offered a hesitant smile as she approached. She couldn't hide her
nervousness, had never been able to despite efforts to master it.
"Hello, F'lin." She had considered attempting formality, but
discarded the thought the moment she saw him. She'd never be able to
pull that off with him. R'enh maybe, but not F'lin. He'd requested
honesty and Faranth knew he deserved it. "What's up? Well, to be
honest, my stomach lately." Lanniya offered a nervous smile. "I'm
pregnant, F'lin. And uhm... the Healers think it happened around the
time Anaeryth rose. I was with you a few days before. So... there's a
possibility that the baby could be yours."

F'lin's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Ooooh. Oh wow. That's-- wait.
Hang on." He took a deep breath and tried to regain his scattered
thoughts. He felt shaken and surprised and, oddly, happy. And not sure
about any of it. The bronzerider stepped toward Lanniya to enfold her
in a hug. "I can't believe it. You're pregnant! Congratulations!"

She hugged him back tightly, resting her brow against his shoulder.
"I'm keeping the baby, F'lin." She rested in his embrace, closing her
eyes. "Do you want to be involved? I'll understand if you don't want
to. But I want to give you the choice."

There were so many levels to what 'involved' meant. F'lin was still
trying to wrap his mind around the fact that Lanniya was pregnant at
all. His lover was going to be someone's _mother_. "I don't know...
what do you want?" he asked. "This is a lot to take in, Lanniya. I'm
still-- this is a surprise. A _big_ surprise."

She kept her arms wrapped around him, her voice muffled against his
chest. "It was a surprise for me too. I wasn't planning it. I know
it's a lot for you to take in. I haven't even asked if you have
children or even want them. But I'm keeping the baby, F'lin. I want
it." She sighed softly. "I know you need time to take it in."

"If you want it, then I'm glad that you're keeping it." He sighed.
What would his mother say? Or his grandmother? F'lin hadn't ever
really thought about children before. There were too many things he
wanted to do first-- earn his own Wing. Return to River Bluff. Become
Weyrleader, and then after the Pass ended, Weyrholder, so that he
could pass the knowledge of how to fight Thread to the next
generation. "Do you think it's a girl or a boy?"

She blinked and pulled away. "I don't know. I've not even thought that
far ahead. I'm still getting used to the idea that I'm pregnant." She
moved a hand from him and laid it over her still-flat belly. "That
there's a baby in here." She looked up at him again and then shifted
on her feet. "And that means that maybe it's time for me to really
grow up." She laid her hand on his cheek. "I know you weren't
expecting this. I wasn't planning it yet either. But I don't want this
to happen again. Not with three possible fathers. It's not fair to any
of you."

"Hey. It's okay. We'll work this out." Women who wanted a baby should
be happy, right? F'lin didn't like that she looked worried. For a
moment he thought of his old home, his Hold-- there, a woman who
didn't know who the father of their baby was could be shamed for it.
But this was Dragonsfall Weyr. He hesitated, then asked. He had to
ask. "What did K'ale say when you told him?"

"I know it will be. K'ale was so happy. He jumped up and hugged me.
He's so excited." She didn't mention K'ale's disappointment; that was
her own fault. "I'm excited too, but I didn't know if you'd be upset.
If you don't want to be involved, F'lin, I'll understand. Especially
since it's not certain and I know that there's other things you want.
But you have a right to know."

"No, I didn't say that. I just-- maybe I can come visit, sometimes?"
He gave her a lopsided smile. "How do these sorts of things usually
work?"

"Of course you can." She pushed her hair from her face. "I really
don't know. I guess however we want them to." She rested her head back
on his shoulders. "I guess you know that I can't come and visit you
any time soon." Going /between/ at this point would be dangerous and
she wouldn't risk the baby for anything.

And Lanniya had already set the rules for how they could visit at
Dragonsfall Weyr. F'lin felt a pang of disappointment. Their
relationship was going to change-- a lot. But maybe it was for the
best, now that she had a baby on the way. No matter who had sired the
baby, it's father was K'ale. The Holdbred part of him understood that.
"I guess I'll just have to come see you," F'lin said after a moment.
"It'll be fine, Lanniya. We'll work it out."

She hugged him tighter, resting her brow against his neck. She
struggled internally, both confused and uncertain add to what to say
next. She adored F'lin, loved him and what they did together. She
loved K'ale and the comfort they gave each other. She wished,
fervently wished, she could have them both. Lifting her head, she
took his hand and pulled him towards the private temporary weyr.

"Come with me."

He followed willingly, but hesitated at the door and looked to her for
confirmation that this was all right.

She nodded to his unspoken question and pulled him inside before
lifting her arms and sealing her lips to his.

He kissed her back, focused on the curve of her mouth and the press of
her body against his to sear them into his memory. Things were going
to change but at least they'd have one last time together before it
did.

Last updated on the September 3rd 2019

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