Pensive News

Writers: Heather, Miriah
Date Posted: 23rd August 2020
Series: The Hallmaster's Ladies

Characters: Thayde, Enamra
Description: Thayde gets a letter about Jalodwyn and speaks to Enamra about it.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 6, day 4 of Turn 10

Thayde

Enamra

"Master Thayde,

I am writing to you again to provide an update on Sr. Journeyman
Dolphineer Jalodwyn and her infant. There are some concerns and
comments that have been made regarding the babe, who Jalodwyn has
named Jalotha. Some who have heard rumors about circumstances and who
have seen the child (including myself) have remarked on certain
similarities in features between the child and yourself. I must admit
that Jalotha doesn't carry much of her mother's looks.

Jalodwyn is currently under a mindhealer's care and had been relieved
of duties until cleared. Since the birth, her friend Yasha has
reported that Jalodwyn has not been well, weeps often, skips meals,
and sometimes will not rise from bed. Jalotha is well cared for
however, and her presence seems to encourage her mother into movement
and activities. Yasha is keeping an eye on the situation for us and
the mindhealer is certain that she will eventually be able to return
to duties.

I will provide more updates when they are available.

Regards."

A daughter. A daughter that looked like him. Thayde tossed the letter
onto his desk, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes under a
heavy sigh. It was beginning to seem more and more likely that his one
night on the beach with Jalodwyn had resulted in a child. There was
only one way he could know for sure and that was to see the child for
himself. It was a trip he had hoped to never make but now a necessary
one.

Picking up the letter, he folded it carefully and tucked it into his
vest pocket.

"Enamra?" he called for her once he was in their quarters.

Enamra looked up from the bowl of tubers she was mashing in
preparation for their dinner. Her brows rose at the time; normally he
came home about a candlemark later. "Hi!" She studied his face for a
moment and put aside the bowl. "You've got the troubled face. What's
wrong?"

Even though Enamra had progressed well with her reading, Thayde read
the letter aloud to her.

As Thayde read the letter, Enamra paled, her own hand fluttering to
her belly in response. Her brow knit and she exhaled softly, her
face showing a bit of anger, then surprising sympathy. "When are you
leaving?"

"I don't know, I wanted you to know first in case... In case you
didn't want me to go." Jalodwyn's baby was not a responsibility that
Thayde wanted but if the child really was his....

Enamra sighed and rubbed her eyes, then looked up at him. "It doesn't
matter what I want really. You should go at least to see because if
you don't, you're just going to worry about it. Besides, as much as
I don't like her, if the baby's yours, then honestly, she's your
responsibility. They both are." She rubbed her own belly, only the
tiniest little bulge giving evidence of her own condition. "I know I
was afraid and felt alone. I felt abandoned and sad, even after I
was taken in here. As awful as she was, I don't wish feeling that way
on anyone. It was horrible, Thayde."

Thayde wanted to argue that Jalodwyn had made a decision on that beach
that night and had known full well what she was doing and what the
consequences could be, whereas Enamra had been naive and innocent and
had not known. "I will take responsibility for the baby if it is
mine," but that was where it would end, he told himself, Jalodwyn was
a grown woman, a crafter, who had the means to support herself if she
wanted. "I'll send word to H'riv and see if he can give me a lift to
Jade Harbor," it would make the trip must faster than having to board
ship.

Enamra nodded. "Okay. I don't think Bolo is really old enough to take
messages yet, so I guess it'll be by another way. " She looked over at
the little brown firelizard, snoozing with a distended belly by the
small cooking fire. "When do you think you'll go?"

"End of the sevenday," he said, looking from Bolo to Enamra. "I hate
leaving you alone here."

"I hate it too," she admitted. "Especially since I'm still getting
sick in the mornings. But you won't be gone long, will you? Not overnight
or anything? Or do you think you'll have to?" She glanced at
Bolo and smiled a little. "I think we'll be okay." She turned back to
him and her eyes warmed. She'd noticed that he'd gotten more
protective of her lately. "I'll make sure of it."

He reached out to take her in his arms. "I don't plan on staying over
night but if something changes I'll send word."

Enamra rose to snuggle in his arms. Resting her cheek on his shoulder,
she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "What will you do if the
baby is yours? What'll happen?"

"I will offer monetary support if Jalodwyn needs it but I suppose the
rest will be on her terms. I really don't want Jalodwyn living here at
the Hall but," he sighed, "that could be a side effect of offering to
support the baby."

Jalodwyn living so close would be uncomfortable for everyone. Her
brow knit as she thought about it. She really, really didn't want
Jalodwyn living near them, especially after what happened. She'd
never be able to relax. But..."If the baby it's yours, wouldn't you
want her near? To spend time with her and help raise her?" Shouldn't
he do that? She wrinkled her nose, selfishly wishing that he only
wanted _their_ baby.

"Dragonriders don't hand raise their children," he reasoned. "It
doesn't mean they don't care." It was a harsh reality, but Thayde
would not sacrifice the happiness he had with Enamra for Jalodwyn and
the daughter he might possibly have with her.

"We're not them." She pointed out softly. Why was she arguing about
it? She should be keeping her mouth shut about it, but something just
felt so _wrong_ about it. She sighed. "It's your decision, of course."

"We'll deal with it when the need arises," Thayde assured her. "Enough
about that," he waved his hand, dispelling some of the gloom that the
letter had brought with it. "How are you feeling today?"

Relieved to push the subject away, Enamra looked up at him from the
circle of his arms. "Still getting sick during the day." Her nose
wrinkled. "I'm keeping water and broth down though. This baby doesn't
seem to like the smell of anything yet." She pulled away long enough
to rub the slight bulge in her flat abdomen. "All I want to do is
sleep."

"Then you should sleep, do what your body is telling you to do."
Thayde insisted, although his hand quickly replaced hers on her
abdomen, smiling at the hard little ball he could feel.

"Then all I would do is sleep." A tired smile lifted her lips. "I have
to make dinner." She gestured to the bowl of tubers. "I'll be fine. I
didn't sleep a whole lot the first time and I was just as tired."

"Yes, well, you didn't have a husband to insist you rest then,
either," he pointed out, glancing at the bowl of tubers. "You sit,
I'll mash the tubers, and you can nitpick my technique." The
Hallmaster began rolling up his sleeves.

Last updated on the September 19th 2020

Series: The Hallmaster's Ladies [Next: Too Little, Too Late]

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