Just a Bug

Writers: Kaysea
Date Posted: 26th August 2007

Characters: Tayette, Binta
Description: Tayette is feeling retched and goes to visit the healers
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 5, day 14 of Turn 4

Even in the dining hall, the smell from the kitchens was making her stomach
queasy. This was the third day in a row when she had woken feeling decidedly
ill. The nausea was bad enough, but the headache, backache and and lump in her
throat made her wish she could just curl up in the corner and die a quiet death.

She hadn't made any effort to do more than crawl out of bed this morning, and
make it to the dining hall, before the bile had risen in the back of her throat.
She really couldn't face entering the kitchen.

"Faranth Tayette, you look like death reheated." Binta shook her head as she
approached the younger women. "I know you were bad yesterday - but girl, you
look worse today. You really need to go and see the healers, not be in here
spreading germs around."

"I know." Tayette replied, "But I thought I'd make the effort to come in and let
you see for yourselves that I'm not trying to malinger."

"As if we'd think that, of you." Binta shook her head. "Now go and see the
healers, I'll let the cooks know where you are. Just get going before you give
anyone else whatever it is you have." she shook her apron at Tayette as if to
shoo her out of the hall.

"I will. I will." Dragging herself out of the chair, Tayette turned and made her
way out and across to the infirmary. She took great, deep gulps of fresh air
into her lungs as she came out of the dining hall and into the open. Her
stomach seemed to settle for a moment, but then a wave of heat and sickness
swept over her and before she could do anything, she retched for the third time
that morning.

She could feel the sweat breaking out across her forehead, and took a swipe at
it with her sleeve. She was obviously running a temperature as well, she
couldn't keep from flushing all the time, either. Though from distant memory
she seemed to recollect her grandmother feeling this way before the change came
over her.

A different wave washed over her at the thought. The change, this early? So she
never would have a child of her own, then. Not now, not if her suspicions were
correct. Maybe she should consider becoming a foster mother? Surely looking
after someone else's child or children would be better than never having any at all?

Thoughts tumbled around in her head as she entered the building. First of all
she had to get past this sharding bug, or whatever it was she was carrying right
now. Anything to feel better.

"Excuse me?" she stood wavering at the doorway to the infirmary, a wash of heat
flooding across her again, as everything began to sway in front of her eyes.

~*~

"Tayette? Tayette can you hear me?"

She felt a cool cloth being removed from her forehead, and allowed her eyes to
flutter open - the room seemed a lot darker than she remembered. "Yes..I hear
you." she answered, still not sure who had asked.

"Oh good! You're with us again." a young man appeared next to her, and once more
a cool cloth was applied to her forehead. "We were beginning to worry. You've
been out for at least a quarter 'mark."

"Oh..." Tayette's response was flat, "I'm sorry."

"For what? Making our day a little more exciting?" the healer laughed. "Don't
be silly, it's not everyday someone passes out the minute they enter the
infirmary. Usually we have to show them a needlethorn before that happens."

"I think I'd faint again if you showed me one, too." she gave a small smile,
realising that she actually felt a little better now. The cloth on her forehead
was so soothing. "I..I feel a little better." she said, reaching up to remove
the cloth, and trying to sit up at the same time.

"Oh no! No you don't. You're not going anywhere right now, madam." the healer
pushed her back onto the bed, "You've only been with us a few moments, you're to
stay where you are right now, at least until we know what's wrong with you."

"It's just a bug, I'm sure." Tayette demurred. "Honestly, I've been feeling
like dragon dung for the last couple of days, but I'm sure - all I need is a
little tonic and I'll be right as rain." she nodded to him, even though he had
been right to push her back down against the cot. She was loath to admit that
even that movement to a sitting position had made her stomach roil in protest again.

"A bug? Who said it was a bug?" the healer laughed again.

"Well, I just assumed..." she answered.

"Well you know what they say about those who assume, don't you?"

Pursing her lips, Tayette gave a mock frown. "Yes, I know." she rolled her
eyes, and felt the room spin and her stomach protest again. She covered her
eyes with her hand, "If it's not a bug - what then?" she asked. "I have all the
symptoms." she protested.

"Headache, vomiting, sore back..." she began to list her ailments, one by one.
Almost dreading the healer telling her it was just a normal part of a mature
woman's life.

"... sore breasts, nausea, sensitive nipples." he continued to list more of her
symptoms. "And how long since you had a monthly bleed?" he asked quietly.

So it was true, she felt the tears welling in her eyes.

"A month, maybe two." she admitted even more quietly than he had spoken. "I
don't want to hear it, please..." she begged, "... please don't tell me." she
pleaded, her eyes spilling forth tears. "I'm not old, I ..." a sob broke from
her chest, and she gulped heavily, trying to contain the pain in her chest from
erupting into louder, wracking sobs.

"Hey! Now hush! Please, hush. What's caused all of this?" the healer took her
hand, almost wringing it in his own despair. "I've never had this reaction
before." he said, almost to himself. "Usually its tears of delight -" he shook
his head. "Shhh, shh, sweetling. Please don't cry." he slipped his arms around
her shoulders, and allowed her to cling to him in desperation.

"It's not fair," she sobbed, "I don't deserve this." the words came out of her
broken - full of despair, muffled into his, now soaked, shoulder.

"I would have thought you'd be pleased, most women are."

"Most woman haven't spent half their life aching to have a child. Most women
are glad to see the end of the monthly 'curse' as they call it." she pushed away
from him, and picked up the corner of her skirt and started dabbing at her eyes.
Her words were coming out jerkily, her breathing still ragged. She could feel
anger rising inside, this healer didn't understand. Men never would. "I ...
it's just not fair!" she spat out.

"Er, Tayette." he took her shoulders in his hands, and looked at her face. She
refused to meet his eyes. "Tayette look at me." he commanded, and waited for her
to do so. "I think you've gotten the wrong end of the stick." he said, slowly
and firmly. "I'm not telling you that you are going through the change. I'm
telling you - " he hesitated, hoping he hadn't gotten her words confused, "I'm
telling you I think you," he took a deep breath, "I think - you're _pregnant_."

"I'm..I'm what?" a range of emotions crossed her face, his words tumbling over
each other in her head. "What?" she squinted at him, her head tilted on an
angle, "I'm... I don't think I heard you. I'm what?" she took a deep breath,
closed her eyes; her hands clung to his forearms. "Say it again - please?" she
asked quietly.

"Tayette, I think you could be pregnant." he repeated, having a hard time
keeping the smile from his lips. "Did you hear me this time?"

Tears slid from under her lids, but this time the wide smile on her mouth was a
give-away for the happiness she was feeling. A wide grin almost split her face
in two, and she nodded heavily. "Yes," she gasped, "I heard you. Yes!" she
shook his forearms with her hands. "YES!"

Last updated on the September 2nd 2007

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Just a Bug