It Comes Down to Nature

Writers: Eimi, Jane
Date Posted: 30th April 2008

Characters: Daigoro, Edabor
Description: Daigoro seeks some professional advice
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 9, day 27 of Turn 4
Notes: Follows "Just Lucky"

Daigoro took a few deep breaths as he paced outside the Healers door.
**He's a healer for Faranth's sake. He's used to such questions...**
And yet the Hallsecond couldn't help but feel a complete fool for being there. Try as he might, though, he just couldn't get his conversation with Cinale out of his head. As reassuring as he had tried to be, the truth was he was just as nervous as she was. Nine months of marriage and she was aggravatingly regular.

It was true that Rivawil had married a woman almost half Cinale's age, but still, they had been married for even a shorter time than he and Cinale and they already had a newborn in their home! What if something was wrong? What if they could not conceive? It would devastate Cinale.
He would love her just the same, baby or none, but Faranth he had never known how badly he had wanted to be a father until he saw the happiness on the journeyman woodsmith's face. And he could just imagine the joy that a child would bring to his lovely wife. If any woman on Pern was suited to motherhood, it was her.

And by Faranth's Egg, he would do whatever it took to give her that happiness, even if it meant making himself look a fool. Pulling himself up straighter, he gave the healer's door a smart knock.

"Come in." The elderly master healer peered through his corrective lenses at the door, certain that he hadn't had any appointments scheduled for the rest of the day. Emergencies he had long since encouraged the journeymen to deal with so when he ran out of consultations that was usually his day's work over. Not that he wasn't happy to do more - "Come in!" he called again in case the person hadn't heard him the first time.

The Hallsecond's thick fingers curled around the edge of the door as he shyly peeked his head into the Master Healer's office. "Ah... Master Edabor... uh... Do you have a moment?"

"Master Daigoro," the healer said, getting to his feet and waving the younger man into the room. "Always a moment for our vintner friends."

"Thank you." The brewer took one more deep breath as he closed the door behind him, feeling a bit like a young apprentice facing the Master Apprentices after being caught with a naughty drawing. He took a seat across from the Healer and mustered a smile. "A quiet day?"

"The usual." Edabor was old enough to know when people wanted some time before getting to the reason for their visit. "Busy in the morning but it trails off about now. What about at the Vintner Hall? Changes afoot with the new Hallmaster?"

"Of course, as there is with any change. Not to say the changes are unwelcomed." So far the transition had been smooth, luckily. Daigoro wrapped his fingers around his knees before they could start bouncing nervously. "Have you found positions enough for all the Amythest Cliff Healers now? I'm sure it was quite a squeeze at the start."

"Good crafters are always welcome, though, and it has meant some of the more ambitious journeymen have had more time to pursue their specialisations. I wouldn't like to say that the earthquake and loss of the Hold was a good thing, but perhaps everybody can take some comfort from the fact that what's come out of it hasn't been all bad." The older man pushed his lenses back up his nose and peered through them at the vintner. "You're looking very well, Daigoro," he said encouragingly.

"I've put on a bit of weight as of late," he replied, patting his belly mournfully. "I'm hoping to be a bit more active in the spring..."

"You're just married - and to a cook! Of course you've put on some weight. Just don't _keep_ increasing and you'll be fine."

Well, this was as good an in as any. "I wouldn't say I'm _just_ married exactly... It's been nine months since Cinale and I were married."

"Really?" The old healer was surprised how fast time had gone.

"Yes..." **Just get it out. He's a _healer_ for Faranth's sake.**
"And Cinale is not pregnant yet."

"Ahh. Are you worried about that? Or is your wife? Or both of you?"

"Both of us, actually," Daigoro said, inspecting the toe of his boot rather intently rather than look up and meet the healer's eye.

"Well, if you're both in good health, and are actually having sex, then I'd leave it a while longer before you start to worry. Have either of you had children before?"

"No. It's a first marriage for both of us. We... waited a little long, I know..." Neither of them were exactly young anymore.

"Waited a little long? You mean your ages? Well, perhaps, but it might just mean it takes longer. Believe me, there are plenty of young people around who are wishing it wasn't so easy to make babies at their age."

"I suppose that's true," Daigoro conceded. "But there are many a young couple married the same day as us with a baby on the way if not already born."

"It's not a race," the elderly healer chided gently.

"Cinale and I... well, we are not getting any younger. We need to hurry a little." To be honest, she only had a couple turns left to have children.

Edabor sighed, realising the man wasn't going to take any sort of advice about 'not worrying' or 'not being in a rush'. "How old is Cinale?"

Daigoro ran his fingers through his hair sheepishly. She wasn't exactly the typical age for a blushing bride. "Thirty-six turns."

"That's not so very old. Look around the Hold and see how many women are still having babies when they're easily ten Turns older than your lovely wife."

"I hadn't thought of that..." Daigoro admitted. He did know it happened sometimes. "So... you don't think there's anything more we can do?"

"I think you should work on only one thing - accepting that it will happen in its own time. Really. While there are some things we can do to make sure you are as healthy and as likely to have babies, it will really come down to nature. And one of the things we *do* know that can upset that is worry. Cultivate a positive attitude, Master Daigoro. That's my advice."

Daigoro nodded. What more could he do? He would stay positive, for Cinale's sake. But nature sure seemed to be taking its own sweet time...

Last updated on the May 1st 2008

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It Comes Down to Nature