Unexpected Blessings

Writers: Chelle, Miriah
Date Posted: 16th May 2013

Characters: Bahji, E'rae
Description: E'rae finds out about his impending fatherhood and misunderstandings are cleared up
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 1, day 22 of Turn 7
Notes: Follows "A Little Shove" and "I Can't and I Won't"; Mentioned: Rhosyn, Briata

Having heard from someone that a certain blind girl he knew had been
to see the Weyrwoman, E'rae found himself getting curious. Bahji
couldn't Stand and everyone knew Briata did the Weyrwoman's weaving.
So why would she ask to see Bahji? After the bluerider took a bath, he
went to find the girl, hoping it wasn't something bad. After they had
sent that letter...welll....

She had remained in her small room at the weaving quarters for two
days, refusing to emerge except to eat. Yes, she was sad, but her
reclusiveness had little to do with any sort of depression. As she sat
on her cot, she fingered her sore, still swollen cheek. Another weaver
had been concerned at the vivid bruise, though she had assured Bahji
that it was beginning to fade a bit. She hadn't explained to the other
girl. She didn't know how. But her friends, they would want to know
what had happened. Until the bruise went away, she fully planned on
staying right where she was.

Then a knock came at her door. "Bahji, you in there?" The voice was
certainly familiar. E'rae leaned to the left some, shifting the weight
from one foot to the other as he waited.

And apparently luck was not on her side this sevenday. Bahji grimaced as
she stood and in her hurry to find a way to avoid answering the door,
she promptly stubbed her slippered toe on the leg of her stool. "Blast
it all!" She lifted her foot to grab it and hopped awkwardly in pain
before plopping back down on her cot. Groaning, she wiggled her toe
and rested her brow in her hand. There was no help for it. "Yes,
E'rae. Come in." **Just don't turn my head towards him. If I just
don't do that, he won't notice.**

He opened the door and sauntered inside, eyes searching for her. When
he found her, he relaxed somewhat before finding a place to sit down. "You
seem tired. I'll come back later.."

"I'm not tired. I just stubbed my toe." She frowned, though she kept
her head down. "Stupid stool." She sighed and lifted her foot to rub at
the offended toe.

Now that was unlike her. She knew where everything was in her room usually.
So something was bothering her. Had to be. "Umm..so I heard you went to see
the Weyrwoman.."

She went utterly still. Word of mouth at the Weyr was almost as bad as
at Sunstone. She went back to rubbing her toe, refusing to lift her head.
"Uhm. Yes. Yes I did."

"Well, I was just wondering if it had to do anything with...the letter...and
everything...and if everything was okay?" **Shardit I was worried about
you okay?**

Her shoulders slumped and she took a deep breath. She couldn't help but hear
the hesitation in his voice. He didn't deserve her hiding away from him. He
hadn't done anything wrong. She licked her lips and nodded. "Yes." Slowly,
she lifted her head towards him. "My father showed up to come and get me."

The implications of that and how she was acting now all came crashing down
into his head. "And you're not gone. So you're staying. But...are you okay?
Is everything okay?" And now he looked closer at her and noticed something
was off. Putting his hand on her face, he turned her head to him. And then
he made a small strangled noise. "What is this?"

"Of course I'm staying. I..." She fell silent as he turned her head and
sucked in her lower lip. At the strange noise, she quickly grabbed at his
hand and held it tight. "It's nothing, E'rae. He was upset. He's never done
that before. I just..I just shocked him." She spoke quickly, trying to in
some way, let him know that she was alright. "Rhosyn made him leave. He
won't come back unless I say it's okay."

"He won't come back." E'rae had been a holder. He had seen women hit by men.
In that world, though, they had been struck only when there was no other way
to punish since women could breed and breeding was important. Bahji,
however, was handicapped and defenseless for the most part. So for someone
to hit her when she couldn't even see it coming...how could she have done
wrong? His mouth was firm. **I'll tell him never to come here again**

She shook her head. "Not unless I say it's okay." Her hand slid along his
arm to his shoulders, trying to soothe the tension in his shoulders. "He's
honestly never done that before. Ever, E'rae. But it's okay. He just wasn't
expecting..." Her voice trailed off.

"Expecting what?" He was still angry and it was all being directed at
her father for the moment. Even though E'rae had never met the man, he
already disliked him.

She went still and her hand tightened on his shoulder as she swallowed
convulsively. Her mouth opened, closed, and then she sighed, sucking
in her lower lip, worrying at it until it was raw. Her voice was a
whisper. "He wasn't expecting me to tell him that I couldn't marry the
man he wanted when I was carrying another man's child, E'rae."

There was silence as neurons fired and clicked and E'rae made the
connection. Still, he had to be sure. "You're pregnant? By me?" Of
course he had a daughter but Werenn had been a flight baby. This was a
bit different, though still she wasn't his weyrmate or anything like
that. And E'rae hadn't raised his daughter-his sister had, due to his
duties.

Bahji's jaw dropped slightly and she sat back, letting go of his
shoulder. Her brow furrowed. "Of course by you. You're the only man
who has ever..." She cleared her throat. "I've not been with anyone
else." She drew back, her arms wrapping around her abdomen.

"So then let me get this straight. Your father struck you when you
were pregnant with my child and therefore under my protection? I
should have Leith eat him. Or at least step on him." This should be
good news, not mingled with such stupidity. Still E'rae realized Bahji
was feeling bad enough. He didn't need to make it worse. "Alright so
you're pregnant. That means I will be a father again. And you've never
done this before. Wait..you've never even seen a pregnant woman. Bahji
do you know what this means?"

There was a sudden exhalation and Bahji stood with a look of
irritation on her face. "I'm blind, not ignorant, E'rae." Moving
carefully, she walked to her dresser, poured a glass of water from a
pitcher and took a sip. "And I wasn't born blind, you know. I have
_seen_ pregnant women. My mother didn't shelter me from childbirth or
the like. I know what happens. It's bloody, it's messy and it's
painful. But..." She laid a hand on her stomach unconsciously. "I was
always told it was a blessing."

"I always forget that." **She wasn't born blind so the baby won't
be.** "Werenn is...she's a good kid." He didn't know what else to say
since she was indeed not someone he saw everyday. It wasn't like how
it would have been at the Hold. It wasn't like how his parents had
been. "What do you plan to do? I mean...the Weyr is different. My
sister is her fostermother."

She stopped and sighed, her hand stroking over her stomach. "I'm going
to do what I have to. Be a mother and do my best to be a good one,
whatever it takes." Her brow furrowed. "I don't know how and I'm a
little scared, but I've been scared before. I can do it."

"Have you seen the healers? Maybe they can give you advice. And I
mean, my sister would help you. I..can help some." Of course with
Leith he was constrained, but hopefully she understood that. "Listen,
it's going to be okay. And look-you won't be stuck like you might have
been at the Hold. Bahji, this baby is yours to do what you want with it
and you have the freedom to enjoy every minute."

He was talking more than she had really ever heard him, but it wasn't
their usual situation either. "I've only been to confirm it. I'm going
to speak to them in a few days after I really get used to the idea."
Her brow knit and she spoke firmly. "Rhosyn told me of foster mothers
and such. I know I'll need help, but I want to raise this child as
much as I can. I don't want to give it to anyone else." She turned to
face E'rae and her firm look faded as an expression of uncertainty
flickered on her face. "E'rae...I was wondering...can I stay with you
tonight? I know you probably won't want to do anything because of all
of this and that's fine, I just wanted to..you know..be held. If
that's okay."

"That's fine. Get whatever clothes and things you might need and we'll go."
He was still digesting things and he knew K'mai was going to get a laugh out
of this, but that's what life did. Ever since he was Searched, things had
never been predictable.

}:So another hatchling. Well done:{
**Yes I suppose so.**

Bahji was quiet as she gathered her things. She couldn't help but
notice that E'rae didn't seem to be happy about his forthcoming child.
The thought made her quail. Was she the only one who wanted this
child? She stiffened her spine and carefully put her things down on
her cot. "E'rae. Nevermind." She took a deep breath. "I'd like to be
alone for a little while, please. I need time to think."

"If you want to be alone, I'll leave you in the weyr but I honestly don?t
think you should stay here. My bed is better than yours. And anyway
Leith can listen for you if you need anything." He was still having huge
misgivings about her father hitting her and didn't want that to happen
again.

"I'll not run you out of your weyr, E'rae." She sighed and then gathered up
her things. "But as you like. I'll go and come back in the morning."

"Tell me, what's really going on here?" He felt like he missed something
and turns of growing up with some of his sisters told him that he needed to
get it now instead of letting it fester. "No secrets, Bahji."

"When did we agree on that?" Bahji's voice was soft. "I'm an occasional
bedmate, E'rae. I know that. You didn't expect all of..." She gestured to
her abdomen. "..this. You really aren't beholden to me for anything, you
know." For a moment, she felt all of her young turns; she was confused,
overwhelmed and uncertain. "I don't expect you to take care of me." She
licked her lips. "Or the child. You never made promises to me. And...it's
okay. Really. We'll be fine."

"I didn't expect Werenn either but I saw her fostered and tended by her
Aunt. You wish to take care of this one yourself, then you will, but I do
what I am able to with my daughter and so will it be with this one. I was
a holder to start so I don't just abandon my children." She was afraid and
maybe a little lonely since she didn't have a husband to do this with-that
had to be it.

"But you don't want it, do you?" Bahji's voice was whisper soft.

"Why would I not? It will have a strong mother indeed. One I have come to
admire greatly." In his mind, there was no reason to foresee a problem with
the offspring. And it wasn't as if the Weyr wouldn't see it provided for so
there was nothing to worry about on that account.

Bahji's brow furrowed and she tilted her head. Her youth showed at her next
soft statement. "But..you don't sound happy. You don't sound as if you want
this."

"Why don't you think I sound happy? I am not crying. I am not angry-well
maybe I am at your father still. I hope I never meet the man." He sighed,
pulling his head to rest on hers. "Bahji if you need me to jump up and down
I can, but I really didn't think it was necessary."

"You...you just don't sound like it." She sighed and shook her head,
finally leaning into him. "I don't need you to jump up and down. I just
thought you were upset with me about getting pregnant."

"Why would I be upset? This is a Weyr, Bahji. These things happen. Obviously
it's happened to me before." There was a bit of humor in his voice. To be
honest, he thought she was much more upset about this than he was. Then
again, she had a right to be-it was her first child. "When I was together
with you, I knew this was a possibility."

Bahji finally gave a soft laugh. "I'm glad one of us did." She buried her
face into his chest. "I wasn't really thinking about it. Stupid of me,
wasn't it?"

"Well it was your first time so I'm sure that wasn't the first thing to pop
into your head. Now listen-get your things and we'll go and you can relax.
Did you put some ice on that? I'll find some..." He again felt the urge to
go find her father and pummel him.

Nodding, she stepped away, gathered up a set of clothes and the other items
she'd need for an overnight stay and then turned back to him. "I iced it
when it happened. It's been a couple of days. It won't do much now except
make me cold. It'll be okay."

He frowned but accepted her answer and as the two of them carefully got
onto Leith, he started to think....**What if this one is a boy?**

Last updated on the May 23rd 2013

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Unexpected Blessings