Precious Time
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyrhold
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Elsewhere on Pern
NPC Weyr (NPC)
River Bluff Weyr
Seacraft Hall
Writers: Avery, Heather
Date Posted: 18th February 2020
Characters: Erivana, K'yne
Description: Erivana and K'yne realize how quickly time is passing with their new little one.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 2, day 2 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Saibra, Yanley
The baby had been crying for what seemed like candlemarks. She'd fed him. She'd changed him. She'd burped him. He didn't want to nap. Erivana just wanted a moment of quiet away from him, and she wanted food, and she wanted the weyr to not be messy. It was a mixture of despondency and irritation she was feeling.
}:He comes,:{ Seryth informed her rider as she saw Arinoth come from drills back to the ledge.
Erivana looked up when K'yne came home. She shifted how Keriv was snuggled against her chest and said, "Daddy's home," putting more enthusiasm than she was feeling into her voice.
K'yne entered the weyr, bearing some darker shadows under his eyes than normal, evidence of the nights that they had been putting in since Keriv had been born. He didn't begrudge the exhaustion at all, the experience of watching his son was more than worth it, but he could not argue that he and Erivana both needed rest. There were times when Keriv was crying that K'yne felt guilty leaving Erivana to go take care of duties, but that was how it had to be.
"Hey big guy," a smile turned the corners of his nearly always serious face as he scooped the warm little bundle into the crook of his arm while simultaneously dropping a kiss to the top of Erivana's head. He was just so grateful that she had agreed to this- having the baby and allowing him to be a part of it, even though she had taken on the dragonshare of the burden. "How's he been today?" he asked, dropping into the chair opposite her.
"Restless," she confessed. "I know he wants something, that isn't napping or food or burping. I hold him, and it's not quite enough. I guess he just wants to be active. We sat on the ledge and looked out for a bit."
"Sometimes with my sister's children she said she would just have to leave them in their bassinet and let them cry it out. They learn to soothe themselves so they don't always need mama and daddy to do it." K'yne held Keriv up, making goofy faces at him that earned him a snort of amusement as the baby squeezed his eyes open and shut in an almost laugh. "And while that makes sense, it's a whole 'nother thing listening to a baby wail for a candlemark," he said empathetically, knowing Erivana would bear the brunt of that.
She winced. "No, that sounds awful. I say I hate the crying now, but when he goes to the fostermother I'm going to miss him."
K'yne glanced away from Keriv. "Speaking of fostermother's, why don't we try one out tonight? Let Keriv stay with one of the well vetted ladies in the Lower Caverns so you can have some quiet and rest?"
She rocked their son back and forth, suddenly hesitant. "We only have a little longer with him." A little longer...three more sevendays before she could return to duty and she'd have to give him up eventually. It felt so far away and too close all at once.
"I know," he murmured, because he was painfully aware of the ticking clock on his time with not only his son, but with Erivana. They had agreed to her moving in with him so that K'yne could help during her pregnancy and then share in the bonding process with Keriv before he was sent to the Lower Caverns. That time was almost up and K'yne had not yet figured out a way to ask Erivana to stay, or if she would once the excuse of Keriv was out of the way. "It's just for a night."
"A night...one of quiet and to ourselves?"
"Yes, the thought of sleeping without waking every two candlemarks to feed Keriv must sound enticing, hm?" K'yne admired Erivana during all of those night time feedings, because he never heard her complain or grumble.
"Am I a bad mother if I say yes?" she said softly.
K'yne chuckled. "No, it makes you like every other mother on Pern." He cuddled the baby close to his chest where Keriv curled up into a warm ball against him and closed his eyes.
She looked at how carefully he held their son, and found a soft smile spreading. "You both look good together."
"It feels good, you know?" He had not expected the way it felt when he held his son close, but there was an inner sense of calm and peacefulness that overcame him when he had these little moments with Keriv.
"It does," she agreed. "I remember caring for Seryth as a hatchling, and, well..." She sighed. "There's something so special about it."
The brownrider knew that he would inevitably miss these moments since they would be fleeting, and they might be the only chance he ever had to enjoy having a child of his own. "Now I'm almost reconsidering that whole taking him to a foster mother thing."
"We could use an evening off. And it would be good to...try him out with someone.' She fidgeted and said, "We should work on picking a fostermother for full-time."
"Yes, you're right," he agreed.
"Do you think it would be bad to just ask Saibra and Yanley about it? I don't have any real knowledge of what to look for and I'm scared to make the wrong choice. Which is silly. I mean, I was fostered and I turned out fine..." she rambled.
"I think they would be the perfect two to ask, they deal with foster mother's all the time." K'yne reasoned.
"All right, then. Let's take him to a fostermother now for tonight...and I'll speak with them soon..."
The brownrider pushed to his feet and deposited Keriv with his mother. "I'll pack him a bag," he said.
"All right, and I'll feed him one last time."
Last updated on the May 31st 2020