In This Together

Writers: Heather, Miriah
Date Posted: 22nd January 2015

Characters: D'hol, Jeyme
Description: D'hol washes Quinneth and the two soon-to-be parents discuss the uncertainties of parenthood.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 26 of Turn 7

D'hol

Jeyme

Everything was uncomfortable for Jeyme. The way she walked, the way
she slept, shards, even love making with D'hol had become something of
a chore with her pregnant belly to work around. In short, pregnancy
had become miserable for Jeyme, and she dreaded Quinneth's bath time.
She had been handling Quinneth by herself, despite the fact that it
took her twice as long to get the green cleaned. It was finally at the
point, however, that she was going to need some assistance.

"Can you help me with Quinneth today?" She finally asked D'hol on the
morning of their Rest Day. Jeyme was in a pair of shorts with the
front unbuttoned, since there was no possible way to button them
around her belly, and she was in one of D'hol's short-sleeved tunics,
but even that was beginning to appear tight across her stomach.

Reclined on the couch, D'hol looked up from the book that had been
taking his attention. "Of course." He laid it aside to look at her,
eyes taking in the expression on her face. "Why don't you use today to
rest, Jeyme? Get off of your feet. I'll handle her. Maybe I'll gather
some of the Candidates and conscript them into service."

Jeyme sighed and tugged her fingers through her hair, "I hate being so
useless." Beyond reading or doing some knitting, there was very little
else that she was able to do.

He sat up and pulled her to his side gently before patting her
stomach. "You're not useless." He tilted her head upwards to kiss her
mouth lightly. "You're...broody." Perhaps not the best way to say it,
but the comparison was an apt one.

The greenrider chuckled at his description, thinking it was an awfully
polite way of saying that she was grumpy, but she appreciated it
nonetheless. "Broody is a good way to put it." She smiled, "I am just
so ready to see D'hol or Jeyme junior." And she was ready to have her
normal body back.

One brow quirked. "And you're tired of carrying him." And to be quite
honest, he would be thankful when her moods calmed; it was like
dealing with a constantly proddy greenrider. "You can sit on the sand
and watch while Yumath and I get Quinneth all settled. Prop your feet
up." Sharding relax...

"I am not tired of carrying him," Jeyme corrected, "I am tired of the
nasuea and general awkwardness that comes with being the size of a
barn." She rose and snatched up a towel so that she could sit on it while
watching D'hol wash Quinneth. She hated causing D'hol extra work, but
couldn't see a way around it.

"You're not that big." D'hol replied calmly. "And your waddle is endearing."

Jeyme chuckled, "Well, I am glad you think so."

}:I am waiting.:{ Quinneth piped in, somewhat impatiently for the
normally docile green.

"Quinn is waiting." She said as she pulled the door to their weyr
open. "I think she will be glad to have her normal rider back. Faranth
knows she's in need of a good mating flight."

}: Patience, they are coming. Yours moves slow and mine does not rush
her. He fears she will fall. :{ There was a pause. }: And she is big
enough to be difficult to lift back up if she does. :{

D'hol kept his face straight as he heard Yumath's words, instead he
arched a brow at his weyrmate. "I'm sure she does." His lip curled.
"And Yumath will be waiting. " He escorted her towards the lake, then
tugged off his shirt as he gestured for the green to come to the
shore.

Jeyme liked the assurance that her weyrmate's bronze would be ready to
participate in Quinneth's next mating flight. She hoped that Yumath
won this go round, or at the least that Loseth did not win. That would
simply make life easier for everyone involved. The very pregnant
greenrider sat down beside of D'hol's discarded shirt, rubbing a hand
over her abdomen and pressing on the side of it to try and reposition
the babe as she watched Quinneth wade in closer to the Wingleader for
her bath.

Quinneth was use to the presence of Yumath's rider, after all, the man
had been close to her rider ever since Quinneth had hatched. The green
gently bumped the man's torso with her green snout, a sign of
affection and trust.

D'hol gave the green an affectionate pat and scratch before wading
into the water with a brush. Yumath settled on the other side of his
ledgemate, rubbing his chin over the arch of her neck. At D'hol
suggestion, Yumath summoned a few of the flits that were always about
the weyrbowl and within moments, Quinneth was surrounded by happily
scrubbing firelizards. D'hol glanced at Jeyme and shrugged. "It's good
to have a bronze."

Jeyme grinned at the small gaggle of flits that were giving Quinneth a
good scrubbing, "Yes, I had heard that there were a few perks to being
a bronzerider." There weren't a whole lot of perks to being a
greenrider, aside from never having to worry about being given too
much responsibility or authority... if you counted that as a perk. Not
that Jeyme would ever complain about the color of her lifemate, she
had been lucky to Impress anyway.

Compared to Yumath, was much easier to scrub the much smaller green,
and with Yumath providing sweeps of water to rinse as well, it went
quickly. Before long, D'hol gave Quinneth an amiable swat. "You're
done. Off with you to rinse."

Quinneth gave a warble of thanks as she retreated back into the water
to rinse her hide. Jeyme smiled as she watched her lifemate, and then
she raised a hand toward D'hol, "Help a lady to her feet?"

He offered his hand to her and hefted her upwards. "Better?" He eyed
her abdomen. "How much longer do we have?"

"Four sevendays left." Jeyme breathed, a tinge of nervousness making
her voice quiver, even though there was an excited glint in her eyes.

D'hol nodded briefly. "Good. Have you spoken to any foster mothers yet?"

"I've talked to a couple but I have yet to tell Chaysea my final
decision." Just the mention of having to foster their child dashed
some of the exciting that Jeyme had been feeling.

He noted the look on her face and tucked her arm in his elbow. "I know
you don't like it, Jeyme. But its still something to prepare for.
We'll keep our child as much as we can after you've gone back to full
duty. " He stroked his hand over her fingers against his arm. "I fear
you know more of children than I do."

"Well, the Hold does train its women to be child bearers." Jeyme said
wryly, but she leaned gratefully into her weyrmate's side as they
walked back to their weyr. "I understand why foster mothers are used.
I know I can't give a child the attention it deserves, not between
Threadfall and Ashareth. It's still hard though." How did any woman
easily give up a child that she had carried for months in her body?
That she had held to her breast and nourished?

Jeyme glanced up at D'hol, trying to imagine her broody, stoic
bronzerider changing diapers or with baby spit-up on his shoulder. The
images made her grin a little.

"Men certainly can't bear them." The words were laced with dry humor.
He glanced down at her and arched a brow at the grin. "What?"

"I am just trying to imagine my big strong weyrmate changing diapers."
Jeyme replied teasingly, the grin blossoming into a smile.

He eyed her. "I'm not looking forward to that part..."

She squeezed his hand, "Me either, but we're in it together."

Last updated on the February 11th 2015

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In This Together