So That's What's Wrong

Writers: Heather, Miriah
Date Posted: 10th April 2015

Characters: D'kere, Ninaine
Description: D'kere goes to see why Ninaine has been missing class.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 11, day 13 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned; Gerlira, T'lat, Alukal, Yanley

Ninaine

At first D'kere could accept that Ninaine might be feeling poorly, but
after a sevenday of missing classes, and all of the excuses he could
take from the other Weyrlings for the greenrider's absence, the
Weyrlingmaster's Second decided he needed to see the girl for himself.
Fortunately the Senior Weyrlings were already in their private weyrs,
which made D'kere's visit a bit easier since he didn't have to worry
about other Weyrlings listening in to the conversation.

}:Luneth, my rider is on his way to visit yours.:{ Kenirath informed
the young green.

}: Mine does not feel well. :{ Luneth was prompt to reply. }: Her
stomach bothers her a great deal. Can he wait? :{

}:No, it cannot wait. She has been absent for a sevenday.:{ Kenirath
responded as D'kere rocked back on his heels outside of Ninaine's
entrance, waiting to be let in.

}: She is not going to like this. :{ Luneth complained. }: She does
not feel well. :{ The green didn't block D'kere however, just heaved a
large grumbling sigh.

The leather entrance flap twitched open, Ninaine's face pale and
peaked. "Come in." There was a look of resignation on her face as she
stepped back to allow him entrance, then promptly moved to her chair
and curled up.

"I'm sorry for intruding." D'kere blurted out immediately, images of
the way J'darin's arm was scarred up from Luneth's attack flashing
before him. The Weyrlingmaster's Second was not a naturally pushy man,
it just wasn't in his laidback nature, but concern for a Weyrling
under his command drove him to be more stern.

The bronzerider took in Ninaine's palor and body language, and it at
least gave him a little relief that she actually _was_ ill and not
simply avoiding lessons. "Have you been to the healers?" He asked,
sitting down across from her.

At that, Ninaine's lower lip trembled and she nodded. "I guess T'lat told
you?"

D'kere cocked an eyebrow, "Told me what?"

Did he actually want her to admit it out loud? Or had T'lat kept his
promise? The thought that he had was a relief. At least N'call still
didn't know. She stared down at her knees and spoke softly. "I'm with
child. It...I can't keep food down." She swallowed roughly. "I feel
sick and I'm tired all the time."

The 'second's eyes grew wide and after a long moment of awkward
silence he realized how ridiculous he probably looked. **A pregnant
Weyrling... Perfect.** He thought, but of course D'kere didn't have
the heart to even be remotely upset about it, not when Ninaine looked
so miserable. And besides, the ban had been lifted and inexperienced
Weyrlings were encouraged to find a bed partner to prepare them for
their first mating flights.

"I am sorry, I didn't know. T'lat kept your secret." D'kere pushed his
fingers through his thick blonde locks, "Have you been to the healers
recently? They have some things pregnant women can do for nausea."

His momentary shocked silence only made her feel worse. "They said to
drink ginger tea. Aluka brought me some too, but it doesn't help all
the time." She sniffed and wiped her eyes quickly. "I'm sorry."

"No, I am sorry," he said sincerely, "you should have been better
prepared so that this situation wouldn't have happened." And preparing
Weyrlings was _their_ job. "Weren't you taking teas?" D'kere asked,
thinking that someone, surely, had told Ninaine about them.

She flushed and shook her head. "I didn't..." She bit her lip. "I
didn't even think of them." She replied, ashamed. "I didn't think at
all."

D'kere could understand someone from Ninaine's background not
considering the teas or ramifications, but it took two to sire a
child, "And what about the father?"

That made Ninaine squirm a little. "I uh..." She swallowed and stared
down at her fingers. "He doesn't know."

The Weyrlingmaster's Second shoved his fingers through his hair again.
Whomever the father was, if he was a dragonrider worth his salt then
he would have asked Ninaine about teas, and warned her against
pregnancy beforehand. But some dragonriders were irresponsible, or
didn't care. "It's not too much of my business, but are you planning
on telling him?"

"I don't know." Her voice was soft. "I guess he'll find out
eventually. I'm not ready for him to know yet." She wasn't ready for
many people to know her shame. It was bad enough that it had happened
at all. "So what happens now? To me and Luneth?"

"Do you know Gerlira? She's a Senior Weyrling. She had a similar
experience as you. Her graduation has had to be postponed. Your
training will be tailored to accomodate your condition, which will
inevitably put you and Luneth behind the rest of yoru class. Once the
baby has been born you'll pick up on the lessons that you missed, like
/betweening/ and your first Threadfall. Once the Weyrlingstaff is
satisfied that you are prepared we'll pass you on to the fighting
Wings." D'kere wondered how often it was to have a pregnant Weyrling?
First Gerlira, and now Ninaine.

Ninaine did know Gelira. It had been harder on her since her green had
been so young while she was so pregnant. But she seemed do have done
just fine. It was different for the weyrbred, she thought. They did
have the strict morals she'd been raised with. "I see. "

D'kere, who had met Ninaine's family when they came to the Weyr,
thought of them immediately and could not help his next question, "And
your family? Will you tell them?"

Her face fell and she bowed her head even more before slowly shaking
her head. "No. They would never accept it anyway. Even if my father
was willing to accept that I'm a greenrider, he'd never accept this.
My mother..." Her voice trailed off and she swallowed. "I have to
accept that my family won't be a part of my life any more. Especially
now."

It was sad that families could so easily discard their own children
because of different opinions on customs. "The Weyr will be your
family. T'lat a brother, Aluka a cousin, perhaps, and I'd make a
wonderful uncle." He smiled, hoping to lighten the Weyrling's mood.

"It's not the same." And it wasn't. Right now she wanted her mother
more than anything, if only to ask about being with child and what to
expect. It's who she would have asked should she have wed and had been
expecting a child. Even as...ill tempered as her mother could be, she
was still a source of needed maternal comfort. She finally spoke. "I
want my mother, D'kere. I want her to tell me that it's going to be
okay." She wiped at her eyes. "Even if she really wouldn't say that. I
just...want her."

"I'm sorry." D'kere murmured, he was really a helpless man when it
came to crying women. Ninaine needed a woman at the Weyr that she
could feel close to, like a mother, but it would still never be the
same. "There's no replacement for a mother. My mother works in the
kitchens, her name is Devra if you ever run by her, she's...
Irreplacable to me." Devra was one of those women that just _looked_
like a mother, the epitome of kindness and love, and the kind of
person that could hug away your sadness.

"It's not the same but you could talk to her about the baby? If not
here there are several women around the Weyr that would, I know."

"I don't know her." Ninaine replied softly as she shook her head and
hugged herself. "She's your mother, not mine." Her mind went to the
Lady Yanley and her lip quivered. Aluka had suggested her, but what if
Yanley was disappointed in her?

"Not so, women of the Weyr are mothers to all children. I cannot count
how many children my mother has raised on her knee. I don't know how
she gets anything done for all of the birthingday parties she gets
invited to attend." D'kere did not know what made Ninaine want to
wallow in the grief and self-pity all alone, especially when there are
so many around her waiting to comfort her and help her. **It's a
decision she will have to make for herself.**

The Weyrlingmaster's Second stood, "I will let J'darin and E'naer know
about your condition. Are you sure there is nothing I can get for you
before I leave?"

She shifted a bit before finally looking up. She needed a woman's
advice, desperately. "Could you...could you speak to Lady Yanley? I
was her handmaid before I came here." She sucked in her lower lip.
Yanley had come here because she was with child and unwed. Maybe she
would understand.

"I'd be happy speak to Yanley on your behalf." D'kere knew that the
former Lady would gladly help out.

Ninaine nodded slowly. "Thank you."

Last updated on the April 11th 2015

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

So That's What's Wrong