The Proud, and Terribly Late, Papa (2/2)
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: 30th December 2020
Characters: Saidrene, Kapera, Saibra, K'ran, Zehva
Description: It takes some unexpected help when Saidrene goes into labor to get K'ran's attention.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyrhold
Date: month 6, day 1 of Turn 10
It was a family moment, so Kapera didn't want to linger and intrude. She did stay long enough to say, "Riyanth will keep an eye on Ashareth in case you need anything. Good luck and congratulations."
It was quite sometime later when K'ran stumbled in, his shirt shrugged on over his shoulders and buttoned-up incorrectly, his hair tousled. "I'm so sorry I'm late, Saidrene, Rogueth won Quinneth and I just found out you were in labor and needed me and - oh! Weyrwoman," he floundered, drawing himself up straighter when he saw Saibra. "Healer," he amended, in Zehva's direction."
Saibra had to fight off a smile at the normally so well-put-together bronzerider's disheveled appearance.
"Oh, I heard," Saidrene bit out, her hands clenched into the sheets as another contraction washed over her. "I hope you...," she panted, "enjoyed yourself."
Zehva and Saibra's eyes wisely remained on the tasks at hand and did not travel between Saidrene and K'ran.
"The dragon decides. I would rather have been here with you if I'd known. Our child is far more important than that."
If the first line had sounded like a trite quote about riders' duty, it was meant sincerely, and hopefully, the second part came out as achingly sincere as he meant it. K'ran walked over to the bedside and offered her his hand. "You can crush or break it if you want," he joked.
It was Saibra's first time really observing K'ran and her daughter together. She noted that although Saidrene was incredibly annoyed by the bronzerider's absence, there was a look of trust in her eyes as she put her hand in his.
"On the next contraction, Saidrene, you are going to push." Zehva instructed in her no-nonsense manner.
Saidrene nodded, one hand gripping K'ran's tightly and the other hand clutching at her mother's. Pushing turned out to be much more difficult than she had imagined. There had been some thought in her mind that once she started pushing the baby would be here in no time....
Two candlemarks later, Saidrene gave a final push and slumped back in exhaustion as Zehva finally said. "There we go, you did it," the healer spun out of the way, leaving a journeyman behind to clean Saidrene up while Zehva gave the baby a quick check-up.
Saidrene felt... nothing, numb, as she lay in the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
"Here you go, a girl," Zehva said, laying the wrapped, crying bundle on Saidrene's chest.
The warmth of the baby, and the way she nuzzled at the smell of her mother's skin, brought the first bit of feeling back into Saidrene's body "A girl?" she repeated, a little breathless as she took the child into her arms. The baby's small tuft of hair was nearly white it was so blonde, and just the sight of it made a lump form in Saidrene's throat. She had so desperately hoped for a child that had dark hair and dark eyes, that way there was no question about who the father was.... **It doesn't matter,** she scolded herself. K'ran was the father, no matter what. **And it's just hair, hair changes color as children grow.**
"She's beautiful, Saidrene," Saibra murmured.
K'ran bore every squeeze of Saidrene's hand, no matter how painful, with stoicism. He couldn't take the pain from her in any other way, but he could do this, and be here for her. Occasionally he exchanged a few encouragements to her, or came up with last minute name suggestions for girls and boys.
K'ran could see the soft little tuft of hair, and not the eyes, as the baby's were still closed and she turned against her mother. He wondered if they were green like his or hazel like Saidrene's. "A girl?" he breathed out, astounded. "Do you still want to call her Saikera?"
"Saikera," Saidrene murmured, and even as she said it, she knew that it was right. "Yes." She looked up at K'ran, noting the look in his eyes and on his face. There was no trace of disappointment. He truly was going to take this child as his own, no matter what.
"I'll leave you two alone, you did wonderfully," Saibra said, pressing a kiss to Saidrene's temple.
The healers departed as well, leaving the little family alone for a bit to share in some private time.
K'ran reached a hand out to brush the tuft of hair and her little face. He had a broad grin spreading across his face and was laughing slightly, he didn't even know why. "Our daughter. I can't believe it."
Saidrene smiled, really smiled, for the first time, now that they were alone. "She's perfect," she said, touching the baby's tiny fingers and toes.
"She is." He leaned over and kissed Saidrene on the cheek. "And so are you, for doing all that work."
Last updated on the January 14th 2021