Wingleaders and Wee Ones

Writers: Heather, Yvonne
Date Posted: 30th December 2020

Characters: Saidrene, Alina
Description: Alina visits Saidrene to see the new baby
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 6, day 12 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Ashela, Saibra, Kaibren, K'ran, M'gan

Saidrene

Alina

Saidrene marveled at how her life had changed in a fortnight. Past worries and drama had since faded to become insignificant. Everything dulled in the face of motherhood. The precious bundle that now occupied her thoughts and heart left her with a feeling of completeness in a way that she never had before, except when she had impressed Ashareth. The needs of her daughter seemed far greater than any needs she had herself.

She was propped on the couch, the baby swaddled beside her in a nest of pillows and blankets.

}:Your friend has arrived.:{ Ashareth told her, which made Saidrene smile. She only had one friend, so she knew it was Alina.

There was a light knock on the door to Ashareth's ledge. "Hello?" Alina hesitated at the threshhold, suddenly anxious that K'ran would be there.

"Alina, in here," Saidrene called, smiling as her friend came into view.

"Hi! Oh-- gosh." Alina's eyes lit up when she saw the bundle on the couch beside Saidrene. As much as she thought about babies of her own, other people's babies didn't usually interest her, but she already felt a rush of tenderness toward Saidrene's child. "Is this your daughter?"

"Yes, Alina, meet Saikera." Saidrene looked slightly different than she had the last time they had seem one another. Her normally flawless hair was in a loose, messy braid, and she still bore the extra weight of pregnancy. Most notably, however, was the contented smile. "Would you like to hold her?"

"Of course!" Alina slipped onto the couch beside Saidrene and held her hands out for the baby. She accepted Saikera with practiced hands, even though the last time she'd held a baby she'd been living at Nadol Cothold. A lifetime ago. She smiled down at the baby. "She's beautiful, Saidrene."

"Thank you," Saidrene said with pride. "I wish you could have seen K'ran's face when she arrived. He was, and is, such a proud papa."

"I'm sure that he is. How did the birthing go?" Alina asked.

"It was... all of the horror stories that you've heard," Saidrene said with a little laugh. "When I went into labor, Ashareth started looking for Rogueth but guess where he was? Flying another green! He actually won a flight while I was in labor!" She shook her head. "At least my mom was here, though."

Alina's mouth fell open. "I can't believe he was chasing some other woman! How rude! It's a wonder that you're letting him see Saikera at all," she said with a sniff.

Saidrene smiled a little. That's what friends were for, to be on your side, even if you were being unreasonable. "Yes, well, he's so perfect in all the other ways, I suppose I'll let this one thing slide." The greenrider winked. "So tell me, how have things been for you? Any interesting news from Dolphin Cove?"

Alina thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Nothing worth talking about," she said. "I have a new Wingleader... well, I guess he's not so new anymore. His name is M'gan. He seems all right. He gave me weather report duties, and I'm enjoying talking to the Starsmiths."

"Is it good-looking, at least?" Saidrene asked with a lift of her eyebrows.

"Who, M'gan or the Starsmiths?"

Saidrene rolled her eyes exaggeratedly, "_M'gan_ of course! You know how I love Wingleaders."

"Oh, I think you'd like him. He's _old_," Alina said, batting her eyelashes.

"Oooh," her eyes lit, "there is something so attractive about an experienced dragonrider. They _know_ what they're doing between the furs, and they have some scars from life to go with it." Saidrene sighed a little dreamily as she thought of K'ran. "Maybe you'll get lucky and he'll win your next flight," she teased her friend.

"Oh, I hope not! I don't think I could look him in the eye afterward." Alina turned her attention back to the baby, who was continuing to sleep. "Zith actually won Imarith's last flight. It was so much better with him."

"It is better when you wake up next to someone that you care about," Saidrene agreed, thinking back to the first time K'ran had won her flight. That experience was what had really launched their relationship.

Alina nodded, still staring at the sleeping baby. "Was your mother happy to be a grandmother?"

"Ecstatic," Saidrene replied. "Having Saikera has really, I don't know, helped my relationship with my mom. We seem much closer now."

"That's good. Do you think that she'll be visiting lots?" Alina asked.

"Often," Saidrene said. "When Saikera is old enough I'd like to take her to see my two youngest sibling, the twins. She'll only be a turn or so behind them in age."

Alina laughed at that. "Will she call them Auntie and Uncle, do you think? That would be so funny!"

Saidrene chuckled at the mental image. "Oh, I'll make sure of it! Speaking of her uncles, Kaibren has decided to stand."

"Your little brother?" For a moment Alina pictured her own little brother on the Sands as eggs cracked around him. It was a scary thought. But Kaibren was the Weyrwoman's son, and it would be different for him. "I bet he'll Impress."

"If he doesn't, he'll be the only one in the family not to, no pressure." Saidrene grinned, looking forward to it since she would be cleared by that time to go to the Hatching.

"When will he be Standing?"

"Aglayath just clutched, and Chioneth just rose. So next month he should be able to stand for Aglayath's and if he doesn't impress there, then a fortnight or so later, he can stand for Chioneth's." Saidrene didn't want to imagine how well her mother was at sharing the Hatching Sands.

It was then that Saikera woke up. Alina cooed at her for a moment, but when her face scrunched up like she was preparing to cry, the greenrider handed the baby back to Saidrene. "That seems awfully close together for gold flights."

Saidrene took Saikera in one arm, while pulling open her top with the other. "It is close together," she agreed while Saikera latched on for her meal. "But I imagine they'll get it spaced out eventually. Golds don't strike me as the sharing type."

"No." Neither was she, if Alina was going to be honest with herself. "I'm just... glad that you're doing all right, Saidrene. You look happy," she said after a moment.

"You know, Alina," Saidrene said, pausing before bringing her eyes up to her friend's face, "I am happy." Perhaps some of K'ran quiet, calm positivity was rubbing off on her.

Alina smiled. "Good. You deserve it."

Last updated on the January 14th 2021

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Wingleaders and Wee Ones