Dragonsfall Weyr
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Healer Hall
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Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
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Barrier Lake Weyr
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Elsewhere on Pern
NPC Weyr
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Story Listing
Series Listing

Weyrling Training

Writers: Paula, Eimi
Date Posted: 4th September 2006

Characters: Birigundi, Rigella
Description: Rigella finally tolds Birigundi of her pregnancy and his reaction is a surprise.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 13, day 17 of Turn 3

Birigundi

Rigella's mind was in turmoil (more than ever). After her failed attempt to abort her unexpected pregnancy, she had not had the courage to try it again. Instead she had avoided everyone: her mother, brother, Birigundi.
Especially Birigundi.

Birigundi had noticed how cold she had been acting towards him and he was going to find her. After everything that had been happening with her lately, it worried him. What if she tried something again? What if she was hurting herself? He looked in the infirmary, in the stores, everywhere. With a slight twinge of fear he headed up towards the Plateau. She'd better not be fixing to fly again...

Rigella had no such plans. She had a book in her hand, blanket under her and plate of cookies. The book was about pregnancies and births.
However, she spent more time watching dragons and thinking that reading.

"Well, here you are," Birigundi said, relief in his voice as he flopped down on the blanket next to her. "I've been looking for you."

**Shards!** "Hi Birigundi," Rigella said. "Here I am," she tried to sound cheerful.

"Where have you been? I haven't seen you in a while. I was worried."
The look in his eyes told her that he wasn't just saying that.

"I've been busy," Rigella replied and showed him the book. The title was: Obsterics for senior apprentices.

"Ooo, studying. Sounds like fun," he said sarcastically as he took the book from her hands. "Does it tell you anything about the morning sickness? And the mood swings? The odd food cravings? Shards, Nia can drive me crazy sometimes," Birigundi chuckled as he thumbed through the book.

"A bit, but I don't recommend you to read it. Too depressing. It tells you the thousand and one things that can go wrong during the pregnancy and birth."

"Yeah, well, it certainly doesn't happen that often," Birigundi said as he closed the book and threw it down by their feet, "Else why would women even dare? No reason to focus on the negative, right? Its bad for the heart."

Rigella just sighed. She had to tell him, she knew that. He would find it out eventually, and it would be better if he heard it from her instead of gossip. But she just couldn't get the words out. She sighed again.

She certainly seemed quiet. Not that she was ever known for her conversation skills when he was around. "You know what you need? A little bit of fun. Too much studying rots your brain. Why don't we do something?"

"Like what?" Rigella asked and took another cookie. Talk about food cravings...

"I'm sure we can find something to do," he said with an impish grin as he reached for a cookie. "We could go for a walk around the lake. Or a hike. Go for a swim or see if there aren't any harpers playing?"

"Hike!?" Rigella almost squalled. "Is that your idea of fun?"

"My idea of fun would be a run through the hills rather than a hike," Birigundi smiled as he looked over at her surprised face. "But come on, a nice stroll through the hills? They're _beautiful_ this time of the Turn."

"I don't know," Rigella said hesitantly. She had to remind herself that pregnancy wasn't illness or disability, she could live normally.
Physical exercise might even do her some good.

"Come on, think about it. You could get away from stone walls for a while. Breath in the fresh air. Pick flowers if you want to. Think about it?" he asked, this eyes large and pleading. "We could have a good time together."

"Right..." Rigella said, still hesitant. She knew she had to get those words out. She closed her eyes, turned her face away and just blurted it out: "Biri, I'm pregnant."

"I'm sorry?" He wasn't quite sure he had heard her correctly.

"I'm expecting a baby. Yours," she repeated, bit more loudly.

Birigundi froze with the smile stuck on his face. He blinked a few times. His mind went numb. 'Baby... Yours...' "But that's can't be," he finally said, still smiling idiotically. "_Nialyn_ is pregnant with my baby."

"And now I'm too. You're going to be daddy twice over," Rigella said gently. The tone surprised herself too.

**Twice? Twice in a turn? Twice in a matter of _months_?** How that _happen_? How was he going to Nia? How was he going to tell his _mother_? Oh shards, his mother! She was upset enough when she found out about Nia's baby, but
now... The blood drained from his face, turning him a sickly shade of green. "Excuse me just a moment," he sputtered as he jumped to his feet and ran for the nearest large rock. There he promptly deposited his entire lunch, all the while the words rang in his ears - 'You're going to be a daddy _twice_ over...'

Rigella watched her and frowned. She had expected all kinds of reaction, starting from yelling, but not _this_. She couldn't help it, but a slightly hysterical giggle escaped from her. Wasn't she the one who should be doing the puking?

He could hear her muffled giggle even as he gasped for breath. Just what was so sharding funny?! They were going to have a _baby_ for Faranth's sake. Another one! Birigundi almost lurched again at the thought. Shells, she was supposed to be a _healer_!! Didn't she know to take the sharding tea?!?

"You all right there?" Rigella asked, trying to get her giggling under control.

Its the Holder girls and the craft girls that forget their tea. Shards, he should have stuck to riders! They always remember to take their sharding tea!
"I can't do this... I can't do this," he whispered, shaking his head, hoping to get the spinning in his head and the churning in his stomach under control. "For Faranth's sake... I was only trying to help..."

"It's not your fault. _I_ came to you and _I_ completely forgot to protect myself," Rigella tried to comfort him.

"Yeah? Well, tell that to my mother. Tell that to Nialyn. They're gonna look at me and say that it takes _two_ to make a baby."

** Speaking of mothers...shards!** "I'm not so sure HOW my mother will take this. But I know one thing. My father would be delighted. His first grandchild. He wouldn't care how it got started," Tears were starting to gather into her eyes when she said that. And on that moment, she made the final decision. She would keep the baby, no matter how difficult it would be. The baby was continuing the blood. _Her_ father's blood, to the next generation. None of her siblings seemed to be in hurry to have children.

Looking up at her Birigundi could see the decision had been made.
"You're keeping it then?" he asked, almost resignedly.

"Yes," that was a statement and tone of voice left no room for argument.

Birigundi just nodded as he crossed his arms over his chest. Just how was he supposed to tell Nia?

Last updated on the September 10th 2006