Suspicions

Writers: Bree, Eimi
Date Posted: 25th August 2005

Characters: Jio, Miryene
Description: The firelizard eggs that Miryene and Jio got from Arza's clutch hatch, but Jio's happiness is overshadowed by noticing more bruises on Miryene's arms.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 7, day 22 of Turn 3

Jio hurried along the path to the cot, his firelizard dashing to and fro over his head. "Watch out Pom! I know, I know, I'm coming!" Did Miryene even know it was time? His little brown popped out of sight. He carefully cradled a large plate full of meat scraps that he was trying not to drop as he knocked on the door. Miryene opened it almost before he'd finished knocking, her eyebrows drawn together. "Is everything all right, Jio? Pom just appeared..." Her voice trailed off as she saw what he carried. "Is it time?"

The vintner nodded breathlessly. He could hear Pom was already standing guard at the hearth, humming encouragement. Jio was glad he had thought to bring his egg and have his brown watch over them. Miryene might not have known when the egg started hatching otherwise.

She held the door open for him to slip through, shutting it firmly behind him. "Thank you for coming... I admit I'm a little nervous!"

"There is nothing easier," he said reassuringly. "When the egg hatches just start feeding it and thinking loving thoughts." Which Jio knew wouldn't be too hard for a foster mother like Miryene.

Miryene followed him into the sitting room, pausing only to pick up a tie for her hair. It was only a few moments work to pull her hair into a knot at her neck... it seemed practical faced with a plate of raw meat and the prospect of a firelizard.

He made room for her as she moved closer to he slightly rocking pots. The lids had already been removed and the sand brushed back. Everything was ready. Jio was glad that Miryene had agreed to take egg. He had been looking forward to this moment since she had agreed. Already he could picture the serene smile that would be on her face when she Impressed.

After all she had been through in the past months, she needed a moment like this. He smiled over at her, but the smile slowly began to fade as he noticed something - a dark bruise on the side of her neck. He looked at her questioningly, hoping the thoughts that were entering his mind were assumptions. She would have a good explanation. She _had_ to have a good explanation...

It took her a moment to realize why the smile and slipped from his face. One hand went up to cover the bruise, and she cursed herself for getting caught up in the excitement and forgetting that she had good reason to keep her hair down today. "It's nothing... I promise, Jio. I'm fine." "Another accident?" he asked quietly. No, Jhonnel could not have done that. He just _couldn't_ have...

A noise from the shaking pots saved Miryene from having to answer. "Is that--is the egg cracking?"

He turned back towards the pots. Her egg was developing noticeable cracks. Though he definitely wanted to hear what she had to say, the eggs would not wait. He had to trust that if there was something really wrong she would tell him... wouldn't she? "Remember, feed the hatching quickly." Jio caught her eye and whispered, "And thoughts of love. Thoughts of love are important." This time he didn't care that his true feeling for her was written on her face.

She watched nervously as the egg continued to rock, reaching to the plate and picking up a scrap of meat. They tiny green creature that fought its way free of the egg cried out, and Miryene fed it quickly, reaching for another scrap. "Oh, she's so tiny!" It was obvious that thoughts of love wouldn't be a problem--her entire face lit up.

Jio couldn't will his eyes away from her face or the silly grin from his face. That is until his own egg made a great _pop_ and a small blue hatching came tumbling out. He reached immediately for hunks of meat. "Hello there little man," he whispered as he held it out for him.

The pile of scraps Jio had brought to the cot shrank rapidly, and they both ended up with sleepy content looking firelizards. Miryene held hers cuddled in the crook of her arm, her fingers caressing the tiny head. "She's precious, Jio..."

He glanced at the sleeping green ball in her lap and then back down at his blue. The little hatching was anything but balled up. He more was sprawled out, taking up as much space as possible on the vintner's lap. Sitting on Jio's shoulder, looking from one to the other was Pom, looking very much like the proud papa. "They are perfect, aren't they."

"Perfect," she agreed, her smile still bemused. "I suppose I'll have to think of a name... I was never good at that sort of thing."

He chuckled. "Really? I would have thought you would have had names all picked out. Isn't that what young girls do? Dream of names for their many children?"

She looked back down, noticing this time the slight swell of her stomach that was just becoming visible. There had been a time when she'd thought of names... but that had been before she'd learned she might never have reason to use one. "I suppose other girls might."

"Well, boys don't spend much time thinking about that kind of thing." He smiled down at the splayed hatching on his lap. "I named my brown Pomace because that was what his color reminded me of. I was trying to think of some kind of name for this little one that would honor Pom as the father. Something like Bud, or Shoot. But now that I look at him, I don't know. But he is such a cute little fellow, all spread out like that." Jio ran a finger gently along the upturned distended belly, a tender smile lighting his face.

"I think I'll call her Ivy..." Miryene smiled down at the little firelizard. "She's the color of the Ivy that grows outside our cot..." She looked up at Jio. "Ivenn wanted to name our first daughter Ivy. I told him I wouldn't name my child after a plant. I think it might be safe enough for a flit, though."

"Ivy," Jio repeated softly. "I think that is a beautiful name for a beautiful green flit."

"Thank you, Jio. For everything. You're a good friend to me." Her friend gave her a small smile before looking back down at his flit quickly. Jio wondered for the hundredth time just how Jhonnel had gotten to her first. He hoped deep down, for her sake, that his suspicions about her injuries were not true. And even deeper down, for _his_ own sake, he hoped they were.

~*~

Eimi (sea_spray_singer@fastmail.fm)
Jio, Sr. Jr. Vintner, ACH-VH

Bree - bree@triadweyrs.org
Miryene, hall resident, ACH-VH

Last updated on the August 26th 2005

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Suspicions