Take a Rest

Writers: AL, Suzee
Date Posted: 19th July 2012

Characters: Y'gel, Briata
Description: The dragonhealer is worried.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 8, day 19 of Turn 6

Y'gel

Briata

Briata didn't have morning sickness like she had expected. Her first
trimester had gone by without a single morning where she felt ill in
the slightest. Her second trimester saw just as few problems. No
backaches, no dizziness. The only symptom she'd had was extreme
fatigue, though even that faded after she got into her second
trimester. Still, she did tire more easily than usual, though she
tried her best not to let it slow her down, especially when she was
helping in the infirmary. It was especially bad when there was a
particularly bad fall and for some reason, a lot more things seemed to
be going wrong that fall. Briata found herself running back and forth
more than usual and there was one green that was particularly upset -
she'd gotten injured as had her rider and the combination set her on
edge. Briata remained almost constantly in contact with her in an
effort to help soothe the creature. She
finally drifted off to sleep, and Briata honestly felt like she could
do the same, but she kept on working. It wasn't the time to stop.

Y'gel watched Briata when he wasn't involved with a particular
patient. The most difficult cases for him weren't always the ones she
had to help with. Once the hustle and bustle of the aftermath of Fall
was done she kept right on with the most energetic of apprentices but
he saw the sag in her step and the circles under her eyes.

He cross the room following her toward one of their blue patients.
"Briata," he called softly. "Can I see you in my office?"

Briata stopped in her tracks. Had she done something wrong? She
couldn't think of anything in particular, she always tried to be
careful and diligent. Her brow furrowed, but she nodded and turned
away from the blue dragon to which she had been headed and, instead,
followed the healer to his office.

He went through the door then waited for her to catch up before
turning to close it. Then he pulled out the pitcher of fruit juice he
had waiting. "Here," he said. The liquid was cool and refreshing. "You
look tired," he said as he rounding the desk to sit down with his
drink.

"I'm fine." But Briata did accept the drink to sip at it. She,
however, didn't sit, but stood as she worked on it. "Thank you."

"Please sit down dear and put your feet up for a few moments." He was
concerned that she was pushing too far and while he admired her
tenacity he didn't want her to exhaust herself or injure their baby.

Briata gazed at the bronzerider over the edge of her cup. She took
another sip, then lowered it to rest in the palm of her other hand
while her fingers kept it balanced. "I'm fine, Y'gel."

"I"m the healer here Briata," He said in the same tone. "You have
circles under your eyes, Your shoulders are slumped and I saw you
brace your back earlier like it was tweaked a little. I'm only asking
you to take a few minutes off your feet for the sake of the baby. I
would ask no less of any other worker here. In fact," he leaned
forward. "I happen to know that you don't take breaks like everyone
else out there does."

Briata sighed, then slowly lowered into a chair. She sipped some more
of the juice. "Just a few minutes." While the worst was over, there
was still a lot to do.

"Why are you pushing so hard? Do you have something to prove?"

The girl arched an eyebrow at the questions. "I don't believe I'm
doing anything differently from before." Briata valued hard work, and
knew that hard work wasn't just expected, but necessary during Fall and
afterward.

"And yet _you_ are different than before," he gave her a pointed look.
"Whether or not you wanted it, you're pregnant. You can't keep up this
kind of pace. Its' not good for you and it's not good for the baby."

"Y'gel, I know I'm pregnant, but no one can slack during Threadfall."
Briata shook her head, then gazed at the man across from her. "Would
you say the same of one of your healers during a Fall?"

"One of the first things taught to any of the apprentices around here
is that they are _not_ to ignore their own physical limitations. No
matter how much work there is to be done, they must eat and sleep the
same as everyone else." He leaned forward. "All I am asking of you is
to pay attention to what your body is telling you and take a break to
get off your feet when it tells you it's time."

"I do try, Y'gel. It's hard when Thread falls. I don't feel like I
can just _leave_." The dragons were so important and if Briata could
help them, she wanted to give all she could.

"We have an easier time talking to them when you're here Bri," he
said. "But we took care of them for turns before you came. We need you
to be healthy more than we need you here in the infirmary every waking
moment." More than that he didn't want her to have the babe too soon.

"I'm not here every waking moment. Just during Fall." Briata finished
her drink then set the glass upon the desk. "Would you prefer I not
volunteer until after the babe is born?"

"No, that's not what I'm suggesting." He shook his head. "Only that
you pay attention to what your body is telling you and rest when you
need it. Don't push your self so hard."

"I'll try Y'gel. I don't want anything to happen to the baby." Briata
smiled a little. She may not have planned the child, but that didn't
mean she held any resentment. "I do tend to go right to bed
afterward."

"Alright," he said a little placatingly. "Is there anything I can do
to help? Do you want a cot in here to lay down during your breaks?"

"I think that might be going a bit far." Briata's mouth quirked upward
in humour. "I think sitting down will be fine."

"It would never be going too far to make sure you were comfortable and
rested, my dear." He half smiled. "I hope you know that should you
have the need you can just go lay down in my weyr. No one will disturb
you there." His own weyr was just off the dragon infirmary but at an
angle so any unhappy smells were blown away with the prevailing
breeze.

"I will remember that."

Last updated on the July 24th 2012

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