Getting To Know You

Writers: Heather, Suzee
Date Posted: 1st January 2014

Characters: Pierka, Saibra
Description: The Weyrwoman's Second Interviews a rider
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 4, day 7 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Vandor, T'nom, Z'ku, Meledei, Qorri, Cyradis

Pierka

Saibra

"Ma'am, you wanted to see me?" Pierka stood in the Weyrwoman's
Seconds' office doorway.

Saibra had been penciling in, with precise, tiny hand writing, some
information into her ledger. Looking up at the voice, she gave Pierka
a brief smile, "Have a seat, please." She finished the line she was
writing in her ledger, closed it, and placed it in her top drawer.

She slipped in quietly and sat with her ankles crossed and hands in
her lap. She was really quite a shy person before Liddith helped her
open up. But at times like this she had no real idea what to expect.

"Yes," she spared the greenrider one of her 'Weyrwoman' smiles, "with
the Weyrwoman pregnant I will be overseeing the Wing in Threadfall
until Cyradis is able to return to her duties. I know that you are in
the Wing while you are pregnant," and at this she paused, and allowed
a more personal smile, "and congratulations on that by the way. I just
wanted to check in on you." Most pregnant women did fly Thread with
the Queen's Wing, but there were always a few more fragile women that
remained grounded the entire pregnancy.

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you." She smiled at the goldrider. "I'm doing
pretty well I think. It was a little hard at first but I've been
sticking to the diet Vandor gave me and I don't get as sick."

"What kind of diet did he give you?" Saibra asked with curiosity.

"Well," she said trying to remember it all. "He said more fish, nuts
and greens, and to stay away from bread." She smiled at Saibra. "That
part is hard because I really like bread."

"No bread? That would be killer for me, I love anything that comes
from the bakery." Saibra had heard of the diet before but it had been
a while since she had been pregnant so she had never tried it, "Is
this your first pregnancy?"

"Just the smell when they're baking is enough to make me want to run
in there and grab a fresh roll." She shook her head. "But I have to
admit I feel better when I don't eat it." She smiled and nodded. "Yes,
my first."

Saibra leaned back in her chair, "The first," she remembered when she
had found out she was pregnant with Saidrene. She had been so mad at
K'fel, "is always a journey. Is the father a dragonrider?" She asked
curiously, wondering who this young woman's support system would be
throughout the pregnancy.

Pierka paused a moment. Of course the new Weyrwoman's Second wouldn't
know about her story, not that all that many people did. "Yes," she
said softly. "He is. But he's with someone else now.

The goldrider thought about that for a second, "So he has no intention
of helping out while you are pregnant?" Some dragonriders she knew
would still be around to help, even if they were weyrmated to another,
while others simply disappeared.

"Not exactly, he's... well, it's difficult. He wants to be there for
the baby. Or at least that is what he says... when I see him." She
didn't know if she wanted or needed to go into the whole convoluted
story with the goldrider.

Saibra nodded slowly, she understood some of the complexities of
raising a child in the Weyr when the father of the child, or mother
even, was already involved elsewhere, "I hope that he holds up to his
end of the bargain then and helps you out during the pregnancy. A man
isn't required, of course, you can do it alone, but it is much easier
to have an extra hand to help out. If you need anything you will let
me know won't you?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Ma'am I know T'nom wants to do the right thing for
us..." Her voice trailed off for a moment when she realized she'd
given the father's name, but then she got the courage to ask the
question. "Have you ever loved someone who said they loved you and
then suddenly changed their mind? What do you do?"

The goldrider's brow furrowed, "He said he loved you... and then took it back?"

She sighed and looked at her hands, "Maybe he only said he wanted me.
I don't know anymore. But even after Meledei made him promise he still
chased me down and pushed me to let him be part of the baby's life,
and when I finally agreed... I haven't seen him since. I'm so
confused."

Saibra shook her head sympathetically, men could really be so callous
sometimes, and incredibly ignorant of a woman's feelings, "So Meledei
does not want him to be around you?" She asked, trying to piece this
puzzle together. Surely a goldrider would understand the need of a
pregnant woman to have the father of the child present? But then,
Cyradis had said that she specifically wanted Saibra to focus on
working with Meledei and her training.

"I'm sorry," Pierka said. "I didn't mean to bring this up. Maybe I
should just leave well enough alone. Qorri is making sure I'm taken
care of and this whole thing has built a great friendship with Z'ku
who is standing with me." She took a deep breath. "I thought I loved
T'nom and Meledei knows this. She tried to tell me that he was now
hers and I should just allow them both into my life and both of them
would be part of the babes." She crossed her arms over her swelling
abdomen and set her jaw. "Not happening."

The Weyrwoman's Second smiled knowingly, understanding exactly why
Pierka would say that. If K'fel had been with another woman and that
woman had _dared_ to suggest that she be in Saidrene's life Saibra
would have given her the tongue lashing of a life time. But, Meledei
was young, and still had a lot of growing and learning to do. Extra
responsibility and expectations came with being a goldrider. At least,
that was how Saibra had been trained.

"I understand, completely. I would feel the same way in your
situation. So this Z'ku, who is he?"

"He is another young bronzerider. He's become a good friend and
promised to help me through the little things. He's shown up and
that's more than I can say for T'nom."

"He sounds like a good man to keep around then." Saibra agreed with a
smile, "Well, Pierka, that was all I wanted. I like getting to know my
riders better. Don't have a heart attack if I drop in and check on you
at any point."

"Yes ma'am," she chuckled as she rose. "And thanks."

Last updated on the January 19th 2014

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Getting To Know You