Family Matters

Writers: Clancey, Suzee
Date Posted: 23rd June 2014

Characters: Cyradis, Kielya, Mai, Mayel
Description: Mai takes Mayel to meet his cousins and spends some time with Cyradis.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 3 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: K'deren, K'reyel

Cyradis

Kielya

Glad for a chance for something different, anything different, it was
with a happy heart that Mai readied for a trip to Dolphin Cove. Her
weyrmate's brother, K'deren, had a new weyrmate of his own, and a
goldrider no less, and they were expecting.

She and K'reyel hardly ever visited K'deren and all the nieces and
nephews at Dolphin Cove, but Mayel was old enough now for trips and
she wanted him to meet his cousins.

It was a restday, so they should have plenty of time.

Erdenth would take them, and K'reyel could have a visit with his
brother while she visited with Cyradis and let Mayel meet his cousins.

Around lunch time, Dolphin Cove time, they appeared from /between/
above Dolphin cove. It was hot here, too, but River Bluff was so much
more humid than Dolphin Cove. Here, it was just hot.

Erdenth landed in the bowl so they could dismount, and she slipped
down from him with a helping hand, and then took Mayel as he was
handed down to her. Her son was fussing, thought it wasn't his first
trip /between/.

"Here little love. Shh. We're out of the cold now." She murmured softly.

He stopped crying finally and she headed toward the weyr that K'deren
and Cyradis shared.

She held Mayel's hand and led him up the stairs and into the corridors
until she found the door that had been pointed out to her.

She had seen Cyradis at the Hatching, but had not really spoken to
her. She hoped to have a good visit with her today. She had never
known K'deren to be happier since his last weyrmate, at least
according to K'reyel.

She knocked, talking all the while to Mayel about how he was going to
meet some cousins today.

The door opened and Kielya saw the other child first before her eyes
traveled up to the woman how held his had. "Hi," she said, Then her
voice raised. "Momma someone to see you, with a baby."

Cyradis' hand grabbed the door and then her head appeared. "Hello,"
she smiled. "Welcome," she beaconed them inside. "Come on in."

Mai grinned, tugging on Mayel's little hand. She addressed Kielya
first. "Hi there." Mayel stuck his fist up and waved.
"Hiiiiiiiiiiiii" He said, but it wasn't quite clear what word it might
be.

Her gaze traveled up to Cyradis and she smiled further. "Hello,
Cyradis. So glad we could come for a visit." She stepped into the
weyr behind the goldrider, taking note of the decorations with
interest. She assumed they would have moved into Cyradis' weyr, given
her need for space for a gold dragon.

Mayel had stopped fussing on their walk, and was gazing around wide
eyed at all the things to see. He kept looking back at Kielya with
interest. He had sisters, he knew. Maybe she was another sister?

"I left K'reyel downstairs so we could have a girl's visit, a little,
and let the children meet each other. This is the first time we've
brought Mayel to Dolphin Cove, though we have taken him other places
like for swimming and things." She was humming a little under her
breath when not talking, the harper in her.

"Great idea," Cyradis smiled. "He sure is a good solid little guy."

Kielya leaned against her mother watching the little boy. "Would you
like to play with some toys?" she finally asked. After all she was
going to be a big sister soon, she needed to practice.

Mayel peered at Kielya. "sissy?" He asked curiously.

Mai made her way inside, settling down on the couch, tucking her legs
beneath her while she watched Kielya and Mayel with interest.

"He is really healthy now... Nearly killed me to have him, though. We
both nearly died. " She said it matter of factly, but willing to
share if Cyradis was curious. "We are so thankful for him." Mai
smiled up at her hostess.

"How are you feeling lady? Baby giving you any trouble?"

Kielya reached for Mayel's hand. "I'm Kielya," she looked up at her
mom for confirmation. "I think I'm your cousin."

Cyradis nodded and winked at her daughter. That was as good an
explanation as any. "No more than usual," she smiled at Mai. "I do
have to rest though. It seems to want to come early." She too was
watching Kielya with the little guy.

"How many is this for you?" She asked as she made herself comfortable
on the couch. She was adding it up and thought this would be her
fourth or fifth. "I wish I could have given K'deren more children
like Mayel." She sighed softly, and her mind replayed her fight with
her weyrmate. He claimed to love her more than ever, but she had so
much felt the lack. Even since their fight, things still
seemed....off.

"You can go play if you like, Mayel." She added softly, and her young
toddler shook Kielya's hand as if confused what it meant. Hearing

his mother's approval, his face lit up. "Play with you?" He asked
Kielya. He didn't see anyone else that might be someone to play with,
except the other woman and he had already learned, even at his young
age, that he should not just jump on adults that he had just met.

"Yes," Kielya smiled at the little guy. "We can play, I have toys."
She led him toward her room with a smile back at her mother.

"This is my fifth," she replied and made herself as comfortable as she
could. Well, it could have been her sixth but she didn't count that
one, it had been very long ago. "Is it difficult for you to get
pregnant?" Cyradis wasn't too familiar with Mai's story.

Still with that far away look, Mai turned back to Cyradis. Perhaps
she could talk to the goldrider about her trouble with K'reyel...

"Nearly impossible for me to get pregnant, for certain. K'reyel and
I had been together for turns before I became pregnant with Mayel.
But we would be trying again if having Mayel had not nearly killed me,
and him. I had what the Healers called Toxemia and was forced to
bedrest for most of the last trimester. And then the birth.... " She
shook her head in remembered fear and worry. "It was very scary for
K'reyel. He nearly lost us both." Her shrug was eloquent... she
loved him so much but their last fight made her feel uncertain.

"Since then he has been....." She searched for a word. "...careful.
He's so scared I'll get pregnant again he ... holds himself distant
from me in our bed. We still do... but its so different. He's way
way too careful with me, with us. And Mayel is nearly 3!" The
frustration came out strongly on the last word, then a sheepish look
as she realized she'd just shared her hurt with a woman she barely
knew, but was as surely family as any of her siblings.

"My apologies, Cyradis. The pain is a bit fresh. I didn't mean to
let it out so openly." She smiled faintly at her. "Especially when
you are so far along in your own pregnancy and need rest."

Well that was more information than she'd expected but it didn't
follow that it was unwelcome. "It's alright," she reassured the
younger woman. "We're family after all." That was true for the Weyr
though they didn't go through the Harper formalities they were as
close to family as it got.

"I do know this though, if he is anything like his brother he loves
you deeply but doesn't always let you in to see it." She smiled and
patted Mai on the knee. "I'm fairly sure he's more afraid of you
getting pregnant than you are." Then she thought of something. "There
are other methods to prevent pregnancy Mai."

Mai blushed when she realized just how in depth she had gone on about
her private issues with K'reyel.

"Still, I'm sorry. I just... don't have many people to talk too."
She shrugged it off a bit, and then nodded. "I know there are other
methods... but I'm not even sure those would convince him." She made
a frustrated sound. Perhaps a subject change...she did not need to
air her own feelings and problems to this lovely goldrider. Her
mother would have smacked her for her incredible silliness.

"I'm so glad you and K'deren met, Cyradis. He is one of a kind.
He's the happiest I've seen him in a long time." Her smile was real
this time and she glanced again at Cyradis pregnant state. "And our
visit is way overdue."

"Will they be putting you on bedrest? This seems a bit troublesome
for you, especially your fifith! "

"K'deren has been wonderful and I love him too, Mai. More than I can
say." She shrugged at the question about bedrest. "Probably if I don't
behave myself."

That, Mai could understand. She grinned. "Well then, let me just
help you! Can I mind the children for a while so you can rest? That
last thing you need to be worrying with is my foolish weyrmate and
your other children. We want a healthy baby and mommy! They Weyr
needs you, and so does K'deren. " Mai's no-nonsense nature was
creeping to the surface as she considered that Cyradis might need some
help and that her health would depend on her 'behaving'. "Can I
bring you any snacks or anything?"

Sometimes people could unburden themselves and then become embarrassed
by how much they'd 'shared' about themselves. As a Weyrwoman she'd
experienced it more than once so it didn't surprise her. But
eventually Mai would learn that family was different and you could
share your whole heart because they cared about you. "Thank you Mai,
I'm fine for now. Just a little tired."

Either way, it was good to visit. Mai needed a reminder that family
was.. family.

Last updated on the June 28th 2014

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