Perfect

Writers: Bree, Dana
Date Posted: 3rd April 2006

Characters: Cinale, Miryene
Description: After a long and traumatic day for all, Miryene is finally delievered of a healthy baby boy.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 11, day 2 of Turn 3

Cinale

The end product of a long day's labor turned out to be a tiny little boy
with surprisingly powerful lungs, who announced his arrival to the entire
makeshift infirmary with a gusty wail. Looking exhausted but decidedly
pleased that at least _something_ had gone right that day, Talrian left
Miryene to Dikero's care and smiled at Cinale as he brought the baby to the
table he'd set up. "Let's get him cleaned up and checked out, and then you
can bring our new lad to see his tired mother."

"How is she doing, Talrian?" she asked, unable to tear her gaze from the
squaling infant. Shards and shells... He was beautiful, as all newborns
are in their way.

"Better than I feared," he replied quietly, examining the baby carefully. He
was smaller than Talrian might have liked, but nowhere near as small as he
could have been. A cursory examination revealed his health to be sound
enough, though Talrian knew how carefully they'd have to watch him over the
next few sevendays.

Wrapping him up snug in a blanket, Talrian deposited the infant in Cinale's
arms before running a hand over the boy's recently washed hair. "Won't be
sure until his hair dries, but it looks like he got his mother's hair. Why
don't you take him over and introduce them?"

Holding the baby as if he were made of precious glass, she carefully walked
over to where Miryene lay. Her eyes were closed, her breathing slower than
it had been. "Miryene?"

Miryene's eyes drifted open, and she smiled tiredly at Cinale. "I did it."

"You did, hon." Cinale smiled back at her, leaning closer, tenderly
supporting the baby in her arms so his mother could see him. "You did, and
I'm so proud of you."

"He's so perfect..." Miryene stroked his cheek lightly with one finger
before holding out her arms to take him. "For some reason I was convinced
I'd have a daughter. I don't have any names picked out for a boy..."

Cinale helped ease the infant into the cradle of his mother's arms. "No
doubt the right name will come to you, hon," she smiled, gently smoothing
back tendrils of hair from Miryene's brow.

Miryene couldn't take her eyes off her child... she'd never dared hope this
day would actually come. "It's not so hard... I know exactly what to name
him." She looked up and smiled at Cinale. "Mio."

The cook smiled gently back. "Perfect, Miryene. That's perfect."

"Have you heard anything about Jio?" Miryene asked after a moment, looking
back down at her child. "I hoped he'd be back by now..."

"I know, hon..." Cinale's expression was full of compassion. "He's still
helping Daigoro... but I'm sure he'll be back as soon as he can."

"What has been happening? No one would tell me..." The injured had been
trailing into their makeshift infirmary which Miryene had been moved to
after the earthquake, but no one had been willing to tell Miryene just how
bad things were.

She hesitated. "I think you should rest, Miryene." Cinale moved to tuck
the blankets snugly around her. "Everything will be all right, but you need
to rest."

"Are _you_ all right?" Miryene asked quietly, catching Cinale's hand in her
own. "I didn't have a chance to ask you..."

The cook smiled gently down at her, knowing that she couldn't quite succeed
in trying to hide her weariness, her sorrow. Everything was starting to
creep back into her thoughts - the cave-in, the fire, the smoke and ash.
The lives that had been lost. She swallowed thickly. Not all of her
kitchen girls had made it out. "I'm fine, hon." She squeezed Miryene's
hand. "I'm fine."

Miryene could tell that Cinale wasn't telling the truth, but she was too
tired to argue. "I'm glad," she replied softly, squeezing Cinale's hand in
return.

Cinale gave her another reassuring smile before looking down at the baby.
"He's beautiful, hon. Jio will be so proud." And he would be.

Last updated on the April 7th 2006

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Perfect