I Have Five Children

Writers: Eimi, Jane
Date Posted: 16th April 2007

Characters: R'haran, U'kaiah
Description: R'haran seeks advice from U'kaiah about his new family.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 2, day 8 of Turn 4

"Ahhh. U'kaiah." R'haran edged close to the bronzerider and lowered his voice. "Could I have a word - in private?"

"Sure, R'haran," the bronzerider said indicating the seat next to him.
"Is here all right or do you need to talk more privately then this?"

"No, no, this is fine." The greenrider had the feeling he was sounding dithery and wondered if all his Turns of harper training were draining away in the face of the the unexpected events of the afternoon. He sat down and cleared his throat. "U'kaiah, I have five children."

The bronzerider was a bit surprised. The Records mentioned nothing about R'haran having children! U'kaiah should know, he had read all of them concerning the greenrider who risked his own life to prove the return of Thread. Was the Record incomplete? It was not unusual, of course, for a male greenrider to father a child or two if he was confused about his sexual preferences before Impressing. But _five_?
That was mighty prolific! "I had never heard you had children, R'haran."

"I didn't before today," the older man said, managing to grin as he guessed what the bronzerider was thinking. "I didn't mean I fathered them - there's no chance I ever did that. These were delivered today.
Five seahold children left to my guardianship in my nephew's Will.
_Today_ I have five children and I'm not sure what to do with them."

Shards. What a shock that would be! "I'm sorry to hear about your nephew, R'haran. Were you close?"

"I didn't even know he'd survived," R'haran said distractedly.
"Everybody said they were all dead."

Twice the shock, then. "Then I suppose that would answer my next question about if you had met these children before..."

R'haran smiled. "It does, pretty much. They're in my weyr. With Evie.
The little ones are asleep. But ... what do I do with them now?
Tomorrow? Forever?"

"Have you found a foster mother yet?" That was a good first step.

"No. Do I just ask around? You've done this before."

"_I_ didn't," U'kaiah corrected. Kaiafel's mother had taken care of everything. Shards, he really hadn't even been all that involved in his son's life until the last turn or so. "But I think you need to talk to the Headwoman. She should know who is willing to take foster children.
But _five_..." That was a lot of children to put onto one family. "I suppose they can't be split up, can they?"

R'haran shook his head firmly. He didn't feel he had a grasp of a lot of what was going on, but he did know the children had to stay together.
"They were sent here so they could stay together."

"Well, I would certainly talk to the Headwoman. She would know what to do."

"I suppose I'll have to," R'haran said, quite depressed at the thought.
Before today he had been the one who knew what to do.

Last updated on the April 17th 2007

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I Have Five Children