All clean now
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Clancey, Emma
Date Posted: 29th June 2008
Characters: Mai, K'reyel
Description: Mai and K'reyel spend some time with their baby son
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 10, day 16 of Turn 4
Yawning, Mai went to pick up Mayel almost without thought. She was tired, but he was hungry. In spite of all that, she smiled as she hummed a bit to her crying son. "Shh... its alright, little love."
She settled back into the soft support of their couch, and began to feed him. As he ate, she looked about the weyr she shared with K'reyel. He didn't seem to be home as much lately, and she missed the sight of him, and the smell of him. And they still couldn't.. ..
she sighed. The Healers had said it would be several sevendays yet before it was safe, and that she was by no means to get pregnant again.
She thought K'reyel knew that, but they hadn't talked about it, much.
Not yet.
"You two look so happy like that," remarked K'reyel as he came into the weyr and took in the sight of his weyrmate and child.
Almost startled - she had been completely focused inward on the child suckling at her breast - she shifted Mayel to her other breast and smiled up at her weyrmate. She did not bother covering up when she was in their weyr, so the view must have been nice, even if K'reyel had seen it all before.
"Its funny... I always understood that the bond between mother and child was something special; something you could never understand until you were a mother. But I didn't realize how deep it would go.
Its the most peaceful feeling on Pern, feeding him, K'reyel. As peaceful as waking up in your arms, if in a different way." She invited him close, to share the feeling, with her gaze. Waking up with him was becoming less common as the demands on both their times -
Mayel and a Weyr both being demanding things - increased.
"How's he been today?" asked K'reyel as he found a seat opposite them. Their son had been so small when he was born, but the healers had said he would be a fighter with the effort he had made to breathe and cry so soon after his birth.
"He's doing better than his mother, I think." She smiled at him gently. "All he does is sleep and eat. But he almost seems to grow before my eyes." The smile broadened. "It almost seems like all I do is eat and sleep with him."
"You do so much more and you know that," he reminded her gently. "You love him too, and he needs that just as much as the other things." And the look he gave her was designed to make sure she knew it. "Where would he be, where would either of us be without you?"
That was the look, the feeling only she saw in his eyes. She knew, no matter what, even though they could have no more children, that look would always be there for her. It was enough.
Mayel was settling down in her arms and seemed to have eaten his fill.
"I think you'd be alright without me, love. But you wouldn't be nearly as happy." She winked at him. "Come and hold him for a while? He has gotten to where he doesn't just fall right back to sleep. You can burp him and find some of the peace taking care of him gives me. I do love being a mother to your son, K'reyel. You are right; loving him is as wonderful as all the rest."
He moved next to her, taking his son into his arms and finding a cloth to place over his shoulder as he gently patted the boy's back. "Hopefully this will stop him spitting up all down my back!"
"Perhaps... I've learned you never know for sure.." She grinned as she watched him. K'reyel was so natural, most likely because Mayel was not his first child. Mayel squirmed a little in his grasp but soon settled down to his father's easy movements. Pretty soon, a loud 'burp' came from that small little boy. It was so loud, Mai was startled into laughter. "I was going to ask you how your day was, love, but I think it just got a little messy..." She pointed at his shirt.
"And not just the shirt." K'reyel could feel that his bottom was damp, and his nose was confirming that. "Maybe I should change him before I change myself."
"Oh would you? I'd like to take a little walk out on the ledge. I banished Tero there earlier and I hear him pestering Erdenth. I need some air. I don't get out enough, it seems..." She smiled thankfully at her weyrmate.
"You go, I'll sort this one out."
Smiling warmly after her weyrmate, she headed out to the ledge. She whistled for Tero and he immediately swooped toward her, crooning.
"You leave him be, Tero. Understand?" He was sending messages of an empty ledge, then a full ledge, then empty, even while he settled down.
Ahh. He was glad to see the larger bronze. She understood. She missed K'reyel too. It seemed they were away more than ever, though he always came home to her at night.
With a fond smile, she scratched Erdenth's eye ridges when he turned his head toward her. She took several deep breaths of fresh air and dragonhide, and found some of her 'self' returning. So much of her went into caring for Mayel, and while she didn't begrudge one candlemark of that time - he was so precious to her - she seemed like a whole new Mai. Out here, she almost felt like the Mai that had been, thankfully with the waistline of the Mai that had been!
After a little while longer, she gave Erdenth one last pat, then headed back inside the weyr.
"Mai," K'reyel smiled as he saw her. "He's all clean, and in his crib. And I have a clean shirt too." He opened his arms, gesturing to her to come closer. "I can hold you at least."
With the warmth and freshness from her brief journey outside, Mai eagerly went to her weyrmate. "Thank you, love." Her smile broadened as she leaned against his clean shirt, feeling his arms go around her with the same strength and sureness they always did. "Please hold me, K'reyel. I miss you."
"I miss you too," he said as he held her close. "And I know we'll have to be careful in future, but that won't ever stop me loving you."
Her peace evaporated in the simple truth of his words, but she tried not to let it show. Instead, she clung tighter to him. "I'll bear you no more children, love. But I'm not going to let you out of my bed either. Or my heart... " She added, softly.
"Nor you out of mine," he replied equally softly.
Last updated on the June 29th 2008