First Moments

Writers: Devin, Chelle
Date Posted: 1st March 2014

Characters: Rhosyn, N'vanik
Description: N'vanik meets Rhosyn's baby for the first time.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 6, day 13 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Briata, K'sedel, Cosani, Cyradis, Reeva, Saibra, Lenala, Tsaera

N'vanik

Resting comfortably at last with the infant in her arms, Rhosyn had
drank some water, had Reeva help her clean up some, and was ready
to receive visitors. There were quite a few and she knew she needed to
get it done so she could get some sleep. It was going to be rough for
a while with feedings and all that until they made sure that Briata
could be both fostermother and milkmother. Sighing, she looked up and
saw a face she knew and a small smile appeared. "Well hello there."

N'vanik practically vibrated with nervous energy. "Can I see the
baby?" It seemed he'd been waiting an eternity outside the room. Shut
out again, but he was trying not to be bitter about it.

"Yeah but be quiet. She finally stopped fussing." Quite proud of herself
and rightly so, Rhosyn found herself watching his reaction quite carefully.

He reached for the infant and took her in his arms, his expression
full of awe with a touch of fear. He was worried he might drop her or
hold her wrong. "She's beautiful."

"I think so too." Then again she was probably biased but who cared? And
no one would argue with her for obvious reasons. Her eyes searched his face
and the baby's, trying to see if there were any resemblance. It was hard to spot
anything though. Her head came up and she knew it could just as well
be K'sedel's. "I'm going to call her Nisheyl I think. Does that sound okay?"

He considered the name for a moment. "I guess it would be presumptive
to call her Vansyn." There might not ever be a way to tell who the
girl's father was. **Are you mine?** He thought as he looked down at
her beautiful bright eyes.

The baby wasn't much for movement yet. Still, it turned toward where the
warmth was, trying to burrow towards the bronzerider's body as it was cradled.
The little girl's mouth opened very slightly then closed. "I would think so
especially since her hair and eyes...well...it could go either way." All
three of them had hazel eyes like the child. And her hair was just wisps
as yet and would probably turn, or so the healers seemed to think.

N'vanik cuddled the infant a bit closer. Shards and shells, why did he
have to live on the other side of Pern? "If wishes were dragons, all
Pern would fly," he said, half to himself.

"She's healthy and whole. It wasn't so bad. Okay maybe it was, but it's
over." **And I am never doing it again.** "And she's enough." Rhosyn
had half wondered if he would like her as much as she needed him to.
It had been so long-and so hard. It had to be worth it.

"She's more than enough. She's perfect." He wished he hadn't missed
this with Cosani. "I wish I could stamp my name on her or something.
Even if I can't be sure she's mine I want to pretend she is."
Especially now that the baby was real and in front of him, no
longer an abstract idea.

"Well she might be. Maybe when she's older and starts frowning like you..
then we'll know." Rhosyn almost laughed. Then again, there was always the
possibility that Nisheyl would be like K'sedel.

N'vanik did laugh. "If she's ours... shards, poor Briata."

"Honestly I feel bad for the whole Weyr, but oh well. Maybe at least Briata
will be able to stay a step ahead of her with all the extra eyes and ears she
has." That was a plus.

He looked down at the little girl. "Hear that? Every dragon in the
Weyr will be watching you." He laughed again. "Now I feel sorry for _her_."

"I wouldn't. She'll be able to become whatever she wants." Rhosyn thought
about her own life and vowed that she would never let anyone hold back
her daughter.

Just then the little one began to make noise. "I think that's the signal
for hungry or for the other. Do you want to do the honors and check?" She
almost smiled, but waited to see what N'vanik was going to do.

"The other?" It took a moment to make the connection. "Oh, that. Umm."
He shifted the baby awkwardly to check her diaper. "She looks okay.
Must be hungry." Which was a relief because he didn't know how to
change a diaper. He'd need to learn, though. He handed Nisheyl to
Rhosyn. "Could I take her to Dolphin Cove sometimes, when she's old
enough to travel?"

"I think that's a question for Briata, if she's comfortable with it. I don't
mind though." Then again Rhosyn didn't know anything about babies and
she knew that. So she would defer to the person who already had one.
Taking the baby back, she cuddled her close and then pulled down the blanket.
It wasn't long before she had Nisheyl situated and it was indeed clear that
someone was hungry.

N'vanik leaned close and brushed a strand of hair from Rhosyn's face.
"How do you feel about it, now that she's here?"

"Honestly, I don't really want to let myself think of her as mine to a degree.
Because she won't be. She'll be Briata's. Briata will teach her to talk, to walk,
her manners, and all of those things a mother does. I mean sure, there will be
things she'll get from me and maybe you or K'sedel but... And if I do, it'll make
it harder to give her away." The look on her face was bittersweet. Rhosyn knew
it was something she had to do. It didn't make it any easier.

"She's still yours. You can still see her." She'd acted like the
pregnancy was a burden and this was the first real hint he'd seen that
she might actually care about the baby. "Cyradis and Saibra have kids.
You can talk to them about how they manage."

Cyradis had a weyrmate. She also had a Second and a young goldrider to share
duties with. Saibra...Rhosyn didn't know too much about that one yet. Still, she
didn't have help except Lenala. There was Tsaera but it was different. "I never
said I couldn't see her. I just...seeing her is not being a parent. I will be her Weyrwoman,
but Briata will be her mother." She accepted it. It was part of being who she was.

"Her _foster_ mother. That's the beauty of having a child in the Weyr.
They can have multiple parents. Briata's care doesn't erase the fact
you gave birth to her." He looked down at Nisheyl, nursing
contentedly. "The possibility of K'sedel being her father
doesn't erase the fact that I love her."

"I'm not saying it does. However, I want her to be secure with them,
to love them. Because if something happened to us-they will take care
of her." Rhosyn had seen that firsthand when her father had passed and
she'd been sent away. It was important for her that Nisheyl had other
attachments. "I do love her. That's why I want better for her. Better than
I had."

"I want better for her, too. Even if I can't be around all the time, I
want her to know I love her and that I would never, ever hurt her."
Having children made it even more impossible to understand his father.
How could someone hurt their child like that?

Just then Nisheyl finished and Rhosyn brought her up to burp. It was a quick
action, eliciting a small sound. When she was done, she laid the babe into the
small bassinet nearby. "She sleeps after feeding usually. Are you
staying for awhile?"

"Actually, I was planning to take the guys out for drinks. Sort of a
tension release after Panitath's Flight. Now I can celebrate the baby,
too." He smiled, hoping she didn't think he was abandoning her. "But
I'll be back to visit you both."

For now Rhosyn was going to be confined to the Infirmary until Reeva was
satisfied and released them both. That reminder-that he was once more confined
to Dolphin Cove-was enough to pull her focus away for just a moment. "Go on ahead.
I think I'll eat while she's sleeping and then visit with people before resting
myself."

For a moment he considered calling it off, but she would have plenty
of visitors and would probably be tired after all that. He was tired
just from all the waiting. "I'll be here for you, as much as I can."
N'vanik squeezed her shoulder.

Thankfully, she would only be a mother in more than name for just a few
more sevendays. After that, it was going to be Briata's chance to worry and
feed. "It's okay. Go on."

Last updated on the March 15th 2014

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First Moments