Time To Work

Writers: Avery, Chelle, Cymiri
Date Posted: 17th March 2014

Characters: Rhosyn, Reeva, Riveenata
Description: This is labor, folks.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 6, day 13 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: N'vanik, K'sedel

As things progressed, it became clear that it was time to get to work.
Rhosyn had requested that the men stay out of the delivery room. She knew N'vanik
wanted to be there, but she didn't want K'sedel in there with her and she
felt it was only fair for the both of them to be outside. Anyway, it was
going to be awful and if something happened, she needed to be able to think
clearly. "Reeva, it's hurting a lot more now."

Riveenata waited in the corner of the room, fiddling with the standard
supplies while she waited for orders from the Master Healer. She'd helped
deliver babies before, but it was always a mixture of nerve wracking - what
if something went wrong - and exciting - look at the new life entering the
world. She flashed the Weyrwoman a smile she hoped was reassuring.

Reeva patted Rhosyn's hand a little distractedly. "It's alright, child. It's
meant to, alas." She refrained from adding it would get worse- and that was
if nothing went wrong. She herself would have brought in the man Rhosyn
wanted there and hung the other's ego, but she'd respected the Weyrwoman's
request and shooed the lot of them out the way. At least it left breathing
room.

"Riveenata dear, do stop twiddling and get the Weyrwoman some water, if you
don't mind. Or juice if you'd prefer, Rhosyn?" She herself was watching
the patient hawkishly, carefully timing out each? contraction. "Remember
to keep your breaths steady, luvvie. Steady as you can, anyway." A flash
of the Reeva grin accompanied the last suggestion.

"Water would be better I think," she replied before trying to focus on her
breathing. It was hard when she knew this was it. Anything could happen. The
contractions rippled across her belly. Leaning back into the pillows, she
refrained from pushing till Reeva told her to. It had been a long time and
it could be longer yet they said.

Riven ducked out the room door and got a tray with glasses of water,
reasoning that Rhosyn might want more later. She slipped back in and
offered one to the Weyrwoman. "How're you feeling?" she asked softly.

She looked at the young woman like that was a stupid question. "I'm having a
baby. How are _you_ feeling?" Making a grunting noise, she hoped the girl had some
sense. If not, Reeva was all she had. "Faranth-can I start pushing now?" Taking a glass
quickly and gulping half of it, she poured the rest on her head. **I am sweating like a
runnerbeast in heat**

"Now now, play nicely with my Journeyman, Weyrwoman. She's not cantankerous
and crabby like me. Yet." She winked at the young woman in case Rhosyn's words
had stung, but she was serious as she turned back to Rhosyn with a simple, "Yes, it's time."

Whispering words of thanks, she immediately waited for the next contraction,
bearing down at the same time that her muscles did. That saved effort. Rhosyn
also tried to focus more on the pain than her worry and fear. It drove her-to get
the baby out. Being able to push gave her something to do, reducing that helpless
feeling.

It had a similar effect on Reeva, though she never told her patients as
much. Still, though they'd come so far there was a long wait in store for them
all before Reeva's soft exclamation. "Ah. And now the fun really starts, Weyrwoman."

Rhosyn's head came up and she looked the healer in the face. There was sweat
and parts of her hair were all over the place. Sighing, she wondered what that
translated to. "Just tell me what that means." She was tired but she was trying to get this baby
out. At least Reeva joking meant things were going well. That was a good sign.

~*~

Basically that meant that Rhosyn was in terrible pain for the next hour and a half
as she pushed and grunted and screamed. Finally, though, a baby came out. When
it made noise, the Weyrwoman subsided. With the afterbirth done, she waited to find
out that she had birthed a healthy baby girl. And she hadn't died. And the baby was alive.
**Thank Faranth. I am never doing this again.**

Orlaith's triumphant bellow was enough to let the rest of the Weyr know that everything
had ended well.

Last updated on the March 21st 2014

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Time To Work