I'll Have to Live with the Consequences

Writers: Noli, Miriah
Date Posted: 20th June 2013

Characters: Sefanya, Bahji
Description: Sefanya and Bahji meet and bond over the pregnancy.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 1, day 24 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: E'rae, Natur; Mentor Approved

Anxious and worried, Sefanya hurried through the halls to the lower caverns.
Once again, she berated herself for waiting so long to seek out

the young girl. When she had first been informed of Bahji's
pregnancy, Sefanya had been excited and made a mental note to check in
on the student Weaver within the next few sevendays. With everything else
going on, including Orlaith's clutching, she hadn't really given much
thought to the new mother-to-be. It wasn't until she'd heard a
disturbing whisper of bruises and tears that she had realized that
Bahji might need help sooner rather than later.

Finally arriving at her destination, Sefanya paused outside the door
to the quarters she had been told belonged to Bahji. She took several
deep, slow breaths to compose herself; the last thing she needed to do
was to make the young girl anxious. Alyanne settled onto her shoulder
and chittered happily, and Sefanya reached up to stroke the little
green flit gratefully. Then she composed her face in a comforting
smile, rapped the door smartly, and called out with a cheery voice,
"Yoo-hoo, Bahji. It's Sefanya, dear."

Bahji frowned slightly, her head lifting at the knock as her fingers
fell away from the small loom in her lap. On her shoulder, Burst
lifted his head and gave a querying croon. The young flit stared at
the door with suspicion and even though Bahji soothed him, he wrapped
his tail protectively around Bahji's neck and curled up with tense
muscles. Bahji?s attention moved back to her door and she gave a soft
assent for the woman to enter. "Who is it?" She didn't know a Sefanya;
most of her acquaintances were weavers such as herself or the few
riders she had befriended. "How can I help you?"

Sefanya stepped lightly into the room and took in her surroundings.
Typical Weyr cavern quarters, small and sparsely furnished. Sefanya
guessed it would not stay this way for long. First-time mothers often
felt a need to arrange and rearrange their quarters often, until
everything was just so. She noted the fading bruise on Bahji's
face, but kept her voice upbeat.

"I just wanted to check on you, dear, since I heard the good news!
It's my duty to offer you my services as a foster mother, if you
desire one. Otherwise, I'll just help you out as you need it." She
paused, unsure how to proceed. She chose her words carefully. "Help
you in any _way_ you need it."

The sudden influx of words made Bahji blink; the woman had swept in
like a whirlwind. There was a smile of greeting on her face, confused
but still pleasant. "Oh, well, I appreciate it, but I want to
raise my child." Her head tilted. "My studies are unofficial and I
have the time for the baby." She noted the emphasis on her last
sentence. "I'm not sure I understand what you're getting at."

Sefanya reached up once again to stoke Alaynne's warm hide. The little
dear was resting a forclaw on Sefanya's ear, chattering amiably at the
hatchling firelizard on Bahji's shoulder. Not wanting to alienate the
young woman or demean her abilities,she chose? her words carefully.
"Good, good. I'm sure that will work out wonderfully. As I said, I'll
be here if you have any questions. The Weyr has an excellent support
system for childrearing, even for those who want to raise the little
ones themselves. Just don't be afraid to use it." Her eyes went to the
mark on Bahji's face once more. "I know it can be... difficult... for
those holdbred who suddenly find themselves in your situation. To
raise a child on your own, as opposed to with two parents..." Sefanya
frowned, and asked gently, "If you don't mind, who is the baby's
father?"

Burst eyeballed the pair with outward suspicion and shifted from foot
to foot as he pressed protectively against Bahji's neck. The little
bronze puffed up his chest, as though he could show how large and
strong he was, and then shifted his whirling gaze back from the little
green and then to Sefanya. He was curious about the other firelizard,
and it showed, but he would not leave Bahji's side while the other
strange person was there.

"Difficult..." Bahji nodded. "I figured it would be, especially
considering my unique situation. But as for being holdbred..." She
gave a sigh and mindlessly touched her cheek lightly. "I belong to the
Weyr and its ways now. I embraced them completely and I have to live
with the consequences of that choice." She paused and gave a warmer
smile. "His name is E'rae."

Sefanya felt relief flow through her at the girl's words. She knew of
Bahji's blindness from others and had at first been concerned, but despite
that she seemed strong and capable, with a good head on her young shoulders.
Not so young, Sefanya corrected herself. After all, she had been Bahji's age
when Natur was born, all those Turns ago. She felt a momentary pang,
thinking about Artur and the Turns they had spent together before the fever
took him. Five beautiful children. Most women were not so lucky.

"E'rae, Leith's rider?" Sefanya knew of the pair, mostly through her flits.
Alaynne especially seemed smitten with her big blue cousin, and spent many
an evening sending Sefanya happy images involving Leith (and occasionally)
his rider. She had no opinion of the man himself, but the smile on Bahji's
face told her that the match was a good one. "And what of the relationship?
Are you to be weyrmated? Shall he take part in the child's life?" Her mind
was working, weaving together the fabric of the situation, much as the loom
on Bahji's lap had previously weaved cloth.

"Yes, Leith's rider." She nodded in agreement, but her smile faltered at the
next words. What was their relationship? E'rae had never promised anything.
At most, they were bedmates and friends. He didn't love her and she knew it.
A part of her wondered if a rider really could love a non-rider. There was
little enough in common between the two types of weyrfolk. There was a soft
sigh as the thought flicked through her that she doubted that she would ever
find a relationship more than what she and E'rae had. "We're not to be
weyrmated. E'rae...he isn't the type." She shrugged her shoulders. "He says
he will. He spends time with his daughter and has promised that he will with
this child too."

Sefanya nodded curtly, once, twice. It was a common situation in the Weyr.
She didn't want to vex the girl; the important thing was that Bahji knew she
had help and support if she wanted it. "Well, dear, I'll let you get back to
your studies. If you don't mind, I'll check back in a few sevendays, just to
see how you're doing." She smiled in encouragement and continued cheerily.
"Of course, I'll always be around if you need me. You just send that little
bronze to find Alaynne, and I'll be here in two shakes of a herdbeast's
tail."

Bahji nodded slowly. "Alright..." There was a long pause
as she tilted her head. "But, who is Alaynne?"

"Oh, my. I'm so thoughtless. This," Sefanya reached up to tap the little
emerald flit under the chin, "Is Alaynne." Alaynne closed her jeweled eyes
and crooned contentedly at the contact. "She's very friendly. I also have a
bronze, Torr. Who knows. One day your little guys may be competing for golds
with mine." She said the last bit playfully. Sefanya knew the value of
ending such meetings on a good note.

Sefanya opened the door to Bahji's room and stepped through it. Turning, she
called back cheerfully, "It was nice to meet you dear. Good morrow, and good
luck."

Bahji didn't mention that she couldn't see what Sefanya was gesturing to,
but her intuition was good enough to know that it was most likely a flit
that was on the woman's shoulder. She smiled and nodded. "Perhaps. He's so
young that I haven't even considered it just yet." As Sefanya walked to the
door, Bahji offered a kind smile. "And you as well. I'm sure we'll be
speaking again soon."

Last updated on the June 22nd 2013

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

I'll Have to Live with the Consequences