[Brisse]

[Day 1]

She spent some time working in her office, wondering about H'riol.  Word
came that he hadn't been banished from Falagand, that he'd gone with
Roland of his own free will.  She frowned at this.  He hadn't seemed the
type.

She closed up the folders she had been working on and made her way over to
Dan'yar's for dinner.  The effort they had put into preparing for the baby
touched her deeply, and once again, she wished she could convey her
feelings to him.  But, she kept silent until it was time to go to Thina's
to prepare for the joining day party they would be having in a couple of
days.

It was on the way there that Tymor told her that more information had been
found, and H'riol had, in fact, been banished by B'nair of Falagand when
she had taken over as warrenlady there.  The charges sounded very suspect.

When she got to Thina's, the older woman and she went over recipes,
listing off ingredients that needed gotten yet.  They also did a thorough
cleaning job, knowing the next couple of days wouldn't afford them time
for it.  Thina, wise to the ways of motherhood, didn't hover over Brisse
the way most people at the warren did.  She was allowed to work as she saw
fit.

It was good to do simple, manual labour.  It gave her time to think.

"You've seemed awfully thoughtful, dear," Thina prodded.  "Is there
anything going on?"

Brisse wiped the hair off her forehead.  "No."

"Are you sure?"

Brisse nodded.  Thina studied her quietly, then returned to working.  They
worked silently for a few minutes, then Brisse blurted out, "And that's
the problem."

"What's the problem, Brisse?"

"That nothing's going on."

Thina looked at her oddly.  "In what way?  There's a lot going on."

Brisse nodded, and went back to her cleaning.  "It's just that Dan'yar
said that he'd wait until I was ready," she explained, addressing her
cleaning rag rather than the woman beside her, "and, well..."

Thina chuckled.  "And he's being so patient and understanding that he's
missing that you are ready?"

Brisse nodded.  "And... and I don't know how to tell him."

"You may have to just come out and say it."

"I still don't know how."

Thina considered for a moment, then patted Brisse's hand.  "You'll figure
it out."

******

[Day 2]

Brisse, being a former shepherdess, was the one who handled all the
details of the warren's herds.  So, she was out talking to the chief
herdsman when Syren told her that Cynthia was leaving the warren, and
leaving her in charge.  She had been in charge before, when Cynthia was
ill or possessed or whatever she had been, but she still didn't like it.
So many decisions...

She finished her business with the herdsman and headed back to her office.

******

[Later]

"Furthermore, we need some drugs that simply cannot be gotten here in the
Nomadlands, so I was wanting to have one of the staff borrow a dragon and
rider and go to Tinnobal and barter some of the drugs we've found her for
supplies."

Brisse nodded to the healer.  "I'll arrange an escort, then.  When will
you have these drugs ready?"

"They're already ready.  We've been doing some experimenting with them, so
we made sizable batches."

"All right."  Her eyes started to unfocus when a knock came at the door. 
"Just a moment," she said to the healer.  "Come in!"

Her heart skipped a beat as P'ker stepped into the office.  "Hello,
Brisse."

She nodded.  "Yes?"

"We've just come back from Keldarra.  We didn't do a thorough measuring
job there.  Just enough to determine that Kaeryth is larger than Tymor." 

Brisse let out a sigh of relief.  "Thank you, P'ker."

"We will, of course, have to continue measurements..."

"I understand."  Her doom was only forestalled for now.

"Well, I'll let you get back to work.  Good day."

"Good day.  And thank you, again."

She turned back to the healer.  "All right, let me try and get you that
escort."

******

[Just after sunset]

<My rider, Syren is back and Trissana is inviting us to a fish fry.>

<A fish fry?> Brisse questioned her dragon, as she stretched from the nap 
she had been taking.  She had stood her full watch and then some, but had
left when Dan'yar insisted she'd done enough.

<Yes.  Syren, her rider and Trissana's rider caught a very large fish.  It
looks delicious.>

******

[Later]

"Turner and Kellie looked awfully... close, didn't you think?" Dan'yar
asked as he arranged the pillows around her body that allowed her to
sleep.

"Mmmm.  I guess so," she said, yawning, then let out an "oof" as she was
kicked from within.

"Sounds like she's wanting to come out and soon."

Brisse nodded.  "The contractions have been getting stronger, too.  Won't
be long."

He kissed her.  "Just remember, if I'm out on patrol, you have someone
come get me.  I want to be there for you."

She nodded.  "Goodnight."

"G'night, love."

For being so sleepy, she found she suddenly couldn't sleep, even as she
listened to his quiet snoring beside her.  She was thinking about the
queenrider apartment D'ren had shown her the other day.  The one she had
said was too large for her.  Large master bedroom.  Large living room and
kitchen.  And not one but three smaller bedrooms.  A stairs that went
directly to the office hall.

And enough room for two dragons, even with Tymor's size.

<Why do you not tell him?> Tymor asked, sleepily.

<I want him to ask.>

<Humans are silly,> the dragon hrumphed and went to sleep.

******

[Day 3]

[Medical Center]

"... and he went off to find Turner and that's about it," S'lomon finished
as Brisse pulled her clothes back together.  "I thought maybe you could
talk to him."

She nodded distractedly.  "Well, if he doesn't want to talk about it, we
shouldn't make him.  Sometimes talking about only makes it harder to deal
with."

"We can't have him in denial."

"It's *not* denial not to want to talk to everyone who comes along about
your loss.  You can't always be worrying a wound or it will never heal.
It's the same with something like this.  You should let him be."

S'lomon sighed.  "You're very sure of yourself for a kid."

She spun on him then.  "A kid who's lost a dragon, I'll remind you.  Just
because I rejoined doesn't make it any less painful, any more that taking
a second mate makes losing the first less painful."

He held up his hands.  "Sorry.  You're right.  I don't know what he's
going through and you do.  I'll consider your advice."

Brisse nodded and started to head through the door.

"Oh, I want to see you again in a couple days if nothing's happened."

"I'll be here."

She walked down the hall and looked into the room where the Nomad woman
was.  She peered in and saw a man in there putting some flowers on the
bedside table.  She wondered if it was him.

He turned and saw her standing there.

"She will be okay," she said, sensing some sadness about him.

"I don't really know her.  I was just bringing some flowers.  That is
all." He shifted weight.  "I just know no one knows her, that is all.  She
could use something to cheer here up." 

"She's sleeping," she observed, knowing the woman would probably be too
out of it to appreciate his gift.  "  I'm Brisse.  You're new here?"

"Yes."

It probably was him, then.  She wished he'd introduce himself.  "I'm the
Junior Queenrider.  What is your name?" she prompted. 

"C'aranth," he said and she noticed him looking a bit stunned at her
bulging middle. "Junior is right," he muttered under his breath. 

She tried to hide her annoyance.  She refused to explain her situation to
every stranger that happened by.

"Where is your Warrenlady?" he asked.

"Cynthia is probably in her office right now, though I expect she'll be at
a party tonight."

"Thank you." C'aranth turned and walked out of the room.  

"Will you be eating at the Dining Hall?" she asked his retreating back.

He stopped.  "I'm not good at socialising."

"Our cook is really good."

He sighed.  "I'll probably take an occasional meal there, yes."

"Good.  I hope I'll see you there."

******

Most of the family was there when they arrived, the girls running on ahead
of them.  She smiled as she saw them go up to their Uncle Farr'in and his
companion and claim the boy who was with them.

"Brisse, dear, how long are you going to carry that baby?" Danki asked,
smiling.

Brisse laughed.  "Oh, S'lomon says not much longer.  I'm already beginning
to dilate."

"She's ready to come, too," Dan'yar added.  "I think I got bruised last
night from all the kicking."

Brisse started to laugh, which quickly turned into an "oof" as the baby
began kicking.

Then she felt something in her body give way and felt a gush of fluid wash
down her thighs.  She looked in surprise at Dan'yar, who stood for one
moment in shock, then yelled, "Get a healer!"

******

[Many hours later]

The night had been a muddle of walking till she was exhausted, then
drifting to sleep only to be awakened by contractions.  Now, as the sky
outside her window turned pink, Brisse's thoughts had narrowed to the
barest animal awareness of the need to push.  Somewhere, someone was
encouraging her, but she didn't know the words anymore.

Was that someone saying, "Almost here"?

She gritted her teeth, moaning in pain and pushed, feeling the slither of
flesh on flesh between her legs, then a plaintive cry filled the room.

"It's a boy, Brisse.  A boy."

The crying child was laid on her stomach.  "Don't cry, baby," she
murmurred, looking at her son for the first time.  His head was covered
with dark hair.  Out of a dusky face, brown eyes, almost black, stared out
at her, as he whimpered and fell silent.

Matteen's son.

"What are you going to name him, love?" Dan'yar asked.

She considered.  "I don't know.  Ask me in a few hours."

She guided the child's mouth to her breast and, after he had latched on,
drifted into an exhausted sleep.

Respectfully submitted,
 Lynette R. F. Cowper
  Brisse and Tymor


 # Lynette R. F. Cowper        o       INWO Line Editor & Goddess      #
 # lcowper@indy.net             <><     Circle of Janus Secretary      #
 # lcowper@io.com                  o       Captain, USS CALYPSO        #
 # http://www.io.com/~lcowper/  ><>     Warrenlady, Telnor Warren      #