Modern Day Warrior, Today's Tom Sawyer [[Elain]]

[elainsie]

Landaras waited rather impatiently as Ayeda spoke, his face as impassive and as unreadable as he may have wished in such a situation. His fingers flipping the stylus over and over again were the only sign to give away his composure, the fidgitiy action a release to his restlessness. He had to bite back on a smile when she finally admitted her condition, a sigh of relief almost escaping him had he not clamped his mouth shut.

Thank Faranth, he thought silently before forming a reply for Ayeda. He could not allow the silence drag too long after her proclamation, let it set her on edge. "I appreciate you informing me of this." He placed the styles back onto the table, and folded his hands on the top. "You intend to keep the child no doubt? Don't you?" His eyes narrowed. He did not expect Ayeda to come to him if she had no such intentions, after all had she wanted to abort she could have done so and he would never have been the wiser.

"I do hope that is what you've come to tell me because as you probably know, I have no children and the one you now carry," he waved a hand at her abdomen, "Is most likely the only I am to have. I have no desire to marry despite the pressure placed upon me to do so, and I'm not really in the habit of sewing my seed to put it so plainly. So as of this moment you carry the heir to Kijuju Hold and that places you both under my protection."

As Landaras spoke the he realised the though of becoming a father, while imminent, had not really crossed his mind. It had all been rather abstract when he had arrived to his decision, the only thing he had expected was to give Kijuju their heir and then the holders would leave him alone to do what he saw fit in the adminstration of the Hold. The idea of being a father was a completly different concept and it was only when Ayeda addressed him as such he felt a flutter of anxiety. What did he really know about children? Their daughter or son would have to spend most of its time at the Hold, that he knew, and yet if its mother was at the Weyr that left him in sole charge for most of the time. It was a rather daunting prospect.

Then a thought occurred to him, although he had already resolved in his mind that the unborn child would be raised at Hold would Ayeda be so keen on the idea. Did she have other children so that she would not mind, 'giving' this one up? Or was this too her first and would she be rather insistent upon keeping it at the Weyr?

He looked down at his brown short nailed hands mulling over the possibilities before arriving to the right words. "You realise what this means for the raising of the child too, don't you?"He was rather impressed with how dispassionately his voice remained, not wanting to give away that he had in fact suspected as much, had contrived things in such a manner to maximise the outcome in his favour.

[Desert]

Xeal rumbled a chuckle at Landaras' intense relief. Try telling her not to keep it and see where it gets you,[/b][/color] he remarked wryly. Though, where do you get the word 'protection'? Concern, yes, but of the two of you, who is better prepared to defend themselves? I'm sure EdaMine could break you in half.[/b][/color]

"Xeal, mind your manners!" Ayeda said sharply, but the stern tone was ruined by the faint smirk on her lips. He was right, but the truth wasn't always entirely politic. "Please ignore him, Landaras, Xealnaveth is being an idiot lately." However true his words were. Still, now that Xeal had pointed it out, the notion was faintly amusing. Ayeda never had and likely never would need anyone's protection. She was well able to handle herself, thank you, and she could probably do it better than most anyone else. Xeal didn't count, naturally, for he and His were practically one in the same. And he would be with her, by her side all the way, as the pregnancy progressed to the point that she wasn't in her usual state of readiness. And if there was anything better than a large, armored, saber-fanged and devoted hybrid to have on one's side, Ayeda didn't know of its existence.

Landaras' final comment brought Ayeda back to reality, and her smile took on a faintly wistful look as she folded one arm across her abdomen. "Yes. Being the heir, the child will need to be raised and trained here; that's a given. I won't have the time to do much in the way of child-rearing, anyway, because of my wing duties, and the Lower Caverns folk are always flooded with foster-children from cases much like this." She sighed. It being her child, her first at that, she would've liked to have a role in its life beyond just carrying and delivering it, but circumstances conspired to make that implausible. "We might be able to work out some sort of compromise, but that's a conversation for a later date, I think."

Privately, Xeal thought that Landaras was being rather stiff and impersonal about this whole affair. Maybe it was just him. What had happened to that little hint of something he'd seen just after the Flight, with the blushing? For once, it was HisEda who was being more open with her feelings, where usually she was inscrutable. The big hybrid snorted impatiently, but Ayeda curtly told him to settle whatever issues he had this time.
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[elainsie]

There are many types of protection to be had, you can give the physical much better than I can, I'll grant you that, but I have other means. Nonetheless I believe it better that we work in tandem rather than at odds with one another. The speech was thought out in his head, for Xealnaveth only. And what Landaras said was true, at least as much so as he believed in. He was Lord Holder, he had certain things at his disposal that lent his words strength.

Landaras gave a faint smile as Ayeda chided her duvalia and then instructed him to ignore the beast. "He's doing me no harm, and he does raise a good point." That was as far as he would elaborate and instead changed the conversation back to the topic at hand. "I'm glad we have an understanding then on that then. Whatever you want in terms of an arrangement I am sure we can arrive to an adequate solution, but like you say that is perhaps a conversation best held at a later date." He suppressed a yawn with a hand, "Sorry, it's been a rather long day."

He got up from the chair and walked to the end of the room, needing the exercise to get the blood and oxygen flowing to his brain. Ideally this conversation should have been held when he was a little less fatigued but at least he now knew. How long would it take for the news to reach the ears of his holders he wondered, as he paced backwards and fowards. And would this have the desired effect of cementing the bonds between Weyr and Hold, or had he misjudged the whole situation and was about to throw away all he had worked towards.

Landaras returned to the side of the desk closest to where Ayeda sat, resting his back against the left corner. His studious eyes took in the arm placed gently across her still very flat abdomen, the look to her own gaze and he felt a flit of something, nothing he could give a name to, deep within his chest. Losing the formality he looked down to her, "I hope you don't feel like I'm pressuring you, but you are an intelligent woman, I know that, you understand the stakes. And I will really be as agreeable as possible with this. I'm not going to interfere unless you expressily ask for my opinion, up until the child is born. I can be as absent or as present as you wish and if you merely want to talk or get away from the Weyr please know that no matter how busy I am, I will have time for you." It was the least he could offer seeing the predicament she had been placed in for his gain, something he could not see himself admitting to her anytime soon. After all how would that knowledge help her, he justified to himself.

[Desert]

I am very glad you just said that,[/b][/color] Xeal remarked to Landaras, making sure that his rider couldn't hear him. This was only for the Hold Lord. Mine wants this, but I won't tolerate the notion of anyone using her for his own gain. I will hold you to that promise you just made, Landaras of Kijuju Hold, and Faranth help you if you break your word.[/b][/color] The big hybrid's mind-voice had lost the wry humor of just minutes before, and was now a dark growl of warning. Xeal didn't care if he was a Lord Holder, if he dared use Eda there would be severe repercussions. And Xeal was no fool, he had seen that Landaras had planned to use His as the vehicle by which he got his heir; if there had been no more emotional involvement on his part besides the moment of lust it had taken to spark this chain of events, then Xeal would have to take matters into his own hands. Here coming out was part of the stereotypical duvalia's fiercely protective nature, for all that Xeal had his moments of acting like a silly great joker.

Ayeda remained ignorant of her bonded's side comment to Landaras, and responded to the man's words with a broader smile. "Thank you, Landaras. This is rather new for me, so I think we'll both have to play it by ear for a while. And I can tell you right now I might be showing up here on occasion, if only for an escape from the uproar this will cause when word gets out." She shook her head with a sigh.

"Anyway, is this going to be made public or kept under wraps until it can't be hidden any longer? I don't have any objections either way, I just want to know. Rumors spread fast, as you know -- faster in the Weyr since we've got a plethora of mind-speakers with loose tongues." No doubt there would be opinions of this development on both ends of the spectrum. There would be those who would wholeheartedly embrace this step, and there would be those who would look on both of them and feel only contempt. Doubtlessly, Landaras would the the recipient of more of the attention, since Ayeda was a rank-and-file wingrider even if her bonded was king-ranked. Still, she could catch her fair share from the folk of Fyr Amenti, in no small part due to her reputation. Oh how the tongues would wag...

Xeal snorted. None of them would dare say anything to your face, except maybe Verna or Ricadith or me, and we'd only be repeating them in jest. The others are just jealous cowards whose petty slurs mean nothing. The ones whose opinions matter are too intelligent to listen to the idle chatterings of idiots.[/b][/color]

Ayeda couldn't entirely suppress her smirk at Xealnaveth's scornful comment; it was clear how much he held gossips in contempt. He was right, for the most part. Besides, if an official announcement was made detailing what was going on, it would refute a few of the more ridiculous rumors before they could even begin circulating or get very strong.
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[elainsie]

If I break my word I would expect nothing less than your worst. But I do mean what I said, I don't make idle conversation for the fun of it, particuarly not at this hour of the day, Landaras' words, even thought in his head as they were, held a degree of solmenity. Ayeda certainly had a stauch supporter in Xealnaveth, which could either work in Landaras' favour or against him. He did wonder how much the hybrid had gleamed from his mind however, what stray thoughts the huge beast may pick up on should he choose to look. That he was thoughts were so vunerable was a little disconcerting, but Landaras knew worrying over it was futile; there was nothing in his power prevent it.

Landaras gave Ayeda his first genuine smile for the night, "Well then I'd be glad to have you as my visitor whenever you see fit. As to what I'll do with the news I think I'll wait until you are a little further along before formal announcing it, perhaps in a couple of weeks or so, just to give us time to adjust first before having everyone else pry." He too sighed knowing the uproar that would ensure. The decision, although made quickly had not been particularly easy. He had debated not announcing anything, letting Ayeda remain anonmous, and then, once the child was born, merely presenting his son or daughter to his holders, however he had dismissed that idea for two reasons; firstly it seemed quite unfair to Ayeda to not acknowledge her part in this as if she really was little other than his brood mare, and he had all but promised Xealnaveth that he would do no such thing, and the second being knowing as Landaras did how those of Ayeda's descent bred children of the same colouring and features it would not take a great wit to make the link between child and mother, especially if anyone had noticed Ayeda's pregnancy in the months leading up.

"That being said if you have friends or family you want to tell I don't expect you to withold the information for that length of time, just ask them to be a little cicrumspect about it, if you don't mind." He stifled another yawn with the back of his head and gave an apologetic grimace, it looked like the letter would have to wait in the morning to be finished after all. "I don't mean to hurry you out or anything, but it's probably time I went to sleep. You are more than welcome to stay the night, particularly considering the hour and the need to fly straight. My own room adjoins to this one, should you wish to use it and remain unnoticed by the Hold."

[Desert]

Xeal nodded curtly. He sensed the Holder's sincerity, and so was reassured that, at this point in time, Landaras meant what he said. After all, it was close to impossible to lie telepathically, especially when the one to whom you are trying to lie is a more skilled telepath. Humans, having little to no telepathic ability to speak of, were especially bad at it.

Ayeda also nodded in assent. "That will work for me." It would be nice to have a couple of weeks to settle into this new revelation before the floodgates were opened. She knew she wouldn't be able to get out of telling Verna, but the older rider had ever been an excellent confidant, and Ayeda knew Verna would keep her mouth shut, probably even after the official announcement was made.

She stood smoothly with an understanding smile. "No need to apologize, Landaras. It's partly my fault for showing up so late. And thank you for the offer, but Xeal and I can make it back to the Weyr; it's not unusual for riders to come and go throughout the night, given our beasts' habits." Especially some cephalo, for the lower ranking hybrids tended to exhibit more wher-like traits than did their bigger wingmates. Some hybridriders were about as nocturnal as any halfbreed- or wherhandler. Ayeda had always enjoyed night flying, anyway, and she wouldn't probably get tired until they had already gotten back to Fyr Amenti.

With that, Ayeda excused herself and exited the Hold. Xeal was waiting, foreleg cocked to use as a stepping stool, for her when she emerged. He was obviously eager to be back to the Weyr; when she asked why, the big hybrid stated that Ricadith had asked him while she had been inside where they had gone. Ayeda chuckled at Verna's impatience. Xeal also added that she would be needing more sleep from now on, his tone becoming stern and no-nonsense; Ayeda rolled her eyes at his antics and retorted that when she felt tired she would sleep, thank you. Xeal only rumbled noncommitally.

ooc; i guess this is it for Tom Sawyer; i'll move it later, once you get a chance to read it.