Egg Heavy and Hormonal

[Onyxaeon]

Yes, those lovely female hormones and their ability to rise and plummet without so much as a hint were coursing through the egg heavy Brimstone, making her...less than pleasant company lately. Well, that was an understatement for certain. As of late, even her Vsiasi was having trouble getting near her for the simple fact the Senior Queen did not want to be touched or even seen for that matter, something no one just seemed to quite understand because healers kept barging in to check on her swelling stomach and she had had to put many in their place and remind them of why she was the Senior Queen. Such had also been applied to her mate and His. Truth be told, Isionyth had not seen hide nor hair of her Xanntorith since she had snapped at him for bringing her less than adequate Cions for a midday snack a few days back, and Hers had vanished to another check up in the Infirmary for her little spawn of the Red Star. It was a miserably wretched day that could not get worse and, with this thought in mind, the Brimstone sighed heavily. Here she was alone and irritated for being such. She wished for company and yet despised any who came close and threatened dismemberment for those who dared touch her growing belly. A tender croon escaped the queen at this thought, and her head craned around to allow her tongue to gently rasp across the bulge lovingly.

My little ones...Would you care for company? This time, a soul won't dare to press upon you, I will make absolutely certain of that. Of course, there was no reply from the dragonets within their mother, but it was still enough of a response to get the queen to her feet off of her couch to waddle (and if any beast knew what was good for them they would say not a word about her current manner of walking) to her ledge. With a roll of her stiff, sooted wings, the Brimstone peered out over her Weyr. Several dragons, mostly Solars, were bathing in the Weyr's lake, and a few were scattered along the Feeding Grounds. None of which were the dragon she was looking for. With a growing sense of resentment, Isionyth cast her gaze to the Rock Eye Post, a growl forming in the back of her throat. Shard it all, where was that stupid male?!?!? XANNTORITH!?!?!?!?!?!!? Well, so much for peace and quiet.

~

"All's well, my dear," the healer said cheerfully to Vsiasi as he went about cleaning up his station. "Good thing, too. My marks have been on a healthy child between you and that wherryhead for awhile now. I'd lose a good deal of currency were things to fall through." Vsiasi resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She knew well he meant no harm but, to hear that people had been betting on her pregnancy before it had even been a possibility was a little irksome. Many should learn to control their tongues and mind their own issue rather than hers. "Well, thank you then. With luck, all will stay well and you can get you mark. Remember now, not a word to anyone. I'm still not quite...accepting of this condition." The healer cocked an eyebrow, peering at the Weyrwoman through half amused eyes. "Condition? You say it as though it will fade with time. My dear, it will only get rougher from here. And, despite what you may be thinking, you are showing. It's not a secret any longer, so remaining hush hush will get you no where. I say embrace the fact and own up to it. It's not like the child is a foreigner's and you received it from a one night fling. It's N'yx's and the whole of the Weyr would be elated to know such instead of having to deal with all these rumors of whom you've been in bed with aside from him."
There was truth in the older healer's words. N'yx deserved a child and the Weyr would be happy for their Weyrleader because they agreed with such. That aside, she still was not comfortable with the notion of shouting to the whole of Pern she was with child. It unnerved her and she would rather not be treated as if she were a fragile flower as she had seen some women of the Lower Caverns and Riders alike being treated. She was emotionally vulnerable enough already, and she didn't need to be so physically on top of that. "That may be all fine and true, Hadun, but I'm not yet ready for that. I know you mean well, but do kindly stay out of my affairs. If everyone knows, then they know and there is nothing more for me to say on the matter. Let them think what they will of me. Now, if you don't mind, will you retrieve N'yx from your little waiting room? I still don't understand why you left him back there in the first place. It's nothing he hasn't seen before." A sigh persisted from the Weyrwoman as she regathered her tunic and rider's belt, redressing herself ever so carefully as Hadun left grudgingly to get the Weyrleader. "Her Majesty will have you now," he ground out when he came to the small room.

[Desert]

The entire Weyr heard Isionyth's ill-tempered shriek as she summoned her mate into visibility. At that moment, Xann had been sunning, his mind in the pleasant limbo between sleep and awareness. He had actually been inside the Weyrbowl, on the top tier of ledges where few riders had their weyrs. He was only a few dragonlengths directly above the ledge where Isionyth stood: out of sight, but close by. Despite the fact that he had deemed it wise to keep a distance between him and Isionyth until she loosened up a bit, the last thing he wanted was to be too far away in case he was needed. And he'd gotten much better at reading and dealing with the brimstone's moodswings, so he knew she might well require his presense at any moment. Such as then.

When the harsh cry echoed raucously through the minds of every dragon within a reasonable distance, Xann was startled out of his half-sleep to the point that he almost tumbled from the ledge. He was close enough that his mind suffered the full effect of her telepathic scream, and it practically made his ears ring. Stunned halfway into confusion and twitching with a sudden jolt of adrenaline, Xann surged to his feet and half-fell from the ledge in his hurry to get to his mate. Yes! I'm here! Do you need anything, my love?[/b][/color] He dropped down top land next to her on the ledge: within reaching distance, but still giving her a healthy amount personal space. He knew how touchy she was likely to be. He struggled to calm his rapid heartbeat and the subtle trembling that had overtaken his wingtips thanks to his abrupt wakening.

Truthfully, he was rather glad that she'd called him. He had given her plenty of space after she'd last snapped at him and not gotten too close if he judged her not to be in the mood, but that didn't mean he couldn't start to miss her. He thought back to the affection they'd shared much earlier in her pregnancy and wished for that again. He knew this unpleasantness wasn't to last much longer, but it was still wearing on him. At least this wasn't as bad as the tension leading up to her Flight had been.

---

N'yx couldn't resist a grin at the Healer's sarcasm. He pushed off from the wall and followed the man in, his gaze immediately going to Vsiasi's lean form. She wasn't showing much yet, but the difference was plain enough if you were looking hard enough. He thought it was about time to make the formal announcement - he was becoming fed up with all the rumors - but he was willing to wait until she was comfortable with it. This was her ordeal more than his, anyway; he knew his place. His job was to support her and help her any way he could, and he was doing his damnedest to do it right and not screw up again. So far things had smoothed out since the incident that had seen Vsiasi flee the Weyr for over two sevendays. he hoped never to repeat that - the stress and worry he'd endured for those seventeen days had been worse than anything else life had thrown at him.

"So, is everything going well?" he asked, going up to the Weyrwoman and putting one arm around her. He'd grown accustomed to the feelings they shared and, in what was probably a surprising turn of events to everyone but Xann, it hadn't taken long for him to loosen up and begin exhibiting little shows of affection like this. Never very tellingly when they were out and about in the Weyr, but when they were in private, as often as not there was some physical contact between them that he'd initiated. He was careful to give her space when he saw she wanted it, but if it looked like he wouldn't be rebuffed, he couldn't resist. It was going to continue this trend as she started to show more, he already knew - and he hoped she wouldn't start getting irritated with him. His little demonstrations of affection were usually fairly subtle: a hand on the small of her back, resting his chin on her shoulder, combing a hand through her hair; it was just the way he showed his feelings. It came more naturally to him to show it without words, because everyone knew that N'yx wasn't a vocal person period. It was just how he was and he wasn't going to change.
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[Onyxaeon]

"Well enough," Vsiasi grumbled out, heaving herself off of the patient bed and adjusting her clothes. Fastening her riders' belt, she looked up to N'yx. "That wherryhead just won't leave me be. Some crackdust about eating more, sleeping more, and running less. I'm perfectly fine; I'm been doing this for years and see no reason to up and change just on a whim. Really now, what does lack of me having sleep have to do with anything? It's entirely dark where he or she is; they couldn't tell day from night to care whether or not I'm sleeping and such." She was being irrational she well knew, but that didn't so much matter anymore as, for a change of pace, she was being told what to do. She was the Weyrwoman, for Faranth's sake! Not some child needing their vegetables cut up for themselves! "Honestly, N'yx, I'm fine. Can we just go? Actually," the woman didn't bother finishing her sentence as she strode past the Weyrleader and the healer straight out the door.

When N'yx soon joined after her, Vsiasi lifted up her hand to stop the flow of words she knew would come. "I know, I know I'm acting childish again. I don't quite care at the moment; he really just...gah. He irks me. First, he tells me Isionyth is probably carrying a small clutch and gets her in a titz. I know she is, and she knows she is, but telling her just set her off and now everyone is miserable because she feels inadequate. That's not nearly all. You know that garbage he has me taking every morning to make sure the baby grows healthy? Rubbish! I've been talking around and not one of the Weyrwomen I know of has taken any such nonsense when deciding to keep a child. He's being useless."

Scaled talons clicked angrily against the stone ledge as a slow hiss escaped the female. Magmas were brutal, yes. Ravens were manipulative, indeed. And Snows, well, they were cunning and snappy. But Brimstones? Temperamental, demanding, waspish, generally irate, and downright frighteningly realistic. The absolute best way to scare someone was to drive in the bitterness of reality into their hearts, something Brimstones much like Isionyth were the devils of dishing out. You left me here all alone with the thought only Faranth knew where you were. I don't suppose it matters, now does it? I'm only carrying your eggs and only finishing up their nest today. I spent all morning rearranging Riosian without you, and now it's almost done and you didn't even spend any time building it with me! Don't you care about our eggs? Isionyth growled lowly in her throat, her claw scraping at the rock surface as her barbed tail tips rubbed against the side of the ledge.

[Desert]

N'yx hid a smile at Vsiasi's frustrated ramblings. He looked over at the Healer, who grimaced at him before turning to put his instruments back in order. He kept his mouth shut, waiting patiently for Vsiasi to finish her tirade before he said anything. He'd learned his lesson. Obediently, he followed the Weyrwoman out of the room, waving gratefully at the Healer as he closed the door behind him. Once they were away, since she seemed done with her rant, N'yx opened his mouth to speak - but was forestalled by her finger on his lips. He smiled slightly and took her hand in his. "He's doing his job, my dear. I can't say anything about his predictions for the clutch, though - that is your business and Isionyth's, not his, but you know how everyone likes to bet on the size and colors before they're even laid." He lightly kissed Vsiasi's knuckles. "And, so what if the clutch is smaller than usual? I shouldn't think that anyone else in this Weyr has any right to think her inadequate, for all that you and she have done."


Xann had been prepared to take the brunt of Isionyth's moodiness as soon as he heard her summons. It took all his patience not to launch into his own snappy tirade. He took a page from his rider's book by taking a deep breath and letting Isionyth finish saying what she had to say, before forming his own reply. I'm sorry for that, love, but I've been under the impression that you were cross with me and didn't want me around,[/b][/color] he said patiently. He'd learned his lesson early on that you didn't go into the Hatching grounds when Isionyth was arranging Riosian unless she had specifically said you could enter - he would have offered to help, but the last time he'd tried that she had given him a thorough dressing-down.

ooc; blegh, shortness TT^TT[/size]

[Onyxaeon]

I'm not cross with you anymore, so that means you need you need to get that Tempest arse of yours onto the Sands and arrange some Riosian. It needs smaller chunks, and to do that you will either have to break some of the larger pieces up or go down into the stores and find some. I have laid out where I will be laying, so don't touch that part of the Sands; it's exactly the way I want it and I don't want to have to rearrange it because you messed up my sand. Isionyth heaved a sigh, clicking her talons on the stone surface of the ledge. As if she didn't have enough to worry about without her mate screwing up her carefully constructed sands where their young would be born. I have yet to eat today, but the sands need to be attended to so this is how it will be. Go down to the sands, be careful. Place about twenty small pieces, I don't care if you break the larger ones that aren't arrange yet or get more from the stores, around the outer edge of my alread constructed circle. I will go eat, and hopefully you will be done by the time I finish my meal. If not, then I will help you finish up and we will come back to our couches to nap. I have been up and going for too long now and need rest, and you could use a rest before you talk to the Weyrlingmaster about what he plans for our young to be taught. The Brimstone lovingly caressed the Tempest's shoulder with her barbed tail before spreading her wings wide, rolling her stiffened shoulders to test the muscles. When you are done speaking with him, come and find me. I would very much like to know what his intentions are.

With her orders given, the Brimstone walked to the edge of the ledge, her talons hanging over the side as she braced her body for the task of flight. With an experimental test of her wings, the queen slipped off of the rock slab and spread her membranes out wide to catch the wind. Gliding down into the feeding pens was an easy task, but catching frightened wherries and bucks was not so when the beasts clambored over one another to get out of her path. With a disgruntled snort, Isionyth flicked her tail in irritation and padded slowly over to the terrified masses. Her forked tongue running over her fangs in delight all the while.

"His job!" Vsiasi grumbled under her breath, fighting back a very Isionyth-like growl of disdain for the healer's own short comings. "He would be doing his job if what he were doing actually made a shred of sense." A hand swept to her brow, brushing back a few stray strands behind her ears as she gestured to the hallway. "We can walk and talk.-I've been told I have to eat after what he just gave me anyway." Setting a simple, relaxed pace, the Weyrwoman took off toward the Lower Caverns kitchen, hoping to find a piece of fresh bread and perhaps a small fruit of some sort. "It's not that she truly feels she's useless; she knows very well she isn't because she is our only true queen. But the thought of her not bringing the Weyr a large clutch makes her...ashamed in a manner. She's supposed to be the 'top feline', and she won't claim that title unless she feels deserving of it. The small clutch doesn't make her worthy in her eyes and that makes her all the more nasty because she's insecure." Her words rushed on as they passed the corners, flowing without thought as if the Weyrleader should have already known what she was explaining almost as well as he knew two plus two equalled four. "It's not as though it's going to up and fix itself now that it's been brought to her attention now. You know that to be true. She's going to fuss and pick and no one will get a lick of sleep until she's resolved it."

[Desert]

Xann suppressed the desire to roll his eyes at Isionyth's description of what he was to do. He just didn't understand why she had to be so incredibly nit-picky about the arrangement of Riosian. As long as there was Riosian there in reach of the hatchlings, enough to go around, it shouldn't matter where or how many or in what pattern the damn chunks of rock went. For that matter, he didn't know why N'yx always got his breeches in a knot when they had to bring more up from the stores. It wasn't like anyone ate the stuff anymore - they'd know if that was the case. But once bitten, twice shy, and N'yx would forever be just as anal about the amount of Riosian on the sands as Isionyth was about its arrangement.Xann just didn't get it.

But he knew that it was useless to argue with either of them, so he just made a mental note of what Isionyth wanted and resigned himself to a few hours spent meticulously pushing fist-sized hunks of Riosian around millimeter by millimeter until his mate was satisfied. He hoped there was enough Riosian already out there so that he didn't have to get N'yx to open the stores. Still, as he watched Isionyth take off from the ledge, he was glad that his mate was taking a break to eat. She seemed to have calmed down considerably, which meant that everyone else in the Weyr could relax as well. After shaking himself out, Xann spread his wings and fell from the ledge, gliding through the upper tunnel-like entrance into the Grounds.

Xann cirled briefly and landed next to the circle Isionyth had already marked out. His head swung to and fro to look for acceptable pieces of Riosian to arrange, mentally grumbling to himself. How was he supposed to know what she meant by "small" anyway? These pieces all ranged from finger-length to the size of a human head, which meant that they could all be considered small to a draconic eye. Still, he supposed that there was small and smaller, so he looked to the pieces Isionyth had already arranges for a reference. He wandered around the Grounds to gather up stray chunks, and then he deposited them next to the outlined circle. He took the bigger hunks of Riosian and delicately cracked them with his teeth, letting the shards fall to the sand. Careful with those, Xann.

I know, I know,[/b][/color] Xann grumbled. He got the same damn lecture every damn time he did this. When Isionyth wasn't nagging him, N'yx was reminding him to be careful with the Riosian. It was like the stone would suddenly animate and leap up to choke him or something.

N'yx smiled slightly at Xann's irritable mental grumblings. Xann didn't like domestic chores like Riosian arranging, but neither did he enjoy getting the wrong end of Isionyth's temper. The Weyrleader controlled his expression again and trailed after Vsiasi into the Lower Caverns. They passed Sh'kith and D'kun and he nodded to them politely. Sh'kith flashed him a sympathetic grin, having heard the tail end of Vsiasi's complaints. It was a private joke between the two that Sh'kith was constantly trying to convince N'yx that he wasn't really straight, and needed to come over to the dark side. N'yx rolled his eyes as he passed, and Sh'kith chuckled.

"Well, then the ones who made the comment will get what's coming to them for bringing it up. If they don't know better by now then they will." He snorted into the mug of klah he'd taken from the hearth. "And the rest of us will just have to deal with it like we always have. It's pretty much inevitable. You'd think that after having dealt with this for a few years people would figure it out."
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[Onyxaeon]

"People are actually quite stupid most of the time, so expecting them to up and change would be much the same as expecting Isionath to turn into a Green with a sunny-side-up personality." Vsiasi huffed as she entered the kitchens, glancing about for some food to distract herself with. She knew she was beginning to nag and nothing ever went well when beaten into the ground. Spotting a pile of fresh sweetrolls and small, eclectic bowl of berries, the Weyrwoman snatched up her light snack and settled down at one of the free tables not occupied by drudges on break from their chores or riders who just returned from Hold duties.

"I suppose I shouldn't complain; life's hard as is with Isionath being a nasty, irritable queen today. Enough of my problems," she declared before taking a quick swig of a wineskin filled to the brim with water. She delighted ever so slightly in worrying the healers who caused her so much grief because, as she well knew, the drudges would gossip and news would get back to him one way or another. "What's going on in your Wing? I hear that some of the Hold Lords are being rather unreasonable about tithing certain products."

Isionath snickered lightly. Oh, how she enjoyed watching their terrified eyes glistening with fear! Isionath, don't play with your food now. It's cruel enough they're going to get eaten without you being mean. The Brimstone rolled her many faceted eyes. MineOwn, I only jest. They'll be fine very shortly. Look, I'll only eat four or so. Besides, if they're upset with me for taunting them, they should grow a spine and show it themselves.
Not exactly a logical argument, but the Weyrwoman let her dragon be and returned to her conversation hoping to not have missed N'yx's news about the Holds. Meanwhile the queen was preoccupied with clutching the still struggling wherry between her jaws. A quick crunch and the legs and neck drooped. Finally, a feast! Settling down on her haunches, she delicately began to pick apart first the dark meat and then the light, chewing gingerly on the bones of the neck to draw out the last bits of sweet sweet marrow locked away in the tissues. Once rid of all the meat, she dropped the carcass and carefully piled the bones neatly together before pouncing on a nearby grazing doe. It offered barely any resistance to her fangs; one good kick and she was finished. Then and there, Isionath almost considered leaving the animal to rot because no fight was hardly worth savoring. She came to the conclusion swiftly that she was too hungry to bother to care and bite in the hind quarters to continue her meticulous feeding procedures. Surely Xann would come and get her soon so that she could examine his handiwork and inform him properly of everything he had done wrong.