14.May.14, 02:50 AM
Only vaguely did she feel his arms encircle her, or his hand stroking her hair. She buried her face against his chest, arms tucked up between them as the hurt poured out of her. It had been building up for years; the sorrow she had felt every time she had seen him about the weyr or flying overhead. All of the times she had avoided being near him or even thinking too much about their brief encounter. Of course she had wondered if he had even remembered her and here was, reassuring her and telling her it wouldn't have been a burden. In the far reaches of her mind she admonished herself for not having told him sooner. She had just been so certain that he wouldn't want to claim a child that came from one night of flightlust fueled passions.
His hand lifted her chin and her eyes found his, the blue gray color intensified from the tears and a host of emotions played through them. He kissed her forehead and she nearly broke into tears again, closing her eyes to keep from breaking into sobs again. Of all the reactions she had anticipated, this had certainly not been it. Alicona unfolded her arms, following his motions and putting her arms around his middle before tucking her head back beneath his chin. While her tears had not dried fully, the ache in her chest had lessened, sharing the pain with the one other person who had taken it as hard as she had. The woman could feel the comfort coming from both the rider and to an extent the dragon as well, and for the first time spoke openly about what had happened that day.
“I knew the chance was there that I would lose him.” She had laid her good ear against J'tir's chest, listening to the steady thump-thump beneath. “It was a difficult pregnancy, but I was so sure...” She let out a hard breath, focusing on the sound rather than the throbbing in her skull. “When the morning came that he decided to come I was so excited, and so very scared. I didn't know how I was going to raise him on my own, but he was already the jewel of my life. I had made sure everything was ready... I had blankets, a crib.. I wanted him so very badly.” She paused a moment, recalling the details from those early morning hours. “But when he was born I didn't hear him cry... The healer had to break the news to me.. I couldn't think, couldn't breathe... I held him for what felt like hours. Memorizing his face. Holding his tiny hands.” There was a sad kind of peace that had settled over her, but the tears had stopped and a bittersweet smile had formed on her lips.
Ona drew back from him a bit, pushing loose strands of blonde hair back into her bun. “When I found out I was pregnant.. it was like a dream come true. The start of my own small family. In my heart he always will be.” She gave a short laugh, shaking her head a little. “I've been too scared to try again since, even though I had always wanted children.” Ali gave him a wistful smile, looking up to meet his gaze. “I am glad it was you though. You will make an excellent father to whatever living child a woman could give you."
His hand lifted her chin and her eyes found his, the blue gray color intensified from the tears and a host of emotions played through them. He kissed her forehead and she nearly broke into tears again, closing her eyes to keep from breaking into sobs again. Of all the reactions she had anticipated, this had certainly not been it. Alicona unfolded her arms, following his motions and putting her arms around his middle before tucking her head back beneath his chin. While her tears had not dried fully, the ache in her chest had lessened, sharing the pain with the one other person who had taken it as hard as she had. The woman could feel the comfort coming from both the rider and to an extent the dragon as well, and for the first time spoke openly about what had happened that day.
“I knew the chance was there that I would lose him.” She had laid her good ear against J'tir's chest, listening to the steady thump-thump beneath. “It was a difficult pregnancy, but I was so sure...” She let out a hard breath, focusing on the sound rather than the throbbing in her skull. “When the morning came that he decided to come I was so excited, and so very scared. I didn't know how I was going to raise him on my own, but he was already the jewel of my life. I had made sure everything was ready... I had blankets, a crib.. I wanted him so very badly.” She paused a moment, recalling the details from those early morning hours. “But when he was born I didn't hear him cry... The healer had to break the news to me.. I couldn't think, couldn't breathe... I held him for what felt like hours. Memorizing his face. Holding his tiny hands.” There was a sad kind of peace that had settled over her, but the tears had stopped and a bittersweet smile had formed on her lips.
Ona drew back from him a bit, pushing loose strands of blonde hair back into her bun. “When I found out I was pregnant.. it was like a dream come true. The start of my own small family. In my heart he always will be.” She gave a short laugh, shaking her head a little. “I've been too scared to try again since, even though I had always wanted children.” Ali gave him a wistful smile, looking up to meet his gaze. “I am glad it was you though. You will make an excellent father to whatever living child a woman could give you."