25.Nov.18, 08:30 AM
V’ler knew without a doubt when nearly a day had passed that they should have ignored Venseth and taken a trip between. He hated doing that jump to begin with thanks to a clutchmate dying during their lesson on the subject and he avoided it whenever possible and took some time to both psyche himself up and calm himself before the trip. But he would have taken Indivara on Veeth without hesitation if they had known how bad this labour would be. And why didn’t they? They knew her body was weak in general from how often she was sick as a child and her first pregnancy had been horrible and next to torture. Just because this one seemed to go a lot smoother should have been a sign that the actual labour was going to be rough and possibly kill Indivara. The fact that she was a month early didn’t seem to make a difference in trying to get the tiny human out of her.
He was exhausted. He’d made it a point to stay awake if Indivara was, knowing she found his presence calming. She probably would have been fine seeing him asleep in the room but V’ler didn’t want to risk upsetting her with so much going wrong as it was. Besides, it seemed to be his voice more than anything that soothed her so he’d taken to singing softly when comforting words failed him. It was eerily similar to singing for Jada when her wounds from Hoth had become infected and she risked losing them or even her life. She had asked him to sing, so he had. He hadn’t done that at Katila until that moment, preferring to be the Harper he had wanted to be with documenting and composing, not preforming for the masses or teaching children. Of course Indivara had heard him sing before when he was working on a song but that seemed different to him. That was going over the same part again and again and working it out; this was purposely singing for her. Also like with Jada, V’ler ignored the Healers and everyone else in the room as he focused on the true member of his audience until Indivara fell asleep or he stopped to get a drink.
Now, as the Healers huddled together, discussing who knew what, V’ler held Indivara’s hand, offering his own small smile in return to hers. Her love confession wasn’t surprising, though they had never exchanged those words before. They had been together far too long, pretending to be mates since the world seemed to think they were before becoming real mates for V’ler not to suspect such a thing. Knowing his own emotions was a bit harder since he was convinced he couldn’t feel such things properly to begin with. But he was genuinely afraid Indivara was going to die and that deeply upset him enough to know she really did mean a lot to him. It was like the night in poor C’hdin’s bed after his Flight when they realised they had something real between them. It was a shock and V’ler rolled with it surprisingly well as they moved into their new relationship.
Honestly, the hardest part of their new step was the sex. V’ler had it so regularly with Veeth’s need to chase every green that he never thought about it in a sober mind frame. Indivara had always been clingy and cuddled up with him so that was something he had long ago adjusted to. But going to bed and being intimate was odd. He wasn’t opposed to it, but he had suspected he was over it after the few times he’d had sex without a Flight’s involvement. But Indivara proved him wrong, something she enjoyed trying to do on a regular basis. She did it again with those two little words as they stirred something inside him as much as her plea to make her feel beautiful that night had shattered the ice inside of him.
He loved her as well and he found he was pulling a R’nd with how heavy the words were on his tongue. He couldn’t say ‘ditto’ or ‘same’ or even a ‘me too’ to something like that, at least not for the first time. He’d seen couples joke with each other, the ones so deeply in love they almost had their own language, and maybe one day he’d be like that with Indivara, if she lived, but that was in the future and he didn’t know if they had another afternoon together. He had to say the actual words, let her know how much she had corrupted him and turned his life upside down and that he was grateful for it.
As the Healers returned and started rubbing numbweed on her belly, V’ler found the courage, not caring that there were witnesses to the deed. They all believed they were mated for turns, so what did it matter anyway? “I love you, too, Vara.” He gave her another smile, holding her eyes for a moment, before Indivara shrieked in pain and passed out. V’ler was on his feet, the chair he had been sitting in gliding noisily across the floor thanks to his quick action as he watched Quennell cut open Indivara. Shock at the deed was stronger than his need to vomit or pass out at the sight, but just barely. He felt the urge just on the outskirts of his mind as he struggled to find his words to express his outrage while also demanding what they were doing.
But then the baby was pulled out, explaining what they were doing, and giving the go ahead for V’ler to give in to his aversion of blood and gore. He sank to his knees, head resting on the side of the bed even as he still continued to hold Indivara’s hand. He knew he had another daughter—well, Rhaedalyn and R’nya did; he was fine with being a visiting uncle-figure—but didn’t know who currently held the child as he shut his eyes and focused on deep breaths. It sounded like they were stitching Indivara back up, which meant it was a good thing he was on the ground and unable to see what was happening. He didn’t end up moving or releasing Indivara’s hand until R’nd dragged him to his feet and made him sit back in the chair before R’vi appeared at his side and gave him a cup of water.
Indivara was still alive, which seemed to be a good sign to the Healers that she should stay that way during the recovery. V’ler nodded as some instructions were given, but he wasn’t listening. He was still worried about his mate and passing out. At least they had friends there and they’d listen and relay the important bits to him later. Both R’nd and R’vi urged him to get some sleep as well but he didn’t want to rest yet, despite their promises they would stay with her. He wanted to watch her for a bit as well, make sure she really was okay, but he said he’d appreciate the company if they wanted to stay. Both men knew him well enough to know that a steady flow of conversation wouldn’t be needed so they’d be good companions. A glance around the room showed many of the other people they knew had cleared out at some point, perhaps for privacy or because they had to get to a task that couldn’t wait any longer. No doubt he’d see a flow of people soon enough once word got out the child was alive and Indivara seemed to be that way as well.
He checked in on Veeth, finding his normally emotional dragon to be rather calm, like he had been during the entire ordeal. Normally he’d be having fits and possibly end up sedated like Venseth was, but V’ler suspected it was seeing Venseth so distraught that made Veeth be the level headed one for a change. He had stayed close to Venseth the entire time and was even now curled up beside the larger dragon as added comfort. V’ler sent him some mental hugs and a promise to visit him in person soon before finding a comfortable way to curl up in the chair to watch Indivara sleep. They were definitely going to make sure regular trips between happened from now on and he suspected Venseth would be on board with this idea now as well.
As he leaned his head back, the room spun and V’ler realised maybe he did need some sleep. At least another little nap and right in that chair would be fine. He didn’t want to go far and have Indivara wake and worry. He let his eyes slide shut and within minutes was asleep.
He was exhausted. He’d made it a point to stay awake if Indivara was, knowing she found his presence calming. She probably would have been fine seeing him asleep in the room but V’ler didn’t want to risk upsetting her with so much going wrong as it was. Besides, it seemed to be his voice more than anything that soothed her so he’d taken to singing softly when comforting words failed him. It was eerily similar to singing for Jada when her wounds from Hoth had become infected and she risked losing them or even her life. She had asked him to sing, so he had. He hadn’t done that at Katila until that moment, preferring to be the Harper he had wanted to be with documenting and composing, not preforming for the masses or teaching children. Of course Indivara had heard him sing before when he was working on a song but that seemed different to him. That was going over the same part again and again and working it out; this was purposely singing for her. Also like with Jada, V’ler ignored the Healers and everyone else in the room as he focused on the true member of his audience until Indivara fell asleep or he stopped to get a drink.
Now, as the Healers huddled together, discussing who knew what, V’ler held Indivara’s hand, offering his own small smile in return to hers. Her love confession wasn’t surprising, though they had never exchanged those words before. They had been together far too long, pretending to be mates since the world seemed to think they were before becoming real mates for V’ler not to suspect such a thing. Knowing his own emotions was a bit harder since he was convinced he couldn’t feel such things properly to begin with. But he was genuinely afraid Indivara was going to die and that deeply upset him enough to know she really did mean a lot to him. It was like the night in poor C’hdin’s bed after his Flight when they realised they had something real between them. It was a shock and V’ler rolled with it surprisingly well as they moved into their new relationship.
Honestly, the hardest part of their new step was the sex. V’ler had it so regularly with Veeth’s need to chase every green that he never thought about it in a sober mind frame. Indivara had always been clingy and cuddled up with him so that was something he had long ago adjusted to. But going to bed and being intimate was odd. He wasn’t opposed to it, but he had suspected he was over it after the few times he’d had sex without a Flight’s involvement. But Indivara proved him wrong, something she enjoyed trying to do on a regular basis. She did it again with those two little words as they stirred something inside him as much as her plea to make her feel beautiful that night had shattered the ice inside of him.
He loved her as well and he found he was pulling a R’nd with how heavy the words were on his tongue. He couldn’t say ‘ditto’ or ‘same’ or even a ‘me too’ to something like that, at least not for the first time. He’d seen couples joke with each other, the ones so deeply in love they almost had their own language, and maybe one day he’d be like that with Indivara, if she lived, but that was in the future and he didn’t know if they had another afternoon together. He had to say the actual words, let her know how much she had corrupted him and turned his life upside down and that he was grateful for it.
As the Healers returned and started rubbing numbweed on her belly, V’ler found the courage, not caring that there were witnesses to the deed. They all believed they were mated for turns, so what did it matter anyway? “I love you, too, Vara.” He gave her another smile, holding her eyes for a moment, before Indivara shrieked in pain and passed out. V’ler was on his feet, the chair he had been sitting in gliding noisily across the floor thanks to his quick action as he watched Quennell cut open Indivara. Shock at the deed was stronger than his need to vomit or pass out at the sight, but just barely. He felt the urge just on the outskirts of his mind as he struggled to find his words to express his outrage while also demanding what they were doing.
But then the baby was pulled out, explaining what they were doing, and giving the go ahead for V’ler to give in to his aversion of blood and gore. He sank to his knees, head resting on the side of the bed even as he still continued to hold Indivara’s hand. He knew he had another daughter—well, Rhaedalyn and R’nya did; he was fine with being a visiting uncle-figure—but didn’t know who currently held the child as he shut his eyes and focused on deep breaths. It sounded like they were stitching Indivara back up, which meant it was a good thing he was on the ground and unable to see what was happening. He didn’t end up moving or releasing Indivara’s hand until R’nd dragged him to his feet and made him sit back in the chair before R’vi appeared at his side and gave him a cup of water.
Indivara was still alive, which seemed to be a good sign to the Healers that she should stay that way during the recovery. V’ler nodded as some instructions were given, but he wasn’t listening. He was still worried about his mate and passing out. At least they had friends there and they’d listen and relay the important bits to him later. Both R’nd and R’vi urged him to get some sleep as well but he didn’t want to rest yet, despite their promises they would stay with her. He wanted to watch her for a bit as well, make sure she really was okay, but he said he’d appreciate the company if they wanted to stay. Both men knew him well enough to know that a steady flow of conversation wouldn’t be needed so they’d be good companions. A glance around the room showed many of the other people they knew had cleared out at some point, perhaps for privacy or because they had to get to a task that couldn’t wait any longer. No doubt he’d see a flow of people soon enough once word got out the child was alive and Indivara seemed to be that way as well.
He checked in on Veeth, finding his normally emotional dragon to be rather calm, like he had been during the entire ordeal. Normally he’d be having fits and possibly end up sedated like Venseth was, but V’ler suspected it was seeing Venseth so distraught that made Veeth be the level headed one for a change. He had stayed close to Venseth the entire time and was even now curled up beside the larger dragon as added comfort. V’ler sent him some mental hugs and a promise to visit him in person soon before finding a comfortable way to curl up in the chair to watch Indivara sleep. They were definitely going to make sure regular trips between happened from now on and he suspected Venseth would be on board with this idea now as well.
As he leaned his head back, the room spun and V’ler realised maybe he did need some sleep. At least another little nap and right in that chair would be fine. He didn’t want to go far and have Indivara wake and worry. He let his eyes slide shut and within minutes was asleep.