-------------------------------------------------------------------------- A New Mother's Perfect Gift Date: May 24, 2003 Place: Lysseth and Kassima's Weyr Game: PernMUSH Copyright Info: The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kassi's Note: After the birth of Kaswyn, Kassima's holed up in her weyr with her new son for a time while she recovers. And as is usual, she and he receive a few visitors, including Ysaira--who comes bearing a gift from her mother Ryialla that's truly perfect for Kassi on several levels. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Log: There's the flurry of dragonwings outside on the ledge, and then, loud enough to be heard: "Kassima? It's Ysaira. Would you mind a visitor?" The entrance-curtain is probably closed, the better to keep any autumn drafts away from fragile newborn lungs, but it's not so thick that Kassi can't hear. "Ysaira? A'course nay--" the greenrider calls from inside. "C'mon in!" Lysseth, drowsing on that outside ledge, rumbles, but whether it's greeting to the young woman or just some random half-asleep comment is hard to guess. There's a thump, the faint sound of feet hitting ledge as Ysaira dismounts. "Can you hand me that? Thank you very much." The rider's voice can be heard as well. "I'll check back a little later, see if you need a lift down." More dragon-wing flurry, and the curtain opens just enough to admit Ysaira. She's not alone, though - there's a cloth-wrapped bundle in her arms, the shape muffled enough to hide its true nature. Kassima is propped up on her bed, leaning against pillows and resting on top of the blankets. She looks about as well as a brand new mother would--which is to say, tired, but definitely content. Her hair's braided rather more loosely than its norm and flung over one shoulder, the one furthest from grabby baby hands. Kaswyn's tucked and bundled in the crook of her arm. He's currently getting his face wiped gently. "Good timing--he's just been fed, so he shouldn't start screaming again for at least a little bit," Kassi quips, grinning ruefully. "Good t'see you, 'Saira. M'thanks t'whatever rider 'twas that gave you the lift... what's that you're carrying?" Curiosity can only be suppressed so long. Ysaira smiles, briefly, although it's not the easy grin Ryi often has. "It's a birthing gift, from mother. She said to say that she's sorry she had to be away for the destruction of all Pern." She looks around for a moment. "Um. I suppose I'd better unwrap it. Unless you trust me to hold the baby for a moment. I shan't drop him, I promise." "From Ryi? Oh, she shouldn't have--nay that I'm nay touched and pleased she *did*. You can tell her if'n you see her a'fore I do that she didn't miss that much, since Ushu wasn't here and Ozy was helpful more than tormentable. Nay anyone t'really mock. But 'twould have been nice t'have her here if'n she could have made it; you can tell her that, too." Kassima laughs, and shakes her head, sitting up a bit more and shifting Kaswyn in her arms to offer him carefully over. "'Twill trust you--just take this rag too, mayhaps. He might still spit up. If'n you'd come earlier, you might've met your Da--he came by too, with a gift. I don't know what I did t'deserve friends like your parents, 'twill tell you for naught." [Editor's Note: That visit was actually off-camera, but the gift was lovely and sweet enough that I'm going to include the +mail about it here, since this is as good a place as any:] --- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Message 48 Date Received: Fri May 23 19:43:51 2003 From: I'sai To: Kassima Subject: Birthing gift ============================================================================== Delivered with I'sai's quiet visit (and it seems he's been spending extra time with Kisai, taking her to see other family as well, so she doesn't feel quite so left out): The material spills rich green and black into one's hands, the warm and closely-woven wool stranded with sisal for strength, softness and shine: the cloth proves to be a length suitable for wrapping around oneself as a sling to carry the baby in, that he can go here, there and just about everywhere. Afterward, it might be pieced into a tunic, or if it has worn spots, cut up for a skirt or scarf. It's clasped with silvery metal, the two matching D-rings cast like a crescent moon curved about a column, each with tiny blue diamond-shapes enameled into the reverse side. And, when first unwrapped, the gift proves to have a small lump of firestone (cleaned, naturally, this is after all from I'sai) nestled into the very center. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ --- Ysaira says affably, "Well, mother says you were just wonderfully evil. But I don't know what Father's reason is, honestly." She carefully lays the bottle down next to Kassi, where it can be reached easily, and then takes the rag. "Doesn't matter much if he spits up - I can just change. But thank you. Can't hurt." She holds her hands out to take Kaswyn, then. "I will tell her though. She says to not drop that." Her chin lifts, indicates the bottle. "Since she can't try and win the marks off of you to replace it any time soon." Kassima agrees as she reaches for the bundle, "You could change, but better nay t'be spit up on at all if'n one can avoid it, I figure. Nay t'drop it...." Her voice trails off in puzzled anticipation, and she starts to work at unwrapping the parcel. "'Wonderfully evil.' Takes one t'know one, since Ryi's certes that--I'm glad I'm sitting down so I won't be dropping it. Heavy, 'tis." Kaswyn, for his part, accepts the transfer of possession without much protest beyond a bit of flailing with one of his free, tiny arms. His eyes are still that muzzy baby blue, and not focusing very well, and he's got that red, scrunchy newborn look. Plenty of hair this time, though, and black as coal. As is his clothing under the blanket, which has been trimmed with tiny silver daggers. Ysaira has draped the rag on her shoulder, and settles Kaswyn against it - in case he does feel the need to spit up. She holds the back of the baby's head carefully. Oddly, she seems fairly comfortable with the whole thing. She adds, "There's some extra padding after the last layer. Mother didn't want the top to break." "Have you gotten stuck with taking care of many of your younger half-sibs?" Kassi has to ask, sounding amused and bordering on sympathetic. "I've a hunch you've held a baby a'fore. What *is* the top?" It's probably a rhetorical question, since she's already trying to pry the padding free to find out. Ysaira chuckles. "Not really, no. But I would practice with dolls, in case I had to. And a few times, when I've visted with mother at Benden, N'dar would let me hold /his/ grandchild. I don't know how to do much other than hold, feed and change, though." Once the padding is free, it reveals a bottle. But not just any bottle, no. It resembles an oddly narrow dragon - more like a sitting feline than anything, truly. The rounded bottom is the hindquarters, forepaws and stomach. The middle is the torso and head, while the oddly shaped part are the wings, which extend out from the back and flare out above the head. The tail also runs along the back of the bottle, and it is filled with a deep ruby-colored liquid. Kassima's voice is incredulous: "*N'dar* has grandspawn? Dear Faranth--somehow, some child calling him 'Grandsire' just seems bizarre t'me... 'twill have t'go give him m'congratulations, though, when I'm home next." But even this astonishing news can't distract her long from the mystery bottle. When it's free, her eyes widen visibly and she strokes a careful finger along the glossy glass of the wings. "Where did Ryi find this? I've never seen the like... 'tis *beautiful*. And--" She delicately uncaps the bottle for a moment to sniff at its contents, after which she manages somehow to look even *more* pleased. "And she knows m'tastes so very well. 'Twill be *just* the thing t'celebrate his weaning with. I love it. Will you hug her for me, for thanks? I'd hug you, too, if'n your arms weren't full. Though I could mayhaps still hug by half." "I'll certainly hug her in thanks - and you can owe me the hug later." Ysaira shifts the baby ever so slightly in her arms. "And mother says he does - he had a daughter from a flight he won about 18 turns back. But they didn't really get along until just recently, so he never mentioned it. You could've knocked Mother over with a feather when he told her." She looks at the bottle, and shrugs. "Truth be told? I've no idea wherere she came up with it. Although when she heard about the pregnancy, she muttered something about a trip to smithcraft, so maybe she commissioned it?" "I'll make a mental I-owe-you note." Kassi grins at Ysaira. "Anyway; holding, feeding, and changing is more'n some men seem t'know how t'do for a baby. Nay that I'm counting Ozy in that. D'you want spawn of your own in a few Turns, or d'you just like looking after others'?" Kaswyn, in response to the shifting, yawns a tiny yawn and blows a spit bubble. Such charming manners he has already. "That's something else. Wonder if'n I've ever met the daughter, though I doubt it. Is Ryi teasing him horribly? And aye, it looks like commission work." She runs her fingers over the glass one more time, marvelling, before turning to set it very gently on the bedside press where it's unlikely to get banged or dropped. "'Twill stash it in the wine cabinet later, so I don't have t'worry about one of the 'lizards or your sister getting up t'mischief." Kassima adds after a moment, thoughtful, "Though mayhaps on top of the cabinet would be better. I'd sooner have it t'look at than have it hidden away, and the crystal glasses I won have survived intact up there. If'n the 'lizards can get the idea about leaving those alone...." Ysaira says "Well. The base is larger, so hopefully that'll make it more sturdy. Can always just pad the floor around the cabinet to a fare-thee-well to keep it from breaking if it does fall and hope for the best." She takes a corner of the rag and carefully wipes at the spit bubble. "And yes. Mother is teasing him constantly about it. He keeps threatening to drop her in the lake." She smiles at Kaswyn. "I think I might like children someday, when I'm older, but it'll depend on if I decide to apprentice into a craft or not. I keep thinking I will and then changing my mind. Does that make me horribly flighty?"" Kassima nods in thoughtful agreement. "A thick rug there might be nay bad notion. And a'course, full, 'twould take some doing t'knock it over casually, and as miffed as Kisai might be at me right now she's nay really the *destructive* sort." Pause. "At least, nay with *my* things. Doesn't N'dar realize she'd have his guts for garters if'n he tried?" Her amusement has a fond sound to it. "I can't see her putting up with that. Flighty, at your age? I shouldn't think so. If'n 'twere in your twenties, now, and about t'run out of time t'Apprentice at all, it might, but you're sure as shells nay *expected* t'know what you want t'do at fourteen. Nay by sane people, anyway. Are there any Crafts you particularly favor?" Ysaira comments solemnly, "A few. But if I tell you, you may throw me bodily out of the weyr after you retrieve your child, just on general principle. Although it's only the one that would likely make you do so." Read: Healer. "I like some aspects about a few different crafts - I'd love to be able to know how to make that bottle, for instance." Kassima makes a show of drawing back in dismay and alarm. "Aiyeee! *That* one! I suppose I shouldn't be *surprised* you'd want t'torture people, given your parentage and all, but *that* way... alas, alas, woe and alas." She snorts with humor afterwards, though. "Can't say I understand the impulse, but mayhaps you could be one of the ones who isn't *too* awfully objectionable. Like Sauscony. Aye--I've a Glasscrafter cousin; I've always known making things wasn't really in m'talents, unless food and music count after a fashion, but I can't help but be amazed by some of what he can do. Though I'm nay sure he could've done the bottle." Ysaira nods. "Without the wings, I think it'd be do-able - if not /easily/ - even I can tell it would take some skill to get the shaping down. But those wings...I can't even imagine how to begin." "I'd think a Master must've done it. And one with an artistic hand, all told." Kassima just shakes her head. "I couldn't even imagine. I'm glad t'leave it t'those who have the know-how. Is it mostly the glass-making that interests you, about Smithcraft, or are there other things?" Ysaira says "Well, that, mostly, although I'd like to learn more about making jewelry, possibly. I just have doubts about my artistic abilities." She shifts the baby again, and says, "Um. Actually, do you mind if I give him back? My arms are getting tired." Laughing, Kassi shakes her head and holds her arms out to take her son. "Nay, nay a whit. M'apologies; I should've thought of that and offered t'take him back a'fore--at least he didn't mess on you, that's something." Cocking her head to the side, she wants to know, "Have you ever tried doing artistic things? Sculpting or woodcarving or sketching or whatever?" Ysaira gladly hands back Kassi's son, then shakes her arms. "I'm sure he's due for one soon, and if he had scrunched up his face, you would've gotten him back a /lot/ sooner." A hint of a smile curves her lips upward. "I've sculpted, yes. But mostly with food, and I was a lot younger." All this back-and-forthing is finally getting to Kaswyn a little, and his face does scrunch up as Kassi settles him back into her arms, prelude to a short, thin, sleepy wail. "Shhh, shhh..." the greenrider murmurs, settling him so that she can pat at his back. "You're all right, love. Shhhh. Methinks you've foresight," she teases Ysaira in an aside. "Well, that sort of counts. Y'know, if'n you'd like t'try your hand at that sort of thing, you might talk t'my daughter Khari. She's got plenty of supplies and would probably be willing to loan you some--she's nay as good at sculpture as painting, or so she claims, but she might be able t'show a trick or two if'n you'd want." Ysaira nods. "I may, at that." There's that flutter of wings on the ledge again, and from outside, "Ysaira? You ready to head down?" Ysaira turns back and yells, "Coming!" She smiles. "I'll let you rest, Kassima. Thank you for letting me visit." "Thankee for visiting," Kassi returns, smiling broadly. "You're always welcome, y'know. Hugs t'you and your mother both, heya?" Ysaira nods solemnly. "Of course." She lifts her hand in a wave, and then heads out, making certain to re-close the curtain. A short while thereafter, and the dragon who brought her takes her back again.