[8.25.2707] Still Shocked (J'sen/Kiyoni)

[sorra]

Kiyoni sat numbly in the Dining Cavern. She was cradling a mug in her hands, but didn't even seem to really notice it. She still seemed to be walking around in a haze after her news two days before. Rivi sat on her shoulder and crooned softly.

Mine? What is wrong? You seem so upset. Aren't you happy about the little? I'm sure it will be cute. Elliwodth had no doubt that her rider's baby would be gorgeous. To the green her rider couldn't have anything ugly.

The search rider shook her head. I'm just confused, Elli. I'll be okay.

[Kendrall]

J'sen wandered into the Dining Cavern for some lunch when he caught sight of Kiyoni sitting by herself. The Searchrider looked completely shell-shocked, as if lost in her own thoughts. Misty sat upright on her pet's shoulder and trilled at Rivi's, sending her warm greetings, and J'sen quickly soothed the queen firelizard as he made his way over. He frowned when he studied his older 'sister'. Something was bothering her, and he resolved to find out what it was.

He slid in the seat across from her. "You alright, sis?"

[sorra]

Kiyoni didn't even seem to notice anyone coming or going in the Dining Cavern. She knew she really needed to talk to Arktos, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it yet. She wasn't exactly sure what she was going to say anyhow. Things were still too confusing for her.

Rivi looked up and crooned happily at Misty. Although the exchange didn't seem to effect Kiyoni at all.

The search rider looked up at J'sen's voice. "Oh, hi, J'sen," she said distractedly. "How's Amonth?" She hesitated a little. "I guess I'm alright."

[Kendrall]

"Amonth? He's doing fine. Still smitten with Freyath, I think." J'sen shook his head woefully. The fact his Bronze got along a little too well with Calyssa's Red didn't help matters. Still, he knew something was wrong. "I know you better than that, Kiyoni. Even though I'm only a junior Weyrling, by virtue of dragon color I outrank you. I could always ask Amonth to have Elli tell me what's wrong."

J'sen was bluffing, but he figured he stood an even chance of getting Kiyoni to open up and confide in him. "Besides, I'm practically family, remember? Siblings shouldn't keep secrets from each other."

[sorra]

The search rider smiled slightly. "Sounds like you'll have your hands full." She remembered the day she had seen J'sen and Calyssa out on the boat together. They had seemed pretty cozy to her. She just hoped that things worked out for them. They made a cute couple. Her face flushed. "I'm sure Elli would spill with no problems," she said softly. Her dragon was ecstatic about the news.

Kiyoni nodded slightly. "Alright," she said softly. There really wasn't any reason why she shouldn't tell J'sen. Everyone would know before long. "I'm pregnant," she finally said, looking up at J'sen.

[Kendrall]

J'sen's eyes went wide with the sudden announcement. Kiyoni? With child? But... "When was Elli's Flight? And who won?" J'sen's mind tried to wrap itself around this revelation. It was only possible Kiyoni could have conceived as a result of Flightlust, but who was the father? Or was it outside of Flightlust? J'sen had heard Kiyoni and the Candidate Master, Arktos, were now weyrmates...so could that be who the baby's father was?

Instinctively he reached across the table to take his sister's hand into his. "Kiyoni, I want you to know that Calyssa and I will be here for you. Well, I can't really speak for Calyssa, but I'm sure she would agree with me." J'sen sighed, then brightened a little. "I know I won't be able to spend much time with my little niece or nephew, but it looks like I'll have a chance to spoil him or her. Maybe I can get my father to send something from Azure Isle."

[sorra]

The search rider watched J'sen's reaction. He was taking it better then she had. "About a sevenday before I Searched you, so two months ago," she answered softly. "G'rett won the flight." Although that was the other thing that was bothering her. She had no way of knowing who the father was. She had slept with Arktos that same night and many times after. A few tears slid down her cheeks. What was she going to do?

She looked up at J'sen's light touch. "Thank you," she said quietly. "That means a lot." At least she had J'sen to talk to. She smiled through tears. "And thank Calyssa for me too." Kiyoni actually chuckled softly. "Just don't spoil them too much," she said. "Or I might have to do something to make sure they know when to behave."

[Kendrall]

J'sen was confused when Kiyoni started to cry again. "So if G'rett won the Flight, why the tears? I thought you'd be happy, sis. Besides, I think you'll make a great mother." He shook his head. "I've heard Flightlust can cause people to divert into unchartered waters, to go to places they normally wouldn't sail to." J'sen shuddered slightly. Was that why he and Calyssa acted so strangely back at the lake? Could it have been brought on by Misty's playfulness with Storm?

Kiyoni asked J'sen to thank Calyssa on her behalf, and he nodded. "I'll be sure to let her know, and if she wants to talk to you, well...no offense, but woman-to-woman talk is way out of my league. I'm sure the two of you will talk about things I myself would steer clear of." He shook his head. "But I won't spoil your firstborn or any of your other children too much. Calyssa probably would, though."

[sorra]

Kiyoni wiped at the tears with her free hand. "That does happen, but not always and it did here, but I'll spare you the details," she whispered. The search rider shook her head. "Because I don't even know who the father of my baby is," she whispered. "Not to mention I have to see the Healer everyday to make sure the baby's okay." That part still scared her. Would her baby even survive?

She smiled slightly. "I would feel bad for you if you got stuck in that type of conversation," she said softly. She wouldn't wish that on anyone. Although she had a feeling before long J'sen would have a lot to talk about with Calyssa. Kiyoni chuckled softly. "I guess that's allowed," she smiled. "But does that mean I get to spoil your children when you have them?"

[Kendrall]

He was stunned. Kiyoni didn't know whom the father of her child was? Wasn't it G'rett? Or did Kiyoni think it was someone else? "Kiyoni..." J'sen said hesitantly after a long while, "I'm not one to judge you, and you know that. I would think, I would have to think, G'rett is the father." He ran his hands through his hair. Shards, this wasn't easy! Most of the men shared similar features, so it was often difficult to prove which was the father of a child until he or she was a little older. Usually it was within the first two turns. That was another reason why J'sen wasn't looking forward to when Amonth was old enough to Chase; the very thought of the dark-golden Bronze Chasing another female dragon when she Rose made him cringe. If he was lucky enough, the woman in question wouldn't conceive. But there wasn't anything he could do if Calyssa was unable to control Freyath and the Red picked a different dragon as her mate, and J'sen's future weyrmate bore another man's child. Flightlust was just that; nothing more than raw emotion running rampant through two people. But the idea of Calyssa sharing her bed with someone else made his skin crawl.

Misty picked up on her pet's emotions and she crooned at him softly, trying her best to get J'sen to calm down. She understood how her pet felt about Storm's, and the queen firelizard would do all she could to help. Luckily, Kiyoni's mood brightened a little when she teased him about spoiling his children. J'sen smirked. "I don't know," he shot back. "You'd have to ask their mother."

[sorra]

Kiyoni could tell she had confused J'sen. She was confused herself. The young woman shook her head. "I know you don't judge," she said quietly. "And I would normally agree with you. The only thing is I was with Arktos not long after I left G'rett." She knew how that must have sounded to him. She loved Arktos though and she hadn't been able to control the flight outcome. Plus, Arktos didn't have a dragon, so he'd never be able to share in her flights which saddened her a bit. But at least she could have him any other time. She unconsciously set her free hand on her stomach. Arktos knew, but G'rett didn't. She hadn't seen the young bronze rider lately. She looked up at J'sen. "I just hope you never have this problem," she said softly.

Rivi chittered softly. He didn't like upset his Pet seemed. She should be happy about the little. Kiyoni smirked slightly. "Oh, is that how it goes? And would a certain red rider be the one that you have your eye on?" she teased.

[Kendrall]

J'sen leaned back and considered Kiyoni's words. She had been with Arktos shortly after Elli's Flight? Hmm...that could imply either man would be the father of her child. What snapped him out of his reverie was when Kiyoni told J'sen she didn't want him to face the same problem. The sailor sighed. "Aye, we would like to think we'll face calm seas and clear skies. That isn't always true, though." He shook his head. Why was Flightlust never an easy thing to grapple?

J'sen and Misty both looked at Rivi when he chittered, then at Kiyoni when she smirked at the sailor. A certain...wait a minute!!! Was it that obvious?! He blushed, utterly caught off-guard.

[sorra]

Kiyoni looked down at her hands. She could only imagine how this had to sound to J'sen. She just hoped that he never had to deal with it. The man she loved was a wher handler not a dragon rider, so she'd always have to sleep with someone else after a Flight. She shook her head. "No, they're very seldom ever calm," she agreed softly. The search rider had never thought she would find herself in such a predicament. "I'm scared," she admitted. "Scared that I'll lose the baby or that Arktos will be upset if this baby does turn out to be G'rett's."

Kiyoni smiled slightly at J'sen's surprise as Rivi settled back down. "I was at the lake, remember?" she said gently. "I saw the way you looked at her and vice a verse a."

[Kendrall]

"Mind if I suggest something, sis?" J'sen leaned forward, his expression suggesting he wasn't about to give up. "If you're worried about losing the baby...why don't you ask to be grounded for medical reasons? I'm sure one of the Healers wouldn't mind writing up the order." It was a safe bet C'olt, Lyrensa, or Tesni would place the Searchrider on temporary ground duty until after the baby was born. He heard there was a new WeyrHealer, Tess, but he'd never met the woman. Perhaps she would do likewise. "As for the Candidate Master being upset over the idea the baby isn't his...have you asked him? Or Wingleader G'rett?" J'sen wasn't sure how comfortable Kiyoni would be asking the question, but he knew until that matter was resolved his sister wouldn't get much sleep.

But he blushed again when Kiyoni said she had seen how he and Calyssa looked at each other. "Well...I do like her. A lot. Amonth's smitten with Freyath already. I don't know if it's because of me or if it's Misty's preference for Storm." Misty sat upright and trilled excitedly at the mention of the firelizard's name, and she sent a mental image to her pet of him and his pet. J'sen chuckled and brushed the underside of the queen flit's muzzle with his fingertips. I don't know where they are at the moment, Misty. But we'll go find them after we help Kiyoni. "Truthfully, I'd love to have Calyssa as my weyrmate and only lover. I know she feels the same about me, but we both know the risks involved regarding Flightlust." He sighed, then squeezed Kiyoni's hand. "We'll all get through this somehow, sis."

[sorra]

Kiyoni nodded. She was willing to listen to any suggestions. Anything that could help. "I guess I could," she answered. J'sen made sense. Maybe when she stopped in to see Tess that day she'd see what the Healer thought. She didn't want to chance losing the baby, but she wasn't a Healer. Hopefully Tess would have some idea. Her face flushed a little. "I've talked to Arktos a little bit, but not too much about my worries," she admitted. 'And I haven't seen G'rett." Shard it! What would she tell G'rett? She didn't know.

The Search Rider smiled at him. "Well, I think Calyssa seems nice. And to be honest, some dragons mate with the same dragon time after time. Maybe Freyath and Amoth will be that way." She wanted to make sure he stayed happy. She chuckled softly. "Flits can be like that sometmes." She giggled as Misty reacted to Storm's name. "I think I can guess who will catch Misty when she rises," she teased J'sen. Kiyoni nodded slightly, thankful for J'sen's understanding. "I know. It's just scary."