Fiona gave her a quick nod and grinned. “I rather thought you might.”

“But what if the queens get too bothered?”

“Then they’ll let Xhinna—or Taria—know,” Fiona said. Anticipating Shaneese’s next question, she added, “I’ve already spoken with Jeila about this and she agrees.”

“So those two young ladies will be hearing directly from the queens?” Shaneese asked, mulling the notion over. Fiona nodded. “It will add to their duties.”

“It will,” Fiona agreed. “I’m sure they’ll manage just fine.”

“I can imagine some riders might complain about letting anyone wander the Hatching Grounds with only the by-your-leave of those two,” Shaneese said.

“Yes, I suppose that’s possible,” Fiona said. “Besides, the queens are agreeable.”

Shaneese raised an eyebrow as she asked, “And H’nez has no problem with this?”

“Wingleader H’nez wasn’t asked,” Fiona retorted crisply. After a moment, she relented under the older woman’s gaze and added, “But, to be honest, I don’t think he’ll mind at all.”

“And I’m certain that Xhinna and Taria will be fair about it,” Shaneese said to herself.

“Oh,” Fiona said with a grin, “I wouldn’t be at all surprised if some of their least favorite duties were … relinquished.”

“You’re not expecting them to get some of the weyrlads to watch the little ones?” Shaneese asked in wonder.

Fiona shrugged. “I imagine they’d even agree to diaper duty if the demand’s high enough.” She gave Shaneese a measured look, adding, “I think that Xhinna’s already well-proven she’s able to do a lad’s work, so why shouldn’t they have to show they can do a lass’s?”

Shaneese snorted loudly at the notion.

“And,” Fiona added a bit more seriously, “I think that those who are willing to undertake some of those more demanding duties are exactly the sort who will appeal most to a new-hatched dragonet.”

Shaneese pursed her lips for a moment, then nodded decisively. “You could well be right there, Weyrwoman.”

“Which is exactly what T’mar said when I mentioned the notion to him.”

Grinning, Shaneese asked, “And did he, before he Impressed, have to do diaper duty at Fort Weyr?”

“I certainly hope so,” Fiona replied tartly. “I have warned him that he’ll definitely be obliged when the time comes.”

Shaneese’s eyebrows rose high in surprise. “I thought—” she cut herself off. Fiona gestured for her to continue. Shaneese cleared her throat, choosing her words carefully. “I mean, and is this a duty he will be expected to perform soon?”

“Perhaps not for me,” Fiona said, surprised both at her own tone and her own feelings in the manner, “but I’ve told him that he can expect to be aiding Kindan as much as I’m aiding Lorana when her first baby comes.”

“I see,” Shaneese said. She screwed up her nerve for another question. “And this is what he wants?”