Sonia quirked an eyebrow upward in question.

“I love Kindan,” Fiona said slowly, trying to make her meaning clear, “and I always will. I want children with him.” She paused. “But I want to help Lorana raise her children.”

Fiona hadn’t heard D’vin’s quiet footsteps approaching behind her so she started when he spoke up softly, “If she’s cut, you bleed?”

“Yes,” she said. “But not like with Kindan or T’mar.”

“A heart grows when you love,” D’vin said, carefully keeping his eyes on Fiona. “The more you love, the more you can love.”

“As a Holder, I was expected to marry,” Fiona said. She shook her head slowly. “I was expected to have only one man.”

“A queen rider doesn’t have that choice,” Sonia said.

“Her queen chooses in the mating flight,” Fiona said in partial agreement. “But she chooses all other times.”

“A good Weyrwoman—”

“—has the Weyr’s best interests at heart,” Fiona cut in, smiling at the older woman. “I know that.”

Sonia gave her a wicked look, as she said, “But a Weyrwoman doesn’t have to be good all the time!”

Fiona’s face took on a sober look. “I’m only beginning to understand love,” she said slowly. “I’m beginning to see that there are many types.” She turned to face D’vin. “There are two men in my life right now, Weyrleader.”

D’vin nodded, understanding the unsaid part of her words. He smiled, gesturing toward Sonia. “I’m glad because there’s only one woman in my life!”

“And that woman is cold and wants to get warm,” Sonia declared, grabbing Fiona’s hand and tugging her along. “So let’s stop chattering out here and get under the blankets!”

In the middle of the night, Fiona woke, startled by the breathing of the two people next to her.

Lorana! she called out drowsily.

I’m here, the woman’s thoughts came back to her quickly, unperturbed. Kindan’s with me.

Good, Fiona thought with relief. She added a quick mental caress, an apology for disturbing the other woman and received a comforting thought in return: a feeling that Lorana appreciated the contact, the warmth of the mental touch. Satisfied and relieved, Fiona rolled over into a dreamless sleep.

Even so, when she woke the next morning, she was still sore and tired, more tired than she had felt for a long while. She was also eager to get back to her Weyr.

Sonia sensed this and let her go after they’d finished seeing to the worst of the injured.

“Remember: ‘Five coughs between, keeps the figure lean,’” Sonia told her warningly as Fiona sat astride Talenth and prepared to leave.

“At Telgar, they say ‘seven,’” Fiona said. “But I’ll be careful.”

“So you want the baby?” Sonia asked, not able to keep the surprise out of her voice.

“Of course!”

“Who is the father, then?”