Cmdr. Tess t'Lhoell[Katra Station - Deck 22 - LDU] (October 17th)
Karinne t'Movel, 
Phara t'Movel, 
NPC Reela t'Hava and 
Caleema t'Thraiin
Phara smiled at Tess' apology and nodded her acceptance. "Your change of decision was explained to us. We are just grateful that you feel up to our assistance and celebration now."
While Phara spoke, Karinne approached the bedside and looked down at the suckling babe rather assessingly. "He appears healthy enough." her tone sounded mildly surprised, as if she'd expected otherwise.
"Mother.." Phara called out the old woman's familial title in to censor her.
Karinne glanced back towards her daughter-in-law. "Yes, I know.. 'Mind my tongue'. I am well aware of what I am not permitted do to or say today. You have been quite thorough... 'Daughter'." The last word was spoken pointedly.
The elder Romulan looked back to Tess. "Apparently the respect earned from age doesn't hold much weight that I get treated so." Karinne complained as she reached out a hand towards the nursing infant to uncover the blanket from around his ear unconcerned that it might be considered rude to do so while the baby was still at his mother's breast. Little Fvienn at the disturbance waved his tiny hand and grasped the wrinkled finger of the elderly woman, who then smiled and nodded approvingly.
Since Phara wasn't certain if Tess had met the other ladies, she did a round of introductions. "Tess, this is Reela t'Hava and Caleema t'Thraiin. Reela is Ensign tr'Hava's wife - they have two children.. and Caleema is a widower and has been assisting in the shop while Tordel finishes her schooling and studied for the Academy entrance exam." Phara was rather proud of her daughter's ambition.
Reela nodded towards Tess standing near to the door uncertainly. This was her first H'dl Aefvadh, given that her husband's first child was from a previous marriage.. and their one child together had been born on Earth in San Fransisco while Darek had been in training. She hadn't known any other Romulan's at the time so her birthing had been Earth standard she assumed. "Jolan'tru, lhhei Lhoell"
Caleema, a Romulan in her mid-50's, was quite familiar on how to be diplomatically polite in most social situations given her late husband had been an Ambassadorial aide for 20 years, so though she might have found the wait outside rather insulting she knew not to bring it up.
She too nodded a greeting then bowed more formally. "Jolan'tru."
Phara continued on. "The flrst thing we will do will be to clean the room. It should have been done before the birth, and I recognize that your medical facilities are sterile unlike most Romulan home births.. so our 'cleaning' would not have truly been needed.. but we will do so now to adhere to custom. Then when you are done feeding. Mother will look over your son and declare him 'Hale and health - a fine son of Romulus.'" As she said this she gave Karinne a look to drive home the point that irregardless of if something was 'off' the declaration would be made.
Karinne huffed out in annoyance but said nothing to counter Phara's words.
With that settled the three ladies other than Karinne pulled cleaning supplies from their bags and set to work giving the room a once over while Tess nursed Fvienn. Karinne remained by Tess' bedside with her finger still held by the baby.
Tess was relieved when Phara offered words of understanding. When Karinne stepped closer, scuritinizing her baby, Tess felt a little uncomfortable. That increased when the woman pulled the blanket away from her baby. Tess felt a surge to grab the woman's hand and push it away, thinking of it as kinda rude, but held herself back long enough to notice that Karinne merely looked at her child. Tess watched as Fvienn grabbed hold of her finger and Tess relaxed a little again.
"It's alright", Tess said softly to Phara after the little verbal dispute between the s'Movel women. When then introductions were made, Tess looked at each woman and inclined her head respectfully.
"Jolan-tru. I'm very glad to have you here."Tess listened then as Phara explained to her what would be done first. That they would declare their son to be a 'Fine son of Romulus' made her smile. It was probably odd to feel that way, but it was the only way she could honor Rayek's culture, really.
Looking up to the oldest of the Romulan women, the baby still holding onto her finger, she explained the baby's name, not knowing if Rayek had already done so.
"We named him Fvienn. The birth was rather quick but all the more intense." She smiled down at the baby boy who slowly stopped to suckle. Tess carefully pulled him away a little to button up the top of her gown again.
"An apt name", Karinne confirmed.
Once the women were finished with the cleaning, they gathered around the bed and Tess looked at them curiously.
"Mother will now inspect the baby", Phara explained and smiled at Tess. The Ba'ku looked to Karinne as she moved to pick up the baby boy. Tess watched closely to notice any discomfort of her child immediately. But Karinne was an experienced mother - she knew exactly how to hold an infant.
Reela, who stood closest to Karinne, helped her unwrap the baby from the blanket, leaving the boy naked as he was. Fvienn didn't like that and he started to wail as Karinne held him away from her so she could take a look at him. Fvienn was crying now, kicking about with his tiny feet. Tess felt herself becoming agitated inwardly but kept it together for a little longer, knowing it was part of the ceremony.
"Kjumnaihsou kuoku 'hh aellei hifvarhkh - yuuhhai aadhoiurr'u hvaedroalh ch'rihan!" (*This child is hale and healthy - a fine son of Romulus!), Karinne finally declared. The other three women uttered a cry of joy, applaused briefly before each of them leaned down to hug Tess separately. Tess smiled, reciprocating the hugs while Karinne carefully put the boy back down and loosely wrapped the blanket around him.
The women then retrieved an item, one each, and started a very beautiful melodic chanting.
"T'hea mehre ehdhihss ajoi ...", they sang together before Reela stepped forward, a tiny box in her hand. She dipped the tip of her finger in it which came out white and then moved to the baby and painted a line on his forehead.
" ... ehdhihss hvaedroalh aoni'rhnniohsyrrhihdh ihhuein jæih, ehdhihss lou hvaedroalh aellei ehdhihss iu ænnh hvaedroalh ehdhihss mollais hædl." (*We call the elements, the Air, the deep breathing of labour and the first breath of the new baby.)Tess watched, stunned. And she wished so much that Rayek was here. But that wouldn't be 'wanted' even if he had not have to deal with duty.
Caleema was next after the women chanted the same line again.
"T'hea mehre ehdhihss ajoi ..." The woman painted a red line on Fvienn's forehead and Tess started to realize that it was some kind of symbol they painted on his forehead. Probably a sign of approval.
" ...ehdhihss hna'h, iebhe hlumir hvaedroalh colloq. Draed'et aellei hvaedroalh." (*We call the elements, the Fire, light of life and intensity of labour.)The chanting continued, next was Phara, whose finger tip was painted blue. While they repeated the first bit again, the woman added another line to the boy's forehead.
" ... ehdhihss aoni'rhnniohsyrrhihdh, aoni'rhnniohsyrrhihdh hvaedroalh colloq. Draed'et aellei ehdhihss hvaedroalh ehdhihss." (*We call the elements, the Water, water of life and the waters of the womb.)Tess looked to Karinne since she was the only one left and sure enough the woman dipped her finger in light brown paint as they continued to sing.
" ... ehdhihss avilh, ehdhihss iorrha'edh hvaedroalh ehdhihss aellei yearhoaiumm'u klhu fvi adv fv'r'astev d'navassa." (*We call the elements, the Earth, the direction of the ancestors and Grandmothers who watch over women during birth.)Karinne had completed the sign on Fvienn's forehead and picked him again before she turned to Tess, giving the child back to its mother. Tess swallowed down a small lump in her throat as she took back her son from the old Romulan woman.
Cmdr. Tess t'Lhoell[Katra Station - Deck 2 - s'Lhoell quarters] (October 17th - later that day)Tess sat at the desk of the small work space they had in their quarters. She felt a knot in her stomach, had since she had received the news of Kurros coming to Katra. Memories of the Thinkers had come up and the nightmare of the clones ... it had Tess have Security double check for the measurements they had taken to prevent the clones from happening again. She was relieved to learn that Captain Solluk wouldn't even let them set foot on the station. But still they needed to be very watchful. Tess was almost tempted to call Silent Red Alert, but decided against it. She needed to keep her cool. Be prepared. Cautious. And you still have time to react.
Solluk had left it up to her if she wanted to join the meeting or not, given the circumstanced. Finally Tess had agreed to join via video so she could look after Fvienn if needed and she wouldn't have to give him to Phara but she could be with him.
With the baby crib out of view from the camera - Fvienn was finally sleeping; he had sensed Tess' nervousness and had become unsettled as well - Tess called out ot the computer to establish the connection to the place where Solluk had set the gathering on planet Meridian.
