Lessa finds the birthing-woman, bringing her to the Hall, frustrated at how close she had come to initiating a duel, and failed. The midwife comes to the Hall to deliver Gemma's baby. Lessa feels sorrow over Gemma's pain, but also anger over her ill-timed groan, and, unconciously, squeezes, practically crushing, Gemma's hand. Lessa hisses to her that she had come so close to getting Ruatha when her groan broke the tension. Gemma believes in the impending arrival of Thread. They go between to the Weyr.