Sticks and Stones [M] (All welcome)

R’nd had stayed awake most of the night worrying about the coming day, what it would bring, and if he should go. The following day after an utterly enjoyable and wonderful time spent with B’jin after D’ren left them alone, he had gone to the weyrleader to ask him about the punishment and seek verification that he had misheard and the greenrider wasn’t about to be lashed. Unfortunately he had heard correctly and his efforts at changing the bronzerider’s mind were futile and R’nd left dejected and feeling horrible. He blamed himself for being the reason that B’jin was ignoring D’ren that day until the weyrleader had had enough and ordered a public lashing. At the time, B’jin didn’t seem to care at all and certainly didn’t blame him but R’nd wasn’t too sure how well received he would be now.

So he had decided not to show up for the lashing, believing he wouldn’t be a welcomed sight but a reminder of why his back was about to be whipped. R’nd, you should go. It’s not your fault. R’nd scowled at the wall where Ayyonth sat on the other side, currently annoyed that the dragon was always there in his head, trying to bring him comfort and ruin a perfectly good time to pout with self-pity. “I may not have started it but I was the deciding factor and I’m sure B’jin’s realized that by now. I really don’t want to see him in pain and glaring his hatred at me.” No, he wasn’t acting his age but more like the brats that had been climbing on Ayyonth the other day but R’nd didn’t care.

You’re acting like a spoiled child. This has nothing to do with you! Ayyonth’s tone had darkened, clearly getting frustrated with his bonded’s attitude and even slightly disgusted by the self-pity. R’nd put on a good front of being friendly and easy-going but he cared deeply for friends and didn’t like seeing them suffer and if he could, he blamed himself for not keeping them from harm. It was an endearing quality and it made Ayyonth proud that he had chosen someone that thought so much of others but sometimes it turned R’nd into a miserable mess of a human and he needed a good shaking. You didn’t make B’jin do anything he did or say what he did. He was already in trouble and knew it but wanted to spend time with you instead of hearing the new punishment. You helped him, R’nd!

R’nd sighed, and sat up on the couch he had been sprawled on. Ayyonth was right, of course. B’jin had opened up to him in a unique way with the fun they had had and by joining him in bed without a flight being involved. R’nd was, in a way, a needed ray of sunshine in an otherwise gloomy time and hadn’t they started a better friendship with that time spent on the grass? A smile appeared as R’nd looked at the painting of Larrikith and the brats crawling on her that he had mounted on his living room wall, but should he really attend the lashing? Go. He will need friendly faces to latch onto during and after to help him through the pain. You would want that in his position, wouldn’t you? R’nd considered the question a moment. He wasn’t sure. A part of him wouldn’t want his friends to witness such a thing yet it would be nice to know they cared.

Decision finally made, R’nd raced out the door and wrapped his arms around Ayyonth’s neck in a quick hug before climbing to his back. They landed away from the crowd and R’nd stroked the beast’s nose affectionately once he dismounted. You stay here. I’m going to join the crowd and make sure B’jin knows he has my support, whether he wants it or not. With that said and a hope that he would be a welcome sight, R’nd moved up through the crowd until he stood near the front and just off to the side.