A Rock-Solid Solution.

Writers: Leigh M-F.
Date Posted: 23rd March 2018

Characters: R'ien, Renhei
Description: Sometimes (rarely) parenting has simple answers to problems.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 4, day 14 of Turn 9

Renhei was worried in the way only a kid could be. His dad had approached him at lunch and asked him to stop by his office before dinner. "You're not in trouble," the brownrider had said, "but I do need to talk to you about something your teacher told me."

"Can't you tell me now, so I don't worry?" Renhei had asked in return.

R'ien had ruffled his hair and replied, "I don't want to be too embarrassing in front of your classmates."

That had helped, but Renhei still felt kind of anxious, enough to drum his fingers on his elbows as he walked into his father's office. The rider was polishing his desk with a soft cloth and muttering to himself, probably about the paperwork that had to be stacked in two different chairs. The sight made Renhei giggle and feel slightly more at ease.

R'ien straightened at the sound, smiling at his son. "Hey there," he said, and set the cloth aside, coming to give his firstborn a firm hug. "Thanks for stopping by. I know you're probably really wound up by now, and I'm sorry for that, so I'm going to get right to the point."

"What is the point?" Renhei pressed, fingers going back to his elbows to drum.

The brownrider motioned to his son's hands. "That, actually."

The boy looked down at what he was doing, and blushed, forcing his fingers to be still. "Is it bad?"

"No, of course not," R'ien said quietly, putting a hand on Renhei's shoulder and leading him around the left side of his desk. "Your teacher just mentioned you've been doing that a lot lately, such as before or during tests, or when you have to listen to a lecture. He said it's very considerate of you to try hiding it by tapping your thighs under your desk, or just keeping quiet when you're tapping your elbows, but some of the students sitting near you are getting distracted by the movements."

"Oh." Renhei's lips turned down. "I don't mean to do that."

"I know, that's why you're not in trouble with your teacher, or with me," R'ien soothed. "Anyway, I told him I had a solution that should suit everyone, and he said he hoped it helped you."

He opened the top-most left drawer of the desk, and Renhei's eyes widened. There was a lidless box of at least thirty worry-stones in there, all different sizes, shapes, and gem types. Some were made of various kinds of wood as well, and a few others were obviously old, old Mark pieces that were so worn, they had no more worth. "Where did you get all these, Pa?" he asked in delight.

R'ien grinned at his boy's boggled expression, and lifted the box from the drawer, nudging it shut. "Several places or people over the Turns," he said. "Sometimes Mother and Father send me one or two with their letters, or I find a bunch I really like the look of at a Gather. I actually don't have as many as I used to; some of the wooden pieces broke, or I gave away some of the stones." He carefully poured the collection over the top of his desk and spread it all out. "I want you to pick out ten you like, and get in the habit of carrying two or three in your pockets. When you feel the urge to start tapping, take one out and fidget with it."

Renhei looked up at him. "Like you do all the time?"

"Well, not all the time. I do stop and hug you and your sister sometimes," R'ien teased, booping the tip of his son's nose and getting a grin in response. "But these help me a lot; on really boring days, for instance, I can fidget with a stone in my left hand while I write with my right, for instance, and it does help me focus. I'm hoping they can help you as well, and keep your classmates from getting too distracted, especially if you're discreet- Oof!" R'ien temporarily lost his wind as Renhei hugged him tightly around the stomach.

"Thank you, Pa," Renhei said gratefully, and turned his attention back to the stones.

"I take it you like the idea," R'ien teased once he got his breath back, making the kid chuckle.

After careful consideration, two Mark pieces of striped wood, six of different colors of quartz, one of malachite, and one of hematite were chosen and stuffed into Renhei's pockets. He helped his father put the rest away, then followed him out of the office in order to meet the rest of their family in the dining cavern. The stones clicked together quietly with each stride, the sound of a solution.

Last updated on the March 29th 2018

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A Rock-Solid Solution.