Bird of a Flock (Bow 2) - Chapter 10: Chapter 10

The sun shined down without mercy on the hot sands, the air dry and every wisp of wind throwing sand into it. Eyeri's skin was red and sore from its harsh glaze, the masters uncaring as they continued to beat the slaves around them. Eyeri could hear the screams but was numb to them by now. Not quite numb enough to not scream when he, himself, was struck on his own vulnerable back. Sand clogged his nose and scratched in uncomfortable places.
This was hell, Eyeri knew it.
A rough calloused hand grabbed his arm and dragged him forward. His head was yanked back by his hair and a foul smelling piece of cloth was tied around his nose and mouth, making it harder to breathe. Eyeri didn't fight it. Death was a reward, not a fear here. In truth, he knew what was about to happen and death would have been a far kinder fate.
"Time to greet the desert slave," a man chuckled darkly by his ear.
Hands shoved Eyeri forward. He stumbled and fell, sands engulfing him as they swallowed him up. Surrounding him and gripping hard. Panic surged inside and he screamed. He thrashed, struggling against the grip of the sand but he only seemed to sink further in, the heat from the sun making the sand feel red hot against his skin. He could hear the master laughing and telling him to stop struggling. It was useless.
Eyeri had learned this lesson before, like all slaves. Struggling was useless. It only caused more pain and yet there was still something in Eyeri that fought. Something inside of him that still burned for freedom. The cloth came loose and sand threatened to fill his lungs. The reason for the cloth suddenly became painfully clean. It was a mercy in its own way.
Hands grabbed under his armpits and yanked him upwards out of the sands. The harsh desert releasing him from its grasp. He sobbed and strangely instead of being struck, arms wrapped around him.
"Easy. We have you now," a kinder, soft voice murmured. "We won't let them hurt you again," it promised.
Shifting, Eyeri tried to look at his saviour but before he could see their face, the sun blinded him.
"Sorry boys, but time to wake up," a female voice called, and the world shifted. The dream ended, and Eyeri found himself looking up at the stone cracked ceiling, early morning sunlight beaming brightly into the room. Harsh certainly to those who had just awoken but nothing compared to the sun of the desert.
His face was wet. It had been just a nightmare, but it had left him with his chest tight and his heart beating in his ears. Adrenaline running through his system and his muscles aching from having been tensed up. Sometimes Eyeri thrashed in his nightmares. Sometimes he was deathly still. He reached up and rubbed his face as Ryraso and Aw'endo groaned beside him. His father shifted, turning over, unhappy with being woken up.
"Come on," the voice commented unimpressed, Eyeri also noting now that the person was speaking in human tongues. "Prince Aw'endo you have training. You may have skipped out on the last two months but now that you have returned, you will go," the woman said strictly.
Aw'endo made a noise of complaint but shifted so he was sitting up on the bed. He was on the other side of Ryraso, and his short hair was just long enough to look sleep ruffled now. He glared at the woman k'nairi unhappily. "I've only just got back. Surely training could wait one day while I show Eyeri around the palace," he commented unhappily.
The woman looked at Eyeri with a look of mild dislike. Eyeri felt himself curling slightly under her gaze. A master or possibly an overseer didn't like the look of him. That was not good. That could get him in serious trouble. "Healer apprentice Eyeri has his own jobs and tasks to attend to today," she said curtly. "As does Healer Ryraso. You are the one who ran off and now it is time to return to your normal duties Prince Aw'endo."
"Go train Aw'en," Ryraso grumbled from under his pillow. "You need it," he added with a hint of teasing in his voice.
Grumbling, Aw'endo poked Ryraso's ribs and crawled out of the bed. Eyeri watched as Aw'endo stretched. The woman gave Eyeri a cool look which had him crawling out of the bed too, feeling extremely glad for the fact that Aw'endo had given him clothes with long sleeves the night before. He gripped at the loose material nervously and waited for some clues as to his next orders. He had jobs or tasks, but what they were was anyones guess.
"Prince Aw'endo, please go and cloth Healer Apprentice Eyeri in more appropriate clothes for breakfast," the woman commented, still giving Eyeri a look of disapproval. "And get dressed yourself. Your fathers are waiting for you."
"Yes Matron," Aw'endo nodded, rolling his eyes and grabbing Eyeri's arm to pull him out of the room. "Eyeri?" he frowned, suddenly looking very close at Eyeri's face. "You ok? You look pale," he commented, putting a hand on Eyeri's forehead as if to check his temperature. Ryraso sat up at that, looking over at his sons with a concerned look.
"I'm fine," Eyeri smiled shakily, trying not to let them know he had been having dreams again. The next few days were going to be hard enough without them being mother hens around him. The other slaves and servants wouldn't like him if masters fussed over him. "Just a little nervous about today is all. I could do with breakfast," he grinned, the smile feeling more solid as he spoke the truth.
"Eyeri..." Aw'endo murmured, narrowing his eyes at Eyeri. Aw'endo clearly did not believe Eyeri. The matron k'nairi coughed, interrupting anything else he could say, however. Aw'endo scowled darkly at her.
"Go get Eyeri some clothes Aw'en," Ryraso said firmly, giving his k'nairi son a look which clearly said he wasn't going to ignore this. He saw it too. Eyeri was good at lying but Ryraso knew him far too well by now.
"Let's go," Aw'endo smiled slightly at Eyeri. Keeping his arm around the human's waist, he led Eyeri out of the room.
"And your name would be?" Ryraso asked darkly, looking at the Matron. This was one of the people who had lead to Aw'endo running from home. This was one of the people who had failed to take care of Aw'endo in his absence.
"Matron Iss'tine. I take care of the younglings who reside in the palace. Prince Aw'endo included," She said switching into k'nairi tongue, clearly unafraid of the look Ryraso was giving her. "I will be helping take care of your son's needs too. I have arranged for a few different tailors to work with Eyeri. Two this morning, one this afternoon. They will provide different outfits for him. I imagine you would like to be present during the measuring but I can only promise one of them."
"Why?" Ryraso asked bluntly. He was unsurprised by the three tailors. Most people did not come to the palace with nothing  like Eyeri had. He needed an entire wardrobe and worse yet, he was still growing. Already in the two weeks, since they had left the warship, Eyeri was already taller.
"The healer circle wish to talk to you, as do the priesthood and Regent Unt'at. I have told all nobles who wished to talk to you to wait until after the ceremony," she commented, with an edge of compassion in her voice as she spoke about the nobles. "Many of the clans have already requested to talk to you," she said unimpressed by this.
Ryraso exhaled. "My thanks," he smiled grimly at her. "The clans are not easy to deal with and I have a fair bit to do over the coming days."
"I imagine so," Iss'tine nodded, looking over at the doorway his sons had left from. "We have a fair few younglings your son's ages around the palace at the moment. They had been allowed here to keep Prince Aw'endo company but he doesn't really get along with them," she admitted softly. "He does have a few friends in their numbers. Should I allow those to visit or should I ask them to wait until your son is more stable? He looked a bit fragile this morning."
"Fragile is one word for it," Ryraso commented, standing up and walking over to his bag. "If possible, a day or two would be appreciated. Eyeri..." he trailed off, struggling to think of the appropriate word in k'nairi. Even with the link buzzing around his head again, it was hard to find the proper word for the situation.
"Bonded Nel'os explained some of your son's situation. Nightmares this young are bad but I'm sure he will recover whatever trauma caused them. The young are resilient like that," Iss'tine said with a great more gentleness than she had used with the boys. Ryraso wondered idly if she knew human herself or if she was reliant on the link. She seemed a great deal more caring in k'nairi tongue. It was also possible that being used to teenage younglings meant she was stricter with them to keep the boys in line. "I will do my best to run inference until you deem your son is ready to deal with the others," the woman promised.
"That would be appreciated. If you excuse me. I had better get dressed myself," Ryraso commented, gesturing to the outfit he had in his hands.
"Of course, Healer Ryraso," Iss'tine smiled, bowing slightly. "Thank you, by the way," she added before leaving the room, her hand on the door frame.
"For what?" Ryraso frowned.
"For returning. The Winglord needs you and you have been greatly missed in the city," she smiled at him with a great deal of warmth before leaving the room.
Ryraso exhaled and pulled his sleeping clothes off, already feeling tired again. It seemed people had been awaiting his return and were putting a great deal of hope on the fact he could heal the Winglord's mind. Between the circle, no doubt wanting to know how he had healed Unt'at in Tayawye, and the priests, who never had anything good to tell him, this was going to be a long day.