Bird of a Flock (Bow 2) - Chapter 15: Chapter 15

Nel'os kept a firm hold of Eyeri after the fitting, taking the human boy by the shoulder and leading him out of the room with a nod of dismissal at the Matron. With Ryraso busy and Eyeri still looking shaky, Nel'os was not going to leave the boy alone now. "That wasn't too bad now was it," Nel'os gave the boy a warm grin, ruffling the teenager's hair.
"Unnerving but not bad, no," Eyeri said smiling back shyly at Nel'os, ducking his head slightly so his fringe fell over his eyes. "Thank you for keeping me company," he murmured, keeping close to Nel'os.
"Not a problem," Nel'os hummed, gently flicking the fringe back out of Eyeri's eyes. "Thank you for giving me an excuse to escape the vultures. The nobles seem to think that just because I'm noble-born, that makes me their personal envoy to Tai'ray," Nel'os exhaled with a clear air of irritation. "It's almost enough to make me wish I was back on the front lines. The backstabbing there is with actual daggers. So much easier to deal with. I don't have to put up so many more airs either," he grimaced.
"Nobles do seem to enjoy causing trouble," Eyeri acknowledged, still speaking softly. "The others used to hate it when one came aboard the ship."
"Nobles and warriors rarely mix well. We have very different values," Nel'os nodded. "Some nobles can make good warriors in the right circumstances but warriors never make good nobles," he chuckled before frowning. "Speaking of different values," he murmured under his breath, eyes fixed ahead.
Eyeri followed his glaze, slightly confused at first but quickly understood as a k'nairi approached them. The man was wearing priest robes which were a dark purple and a silver symbol on its chest. Eyeri could only assume that the symbol was of the k'nairi Goddess. He had black hair with black wings to match, but his skin was almost deathly pale making him look like some zombie. Eyeri could feel something unnatural around the man, but was more concerned with the decidedly unhappy expression on the stranger's face. This was one of the people who didn't like Ryraso, Eyeri mused.
"Greetings Consort Nel'os," the man spoke in k'nairi, his eyes glancing over Eyeri with a strange glint in them. As he made the greeting, he moved his hands in a gesture of blessing.
"Greetings High Priest Ton'enth," Nel'os greeted, making the returning gestures gracefully. "It is a pleasure to see you again. I am afraid if it is my intended you are looking for,  he is not currently with me. I believe the healer's circle has kidnapped him for the time being." Nel'os could guess very easily what Ton'enth wanted from him and he was not in the mood for it, no more than he had been in the mood for the nobles.
"They have all the rights to do so," Ton'enth nodded stiffly, with a face which said he was accepting of this if not extremely unhappy about it. "He is one of their order after all and had committed a great act of healing recently. No. I will have my time with the Winglord's chosen yet. For now, I wished to speak with you and meet the child." As he spoke the last words, he looked at Eyeri again, this time with a distinctly calculating look.
"Speak with me?" Nel'os said slowly. "Of course. Meeting my intended's child, would be easier, however, if you spoke in his language," he added with a touch of disapproval.
"I will not sully my tongue with the human's language. I do not need to speak to him, only see him," Ton'enth said with disdain as he looked Eyeri up and down.
Eyeri shifted uncomfortably, trying not to back away from the man as he studied him. He froze as the stranger reached over and forced his chin up, studying his face with great detail. The corn yellow eyes were almost too fixed on him and Eyeri felt something move through his stomach but he held still, Nel'os' hand was still on his shoulder. He was safe. Nel'os would transport them away if he thought Eyeri was in danger.
"He is very beautiful despite those scars. A little meek, but a potential healer. Not a bad one to claim as your own," Ton'enth said with a hint of approval in his tone. "Certainly better than the other brat."
"Aw'en isn't a bad youngling," Nel'os said with forced politeness, not liking anything about what Ton'enth was doing.  "I will ask you to unhand Eyeri now," he added, feeling how tense Eyeri's shoulders were.
Ton'enth's eyes looked over at Nel'os uncaringly before returning to Eyeri's face. This time when he met Eyeri's blue eyes something flashed in them.  A flash of something which made Ton'enth smile slowly. It was an unsettling look, but the High Priest let go of Eyeri's face slowly rubbing his thumb against Eyeri's cheek gently as he did. "Meek on the surface, but steel inside. A good combination if reared correctly," Ton'enth said with a strong smile of approval. "I hope you realise you have a real diamond in the rough here, Consort."
Nel'os forced himself to keep a polite look on his face at the insult. He was not a consort. He was Tai'ray's bonded not a temporary lover or someone who needed protecting. "He is my chosen's son. That's all that matters to me," Nel'os said firmly, pulling Eyeri behind him slightly.
"Your intended's son," Ton'enth corrected calmly. "You are accepting the human then," he said coldly. The difference in sematics was as important as calling someone a consort intend of bonded. Chosen meant that Nel'os had picked Ryraso, intended meant he was accepting his bonded's lover as a potential mate. For most nests, the distinction didn't matter but for the royal nest, or noble nests, it was usually only the head of the nest who called potential bondeds 'chosen'.
"He is my chosen in every way that matters," Nel'os smiled back with an equally icy smile. "I love him dearly, I want to feel his mind next to mine. Why would I not accept him? He is mine as much as Tai'ray's."
"We had hoped you would talk some sense into your mate. Especially with the considerably better option you have been courting," Ton'enth said seriously. Nel'os almost growled at the mention of Cai'ress. It didn't surprise Nel'os that the priests wanted Tai'ray to bond the submissive noble rather than the stubborn human healer. "We understand your attachment but there is no reason to include him in your bond. You can already feel him in your mind. You are royal. Surely having him in your nest is enough if he is truly loyal," Ton'enth continued with an air of disapproval.
"You want us to keep him privately," Nel'os said carefully, dropping the polite smile. It had been done before, usually in the noble circles but at least one Winglord had kept a human lover as a consort. Only those who had bonded to the Winglord had to be public. Consorts were kept away from the general public like an open secret.
"It would be preferable, yes," the High Priest nodded sharply. "He is not appropriate."
"Let me say this plainly. We are going to bond Ryraso the moments he says yes. Regardless of alternative options or not. I love Cai'ress dearly but Ryraso will be bonded to us before anyone else," Nel'os said strongly. "Now if you excuse me, Eyeri has another clothes' fitting to attend to."
"This is a mistake," Ton'enth called as Nel'os grabbed Eyeri's wrist and pulled him away from the High Priest, walking off with his head held high. "You know it is. He will destroy us all!"
Nel'os ignored him and the anger bubbling in his chest. Both Tai'ray and Dyn'ad prodded gently at their bond. Nel'os just let a feral growl through, with an image of the High Priest. Why the Goddess had chosen such a man to serve her, Nel'os would never know. He had felt the goddess' presence and she had always felt warm and kind to him. She had forgiven things far greater than taking a human lover. He severely doubted that Ryraso was going to ruin them.
"Nel'os?" Eyeri called hesitantly, making Nel'os slow down.
"Sorry Eyeri," Nel'os said gently, suddenly realising how fast he had been walking. He let go of Eyeri's wrist and put an arm around his shoulders instead, giving him a slight hug. "I do not like it when I have to deal with that man."
"He's not like Inai," Eyeri observed. "I thought Priests were supposed to be kind and understanding."
"Well, Inai is a very good man," Nel'os commented tiredly, thinking of the Namya leader fondly. "I'm afraid most High Priests are not so moral," he added darkly as his mind flipped to the previous High Priests. "Inai is something many of us had not seen for a long time," Nel'os admitted softly. It was a true shame, to most of the D'mar elite, that the man refused to be converted to Loror's ways. It was also a shame that Loror didn't know how to make Inai fall for him. "He's special. Even in the Priesthood, there are people who are not who they should be."
"Very poetic way of putting it," Eyeri chuckled softly, hugging back slightly.
"Yes, well," Nel'os smiled wryly. "I've had to be careful with my words today," he rolled his eyes.
"Da would just say there are shits in the priesthood as much as in any other profession," Eyeri pointed out.
"Ryraso is allowed to curse about them. You are not," Nelos warned with a teasing grin, slapping the top of Eyeri's head playfully. "You're still a youngling after all," he murmured, kissing Eyeri's forehead.
Eyeri grimaced. "You do realise I was looking forward to not being called that all the time," he muttered darkly.
"You thought as the baby on a warship that was ever going to stop?" Nel'os asked laughing brightly at the idea. Nel'os may not have known Eyeri was Ryraso's apprentice but he had known about the teenager on the warship. He also had watched how the D'mar men treated the young soldiers on their side too. The D'mar weren't as soft as the Namya, but Nel'os could guess how Eyeri had been treated on the warship.  "You were doomed to be considered a 'kid' forever more the moment you stepped on board. Don't Ryraso and Isst call Inai 'kid' sometimes? Inai is no child."
"More like they call him brat," Eyeri muttered darkly but there was a smile dancing on his lips.
Nel'os grinned at him. "I can see that," he acknowledged. "Come on Younglings. Let's go get you measured for you official clothes."
"Did you see the new Prince?"
"He's not the new Prince yet. He's just..." the speaker trailed off trying to think of the word.
"The son of the Royal's chosen human mate. He's going to be a Prince," the first speaker said dryly.
"He's a good looking. I wonder how old he is?" a third voice wondered idly.
"Too young for you," Dyn'ad cut in before things could go any further. The gossiping guards jumped at the sudden appearance of a royal, all three quickly falling to attention when they realised it was Dyn'ad. "Don't you all have far better things to be doing right now?" he asked lifting an eyebrow with a seriously unimpressed expression on his face.
"Yes, sir!" they all saluted, a flush crossing one of their cheeks.
"Then I suggest you get to them," Dyn'ad ordered firmly. The three men split quickly, heading in separate directions, barely remembering to make the proper parting greetings. Dyn'ad resisted the urge to roll his eyes at them. Most of the home guard were not true warriors like the men on the front and were far less disciplined. He would have to speak to the Captain in charge of them again, this was not the first time he had seen guards slacking in their duties.
"Scary Royal Bonded Dyn'ad," an amused voice said nearby.
Dyn'ad turned to see Herymi standing to the side, dressed in everyday clothes but there was a dagger in clear view on his hip. It was not technically forbidden but not exactly a smart thing to allow, given Herymi hadn't been branded yet. Though the man's bodyguard tattoos were clearly visible so none of the guards were likely to challenge it.
"Gossips," Dyn'ad rolled his eyes. "Afternoon, Herymi. Where's your keeper?" he asked, noticing O'chetuer wasn't with him. While weapons weren't forbidden, an order had been passed that the caw were to be accompanied by someone at all times until the ceremony.
"Getting a uniform. The head of the guard is forcing him to work some shifts with the struggling numbers," Herymi explained, leaning against a column calmly. "Captain Par'nast had also asked me to keep my eyes open too," he added, gesturing to the tattoos he had on display. "Turns out, he's from Tayagwe, so I've been pulled into working here too. Being Fl'ex's son makes me responsible to help any person from Tayagwe it seems." As he said the last sentence, he had a wry smile on his face but didn't seem too unhappy with this fact.
"Not an unwise thing to do, using all the resources available," Dyn'ad nodded slowly seeing the benefits even if it meant using caw. Herymi at least could be mostly trusted, especially as the adopted son of a Guardian. Dyn'ad was willing to bet if Hermyi did anything to endanger his chances of being able to return home, Fl'ex would come punish the man without hesitation. "The court is stirring."
"And who knows if it will be a bear you have poked," Herymi acknowledged. "How is Eyeri doing? You haven't left him alone to face this all, have you?" he asked with a strong sense of disapproval.
"No," Dyn'ad stated firmly, giving Herymi a look which clearly said the human had no right to tell him how to look after his youngling. "Nel'os is with him. Ryraso got kidnapped by the healer's circle."
"Ah," Hermyi nodded looking relieved.
Dyn'ad moved over and gripped Herymi's shoulder. "Thank you for the concern Herymi but we do know how to protect them all," he promised with a smile. "For now, why don't you come with me and we can spar. You need some practice," he teased gently.
Herymi chuckled and pushed Dyn'ad's hand off his shoulder with the look of challenge in his eyes. "A week is not quite long enough to remove my skills Royal Bonded, but I will happily take the offer," he commented, gesturing for Dyn'ad to lead the way with a slightly mocking bow. Dyn'ad just laughed and started walking towards the sparing rings. He was looking forward to this.