Bird of a Flock (Bow 2) - Chapter 36: Chapter 36

No one slept well that night. Tai'ray and Ryraso argued loudly for a few more hours, Dyn'ad trying to calm them down and failing. In the end, Ryraso stormed into his room and slammed the door. Dyn'ad caught Tai'ray's arm before he could storm out too and yanked him close.
"No," Dyn'ad said firmly.
"Dyn'ad," Tai'ray murmured, "Let go."
"You're not leaving this room," Dyn'ad warned, wrapping his arms and wings around Tai'ray. "I've got one in the cage room looking after our son, I am not having the other two in separate rooms too," he stated gruffly against Tai'ray's hair. "You're my mates and you're both hurting so you will have to deal with sleeping in the same bed."
"He doesn't want me at the moment," Tai'ray muttered, pressing into Dyn'ad and taking as much comfort as he could from his mate. "Better I go and remove the thing distressing him."
Dyn'ad didn't say anything. He leant down and gave  Tai'ray a firm passionate kiss. Tai'ray kissed back, closing his eyes and enjoying the feeling. Letting it wash through him and fill the holes that were currently open. Dyn'ad pulled away and pressed their foreheads together. "I love you," he murmured.  "Now, let's go to bed," he added in a sterner tone, pulling Tai'ray's hand with him as he pulled them into Ryraso's room.
Ryraso was already in his bed, looking at neither of them as he curled away. Dyn'ad looked at him a resisted the urge to sigh. Dyn'ad pushed Tai'ray onto the bed before flopping in between two of his loves and wrapped a wing around each. Ryraso resisted momentarily but ended up pressed against Dyn'ad, his back pressed against Dyn'ad's side still facing away but now in contact. Tai'ray curled up so his wings were facing away, the Winglord's face pressed against Dyn'ad's ribs.
Dyn'ad dimly sent Nel'os a pulse of love, Nel'os replying back softly. Tai'ray flinched and Dyn'ad narrowed his eyes for a moment before realising what Nel'os had done. Exhaling, Dyn'ad poked Nel'os to let his barriers down so Tai'ray could feel him. Nel'os grumbled but did so, mentally nuzzling Tai'ray in apology.
"The Goddess, she may force these roles upon us but she never gives them without thought," Dyn'ad said softly. His mark not active at the moment but the flashes of heat throughout the day had his role in his mind. The protector and shield. "She rewards us well for doing our roles."
"She promised to protect people who I consider mine who pass through the border," Ryraso murmured.
"And you have put forward the idea that humans who pass without permission become ours," Tai'ray added. "She will protect them in her own way. We will ensure that Zaro is safe. K'nairi or not."
"He will become so," Dyn'ad settled.
"You haven't left them in those cages overnight, have you?" Ryraso asked tensely. In the tone of someone not really wanting to start a fight but also remembering something important possibly too late. The cages were meant to be temporary unless the people had done something unforgivable. Normally people who had broken the law were moved to a set of cell rooms. Ryraso had no idea which path Tai'ray had taken.
Tai'ray shifted and curled into Dyn'ad more. "The Sparrows and Zaro have been moved somewhere they can sleep easier. Fetmar is with Yerir'o tonight as Yerir'o didn't trust anyone else to keep him from doing something stupid," Tai'ray admitted gently. Dyn'ad reached down and wrapped his arm around Tai'ray tightly, shifting and kissed his forehead. Others might have argued against letting the Sparrows sleep comfortably after their actions but much like Eyeri, the Sparrows were fated to live on k'nairi lands for the rest of their lives.
A bit of kindness now may make all the difference in the coming weeks and months of adjustment.
"Surprised you allowed it," Ryraso sneered, shifting away from them.
"Yerir'o is loyal," Tai'ray countered. "I can trust him not to let the man escape." Something Ryraso could not claim with Eyeri, having helped him escape once before. Not to mention having already stated several times that Eyeri's escape was something he wanted.
"Enough," Dyn'ad warned, closing his eyes. His other arm reached out and yanked Ryraso back to his side. He turned so he was on his side, wrapping Ryraso in his arms and Tai'ray in his wings. "I did not put you in the same room to argue. Sleep," he growled into Ryraso's hair roughly, squeezing the human in his arms tightly. Channelling the same feeling of safety mentally to Tai'ray and Nel'os "We will need all our strength tomorrow."
Ryraso turned so he was facing him and buried himself in Dyn'ad's arms. There was a moment and then Ryraso wrapped an arm over Dyn'ad's waist. Dyn'ad smiled softly as he felt Tai'ray put an arm over too. Neither said anything but their arms were touching and Dyn'ad let himself relax.
This was not going to be the end of this argument but it would come to an end.
-----X-----
"No," Fetmar shook his head. "It's bad enough I'm in your clothes and in your bed," he commented darkly, squaring his shoulders and looking ready to bolt. Fear surrounded Fetmar, drifting off him in waves, his hands shook in fear and his eyes were darting from corner to corner.  He shifted to get off the low bed, more human style than k'nairi, but Yerir'o shifted and blocked him.
"Fetmar," Yerir'o said seriously, a hand resting on Fetmar's shoulder and gripping tightly. "You are a prisoner here and while part of your sentence is based on whether you don't try to escape or not, that doesn't mean we are going to let you have the chance if we can help it."
"Yerir'o," Fetmar said through gritted teeth, his eyes looking at Yerir'o imploringly.
Yerir'o sighed, looking at the manacles in his hand he had been given to put on Fetmar. Fetmar was really wary around him when Yerir'o had chains or rope, or really any form of bondage. "It was one time, you were much younger and a lot more bratty," he commented darkly. "I promise I won't spank you. Now let me put them on."
"Does it have to be tonight?" Fetmar offered weakly.
"Yes, it does," Yerir'o said, channeling the tone he used with young soldiers. Fetmar shot him a nasty look, recognising it but his shoulders slumped and he fell backwards onto the soft bed, looking up at the ceiling with a strange unseeing gaze. Yerir'o rolled his eyes but leant down and took the human's arms. Fetmar didn't fight, not looking at him. "It's for the best." Yerir'o said gently.
Fetmar said nothing as his wrists were encased with a cold metal and linked together tightly. Yerir'o let go of Fetmar and Fetmar wriggled away from him, shifting so he was further up the bed and lay facing the currently locked closed window. Yerir'o let him, putting a blanket over Fetmar and curling on the other side of the bed. The light flickered before disappearing, plunging the room into darkness. The gloom was made worse by the lack of windows.
Nothing was said but before Yerir'o drifted off to sleep. Fetmar spoke. "Is Eyeri safe here?" Fetmar asked.
"You both are," Yerir'o promised, half smiling at the statement. It hurt him slightly how little Fetmar seemed to care about his own life. His brothers came first all the time. It was one of his main concerns with entering a relationship with the young man. Still, Yerir'o had spent the last four years keeping watch other the boys. He could do it a little longer.
"I am not," Fetmar paused. "It's different for me."
"It's not," Yerir'o stated. Fetmar said nothing. Yerir'o sighed. "Fey, Eyeri is a healer apprentice. Even the priests halt before earning the healer's circle's wrath. No one will harm him for that alone. He is also as close to a Prince as one can be in k'nairi society. The Winglord won't let anyone touch him."
"Just burning the k'nairi mark into his back," Fetmar breathed. "I can barely remember what my father taught me anymore," he said idly. "I'm not sure I know how not to be a soldier anymore."
"What would your trade have been?" Yerir'o asked lightly. Fetmar rarely brought up his past. Yerir'o knew his parents had been killed during the beginning of the war by D'mar troops but nothing else. "This is a new path to take but if you want to return to an old one, we could always see."
"I have no desire to return my past trade," Fetmar snorted. There was silence for a moment. Then Fetmar exhaled. "I was to be a farmer," he said dimly. "Nothing to miss."
"An important trade," Yerir'o commented, trying not to let a smile on his face. Fetmar would not have suited such a trade, for certain, but he would have done it. Duty came first for Fetmar and duty for the first son of a farmer was to become a farmer themselves and look after the land. It spoke a great deal about Fetmar's father that he had managed to instill the virtue so strongly in his son.
"True," Fetmar breathed, "But not one any of us suit particularly. Though Kanan probably would have done well," he smiled softly.
Yerir'o shifted. He still hadn't told Fetmar that Kanan was possibly missing. It didn't seem the best time to now either. Not with Fetmar's life in the balance if he reacted badly. "We will see where the fates lead you next. Good night, Fetmar."
"Good night Yerir'o."