Bird of a Flock (Bow 2) - Chapter 4: Chapter 4

O'chetur joining them in flights changed things a little. The dominant was fast but not quite as fast as the Royal triad and they couldn't windbreak two people so they slowed down slightly to a more normal speed. Everyone knew, of course, why O'chetur had suddenly joined them. Now the nest had Herymi back in their grasp, they weren't happy with leaving him alone. Not when he was heading to Navat where another nest could theoretically try to charm him away.
Another change was with the flight arrangements. O'chetur was now carrying Herymi, Herymi holding onto O'chetur's back and enjoying the more comfortable flight now he was fully healed from the ambush. O'chetur's muscles were tense from trying to keep up with with the Royals, making Herymi grin from the man's determination to try to compete with Royals. There was no contest. The Royals were the Royals for a reason. The k'nairi Winglord did not rule by birthright but by proving he was best of all the k'nairi and his mates were no less talented than him.
Dyn'ad, instead of taking the chance to relax, had taken responsibility of Ryraso from Nel'os. Nel'os had offered to take Eyeri from Tai'ray but he had refused to let the boy go. The Winglord was still uncomfortable about the lack of link between them and the fact Eyeri had just attempted to escape them. When Tai'ray had first picked Eyeri up, the human boy had been tense but as they flew the boy had relaxed.
This was probably helped by Nel'os who spent his time fluttering about the group flirting with Ryraso and teasing Aw'endo and Eyeri. Mostly Aw'endo, much to the youngling's annoyance and Eyeri's enjoyment. Eventually, Aw'endo started chasing after Nel'os who fled cackling wildly.
The others laughed at the two's antics. Tai'ray smiling at how happy Aw'endo was feeling at the moment. Aw'endo had everything back that he wanted. Tai'ray's smile faded slightly as he thought about just why Aw'endo had been so sad and lonely. Tai'ray had never meant to let the youngling down, but somewhere along the line he had lost track of what the child needed. A stable nest and now that would be possible again.
It wasn't the only thing he had lost track of or dropped the ball on either. As he thought about his decisions and choices over the past eight years, the Winglord knew he had a lot to do in order to fix his mistakes. Or in some cases, make up for them. He was no idiot, he had felt the shift in Ryraso when they had been kissing. Something had changed but it was not quite enough for their stubborn healer to actually give in willingly to the Royal triad's wishes.
They flew for a day and a half, flying straight through the night and over the next day. Aw'endo hooking onto Dyn'ad to sleep for a few hours. They were behind schedule and Tai'ray's advisors and council were beginning to get impatient with him. Or as impatient as they were allowed to get.
Eventually, they landed to make camp and rest in a small village that was used to travellers going to Navat. Not so used to having the Winglord and royals stop by but they were given the best hut available and the best food. O'chetur and Herymi slept in a side nest, Tai'ray smirking as he saw O'chetur face plant into the nest.
The borderlander was tough but not quite used to the Royals way of travelling. Fast and long with just enough stops for food and bathroom needs. It was not a casual way to travel but nothing was casual about this situation.
"Winglord?" A voice jolted him back into the real world. After they had eaten, Tai'ray had returned to the hut first, claiming to have something to sort out. It wasn't entirely untrue as he had spoken to his advisor over the link about Herymi's situation but mostly Tai'ray had wanted a moment to regroup himself.
"Yes, little one?" Tai'ray asked, looking up to see Eyeri standing there looking slightly nervous. "Where are the others?" he asked, noticing disapprovingly that Eyeri was on his own, mentally poking his mates who felt in bliss at the moment. He also noticed that Eyeri had wet hair.
"Guardian G'iosn showed them to a local hot spring. Everyone went. Da was pretty excited by the idea. Do you want to go too, Winglord?" Eyeri asked softly, his hands crossed in front of him politely, looking and sounding a little too much like an attendant for Tai'ray's liking.
"Do you?" Tai'ray asked, restraining himself from telling Eyeri off. It wasn't Eyeri's fault that he behaved like this when nervous. It was trained behaviour. Training to make people think Eyeri was useful and like him. It made Tai'ray want to shake the boy but that wouldn't help at all.
Eyeri winced. "Not particularly Winglord. I had a shower," Eyeri admitted, his hands finally moving to rub the back of his head.
"Fair," Tai'ray nodded smiling softly and gesturing for Eyeri to come closer. The boy moved over obediently, but couldn't disguise the tenseness in his shoulders as he sat next to the Winglord. Tai'ray was painfully aware that the events in Tayagwe had only served to make Eyeri more nervous around him. This was a good chance to spend an evening with the youngling and reassure him that Tai'ray really wasn't going to hurt him.
"You don't have to call me by my title, Eyeri. You are my chosen one's son. You can call me Tai'ray like Ryraso and Aw'endo," Tai'ray said gently. He was getting fed up of the human youngling referring to him by title instead of by name. Aw'endo called him by name in public, as did his mates and Ryraso. Admittedly Ryraso was slightly different but the point still stood. As Ryraso's adoptive son, Eyeri had the right to call him by his name.
"But I thought in public..." Eyeri trailed off.
"In public, you have to obey my orders and not challenge me. That does not mean you can't show any form of being close to me," Tai'ray explained gently, resisting the urge to pet Eyeri. Humans weren't as tactile and while Tai'ray normally didn't let that stop him, he was trying to make Eyeri feel more at ease with him.
For the next few moments, the two just sat in silence, watching the stars outside the hut. Night bird singing around them.
"Why do you use the brand?" Eyeri whispered, sounding almost too scared to ask.
Tai'ray faltered for a second, surprised by the suddenness of the question, while at the same time not surprised he had been asked it. Plenty of humans had asked that same question. "It is permanent. I needed a way to show people like Loror and also slavers just who falls under my reign without wings," Tai'ray explained gently. "Or rather my predecessors did," he added sounding unhappy. Somethings Tai'ray had managed to change, other he had not been successful with.
"A tattoo's permanent," Eyeri said with an edge of frustration in his voice.
"It can be removed and it also fades with time. The connection the caw have to the link won't," Tai'ray explained gently.
"A scar can be healed," Eyeri muttered.
Tai'ray let out an unhappy grumble, not pleased by the boy's unwillingness to accept an answer. It wasn't like he wanted to do this, or was pleased by the idea but compared to what it could have been, his hands were tied. Change didn't happen all at once. As much as Tai'ray wished he could just make it happen.
"Don't worry, it doesn't matter," Eyeri said quietly, moving away and shutting up. It was clear the human boy was worried he had pushed too far over his boundaries. He didn't actually know the Winglord well enough to question too deeply.
Regretting the noise as he smelt Eyeri's slight increase in fear, Tai'ray quickly caught Eyeri by his arm and drew him close. Tai'ray nuzzled the boy's hair fondly. He needed to get used to Eyeri bending quicker than others. After all, it was a good sign that the boy was starting to talk to him freely and ask questions. Eyeri was tense but seemed to relax after a moment as Tai'ray rocked him gently back and forth.
"A scar may heal," Tai'ray allowed. "Even deep scars can be healed. However, the k'nairi brand isn't simply a scar. There is magic behind it. No k'nairi mark has ever faded. It is completely binding," Tai'ray explained gently. "Almost as much as the link itself," he mused lightly.
"That important huh?" Eyeri sighed, wrapped his arms around Tai'ray hesitantly and leaning against him.
"Yes, it is, Eyeri," Tai'ray smirked at the resigned but childish tone Eyeri had used. "You are safe with us, you know," he promised. Eyeri shifted, likely not believing him. "I'm serious, Eyeri. No harm will come to you. I won't let it," Tai'ray promised. He paused, thinking for a moment before deciding to take a slight risk. "Even those who haunt your nightmares won't get to you," he said softly.
Eyeri flinched, still not comfortable with the fact Ryraso had told Tai'ray about his past. Seeing his scars was bad enough but other than the senior officers of the Namya and his brothers, no one had known the full story before. Even Aw'endo didn't know the full story of what had happened to him. Dyn'ad and Nel'os obviously knew now as well, thanks to the k'nairi link. He didn't like people knowing his demons.
"They always do though," Eyeri murmured, his tone of someone who knew by experience. Something which made Tai'ray want to coo over the boy and never let him go. At sixteen no-one should be like this.
"Slavers can't touch k'nairi branded. We made it clear what would happen to anyone who bought a k'nairi slave," Tai'ray reasoned firmly, "They can't get to k'nairi lands. You will be safe."
"How can you be so sure?" Eyeri demanded, pulling away with distress clear in his eyes. "It's not like there haven't been cases of k'nairi slaves."
"They normally have been captured from the borderlands, or are those who had travelled beyond our borders. No one has ever been taken from Navat," Tai'ray pointed out softly. "Only Warlord Loror has ever managed to get to Navat on foot. It is not an easy journey."
"Really?" Eyeri said cautiously.
"Yes, little one" Tai'ray murmured gently, hearing the tone of fragile hope in the teenager's voice. He also smelt the relief that ran through the boy at those words. Tai'ray was suddenly painfully aware of how this had likely been weighing on the child's mind. Dyn'ad had mentioned the boy had a nightmare and Tai'ray knew Eyeri hadn't fallen to sleep during the second leg of their journey yet. He looked exhausted and about to drop. It was almost painful how little Tai'ray could do to protect the little one. He was so used to being able to protect everyone being the Winglord but there was little he could do to help the boy with his nightmares.
"Thank you," Eyeri murmured, leaning back into Tai'ray, his grip tightening on the older man. Tai'ray grinned into the boy's hair and kissed him on his forehead.
"Don't thank me yet. You might hate Navat for all we know," Tai'ray teased.
"I doubt that," Eyeri mused. "Not sure about the people, but Navat sounds beautiful." There was almost a dreamy edge to the boy's tone making Tai'ray smile fondly. He may not have built Navat, but he was proud of his home city and the people who lived there.
"She is stunning," Tai'ray agreed, "Ryraso tell you much about the city then?" he asked curiously.
"Occasionally. Normally while drunk," admitted Eyeri sheepishly, before yawning widely his weight almost completely being held up by Tai'ray at that moment. "Some of the prisoners have spoken about it too," he said sleepily.
Tai'ray hummed before pulling away from Eyeri and guiding him to the nest. "Come on, kid," Tai'ray smiled, ruffling his hair. "Bed time for you."
Eyeri hummed unhappily but didn't fight curling up in the blankets, Tai'ray watching over him. He would keep Eyeri safe, somehow, someway. He just had to work out how to stop the link insisting on the human being branded.