Bird of a Flock (Bow 2) - Chapter 45: Chapter 45

"Not quite?" Ryraso dared question, not missing how Nel'os was refusing to look at him now. The man's entire posture from his shoulders and wings to his feet radiated shame and guilt from whatever had occurred all those years ago. Ryraso almost didn't want to know, but he had to now.
"Rather it got derailed," Nel'os waved a hand. "We, um. I continued the plan to drug Tai'ray, so he was weaker Dyn'ad noticed I was having doubts, so I admitted the truth. I didn't want to kill Tai'ray anymore. Dyn'ad was angry with me but accepted it. He decided to leave. He didn't want me to have to pick between them. I didn't want that either! Then, well. Tai'ray walked in on us in the act."
Ryraso hissed. He could tell how that would have gone. As free as Nel'os was to sleep around now, back then at the beginning, it would not have been so simple.
Nel'os eyes glanced up at him with a weak smile, but the desperation in his eyes was clear to see. "It put us in a tight spot. The drugs weakened Tai'ray and Dyn'ad pinned him to the bed..." he trailed off again, talons digging into his arms as he hugged himself. "It wasn't good."
"Please don't tell me you ..." Ryraso trailed off, not even sure at this point what the worst thing could have been.
"It was him or us, and I still wanted to bond to Dyn'ad. So we came up with a new plan," Nel'os breathed. The look in Tai'ray's eyes as he had listened to them debate what to do with him still haunted his dreams from time to time.
"Which involved apologising and letting him go?"
"I am not proud of what happened, Ryraso, but it happened. We didn't force him then. We blackmailed him. Having me cheating so early on would have been disastrous. Dyn'ad and I would have died as martyrs to love, but it would have disgraced Tai'ray. The drugs meant he wouldn't have lasted long against challengers. He had to accept Dyn'ad into the bond," Nel'os stopped, the cut off almost audible.
"Nel," A force in the sound that had Nel'os flinching again.
"We made a point of it in front of him. We didn't touch him. Well, I think I kissed him. He didn't kiss back so I... We didn't... He went along with the aftermath. He smiled in front of the nation and courted Dyn'ad. In private, it was cold, but we expected that. We had just hurt him. I tried to help... I tried to make things up to him."
"You said 'then'"
"Then?"
"You said, you didn't force him then, when did you force him?" Ryraso demanded, grabbed Nel'os and shaking him a little.
The noble looked up at Ryraso's face if not his eyes. "We didn't force penetration, but we needed to consummate the bond. Arguably exchanging fluids with us was more humiliating than anything else. We let him decide the best way to do it. He chose when and how. We stopped him doing anything extreme, but he wanted it over and done. It was faster than we should have allowed. We should have slowed it down and got Tai'ray to court Dyn'ad proper before bringing him into the bond."
The stories had said Dyn'ad had come into the bond fast after being presented. True love between the three and Tai'ray had wanted him in his nest as soon as possible. "How," Ryraso pressed.
"I think he planned to masturbate over us and leave us to our 'wedding' night," Nel'os swallowed. "Getting hard when you're not in the mood is quite hard, and it took a bit. We played a little, to relax him. It was nothing extreme, just some heavy kissing, and grinding. Enough to get us all off but nothing passed what he was willing to allow. It worked, and we stayed with him after. He needed some reassurances. I'm not sure I could have left him at that moment even if he had wanted it," Nel'os quietened again. "Only, the goddess interfered," he breathed.
"Of course she did. Tai'ray is her champion. You defeated," Ryraso said, shaking his head, not liking the word choice, "him under false pretences." His tone was disbelieving and cold.
"She made Dyn'ad the head of the family," Nel'os stated.
Ryraso was silent for a moment. "How is that possible? The Winglord is the head of the k'nairi," he drawled. "He has to be the head of his nest too."
"That's a modern practice. The Winglord was never supposed to have his loyalties divided between house and state. The state of the Winglord's nest should not distract him from concerns of the nation. One of the Royal bonded was supposed to be the one concerned with the house. Tai'ray is the Winglord, and Dyn'ad is his keeper, his shield."
"And so Tai'ray's control was taken from him by his rapists," Ryraso breathed, thinking over that look he had seen again. "And the control of any future mates." If Dyn'ad was the head of the household, he was the one who controlled if more people entered the nest. Not Tai'ray. Even if it was secret.
"We didn't rape him," Nel'os argued but stepped away as Ryraso glared at him.
"You molested and blackmailed him. You were close enough," Ryraso's voice was devoid of any warmth. What they had done to him was barely a step above rape.
Nel'os flinched but didn't argue. His wings curled backwards, and his arms hugged himself, the man pressed back against the walls of the palace, not looking at Ryraso again. "Things... This was a long time ago now. We worked hard to keep it a secret. We worked hard to be able to turn this into something that scars or not, was good. Dyn'ad courted Tai'ray after the bond. It took time, but we built something between us. We do love each other very much, and he has forgiven us. But..."
"You don't get over being betrayed."
"Please Ryraso, understand. We aren't proud of what happened. Outside of us three, you are the first person to know the full details. Don't..." 'hurt/tell/hate us' the feeling flowed over the link as Nel'os found himself unable to say the words out loud. Shadows of Dyn'ad and Tai'ray joining the emotions as they touched Ryraso's soul.
Ryraso closed his eyes and counted to ten. Certain things about the royal triad falling into place. As if the mystery had disappeared. Dyn'ad's odd ways of controlling Tai'ray when needed. The fact the man had been the one most around him, steering him and protecting him from danger. Dyn'ad was protecting his future mate and showing the head of the house would care for him well, even if Ryraso hadn't known it. This situation was bigger than Tai'ray not wanting to repeat what had happened to him to Ryraso, though it was already too late. The Goddess had interfered with him also, after all. But no one had gained his trust before drugging and forcing him.
He looked up at Nel'os. Feeling anger and disgust at the man he thought he knew pretty well. That was the crux, wasn't it? It happened before Ryraso had even been born. A lot had changed, even if Ryraso was learning about it now. Ryraso took a step forward and moved into Nel'os' space. The man let him, flinching as Ryraso lifted his head. Ryraso didn't slap him. He made Nel'os look him in the eyes.
"I don't hate you. Nor will I tell. I promise you that, Nel'os. As for my say in the matter," Ryraso paused. He was telling the truth. He didn't hate Nel'os, but he was still angry with him. "I need to think on this Nel," he spoke, forcing his voice to be gentle. Part of him wanted to rip Nel'os apart, and at the same time, he could see how vulnerable Nel'os was at the moment. Mostly, Ryraso was tired. Too much had happened and been revealed today. He knew Nel'os spoke the truth about how the royal triad felt about each other. He had felt it many times between them. Love, tinted with something, and now he feared he knew what.
Nel'os burst into tears and fell to his knees in front of Ryraso. The healer started surprised. "Nel?" Long arms hugged his knees, Nel'os face pressed against his thighs as he shook. Ryraso didn't know what to do for a moment.
"Thank you," Nel'os murmured, his voice almost hoarse. Ryraso was able to feel dampness on his legs. "Thank you," he repeated the words over and over, his shoulders shaking as he wept into Ryraso's legs. Ryraso didn't hate them. He hadn't screamed or cursed at them. Despite everything which had happened, Ryraso didn't hate them.
Ryraso moved, knowing what caused the reaction. Others would not be so kind. He pulled free of Nel'os arms and crept down next to him. He kissed the man and hugged him close, letting Nel'os cry into his shoulder and held him close. His heart felt numb, but he owed Nel'os too much to ignore him weeping. For the first time in a long time, he was uncertain as to what would happen next. He knew the truth behind the Royal triad, the mark of the Goddess burned onto his arm and the brand looming in his future, part of him knew he would never leave Navat again.
As Nel'os stopped trembling, he stood back up, pulling the man along with him. He pressed their foreheads together and wiped Nel'os face with a piece of cloth from his pocket. "Come on, let's get back now," Ryraso murmured. Nel'os nodded, still not looking at him. "Nel," Ryraso coaxed, running his fingers through the man's hair. Nel'os' orange eyes looked at him warily but also with an almost painful amount of love in them. Ryraso kissed him on the lips, unsurprised as Nel'os kissed back, gripping him tightly. "Things will work out," Ryraso promised. "Now, let's go."
He walked back to the consort room, Nel'os holding his hand and keeping close. There were a few glances at them, but no one seemed concerned. They didn't know. Ryraso did. It felt strange knowing this massive secret, and he was almost sure that he hadn't realised all the connotation or effects it would have yet.
As they walked in, they found Eyeri now awake and topless, sitting on the edge of the made-up nest. Dyn'ad threw things out of a chest from time to time, looking for something. Aw'endo sat next to Eyeri, his wings half wrapped around his brother. Tai'ray was not yet in the room. Ryraso let go of Nel'os and moved towards his sons as Eyeri looked over at him and reached out.
"Da," Eyeri murmured, looking relieved to see him.
"Eyeri. You ok?" Ryraso asked, sitting down next to him, and resting a hand on Eyeri's forehead. The boy's face looked red. It felt a little warm, and Ryraso frowned.
"My back hurts," Eyeri whimpered as Dyn'ad reappeared from the chest holding a tub of something.
The older man gently pushed Eyeri to lay down. Ryraso let him and inhaled as he saw Eyeri's back. His boy may not have been physically branded, but it looked similar at the moment. The magical marks on his skin looked red and sore. Dyn'ad started to rub cream into his back, soothing the inflamed skin. His hands firm and rough from callouses, but the touch was gentle. He was not trying to hurt their little one.
"I know," Dyn'ad murmured. "Most likely will do for a few days now," he commented, giving Ryraso a look of worry.
Ryraso hummed nodding in acceptance. He shifted to press a kiss to Eyeri's forehead, before kissing Dyn'ad's cheek. Dyn'ad looked surprised at this, and the look in his eyes was unreadable. He knew Ryraso knew, of course, he did. Ryraso gave the man a sad smile. "We'll talk later," Ryraso promised. Dyn'ad nodded. "Is Tai'ray going to be long?" he asked yawning. He wanted the day to be over.
"No," A voice commented from the doorway. Tai'ray stood there, Fetmar standing behind him awkwardly, still dressed in Yerir'o's slacks. "I think I have everyone now." He pulled Fetmar into the room and kicked the door shut.
Aw'endo launched himself at Fetmar, and the human caught him quickly. Surprising Ryraso with how tight Fetmar hugged Aw'endo. He hadn't realised Fetmar had grown that close with Aw'endo during the few weeks they had both been on the warship. Still, the grip was tight. The moment Eyeri could, he moved fast into Fetmar's arms too. Fetmar burying his face in Eyeri's hair and for a moment just stood there.
Tai'ray half smiled and walked over to hug Ryraso, kissing his nose. Ryraso leant into him and watched the brothers as they pulled apart so Fetmar could properly look over them.
"Are you staying?" Eyeri asked, his eyes looking up at his big brother with a sparkle of hope.
"He is," Tai'ray spoke for Fetmar, the man giving him a look but not saying anything. Tai-ray was not about to let anyone of his family out of his sight. That included Fetmar now, whether either of them liked it or not. "Now to bed!" He ordered.
'Do you think it is wise to sleep with Fetmar? Knowing how Yerir'o feels about the man,' Nel'os sent as the massive nest got comfortable. Tai'ray pulled Eyeri towards him, though he let Fetmar take Eyeri's other side without any complaint.
'We are the Royal Triad. It is our right. Yerir'o has no official bond or even a claim. Also, it's not like we are fucking the man, only resting beside him. After all, I don't think he would have left Eyeri's side again willingly tonight. And I refuse to leave Eyeri's,'
Dyn'ad looked at him oddly for a moment before nodding. Nel'os joining them soon with Ryraso and Awen'do. Awen'do straight away making a beeline to Fetmar and Eyeri on the bed. Fetmar shifting slightly so Awen'do was in his embrace as well. Eyeri nuzzling into his adoptive brother. Who purred and hugged back.
'Thank you,' Ryraso murmured.
'His choice,' Tai'ray shrugged. Nel'os curled up beside him, feeling raw after talking to Ryraso about how they had gotten together. Tai'ray leant over and kissed away the nerves. He understood. He did, and he had forgiven them a long time ago. Dyn'ad pulled Ryraso to beside Fetmar. Slowly everyone fell asleep. Eyeri sleeping soundly at the centre. Safe and now, k'nairi.