Bird of a Flock (Bow 2) - Chapter 53: Chapter 53

"Cai'ress," Ryraso stated neutrally as the two left the room. Yerir'o carrying Fetmar bridal style much to the embarrassment of his oldest son. "Cai'ress has been the one looking after Aw'endo while you have been fighting against the Namya?" he demanded.
"It would seem so," Tai'ray murmured, sitting down and looking at the ground. "I have to get rid of him."
"Do you now?" Ryraso said with an equally unreadable tone. "Would you care to share why that information has led to that conclusion?" he asked calmly, taking a seat himself. "Sounds like Cai'ress stepped up where you let the ball drop. I now owe him a great deal. As do you." Ryraso had left Aw'endo in the care of the Royal triad. They had failed to take care of him emotionally and led to Aw'endo doing something incredibly dangerous. Cai'ress had tried to help the youngling, or at least it sounded like it.
"Cai'ress can't be trusted. He's a noble who wants to be a part of the royal nest," Tai'ray said darkly, furrowing his eyebrows.
"As Aw'endo pointed out, every person you brought here wants to be connected to the royal nest," Ryraso said coolly, "It rather comes with the territory." He paused and sighed, sitting down. "You three have really messed up with Cai'ress," he said softly. "You should never have allowed ..." he trailed off. "Wasn't your choice," he said out loud as he realised it. Tai'ray wasn't the head of the family. Dyn'ad was. Dyn'ad who was hoping desperately that Tai'ray would see Cai'ress as more once his obsession with Ryraso was sated.
"No, it wasn't," Tai'ray hummed. "But maybe I should have pressed harder. I don't trust him Ryraso. I know he's no worse than the other nobles. He's never even really done anything wrong but something inside of me is screaming he can't be trusted. I don't want him around my younglings. I can just about stand him being with Nel'os and Dyn'ad but Aw'endo is another matter."
"So you're going to get rid of your son's only friend," Ryraso said lightly, wondering how he felt about that. Cai'ress was nice. He didn't seem mean or malicious. It was possible that Cai'ress was just a great actor but if Cai'ress was really just someone who understood, sending him away over this was cruel. Both to Cai'ress and Aw'endo.
"You're here now. So is Eyeri and Fetmar. It's not like Aw'endo will lack companionship," Tai'ray argued softly. "I..." he trailed off and sat down, hanging his head in his hands.
"Dyn'ad and Nel'os won't like this either," Ryraso mused. "They accepted me. You don't accept Cai'ress. Have they ever asked you to accept someone before? I know Nel'os sleeps around and Dyn'ad occasionally fucks with the warriors, but I can't remember you ever telling me about people who overlap."
"No. Cai'ress was the first that they decided to risk it with. Others who had their attention lasted months. Cai'ress lasted a year before they introduced us," Tai'ray admitted. "And they love you too. It's not the same thing. You had a spark in all of our eyes from the moment we lay them on you," he said softly, looking up at Ryraso with a gentle smile. "You can not be compared or traded. This was never a deal. I get you, they get him. They hoped I would see him once you were here. Not accept him."
Ryraso flushed slightly and nodded his head. "So, when are you going to do it?" he asked.
"Today, I think. You're right. This has lasted far too long," Tai'ray murmured with a slightly lost expression on his face. Ryraso rested a hand on his back and grimaced as he felt Dyn'ad and Nel'os in the link. Nel'os' link felt ripped apart and he could hear the whispers of begging Tai'ray not to do this. But Tai'ray was firm. He didn't trust Cai'ress and without trust, the man would never be able to become apart of the royal nest. Without trust, he didn't want Cai'ress near his younglings and consorts were allowed that.  It was time to remove Cai'ress from the court.
'He's done nothing wrong,' mourned Nel'os. 'He's been perfect. Why can't you see that?'
Ryraso kissed Tai'ray's forehead and left the room silently. If Tai'ray was going to do this, he wasn't going to go too. He wasn't going to rub salt into Cai'ress wounds. He owed the submissive now. Yet there was part of him holding back from stopping Tai'ray banishing Cai'ress. A touch of jealous, perhaps. Maybe a slight desire to punish Dyn'ad and Nel'os for actions long since passed. Regardless Ryraso did owe the man. He had kept Aw'endo sane and it was Ryraso's fault that it was even an issue.
"Doesn't seem fair," Ryraso murmured. He couldn't pull all his feelings for a stranger apart.
"What doesn't?" a voice asked from nearby. "The fact you're not allowed to practice healing yet?" it added cynically with a strong dose of disapproving in his voice. It was Po'lar. Ryraso smiled weakly at the k'nairi, who was standing with his arms crossed and his brow furrowed. It was suddenly reminded him of every time he had ever made a mistake as an apprentice. He was not yet cleared to be a healer in Navat yet and likely wouldn't be until the brand was on his back.
"I stitched up my foster son's leg after some noble brat stabbed him. Hardly being a healer," Ryraso reassured, making a sign of greeting with his hand. He wasn't sure if Po'lar was here as the Head Healer of the healer's circle or as Ryraso's friend and mentor. Either way, being polite and respectful was never a bad thing to be with Po'lar.
Po'lar hummed unhappily and gestured for Ryraso to led the way. "I should hope not," he said scolded, slapping the back of Ryraso's head in an almost fond manner. "But somehow I doubt you were having a momentary crisis on whether you should have fixed up your oldest," he said lightly. Lightly enough that it was clear he was offering Ryraso the chance to talk about it. Only. No one knew, it seemed, about the Royal Triad's secret.
"Nothing I wish to discuss Head Healer," Ryraso said tightly. He trusted Po'lar with his life but this was not something he could talk to the man about. His life was one thing, the secrets of the Royal triad was another.
"I see," Po'lar nodded slowly. "Know that you can if you ever wish too," he said firmly.
"I thank you for the concern but," Ryraso trailed off. "I'm barely aware of what the issue is at the moment. Too much is spinning," he admitted softly. The truth of the Royal's relationship, the goddess marking him, Fetmar coming to save his brother. Cai'ress. He needed five minutes to figure ut all yet. "I still need to go visit Umin's grave," he mused idly, looking up at the ceiling as he walked to the consort rooms. "I wanted to but Fetmar attempted jailbreak distracted me. Now they aren't likely to let me wander any time soon."
"Probably no sooner than you being branded. Only they seem to hesitate to get it done," Po'lar mused. "Understandable but I can't help but wonder if pulling the band-aid slowly is going to cause more pain than ripping it off," he said dryly.
"I agree with that statement," Ryraso nodded. "I do not think its the branding which is making them hesitate. It's the whipping. While angry, I'm sure it seemed right to them and I did fight. I fought to protect my friends but I fought. It has to be done. Recent events make them nervous to make me angrier at them." He paused, looking at Po'lar with a touch of mischevious in his eyes. "Though, the no sex before branding has its advantages when it comes to teasing them."
"It has been an interesting few days," Po'lar said with an almost cheerful tone in his voice. "And I'm sure. Just don't press too much. They could poke back," he winked, a touch of approving in his voice.
"We've thought about it," Dyn'ad's deep drawl commented and Ryraso had to bit his tongue as strong arms wrapped around him and hugged him close and personal. It was warm and Ryraso forced himself to keep a straight face. "When the boys are no longer a concern, we'll have some fun," he promised darkly.
Ryraso shivered and felt his heart flutter strangely. Not quite desire but not fear either. Not this time. The fear he had felt when he had first arrived was fading. Which was excellent as he needed to start showing that he was willing to try with them. He shifted in Dyn'ad's arms and leant up to kiss the man on the cheek, Dyn'ad letting him. "A few other things that are a concern at the moment," he pointed out calmly. "Otherwise..." he trailed off, not sure what he was offering.
"We will deal with them, we always do," Dyn'ad promised, tightening his grip for a brief moment.
"Talking of the boys, where are your sons?" Po'lar asked, sounding amused.
"Main room," Dyn'ad nodded. Po'lar nodded and swanned in, leaving Ryraso alone in the corridor with Dyn'ad wrapped around him. Dyn'ad held onto him but didn't fight as Ryraso left his grip. Ryraso reached up and touched Dyn'ad's cheek, tilting his head as he looked into the man's face and tried to feel something. At the moment, all he felt was pain. His own and Dyn'ad mixing in his chest.
"I'm sorry," Ryraso murmured.
"You have nothing to say sorry for," Dyn'ad said rather firmly. "The issues are our own fault."
"I'm still sorry it didn't work. How is Nel'os taking it?" Ryraso asked softly.
"Not well," Dyn'ad admitted, shifting back to rest against the wall. "But he had come to a similar conclusion. With how you are reacting to knowing, how can we trust him with it? We love him, Ryraso but you ..." he trailed off. "It is not enough."
Words trailing and not saying full meanings, Ryraso was suddenly aware they weren't in a safe place. The corridor had guards, it was in a private part of the palace but not an empty part by any means. Ryraso looked around, noticing how the guards were averting their eyes. He smiled sadly.  He kissed Dyn'ad again. This time on the lips and slightly more passionately than he had done so far. Dyn'ad pulled him close and kissed back, taking control of the kiss. Ryraso smiled amusedly as he did and Dyn'ad grumbled.
"Come on," Ryraso whispered, tugging Dyn'ad's hand. "Let's go deal with the boys. Maybe after we can have some fun." Dyn'ad gave him a shocked look but it morphed into something that made Ryraso heart clench. Love and hope. It only made Ryraso feel stronger that he had to do more. He had to start actively being a part of this relationship now.