Bird of a Nest - Chapter 10: Chapter 10

Dyn'ad didn't end up coming to bed that night, he got trapped between Eyeri and Aw'endo as Aw'endo cuddled him and Eyeri joined in. Ryraso was rather amused by the situation and just happily snuggled with Tai'ray and Nel'os as Dyn'ad sent complaining remarks over the link. The grumbling wasn't serious as it was clear the two boys were shaken by the events of the day and needed some reassurance of safety.  Eyeri's eyes very watery about the entire event and Aw'endo wasn't much better.
Strangely Ryraso seemed to be the one least affected by the entire event. Ignoring who vulnerable he had felt when he thought Tai'ray was going to leave him alone, and the obvious pain when he moved his back or legs, he felt rather content. Tai'ray seemed more confident now too, though Nel'os had wriggled his way into the space between Tai'ray and Ryraso. His wings covering both of them with the distinct air of someone wanting reassurance his nest partners weren't going to vanish on him. It was slightly annoying as anytime Nel'os shifted his wings, the sheets lifted and a draft of cold air down his back.
Still, he fell into a rather peaceful sleep. He dreamt of dancing, being led by a person with wings who he couldn't actually see the face off. The dream making it somehow hazed over. They felt familiar and Ryraso could tell they weren't his loves, yet... The music was gentle and they were alone together in the great hall. He could feel joy radiating from inside of him and the dream felt like it lasted an age.
"Ryraso?" Dyn'ad's voice intruded into the dream waking him slightly.
The great hall shifted to black as Ryraso found himself burying his face deeper into the pillow, groaning lowly. His back was burning again now, his thighs equally screaming out in pain but Ryraso had no desire to open his eyes and deal with the real world. He just wanted to drift in the comfortable warmth he felt forever.
"Let him sleep. I'll stay with him for now," Nel'os promised from next to him.
Dyn'ad hummed and Ryraso felt the bed dip near him. Lips kissed the very base of his neck and a hand stroked down the centre of his back softly, careful not to touch his burns. Ryraso purred only for it to turn to a moan of pain as he shifted into the movement and disturbed his injuries. "Sorry love," Dyn'ad whispered and another kiss was pressed, this time under Ryraso's ear. "Sleep well, my dear."
Ryraso's consciousness dived down into the black but this time there was no dream, just blissful nothingness. The gentle warmth of Nel'os side to him and the pillows to his other side. And the feelings of love and joy that surrounded him in the link.
Next time Ryraso woke up, he found an extra blonde haired k'nairi in his bed. He frowned and shifted to get a better look. Nel'os was still cuddled in close as he could, his arm loosely wrapped around Ryraso's waist, a foot hooked under Ryraso's and his head buried in Ryraso's armpit. Ryraso leant down and kissed the crown on the man's head and felt a vague fluttering from the man's mind as Nel'os curled closer. Ryraso smiled softly and took in the second man who was a more respectful distance away, partly concealed in Nel'os' wings, looking out towards the open window and the blue skies.
"Ang?" Ryraso murmured slowly, reaching over to touch the man's arm hoping it was the man. He was pretty sure Ang'as was the only person Nel'os would trust in the room with Ryraso at the moment. At least like this.
The man looked over at him, hair falling partly over his face and smiled almost shyly. It was Ang'as. Ang'as with a rather impressive black eye that even the stray locks of hair could no cover. "Morning Ryraso. Sorry for intruding in your space without permission but Nel..." Ang'as trailed off, hooking a stray piece of hair behind his ear as he levered himself up slightly.
"Didn't want to let you out of his sight with that," Ryraso mused in understanding. "I get it," he smiled reassuringly at the concerned looking man. Ryraso reached out and cupped his face, inspecting the bruise best he could from the distance. It looked rather painful. "He's upset over losing Cai'ress," Ryraso acknowledged, letting a touch of healing magic flow through his fingertips and into the bruise. It wouldn't be enough to heal it straight away but it would help with the swelling and some of the pain. He wasn't technically supported to heal yet after all.
Ang'as' smile grew larger but also sadder, the man looking down at his friend with a fond expression. "My thanks, healer," he uttered almost ritualistically before his eyes flashed back up to Ryraso's with an almost challenging look to them. "Did you ask for that or was it the Winglord's idea?" he asked, his tone turning from shy interloper to protective friend.
It was a rather simple but certain fact that the k'nairi did not like to lose what they felt was theirs. As proven by the only caw situation. Nel'os loved Cai'ress. It seemed enough that losing him meant he was growing more protective over those in his inner circle. The way he was clinging to Ryraso was a good example. Ang'as was another and unlike Ryraso, Ang'as couldn't exactly make Nel'os stop and let go of him. Nel'os had more rights. Namely, as a former consort not yet bonded with another nest, or even courting for another nest, Nel'os could technically call Ang'as back up to his former role and trap him in the consort rooms if he didn't put up with these types of things.
Nel'os had done it at least once. But that had been a particularly bad night for Ang'as. It seemed only the nobles and upper echelons of society were opposed to his existence. The more unsavoury would happily have him.
"I wouldn't dare ask for such a thing. That was all Tai'ray," Ryraso snorted, wincing and double checking that Nel'os was still sound asleep in his arms. "Cai'ress seemed mostly harmless to me. I would have given him a fair chance." Not that it was always easy to tell with noble submissives and Cai'ress had played the part of noble submissive very well. Ryraso would have given him a try because that's just what you did when you were lovers with k'nairi. You accepted they looked for new nest members. Only Tai'ray seemed adamantly against the man.
"Harmless, eh?" Ang'as hummed thoughtfully. "He was that," he agreed with that sad smile on his face. He slumped and his wings fluttered behind him unhappily. "Nel'os, he was very hurt by this. He said... Well,  I suppose it doesn't matter now," Ang'as breathed, looking very much like someone who wanted to say something but wasn't sure if it was his place too or not.
"Ang'as," Ryraso said with a warning tone in his voice. This was not what he wanted to deal with this morning. "My back is hurting and Nel'os is gripping hard to me. I'm in no mood for games. Just tell me what you think I need to know," he demanded.
The noble grimaced but nodded. "Nel said you had someone for while, on that ship," he started, Ryraso rolling his eyes. Of course, Nel'os had kept Ang'as up to date on everything that had happened in those four years. "Someone you were close enough too that they were trying to work out how best to bring them back here too. It just seems a little unfair to me. Any person Nel'os has glanced at in the last fifty years, Tai'ray has vetoed practically at the first look. The Winglord has even given me a strong talking to once. Fifty years and Nel'os has had every lover rejected," Ang'as pointed out.
"Ang, most of them weren't serious," Ryraso said dryly, thinking off a few of Nel'os' one night stands that were definitely not contenders to be the Royal's bonded.
Ang'as snorted. "Most, no. But it's kind of Nel'os role in the nest to be the one to find new mates for Tai'ray. He's the submissive and first bonded. Cai'ness had Dyn'ad's eye and heart too, but once again Tai'ray got rid of him. More viciously even this time. He won't look at anyone Nel'os finds but you. You abandon them for eight years and the Winglord would have actually tried for the man you fell for. Not just brought him here but tried to love him. Feels almost cruel and I promise you I'm not the only one who thinks so."
"That's..." Ryraso trailed off wincing. It was rather cruel of Tai'ray to have made plans to accept Wiljam but never make an effort for anyone Nel'os had liked. Maybe things weren't as fixed as the three claimed. It did sound like Tai'ray was still punishing Nel'os for what he had done. Whether that was consciously or subconsciously, Ryraso wasn't sure. "There's not a lot I can do about that, Ang'as."
Ang'as gave him a look which suggested he thought otherwise. "Right," Ang'as exhaled. "Well. Just be kind to Nel. He's..."
"Awake and not in need of a friend intervention," Nel'os grumbled sleepily, looking over his shoulder from where he was pressed against Ryraso and glared at his friend. "Ryraso was kind to Cai'ress."
"You sure you don't need in the intervention?" Ang'as asked, lifting an eyebrow. "Can I leave then?"
"Only if you're going to Gar'kin's nest," Nel'os said firmly. "Otherwise you can stay put," Ang'as bristled and Nel'os grinned against Ryraso's hair. Ryraso smiled softly. Nel'os was playing matchmaker again, it seemed. Or possibly Gar'kin had finally made a move and Ang'as was reluctant to accept it. Like he had been the past few decades. "Gar'kin will be very pissed off at me if I let you go mope in your room," Nel'os warned.
"Let him be pissed off. See if I care," Ang'as muttered, sitting and crossing his arms unhappily.
"This has been dragging on for how many years?" Ryraso asked deeply amused byt Ang'as pose and the fact the man's situation had not changed at all it seemed. He was still obvious to the fact the groundskeeper had more than just fond affection for him. Or simple lust for that matter.
"Nothing except Ang'as is being far too stubborn for his own good," a fourth voice entered the fray. "Garkin has been in love with you since the day Mos'turar put you in the same wing," Po'lar scolded as he walked into the room without knocking, one eyebrow raised at the arrangement. Mos'turar was the name of the former Winglord. Po'lar was one of the few people who still called the man by name and didn't say 'former Winglord'.  "Now, what happened to you and why didn't you come to see me?" he demanded, taking Ang'as' face in his hands and getting a proper look.
"It's not that bad," Ang'as complained, not enjoying the manhandling. "It was only Ser'ad. Not like it was someone with actual power behind his punches."
"Wait, Ser'ad was the one who punched you?" Nel'os frowned. "I thought he was..." he trailed off. Ser'ad had a very good reputation for being very calm and never losing his cool. The fact that he had punched Ang'as meant either Ang'as had done something or the reputation was wrong. "Is this because I told you to at least flirt with Guardian Honuf't?" he said with a stomach sinking feeling of horror.
"Bingo," Ang'as nodded, or at least attempted to as Po'lar healed the bruise up, a gentle blue light coming from his fingers as he did so. "I maybe had an enjoyable five minutes with Guardian Honuf't. Nothing physical, just standing there chatting, when Ser'ad turned me around and punched. No warning, no nothing," he said sound rather dejected. "He yelled at me to keep away and then pulled Guardian Honuf't somewhere else. Lady  Est'as was actually taking pity on me and helping when Dyn'ad showed up. Her girls were glaring at me too. I would really like to know what I've supposedly done to deserve this level of treatment," he said sadly.
Ryraso scowled. Ang'as had always had problems with submissives thinking he was trying to poach their man but this was the first time he'd heard of someone striking Ang'as. Not to mention the man looked so resigned, like it was just a fact of life that this happened to him. Ryraso didn't like that.
"Never heard anything other than those rumours from fifty years ago," Healer Po'lar mused, knowing either Ryraso or Nel'os would be up to date on gossip. "Certainly nothing that would warrant such a violent response."
"I'll deal with it," Nel'os growled.
"Nel..."
"No," Nel'os snapped. "You are in your rights to talk to Honuf't. Tia'hon talked to Honuf't and even stole a kiss but you... If you weren't touching him, or making any moves, you were in your rights. I won't have people thinking it's ok to assault you Ang'as. I will deal with this."