Bird of a Nest - Chapter 21: Chapter 21

Leaving Pol'ar's room, Ryraso breathed deeply and moved over to his son. Eyeri was busy cleaning tools in a sink. He smiled at Ryraso bravely. The kind of smile given when someone wasn't sure how the other was going to be. Ryraso hugged him tight for a moment. Eyeri grumbled but leant into the hug, not putting his arms around Ryraso because of his wet arms.
"So I'm guessing that went well?" Eyeri teased softly.
"As well as expected," Ryraso grumbled. "The solution is not going to be easy. For now, I have a few things to do before I can attempt them," he admitted, releasing his son and tucking a stray strand of hair behind Eyeri's ear. "We still need to get your haircut."
"No time," Eyeri chuckled. His eyes were slightly worried but his laughter sounded happy and light. Ryraso looked over Eyeri with a careful eye. He was nervous but didn't look scared.
"As long as you find time to eat today," Ryraso warned sternly. Eyeri flushed and looked back down at the things he was cleaning. He shrugged loosely, clearly not making any promises to do so. Ryraso gave him a look. Eyeri had managed to duck away in the morning before eating breakfast but Ryraso knew Matron Iss'vine had already been by to force Eyeri to eat some fruit at least. The look in her eyes when Ryraso has explained about Eyeri's eating habits had been almost feral. "I mean it, Eyeri. You have to eat."
"Isn't he eating?" Pol'ar voice commented from next to him.
"He forgot yesterday," Ryraso admitted with a strong tone of displeasure.
"I wasn't hungry," Eyeri shrugged, placing a bowl on the drying rank and continuing with his current job. He wanted this conversation to end.
Ryraso gave Pol'ar an exasperated look, hoping that Pol'ar would see this as a character flaw as opposed to something deeper. "I only just managed to get you to a respectable weight and you're starting your growth spurt," Ryraso said dryly. He was already noticing a few extra inches on Eyeri. The hug had felt different. His boy was starting to grow into a man.  "Try harder not to forget."
"Matron had already made it clear she's going to make sure I eat breakfast. I'm sure Fetmar is planning to kidnap me for lunch. It will be fine," Eyeri grumbled unhappily, flicking some water at Ryraso. Ryraso hummed.
"If his brother doesn't appear by the third quarter, I'll bring him with me to eat," Pol'ar promised calmly.
"Forget two meals and everyone jumps on you," Eyeri complained under his voice but his face was red. He was embarrassed. Ryraso smirked. If embarrassing Eyeri was what it took to get him to eat, he would happily do it.
"Must be tough having people who care," Ryraso teased, poking Eyeri in the ribs. Eyeri complained but Ryraso only kissed his cheek before leaving him to his job. With one last respectful nod to Pol'ar, Ryraso left the healer's clinic. Gripping S'onon's hand as the man reached for him in a passing greeting.
"Consort Ryraso!" a voice called and suddenly Regent Un'tat was by his side looking a touch out of breath and generally disheveled. The man had bags under his eyes and his dark hair was touch out of place. If it wasn't for the fact the royals were content, if not slightly bored in a few cases, and he'd just seen Eyeri was fine, Ryraso would have been worried something had happened.
"Is everything alright, Regent?" Ryraso asked, glancing over at a servant. The servant nodded and disappeared.
"Alright? I suppose," Un'tat acknowledged. "Certainly nothing bad for you to worry about," he reassured, still getting his breath back. The servant reappeared with two glasses of water and offered them up. Un'tat accepted one and drank deeply. Ryraso took the second glass with a thankful smile at the servant.
"May I ask why you were looking for me?" Ryraso inquired, placing the glass back in the servant's hand.
"Oh," Un'tat looked up at the ceiling for a moment like the answers were hidden up there. "I forgot if there was one reason specifically but certainly I wished to try to converse with you and see if we could be allies in court,"
"That's very honest of you," Dyn'ad voice suddenly joined the fray, looking at Ryraso with a lifted eyebrow.  "I told you to wait until I came back," he scolded as Ryraso flushed hot for a moment. Dyn'ad had been serious when he had ordered Ryraso to be by their sides. The only reason he hadn't been in the room with them was that it was too personal and Pol'ar had not even pretended to consider that idea.
"Sorry, Dyn'ad," Ryraso offered sheepishly. Not quite used to the idea of being escorted everywhere. Dyn'ad hummed and moved over to him, kissing his love on the cheek gently.
"Honest? Possibly," Un'tat noted. "But I suspect Consort Ryraso is already aware that people will want to make connections to him," he said lightly. "Should I try for another time?" he asked, looking at how Dyn'ad arm was wrapped around Ryraso's waist.
"We are heading the training ring," Dyn'ad said calmly. "You are welcome to come with us?"
"I fear not. Even with Tai'ray being here I have duties to attend too. Another time hopefully. Perhaps tomorrow we can have lunch together? Provided nothing occurs in that time," Un'tat said with a touch of tiredness and exasperation.  Whether over their situation or over his own, Ryraso wasn't sure. When not being a regent, Un'tat was technically a steward, working to keep the court estate in good condition.
"Sounds acceptable," Dyn'ad acknowledged. "We will see you tomorrow then, Goddess willing,"
"Goddess willing," Un'tat beamed at them before disappearing in one of the servant passageways.
"Goddess willing," Ryraso breathed. "So that's lunch planned for tomorrow," he smiled idly, following where Dyn'ad led him. Dyn'ad kept his arm on Ryraso's back and pushed him gently along in the direction of the training grounds. It worked well with Ryraso desire to go have a quiet word with Captain Par'nast. "What's the plan for today?"
"I'm not sure currently. Possibly we'll eat with the warriors," Dyn'ad shrugged unconcerned. "How did your talk with Pol'ar go?" he asked over the link, aware of the ears around them at the moment. Several eyes were looking at the bandage on Ryraso's arm curiously.
"Right," Ryraso nodded calmly. "It went about as well as expected. As easy as walking over hot coals," he exhaled. "I accidentally revealed Eyeri forgets to eat sometimes..."
"That will make it easier to be sure he is," Dyn'ad reassured unconcerned by this. "And to my understanding, it's not meant to be easy. It's meant to figure out what is giving you the most problems and how best to go about fixing it."
"Something like that," Ryraso agreed idly, his chest clenching. Fixing it wasn't quite the aim. The aim was to learn how to cope and not let it get to the point where he was exploding again. They hadn't touched on a lot of issues but even the brief scrap had revealed too many sore spots an things that were stressing him for his liking.
Dyn'ad kissed his cheek again.
As they arrived at the training grounds, the younglings were already heading out. Some looking more beat up than others. Eyes glancing over them all, Aw'endo wasn't around them. Ryraso frowned but didn't say anything. He smiled as they got in and he spotted Herymi and Zaro chatting to Fetmar in the corner. Dyn'ad let go of them and pushed him towards them before heading over to one of the home guard captains.
"Hey Ry," Fetmar smiled at him. "Feeling better?"
"Better than yesterday, for sure," Ryraso allowed. "I'm guessing lessons went well today?" All three men beamed at him with a look of sadistic glee in their eyes. "I thought you were teaching defence?" he asked bemused.
"I am," Fetmar promised. "But it means nothing unless they understand what actual human warriors can do. So I enlisted Zaro and Herymi to help."
"It was fun," Zaro beamed.
"Zaro gained some respect, I think. Sleeping with one of the guards aside, today reminded the guards Zaro is an elite warrior technically," Herymi grinned. The man laughed loudly as Zaro punched his shoulder. Fetmar winked at Ryraso and Ryraso found himself grinning. That had been a sneaky plan from Fetmar it seemed. His own little way of helping a fellow Namya trapped in Navat.  "You'll have to help out one day and prove your own skill, Ry," Herymi mused.
"You may get that wish soon. After yesterday, Dyn'ad wants me with either him or Tai'ray. Given Tai'ray is dealing with nobles, I know which two places I'd rather be," Ryraso grumbled. The idea of hanging out and watching the nobles fight was not as pleasant as actually fighting himself. Pol'ar wasn't going to put him in a clinic for a while so it would be good practice. "I just have to let this heal," he gestured to his wrist.
"What happened?" Herymi asked frowning.
"He punched a wall," Fetmar shrugged, sounding calm about the situation.
"Why?" Herymi said with a touch of disbelief while Zaro only nodded in understanding. Ryraso did his best not to flush. Eyeri had a similar reaction the previous day. It seemed like his behaviour on the warship had let itself for people to believe he could break his own wrist in anger easily. He wasn't sure how he felt about it.
Ryraso pulled a face. "I'd rather not say."
Fetmar and Zaro chuckled, Zaro patting his shoulder. "I look forward to seeing Isst's reaction to this," he said teasingly. Ryraso groaned. Isst was one for taking his anger out on a punching bag. Ryraso often teased him about it. Now Isst would be able to tease him back.
"I better head out. I have to hunt down Aw'endo before Eyeri," Fetmar commented slightly. "You're welcome to come with me?" he offered to the others.
"I'll take you up on that offer," Zaro smiled.
"I have to pass. Ran'mosy wants us to have lunch together at home," Hermyi waved. "I'm just waiting for O'chetur to get off the morning shift."
"The rest of your nest has arrived?" Ryraso asked, not having heard that news.
"Just Ran'mosy. He got fed up of feeling O'chetur burn hot and cold for me. The others are going to join in another week or so," Herymi smiled bemusedly. "He arrived yesterday."
"Good to know," Ryraso nodded thoughtfully. As they waved Fetmar and Zaro off, Ryraso turned to Herymi with a look on his face. "I need a hand," he said softly, keeping a vague eye on where Dyn'ad was. It would be safer to ask Herymi to do what he needed rather than try to do so without Dyn'ad noticing. Dyn'ad would only ask questions as to why Ryraso suddenly cared about Cai'ress.
"I've got my eye on Zaro, don't worry," Herymi reassured. "And Fetmar for that matter. Fetmar's idea to get him training was brilliant. If we can get the court to think of him as a warrior, things will be different. I'm thinking of trying to get Captain Par'nast to enlist the Sparrows into these sessions as well."
"I thought you were small town?" Ryraso frowned, wondering how Herymi knew about court politics so well. Herymi shrugged, not giving any answers. "Good luck with the Sparrows," he added, musing he hadn't heard any plans for the flying humans. "Still. That's not quite what I need your help with..."
"That so?" Herymi hummed.
"You often talk to Captain Par'nast?" Ryraso questioned.
"Unfortunately, yes."
"I would like him to send someone to go check up on Cai'ress, under the table so to speak," Ryraso explained gently so they wouldn't be overheard. "I'm concerned that the others haven't. Given his status and what happened..." and my nightmares, Ryraso mused darkly.
"The lover who got banished from court?" Herymi clarified. "And you don't want the Royals to know because?"
"Tai gets angry when he is brought up. Nel just gets sad. Dyn'ad has enough to worry about. It's complicated," Ryraso waved his hand. "Do you think you can get it done?"
"Say no more," Herymi nodded. "I'll talk to him discreetly."
"You have my thanks," Ryraso nodded, relieve running through his chest. Soon hopefully he'd know Cai'ress was perfectly fine if a little stuck on where to go from here. Maybe he could talk to Guardian Honuf't and get him to send Cai'ress to his now banished mate to keep him company.