Bird of a Nest - Chapter 28: Chapter 28
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The bell meant it was time for mourners to leave the graveyard. Ryraso waited a moment more to leave his own prayers before heading out of the maze before the priests caught him. They would likely escort him straight back to the palace and he wasn't ready for that yet. So he ducked out of the back entrance and walked down the roads to the main street. People would know he was out by now but it was unlikely anyone was going to frogmarch him anywhere.
A few people clapped his shoulder as he passed them. A few faces he knew, a few he didn't. The ones he knew murmured words of encouragement. It was nice, in a weird way. The streets were fairly busy now. Lights were strung up along the way, glowing blue on the safer district. The main road was a mix of upper and lower areas, with the bridges and ladders rather unchanged, unlike the palace. The ladders and bridges were decorated with ribbons and flowers, with shops still selling their wares. He paused by a bakery and looked at the sweets. His stomach rumbled as the smell of fried dough filled his nose and a warm sense of nostalgia filled him. He patted himself down but he hadn't exactly ran off with any money on him.
Ryraso flushed as he tried to remember the last time he'd actually had money. Most of the stuff on the warship had been items rather than coin. He certainly hadn't had any while at the palace. Disappointed, he continued on his way, only for the baker to catch up to him quickly and stuff some wares in his hands. "It'll only go to waste anyway," the young woman smiled at him with rosy cheeks. Human, and looked young but then she had an earring on showing off that she was bonded to someone. The link messed up ages.
"You're very kind," Ryraso smiled at her back. He wasn't sure he was supposed to accept these but he was very hungry and the smell of them was almost too good. "When I'm certified again, let me know if there is anything I can do to help."
"I will remember your offer," she said respectfully before dancing off back to her shop, mock yelling as some hatchling tried to pinch some wares.
Popping one of the bite-size pieces in his mouth, delight warmed his heart at the taste. It was cold by now, long having cooled but delicious all the same. It had been far too long since he had eaten sweets. During the war, on the warship, the kitchens never had time to make such things and while the infantry and officers typically got to go shopping with what meagre pennies they had when they passed towns or cities, Ryraso had been typically too busy dealing with some idiot to go. Even at the meals at the palace, desserts tended to be fruits. The royals had to be seen eating healthy to promote good eating for their people. Ryraso smirked slightly. Luckily for him, he wasn't a royal just yet.
Enjoying his treat, Ryraso paused to let several children pass by, one thinking to thank him as they did. A hatchling who looked on the verge of becoming a youngling dived by and grabbed his friend, the two soaring up and landing on the upper walkway before running pass. Ryraso smiled and enjoyed the ambience. Music was flitting through the streets and he paused to watch a performance.
Then he reached the red light district the lights turned red and the music had spread around turned different. Ryraso grimaced and finished the last of his treats. He didn't like walking through here but it was on the way to the upper districts. Because of course, it was. The nobles liked their toys too much.
Dolled up k'nairi, female and male alike, lined the walkways. A few winked at him playfully. They knew who he was and that made him attractive. Someone connected to the royals. A way out if they could play their cards right. It was pitiful. It made Ryraso's chest ache. Especially went he saw the younger ones dolled up. Not actually children but certainly barely passed their navdia. There were two ways to end up like this. One was to willing go down the path. The other was to be forced down it and it was usually pretty clear who had chosen which path.
Something caught his eye. A flash of something. He paused, looking over at what had caught his attention and blinked surprised. It took a moment, the person was hiding behind some plants, clearly not wanting to be seen. Still, as their eyes meet it was clear who Ryraso had just stumbled into.
"Cai'ress," Ryraso breathed, scared to approach but knowing he needed to. Cai'ress eyes filled with horror as he released Ryraso had spotted him. Cai'ress ran from him. Ryraso chased after him.
It wasn't hard. Ryraso managed to catch up to him in an alleyway. Many of the trees were large in this district and with many areas adding huts for privacy creating a maze-like area. Cai'ress was panting heavily, not facing him, hands against the wooden wall that stopped him going any further.
Even from the back, Cai'ress looked grim. The clothes he was wearing were mostly sheer and tacky. The cut was clearly meant to be enticing but it was too big and with the cloth already being bad material just looked wrong. Cai'ress's shaking shoulders didn't help either. Ryraso could see bruises. Lots of them. Some were clear talon cuts in areas which left little to the imagination as to how Cai'ress had gotten them.
"Cai'ress, it is you," Ryraso said sadly, walking forward slowly and reaching out to touch his back. Half healed whip backs covered it and Ryraso felt anger boil at the sight. As his fingers brushed Cai'ress's skin, Cai'ress span around suddenly, looking like an animal that had been cornered. His eyes wide and frightened, meeting Ryraso's for half a second before flickering downwards, his wings shaking and staying low. Everything about Cai'ress posture screamed that he was expecting to be hurt.
His face was almost worse than his battered body. The bruises were mostly covered with garish makeup that Ryraso doubted anyone actually found attractive apart from now weak and fragile it made the man look. It was done is a style to mock Cai'ress former standing for sure. The markings and shades clearly imitating a submissive mate's typical look, only with cheap creams and powders that betrayed Cai'ress had no money now.
"Stop," Cai'ress hissed. "You can't be seen here Ryraso. Not with me! It's dangerous here for you," he warned, his voice hoarse.
Ryraso winced hearing it."I would say you are in far more danger here, Cai'ress," he challenged, trying to reach fro Cai'ress again but the man flinched back and lifted his wings to protect them. Ryraso looked at the battered wings and grimaced. After a few weeks of being banished, Cai'ness's feathers were already looking dull and uncared for. He could see scar marks on them too. Ryraso swallowed
"Please," Cai'ress forced out, still not meeting Ryraso's eyes, but hugging his arms close to his chest. "You need to go. The people I was given to. They don't like. They don't like humans interfering," he pleaded. "You need to go back to the palace."
"Not without you," Ryraso said firmly, as he noticed something even more important about Cai'ress' wings. They had been clipped. The inner layer that took years to grow back. He couldn't fly at the moment. Ryraso felt sick rising up in the back of his throat. That was done as a punishment by law, not as something by the head of the family. It was meant to be a punishable offence to inflict that on someone.
"I can't," Cai'ress shook his head. "The Winglord would kill me."
"Tai'ray will do nothing of the sort. He would not want you to be suffering in this way, Cai'ress," Ryraso said firmly, trusting that he did know that at least about Tai'ray. Whatever issues he had been Cai'ress, Tai'ray would not let the k'nairi continue to be sold as a toy. It was painfully clear what had happened. Cai'ress had been disowned and sold to a brothel. And now. Ryraso pushed the thought from his mind. "The worse that will happen is that Tai'ray will send you to the countryside. He won't punish you for what your house forced onto you."
"I can't," Cai'ress stressed. "I will only cause problems by going back. He exiled me. The prize for ignoring that exile is ..." Cai'ress trailed off. The prize was being sent to a different city, but the way Cai'ress curled in further on himself make RYraso doubt Cai'ress believed that was it. "Anyway, my new masters, they," he swallowed. "They won't be happy if I try to escape."
"Slavery is illegal here. You are not bonded. You have no masters," Ryraso reasoned gently.
"I disagree," a voice sounded behind them. "So this is where you have gotten to Pet," a voice smiled. RYraso shifted turning to face the newcomer. Brown wings, orange eyes and brown hair. Nothing about his features made him stand out but his outfit. The way he was standing. The look of amusement, like a cat that had caught a mouse. This was someone dangerous. "You have found an old friend. How nice," he crooned. "You'll have to come for tea."
"Master Om'hat," Cai'ress started but was silence with a click of the man's fingers.
"Pet, I did not give you permission to talk," Om'hat warned darkly. Cai'ress ducked his head down and hunched over in what looked like half a bow. "Now, Healer Ryraso. Let's go, shall we? I'm sure you have many questions about your ... friend and his new life."
"I'd rather take him back to the palace," Ryraso said calmly, trying to remain calm. He'd been in far more dangerous situations than this, in far less friendly places. It didn't stop the fear in his stomach or the chills down his spine. He needed to step carefully here."
"I'm afraid that's not an option. Come," Om'hat ordered, his voice turning a few tones darker. "Or would you prefer a demonstration of what we do to disobedient pets?" he smiled, tapping his side. Cai'ress moved over to him and he grabbed the back of Cai'ress' neck, talons curling around the front in a distinctly threatening manner. Cai'ress looked up at Ryraso. It wasn't a look Ryraso had ever wanted to see again.
"I suppose, tea it is," Ryraso breathed.
"Smart little human," Om'hat grinned.
A few people clapped his shoulder as he passed them. A few faces he knew, a few he didn't. The ones he knew murmured words of encouragement. It was nice, in a weird way. The streets were fairly busy now. Lights were strung up along the way, glowing blue on the safer district. The main road was a mix of upper and lower areas, with the bridges and ladders rather unchanged, unlike the palace. The ladders and bridges were decorated with ribbons and flowers, with shops still selling their wares. He paused by a bakery and looked at the sweets. His stomach rumbled as the smell of fried dough filled his nose and a warm sense of nostalgia filled him. He patted himself down but he hadn't exactly ran off with any money on him.
Ryraso flushed as he tried to remember the last time he'd actually had money. Most of the stuff on the warship had been items rather than coin. He certainly hadn't had any while at the palace. Disappointed, he continued on his way, only for the baker to catch up to him quickly and stuff some wares in his hands. "It'll only go to waste anyway," the young woman smiled at him with rosy cheeks. Human, and looked young but then she had an earring on showing off that she was bonded to someone. The link messed up ages.
"You're very kind," Ryraso smiled at her back. He wasn't sure he was supposed to accept these but he was very hungry and the smell of them was almost too good. "When I'm certified again, let me know if there is anything I can do to help."
"I will remember your offer," she said respectfully before dancing off back to her shop, mock yelling as some hatchling tried to pinch some wares.
Popping one of the bite-size pieces in his mouth, delight warmed his heart at the taste. It was cold by now, long having cooled but delicious all the same. It had been far too long since he had eaten sweets. During the war, on the warship, the kitchens never had time to make such things and while the infantry and officers typically got to go shopping with what meagre pennies they had when they passed towns or cities, Ryraso had been typically too busy dealing with some idiot to go. Even at the meals at the palace, desserts tended to be fruits. The royals had to be seen eating healthy to promote good eating for their people. Ryraso smirked slightly. Luckily for him, he wasn't a royal just yet.
Enjoying his treat, Ryraso paused to let several children pass by, one thinking to thank him as they did. A hatchling who looked on the verge of becoming a youngling dived by and grabbed his friend, the two soaring up and landing on the upper walkway before running pass. Ryraso smiled and enjoyed the ambience. Music was flitting through the streets and he paused to watch a performance.
Then he reached the red light district the lights turned red and the music had spread around turned different. Ryraso grimaced and finished the last of his treats. He didn't like walking through here but it was on the way to the upper districts. Because of course, it was. The nobles liked their toys too much.
Dolled up k'nairi, female and male alike, lined the walkways. A few winked at him playfully. They knew who he was and that made him attractive. Someone connected to the royals. A way out if they could play their cards right. It was pitiful. It made Ryraso's chest ache. Especially went he saw the younger ones dolled up. Not actually children but certainly barely passed their navdia. There were two ways to end up like this. One was to willing go down the path. The other was to be forced down it and it was usually pretty clear who had chosen which path.
Something caught his eye. A flash of something. He paused, looking over at what had caught his attention and blinked surprised. It took a moment, the person was hiding behind some plants, clearly not wanting to be seen. Still, as their eyes meet it was clear who Ryraso had just stumbled into.
"Cai'ress," Ryraso breathed, scared to approach but knowing he needed to. Cai'ress eyes filled with horror as he released Ryraso had spotted him. Cai'ress ran from him. Ryraso chased after him.
It wasn't hard. Ryraso managed to catch up to him in an alleyway. Many of the trees were large in this district and with many areas adding huts for privacy creating a maze-like area. Cai'ress was panting heavily, not facing him, hands against the wooden wall that stopped him going any further.
Even from the back, Cai'ress looked grim. The clothes he was wearing were mostly sheer and tacky. The cut was clearly meant to be enticing but it was too big and with the cloth already being bad material just looked wrong. Cai'ress's shaking shoulders didn't help either. Ryraso could see bruises. Lots of them. Some were clear talon cuts in areas which left little to the imagination as to how Cai'ress had gotten them.
"Cai'ress, it is you," Ryraso said sadly, walking forward slowly and reaching out to touch his back. Half healed whip backs covered it and Ryraso felt anger boil at the sight. As his fingers brushed Cai'ress's skin, Cai'ress span around suddenly, looking like an animal that had been cornered. His eyes wide and frightened, meeting Ryraso's for half a second before flickering downwards, his wings shaking and staying low. Everything about Cai'ress posture screamed that he was expecting to be hurt.
His face was almost worse than his battered body. The bruises were mostly covered with garish makeup that Ryraso doubted anyone actually found attractive apart from now weak and fragile it made the man look. It was done is a style to mock Cai'ress former standing for sure. The markings and shades clearly imitating a submissive mate's typical look, only with cheap creams and powders that betrayed Cai'ress had no money now.
"Stop," Cai'ress hissed. "You can't be seen here Ryraso. Not with me! It's dangerous here for you," he warned, his voice hoarse.
Ryraso winced hearing it."I would say you are in far more danger here, Cai'ress," he challenged, trying to reach fro Cai'ress again but the man flinched back and lifted his wings to protect them. Ryraso looked at the battered wings and grimaced. After a few weeks of being banished, Cai'ness's feathers were already looking dull and uncared for. He could see scar marks on them too. Ryraso swallowed
"Please," Cai'ress forced out, still not meeting Ryraso's eyes, but hugging his arms close to his chest. "You need to go. The people I was given to. They don't like. They don't like humans interfering," he pleaded. "You need to go back to the palace."
"Not without you," Ryraso said firmly, as he noticed something even more important about Cai'ress' wings. They had been clipped. The inner layer that took years to grow back. He couldn't fly at the moment. Ryraso felt sick rising up in the back of his throat. That was done as a punishment by law, not as something by the head of the family. It was meant to be a punishable offence to inflict that on someone.
"I can't," Cai'ress shook his head. "The Winglord would kill me."
"Tai'ray will do nothing of the sort. He would not want you to be suffering in this way, Cai'ress," Ryraso said firmly, trusting that he did know that at least about Tai'ray. Whatever issues he had been Cai'ress, Tai'ray would not let the k'nairi continue to be sold as a toy. It was painfully clear what had happened. Cai'ress had been disowned and sold to a brothel. And now. Ryraso pushed the thought from his mind. "The worse that will happen is that Tai'ray will send you to the countryside. He won't punish you for what your house forced onto you."
"I can't," Cai'ress stressed. "I will only cause problems by going back. He exiled me. The prize for ignoring that exile is ..." Cai'ress trailed off. The prize was being sent to a different city, but the way Cai'ress curled in further on himself make RYraso doubt Cai'ress believed that was it. "Anyway, my new masters, they," he swallowed. "They won't be happy if I try to escape."
"Slavery is illegal here. You are not bonded. You have no masters," Ryraso reasoned gently.
"I disagree," a voice sounded behind them. "So this is where you have gotten to Pet," a voice smiled. RYraso shifted turning to face the newcomer. Brown wings, orange eyes and brown hair. Nothing about his features made him stand out but his outfit. The way he was standing. The look of amusement, like a cat that had caught a mouse. This was someone dangerous. "You have found an old friend. How nice," he crooned. "You'll have to come for tea."
"Master Om'hat," Cai'ress started but was silence with a click of the man's fingers.
"Pet, I did not give you permission to talk," Om'hat warned darkly. Cai'ress ducked his head down and hunched over in what looked like half a bow. "Now, Healer Ryraso. Let's go, shall we? I'm sure you have many questions about your ... friend and his new life."
"I'd rather take him back to the palace," Ryraso said calmly, trying to remain calm. He'd been in far more dangerous situations than this, in far less friendly places. It didn't stop the fear in his stomach or the chills down his spine. He needed to step carefully here."
"I'm afraid that's not an option. Come," Om'hat ordered, his voice turning a few tones darker. "Or would you prefer a demonstration of what we do to disobedient pets?" he smiled, tapping his side. Cai'ress moved over to him and he grabbed the back of Cai'ress' neck, talons curling around the front in a distinctly threatening manner. Cai'ress looked up at Ryraso. It wasn't a look Ryraso had ever wanted to see again.
"I suppose, tea it is," Ryraso breathed.
"Smart little human," Om'hat grinned.
End of Bird of a Nest Chapter 28. Continue reading Chapter 29 or return to Bird of a Nest book page.