Bird of a Nest - Chapter 4: Chapter 4

"Tai," Ryraso demanded as Tai'ray walked out of the room with Fetmar. Tai'ray flinched and let Dyn'ad steal Fetmar from him. Dyn'ad pressed a kiss to his cheek as he did so, a hand gripping his shoulder for the briefest of moments. Tai'ray watched his mate go and looked at Ryraso tentatively,  but he was able to meet Ryraso's eyes. Dangerous eyes, that were clearly seeing through any facade he was putting up.
"Ry?" Tai'ray offered, forcing confidence to flow from his pores. Even if Ryraso could see through the facade, Yerir'o was behind him. Untested and not entirely trusted yet. He was not going to let it get out to the court that he was acting like nervous greenhorn sub during his first fallout with his partner. "You look perfect," he added, looking the man up and down slowly.
"I should hope so. That tailor Rilshy was very determined to get the fitting right," Ryraso sniffed, rolling his eyes and shifting his hips. "I ain't no noble," he pouted. Tai'ray felt a large grin on his face and before he could stop himself, he walked over to Ryraso and gave him a big kiss. An arm around Ryraso waist, pulling the man flush against him, he could feel Ryraso's hand on his shoulder. He could also hear Nel'os telling Aw'endo off for making yucky noises which slightly ruined the feeling of being about to do it so fluidly.
Ryraso grinned on his lips and pulled back, eyes full of mirth as he glanced over at the two. Eyeri was fluttering around his big brother and Dyn'ad, and Yerir'o was just standing there looking very out of place. "Cheeky," Ryraso murmured, pressing his own kiss to Tai'ray's lips, this one short and chaste. "Tonight is going to be painful in more ways than one," Ryraso murmured over the bond.
Tai'ray didn't bother to even look surprised at the fact Ryraso used the link when they weren't bonded yet. The Goddess was no doubt messing about in their business again. Not that Tai'ray minded given it meant he got Ryraso in his nest where he belonged. "It is," Tai'ray acknowledged, rocking them slightly.
"We'll get through it," Ryraso promised, leaning on Tai'ray and letting Tai'ray feel his weight against him. It felt reassuring. Tai'ray closed his eyes and kissed Ryraso on the forehead. He could feel Nel'os and Dyn'ad adding their own reassurances to it. Nel'os snuggling mentally in too, feeling a touch fragile himself. Tai'ray let it sink in for a moment before pulling away from Ryraso, Ryraso's hand following his and gripping tightly.
"Let's go," Tai'ray said out loud, feeling stronger inside and ready to face the nightmare that was going to be.
Ryraso forced Tai'ray to hold his hand as they walked to the hall. Forced, it but Tai'ray in ways he would never truly be able to express in words as their fingers tangled together. Ryraso's grip was solid, firm. Real. Tai'ray's grip was tenser but Ryraso didn't try to pull out of it, walking side by side until they couldn't any more. Tai'ray froze in his step, just before they entered the hall, reluctant to let go of the warm hand.  He could hear Nel'os and Dyn'ad fussing over the boys in the background, distracting them from Tai'ray's sudden stop.
The link reassured him Ryraso wasn't going anywhere. That while things weren't good, they weren't terrible either. Not if the human was going to tangle their fingers together like that. Humans were more socially aware about that sort of thing. But then again Ryraso was more k'nairi-like in habit because of how long he had lived there.
He didn't want to let go.
"Tai," Ryraso breathed, reaching up with his free hand to turn the Winglord's face to his. "I'm right here," he promised. "Relax," he added with a cheeky kiss on his cheek.
A smile unfurled onto Tai'ray's face, his heart suddenly feeling very light. He still didn't want to let go of Ryraso's hand but something inside him felt reassured, if only for that single moment. He let go, Ryraso running a hand up his arm and patting his shoulder in reassurance, before falling backwards in step to a more socially acceptable position. Looking ahead, Tai'ray squared his shoulders and nodded at the servant waiting for their cue. The servant bowed deeply before moving into the room.
Accouncement made, Tai'ray strode into the hall, ready for battle.
-----x-----
"Yerir'o is either a bad influence or a good one. I can't tell at the moment," Ryraso commented to Tai'ray, startling him out of his train of thought. Tai'ray zoomed in on his bonded's friend and noticed how he was playing 'cool' at the moment. Eyeri and Awen'do were fluttering about him with a few other younglings all looking rather enthralled by the warrior. It was an interesting thing to see on Eyeri. Tai'ray hadn't really expected the boy to be impressed by the warrior given his brother was a respected warrior in his own right and Eyeri had no desire to be one.
"Most likely bad," Tai'ray said dryly, taking a sip of his wine and taking note of the other younglings about Yerir'o. The opening speech had been made and for the first hour was mostly for networking and that was exactly want was happening. Only one was from a high noble family, the others were minor clans. The high nobles were socialising in a different corner of the room, some shooting dark looks at Aw'endo. People were not happy that the noble brat who had stabbed Fetmar had been banned from court.
Eyeri laughed at something, and the younglings around him all fluttered slightly. Aw'endo included. Yerir'o had a look of fondness on his face that Tai'ray could only guess came from recognising something from Fetmar in that laugh. One of them said something to Aw'endo and Aw'endo smiled. Tai'ray's chest hurt at the sight. It was a wary smile. Aw'endo didn't trust this youngling anymore than the highborns who were choosing to openly not associate with him, but Eyeri seemed comfortable with them. Maybe Eyeri would help bridge that gap and let Aw'endo actually make some friends now.
"Enjoying spying on the kids?" Fetmar teased from where he was sitting next to them, half leaning on Ryraso, clearly very bored.  Ryraso didn't want him walking on that leg any more than needed and Fetmar was not happy about it. Not that he knew anyone in the room.  At least, not face to face. "And he wouldn't get them into too much trouble, would he?"
"No," Tai'ray allowed, "Not today." He tilted his head as one of the nobles walked over to the group and tried to interact with them. Yerir'o stood up to the task as Aw'endo pulled Eyeri away and over to the buffet table. The small group of younglings following idly behind. Guarding behaviour. The noble wasn't as subtle as he was probably hoping to be.  "Might have to ban Eyeri from events through until he's claimed or we have some rule protecting him," he pointed out softly.
"He'll be fine," Ryraso reassured, "He's got a lot of bodyguards to keep people out of his pants," he chuckled, ruffling Fetmar's hair the older boy practically bristling at the idea someone would try to flirt with his baby brother. Fetmar grumbled unhappily, before looking up and over at where said baby brother was.
"Claimed? Isn't he a bit young?" Fetmar asked softly.
"He's 16," Ryraso shrugged, wrapping an arm around Fetmar's shoulders. "Just how were you or any of the others at 16? Oira not included. Boy was too lost in his books to noticed anything else in the world. Barely noticed getting assigned off the warship until he realised he wouldn't be living with Eyeri anymore," he chuckled softly.
"No comment," Fetmar muttered, trying not to think back on it too hard. He had still been a civilian. The last year of his life that he had been.
"Humans are typically considered old enough to mate at 16. Though," Tai'ray's eyes looked over the people in the room, "No k'nairi would normally consider him mate material for a while yet. Certainly, no one who isn't past their first half a century. Problem is he's connected to us now so people may try not necessarily for themselves, but many have hatchlings here who they would like to see moved up the social ladder."
"Why not make a rule saying you can't claim or bond with a human until they are 25? Isn't that the age you guys are considered adults?" Fetmar asked seriously.
"Typically, but then we have people like Herymi who grew up here. Telling a teenager they can't be with who they fall in love with is a little..." Tai'ray shrugged, choosing not to point out to the young man that Fetmar, himself, was only just legal by that definition.  Just because the k'nairi had no sex drive until after the Nadvia, didn't mean they didn't fall in love. They certainly claimed what was theirs if it was offered. More than one nest had kept their human close until they had caught up to the physical side of things. "I'll think of something don't worry about it," Tai'ray reassured. "Certainly tightening up the ages is the best place to start. It's just working out how without making people want to rebel."
"I'm sure," Ryraso sighed, fiddling with a ring on his finger, eyes fixed on Eyeri. Tai'ray watched him, from the side, not missing how Fetmar was also showing some signs of anxiety despite the seemingly bored image he was presenting. He was fidgeting too, biting his lip and not looking anywhere in particular. Tai'ray couldn't blame them. He was feeling nervous too.
Eyeri almost tripped over and the highborn noble youngling caught him with a smirk. Eyeri blushed and the younglings around him gathered tighter again. Aw'endo just seemed to pout and glare at the highborn. Not quite with enough intensity that Ryraso was worried but enough for Ryraso to know Aw'endo was starting to feel jealous. The younglings arms were crossed defensively across his chest and he had a rather tightlipped smile on his face, not to mention his wings were stiff. Ryraso's own shoulders started to ache just looking at them. "Speaking of teenagers falling in love. That brother bond is only by word and has to be watched. Might cross over into something else before we realise it," he mused to Tai'ray.
"It would not be a bad thing, but certainly we need to monitor it," Tai'ray nodded.
"Who is the white-winged one Aw'endo is glaring that?" Fetmar asked. "White wings are nobles, right?" he checked, glancing over at Tai'ray.
Tai'ray smiled grimly and nodded. Even on the battlefield, nobles would stand out among the common grunt. Yerir'o had properly also given Fetmar a crash course on the court during their time together over the past few days. "Yes. White wings suggest he's highborn noble. Or at the very least, has their bloodline. He could be from a lower clan who got lucky when he hatched," Tai'ray acknowledged the chance. "As for the specifics..." he trailed off and shrugged. "We'll have to bother the boys about it later. It is almost time to start, however."
"Can't we do this stuff afterwards in future?" Ryraso asked, feeling butterflies starting to form in his stomach. It wasn't fun waiting to be punished.
"No," Tai'ray said firmly, "For one, we don't know how people are going to react. If we'll have last minute runners or fainters. Things which will interrupt us. And the nobles get annoyed if they don't get time to network," he waved his hand with a look of resignation on his face. "Another 5 minutes and then we can start," he promised, leaning back in his seat. His eyes darted around the room, hunting for his other mates. He caught a glimpse of Nel'os with his arm around someone and frowned.
"How is this going to go anyway?" Fetmar asked, looking up at Tai'ray slightly nervously. The look reminded Tai'ray of Eyeri so much, he wanted to coo at the man. But Fetmar was an adult and a commander. He was used to dangerous situations.  That would only insult the man.
"I stand up. Make a speech about responsibly and trust. Forgiveness. Repeat the offer given and then relay the individual punishments. Deal them out, one by one. And then we go from there," Tai'ray shrugged, mentally poking at Nel'os. Nel'os poked back, murmuring reassurances he wasn't on the hunt for a lover for the night.
"You make it sound so simple" Fetmar murmured, watching Awen'do this time as he played a game with the younglings.  Eyeri had hidden behind Yerir'o cautiously, having pulled himself out of the noble youngling's grip. The youngling was playing with Aw'endo not minding too much. No offence had been passed there. The other noble had wandered off and Yerir'o was happily shielding Eyeri from the others for a moment. Yerir'o's wings were slightly curled around Eyeri, only recoiling as Dyn'ad swept Eyeri up. Fetmar smiled softly at the look on Eyeri's face. Bodyguards, indeed.
"I wish it were," Tai'ray said wryly.