Bird of a Nest - Chapter 5: Chapter 5

"You doing ok, little one?" Dyn'ad rumbled into Eyeri's ear deeply as he scooped him up from behind Yerir'o. Eyeri nodded, turning into Dyn'ad and hugging him. Dyn'ad froze for a brief moment before shifting and holding Eyeri closer. "I have you," he murmured lower, letting his wings surround Eyeri for the moment to give them a moment of privacy. Or at least a sense of it given they were surrounded by hundred's of nobles. "The brats aren't going to hurt you," he promised.
"Brats are fine, just..." Eyeri murmured, nose buried into the crook of Dyn'ad's neck. "Everyone else who is looking at me like meat," he admitted. "The brats are nice, I think," he smiled, pulling back meeting Dyn'ad eyes.
Dyn'ad could read those blue eyes clearly. Eyeri was nervous but standing on his own. His cheeks slightly red but whatever comfort the youngling had needed from him, he had gotten. Dyn'ad placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently. "They have many people to get through," He warned with a smirk. "And the brats better be nice," he added, with a wink.
"They had better," Yerir'o agreed, leaning on Dyn'ad's shoulder. The two smiled at Eyeri with a look that he knew well. A look of warriors about to fight through anything in order to succeed. Eyeri smiled back shyly. Aw'endo called for him and Eyeri bowed slightly before darting over to his brother. The other younglings surrounding Eyeri again, the boy safe with his few found friends.
"We have got to stop the bowing," Dyn'ad muttered to his friend as he watch Eyeri scuttle off. Yerir'o hummed in agreement, looking at the younglings carefully.
"We do. Eyeri has a good sense of people though. He stuck away from the highborns and went straight for the clever ones," Yerir'o mused. "Aw'endo is more relaxed with them than the highborns," he commented observantly. Yerir'o didn't know much more about the palace younglings than Dyn'ad did but he knew the body language he had been seeing from the lot of them. The highborns had no love nor patience for commoner borns and that was something that hadn't changed from when Yerir'o had studied at the palace. Even commoner borns connected to the Royals.
"Is the Whitewing highborn?" Dyn'ad asked curiously, feeling his mates talking to each other over the bond. He glanced over his shoulder and noticed Nel'os being protective over a familiar looking blond highborn. The whispers of conversation were not exactly good. It seemed Ang'as was having problems with the noble gossips again.
"He is. One of the Sparrowwing clan," Yerir'o nodded. "His behaviour doesn't suggest he's one of their normal males though. Brains more than brawn," he said idly. "Not submissive either," he added.
"Good to know," Dyn'ad said idly, musing about what he knew of the Sparrowwing clan. They were old blood. A line that claimed they could trace their lineage back to the original nests in Navat. They were typically warriors and many of their current members were in high positions in the army. It made sense that their nestlings would be in the palace at the moment. Even their subs tended to be warriors. Their current clan head was based with Loror and often a thorn in his side. "Is Herymi here yet?" he asked, looking around.
"Herymi?" Yerir'o asked frowning. "Who's that?"
"The human who did the oath first to check it was safe. He's getting lashed today," Dyn'ad commented softly, not able to spot the bodyguard human. "He's being courted by a nest he grew up with, typical border town story," he explained, poking his mates to see if they had spotted the man or not. Nel'os grumbled, not wanting to be distracted by whatever games he was stuck in but Tai'ray was quick to spot the man near the windows. "Come on, let's go get him. Tai'ray wants to start soon," he said, walking in the direction.
"Ok then," Yerir'o said jogging along after Dyn'ad, not really sure why he was being included in this.  Friends and allies, they were but this was something else. This was simply just sparring together or complaining about the nobles. This was attending to Dyn'ad while he did his royal duties. The nobles looked disapproving as Yerir'o kept side by side with Dyn'ad and he found himself falling back a step. The weight of the stares disappeared.
Yerir'o wasn't sure whether to be honoured or offended.
Herymi turned out to an inked up human who looked distinctly like a warrior, seeming being babysat by someone in a guard uniform. He was sat at one of the smaller tables by the windows, watching as some of the nobles danced idly to music being played. His skin was pale and he looked slightly ill but that seemed reasonable given the circumstances. His robes were the same as Ryraso's and Fetmar's. Green with intricate patterns weaved into them, only his were silver, not gold.
"Herymi," Dyn'ad greeted warmly, clasping the man's shoulder. "How's your back?" he added a touch gentler.
"Greeting, Royal Bonded," Herymi said respectfully. "Aching but not too bad all things considering. I see Eyeri's isn't giving him much bother though," he said with a touch of envy in his voice, eyes flashing to where the youngling was. The Sparrowwing boy now dancing with Eyeri, showing him the steps to a dance. Aw'endo struggling with one of the others who had a very patient look on his face. "Better watch that one," he added softly.
Eyeri was a pretty young morsel and the k'nairi appreciated that. The wrong kind loved beautiful little things to be picked up and trained. But it was not a life anyone wanted to have. Tai-ray was not kind to those who forced people into mating situations against their will. A thing which made why he was forcing Ryraso into his nest even stranger to those able to see beyond the link. But then again, by now close Ryraso was sitting next to the Winglord and how they had been in contact the entire evening, maybe it wasn't entirely forced. Maybe pressed, but not unwanted.
"Oh, we will be," Dyn'ad hummed. "And we really need to teach Aw'endo how to dance properly too," he added with a touch of bemusement at his younglings lack of ability to dance. The boy should have been able too and yet.
"Too stiff," Yerir'o agreed, his eyes watching Aw'endo's wings. The guard to Herymi's side made a polite noise of agreement.
"This is  Moruv'y," Herymi introduced, gesturing to the man at his shoulder offhandedly. "He's in charge of guarding me while O'chuter gets us a drink. The order to keep me with someone at all times today in case I panicked have been followed by exactly. Captain Par'nast has enjoyed using my eyes," he said dryly, clearly unhappy with something in that situation. Whether it was the fact the Royals felt the need for the order or at the fact Par'nast was using his skill set without proper channels, Dyn'ad wasn't sure. "Thank you for sending Healer Pol'ar to my keeper's hut, it was appreciated."
"Not at all. We look after those who had done us a great service," Dyn'ad said rather formally to go with the way Herymi was acting. It felt off after spending the past few days joking and teasing him in the training ring to have Herymi act like this. He nodded in greeting at the man while frowning as something else clicked about the words Herymi had used. "Has O'chutur done something to offend you again?" he asked almost tiredly. Herymi didn't answer, just glowered darkly while the guard snorted. "Maybe we shouldn't let him take you back home. I'm sure your father wouldn't be too opposed to being named your watcher," Dyn'ad mused, half asking if Herymi would prefer it.
Herymi grimaced and looked like he had swallowed a lemon for one brief moment. "It's..." he trained off. "He's trying," Herymi said softly. "I'm annoying him as much as he's annoying me," he added. The guard nodded at the statement to back it up. "I'm hoping when the others are around it will be better."
"I see," Dyn'ad hummed, as O'chuter reappeared, two glasses of water in hand.
Moruv'y gave a bow to the Royal before disappearing into the background, leaving a slightly embarrassed looking O'chuter. Herymi took the water and drank it in one gulp. O'chuter looking pained by the action.  Herymi glared at him before looking away out the window wordlessly. There was a strange standoff moment between the four men before Yerir'o sighed.  Whoever the others in this nest were, they were going to have their work cut out for them making this work.
"The Winglord wishes to start?" Yerir'o reminded Dyn'ad as to the reason they had hunted out Herymi in the first place.
"Yes?" O'chutur said hesitantly. When Dyn'ad nodded, O'chuter's shoulders lowered for the briefest of moments before rising high. He offered his arm to Herymi who ignored it standing up on his own power. O'chuter looked hurt but then Herymi leant over and kissed his cheek. The man's face let up and he pressed his own kiss to Herymi's forehead.
It was a tender moment and one Yerir'o almost felt uncomfortable watching. He looked over the Royal podium where his own love was sitting, looking grumpy as ever. Fetmar. He loved the human dearly but after the initial admittance of the fact, nothing else had happened. Not that it could happen with the madness of everything only one but he was only in Navat for another three days before leaving. That wasn't long to court before it turned long distance. Worry filled his chest but there was nothing he could do to fix the situation.
Dyn'ad led the four of them to the main room as the crowd began to turn as one to face the Winglord. Yerir'o, O'chuter and Herymi standing to the side but still very much in the influence of the Royal circle. Eyeri and Aw'endo were with them, Eyeri standing close to Yerir'o. Looking down at the boy, Yerir'o placed an arm over his shoulder and tugged him close. Fetmar was also being punished today after all.
"The caw were given a choice. One to encourage their return, or at the very less, encourage them not to fight it. I don't expect the impossible, and some had good reasons for leaving. Some have a good reason for staying. The brand was the punishment set for human traitors long ago, and one which is applicable to all but the fledgeling caw. Those who were taken by their parents not leaving by their own accord," Tai'ray spoke, his wings spread wide and his posture distinctly regal. His eyes drifted over the masses watching before focusing on the caw who were there that day. "So I ask this of the caw gathered today. Why did you leave?"
Both Ryraso and Herymi were silent, listing to the reasons given by the other people.  Most were to do with the k'nairi joining the D'mar. Then it came to Herymi's turn. The man looked almost bashful as he admitted his reason for leaving the k'nairi. "A reason not good enough. really. A fight with those I lived with. A fight which made me what to return to the company of humans."
"Good enough for you to leave regardless. Not good enough for you not to return," Tai'ray scolded. "And Ryraso?" he asked, turning to his beloved.
"My bloodkin was killed by the Dmar. I had no wish to stand by their side," Ryraso commented neutrally. "The last remaining vestiges of my home were now on the Namya side, so I joined them."
"Isst and Wiljam," Tai'ray acknowledged with a sad smile as Ryraso inclined his head in agreement. The last two people from his valley. There was a brief second before Tai'ray returned to being the Winglord, every eye watching with bated breath. "We accept the reasons, one and all. But you all now much suffer the consequences from your attempt to leave us. The will of the people is to be whole, and it is time to start ensure that again."