Bird of a Nest - Chapter 6: Chapter 6

"The deal offered is simple. Don't fight, don't try to escape and come home," Tai'ray spoke the words carefully and with purpose. The final two words echoing through the room and into the heart of every k'nairi. Navat was home. This was home. And the summons to come home was more about the war. It was about coming back to where they belonged and were safe.  Ryraso found himself rubbing the scar on his arm again.
"The brand is set, everything else was not. But two here fought. Ryraso, a healer and my chosen. Herymi, a borderlander, the adoptive son of a Guardian and a hunter. The price of trying to escape is thirty lashes with the whip. But they were not trying to escape. Were you?" The Winglord looked at Ryraso in the eyes before looking at Herymi the same way. The links magic putting them both on the spot, their hearts lay bear for the link to see if they tried to lie their way of this.
"No," They breathed in unison, the truth, in this case, easy to say. "We fought to protect Eyeri," they admitted, fierce protectiveness rising from Ryraso's chest. Herymi had his own protectiveness but it wasn't the same. Eyeri was Ryraso's son. It was personal to him.
Eyeri huddled closer to Yerir'o, Yerir'o holding him closer and whispering a word of comfort to the teenager. Eyeri's hands reached up to grab at Yerir'o's arm and held on tight. The room was filled with k'nairi words he didn't know and it was alarming to the boy with the sheer about of power flowing in the room. Nel'os looked over at concerned but didn't move from his place with Ang'as on his arm.
"To protect. Not to escape. For this, some leeway is allowed," the Winglord nodded, his voice echoing as he spoke with the authority of the link. "Ten lashes are the punishment," he acknowledged, the room breaking into hushed whispers. "Silence," the Winglord called, narrowing his eyes and glaring at some of the more prolific gossipers.  They shut up quickly as the weight of the link fell on them. The room quiet and the Winglord nodded. He reached down and placed a hand on Fetmar's hair, making the human look up confused.
"There is also another who is to be branded," the Winglord announced in human so the young man would understand. "One who is not caw but his actions went against the k'nairi. His luck is that he is k'nairi by association. Both as adoptive son and as a chosen. Ten lashes will be his as well. To protect is not a crime we wish to punish for, but sometimes we do not have the right to decide these matters. Does anyone fight this fact?" He demanded.
"No," the answer returned easily. No one doubted his rule after the showdown the night before. No one.
"Then let us begin. Herymi, you paid your part last night. For your bravery, you do not need to face the brand, but you will still suffer the whipping after," the Winglord declared. Herymi bowing respectfully at the announcement. Dyn'ad hooked his arm through Herymi's as the man straightened up again. "Forgive our distrust, but for now remain close. We would hate for you to run off on us," The Winglord said with a gentle smile.
"I understand, Winglord," Herymi said bravely, bowing before letting himself be pushed down to his knees. He understood completely, of course. Tai'ray stroked Herymi's hair as he walked down of the stand and Herymi leant into the touch. The image of a loyal subject to his King. The Winglord smiled before looking at the end of the room.
The brand iron, now burning red,  in the fire.
"Ryraso, Fetmar. You two are first," The Winglord ordered as he walked to the brand, his steps echoing in the room. Their backs would need time to cool before he whipped them. The room watched as he picked up the brand. The metal handle was oddly cold in his grasp. He turned to look back at the two men still standing on the Royal podium. This was the part Tai'ray had been dreading. And everyone in the room knew it.
"Ryraso," Tai'ray murmured, his voice still laced with power, but it was soft. Ryraso smiled at him sadly, helping Fetmar off the podium before moving to him. Tai'ray froze, suddenly unsure of Ryraso's intentions. The link watched eagerly. Tai'ray would go through with what he was about to do, he was the Winglord but Ryraso's reactions were uncertain.
Ryraso reached him and pressed a kiss to his cheek, cupping Tai'ray's face in front of the entire link, unafraid of the brand which was glowing red closeby. "Still here," He murmured, a private two words in the ear of the Winglord. "Not leaving this time," he promised.
Tai'ray smiled at his love, a moment allowed by the link for the simple fact that it was rare, very rare the link were privy to see Tai-ray interact with his loves. The sort of moment which would everyone talking for years about the strength of his love for his human mate. Chosen and loved by his current mates too. Acceptance and unafraid of the consequences he had brought down on himself.
"Dyn'ad," Tai'ray ordered, the man appearing by their sides. Hands gently turning Ryraso around and helping him to his knees. Dyn'ad shifted the robes and revealed Ryraso's back. It wasn't exactly flawless, the war having left some marks on him. Tai'ray looked at the brand again. It suddenly felt very heavy in his hands.
Dyn'ad held Ryraso in place but he couldn't stop the instinctual flinch as the heat nearing Ryraso's skin. The room silent as they watched Tai'ray press the iron to Ryraso's back. A sympathetic hiss of pain filling the room from those watching overpowered by the scream Ryraso let loose. It was a hoarse sound and Dyn'ad held Ryraso tightly as Tai'ray waited a moment to ensure the brand took. Tears rolled down Ryraso's face but he stayed put, biting his lip to stop the scream.
The burn of burning flesh hitting everyone noses. Eyeri hid his face into Yerir'o chest. Awen'do doing the same on his other side. Yerir'o quickly wrapped an arm around him too. Nel'os gripped Herymi tighter, having been the one to replace Dyn'ad in guarding Herymi. Nel'os' instincts were to help the healer and it was hard to watch him be injured so. Herymi reached up and gripped Nel'os hands reassuringly.
Tai'ray pulled the brand away, putting it back in the fire. Dyn'ad kissed the side of Ryraso's face as he heaved breathly. His breathing was harsh. Tai'ray reached forward to Ryraso but pulled back his hand back. It wasn't the time, not yet.
"Dyn'ad," Tai'ray ordered, barely able to keep his voice steady. What had he just done?
"Yes Winglord," Dyn'ad nodded, sweeping Ryraso up in his strong arms. Standing tall and cradling Ryraso to his chest, he took the man from the room and into an anti-chamber for his burns to be iced. It would hurt, oh it would burn so much more. But in the long run, it would help the burn heal faster.
Tai'ray longed to follow, but that had been the first. And the worst was yet to come. "Fetmar," he called, forcing himself to continue but gaining an idea from what had just happened. "Yerir'o," he also summoned. Yerir'o blinked in surprise before understanding the Winglord's thought process. He was to be the one to hold Fetmar into place before the brand burned into his skin. He moved, pushing the boys in the direction of Nel'os. Both understanding the silent order. This. This was going to be painful.
"I'm suddenly very glad you volunteered yesterday," O'chuter murmured to Herymi.
----s----
Fire burned through his skin like he was in hell itself. Ryraso knew, he had always known it was going to hurt. But this? It cut deep into his soul like the magic of the link itself was marking him. Maybe it was. It would explain why the brand never healed completely. The scar would never fade. He screamed again as ice was pressed on to the burns.
He found his himself clinging to the body in front of him like it was his only lifeline. His nails digging into the skin of whoever was trying to help him right now. He whimpered as he was held still by many hands.
"I have you," whispered a voice, holding him so very close. So familiar and yet the pain was too great for him to place it right now. All he was aware of was the burning on his back and in his chest. Ryraso dropped his head onto the crook of someone's neck.
"It burns," Ryraso whispered, closing his eyes, trying to focus on the gentle warmth under him. A large hand rubbed his lower back gently, murmuring gentle words that Ryraso felt more than heard.
"You can't sleep yet. More is to come," a voice warned softly.
"Ten lashes, I know. I remember," Ryraso breathed back, gripping on tight. They wouldn't whip him on the burns? No, they wouldn't be that cruel. They loved him. Didn't mean he was above the rules, if anything they applied more to him. But they wouldn't be cruel. "Going to scream more," he groaned, pressing his forehead to the shoulder, trying not to tense his back.
"Scream if you need to, people won't think less of you," Dyn'ad's voice finally breaking through the pained haze. "Everyone knows this is painful to go through. Wouldn't be a punishment if it wasn't," he said idly, rocking Ryraso gently.
"Punishment for coming home," Ryraso found himself muttering.
"Punishment for running away from home," Dyn'ad corrected. "You never should have left." His voice was so sorrowful not scolding or challenging like how Tai'ray was when that subject came up. "But you're back now and soon you can rest." Ryraso turned his head and just whimpered. Cradling Ryraso close, Dyn'ad watched as more and more of the caw were brought back for treatment. Yerir'o walked in with Fetmar and sat near to him, Fetmar flat out unconscious to the world.
The others were allowed to leave and go home or rather to their guardians/claimed nest to recover from the ideal, but Ryraso and Fetmar, they had one more thing coming to them. Dyn'ad could feel his nervous getting tighter with every moment waiting. He had no idea how Ryraso would be feeling.
"I..." Ryraso suddenly whispered, his nails digging into Dyn'ad skin painfully. "I want to go home," He said brokenly, the sound hurting Dyn'ad in different ways.
"You are home," Dyn'ad retorted, ignoring the looks he got from the other people in the room, his heartstrings tugging. They didn't understand at all, not even Yerir'o. All Dyn'ad wanted to do was steal Ryraso away and let him get away from this but Dyn'ad couldn't. Not without risking the rest of the caw fighting back too. Once word got out that the Winglord had whipped his chosen for fighting, it would be clear that no one was going to get away with that sort of behaviour. This was not just about them. It never was.
"Am I?" Ryraso asked, finally opening his eyes and looking around the room. "Doesn't look like home," he said mournfully. "Navat is so closed up now. It used to be open and light. Songs used to flow in the wind."
"It will be again. Soon," Dyn'ad promised, understanding the feeling. It wasn't like the k'nairi were unaware of the state of their home. So much of Navat had been changed to make it more defendable in the unlikely case of the Namya attacking. Or the more likely event of the Dmar turning on them. But it was still Navat at heart. It was saddening. "I promise. We'll make things better again," Dyn'ad swore, kissing Ryraso's cheek.