Bird of a Nest - Chapter 7: Chapter 7

"Dyn'ad, Yerir'o," a servant appeared in the room, bowing slowly. Dyn'ad recognized him as one of the ones assigned to the consort quarters. "Its time," he declared as he straightened up again gracefully, his wings curled behind his back, clearly awaiting some direction.
"Understood," Dyn'ad nodded. "We will be there momentarily," he declared, rubbing Ryraso's back, feeling how Ryraso had tensed up in his arms.
"We'll go first," Yerir'o promised, picking Fetmar up and carried him to the door. Fetmar had woken up since being brought into the room. His breathing still heavy while Ryraso's had evened out considerably.
Ryraso opened his eyes, as Dyn'ad stood up with him still in his arms. It felt safe being curled in Dyn'ad arms. Safe and warm. There was a part of him that just wanted to stay like that but then a cold sense of realisation coming over him. This was really happening. He was going to be whipped in front of the Royal court. Dyn'ad was going to carry him out like a lamb to the slaughter and Tai'ray was going to whip in for all to see.
This wasn't going to happen this way. Not at all.
Ryraso struggled, hissing in pain but desperately trying to get to his own feet. There were some things which had to be done and he was not about to let himself be carried to his punishment like a child. These were people who were never going to stop judging him but this was something that he was never going to escape if he allowed it to happen.
"Ryraso!" Dyn'ad yelped, holding him firmly, not about to let go.
"Let me down, Dyn'ad!" Ryraso ordered in a growl, ignoring the burning from his back. This was not the time to let pain hold him back. This was not the time, he had to be more than this now. He had to be.
"This is happening, please don't make it any harder than it has to be," Dyn'ad pleaded, trying to hold the man still and keep him in his arms. Dyn'ad didn't want to have to drag the man back into the great hall for his whipping. It wasn't dignified and it wasn't right. It would ruin Ryraso's reputation.
Ryraso's growling intensified. "Let me down! If this must happen, I will walk to it. You can carry me after. Put. Me. Down!" He yelled. Ryraso was not some hatchling to be carried everywhere after an injury. His legs worked fine, for the moment and he would walk to his fate. Not be carried like an invalid! If he let himself be carried he would lose the respect of the nobles. "I will walk," he pressed firmly, looking directly into Dyn'ad's eyes.
"Ryraso..." Dyn'ad murmured, those eyes burning into him. HIs instincts said no.  Ryraso was his chosen, as head of the nest it was his job to protect him as much as he could but. That look. Ryraso was determined. Dyn'ad slowly lowered Ryraso back down to his feet. Ryraso nodded firmly and pressed up to give Dyn'ad a deep kiss. Taking control, Dyn'ad pressed into it making it deeper and pressing their heads together. "I love you," he murmured, eyes closed as he felt Ryraso tremble against him.
"And I love you," Ryraso breathed before turning around sharply. He stumbled on his first step, Dyn'ad's arms reached out to catch him and Ryraso grabbed them for a moment. The human's shoulders shifted and he forced himself forward, this time his footing more stable. Walking towards the door, Dyn'ad kept on his heels in case he needed help but respected Ryraso's will enough to remain a slight distance away.
The servant dutifully opened the door and Ryraso walked out in the hall his head held high. Herymi was being cut down from where he had been pinned up to receive his lashing. Ryraso noticed the marks were on his ass and thighs. Relief flowed through him. They wouldn't be hitting the burns. He knew this and yet somehow the fear had still been there.  Dyn'ad's hand landed on his shoulder and jolted slightly before moving forward again, walking towards where Herymi had been strung up.
Herymi fell into O'chutur's arms, the k'nairi visibly shaken as he bundled the man up. The Winglord knelt down and kissed both of them on the forehead. Herymi whimpered but allowing it, Ryraso able to see the gleam of sweat and tears on his face. O'chuter just looked a lot more younger than he had done so far, holding his love close.
"Are Eyeri and Aw'endo still here?" Ryraso asked softly, unsure of how Eyeri was taking the sight of this. He had known what was to occur tonight, but knowing and seeing were two separate things. How were his sons doing, and would they be forced to watch as both their father and brother were whipped after being branded?
"Yes but Nel'os is looking after them. If Eyeri starts to struggle too much he will remove him. He's shaken at the moment but not ..." Dyn'ad struggled for the word. "Nel'os will know when to remove him from the room," he promised.
"Good," Ryraso nodded. Eyeri and Aw'endo... Ryraso couldn't demand the Royal's remove him from the room. Much for the similar reason why he couldn't let Dyn'ad carry him like a child to the whip. It was a respect thing. Eyeri and Aw'endo needed to be seen as strong young men. Which involved dealing with things they didn't want to.
Fetmar went next. Yerir'o carried him most of the way but Fetmar pushed out of his arms. The commander walked shakily up to the station nervously but still walking. Ryraso smiled bitterly, feeling Dyn'ad hold his hand. Ryraso let him. Fetmar was a warrior.  He would understand the importance of walking to your fate the same as Ryraso did. Tai'ray helped him into the straps, refusing to let one of the servants did it. Something was whispered but Ryraso, nor the rest of the room could hear it. Tai'ray moved his robes out the way so the whip would hit his flesh.
There was no warning, Tai'ray just started. There was no counting, just the sound of leather against flesh. Every strike was painful to watch and hear. It took all his will not to call out or try to intervene. His nature as a healer but also as the younger man's surrogate father demanding he try to help. But he couldn't.
By the fifth stroke, Fetmar's face was covered in tears. On the seventh, he started to yell out in pain, blood starting to drip down on the stone. After the ten, his knees gave out. His body going limp in the straps but he was still awake and aware. The commander was young, but a person didn't get to the position he was in without pulling a few risks. Even if they worked, Fetmar would have been punished a few times. He wasn't used to it, but his tolerance for the pain would be slightly higher than the average caw.
Tai'ray gestured at Yerir'o, who immediately jumped up and started pulling Fetmar down from the pole. Tai'ray helped with some of the more complicated knots but Yerir'o swept Fetmar up quickly. "Ry," Tai'ray called. "My dear one, your turn," he summoned, offering his hand out.
Ryraso walked over, Dyn'ad holding his hand as long as he could before Ryraso moved out of his reach. Ryraso's steps were slow but determined. Fetmar reached for him as he came closer, Yerir'o holding the young man there for a moment even after Ryraso reached him. Allowing Ryraso to kiss his forehead and murmured a word of comfort before Fetmar was taken away. The link allowed it out of kindness. Fetmar had endured his punishment admirably and Ryraso was ready to endure his own.
"Protect him," Ryraso ordered, meeting Yerir'o's eyes. "Hurt him now and you'll see a new level of hell," he warned. Yerir'o expression was like stone, very tense and he nodded firmly. Fetmar was too vulnerable at the moment for someone to hurt him more. Ryraso was about to be whipped but he knew he could get the Royals to tear Yerir'o apart if he dared hurt Fetmar now.
Tai'ray's finger trembled as he gripped the whip. Whipping Fetmar and Herymi had been hard. But this was going to be the real test. Whether he was strong enough to keep up the façade of being the Winglord while striking Ryraso. It wasn't abuse. It was punishment for going against a nation. Still, as he watched Ryraso kiss Fetmar, his heart wanted to break.
He had to be strong or else the Caw would fight against him. He had to be strong and trust Ryraso understood why he had to do this and didn't hate him. He had to be strong.
Ryraso turned to face him. His eyes almost having that dangerous look Ryraso sometimes got but he smiled at Tai'ray before moving into place. His body shivering but he was obeying the rules and let Tai'ray strapped him on the post. His arms were stretched above his head and Ryraso closed his eyes, letting his head fall against the wood waiting for the impending pain.
"I love you," Tai'ray whispered, spoken privately through the link. A special message for just Ryraso, though Dyn'ad and Nel'os could hear it too. Them echoing the feeling.
"I know," Ryraso murmured back, smiling despite himself. An echo of the love he felt bouncing through the link back to them. He loved them. He knew that. Despite everything that had happened, he loved them. How he was going to tell his friends and allies was a problem for another day.
Tai-ray took a deep breath and struck. The whip whizzing through the air and striking fiercely. The pain of the strike was not like the burn of the brand but it wasn't far off. Ryraso held in the scream he wanted to yell, wanting to be strong like Fetmar had been. Blood flowed from his lip as he bit through it. But by the third strike, he couldn't hold it in anymore. He was not a soldier, nor someone who had endured great pain. He was a healer.
Every yell of pain dug into Tai'ray's heart but he didn't soften his blows. He had to be fair. He could let the link see him falter from his duties. He continued. The link whispered reassurances, and Dyn'ad's mind was next to his own, supporting him. He had to finish this. He had too.
Ryraso fainted on the last strike.