Bird of a Wing - Chapter 37: Chapter 37

'Tai?' Nel'os called over the bond gently, waking him from his muses about Herymi. 'The village elders are coming to greet us,' he said teasingly, knowing Tai'ray had been lost in his thoughts.
Tai'ray shook himself, starling Eyeri slightly before flying to greet the elder men of the village, surprised to meet a woman with them as well. Few females had settled this far out, and even fewer stayed past their prime. "Hold on, Eyeri," Tai'ray warned gently before flying with them. A greeting flight dance, simple but traditional when the Winglord was staying somewhere which was not Navat. Eyeri held on through the dance, pressing close to Tai'ray but not smelling particularly scared of what was occurring.
They landed and Tai'ray let the boy slide off his back, taking Eyeri by the hand before anyone could shoo him away. Eyeri looked over at where the other had landed, Tai'ray's mates and son being led away to guest quarters. Ryraso looked back over, but Tai'ray just tugged the boy with him to greet and talk with the village Guardian, the head of the elders and person responsible for the village... They were still close enough to the border that Ryraso could get ideas if Tai'ray wasn't careful.
"Winglord," The guardian of the town greeted warmly, bowing respectfully, before showing him the way to a private room to talk in. "You honour us with your presence and have our gratitude for bringing out lost lamb back, if only for a night." He was speaking in human tongues which surprised Eyeri slightly. He had been expecting to be unaware of everything going on around him.
"It will be a pleasure to sleep among the song of the link again, Guardian Fl'ex" Tai'ray smiled softly, taking in the man who had raised Herymi from a boy to a man. "I'm sorry I let O'chuter steal Herymi away before greeting you first."
Guardian Fl'ex was clearly past the prime of his life, likely in his last quarter of seasons. The guardian's black hair was greying and his feathers were not shiny, but he stood tall with a straight back. A man who had served his town proud and was, more importantly, a good man. Fl'ex was the type the royal triad approved off, someone who would carry his role until he physically couldn't anymore.
Fl'ex's warm smile turned sad for a moment at the mention of O'chuter. "To be fair Winglord, they are the ones who need to see him the most. I have missed my son, Winglord. That doesn't mean I am not as much to blame for Herymi's leaving, once I knew what was occurring I should have spoken to the boy about it, but my duties at the time..." he trailed off. "Still. You have returned him to us and while Herymi lives in Navat, I can at least visit and see him then if there is no time tonight," Fl'ex finished with a broader smile.
"I understand the issues that arise between guardianship of a child and guardianship of a people," Tai'ray smiled back, glancing over his shoulder even though he knew Aw'endo was now cooing over the silk sheets in the guest nest. "My own charge has given me headaches of my own."
Chuckling, Fl'ex's eyes looked down at Eyeri who was half hiding behind Tai'ray at this point, his blue eyes looking at Fl'ex warily. "Is this the troublesome charge, or is your pretty limpet someone else?"
Tai'ray let go of Eyeri's hand and drew the human so he was standing in front of him, placing an arm on his shoulders protectively. "He is certainly a charge, but not so troublesome yet. Hopefully not ever but I would be a fool to assume that," Tai'ray said with a wink. Eyeri let out a strange noise of complaint. Tai'ray beamed and tightened his grip for a moment fondly. "Eyeri is Ryraso's apprentice and foster son. With Tayagwe being so close to the border, I thought I should keep Eyeri close, least Ryraso gets any ideas."
"Your chosen is unwilling to return?" Fl'ex said sympathetically, as they walked in the room. It was simple, wooden but there were runes decorating it to promote privacy and to avoid people listening in to them. There were two glasses of water on the table and three cups with a kettle nearby with tea brewing. Fl'ex sat gracefully on a green cushion and Tai'ray sat on a large blue cushion and pulled Eyeri so he was sitting next to him on it. Glancing around and pleased to find they were still in private with no one around, Tai'ray shrugged.
"Ryraso wishes to come home, however he feels a lot of guilt for having caused Eyeri to be pulled into this. If the D'mar human troops were as trustworthy as our own, maybe I would have allowed Eyeri to go but I didn't feel safe giving him to them to return to his family. So Eyeri will remain with us and go through the ceremony like the others," he said firmly, his hand patting Eyeri's hair fondly. Eyeri shifted so he was more comfortable on the cushion and ended up leaning against Tai'ray. He blushed slightly but seemed to relax against him. "Water, Eyeri?" Tai'ray asked, not unaware of the fact that they had been flying for a long time.
"Yes please, Winglord," Eyeri said lowly, not really knowing the decorum here. He was a kidnapped healer appreciate, just how was he supposed to act?
Tai'ray passed him a glass and looked at Fl'ex calmly. "Is Jak still among your number?" Tai'ray asked gently.
Fl'ex let out an unhappily exhale as he nodded. "Jak remains with us but I think it will only be a matter of time before he moves on to another town, Winglord" Fl'ex revealed.
Eyeri blinked twice at the name. It was a human name and a southern name at that. Tai'ray frowned beside him. "Do you think he would leave us?" Tai'ray asked gently. Jak had been a human who had stayed with the k'nairi despite them going D'mar. A mechanic who kept the various devices of the border town going, such as the water purifier and other things which had a mechanical element as much as a magical, he was single. He was also a timid man and sometimes timid humans grew weary of living with the k'nairi even once they were linked. How to treat such people was hard now, technically no human who lived on k'nairi lands was allowed to leave or they would be considered a caw, but sometimes despite the link there was something missing in their lives with the k'nairi.
"No," Fl'ex shook his head. "Jak is loyal to the k'nairi, he is just a little lonely, Winglord."
"I will talk with him. I was hoping to have Jak talk to Eyeri about the ceremony for non-traitors," Tai'ray commented softly. He was going to need help explaining the brand to Eyeri and Jak was the perfect human for the job. Jak had been one of the ones to take it willingly, rather than be blackmailed into it. The boy would need to understand that the brand was not a slave mark, that the brand did not make the bearer the k'nairi's slave, despite what some would grumble. He would have explained it himself, but he felt it was something better to hear from someone of your own race.
Fl'ex nodded, looking outside of the window and over the forest canopy. "Please don't worry him too much. I don't want him thinking we are expecting him to leave. This is Jak's home as much as it is Herymi's or any of the younglings in our care," Fl'ex said fondly.
"Herymi's 33," Eyeri frowned, remembering a conversation from being around the fire during their travels.
"Still a youngling to me," Fl'ex chuckled at the young human's unhappy face at the thought he would still be called a youngling at 33. Tai'ray smiled softly and kissed the side of Eyeri's head. "To be exact my youngling. I was Herymi's guardian from when he was sixteen to until he left, and still am if he still sees me as such," Fl'ex said gently. "I'm very proud of him, even if he did join the Namya," he added with a teasing tone.
Eyeri flushed but nodded and drank some more of his water. Tai'ray sat with the Guardian as they discussed the issues of the border village, Tai'ray musing in the back of his mind about the long list of things he had to do yet.
For a start, Tai'ray had to officially present his own chosen to court. It was time Ryraso learnt his place even if that did mean forcing the man to accept the courting. Tai'ray would never harm him after all. Quite the opposite, he was going to treasure the human for the rest of his life. He was even going to let him continue his job and do everything to ensure he was happy. Now he just had to convince Ryraso of that.
As the sun set, torch fires began to burn and the village was lit with excitement as bards put on their best pieces in order to entertain the royal triad. The royals held themselves well, used to such things and watched with enjoyment on their faces. Ryraso smiled at the excitement of the village children as Aw'endo played with them, Eyeri dragged in as a novelty. Dyn'ad's arm was around his waist possessively and Ryraso was too tired at that moment to fight it.
Herymi reappeared looking slightly worse for wear as three k'nairi watched over his every move. Ryraso frowned, counting the k'nairi who had their eyes firmly on Herymi as he walked over to the village Guardian. The elderly k'nairi greeted the man warmly and wrapped his arms around Herymi and kissed his forehead. Ryraso could have sworn there were four in the Herymi's friends' nest.
"Someone wasn't happy it seems," Dyn'ad murmured into his hair. Ryraso shifted away from him to look him in the face. Dyn'ad's expression offered him nothing but before he could question Dyn'ad further, or even ask Herymi, the drums to say the banquet was ready were sounded.
Dyn'ad's arm dropped from his waist and instead, Nel'os appeared next to him, pressing a kiss to his cheek and taking his hand. "Come on, you're next to me and Herymi," Nel'os grinned. "Dyn'ad's got babysitting duties," he teased.
"I'm sure the boys will be well behaved," Dyn'ad said dryly, pressing a kiss of his own before moving to herd them out of the town's hatchings.
Ryraso flushed as he was pulled to the banquet table by the ever eager Nel'os. He wasn't completely unaware that his prospective nest were trying to keep him from being with his sons without 'ray passed them, talking to the female elder, but stroked a hand down Ryraso's back, his wings reaching around to press against Nel'os's wings fondly.
Ryraso was going to have to get used to them being tender with him in public. He was fast coming to the realisation that if he couldn't get Eyeri and himself out of there before Navat, he was going to have to accept courting, at least publically. An idea which made his stomach feel queasy, even with the delicious food laid out in front of them.
This was going to be harder than he thought.