Bird of a Nest (bow 3)

Chapter 12

Fetmar was sitting growling. It was almost amusing to watch. The human young man making noises that k'nairi younglings also made. Dyn'ad resisted the urge to tease the man, knowing this was not the time to do. Dyn'ad felt like growling too. The situation was not good and they were both helpless in it. They were warriors. He sat next to the human on the balcony and offered a bottle of beer idly. Fetmar looked it for a moment but took it, crossing his arms and looking out into the distance. It was early in the evening and the sun was starting to set, making the sky light up in oranges and reds. 

"Missing Yerir'o?" Dyn'ad asked, not sure where to start on this one. Eyeri was under review. Even with all their promised Eyeri would be able to learn how to heal, if Pol'ar decided Eyeri was not worthy too, that was it. And Ryraso would be in danger of losing his license too. Yerir'o had gone to be Loror's left-hand man leaving Fetmar alone with people he didn't trust and the ones he cared for in trouble in ways he couldn't help with. 

"It's been less than 24 hours," Fetmar said gruffly, taking a sip of the beer. "He spent every second next to me. I'm enjoying being able to move at the moment," he admitted softly. "Still, it is strange to not have him here."

Dyn'ad smirked and bumped Fetmar's shoulder. "We'll keep you safe. Its a shame he had to leave," he hummed. 

"Couldn't be helped. He's still D'mar," Fetmar breathed. 

"We are," Dyn'ad agreed. "Pol'ar's not. He's neutral," he mused thinking over who had declared their intentions for the war effort. Pol'ar had refused to leave Navat or join the D'mar. With his age, no one had complained. The healer's circle and the priests had tried to remain neutral and not take sides. Though Dyn'ad was pretty much Ton'eath was D'mar technically or at least had shown favour to that side. 

"That so?" Fetmar growled. "Still an asshole for doing this."

"He doesn't know Eyeri's past. Even if he did, it's his job to weed out people not suited for the job and I'm not saying Eyeri isn't," Dyn'ad defended as Fetmar glared at him. "But Eyeri maybe did start for the wrong reasons. He never really had any choices, did he?" Dyn'ad pointed out. "Might not be the worse thing in the world if he has to find a path from scratch."

"Choice? You mean like any of us in the war?" Fetmar said darkly. "We were all forced to become soldiers. Even Oira. He's a scientist first but even that path wasn't the one he wanted to take. He actually did have dreams of being a healer before our village was burned to the ground. Instead, life took him down a different path. Makio wanted to be a musician, not that our parents took much notice of that." Fetmar stretched his shoulders. "I was meant to be a farmer. I can't say I regret not being so but none of us got choices, Royal Bonded."

Dyn'ad grimaced, the boy not realising the implications behind him calling him that. He had a choice and he had forced it. It didn't help that Fetmar was entirely correct.  The younger generation had suffered more than one way because of the war. "Now he does," he offered. "But first, we need to get him through this week."

---x---

Ryraso walked through the gardens, trying not to worry too much about his sons as the sunset. Gar'kin and his workers had done a good job and even at this weird time of the year, there were flowers blooming and the sounds of insects and birds surrounded him. He was alone for the most part. The odd movement betrayed the guards that he wasn't truly alone but that was impossible now. The k'nairi were not going to let him go but they could respect that he needed a moment of peace.