Bird of a Nest (bow 3)

Chapter 31

A/N: Things are a little dark and gory at the moment. Please proceed with caution if gore unsets you. Next chapter will return to safe enough. Well, mostly. 

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Fast drugs were not as instant as stories made them seem. Even if this drug was fast-acting, it would take a while before the effects started to show. Ryraso clenched and unclenched his fists, reaching out and yanking Cai'ress close to him as Om'hat drank his tea. Cai'ress didn't fight the move, and the hands didn't appear to stop him. Cai'ress clutched to his clothes with shaking hands, himself almost naked at this point. Ryraso rarely had the desire to tear a man apart. Right now, facing Om'hat, the image was extremely appealing.

"On the face of it, you have a lot of good qualities. In general, people want to see if you can be tamed rather than removed," Om'hat noted, his eyes watching as Ryraso took off his jacket and placed it over Cai'ress. "The problems lies in that the qualities of a good mate and a good royal are different. You are not equal in their relationship. You are below them."

"They prefer me on top in general,"

Om'hat clicked, Cai'ress flinching violently. He might have moved, but Ryraso's grip on the man was bruising at this point. He was not going to let Cai'ress leave his side until he had no choice. "Crudeness is not a good quality in any mate,"

"You haven't spent much time around warriors, have you?" Ryraso sniffed. How was he going to get out of here? With the magic blocking the link, hopefully, the others had noticed and were looking for him. He couldn't attack or fight here. Not with so many guards ready to pin him. The only weapon at his disposal was the still burning knife that Om'hat had used to scar Cai'ress. "You don't get their respect by being polite. The royals are warriors now, or have you forgotten?"

"Equal mates are different," Om'hat waved his hand in a dismissive nature. The way he was talking about equal and submissive mates, Om'hat was a faithful follower of the old ways. Tai'ray and Dyn'ad were 'equal' because they were both dominants. Nel' os as first bonded was also an 'equal' by respect for his position. Everyone else was not equal. "You are a submissive mate. Even if that is not your nature. Their time as warriors has not spoiled their tongues, nor should you allow yours to be so either."

Ryraso scowled at him. Om'hat wasn't wrong in that statement. Ryraso knew that, but he saw no reason to put on his palace face when he was being threatened by a pimp. "You're not wrong in that I am not submissive by nature."

"Which is not necessarily a bad thing," Om'hat allowed. "Even former Winglords would struggle to know what to do with your profession. A healer," There was a pause as the man found the right words. "A healer can not throw away their gifts so easily. It is a respectable position. However, it requires a level of attitude that a submissive mate should not show. By all rights, you should resign from that job and retire to the courtrooms. The rumours are that you were Goddess blessed?"