Bird of a Nest (bow 3)

Chapter 41

"Where is he?" Ryraso demanded, sitting up and shifting away from Cai'ress. He was going to strangle someone today. He could tell. One of his boys had hurt himself. Either he y at was going to strangle Aw'endo for being foolish or he was going to strangle whoever had been responsible for looking after him. His anger dimmed as he realised he was in that number and this time he couldn't blame anyone else.

Dyn'ad moved to stop him, a hand on his shoulder. Ryraso glared, but Dyn'ad just shook his head. "He escaped to the rooms. Tai'ray has gone after him. Now is not the time to be scolding him, " Dyn'ad murmured.

"I want to see him," Ryraso argued, but as he tried to stand, pain shot through his torso. He clutched at it as Dyn'ad held him close, strong arms keeping him up as he rocked through the searing pain.

"You are in no state to be screaming at our son," Dyn'ad added, voice still gentle but there was a touch of something else in his voice. Not quite impatience but Ryraso was yanking on Dyn'ad protective instincts fiercely. "You're not healed completely yet. You and I both know that."

"I wasn't going to scream at him," Ryraso grumbled but curled into Dyn'ad's shoulder as Dyn'ad sat next to him. Dyn'ad kissed his forehead and rocking him gently. "How is Iss'vine?"

"She was distressed. The attendants healed her injuries easily enough. We gave her the rest of the day off with the option to take a few days leave if she needs it," Cai'ress shifted, wings twitching. A moan of pain escaped him. Dyn'ad's wing spread over him, as he looked at the injured man tiredly. Cai'ress shuddered but settled. For someone who usually slept alone, Cai'ress subconscious was not happy with the arrangement. Dyn'ad doubted they would be able to leave Cai'ress alone even once he was awake without risking him putting a similar action.

"Is someone with her?"

Dyn'ad nodded. "That was an interesting standoff. Ambassador Est'as and her girls tried to steal her away only for Ril'shy and then Tai'hon to appear. Ril'shy was the most dominant I've ever seen him. Didn't realise he could be," Dyn'ad chuckled. "He'll have to apologise for being rude but watching him square up to Est'as was something to be remembered."

"Ril'shy... The tailor?" Ryraso frowned, racking his brains to remember just who that was. Ril'shy was one of the more popular tailors in the court. Now he thought about it, some of Eyeri's clothes had come from the man. The image Ryraso was getting was a softly spoken, head in the clouds man who was scatter-minded at the best of times. If it was the same man, seeing him stand up against a warrior would have been very out of character. Then again, even flowers had thorns when pressed. "I'm sure Ambassador Est'as has faced worse in her time. How did Tai'hon get involved?"

Ambassador Est'as who had asked him to do something. Something which he kept forgetting to do with everything that kept happening. Inwardly he groaned. The Winglady was a calm woman, but with the latest developments, her patience would be starting to run thin with them all.

"She blocked them from stopping Ril'shy. Apparently, before the Winglord demanded tribute and her family offered her up, Tai was courting with one of Est'as' bonded. It looked like there was some unresolved tension there. Tai'hon commented on them not being brave enough to face her so they would have let Aw'endo hurt himself worse. Est'as wasn't happy. She demanded an apology. Tai'hon reminded her that Tai'hon didn't need to make such a thing as a former consort and former courter of the woman. She never rescinded her intend to bond, it was taken from her so," Dyn'ad shrugged helplessly. "I think she may have opened a can of worms there."