Bird of a Flock (Bow 2)

Chapter 30

Tai'ray picked the pleading boy up and flew up into the clouds, heading back to the palace. The guards had already rounded up the Sparrows and were currently transporting them to the dungeons. He would have to deal with them later too. There was one human who wasn't a Sparrow who would cause a few issues but the others he would be keeping in Navat. It would be easy enough to arrange and ensure.

As he flew, Eyeri continued to struggle in his grip and beg Tai'ray not to do this to him. Eyeri was kicking and twisting like he wasn't being carried miles up in the air but it seemed his fear of the situation was overriding his common sense. Eventually, Tai'ray grew tired of the boy's wild struggling and pleads. He let go of him, holding the human youngling by one arm, hovering in one place in the air.

Eyeri screamed in pure terror, looking up at Tai'ray with an almost betrayed look, tears running down his face. His legs kicked out as if they could do anything to stop his descent if Tai'ray chose to let go of his arm and let him plummet to the ground below. The mantra of 'please, no,' changed to 'I'm sorry."

"Right boy, listen up," Tai'ray yelled down at the child, his talons digging into the boy's arm. "I can either fly back to the palace with you like this, or I can carry you like I did the days it took to fly here. Either way, you are very much going into the cage. Now stop struggling, and the apologies. It's too late for that now," he ordered darkly. It was an unfair threat to make and he knew it but his patience was gone with Eyeri at the moment.

"I'm sorry, please don't do it. I won't try again I promise. Please don't. I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Eyeri continued to plead, repeating those words over and over, though he was no longer struggling against the grip. His body was jerking slightly from hiccups and Tai'ray could feel the boy's heart fluttering wildly.

"Be quiet," Tai'ray growled, really not having the patience to listen to Eyeri's pleas. He should have spoken when he was given the chance to explain; now it was just annoying. "I do not want to hear another word from your mouth. Is. That. Understood?" he yelled.

He got a choked sob in reply. He waited a moment but Eyeri said nothing, just crying. Gently, Tai'ray pulled the boy back up, held him like a toddler, hugging him tightly. Eyeri buried his face into the crook of Tai'ray's shoulder and sobbed, clutching onto the man. Tai'ray hugged him and stroked his back gently, rocking the human boy as he cried. He waited for the worst of the sobs to die down before he carried on to the palace. "I'm sorry, youngling," he murmured to the human young, "But I can't have you escaping," he breathed as he let his wings given a powerful flap to get them moving again.

Eyeri clung to Tai'ray as they flew back to the palace, no one stopping them. It was the Winglord, after all. No one would dare question him in his own city. He was barely aware of the journey as he cried. He had failed to escape, again, and this time he was going to suffer for it. As were his brother, Zaro and the Sparrows.

When they landed, Tai'ray carried Eyeri right to the consort rooms. Eyeri slowly calmed down as Tai'ray hummed and bounced him up and down. Once inside the rooms, Tai'ray locked the main door and set the child back on his feet. Eyeri rubbed his eyes and sniffed, Tai'ray making him look him in the eyes again. Eyeri met them and for a moment all Tai'ray could see was a vulnerable young boy. Then his vision expanded. Eyeri was young and vulnerable but he was not a baby. He was a young man and had to learn to face the consequences of such actions. Especially when said consequences had been warned.

"Go use the restroom, Eyeri. Wash up and get ready for bed while you're there," Tai'ray ordered softly, pushing a strand of hair behind Eyeri's ear. "You'll be in there for the night." Eyeri's eyes filled with fear again but he nodded mutely and quickly rushed to obey. Obedient and meek until he was running off to escape with his brother, Eyeri was going to be acting like a slave again for a while, Tai'ray could feel it. There was no middle ground.