Legend of Ransera

"We can, yes," Kaus answered. And Kala added, "I believe that is a talent of the Re'hyæn elves, for neither the Hytori nor the Siltori can claim anything similar. Although, much of what I have heard is rumor only. You confirm it..."

"If you were bonded to me," Kaus continued, "some of you and Kala would cross. I am so closely entwined with her, it would take constant vigilance to keep you out of my thoughts, or keep her out of mine."

"I rather think it would take more to pull one of us in too many directions than your average Avialæ," Kala said, taking up the Leukos side of the conversation. "Bonds are, with some exceptions, matters of mutual agreement. The Kathar are enslaved via the magic of the Obelisk. A master manipulator, with or without the aid of Mesmer or Semblance, might incite a bond under false pretenses. But we bonded in the womb. We could hardly have been conscious enough to do so, but we did. We don't know life without each other, and so we are anchored in each other. We ground each other. So, it would take more to unbalance us."

She smiled after his kiss.

Kaus said, "You will see," after Raithen made his desire known. The twins sat up, crossing their legs underneath them. They were individuals, clearly related, but there were tics and traits that marked them as closer than siblings. They understood the world through each other as much as through their own experiences.

Kaus put his hand over Raithen's heart. Kala pulled Raithen's hand up to splay against her sternum. She put her hand over Kaus' and Raithen's. Kaus did the same once he had Raithen's hand against his heart. They brought their foreheads together with the dux's. Kala, whose fiery childhood temper had required quite a bit of meditation, began to sync her breath with Raithen's and then her heartbeat. Kaus did the same, following her lead.

It had been a gradual, easy thing with Ceran and Indric, but that had developed over time. This was the accelerated version. It must have looked comical if anyone could have seen, but eventually, behind closed eyes, a third eye seemed to open and a little bit of the twins poured into Raithen even as a little bit of him flowed into them. It was decidedly a thing. Though light, it was undeniable.

There was a touch of shock, some of it, understandably, from Raithen, for whom this was new. There was an answering shock from Kala, who felt as though she had taken far more than she had given of herself, though she was calm enough in the light trance that she knew she would figure it out later, that it was likely something to do with being a Firstborn, and a Moritasi.

The twins opened their eyes when Raithen spoke, everyone smiling as they leaned back to look at him, hands falling to laps, but holding onto hands. They maintained their calm, sharing it with him, anchoring him in the moment, assuring him with their sure knowledge that everything was fine. He was safe, appreciated, wanted. Kala remained calm, though Kaus' exhilaration kept her smiling.

Not holding anything back, Raithen could feel the sincerity of their feelings for him, and that echoed through everything they had ever said to him. Kaus didn't hide the flutter in his chest that Raithen inspired. He wasn't an idiot, but he was infatuated. Kala was too in her way, though it was markedly different from her twin's.

They were patient with him, and pleased that he couldn't hide the sincerity of his feelings for them either. There was a pang of sadness from Kaus that Raithen's feelings weren't of the same character as his own, but he processed it on the spot—rare for someone of his age, but he had always had an empathetic heart beating next to his own, helping him with thoughts and feelings. He didn't blame Raithen, and he was pleased with what Raithen did feel. He hoped the golden dux understood that even through such a light bond.

They laughed at the words he offered when he was finally coherent.

"You'll find, I think," Kaus said, "that you can get used to anything." That said, he looked to Kala, a sense of expectation thrumming through their bonds. She looked from Kaus to Raithen, pale eyebrows rising gently.

"I can release it now," she said slowly. "No bonding hangover, although, you might have strange dreams tonight. Bits and pieces of us being turned over in your subconscious mind."

Kaus gave Raithen's hand a squeeze, then rose with his strange coltish grace. He stretched his limbs, mantled his wings, then shook some of the sand out of them. Much would slough off on the flight back to the city, but it was an instinct to keep his means of flight unencumbered. They didn't even needs the palms for shade anymore as the sun sank toward the western horizon.

His stomach was beginning to growl again. It was rare Kaus couldn't put a meal away; his body was given little opportunity to store energy the way he lived. He and Kala ate like birds—raptors. At least they had better table manners.

But Kala remained seated beside their temporary bondmate, wanting to ensure the entirety of the process was well done.

(Un)fortunately for Raithen, they were well-versed in Avialæ bonds. As he tried to grit his teeth against the pain, he was suddenly awash with warmth from two souls or perhaps a twinned soul, that had allowed him to burrow in between them for warmth. It wasn't a warmth the sun or the Sceptre could match, but rather something somewhat ineffable.

Kala twined her limbs about him, and Kaus knelt back down to wrap his arms around the golden dux. The physical nearness of them heightened the feelings, and while the bonds were a slender thread compared to the river that flowed back and forth between the twins, the feelings were strong enough that Raithen couldn't deny that they came from without.

They were radically honest with their feelings, and it was quite difficult to lie to a bondmate. Kaus was infatuated, knew it was not reciprocated, but was content with what was requited. Kala was intrigued, wanted to know more. Both twins were attracted to him, and his body was the least of that. They wanted to take him home with them, firmly connect him with his Avialæ brethren among the Synnekar, but there was a faint melancholy that he would feel torn from his home if they did.

Kala stretched up to kiss him on the mouth, chaste, but only so as not to confuse the moment. Kaus squeezed his hand.

"We are content to keep the bond," she said seriously. "We can revisit before we return to Kalzasi, but even if we leave it then, it won't matter much until next we meet. Would you like that, Raithen?"

The both of them were stroking skin, hair, feathers, not keeping him from his feelings, but soothing the pains he didn't quite understand.

Points: 20 each due to the double length of the thread
Either may use for magic

Injuries/Ailments: A bit of ongoing heartache for Raithen as a side effect to a new bond with those who will be far away soon.

Loot: A new bond between Kaus and Raithen, a new bond between Kala and Raithen

Notes: Surely there will be no unexpected consequences to these actions.

Mod XP: None