Increase

*Maazi...*
      Lutra curled around the little hybrid, nuzzling the soft blue hair and dozing lightly as A'soraoi fed contentedly at her breast. Then she yelped as a set of sharp teeth closed around her other nipple, glaring down at A'daku, who had squirmed his way close and was now copying his machii, suckling happily. At her frown he pulled back, lower lip trembling.
      *But maazi Lu-lu... I's hun'ry too...*
      She sighed and stroked his mane. He wasn't hungry - and anyway his digestive system wasn't adapted to need milk - but he and Ry'ishi hated being left out of anything that A'soraoi did or had. Though this 'sharing' worked both ways - Lutra had nearly had heart failure when she'd woken from a doze to find the twins feeding her hina tiny bits of raw meat...
      It had led to some considerable disgruntlement when A'soraoi's wings had started to grow. The twins had been fascinated, and asked Lutra when their's would appear. The tears and wails when they'd been told they didn't have wings kept the family awake for a full two days. In the end Ry had had to take the pair off to a pretty, secluded part of the palace grounds and try to explain to them the differences between them and their little brother...
      They came back more knowledgeable but still somewhat confused, and spent the next ten days asking everyone in the family who their maazi and papa and dadda were and why. Eventually Zha'haabron took the pair into his arms and gently *told* them about their heritage, after which the questions slackened off a bit. But not by much.

Zh'leet packed the three newest hostlings off to bed, rubbed a clawed hand over her brow and humphed at Br'yaan.
      "They'll be the death of me, I swear it! And here I thought 'haavok and 'honee and the brat prince were handfuls!"
      The tz'een smiled gently.
      "Indeed. But such intelligence and enquiring minds..."
      Zh'leet hissed and reached for Vinas' patent R'ren'nkh'ian headache cure, a fast-acting compound he'd devised soon after A'lestrel had been born.
      "It's their poor parents I feel sorry for..."

A'lestrel flopped down on the sleeping platform and was immediately smothered by hostlings: Ry'ishi wrapped a long tail around his arm, A'daku cuddled up at his side, and A'soraoi sat on his chest, legs over his shoulders and rich turquoise wings flapping merrily if a little erratically - he was a fair way off learning control yet. Ry laughed, then scooped the infant Zasshu off their hybrid parent and into his own arms.
      "C'mon little horrors. Let 'lestrel get his breath back!"
      Lutra watched, smiling proudly. It had come as something of a shock when she'd first seen what colour her child's wings were going to be - tenshi-jin wings were almost always soft pastel colours, so the deep rich blue-green was highly unusual. But very beautiful. He was going to cause quite a sensation when she took him home to visit...
      Though that would have to wait until he could fly. She eyed her bondmate: 'lestrel looked tired again.
      *You are still working too hard.*
      He smiled wearily.
      *The corps is busy.*
      *The corps is always busy. I'm sure Zyelenyi would survive for a few days without you.*
      He sighed and closed his eyes, so didn't see her glower. She'd have to have words with the head of the diplomatic corps.
      But that could wait until tomorrow. Tonight they were going to eat, then the hostlings were going to spend a little time with Zha'haarak, and she and 'lestrel were going to spend a little time by themselves.
      And Ry was going to visit 'raadiin.

Kiraz glanced up as Ry entered the private room quietly, shaking his head at his friend's enquiring glance. 'raadiin lay curled up on the bed, unmoving, his breathing shallow, eyes unfocussed, and Ry's heart sank. He regarded Kiraz helplessly, *speaking* privately.
      *There must be something we can do!*
      Kiraz' shoulders slumped despondently.
      *I'd suggest slapping him back to sense but he's not strong enough to take it.*
      Ry seated himself on the edge of the bed and took a cold limp hand in his own, thumb stroking over the knuckles, biting his lip. He felt like crying. He'd never felt so useless.
      Kiraz squeezed his shoulder.
      *Going to get something to eat. Be back soon.*
      Ry nodded without looking up, eyes fixed on the thin drawn face, carefully - vainly - trying to *break through* the barrier the zn'hre had built around himself...
      He jumped at the hand on his shoulder - he hadn't heard Kiraz come back in. He jumped again at the voice - it wasn't the prince. Glancing over his shoulder he met Leteetza's concerned deep green eyes.
      "Vinas says he can't do anything more. That 'raadiin needs ki."
      Ry nodded.
      "Yes. But there's no way of building it up unless he wants to."
      She frowned, a faint memory tickling at the back of her mind. A long, long time ago, a hunt... Radittsu.
      The bighorn.
      Both being hurt.
      ...Vejiita - and Zha'haabron.
      Zha'haabron hadn't been in any fit state to get home, not after flying out to find his bondmate.
      Vejiita had done something...

Eyes brightening, she grinned, kissed Ry's cheek, then took off at a run, leaving the startled Saiyan staring after her...

"You ask much of me."
      Leteetza growled.
      "I ask fuck all of you, and you know it!"
      The Saiya-jin-no-Ou smirked.
      "You are so easy to tease. I'm glad some things never change."
      She took a deep breath and counted to seven, then knelt at his side, suddenly serious.
      "Sire, please. This is Zha'raadiin. Who fought to save me, to save the brats, who fought to save the city. Who's been a staunch and loyal guardian all these years. Help him. Please."
      He kissed her forehead.
      "Of course I will." He smirked at her open-mouthed glare. "I had never intended not to. But you beg so prettily..."
      "OOOOH!" But he brushed a hand over her mane, affectionately.
      "And it grows more difficult to refuse you as the years pass..."

Ry looked up wearily as the door opened - then leapt to his feet, dropping to one knee, head bowed, right fist clenched over his heart.
      "Sire..."
      "Stand. And move out of the way."
      Behind Vejiita Leteetza nodded encouragingly, and the warrior moved to stand beside her, watching anxiously as the king approached the bed and laid a hand over 'raadiin's chest. Seconds later, and without warning, a violent golden glow filled the room.
      'raadiin screamed hoarsely, his body arching off the bed, frozen into a spasm of pain, the golden light surrounding him pulsing in time with the king's heart. It lasted for what felt like forever to Ry, then the glow slowly faded and the king stepped back, regarding the zn'hre grimly.
      "Are you or are you not a warrior of the Elite Guard?"
      'raadiin's eyes were wide - and his right fist rose slowly, painfully, clenched weakly and pressed against his heart.
      "... yes... sire..."
      It was no more than a feeble rasp, but the king nodded.
      "Then why are you lying here feeling sorry for yourself? Your strength is needed."
      'raadiin swallowed.
      "... my... apologies... sire..."
      "Accepted. I expect you back on duty within thirty days." He nodded curtly and turned on his heel, striding swiftly out of the room, followed by a widely grinning Leteetza. Ry seated himself on the bed and eyed his aijin nervously.
      *'raadiin?*
      Big golden eyes turned to him.
      *Ry.*
      Biting his lip the Saiyan laid a hand over the zn'hre's, swallowing against the lump in his throat as 'raadiin turned his over and weakly grasped the warm strong flesh. 'raadiin forced a very small, very weary smile.
      *Will you help me get back into shape?*
      Ignoring the tears streaming down his face Ry very gently, very carefully pulled his zn'hre up into his arms, holding him, body shaking, kissing the cool blue skin of his neck.
      *Of course I will, baka!*

It wasn't quite that easy, of course. 'raadiin was very weak, and slow to recover, but his ki strengthened as his body slowly - and painfully, as usual he insisted on pushing himself - regained its health and vigour. It was much longer before he could bear more than the gentlest embrace, but both Ry and Kiraz were very slow, very careful with him. And Zha'haabron was able to help the healing of his mind, now that he had *opened* again...
      The High King had caught the Saiya-jin-no-Ou's shoulder as they were the last to leave the Council Chamber late one afternoon. Vejiita stared down at the strong, elegant blue hand, then looked up into the zn'hre's beautiful face. Zha'haabron was smiling.
      "Thank you, my friend."
      Vejiita smirked.
      "Heh. No point in wasting a perfectly good warrior!"
      Zha'haabron chuckled - then to the startlement of both pulled the king into a brief, powerful hug.
      "You are a wise and noble emperor, my lord. I salute you."
      Vejiita pulled back and clenched his hand over his heart.
      "And I you, lizard king." He raised an eyebrow. "We make a good pair, don't we?"
      "Indeed we do, sire. Indeed we do..."