A fresh and clean man is who appeared before the Emperor only an hour later. The only visible evidence that anything had happened was the pristine white bandages wrapping his right hand.
As they ate neither spoke. The Emperor looked over his godson properly for the first time in five years. He'd definitely shed all traces of the boy he'd been. Sitting before him was a man, and not a bad-looking one at that. Tate had never been considered either attractive or unattractive to those who knew him. Mostly he was called pleasing and handsome but not in the way that people looked at the most dashing figures in society. Tate's looks were subdued in a way. If you were looking at him part by part, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, chin, neck, so on and so forth you would find each part very pleasing but somehow when it was all but together instead of awe-inspiring male beauty, he was just...good looking.
He was dressed very informally compared to what most of society would consider proper for a dinner with the Emperor. He looked nice though in the stark white shirt and dark brown trousers he had borrowed from the second prince's wardrobe.
As the Emperor watched him he thought over the plans he would present to him tonight. One thing he had not taken into account when planning Tate's future in the Empire was a wife.
It seemed a gross oversight now, but he supposed in his mind he'd still been thinking of him as a child. The man before him was definitely fully grown and he was coming close to the age that the Emperor preferred his vassals begin bringing forth the next generation.
He was wondering which girl out in society would look the best next to Tate when Tate spoke breaking up his thoughts.
"The chicken is amazing, your highness."
The Emperor gave him a cold look.
Tate cleared his throat and looked around uncomfortably while chewing. When he swallowed he finally faced his liege. "Forgive me for my appearance earlier. I did not mean to arrive in such a state."
Hearing his apology made the Emperor remember that he was angry at this man. How dare he defy his orders. Even orders given so long ago were his express wishes then and now. This time Tate would have to face consequences.
It was an open secret in court that the Emperor favored the sons of Delmont, it was also known that he particularly favored Tate. Not only were they the sons of his dear friend but they were his secret weapons on the chessboard of the court. He knew they were smart and had some awareness of this. Dian had been promoted to his current position in the courts quickly compared to his peers. He deserved his position, he was passionate about his work and very good at it, but his acceleration had more to do with the Emperor wanting a certain faction kept in check. He didn't want his critics to gain a majority in his own court system.
As for Tate, well Tate had long been his very best card. He had played that card when it was young using Tate to test his enemies through their children. Tate had been oblivious to these tests. Due to this there had been many difficult positions young Tate had found himself in through no fault of his own but it had been extremely useful in weeding out rotten houses.
As he had grown Tate had started gaining achievements on his own. When the Emperor had declared war on the southern countries he had done so confident in their military and dragon riders, especially their dragon riders.
Other nations of the south had a few dragons too and those dragons could inflict heavy damage there was no doubt. However, what had the Emperor had to fear? In his hands, he held the most talented dragon rider of all time, one that like a dragon had his own set of unique abilities.
No one else in history could do the things Tate could. He could force other people's bonded dragons into submission if he wanted to. When he'd been a rider he was the only person who had ever fought aerialy. He would jump off his dragon's back and freefall onto an enemy dragon. He would quickly dispatch the rider and then the dragon. Because of Tate alone all dragons that were not property of the empire had been wiped out, their riders slain as well. People in what was now known as the southern region of the Empire called Tate the "Sky Slayer" when they thought no one could hear. Those of the South feared and hated Tate.
Yes, Tate was his favorite instrument of manipulation. He was amazed at the effect just his presence had on other people. Many people saw the assignment to the Academy as a sad reality of the forced retirement of the Empire's most dazzling star. That had not been the case, Tate himself was probably not fully aware of what his presence there accomplished. There had been a young lady of a powerful noble family who had entered the Academy just before Tate's assignment there. Soon rumors reached the Emperor's ears of someone spreading dissent at the Academy and among the Corps.
As soon as Tate started his post there the girl had panicked and tried to contact her family for instruction. She was sure Tate knew everything and had been sent there to kill her.
How foolish was that girl. Tate had been oblivious but effective. The letter she had tried to send had been intercepted and a deal was struck. The Emperor had seized all family assets, the dragon the girl had hatched was disposed of, and lives had been spared. Not the whole family's lives mind you, but the girl and her mother. A "mysterious illness" had fallen over the rest of the household including their servants. That cursed family was wiped from existence in the span of a fortnight. If anyone thought the circumstances strange they knew better than to ask questions. As for the girl and her mother, they were alive but in a slave camp in the South.
"I've heard good things about Aliya from many of the instructors at the Academy, you did well."
Tate bent his neck in a bow. "Thank you, she was easy to teach?"
The Emperor chuckled. "So you were bored?"
"How could I ever be bored with a task given to me by you?"
"I heard that you visited her today."
"Yes, she looks like she's adjusting fairly well."
The Emperor nodded. "It is my understanding that my son has taken to her and that they attend classes together."
"Prince Cade is a good young man, I saw him today as well."
"I hope he was looking in good health it has been some time since I last saw him."
"He seemed in excellent health and spirits."
"I also heard that you visited Atlas, how did you find the Dragon Corps?"
Tate shrugged. "The same as I left it."
"You know what I'm going to say don't you?"
Tate put his silverware down and looked up. He looked the Emperor squarely in the eyes already resigned. "I do."
"Come here." The Emperor commanded coldly.
Tate's heavy wooden chair made a noise as he stood up and it was pushed back. Back straight and face composed into a blank expression he went and walked to the opposite end of the table where his Emperor remained seated as if the dinner chair was his throne.
"Speak, I will hear your explanation for defying my orders."
Tate knelt and then put his head on the floor almost at the Emperor's feet in the expected position. Even if at times when they were alone they spoke in an informal way when it came to things like this, like the Emperor's orders, Tate took the position of the lowliest commoner when he had to answer for disobedience. It was not the first time this had happened and would probably not be the last.
"I-lost control of myself, it will not happen again." That was all he could say.
Tate looked up. The Emperor caught his chin in his hand and squeezed. "You are my beloved godson, son of my most treasured friend but do not for a second think that gives you the right to try my patience. Lower your eyes if you have sense." He snarled.
Tate cast his eyes down, with his chin held in an iron grip he had not realized he was looking into the Emperor's eyes. It was improper to look the Sun of the Empire in the eyes when one was asking for forgiveness.
"You have been many things for this Empire over the years, Tate Delmont. You have been our hero, our banner of victory, my means to an end, and a protector of an innocent. You have my eternal thanks for the contributions you have made to the growth and strength of this empire, but I am not done with you yet."
Tate sucked in a deep breath, he felt like he was waiting for a death sentence.
"Here my words this time and do not dare break the oath you made to me. If you defy my orders again by accident or design you will find yourself disposed of."
The Emperor lifted his chin higher into an uncomfortable position. "You know that I care a great deal for you, don't you? You are my godson and I have been closer to you than most of my own children. You have certainly shared more private meals with me in your lifetime than any child of mine except the crown prince. Do you think that this privilege is given to anyone?"
"No."
"Answer my first question, you know that I only have your interests in mind do you not?"
"Yes."
"Will you be more careful from now on?"
"Yes."
The Emperor released his chin and smiled at him. "Stand up, let's retire to the sitting room. I have much to discuss with you. It's time to settle your future once and for all."
Tate had hoped to ask for something at this dinner but it had all been messed up by his mistake. The dread crept in, he was about to find out what the rest of his life would look like and he didn't dare try to resist now. Whatever the Emperor had planned for his life Tate knew that it would be the end for him one way or another.