When he got home that day he went straight to his room and fell into bed. The next morning there were already people in his chambers packing his things under the Head Maid's instructions.
He went down to breakfast and his mother was the only one there. She greeted him with a smile. "The Emperor is moving fast, I hope the servants packing in your rooms didn't wake you."
He shook his head, "they hadn't entered my bedroom so I didn't even know they were there until I opened the door."
"He's moving fast this time."
"Did you already know about it?"
"Yes, your father told me the plan a while back." She smiled, "I'm so happy you're going to be so close to me."
He smiled and nodded. Her face lit up. Apparently, the madness of the night had passed and he was now able to keep his face composed.
"Has father already left for the day?"
She nodded. "The Emperor required his attendance early this morning."
"I'm leaving when I finish here, I guess I should go see this house."
"Oh! I'll come with you." His mother exclaimed.
"Have you been there?"
"Your father pointed it out when we passed it a few days ago but I want to inspect it properly. If it is not fitting for my son I will speak to the Emperor myself about changing it."
He could do nothing but indulge her.
=======
It was a good house. It was in a fine style but a modest size. Most people would call it a family home, meaning it was a home that a young man could bring a wife to just after marriage. Only men with no wealth or status stayed in these houses so one day Tate and his future family would be expected to move into a manor house or something of similar size and grandeur.
He and his mother spent the morning touring what was to be his home from now on. Everything met with her satisfaction and it was not until the end of the day that he convinced her to return to her own house. He stayed there, he didn't see a reason not to. In the course of the day, all his worldly possessions had been neatly packed, unpacked, and arranged without any input from him.
Looking around the house now it was sparse. He didn't have many personal effects to his name. There was a bookshelf in the main sitting room and only two shelves were full. His clothes only took up half the wardrobe in his new master suite. The Emperor had been generous enough to also provide furniture so it did prevent the house from appearing too barren.
He had found out in the course of the day that he now had six servants. A butler, a housekeeper, a manservant, and three maids. All had been hired and paid for without his input or consent.
Everything was so neatly arranged. Nothing was required of him. He may as well have been another piece of furniture moved into the building.
The night ended with him in a new bed and the first piece of the Emperor's plan carried out without a hitch.
The next morning he received a note at his small breakfast table that he was to report to the Academy Headmaster in the course of the morning.
He left promptly and was greeted by the Headmaster. The man's name was Darious March. He was in his forties and had taken over from the previous headmaster when Tate had been serving in the war. Tate had taught under Darious' regime before but now he was told that he was not actually working for Darious but for the Emperor.
He was shown an office in the administration building that was actually next to the headmasters.
Darious didn't seem too pleased about the changes but what could he say? Tate's first order of business was to call for a particular student.
Aliya arrived at the office of the "advisor" a person she had never heard of before even from the students who had been there for a long time. Tate thought her expression of surprise and confusion was funny when she had opened the door and seen him sitting there.
"What are you doing here?"
"What a way to greet someone."
"No, I mean of course I'm happy to see you. I didn't think I would be seeing you so soon after yesterday in fact, but what are you doing here?"
"I've been assigned here starting today. I will be advising certain students in their career plans and connecting them with the right instructors and mentors."
Aliya sat down and just looked at him. "Well- that sounds very important but…"
She looked troubled and he smiled ruefully at her. "But what?"
"I don't think I should say anything." She looked down.
He scoffed. "I don't think I've ever heard you watch your tongue, why start now?"
She looked out the window. "I haven't been here long but I've quickly realized how different things are here. I know you tried to prepare me but in many ways, I feel so out of place. I also know that here you are looked at differently. I've heard so many stories about you in the past few weeks, stories that you never told me."
He didn't know what to say to that. "What have you heard?"
She bit her lip and after a moment of hesitation, she said. "Well, let's just start with yesterday. A few hours after you left everyone was saying strange things. They said that you went to the Dragon Corps and beat up a group of riders and forced their dragons to submit to you. At first, I thought it was nonsense, I've never seen you get violent for any reason even when I've messed up in the past. Also, the way people talked about the dragons submitting made it seem like you had some sort of magical power over them but you've never said anything about that to me. I was ready to just dismiss it but the Cade told me that it might all be true."
"You find Cade trustworthy?"
"Yes, he's been nothing but kind to me since I arrived."
"Good, I'm glad to know your judge of character isn't flawed."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"I didn't think you asked one." He said evasively.
She looked frustrated. "You know exactly what I'm asking even if I didn't word it that way."
He sighed. "No, I didn't beat anyone up."
"What about the dragons."
He scrubbed his hand across his face. "Yes."
"Yes, just yes. What does that mean, what did you actually do?"
"Why do you need to know that?"
She looked shocked and hurt. He hadn't meant to do that, to put that look on her face.
"Okay, sure, you're right I don't have a right to know everything about you. I should't even be thinking of commenting on what I thought you wanted in life like I was about to. You are just the person I've spent the most time with besides my mother, but I guess that doesn't mean to you what it means to you." She said all this before he could stop her or try to explain what he meant.
She stood abruptly and nodded her head in a quick jerk of respect. "I've got to go, I've got a class." She turned and left before a word could be formed on his tongue.
He groaned and sat back looking at the ceiling. Well, he'd messed that up. He didn't know why he'd never told her some of the things about himself. When they were away like that it hadn't seemed important. When he had been with Aliya these past years he'd felt freedom in not being known for so many things. He was just Tate to her, just the person who trained her, the person she trusted, no more no less.
He had just wanted a break from the pressure of his past when it had been just the two of them. He hadn't even consciously kept it from her it had just seemed to never come up in his mind as something he should tell her. Now, it seemed she had misunderstood him and he still didn't know how to explain it to her.
He finished the day by organizing his desk and then went home to his new empty house. A hot meal was waiting for him. Prepared by the housekeeper. It was filling yet bland, he thanked her for it and went straight to his bed.
He stared up at the ceiling. He watched as the light from the lit candle at his beside cast flickering shadows. He felt strange, he felt like he was there and not there at the same time. How quickly had he abandoned his wish and obsession to return to the veil. How quickly had he accepted the cage that was given to him. He felt numb to it now. He turned on his side to face the window. It was a good view, it was one of the few views on this street he'd wager that did not have a taller building across from it blocking the view.
He was actually able to see over a good deal of the city and even the blackness beyond. He closed his eyes and dreamed of a different life.