Tate was about to lose his mind, for the last two days he's been forbidden to leave his room. He'd gotten so used to the speedy effects of the healing tea that he was routinely given erasing all his aches and pains that having to wait a few days for these gouges in his back to close, was starting to annoy him. The healer that had come by a few times had explained that with wounds this deep, although the process was still sped up, just like his initial injuries upon arrival at the Nest it would take more than an afternoon, or a night of sleep, for them to be healed. Due to this, he had been barred from completing the Qullintine until the healer cleared him. The first day he'd not been allowed to get out of bed at all and the second day he had been told that he couldn't leave his room. Today the healer had told him that he was free to walk around, but that he was not cleared to do any sort of physical activity until the next day.
He found out from Koda that it had been decided due to this setback he would get one additional day to train to give him a fair shot at beating the time the dragon would set. He was grateful for this, but it did not help his boredom now.
His guards didn't even seem surprised when he flung open the door and stormed past them. They just fell into step behind him, having gotten used to his moods at this point. Since he wasn't banned from going anywhere today, they had no reason not to just follow along. They were however vigilant since there was still the slight threat that someone may try to harm him for some misguided petty revenge on a dishonorable dragon's honor.
The other thing that was bothering him was the awkward knowledge of Akashaw's ability. What was he even supposed to do with that information? Whenever Akashaw did come near him the last couple of days the atmosphere made his hands and feet curl. Akashaw as well, seemed extremely uncomfortable in his presence. He would not deny that it bothered him that someone else knew such a deeply held secret of his. Only the Emperor and a few high-ranking generals and healers had known the complete details of that encounter before now. They were now living in a forced intimacy that neither of them knew how to navigate. At the moment all that was left was awkward tension.
His feet and mind wandered around the Nest. Somewhere along the way they'd picked up Koda. He hadn't noticed but when he glanced behind him the dragon was silently walking behind him while eating a chicken leg. Tate's brow furrowed. He wondered what he wanted to know more, when he'd gotten there and how he hadn't noticed, or where he'd gotten a chicken leg from? He was still mostly confused about the abstract layout of the Nest, but he knew for a fact that the kitchen and dining hall were nowhere near where they currently were.
They were closing in on the library and beyond that a winding hall would lead out to the gardens and the lake that was situated behind the Nest. He'd seen the lake briefly the first day they'd arrived but it had only been recently that he'd caught sight of it again and asked how to get there. He'd been so busy training that he hadn't had time to make use of the information but now he thought he'd go and have a proper look around.
"Where are we going?"
He didn't look back at Koda as he answered him. "I would think that would be obvious."
"Little human, I'm not a mind reader. You could be going to the library, you could be going to the maid's quarters, you could be going to the garden, you could be going to the outer guard post, how should I know?"
Tate had no idea that all those things lay in this general direction. Of course, he knew a few of those things but not all. He sighed. "Is there a map of the Nest somewhere I can study? It's a maze in here how do any of you remember where things are?" He complained. It was a petty complaint because as he was already becoming more and more familiar with various locations and routes to get to them, it just took a lot longer to memorize.
"Of course, there is. Why haven't you asked before if you were having trouble?" Koda said.
Tate stopped causing the dragon to almost run into him. Since Koda was taller the remainder of the chicken was suddenly being held above Tates's head to prevent it from getting smashed into his hair. Koda was on his tippy toes looking at the chicken dangling above Tate's head without even looking at him. Tate smiled, the sight was pretty funny. Koda was looking at the chicken like it held all the world's secrets and must be protected at all costs.
"There is?" He started focusing. "Who can I ask for it?"
Koda, still not taking his eyes off the prize answered. "The Elder for sure, I might have a copy stored away somewhere in my room from way back when I first started with the Royal Guard. In the meantime could you step forward, I'm about to fall."
Grinning Tate took one deliberate step forward allowing Koda to fall onto his heels and regain his balance. The chicken was brought down and with lightning quickness, it disappeared into Koda's mouth, bones and all.
Startled Tate could only stare as he heard crunching.
"Wha?" Koda asked with his mouth full and muffled.
Tate just shook his head. "Nothing, where did you get that chicken from?"
"I saved it from lunch."
"Why?"
"Well, I was next on the list to watch you and I just had a feeling that it was about time for you to not be able to stand it anymore and come out of your room so I rushed eating. I put a few chicken legs in my pocket for on the go." With a proud flash of a smile, Koda produced another chicken leg from one of his tunic's pockets.
Tate just shook his head as the dragon started in on the tender meat. One of the guards behind them chuckled and Koda's face immediately changed. He shot the male a dark scowl that honestly startled Tate. Koda was the friendly one, he'd never seen him look at someone else like that. He wondered what that was about because it seemed so out of character for him to get annoyed at such a small thing. As soon as he looked back at Tate the expression was completely different.
"Am I that easy to read?" Tate asked changing the subject.
Mouth full Koda nodded, swallowed, then said, "Surprisingly yes. I don't know why but I just feel like I can almost predict what you're going to do next. It's starting to get a little scary really." He stated in the most unconcerned voice ever.
"What do you..." Tate wasn't looking where he was going and almost ran into the wall where it curved. Or he would have if Koda, also not looking at him or anything else since he was so focused on his snack, had not reached with his free hand to turn Tate's head forward at the last moment.
"See what I mean. Watch where you're going, Tate."
"Uh..." Tate didn't have a response to what, well whatever that had just been. He cleared his throat and kept walking. He made sure that he paid strict attention to what was in front of him.
"By the way," crunch, crunch, crunch, "what did you do to Akashaw?"
Tate didn't look back and just shrugged his shoulder. The irritating sounds of someone loudly licking their fingers came from behind him but he did his best to ignore it.
Koda suddenly appeared beside him, no signs of any more chicken.
"Come on, won't you tell me anything? Something happened, don't try to deny it. He was fine until you got hurt and now...well, I don't know he's just weird, weirder than before anyway. When it's his turn to watch you he turns green."
Tate still said nothing and Koda sighed, blowing out through his mouth in irritation. "Fine, be that way."
They walked a little further and Tate finally saw it. It was an ornate gate that was filled in with clear diamonds to create a wavy and distorted view of the outside world, but that world was right there for exploring just beyond the reach of his fingertips. The cure to his boredom was within reach.
He'd extended his hand to open it, but his guards were quicker than his hand. In a flash they were on either side of him, one opening the gate and the other stepping through first and looking around diligently.
"Humans are so annoying," Koda murmured.
"I'm one of only two humans you know, how do you know we're all like that?" Tate said dryly not looking back as he stepped after his first guard.
He heard a petulant "humph" behind him. "I just do."
Tate chuckled. Koda was just like that. From day one, he'd been the one who talked to him the most, who tried to get to know him a little. At times Tate could still feel his hesitancy but he was the most approachable of all the Royal Guard. Tate felt at ease with him. What's more, he knew that Lou felt the same way. He'd noticed that Koda was not as talkative to Lou but he did make an effort to speak to him more than any other dragon he knew.
Tate took in his surroundings and breathed in the fresh air. He felt like he'd been held prisoner for days. It struck him as oddly amusing that as soon as he saw the gardens he could tell it was the opposite of the winding abstract of the Nest. It was laid out in a simple square with several gardens sectioned off in their own squares. It made him happy for some reason to see something with so many right angles. The path to the lake was similarly straightforward. Literally, it was a straight line from where he'd exited the Nest. The main path was lined with boxy bushes and flowering plants that led you straight past the mini gardens and to the distant water. He could make out what he thought was a small dock of some kind from where he stood.
He also quickly noticed that the gardens were strangely empty. He'd not really thought about it when he'd made his decision to come outside but it was odd. In the Empire a garden at any great house, but even more so the Palace, was a place of socialization. You would hardly ever find a garden such as this unoccupied on such a nice day. A quick look around led him to believe that either he was the only one out here with his guards or that anyone else was well concealed in one of the other little gardens around him.
He was just about to set out decisively on the path to the lake when Koda hissed through his teeth and with the help of his other two guards dragged him sideways into the miniature garden directly to their left. It had a little wooden gate and was hidden by tall shrubbery. Confused the last thing he saw before the guards blocked his line of sight was four dragons, three of which were in their dragon froms, exiting another smaller garden down the path closer to the lake.