Blue

So Many Questions

It seemed to him, that Talon and Ander were bonding. Five days ago, when they were among the corn, something had happened and now they were attached at the hip. He knew Ander to be loyal to Mykel, but he was curious as to what transpired between the two.

"Mykel," he said,

"yes, my-Atlas," he knew it was so ingrained in his people to bow and be as cordial and proper as possible in front of their prince. But he liked this normalcy. He was going to miss it dearly once he returned home.

"What do you suppose your mate and Talon have between them? Their friendship seems so sudden," he inquired. he was intrigued by the sudden closeness, and Mykel seemed un-bothererd.

"I could not say, Ander hasn't shared that with me, and if he does, depending on the news I'll let you know," Mykel replied rather passively.

"You don't have to, its just that my curiosity has been sparked, and my beast lay restless for a reason unknown," on some level he would expect Mykel to inform him about anything he knew of the boy, but wouldn't ask for an invasion of privacy.

"It has been weeks since you last flown, hasn't it? Perhaps that is why," Mykel reason with him. He could feel his body crawling with the need to be free, his wings twitched uncomfortably beneath his skin and his gums ached.

"Perhaps. Once we reach Aria, and my true nature revealed I'll take flight once more, but for now I shall suffer," his skin itched something terrible, and it was dry and cracked. he could feel it under the sleeves he wore.

"The lad will probably not know what to do with that information, and would feel hurt beyond anything else, that is the price you pay now by not informing him," Mykel said. And he was right. Atlas hated that he was right. Why did he care so much about Talon's opinion though? He wanted to do right by the boy, and it scared him because he didn't know why.

They continued for the day. For a fleeting moment, when Talon took a drink from his water-skin Atlas noticed a grimace. What was he drinking Atlas thought. He would ask later.

later came all too soon for them. the day, for some reason went by at a seemingly quick pace, although they were all exhausted and didn't get as far as he had hoped they would. they would have to travel farther tomorrow in order to make up for it. He did want to spar tonight, even with the overwhelming exhaustion encroaching on his being.

They ate what meager rations they had from days prior, they'd have to collect something tomorrow on their trek. Atlas himself had only few pieces of dried meat from months prior, a bit tough to chew, but it would satiate his hunger. Talon had some fruit he had collected today, and passed it around for all to share. Atlas was grateful for this, it was a little more filling than what he had.

"Anyone able and willing to spar this evening?" he inquired.

"I can," Atlas did not miss the sideways glance from Ander to Talon.

They both arose from their current positions. Talon was favoring his side. Atlas wondered why. He also held his sword with an awkwardness that hadn't been there before. They assumed their positions. he was first to strike. talon blocked it with ease. he attacked again and again, but it seemed odd, like the boy was mocking him. He realized why. He had played to the fact that talon was protecting his side, a fault on his end. He snapped out of this and went with instinct. He automatically gained the upper hand and pinned Talon within moments.

The boy laughed, and Ander with him. An inside joke perhaps. Regardless it left him heavily confused.

"Well fought," Atlas offered him a hand.

"Thank you," Talon responded.

Atlas went on to instruct on ways to better defend while fighting, and learning to feign action. He explained to Talon that the favoring of his side was a dead giveaway that he had a weakness that could be exploited. He went on to demonstrate defensive methods for the sword that would help the boy learn to feign action. And they put it into action in a demonstrative spar. Afterwards, neither Ander nor Mykel wanted to spar so they called it a night.

Sleep evaded him once everyone had fallen asleep, and left him with his own thoughts. He was far from ready to return to the court life and high society. Having been away for months it had left him with social freedom and by not parading around with guards and not receiving that sense of reverence that it so often brought he was able to see how his people lived and acted without it being clouded by his presence.

He was most anxious about seeing his mother again. They did not part on good terms those many months ago. She had been against his journey to the southern regions of the kingdom, the loss of his father still burned in their memory.

Still curious about what Talon had been taking grimacing sips of all day, Atlas moved as silently as he could to Talon's belongings. the waterskin lay near him. He gently picked it up and unstoppered it.

His first instinct was to wretchit was sour yet earthy and tickled his senses wrong. But it was a tincture he'd smelled before. Echinacea, a healing tincture. Atlas hadn't realized the boy was actually injured, and maybe that was the reason for the laughter between him and Ander, but no. He really was injured. Why didn't he ask for help or let anyone know?

It baffled Atlas. The whole situation with Talon was baffling. He refused to tell everything, and it was understandable, but there was something major he was hiding besides and injury. Atlas had experienced the feeling ever since he met the boy. He wanted to learn more.