Fairly Normal People

-Chapter Fourteen-

Andy was more prepared for the experience when he realised he was inside his own dream once more and chose to sit back and not attempt to interrupt the experience. He sat hunched over on a wooden throne, his fingers rapped repetitively against the armrest and his other arm held his head up. A figure knelt before him, his garb had elements of light blue and had no armour or weapons to speak of. Andy figured he must have been a messenger. The man knelt in silence but the small crowd of purple clad warriors around him hissed and spat. Andy held his hand up to stop them. The man quivered and shook, petrified.

"Speak, worm." Andy demanded as the man flinched and cringed.

His voice was shaky and his hands shook worse as he unrolled a large leaf and recited the words etched on it.

"Brother. Father is dying. His final wish is to see you before he leaves for The After." The man spoke.

Andy's warriors laughed and continued their jeering in response but Andy barked a word to silence them.

"You expect me to think this not a trap?" Andy asked.

"It was written in good faith. No harm will come to you. But you must come alone." The messenger managed to get out.

The warriors once again laughed and jeered but Andy ushered them to silence and commanded them to leave. Andy asked the same of his personal guard and he sat and stared at the messenger until they were alone.

"Have you seen my decorations?" Andy asked.

The man nodded nervously as Andy stood and approached him. He waved towards the walls, they were lined with similar garbs as the man knelt before him, though they were stained with blood.

"Were you told that this message would cost your life?" Andy asked as he stood over the kneeling man.

The man nodded and bowed his head, wet spots appeared on the floor before him.

"Stand up, worm." Andy demanded.

The man stood up but his head remained bowed.

"Look at me, you coward!" Andy roared.

The man flinched hard but eventually looked up to stare at Andy's face.

"My brother was foolish to send you in his place." Andy hissed.

The man flinched again but did not look away.

"But you were brave to come here. Your life will be spared." Andy stated though the man didn't seem to relax at all. "But you will be the one to take me to him."

The man nodded and looked away to pack away the leaf.

"We leave at once." Andy said as he walked back to his throne and collected a long staff.

They exited the long hall together and the crowd that had gathered outside parted for them. One of his Andy's personal guards approached him and whispered into his ear. Andy swung his hand and slapped the guard across the face with a deafening crack.

"Do not think me a fool, Jazrak. He will bide by the peace treaty. For this one occasion at least." Andy said as walked through the crowd towards the entrance of their camp.

The messenger hung close to him as the crowd spat and gestured unpleasantly at him. Andy waited until they were out of earshot from the camp before he spoke.

"What is wrong with him?" Andy asked.

"He had grown weak in his old age-" The messenger said before he was cut off.

Andy grabbed the man by the throat, lifted him up off the ground and slammed him into the trunk of a nearby tree.

"My father is not weak!" He hissed loudly.