"You-, It can't be-!" Rotan let out a strangled yell, pure terror on his face. He clambered away, and pressed himself against the table behind him, knocking down several platters stacked high with food as he did so.
"You, you take my Kingdom, and now you rejuvenate yourself, and cheat death! So you come to mock me? No more! No more!" Rotan's voice broke as he said, almost sobbing, and then the king fell to his knees and started sobbing uncontrollably, tears falling onto the heavy rug on the floor.
"Your Majesty, it's me, Kothar. I mean no harm." Kothar, already kneeling, bent down toward Rotan and said softly, trying to comfort the despondent king.
"Kothar? Kothar, my good lad! It is you, I'm sorry, please forgive my outburst." Understanding dawned on Rotan's face, and he suddenly composed himself, standing tall and returning to his chair, into which he sunk down, as if he were being swallowed by it.
