Don't kill the messenger
The messenger's voice quivered as he delivered the news to Zog. The stars of the obsidian night sky peeped nervously through the glass domed roof at the scene playing out below - the silence so deathly that even the court jesters looked serious.
Zog lost it. He raved, ranted, retched and finally reached into his throat to pull out one of his internal organs. This he splatted on the table in front of him to demonstrate his anger.
Somewhere in the middle of this dramatic display the messenger stopped feeling terrified and started feeling bored. He'd seen this show before too many times. He was fed up and long suppressed anger finally started bubbling within him. His green blood, for the first time in three centuries, passed its boiling point and evaporated. Nobody noticed the whistling sound as his emerald coloured vapour blood steamed from his ears but the loss of heat calmed him down.
When he finally spoke it was with a quiet that cut through Zog's noise like a gunshot through a still night. "Zog", he said silently.
Zog stopped and stared incredulously.
"Zog. That's enough."
Zog's eyes widened to four times their normal size in fear. He suddenly stood up and, screaming in terror all the while, ran from the royal assembly hall.
The messenger considered the sudden change in events. He moved forward and sat in the now unoccupied throne.
"Does anyone have any messages for me?" he asked the assembled ministers.
Zog lost it. He raved, ranted, retched and finally reached into his throat to pull out one of his internal organs. This he splatted on the table in front of him to demonstrate his anger.
Somewhere in the middle of this dramatic display the messenger stopped feeling terrified and started feeling bored. He'd seen this show before too many times. He was fed up and long suppressed anger finally started bubbling within him. His green blood, for the first time in three centuries, passed its boiling point and evaporated. Nobody noticed the whistling sound as his emerald coloured vapour blood steamed from his ears but the loss of heat calmed him down.
When he finally spoke it was with a quiet that cut through Zog's noise like a gunshot through a still night. "Zog", he said silently.
Zog stopped and stared incredulously.
"Zog. That's enough."
Zog's eyes widened to four times their normal size in fear. He suddenly stood up and, screaming in terror all the while, ran from the royal assembly hall.
The messenger considered the sudden change in events. He moved forward and sat in the now unoccupied throne.
"Does anyone have any messages for me?" he asked the assembled ministers.