death incarnate & night triumphant

Andras is rather grateful for the constant questions rolling off Troy's tongue. It gave the Monarch something to do rather than focus on the anxiety that so swirls in the pit of his stomach and answering the concerns from his court helped stabilize him, though he keeps his own turmoil locked away deep inside him. The last thing he needed was his newly forged court panicking; and for the most part, things were running fairly smoothly. His attention is returned to Troy as he makes a comment, Andras merely clasping his hands behind him patiently as he gives a dip of his head towards the man, "I've spent centuries perfecting this particular type of magic, if I did not trust in myself I would not allow anyone to cross with me," he assures the man once more, though he can see Troy's decision already dancing in his eyes. It's then that he explains to the faerie man to make sure Amelia did not do much traveling and he's thankful for the way Troy trusts his words in that moment. His respect for the soon to be father grew with every interaction he had with him, he would be a valuable member within the court and he could already think of several positions that would suit him wonderfully.

As he moves on to answer other questions, including Navi's unusual one, he's immensely grateful for Troy as he readily agrees, Andras tossing him a thankful smile before his attention is turned on Navi who seemed to be inspecting the portal far more closely than he would like. He doesn't stop her though as she pushes a hand through, before his gaze returns to the almost fearful Dorian. Navi's statement has Andras giving her an appreciative look, for someone so odd and quiet, she could be immensely brash, he supposed it was why he took such an immediate liking to the small faerie. Troy's teasing comment is heard and Andras is entirely content to watch the two discuss that particular comment. He decided then and there if Dorian refused to cross over, Andras would merely leave it be for the time being, perhaps he could convince him at another time, possibly get in contact with Sebastian. For now, he pushes the thought away, he would focus on the here and now for the time being.

He's drawn back to the present as Dorian responds to Troy, a faint smile tugging on the corner of his lips as he can practically see the king transform into that of royalty in a mere moment. And yet, Andras can't help but allow a bit of his desperation to slip through, his words taking on an almost pleading note as he can feel a sort of panic well up in him. He had expected Dorian to be... difficult, however, he hadn't expected he might outright refuse to make the crossing. Andras would beg Dorian if he must but whatever the fellow king had seen in his eyes seems to almost convince the man, not quite but almost as he makes the suggestion he would cross first. Andras nods his head, a strained smile adorning his lips just as his attention returns to Navi, watching her push herself all the way through, "Navi!" He grunts as he pushes a hand through that inky swirling mass and grasps at her collar, dragging her back through. Frowning down at her, he gives her a disapproving the glance before releasing his hold. How curious she was! She wasn't even afraid of the portal! He suspected questions from her, many, many questions though he didn't expect her to launch herself into an entirely different dimension. Exasperated, he sighs, affording the girl a long look before his attention is drawn back to the two men.

Though, he hardly has his attention on them long as Navi announces that there was nothing to be afraid of. She even moves closer to Dorian, grasping his hand and tugging him forward. Brows drawn into a frown, he desperately wants to rub at his temples; this was beginning to be far more complicated than he had expected. Still, he's surprised as Dorian moves forward with her, his frame far closer to the portal than any of the rest as he bends down to look at whatever Navi is pointing at. His own curiosity is piqued as he looks over their shoulders, entirely missing the way Navi lifts a hand a promptly shoved the king through the portal. "NAVI!" He roars at her, eyes simmering with anger as he quickly steps through the portal after the man, barely catching the impish words that so leave the girl's lips. Grunting, he's blinded momentarily by the sun that so reflects from the snow, quickly searching for Dorian to see him leaning against a tree. Andras's own eyes are wide as he quickly moves towards the man, an apology already on the tip of his tongue until Dorian is angrily shouting at him in Latin.

Pausing, he winces at the decidedly angry words. He bows his head deeply in an apologetic gesture, this was not how he had anticipated the day to go. He nods in response, "Ignosce me," (forgive me) before turning around to watch Navi and Troy make their way to them. Andras glowers at the woman briefly before releasing a pent up sigh, this time his slender fingers reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Navi, that was unacceptable. Under no circumstances are you to ever do something like that again, do you understand me?" He scolds her, his words taking on such sternness and authority, a tone he hardly ever used. Though, there is a bit of relief swirling in the pit of the man's stomach; at least he had managed to get all three of them through. As the commotion begins to die down, he beckons the three faeries to follow him, Andras planting himself between Navi and Dorian so there might not be any other incidents. It takes them only a moment to reach a brick path, the towering lodge to their left making an appearance, though he promptly turns in the opposite direction, climbing that small hill. "Now that we are here, I will show you the lodge but first, I have something else to show you," he states to them before picking up his pace slightly.

It doesn't take them long to reach the top and just as they mount the apex of that hill, a city sprawls beneath them, full of faeries and laughter and light. A race that was so on the brink of extinction had managed to salvage a small portion of themselves here; in his court. Pausing, he turns to the three behind him, an apologetic smile so adorning his lips, "Welcome to Somnia," he murmurs, that anxiety so swirling in his stomach once more, "I apologize for my deception. This is our most treasured secret and I hope you can understand as to why I had to keep it from you. If this information fell into the wrong hands...," he trails off, that smile falling from his lips only to be replaced with a touch of wariness as he regards the new members of his court. "Not everyone in my Court was destroyed, I managed to save a very small portion of the immense population, yet, this is but a ghost of what it used to be, it was how I found my power to travel through worlds," such a basic explanation that he offered them, he only hoped that they would understand.

Andras Steinhello darling