Genseric awoke. He took a look around him, and it all seemed very familiar. Genseric had opened his eyes, and he saw that he was once again back in his tent. There was the tannish brown color that Genseric had thought was both alarming and unappetizing of which he could have done without, the marks of sewn leather evident to the naked eye. He saw next to him the small table next to him that held that book he had been reading, and even the candle was lit. On his other side was his shelf that held the rest of his belongings. It was clearly his wooden bed, its vaguely white sheet and tendency to creak, that he was laying on.

The last he remembered, he was dead. At least, Genseric thought that he had been dead. He remembered the lance plunging through his chest. He remembered what he felt during that moment. Not the pain, of there truly had been no equal in the entirety of his life. Rather, he meant how when he saw that the lance was coming for him, and there was no way out, no possibility that he could move out of the way in time, he had such an intense feeling of dread. Was it, unlike what he had thought before, that he had a fear of death? It never occurred to him that that was a possibility. After all, what did he have to live for anyway?

Genseric now had had time to clear his head. He supposed someone must have been heard, else who could have lit the candle? Genseric began to get up, and he soon realized that it was a struggle. He tried to lift himself up, and felt an intense pain. He looked down, and saw that his chest was wrapped in bandages. 

“Best not to get up, master,” a familiar voice said.

He knew that voice. That was the voice of Asger, the man who had long attended to him as his servant. He looked up and saw the old man there, his tanned bald head and his grey beard there just as he remembered. He seemed to have traded his slightly regal clothes, as he had garnered a high rank among the servants, for a brown robe.

“Asger?” Genseric said.

“Yes indeed, master,” Asger said.

“What are you doing here?” Genseric said.

“I thought that you might need a bit of help,” Asger said. “I was deeply surprised to arrive and see you were without an aid.”

“I’ve done fine without it,” Genseric said.

“I think not, master,” Asger said. “Since you’ve been a babe, you’ve been raised in the life of regality. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, master, but it is so. I would safely say that were I not here, you would not long function.”

“If you insist,” Genseric said. “But Asger, you must that this is a camp of fire.”

“Well worry not, master,” Asger said. “Recall that your father was not alone when he fought his many battles.”

“I see,” Genseric said.

“As short with your words as ever, master,” Asger said. “I will let you be for now. But if you need anything, I shall always be at hand.”

Genseric waited for Asger to leave. He felt sleep once again coming on to him. He closed his eyes, and soon returned to the darkness.