Shortly after he had finished eating, a sudden banging on the door rung out, jarring Talon from his rest.

“Eirwyn,” a gruff voice called, “I have a message for you!”

“Eirwyn? Maybe he’s at the wrong place,” he wondered as he got off the bed and staggered to the door. As he opened the door, he was met with by a towering figure, framed by an impressive garden just beyond. “Hello, may I help you?” He had to crane his neck just to see the mans face.

A slight look of surprise passed over his face, apparently not expecting Talon, but he repeated, “Is Eirwyn here, I have a message for him.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know who that is.”

“He’s the boy that lives here,” he said, seeming to start to lose his temper. “When he returns, inform him that his presence is requested tomorrow by Admiral Elis.”

“Understood,” he quickly replied, determined not to upset the man again.

“Good.” With that, the towering man turned, and left. Talon watching as he made his way out of the courtyard.

When Talon was sure he was gone, he entered the courtyard to explore the space it contained. The only exit seemed to be the opening directly across from the door he exited. A lifeless building was situated opposite of the one he had left, though larger and with an additional story. Other than the walkways, the rest of the space was filled with verdant gardens. Their soil alone rose nearly to Talon’s waist, only being contained by the stone walls bordering each section.

Behind the building he had been in, he found a tall gate that extended nearly to the top of the courtyard walls, themselves being nearly as tall as the building he had been staying in. “The space beyond couldn’t be that large can it? Maybe a well?” His hand stopped when he noticed the heavy lock on the gate, securely holding it closed. With no way to get answers, he turned back to the gardens, content to roam and think.

He was content to wander the courtyard, the serenity of the gardens giving him a chance to clear his head of his troubles and putting him at peace.

“I trust you’re in better spirits.”

He snapped out of his state. “It’s good to hear a familiar voice,” he said, turning to Eirian, the boy looking rather exhausted. “The new question is, are you feeling well?”

“Oh this?” He said as he looked himself over, “Don’t worry about me, I’m perfectly fine, just a little tired.”

“If you say so I guess." He looked around himself another time, "By the way, I didn’t expect all this, it's amazing,” he said, gesturing to the gardens.

“I’m glad it’s to your liking,” the boy smiled.

“It must be tiring to carry water from a well to all these plants,” he exclaimed. “Unless maybe you have your own well somewhere in here?”

“Carry water from a well? That isn’t how I water my plants.” He walked over to on of the gardens. “I just do this,” he announced as he opened a hatch, water pouring out to make a small stream through a path in the dirt.

“Amazing," he exclaimed, quickly approaching the garden to observe the water, "does each garden have their own running water?"

“Well yeah, if they didn’t that would kind of ruin the point…”

Talon looked on in awe as Eirian closed the hatch, the water that remained slowly sinking into the soil.

“You seem to be awfully fascinated by this, does Graf not have running water?”

“It isn’t as common in smaller towns, even in large cities, something to this extent would only be owned by extremely wealthy families… Wait, I never told you I was from Graf, did I?”

“Oh, I was just with Admiral Jost, the one that led the raid on Graf, I often have to go to them shortly after they return.”

“Then did an Admiral Elis recently return from a raid as well?”

“No, he didn’t,” he said as his face took on a disgusted expression. “That's an odd name to know though, did someone come by here while I was away?”

“Yeah, some mountain of a man came and told me to inform somebody named Eirwyn that an Admiral Elis requests his presence tomorrow.”

“Of course he did,” he said bitterly, “he had to of known that I was with Jost today, what a horrible man.”

“So you're saying that you are Eirwyn? I thought he had the wrong house.”

“Well, it’s technically me, to make it easier for you, I will just ask for you to call me Ei.”

“I suppose I can do that, but which is your real name?”

“Never mind that, just... call me Ei, got it?”

“Got it, but what’s up with you and these admirals anyways? It seems strange for someone that isn’t a pirate to be interacting with them.”

“I told you only a select few were spared when most of the city was killed didn’t I,” he said, clearly trying to remember their past conversation. “Either way, when the old citizens of this city were gathered, the most trusted captain of Succorbenoth came across me and took a liking to me so he guaranteed my survival. He has since become an admiral, so he keeps my company less often, but my situation is still somewhat the same.”

“That’s horrible, and for someone so young with so many on top of that… It’s despicable.” He felt sick just at the notion, not even being able to bare the thought of his little Warren suffering the same fate.

“I see the pity in your eyes,” he said with a sad smile, “but I’m not deserving of it, I’ve gone along with it all this time without resistance just to protect myself. A couple even treat me well.” He gestured to the gold jewelry covering him. “Enough about that topic though, do you have any more questions,” he asked, perking himself up.

Though feeling more and more distraught, Talon motioned towards the larger building. “What’s that,” he questioned, trying to disguise his feelings to no longer upset the boy.

“That’s my old house." 

"Old?"

"Well, after everything had happened I decided it wasn’t good to corrupt a place that held so many good memories with my current state, so I moved out here to my families workshop. They used to use it for making medicines and the like, but I’ve changed it quite a bit since then to suit my needs.

“Another sore subject,” he thought to himself. “What about that gated section back there,” he asked while pointing in the general direction.

“A shrine for my parents, I put it out of view and locked because it would probably be frowned upon.”

"A shrine, don't they have a proper grave?" He knew he wouldn't get a positive answer, but he decided to ask anyways.

“Nobody killed that day does, the bodies were displayed across the islands as a warning to those that would rise up. They're still in their positions today, all throughout the islands, though bones are really all that's left.”

“Sorry for making you recall all these things,” Talon said as he looked to the ground, ashamed of himself for making someone so young relive these horrible things.

“Didn’t I tell you earlier? You had no way of knowing these things, so asking was the only way for you to get answers.”

He had one last question, but he didn't know if Ei would have the answer, let alone his fear of the answer he may receive. “Do you think my wife and child are alive?” His question came abruptly, his own doubt forcing him to ask.

“Do you believe I have the answer to that?”

“You were with the leader of the attack, so I believe you may know,” he looked up to Ei, hope in his eyes.

“Did they make it out of the town? You have to be absolutely positive about this answer.” His normally soft voice was suddenly dead serious, demanding an honest answer.

“I’m positive, I saw them leave with my own eyes.”

“Then be relieved," he said as his voice returned to normal, "the answer is yes, they are alive."

"How can you be sure." Doubt entering his mind.

"the raiders are forbidden from exiting the town they are attacking under pain of death, no matter the circumstances.” He gently took Talon's hand, “now come, you still need to get some rest.”

The relief Talon felt was immense, at least he could live peacefully in knowing that his family survived. “Thank you,” he told the boy as he laid himself onto the bed.

“There’s no need to thank me, I didn’t really do anything. Now get some sleep, I still have to tend to the gardens,” he said as he went back to the door.

Talon closed his eyes, hearing the door close after he did. Before long, he fell soundly asleep, finding comfort in Ei’s reassurance.