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"Not personally," the tailor replied, glancing at Miyuki briefly. "No one did. Shades, Alassëa, is that really you?" He looked back at her and sat down on the edge of the table.

Alassëa fidgeted slightly. "Well ... I can't guarantee that I'm the one you're thinking about ... but it's possible."

"You're Bryce's daughter, yes?" the man asked her. "You must be."

Alassëa blushed. "I don't know my father's name," she admitted quietly. "I don't even know if he's still here in this village. All I know is that I was born here, so this is where we're looking for him."

The tailor kept looking at Alassëa as if he were looking at a ghost. "He's the magistrate of the village," he replied steadily. "About fifty years ago, his wife died giving birth to a child - a girl - who was born blind. He named her Alassëa. He did everything he could for her ... and when he was unable to educate her properly, he sent her, at her request, to study medicine in Ebonscarp. It was hit by a party of child slavers, and she was taken ... and never heard from again. Others taken during that invasion were returned, but ... not Alassëa."

As he spoke, Alassëa nodded slowly. Yes ... that was her story, though she hadn't recalled anything before going off to study medicine with Adar.

The tailor just about choked. "Swamp?!" he exclaimed.

"Tomaski," Alassëa clarified. "From then until ... last month."

The tailor looked like he was about to faint. "Strong ... resourceful ... stubborn," he murmured, almost in a daze. "You would have to be to survive that long. Even a sighted person ..."

"How long ago was it?" Aethos asked, leaning forward slightly.

The tailor took a long, slow breath, taking a moment to think. "I ... have to say ... at least forty years," he replied slowly. He blinked. "Wait, do you mean to tell me you were in that swamp for forty years?"

"If that's how long ago the raid was," Alassëa replied with a shrug. "Then yes."

"Some," the tailor repeated, "but not all." He stood up again and held up one finger as he stepped towards the back door of the room. "One moment, please."

He opened the door and hollered through it, "Keerla! Mind the shop, I'm stepping out for a while!"

A woman's voice replied, and the tailor turned back to the others. "I hope you don't mind if we work out the details for your son's clothes another time," he told Lin and Earendil apologetically. "But I believe his lordship would like to see the lot of you. Alassëa, we'll see about getting you the rest of the answers you're searching for."

Alassëa was surprised by how much the man was going out of his way for them - surprised and touched. "Thank you," she smiled as Aethos helped her up from her chair.

Andarien wasn't quite following everything that was going on, and he looked at Lin quizzically. "No clothes?" he asked her, understanding at least that much (though he wasn't sure of the reason for it).

For a moment, Andarien looked a bit put out, but then he thought about what Lin had said. They were going to find Alassëa's father! He recalled the story that Aethos and Alassëa had told him at breakfast that morning, and he smiled widely. It would be nice for Alassëa to find her ada, just like Andarien had his ada!

"Okay!" he agreed cheerfully, holding his arms out to Lin so that she would help him off the table.

Meanwhile, Earendil looked around to make sure that they all had all of their things.

Earendil nodded at Lin. "Just double checking," he replied. He glanced at Miyuki to make sure she was following, then started after Lin.

Andarien grabbed Lin's hand and trotted along happily.

The tailor held the door for Aethos and Alassëa, then led them down the street. They passed several shops, some boys who were chasing after each other, a small grove of trees, a large fountain, and finally came to a house that was much larger than any of the other buildings, and whose property was surrounded by a tall wall and blocked off with thick iron gates.

There were no guards at the gates, however, and the tailor led them straight up the path towards the manor. At the door, they finally met a guard: a friendly looking fellow who had (at first glance) nothing more than a staff on him.

"Urgent business with his lordship," the tailor told the man brusquely, gesturing toward Alassëa.

The guard nodded and opened the door for them. "Please wait in the parlour," he requested. "His lordship will see you shortly."

The parlour was a large room, filled with plush furniture for any guests, and Earendil took a seat on a couch. Alassëa sat on a chair, gripping her staff tightly, her face pale. Her bird sensed her tenseness and sat on her shoulder, right up next to her ear, its chest rising and falling rapidly as it looked around, its keen eyes taking in their surroundings for her. Andarien looked around in wonder. This was the biggest place he could remember seeing (of course he didn't really remember the Westland palace, not having grown til after they'd left it).

At long last, the door opened again, and a servant entered the room and announced, "All rise for his lordship."

Alassëa rose to her feet, her face growing slightly paler as she turned towards the door.