[Doesn't immediately start to talk. The water is very nice and he lets himself sink down a little further.]

Well, to start, I was abandoned early on in childhood to live in the slums of Nohr. The capitol is already poor compared to other countries, but the slums always reeked of death.

I had to do violent things to survive. I had to learn to kill people quite early on. And there were assaults, begging, and plenty of stealing... and selling... both the material and the immaterial...

[Closes his eye and goes silent for a moment as he recollects.]

...I only remember most things in pieces. Some of it I don't even know how to put together.

...There was blood... cold rain... bricks and rats... a large man who would laugh cruelly and leave gold coins... and who did things to me that I--... I don't fully remember.

[Rubs a hand over his eye patch.]

Some lowlife ripped out my eye. I don't recall who, it might have been him again.

[Starts to laugh coldly.]

Oh, I thought things had started to look up when I joined a gang. But these "friends" of mine betrayed me... left me as a decoy to die as they tried to escape our botched robbery on the castle. Lord Corrin's brother, Lord Leo, found me and prepared to execute me. I begged him to do it... I didn't want to live anymore. But then, he let me live instead. He let me become his retainer and gave me purpose. It's the first pleasant memory I have.

Presently, Lord Leo has extended me to serve Lord Corrin on his quest. And that is where we're at now.