The atmosphere suddenly took a dramatic turn. Taryl spoke in a trembling voice, her mind seemed overwhelmed with melancholy, her beautiful eyes ready to brim with tears at any moment.
"He should be the same age as Seth, the head of the supply and cleaning department. He was a promising young man, a future artisan of great renown. But one day, while working at the magical forge of Nemenski, one of the most influential dwarves in our clan, there was an explosion of such magnitude that it wiped out several dozen houses around, causing the death of nearly a hundred families, including my son," she said bitterly.
Suddenly, Cliff felt an irresistible urge to embrace the young woman. He rose from his chair, knelt down, spread his arms wide, and wrapped them around Taryl, holding her tightly against him.
"My lord," she said in a trembling voice.
"Don't worry," he reassured her, "we are alone here."
