Author's POV
It had been about five years since his father died. During that time, Calus had lived under the care of his maternal grandparents. They were already well into their old age when they took him in, and though they tried their best, their strength waned with each passing day. Age spares no one, not even those who lived honest lives from beginning to end.
By the time Calus turned fourteen, he was alone again. His grandmother passed first—quietly, in her sleep. Not long after, his grandfather followed, as if unable to bear the loneliness. Nothing remained of his parents—not even a proper burial for his father, who had died branded a traitor. All that was left to the boy was a small, weathered house just outside the city, once owned by his late grandparents.
