Eilif Wigan

Eilif Wigan watched the sun rise from the window of his castle.  Its brilliant rays shimmered through the window curtains before streaming through them like water, creating a prismatic effect. Eilif loved watching the dawn. It was such a beautiful sight, and the early morning sky seemed even more beautiful now than it ever had before.  The birds chirping out their song, the leaves fluttering in the breeze, the trees rustling as they swayed with the wind, all served to make this glorious time so special and magical.
Eilif sighed happily and rolled out of bed.  He made a mental note to ask one of his servants to make breakfast for himself.  As usual, his appetite did not permit him to sleep very well these days.  Even the sweet smell of freshly baked bread tempted him into wanting to consume every last bite of the delicious treat, but he resisted the temptation.  Instead, he decided to take a quick walk around the kingdom, perhaps get some fresh air while he was at it.  Perhaps after he returned, he could cook up something for dinner?  Hmm…it would be nice to have another serving of that tasty stew...Eilif’s stomach growled as he thought about it.  He wondered if he should ask a servant to make his favorite stew…or perhaps try and find some wild game to roast?  There were always plenty of deer and boar roaming around these parts, as well as a few rabbits. Perhaps that would keep him busy while he waited for his dinner to arrive?
The idea of eating something besides bread appealed to Eilif greatly.  So, without waiting for any further instructions, he quickly dressed in simple black clothes and left his chambers.  With his hood concealing his face, Eilif strode down the hall with purposeful strides.
As Eilif passed through his personal dining room, he spotted a large wooden chest sitting under the stairs on the way down the hallway. Curious, he reached out to open the door.  But before his fingertips grazed its smooth surface, he heard a voice whisper, "Be cautious."  Eilif immediately pulled his hand back.  The strange voice hadn't come from the trunk—he knew this.  Whoever it was clearly didn't want him to touch anything in there.  Eilif glanced around warily for the source of the sound, wondering if he should report whoever it was.  But before he could decide what to do, the voice spoke again.  This time, he recognized it:  It belonged to his faithful butler and advisor, Fenton. Eilif turned toward the staircase, then quickly walked to Fenton's room. The door wasn'l shut all the way, and Fenton stepped outside his room to greet Eilif.
"Ah, my lord," Fenton said respectfully.  "You're up early. What are your plans today?"  He asked.  The man had been acting quite different since the night before, when Eilif had come up to speak to him and had witnessed his reaction to the intruder that had appeared.  Eilif hadn't noticed at first, but as soon as Fenton came out of his room he looked a bit more alert, and he began speaking less casually.
Eilif hesitated a moment, uncertain how much he should tell Fenton or whether telling him would help or harm things.  If it helped, that could prove useful, but it could also endanger his life. After weighing his options, Eilif decided to simply say, "I'm going out for a walk." He paused, then added, "Do you mind keeping this quiet?"  He already knew Fenton wouldn'l talk about him going anywhere, especially if he went off alone, but he couldn'l risk Fenton revealing his secret to anyone else just yet.
"Of course not!" Fenton exclaimed. "My mouth will stay sealed forever.  May I accompany you, sir?"
Eilif nodded and headed toward the front gates.  Fenton hurried behind him, trying not to lose sight of his master.  Once outside, Eilif began to jog along the edge of the forest towards the center of the kingdom where the great city resided.  As they traveled, Fenton kept a respectful distance beside his master, occasionally glancing at the ground whenever possible.  Eilif didn't blame Fenton for being nervous; he'd feel the same way if someone tried to sneak up behind him.  It was only because Eilif trusted him so implicitly that Fenton had been allowed to remain in the castle with him.  And as far as Fenton was concerned, he didn't regret it in the slightest, despite the fact that he'd been ordered never to leave Eilif's side once he became his knight.
When they got to the gates, Fenton opened them for Eilif.  The two men continued to jog together until they entered a large, winding street lined with shops.  Most of them were filled with goods that Eilif had bought over the years, although he wasn't sure how many were actually his and how many were stolen from others.  At least the stores were still intact—otherwise, they might've started looting and pillaging already.  Not to mention, most of the buildings were either completely empty, or were crumbling ruins.  It seemed like the kingdom had become a ghost town after the recent attack.  Only a handful of citizens wandered through the streets of the city.
After walking through a particularly narrow alleyway, Fenton suddenly stopped in his tracks.  Turning to look at Eilif quizzically, he said, "Your Majesty, perhaps I shouldn'l escort you after all.  You seem to prefer the quiet company of nature yourself, and I'm afraid the noises from the city disturb you greatly.  Besides, the streets seem very dangerous now.  I fear they'll turn violent at any minute if you go wandering off alone."
Eilif chuckled softly and shook his head.  "It's alright.  I don't mind being alone.  My instincts tell me that I'll be fine.  It won't even be a full day till my stew will be ready.  Besides, you haven't even begun your duties today.  You can relax and enjoy yourself a little longer."
Fenton still seemed reluctant, but relented and agreed.  With a deep sigh, he said goodbye, wished Eilif good luck, and departed.  Eilif continued onward until he reached the entrance of another alleyway.  He followed it until he arrived at the entrance of a deserted courtyard.