Since flames had ravaged the city of Midas, Mihail had been trapped in a state of sheer distress.

Once the fires had died down, and the city had been deemed safe to visit again, he had sent a message down to the small textiles shop where he knew Tryphon both worked and resided, a request that the man come and visit the Thanasi home as he had done so many times in the past. It had been met with silence. He had sent another letter, one that was slightly more panicked, somewhat more concerned for the man's welfare, and still, no response had been heard. More anxious now than before, Mihail had left home himself to discover precisely what the situation was, a rarity given how often he preferred to send someone to investigate in his place. It was harder for one to be faulted when one was never seen in the wrong.

The store, however, was no longer present. Its thatched roof had been destroyed, torn apart by the heat of the flames, and no doubt the fabrics and textiles lining the walls of the interior had done nothing to prevent the spread. The place was decorated with ash. But, more importantly, there was no sign of his lover, no sign of where the man might have gone to escape the panic, and no signs that he might have perished in the fire and, at least, put Mihail's mind at rest.

A merchant in a shop nearby loosened his tongue for a few coins, offered him the information that he had not seen him the day of the fire - not that the Thanasi had thought that piece of gossip all too useful, given how little attention one might pay during a fire - and that he had heard plans for the man to return to his home province of Eubocris. Eubocris. That was not drastically far from Midas, and it did not require the crossing of any significant stretches of water, so Mihail had made plans for travel to the mountainous region right there and then.

It was the following morning that he left, awakening almost earlier than the sun itself; dressing in the dark colours of his house; requesting his horse be brought to him and leaving the Thanasi home before any of his siblings were aware of his absence. The journey was long, and it was tedious, and he had been forced to stop more than once when the pain of the ride had grown too much for him to bear. He would have preferred to make the journey in a carriage, so much less used to riding than any who might have been raised in a more military household, but the thin and rocky roads of the province made that nothing short of impossible, something Mihail became all too aware of as he navigated his stallion over an old footbridge.

The manor sat at the top of an incline, and this was where the young man now approached. With no idea where to start investigating Tryphon's disappearance - there were far too many people here to question all of them regarding his name and location, and doubtless, there would be more than one Tryphon - he had chosen to challenge the Baron of Eubocris directly, one Timaeus of Valaoritis. It seemed only reasonable that he would have some insight on the situation but, then again, Mihail knew nothing of being a baron outside of the few grumbles he heard from his older brother. He had only his hope to guide him here.

They were not expecting his presence, and perhaps it would be considered rude that he appeared with so little warning, but he did not care as he dismounted his horse, barging his way past any guards that might deem to get in his way and entering the house. "I need to speak with the Baron. 'Tis a matter of the utmost urgency."