ansset is seen as special and taken under the wing of esste, a senior "songmaster". she takes him out into the real world, but only for a few days, a man remarking of the boy, "if he's willing to take off his clothes, he can make a fortune." because of his talent, he is sent to the emperor mikal himself to sing. when he is aged 9, riktors ashen collects ansset from the songhouse and is captivated by his beauty, "the kind of face that melted men's hearts as readily as women's. more readily."