Despite his outwardly blank face, she could spot a slight wince of pain. He looked gaunter than before, his eyes were sunken, and his hair had gone entirely grey. As he slipped a hand out of his blanket to pick up his cup of wine, Sarella instantly saw that the limb was very red and badly swollen. It seemed that his gout had worsened considerably since she last saw him. There was no cure for gout, and it seemed that her uncle didn't have much time left.