"I have sons of my own at home as well. Being gone from them like this I'd at least wish to bring them home a good story as recompence." It is a lie of course. Not about having sons, foster sons they might be but he loves them as well as if they were of his own flesh and blood, but he knows full well he'll never see them again. "And my little Elros does so love the ocean and all things that dwell in it."