I have no doubt it's Ial. I believe towards the end he didn't feel any reason to keep living anymore but Erin told him otherwise. It would have been nice to know what he decided to do, though. Did he become a harp maker? I have no doubt the new rulers would have employed him as well but somehow it didn't feel quite that way, and he himself wouldn't have likely felt comfortable anymore in their service, after everything that transpired.