Rennar sits within the Inn dining room once more, this time in a corner reading a book.

The door to the dining room opens, and in walks Turail, looking vaguely lordly. A slight air of command has wrapped itself around him tangibly as the days go by. He closes the door, peering out both directions before doing so. "A fine afternoon Lady Rennar, how are you faring?"

A quizzical expression plasters itself upon Rennar's face, particularly as she looks up and takes in Turail's appearance, "I am faring well, Master Ealam...?" There is a hint of question in her voice.

The man crosses the room with a rolling gait that could almost be mistaken for jaunty, if he did not still retain that harsh aura around his person. Something cupped in his hand glints, the colour of brass. He stops and studies her. The recovery of her sister has perhaps mollified some of her worst wounds, he thinks. "I brought you something to pass the time." An intricate brass ball that looks like it comes apart somehow is placed on the table and he slips into a chair, not disrespectfully, but he doesn't beg leave today either.

The Lady's brow rises faintly at the Lord's offering. Her eyes go to the ball, studying it a moment, then a hand reaches out to take it. "Thank you." Rennar's voice comes as a soft murmuring. She takes no notice of the Lord's actions, nor offense. It is as though she prefers the comforts of easy living rather than that of formality. "Though you didn't have to bring me anything." And even though she speaks that, she is overcome by a bit of curiosity as her eyes run over the contours and lines of the ball.

Turail lounges in his chair in a comfortable sprawl. It was a wild guess of course, that she might appreciate puzzles. "I chose to." His words are slightly gruff and spare. "Have you need of other things to occupy the time?"

That curiosity remains fixed upon Rennar's features, her emerald eyes rising a bit to study Turail. After a brief moment, she offers a faint, reserved smile, "Thank you again, but no. When I had earlier packed, I had brought along books and things for writing. I read slowly, though if I do go through them more quickly than expected, I may ask for something more later." With that she abandons the puzzle a bit, to lift the book from her lap, a display for Turail.

The puzzle came into Turail's hands as happenstance earlier that day when he stopped in front of a merchant's cart in order to hide his interest in a man he was tailing. The brass ball caught his attention and he purchased it. He's certain that the men captured in Calisa's recovery were likely not much more than hired thugs. He'd like to know who hired them. Thus, another day was spent in the streets with his nose to the wind, in a manner of speaking. He smiles slightly, "I would not disturb you, Lady Hune. If it pleases you, I can go." Sometimes he's very blunt.

Rennar blinks slightly at Turail's words. She looks down at herself, then back to the man sitting nearby, "Have I done something to offend you...?" CLear is the confusion on her features, and the uncertainty.

Turail shakes his head. He certainly does not LOOK offended. "You have not. I merely wished to know if you desired company or no." He smiles to assuage the uncertain expression on her face. "I can understand the desire for solitude that overtakes the soul at times."

Relief washes over Rennar's features as he speaks his words, "You are most welcome here." She attempts a soft smile, though half-heartedly accomplishes it, "Just... do understand if I grow quiet and into my thoughts at times. It is not easy having to deal with matters, not knowing where one stands."

Turail reaches into his pocket, and pulls out another small metal ball, much smaller than the puzzle. This one does not look as if it comes apart either. He rolls it between his hands idly. "I will bear that in mind, Lady Hune." A soft almost musical sound seems to emanate from the ball in his fingers. "What is it you read? If I may ask?" He turns his head sideways as if to discover the book's name even while asking.

"Just something on the histories of Andor. It's a hobby of mine, usually only checked into when I've obsene amounts of time." Rennar murmurs quietly, lifting the book to show off the title. "This would be one of those times, so I thought I'd catch up on some reading I hadn't been able to do lately." She shivers slightly, no doubt because of the reason for her /not/ being able to read of late. Her eyes go to Turail's own ball a moment, then she settles down her book in her lap.

Turail moves one of the other chairs with his foot out to where he can use it as a footstool and plops his boots onto it. He seems content to sit, for the moment, and occupies his left hand in rotating the ball between his fingers with only three fingers. Likely some sort of coordination excercise. The ball contines to make that soft windy sound. "How current are the books available on Andor?" The question is almost absent sounding.

The question seems to catch Rennar off guard brieftly, "I'm not too entirely certain. This one does not list Arian's reign, Aislynn's mother." She adds the last set of words on as an explaination, "It goes further back."

Turail nods, a flicker of humor coming and going. The ball continues to weave around his fingers. "Are there any that you have seen that cover Roesone?"

Rennar seems to consider a moment. A thought passes over her, then she rises. SHe moves over to the small bag filled with books and rummages through them. Pulling out one, she moves over to Turail, "This one, though briefly mentioned."

Taking the offered book, Turail nods, 'Thank you.' He raises an eyebrow halfway, and gestures with his free hand 'You are sure I do not disturb you?'

"I am positive. I've no one to speak with until Demonder gets back." Rennar murmurs quietly, "And for some reason, I do not expect him this evening. The hour is growing late." She moves back to her own seat, eyes going to the small ball given to her earlier. She sets her book upon the table, then takes the ball in her hands, worrying her lower lip with her teeth in thought. "How does it work?" She looks up at Turail with a bit of question.

Turail lays the book he was just handed on the table and one boot hits the floor as he leans forward and turns the ball in her hands till a particular part points up. "That piece there is the only one that you can get out when its all together.. " His finger rests on a square, and he grins. "Be careful about how you take it apart.. then put it back together again." He pauses and adds with a grin like one who knows he's giving someone something irresistable and addicting. "Oh, and there's another way to put it back together to make two smaller balls.. but its much harder."

"Take care...?" Confusion enters Rennar's voice, "How do you mean...? Does something bad happen to it when you try to put it back the wrong way?"

Turail actually laughs, thaw touching his blue eyes for a moment. "No no, Lady Hune.. I only meant you must pay attention to how it came apart, or it will be much more difficult to re-assemble it." A smile lingers around his mouth. "I doubt it could be hurt.. "

A blush of crimson touches her cheek at her own foolishness, "Ah..." Rennar turns her head away to hide that blush. She turns her attention back to the ball, studying it a moment. "I'm almost tempted to leave it as it is, for fear of not being able to get it back together."

Turail leans forward again and taps the top of the ball, starting the top piece sliding. "Try it Lady." A steady direct look across the table is not humorous now, but instead takes on an odd intensity. "I did not bring it to you to frighten you, but to see you succeed. And you will. Of this, I am sure." Is that comment really about the puzzle? Or does he speak of something far more important?

Rennar pulls away a bit, more so at the intensity of Turail's gaze than anything else. Emerald eyes gaze back down at the puzzle piece. As they do, the illusion weave that was her hair starts to flicker once more, growing fainter, unknowingly to herself. As it does, small bits of stubble can be seen upon her scalp before the illusion reaffirms itself. "Then I suppose I shall try." The words come softly, as her fingers start to pull apart the first piece. Her eyes study the figure of the ball intensely as she moves the various pieces apart, one by one.

Turail sits back and watches, his thumb stroking the edge of the book, the orbs of blue stone through which he views the world reflect faint satisfaction. Plainly, he intended to challenge her. There is spirit in there yet. Small things, small SUCCESSES can be used to achieve great things.. and perhaps the puzzle ball will be the beginning of a rebuilt confidence. He's not forgotten the episode in the palace gardens... not at all. The flickering of her 'hair' is noticed, with a single twitch of his mouth. He knows nothing of why she should appear bald one moment, and with full hair the next.. but now is not the time to ask.

The pieces continue to come undone, carefully put aside upon the tabletop. Rennar furrows her brow briefly, tilting her head to one side, then the next another moment. Her tongue sticks out briefly in thought, then goes back into her mouth. Finally, after a few moments, she has the pieces undone. She frowns a bit, "So many..." She furrows her brow a bit, sitting back to regard what she's done.

A grin lurks at the corner's of Turail's mouth. "Aye.. a few.. but only one goes in at a time... Which two came out last?" Its a rhetorical question, from the tone of it. He rubs the scar on his cheek subconciously, still watching with an almost uncanny intenseness.

A brow quirks at Turail's comment. Rennar frowns thoughtfully, "These two." She chooses two of the pieces she had taken apart, "If you mean the last two pieces literally."

Turail nods, sweeping with a finger in the air towards the pieces she holds, "And how did those two fit to each other?" he prompts. He's slightly pleased, but the occasional flashes of grin are the only indicators.

The question causes Rennar to think a moment. She gives the pieces a studious look, then slowly, almost hesitantly attempts to put them together. Her nose wrinkles with the first attempt does not work quite right - backwards. She blinks, looking surprised, then blushes. A soft chuckle escapes her, then her eyes brighten with a sort of inner fire. Again, the illusion that is her hair flickers once more, showing red-like stubble starting to grow in upon a bald head. "Like this...?" She speaks, putting them together a second time, this time they fit.

Turail has watched this trial and error carefully, "Exactly so. Very good Lady Hune." His encouragement is quick to come. Both of his boots are now on the floor as he leans on the table on one arm. "And the piece before that... can you recall?"

She had carefully placed them upon the table when taking it apart, it's just a matter of remembering what goes where. Teeth worry Rennar's lips again in a brief moment, then her eyes seem to brighten once more, "This one." She comments, plucking the supposed next from the table. "If I remember right it should fit right about...." Her words trail off as she studies the puzzle structure as intently as Turail studies her. "Here..." After a brief moment, she puts the puzzle piece together. It fits.

If Turail could see himself at this moment, he might be surprised to find that he'd remind himself of the man who taught him the blade. The teaching light burns sharply in his eyes, pleasure at watching Rennar concentrate and succeed. "Yes, yes... excellent." He murmurs softly, his words rasping slightly. He's also pleased that she had the forethought to lay them out in order. Only once did he remind her to pay attention when dissembling it.

She is a perceptive one, she is, unlike her fiance. A smile, though light, comes to Rennar's features at Turail's praise. It does not stay long as she furrows her brow in concentration. The trick is remembering her order in which she laid them out. The next piece she picks up is the wrong one. Again, that look of concentration enters her eyes as she attempts to put the puzzle together. However, no matter which way she tries, it does not seem to fit. As she attempts to do so, her brow knits and a small frown touches her lips. The right piece was sitting next to the one she had chosen - a simple mistake.

Turail doesn't intervene. She will figure it out shortly, he's sure. The whole point of this is to restore some of her confidence. Charging in and pointing out the right piece would not accomplish that. He watches her fingers twist and turn the piece, not the slightest dismayed with it doesn't fit.

Rennar looks to the pieces set out amongst the table. They all have to be there, of course. She furrows her brow and sets aside the one she has. It doesn't fit, that's all too obvious now. A smile lights upon her features when she notices the one she had overlooked before, "Aha!" She exclaims, a funny expression coming to her eyes - almost delight. She takes up the piece, then slides it in as it's supposed to go.

Turail applauds lightly, his voice raising a level, "Yes, yes. You are sharp! Excellent work Lady Hune!" Spring touches his wintery eyes again, and stays longer this time. The ball he had been playing with long ago disappeared into his pocket as he watches.

A glance looks up at Turail's praise, and a chuckle escapes Rennar's lips, "I don't know about that, Ealam." Since she had not been given leave to call him otherwise, she continues the ruse. Settling back in her chair a bit to scrutinize the puzzle pieces before her, "Particularly since I did mess up a touch."

Turail's mouth twitches, "You did? I saw no mess up." Is that humor dancing around his eyes? "I did see testing.. however.. which is a good thing of course, Lady Hune."

Both brows raise upon Rennar's forehead, "Indeed...?" She narrows one suspicously, "I might think you are making fun of me, Ealam." She glances back down at the three piece ball and the rest of the shapes. She licks her lips, tilting her head a bit as she regards them. She plucks up two more, setting the ones that've been added together in her lap, "And why is testing so good, might I ask?"

Turail leans back in his chair, gazing at Rennar unblinkingly. Scrutinizing. Instead of answering directly he asks a counter question softly. "Is a babe born knowing all the world, or his mother's arms only? How then does he find out the world which he does not know? Or can one remain a child in his mother's arms forever?" He has an odd expression on his weathered face. The charge of making fun of Rennar, he neither defends himself against, nor even answers. He's not come out to make sport of a Lady and he beleives she knows it.

Turail's words only serve to make make her brows knit together in thought. Rennar studies the pieces she's taken, then slowly fits them into the puzzle. By now, it's little over half finished. "I think it depends, really, on how that child is raised." Rennar finally reponds, her words carefuly chosen. "Some parents would have their children rely too heavily upon them, never allowing them to question - or test if you will."

Turail nods, a small motion, still watching Lady Hune manipulate the pieces. "Perhaps some do.. but even such parents can not hold back the tide forever. A child will reach out his hand to touch the world, even if his parents forbid it... the point is Lady.." His eyes leave the puzzle in her hands and move up to her face again, "That no man knows all the world, no matter how long he.. or she.. has been loosed from a parent'a arms.. why should we cease to test? To fear testing.. to view testing as failure.. is to deny what we are.. what you are Rennar and to cut off learning."

Sensing now that there is something else to this 'puzzle' of Turail's, aside from something to keep her mind occupied, Rennar lowers what she has completed, "And what, exactly, am I supposed to be testing, Ealam?" She inquires, eyes almost challenging the other man - though not quite.

A single word slips easily from Turail's mouth, not much more than a murmur laced with satisfaction at the now completed puzzle. "Yourself." The corners of his eyes crinkle, accompanying the flashes of warmth that mix in with the melting shards of ice in his firm gaze.

"To what gain...?" Rennar responds in turn, her eyes lowering away from Turail's gaze and back upon the ther puzzle within her own hands. She takes a few more pieces, now remembering how things fit together, then starts to slowly put each piece within the ball in turn - though still having some trouble along the way, this being her first time.

Turail slides out his chair and stands up, stretching out his legs from sitting without being too obvious about it and then reaches across the table to touch Rennar's chin and raise it enough so that they are looking at one another again. "That, Lady Hune, is up to you." He remarks quite seriously.

Turail lets his hand slip away and he adds, "It is time for me to go, Lady Hune."

Again, a single, slender brow lifts at Turail's words. Much to consider. "Indeed, peraps." Rennar responds, chin lifting as directed by the other man. She tilts her head to the side, watching him quietly, then simply nods, "I thank your for your company." This she says as she puts the last piece of the ball puzzle back together.

It is also when the illusion drops, finally, to reveal a rather... odd picture - that of a woman with nearly no hair at all, most of which just starts to grow back.

Turail smiles briefly, the expression sometimes looking quite odd on his face, and bows slightly, touching heart and brow in the Shienaran way.. though curiously, its the signal used by servants, not lords and ladies. A habit from his past journeys perhaps, or perhaps an intentional gesture. "The pleasure was mine." He glances at the puzzle and back at her. Stranger things he's seen than women with no hair. He supposes this is something related to her own captivity. "A word though, Lady Hune." He has absolutely no trace of mockery or amusement on his face now. "A bit of your disguise has expired. You might wish to tend to it. I would not have you surprised."

There is no needing to tell her which has 'expired'. Lightly, Rennar sighs, closing her eyes a moment, then opening them, "There is naught that I can do, on my own. I will simply raise the hood of my cloak when I traverse up the stairs. It may draw some attention, but having no hair will draw more."

Turail watches, though his expression has drawn back into more of the natural state, less softness interceding. Absent is pity though. She will weather this too. There is a time to comfort, and a time to put a person on their feet. This he thinks is drawing into the latter. In fact, he may have said nothing, but decided that perhaps more damage would be done by letting her wonder how long it had been thus when she finally did discover what had occured. Better just to point it out and be done with it. "That will serve well, I am sure." She's still quite lovely anyway. A brief thought darts by.

Rennar nods her head slowly, "Aye, it will have to." Her words come out in a soft manner, "Please, don't let me keep you further, Master Ealam... I am certian there are other things you would much rather be doing than baby sitting me." She adds another half-hearted attempt at a smile, murmuring once more,'I gave Demonder my word that I will stay put, and I shall>"

Turail laughs, for the second time today. "I have other things to do, yes, my Lady.. but I was not aware that babysitting was what I came to do here." He raises an eyebrow slightly, "As for what I would rather be doing.. perhaps you would be so kind as to let me decide that on my own." Shooting Rennar another grin, he rests his palm on the pommel of his sword and bows his way towards the door, "I have no doubt you are as good as your word.. but that lies between you and Demonder. Till tomorrow."

Rennar's gaze becomes an unreadable mask at some of Turail's words. She nods her head gently in the man's direction, "Until tomorrow." She comments quietly, "Good eve."