<div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/QmRfzG7.jpg)</div><br/><em> “The thing I learned above all others in school was that the only difference between what you know now and don’t know yet, is experience and understanding. But experience without understanding isn’t learned, and understanding that lacks experience isn’t complete.”</em>Pipa said sagely.  Eren looked down a moment, absorbing the advice.  Pipa could figuratively see the woman chewing over that bit, rolling the thought around inside her head, tasting and savoring the advice.  Wisely the quarter orc gave the human a moment to think it over before continuing,<em>“I hope we are going to experience and understand much in the coming year of preparation. Don’t judge yourself by what you know now, and have hope. I am sure that all that can be done for your scar will be. Has any mage even tried?” </em><br/><br/>Eren glanced out the window, turning away from Pipa then for a moment.  Her shoulders heaved with a silent sigh and Pipa could see her head nodding.<strong> "If you had seen what it had looked like after he attacked..." </strong>She trailed off for a moment.<strong> "The healers did a very good job, but he was my teacher.  He was the most powerful mage within a week's ride from my home, and the only one willing to come tutor a spoiled young child."</strong>Eren turned back to look at Pipa, full on now almost as if checking to see what Pipa's reaction to the scar would be.  It was red and angry on her face, but truth be told, it wasn't so bad.  Pipa had seen far worse injuries in her youth, results of training or mining accidents.  Usually magical healing could take care of things like that, but apparently this was more than an injury.  Still it wasn't really bad to look at, so Pipa would have no problem looking at the girl.<strong> "I was foolish, when he tried to gain my affection, I laughed at him.  It was laughable, wasn't it?  I mean he knew I was bound for the dungeon, he knew that I couldn't give him what he wanted.  But I think it may have been the first time he heard a woman tell him no.  He was handsome, and powerful, and had enough money to be comfortable.  So I suppose women who were interested in male companionship would have found him quite desirable.  Though I did not."</strong><br/><br/>She sighed and seemed to be searching Pipa's eyes as she said the next comment, wondering how the quarter orc would take the comment,<strong> "Growing up in a large home with three mothers and two aunts, I wasn't really given much to male companionship.  My mothers obviously had no interest in men, and my two aunts had little after their husband had left.  I suppose... I suppose I just never really considered it much.  Is that odd?"  </strong>She let her right hand drift over and fall on Pipa's knee, a gesture that could be one of a person seeking friendship, validation, or perhaps it was more.