[center][h1][color=ff5000][b]Renar Hagen[/b][/color][/h1][/center]

Behind the face-concealing visor of his helmet, Renar stared incredulously at Veilena Cazt and her bodyguard as they emerged, the dots connecting in his mind as Clarice spoke. She was the one who had wanted this shard in the first place? This was...unexpected. If she claimed to not be the enemy of the Iron Rose, that left precious few reasons why any of this even occurred. Without knowing much of the girl's mind, Renar's best guess was personal responsibility. Perhaps a member of her family was the reason this shard was even loose in the first place. Perhaps it had been her father's crime. His grip tightened around the haft of his poleaxe at the thought. Utterly ridiculous. But they lived in a society where children were judged on the actions of their forefathers, after all. 

[color=ff5000][b]"Words are as wind."[/b][/color] Renar said flatly, stepping to the side as he sized up Haelstadt. The giant was the same as ever. Renar lacked the advantage in reach and strength. Against such a foe, only guile remained. Assuming he would be hostile, of course. But he'd be a failure of a knight to not prepare for such an eventuality. 

[color=ff5000][b]"Quite the puppet show you've put on, Lady Cazt. It only cost the lives of [i]an entire fort's worth[/i] of the Crown's men-at-arms. If you were our enemy, I'd almost be impressed. Of course, if you truly aren't, we could at least hope for your complete and total cooperation in this manner so as to resolve it with minimal waste of life from here on out?"[/b][/color]