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Andarien looked at the fork in his hand, then looked at the pieces of egg white. He mimicked Lin's actions, turning the fork on its side and using it to cut the pieces into even smaller pieces.

"No, no," Earendil chuckled, correcting his son's grip on the utensil. "Like this. Pick up the pieces one at a time and use the fork to put it into your mouth."

He helped Andarien with the first bite, and then let him continue eating on his own. The server came back and asked Lin and Earendil for their orders. When he headed back to the kitchen, Earendil made sure that Andarien was still eating all right before turning to Aethos and Alassëa.

"So what are your plans for finding your father, Alassëa?" he asked her. "Have you asked anyone yet?"

"No," Alassëa replied with a frown. "I'm not sure how to ask ... I mean ... I don't know my father's name, or how long it's been, or anything."

Alassëa nodded her head slowly. "That is a valid point," she admitted.

"But of course since we are in a land of immortals, and there's no way to tell how old anyone is," Aethos added, "we're going to have to ask almost everyone we see."

"Well, we are in an inn," Earendil pointed out. "What better place to start asking?" He flagged down a passing server. "Excuse me, would you happen to know anything about a child that was born blind in this village?"

The woman blinked at him uncertainly. "I'm sorry, sir, but no ... are you looking for one?"

"Don't ask me," Alassëa said flatly. "Time is meaningless when you're on your own in a swamp."

Especially when it's for a very long time.

The woman looked at Alassëa. "You are the child?" she asked.

"Well, I used to be," Alassëa smiled. "Though they've been calling me a woman since they found me. But yes, I was born blind, and we're trying to find my father. I was very young when we were separated, and I don't recall his name or anything about him."

"Ah," the woman nodded. "I see. Let me ask around in the back, I'll see what I can come up with for you."

"Thanks," Alassëa smiled. "It's much appreciated."

"Of course." The woman smiled back and bowed slightly. "I'll be back as soon as I can." She swept off again towards the back.

Earendil leaned back and smiled. "There we go. It's that simple."

"But we haven't gotten any information yet!" Alassëa protested.

"Besides," Earendil added, "the more people that are asking, the sooner we'll find an answer. In the meantime, we don't have to worry about losing time while we're eating. The inquiry is still going on. Progress is being made, even if it's simply shortening the list of people who we need to ask."

Their original server returned then with food for him and Lin, and Earendil asked him the same question they'd asked the woman. He didn't have any information for them either, and he returned to the kitchen.

"Maybe," Aethos volunteered, "though with how well Alassëa gets along, some people might not even realize that she's blind. We've had that problem before."

It was true. Some places had tried asking her to take her bird outside, until she told them that it was her eyes.

"Yes, I just meant that people will not be likely to approach and say 'I know your father!'" Aethos amended. "That is all."

"We might even run into him without knowing it," Earendil chuckled.

Alassëa smiled at that thought. "I wonder if I look anything like I once did," she murmured. "Though I suppose I shouldn't hope that he would recognize me right away."

"There is always hope," Alassëa smiled faintly.

Andarien poked Lin with the handle of his fork. "Nana, I'm done my white and my yellow and my bread." He looked up her, waiting expectantly to hear what to do next.