────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

The fight was over with almost as soon as it had started--the willow thin boy, while noticeably stronger than Valentin simply by the way that I had to alter my stance to accommodate the struggle, still proved to be of little strength when it came to contesting my own power. In a matter of a few seconds of rearranging my holds and confirming my position I was almost certain that unless it was through an act of God this kid would not be able to slip away from my grasp.

My eyes never left his own, watching for deep-seated intent. Just as one would look one in the eye to determine internal feelings, so too did I watch the eyes of this kid to determine if or when he would attempt to make a bid for freedom and thereby attempt to break my hold in whatever way he could from his position.

Valentin approached from behind me, and a few seconds after I heard the crunching of snow come to a stop, I felt his fingers in my hair. Despite myself, there was the smallest shiver that ran down my spine, a chilling sensation of being touched that... did not quite strike me as being completely comfortable. The intention was good, of that I was sure as was the nature of Valentin, but too soon had the memory of another with a similarly lingering and yet cruel touch been emplaced in my mind. Instead I set my jaw a little harder, furrowing my brow down at the pinned down boy.

When and only when the manic boy that I had at my mercy gave no more indication of wanting to put up a notable fight, did I begin to loosen my own aggressive stance. Getting to my own feet again, I brushed off the snow from my clothes as best I could, watching the kid out of the corner of my eye as he too recovered his balance. I had said my piece. I had nothing more to remark that would be constructive to the situation.

After another diatribe from the boy, during which I stood to the side of Valentin with my arms crossed, Valentin bid him goodbye. I was more than ready to get out of here myself, giving only a curt nod to the kid and then refocusing my attention on Valentin himself, his hand wrapped around my arm. "Yes. Let's." I said sternly, still rather hot under the collar from all of this. "We'll all catch a cold standing around like this."

The trek back to my temporary campsite was swift enough, and with the help of the Oakshaft the ride back to the castle was swift if slightly chilly. Something hot was burning in me down to my very core the entire way home, though, my eyes narrow even for the purposes of cutting through the wind and the snow-blindness.

Unless Stopped, Romeo Exeunt