Judging from his sister's words, Tilney's sudden change in behaviour was as much a surprise to her as it was to Bartholomeo himself. He's not one to judge, having had his fair share of women since his wife's death, but he's always careful never to father any children with them. To him, the creation of a child is the most beautiful and sacred thing in the world, and should not be done flippantly. Jack's memory is still ripe within his mind, and there's a part of him that wonders if it will ever be possible to love another foal as much as he loved his son. Can Tilney share his love between his living children, or does he treat them as accidents, as shameful secrets to be brushed under the carpet?

Whatever the answer is, the pirate intends to speak with his brother. He doesn't disapprove, not really, but he's keen to know the full story. Now, however, he has his sister to focus upon.

She mentions Arah, and the stallion gives a small pirate's grin. "I remember her. I never forget a pretty face." He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively. Aelfwine reveals that Tilney and Arah had a child together, and the stag stashes Maude's name away for future use - he's sure he will become acquainted with his niece in due course.

The story continues. It transpires that Arah disappeared, but that Tilney didn't take long in getting over her, by planting himself in the undergarments of a pegasus mare. This knowledge makes the man's eyes widen. He's no stranger to women in his bed, but Tilney.... A flippant grin spreads across his face at the image, but suddenly it fades as he realises that Tilney has done no worse than what Bartholomeo himself did in the aftermath of Gráinne and Jack's deaths. He, too, turned to the succour of unknown mares to lessen the pain of the crippling loss; a few moments of heaven could disguise the hell that raged within. Now, he understands Tilney's behaviour, and knows that he cannot possibly judge. "Loss is a powerful aphrodisiac," he says, and his handsome face is darkened with sorrow, his earlier humour long gone. "I can't explain it. It's cowardice, I suppose. Escapism. Rather than facing the source of your loss, it's easier to forget everything for a moment and allow your instincts to take over. For those few blessed moments, you can forget about everything else but the sensations in your body, the blessed blankness of your mind. It isn't healthy, it isn't a long term solution, and there's certainly the risk of unplanned offspring, but...." His voice trails off and he finds himself unable to look her in the eye, lost in his emotions. Quickly he clears his throat and glances upwards. "Has Arah been found?" Without a body to mourn if she really was dead, Tilney couldn't get the closure that the pirate knows he needs.

Keen to guide the conversation away from these dangerous waters, the stag allows his mouth to lapse into a wide smile as Aelfwine reveals how Byron got his name. "It means a lot to me that you would name a child after me. Thank you, Aelfwine." There's genuine warmth in the stallion's eyes and he seeks to nudge his sister gently with his nose again.

She adds that she's no stranger to a bit of fun, and the overprotective brother inside the man makes hims stutter, apopletic. Her playful expression convinces him that she'd been aiming for that exact reaction, and he raises an amused brow, happy to join in with the banter. That's what the pirate is best at - moving from melancholy to easy humour in the space of a few seconds, hiding anything deeper behind a boyish grin and sense of mischief. "I used to tell my men in no uncertain terms that if they dared even think anything lecherous towards you, I would remove their manhood and feed it to them. I might not have bothered if I'd known you were such a slattern." He flashes her a wide grin and darts neatly backwards in case she should aim a displeased hoof towards him. He's joking, of course - as much as it makes his older-brother sentiments bristle, he knows he cannot deny her her pleasure!