The stag isn't quite at that point when he hears Tilney's words - he has no swords to swing, and his snarl is marginally less feral than it could be. But those jade eyes of his - always so kind, gentle, full of laughter - are as hard as emeralds. Stricken by sadness at his sister's moving, the scimitar is in no mood to humour fools. He marches towards his brother with his muscles bunched and rippling beneath his tri-toned skin, his head flung high and his ears pinned to the half-braided, tangled mane that thrashes upon his broad neck. Oh, Tilney has got a cheek. The boulder that his brother sends crashing down to the ocean below is nothing in comparison to the bay beast that the chestnut now finds himself facing; a picture of cold, composed fury.

"Please, Gods, tell me you are kidding me. You are seriously attempting to blame me for our sister leaving us? You've always been a bit thick, Tilney, but this is bordering on the retarded." The words are surprisingly savage, spoken with venom that the pirate rarely utilises. It's odd how tones that can be so humourous and light can suddenly be so heavy, so full of disgust, contempt and a rather childish need to make his brother hurt. He'll regret this later, but right now Bart is off on his tirade and there's no force on earth that can stop him.

"What was I supposed to do? It might be news to you, Tilney, but Aelfwine is her own woman. She may be our sister, but she is not ours to control. As much as I wanted to walk over there and rip her lover's throat out, I also know that she does not belong to me and that she is entitled to do whatever the hell she wants." His eyes narrow coldly, never leaving his brother's face. "I don't subscribe to your version of the world, brother - a world where you think it's okay to control your siblings' lives and treat them like children."

He turns, glowering, his temper thoroughly roused and now unwilling to bend back into its cage. "I will miss her more than you can possibly imagine, but she is our sister and we need to respect her wishes. In other words - back the hell off and leave her alone." With that tone, with that fierce glint in his eye, it would take a brave man to disagree.