[littlemanpoet]

Raefindan went to Gwyllion and chafed her palms, stealing glances at Mellonin and Ravion as he dressed down Aeron. It had all happened so fast. Raefindan wished that he had been quicker to react to the situation, but apparently he was still recovering from his pneumonia. He turned back to Gwyllion. Her face was pale. He brushed the hair away from her face and lightly slapped her cheeks, calling her name. He took his water pouch from his side and poured some water over her lips, which brought no reaction, then on her forehead and eyes. She blinked and frowned and coughed, then looked up at him, recognition coming only after a moment.

"How do you fare, Gwyllion? Here, drink."

She bent her head forward toward his water pouch, and he placed his hand behind her neck and head to support her. She drank a few gulps, then turned her head away. He pulled the water pouch away.

"Thank you," she said.

"You are welcome. How do you feel?"

"Well enough. What happened?"

"You fainted as your brother and Mellonin fought."

Her eyes crossed momentarily and he thought he was going to lose her again. Then her brows lowered and her lips became a line. "The monster!"

"Indeed."

Raefindan helped her to her feet. She scampered off to Mellonin and knelt by Ravion's side. Raefindan paced to Aeron, standing by Gond. The boy's back was straight and his shoulders were high. His face was held in a tight frown and his brows were low in an angry frown. Raefindan walked past him, then turned and faced him directly. He let his hands hang loose at his sides. He knew how his eyes must look; it was the expression from which staring daggers had been derived.

"Boy, I do not know you. Search your heart. Search well."

"But she started-" Aeron began heatedly, but Raefindan had turned away from him, and walked back to the others without so much as a glance for the boy.