[nehan handles the touches to his ears with silent, long-suffering dignity. it feels much like the way ives touches them, but more clinical, and lighter-- enough to make them flutter under the man's hand, like he's trying to dislodge a fly.]

I have no rivals. [which, of course, means no. that the darkblood man has the right of it.]

If I had been fighting someone, they wouldn't have been allowed to do such a thing to me in the first place. But I wasn't allowed to retaliate or protect myself from those who handled me.