"It's a leash." Shackles. The very thing he did not want and now? Now he is a pawn to them and their agenda. Oh they mean well but not one of them stopped to think that perhaps maneuvering an elf into having no choice but to agree so publicly was not the best way to endear themselves to him. At least Alistair had not been among the crowd.

"If you call me that again, I will hurt you." He is forced to endure it from so many, now. Even Dorian uses it non-ironically and he'd hoped to avoid that. If Alistair began? He'd go mad. Or ride off one of the nearest bluffs, whichever came first.