[ He murmurs that sotto voce, casual as anything - but at the same time, he's moving just a bit, step by small step, edging around to put himself between her and Maine even as she edges closer to him.
This little mince in her direction culminates in a dual sensation of terror and relief when he hears the scrape of a sword being drawn. Ah. Yes. A traitor after all, he thinks. And also: well done, Byerly, you'll give the girl the chance to get away. And also: Dear me, I certainly don't want to die hacked into quivering bits by a shambling mountain. He is afraid of that sound, but, well - terror always loses out to recklessness when you are Vor, even when you are disinherited rejected Vor. So when Maine draws, Byerly turns immediately, shoving Beth behind him with one arm as he steps in to intercept the blow, the movements smooth and practiced if not exactly deadly...
And then he's left, blinking foolishly, when Maine shoves the blade at him instead of through him.
Ah. Well. It takes him a moment to recover from that. He clears his throat, and then takes the sword, stepping off to the side and looking at no one and trying desperately to pretend none of that happened. Instead, he brandishes the sword at a rock, trying to look like an idiot pretending to duel when he has no idea how to duel. And he says, lightly and quietly: ]
no subject
[ He murmurs that sotto voce, casual as anything - but at the same time, he's moving just a bit, step by small step, edging around to put himself between her and Maine even as she edges closer to him.
This little mince in her direction culminates in a dual sensation of terror and relief when he hears the scrape of a sword being drawn. Ah. Yes. A traitor after all, he thinks. And also: well done, Byerly, you'll give the girl the chance to get away. And also: Dear me, I certainly don't want to die hacked into quivering bits by a shambling mountain. He is afraid of that sound, but, well - terror always loses out to recklessness when you are Vor, even when you are disinherited rejected Vor. So when Maine draws, Byerly turns immediately, shoving Beth behind him with one arm as he steps in to intercept the blow, the movements smooth and practiced if not exactly deadly...
And then he's left, blinking foolishly, when Maine shoves the blade at him instead of through him.
Ah. Well. It takes him a moment to recover from that. He clears his throat, and then takes the sword, stepping off to the side and looking at no one and trying desperately to pretend none of that happened. Instead, he brandishes the sword at a rock, trying to look like an idiot pretending to duel when he has no idea how to duel. And he says, lightly and quietly: ]
Cheers, good fellow. Shall we?