Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2022 14:58:10 GMT -5
“Then why was Evangeline here watching over them like they’re kids?” He grumbled under his breath, knowing all too well that shouting the argument across the courtyard would only end in more misery for him. And fine, technically Woodwick was right - Ian and Winifred were soldiers in training and not kids - but Ber’s point still stood: they were both considerably smaller and less skilled than he was, and he still did not want to make Evangeline watch as he beat down her younger cousin and brother, even if it was on her uncle’s orders. Nor did he understand what his job here was, though it sounded like the Lieutenant wanted him to throw the match if his last statement was anything to go by.
Yeah, well, screw that. He didn’t want to hurt the kids, but he didn’t want to lose to them either.
Evangeline’s words had him glancing toward her briefly, but there was no quick way to explain that it wasn’t his well-being that had him hesitating. Still, he had managed thus far without causing any injury - Ian had been successfully shoved aside, and Winifred had tumbled to the ground as intended - so maybe he’d be able to maintain the streak. Avoiding punishment from Woodwick was a strong motivator, however, so he thought it likely that he’d have to tire them out and claim victory that way. The problem was, he thought as he eyed the two of them plotting together, they were twelve and clearly still full of energy despite a training session. With a sigh, Ber braced himself when they rushed toward him again. This might take a while.
Moving to the side, he dodged Winifred’s charge and pivoted to keep her in his peripherals even as most of his attention remained fixed on Ian. The boy threw himself at the soldier without abandon as his cousin rushed in from behind. Nope. He didn’t want to be tackled today. Hastily, Ber dodged the leap then jogged back, further out of reach, so that the two of them were both in front of him again.
The action put him closer to where their audience watched casually from the wall, and a glance to the side told the soldier that Evangeline and Woodwick had been joined now by an older boy, who was possibly somewhere around Evangeline’s and his age. That had to be the missing Theodore, for he looked too much like Woodwick to not be related to him; they even rested against the wall the same way. He wondered if he was more like Evangeline or the Lieutenant, but before he could ponder the question further, he was dodging another attack from the kids. Tempering his blows so that any physical contact was still a shove and not a punch, he continued to play purely defense and, after a somewhat pained glance in Evangeline’s direction, lightly jogged around them to the other side of the courtyard.