bethen avilla ; the circle mage (bethe) wrote in thedas,
Before she realized what was happening, Beth was sent reeling a few steps backwards when the hand reached her face, smacking her hard across the cheek. Being slapped happened too fast for her to stop or step around, and yet in such slow motion that she was certain she could already feel her skin stinging even before her flesh was struck. The surprise of the impact caused her to drop the book on the ground; under any other circumstance, she would have been more upset about it, but she had just been hit for the first time in...well, possibly ever. Reflexively, Beth cupped her palm around her cheek, hot and red with pain. She was more shocked than sore, and more angry than she was dismayed.
While it would have been easy to assume that Beth's instinct wasn't to perpetuate the fight, as she had often been one to lecture the younger mages on good behavior, but it was as if Thais' attack had hit something deeper. A similar scenario had happened before, more than once, and she had simply had enough of bullies in her lifetime. She wasn't thinking now, just reacting with every bit of pent up rage she'd held close for years. Though she reared back temporarily, this was not at all a retreat -- it was a preparation to cast a hastening spell on herself, before rushing forward at Thais. She put one hand out to push away the staff, so that she wouldn't be at a disadvantage without a staff, while the other attempted to snake around and grab at Thais' hair.