[ What? An act of rebellion, of course. Pushing back against a community that despised a man who dared to kiss men. By knew that well, the desire to shock and scandalize and horrify, the desire to lean into your bad reputation just to make them flinch. That's what Ges was doing, too. Saying fuck you to Barrayar, to the old Vor system that tied you and choked you and broke you.
Or. Or it was exactly what it seemed like. Or he was as wicked as they said. That's what Prior has hinted at, before. And it's not...impossible. Ges was a Vorrutyer, after all. Byerly knows well just how real the family madness is. He's seen, and felt, the way that sadism rises to the surface in their line, even knows the impulse himself, sometimes. And if Ges was like a young Richars, but with a hunger for boys instead of girls, and his father had been right there - ]
But I - I... [ By swallows hard against a dry throat. He tries - ] If...if that's true, then Father should have - he should have known that I wouldn't. Ever. If Ges was...Then he should have been able to spot the differences, and... [ By can hardly keep the train of thought maintained. Instead, strained - ] Is it true? Is that true? Are you sure?
no subject
[ What? An act of rebellion, of course. Pushing back against a community that despised a man who dared to kiss men. By knew that well, the desire to shock and scandalize and horrify, the desire to lean into your bad reputation just to make them flinch. That's what Ges was doing, too. Saying fuck you to Barrayar, to the old Vor system that tied you and choked you and broke you.
Or. Or it was exactly what it seemed like. Or he was as wicked as they said. That's what Prior has hinted at, before. And it's not...impossible. Ges was a Vorrutyer, after all. Byerly knows well just how real the family madness is. He's seen, and felt, the way that sadism rises to the surface in their line, even knows the impulse himself, sometimes. And if Ges was like a young Richars, but with a hunger for boys instead of girls, and his father had been right there - ]
But I - I... [ By swallows hard against a dry throat. He tries - ] If...if that's true, then Father should have - he should have known that I wouldn't. Ever. If Ges was...Then he should have been able to spot the differences, and... [ By can hardly keep the train of thought maintained. Instead, strained - ] Is it true? Is that true? Are you sure?