Don't panic.
The voice in the dark came as a shock to him. Yates hadn't heard anyone approach, and in a night as dead as this one he should have heard something. Footfalls on the grass, the rustle of clothing. Breathing. Anything that would give him a resounding clue that he was not alone. Instead all he was left with was a great disadvantage. Unless it was a deity listening in on his silent hopes. A god to help the helpless. The tone of the voice said otherwise. It was not kind and sweet. It had force. Not what he had in mind.
He had to do something quickly. React. And not in the way a person would who just had their hands tightening a rope around a man's neck. Yates stood up with haste lacing his every movement, though grace was not bound to him. He wanted to stumble, catch himself on his feet, but not trip over the dead body at them and reach for the sword at his side. It was easier than he thought, his injures at served that much. But the truth of the matter was, he did not know who he was facing and the lantern did not spread it's light far enough to catch a glimmer. It could be a thug like him, readying to steal everything he had. Or rather everything he had planned to steal for himself. Or something else.
Please, please let it not be a bounty hunter. He had business to take care of, he didn't need to be chased.
Yates fumbled to get the sword out of its sheath, that wasn't planned. "Stay away! We don't have anything more for you to steal!" He said, the certain tone on his voice and the way he pronounced words generally gave him some privilege for passing as nobility when he could. If he could make them assume he was one of the merchants, he would have two options available. One, lie his way out of everything and play innocent. And two, take a bandit off guard by thinking they had an easy night. He gave up on the sword and turned to trying to make the lantern appear threatening. Not really where he wanted to go. Sigh. "Don't make me set you on fire! I...I..."
Fire...That wouldn't be a bad idea if push came to shove.