Loyal to the Motherland [M]

[DragonSong]

Bane and Verik exchanged a look. Then the dragonrider sighed and  gestured for Dane's attention.

"Lad, look." He pursed his lips, trying to think of how best to phrase what he was thinking without thoroughly freaking the younger man out. "If you're trying to be...polite, or whatever, that's fine. But don't...do stuff like that because you think you have to. You don't--" He paused, considered, then continued carefully, "You don't belong to Anselm anymore. If I can do anything about it, you're not going to belong to anyone when we get back. I'll see what I can do about getting you a job at the barracks. A real job."

[Juno]

What Verik was telling him...he wanted so badly to believe in it but the world did not work that way. Not his reality, at least. He wanted to trust Verik, but promises were just words weren't they? He'd learned not to trust too deeply over the years, it served no purpose than to hurt him to believe in such things anyway.

Dane just shook his head quietly, turning his head to frown at the grass at his feet. In the end, he still belonged to Anselm. It was Anselm's gold that had bought him. It was Anselm's word he needed to regain the freedom in his life Verik spoke of, unless the sergeant planned on buying him to do it himself. It seemed a ridiculous hope to hold onto, though.

"I...appreciate your thoughts," he began gently, not wanting Verik to feel as though he didn't think well of his intentions. "That's just not...realistic for me right now. I don't want to get any ideas in my head."

He glanced at the pan of food again, grimacing slightly. "I don't wish to get comfortable with overstepping my bounds. Anselm has different...expectations of me. If you will not let him keep me at the barracks he may wish to send me elsewhere to work instead," he pointed out, not wanting to hold too closely the hope that Verik might honor his word and ensure his release somehow.

[DragonSong]

"Hey."

Without thinking, Verik stood and moved to kneel in front of Dane, eyes searching for his. His gaze was burning, some combination of anger and determination, but his voice was as gentle as he could make it. "Look, even if I can't free you--" he'd do his damnedest, but he knew that might be out of his control. Freeing slaves was never an easy business-- "I am not letting you go back to Anselm. Hear me?"

He put one finger under Dane's chin and tilted his head back to meet his eyes firmly. "I know you don't really have a reason to trust me-- we don't actually know each other all that well-- but believe me, I would never let anyone be at the mercy of someone like him. Not if I could stop it."

He smiled crookedly and stepped back. "It's why I'm a soldier, Dane. That's why I do what I do."

[Juno]

Dane had cast him a few wary glances when he’d moved closer, his body automatically tensing as he’d wondered if he might be punished for openly disagreeing with Verik. At his touch he’d lifted his eyes to let blue meet green, that tension beginning to gradually relax.

Verik’s words seemed genuine enough and by the end of it Dane found himself thinking he must have been at least a little honest. Helping him out of the kindness of his heart seemed a bit risky for someone in his position, but perhaps he wouldn’t be faulted for trying to improve the life of a slave trapped under the hand of an arrogant soldier.

Perhaps a few weeks away from his new master would help thin the leash of control Anselm had felt was his right. He could only hope.

Neither of them might have any real choice or say in the matter anyway, but Dane desperately wanted to hope that they did. Maybe Verik could improve his situation or at least protect him if he only let him help. There were ingrained habits that were difficult to break, though, and the slave wondered if the soldier was determined enough to remain steady and calm through it.

“Thank you,” he’d finally murmured, looking up to him with warm cheeks and a cautious smile when he’d stood. His gut told him he could trust Verik, that he should trust him. He prayed he was not making a mistake in doing so.

“I hope you don’t think I’m ungrateful, I do appreciate what you’re saying,” he repeated gently, eyes falling to study the pan of food before leaning forward to drag it closer to himself and accept it at last. A few cautious spoonfuls were taken to taste. It was a little bland but certainly not bad and the warmth in his belly drew a soft hum of relief and comfort as he continued to eat. By the time he’d pushed it away Dane had nearly devoured it all as he’d worried he might’ve.

He lifted his eyes again, casting Verik an apologetic smile. “Are we moving on to the next camp soon?” Dane stood slowly with the newly-acquired blanket in hand, moving to collect his things he’d left beside Bane the previous night and petting distractedly at the dragon’s scales.

[DragonSong]

Verik smiled and sat back when he seemed to accept what he was saying. "Yeah. This post is up to date, so we can leave once you've eaten. I'll start taking down camp."

[Juno]

He eyed the food that was left in the pan with guilt before shaking his head and turning away entirely. "You should have it," he insisted quietly, trailing his hand along Bane's side as he walked by the dragon to kneel beside the unused tent he'd set up for himself the previous night. "I'll get this." There wasn't much Dane could do to help Verik with his actual duties, but he was determined to not become a burden while he was along for the trip.

[DragonSong]

"I can--"

Bane huffed and flicked his rider's shoulder with his tail and he shut up. The dragon huffed.

Right. He'd brought Dane along, he couldn't very well treat him like some glass decoration the entire time they were out here. That was only a step or two above what Anselm was planning.

"Fine." He shrugged and pulled the pan closer, quickly scarfing down what was left of breakfast. "Just mind yourself. This post is safe enough, but don't go wandering off."

[Juno]

Now that was an order he wouldn't have any trouble following. He had absolutely no desire to stir up any problems for the man that had stolen him away from his master, however temporary the slave thought that might be.

Dane turned his head to eye Verik over his shoulder, making a soft noise of agreement. He worked to gather his things together as well as the bags of supplies Verik had given him to carry and then carefully broke down the tent to a neat bundle.

With his own bag slung over his shoulder he approached Bane cautiously, eyeing his saddle warily and having no real idea of how to secure everything back the way it had been originally. He didn't want to upset whatever system the dragonrider had for everything.

"Where do these go?" he whispered to the dragon, furrowing his brow thoughtfully as he reached up to try to secure things down as well as he could remember. The knots he managed were messy, though, and not nearly as strong as they ought to have been.

[DragonSong]

The dragon rumbled a chuckle and lowered his head. His jaws cracked open slightly, and the quietest tempest of a voice murmured, "There's straps set in the back of the saddle, just use them to secure everything."

Verik, running through the last steps of packing up camp, didn't seem to notice the conversation.

[Juno]

Dane's eyes widened at the sudden, soft voice beside him, hands fumbling and the bag he'd been working on sliding down the dragon's hide to fall at his feet. He'd had no idea the creature could speak. The slave flushed with a vague sense of honor, feeling as though he was somehow being blessed by the gods for Bane to bother speaking to him at all. "Oh...," he mumbled, bending to pick up the dropped bag.

"Th-thank you," he muttered, flashing him a brief but shy smile before side-stepping a bit and feeling around the back of his saddle. Sure enough he found what he'd been looking for and was able to more securely tie down his bundled tent and Verik's supply bags without clumsy knots and kinks. He'd been pretty proud of himself, actually.

Keeping his personal bag slung across his shoulder still, he turned to run a hand up along Bane's scales while stepping forward to gently pat at his shoulder. "I never thought I would ever meet a dragon, but I'm glad I've met you," he offered quietly, a warm smile brightening his eyes.

[DragonSong]

"And I you, little one," the dragon murmured.

Verik approached, evidently oblivious to the short conversation, and set about securing his own picks. "Oh, you figured out the straps. Good." He shot Dane a quick smile. "Ready to be off?"

[Juno]

The slave startled slightly at the sound of Verik's footsteps, half-wondering if he was about to be scolded. It was a silly thought though and passed quickly. Instead he turned his head to offer the dragonrider a small smile, nodding and then looking between him and his dragon hesitantly.

"Yeah... Bane helped me," he added as he watched him work, not wanting to take the credit for it but not knowing how to explain that the dragon had spoken with him. "Is the next place very far?"

[DragonSong]

"Oh, he did, did he?" Verik shot his partner A Look, and the dragon blinked innocently. The captain shrugged, looking toward Dane again. "It's not that far, about half a day's flight. You up for it?" His tone was brusque as ever, but there was a hint of real concern in his eyes when he asked.

[Juno]

"I suppose I need to be, right?" he answered, the beginnings of a playful smile teasing at his lips before he winced and grimaced instead. Why was he joking with him? Verik had been kind, but he very much doubted the soldier was looking to make a friend out of the slave. He just felt bad for him, right? Pitied him?

"I mean, yeah... Yes. I can handle it," Dane corrected softly, chuckling nervously as he turned to try to climb up into Bane's saddle on his own.

[DragonSong]

Verik snorted, but before he could laugh properly Dane was clamming up and going all stiff again.

Ah well. Progress was progress, no matter how small the steps were. He watched the younger man clamber up onto Bane's back and resisted the impulse to roll his eyes.

"Need some help there?"

[Juno]

Dane struggled and grunted, managing to throw his belly over the seat but losing his momentum as his feet scrambled and lost purchase on the dragon's side. Worse, he was slowly sliding back down the side he'd been trying to climb as his hands slipped on the saddle and failed to pull him up by their own strength.

With an embarrassed huff he allowed it to defeat him before he tore skin off his palms, sliding back down and stumbling back onto his feet as he scowled up at the saddle before casting Verik a sheepish look. He motioned at Bane's back, exhaling in a huff and mumbled, "Maybe you first."

[DragonSong]

Verik blinked, then snorted and had to clap a hand over his mouth to keep from dissolving into guffaws.

"Oh gods," he chuckled, stepping forward and clapping Dane on the shoulder. "Here, I'll give you a leg up," he offered, crouching and locking his hands together so he could boost him up onto the dragon's back.

[Juno]

"No, no, that's okay!" he tried to protest. Really, though? What was he going to do? It was just something he would need to learn to accept help with, much as he didn't want to.

After a moment the slave nodded, an embarrassed sigh on his lips and his cheeks flushed bright red as he tried again. Grabbing onto the saddle he stepped one foot into Verik's hands and with his help was finally able to swing up to straddle the dragon's back.

Inhaling a steadying breath he looked up to the sky, scooting as far forward as he could to give the dragonrider room. Dane leaned over to extend an arm to him, the most he could really do to help him from his current seat. Somehow his nerves weren't of fear and uncertainty now, excitement replacing them as his subconscious trust in the pair had grown a bit overnight.

[DragonSong]

The dragon rumbled impatiently as the two humans clambered about, taking their sweet time as he saw it, but Verik just rolled his eyes and gave him a fond pat as he swung up behind Dane.

"Oh, you're fine, quit your bellyaching," he muttered, and received an annoyed chuff in reply. He automatically settled himself with one arm around his companion as the other took it's customary place gripping the pommel of the saddle, ensuring their extra passenger would feel secure-- before he suddenly realized what he was doing and snatched his hand back.

"Ah, sorry. Is that, um...alright?"

[Juno]

A brief chill raced up his spine at the contact, an unexpected shiver flashing gooseflesh along his skin and causing the hair at the nape of his neck to stand on end. It struck him as odd, it wasn't as though Verik's supportive touch was unexpected or even unwelcome. It was how they'd flown the previous day after all, yet somehow the loss felt...cold. A faint blush was blooming through his cheeks as he slowly turned his head to eye the soldier over his shoulder.

"It's fine," Dane croaked, gulping nervously and wriggling a bit on the saddle. "I...don't mind, you can hold me. I would rather you did, actually." The admission only had him blushing darker, though, and the slave quickly snapped his head to face forward again.