Forever on the Run [DragonSong][M]

Zero · September 04, 2019, 06:31:10 AM

Mikhail hadn't thought about them searching for him outside of the town. They could have a perimeter search to make sure he didn't slip into town. He had to jump over the branch that Theo had managed to just stride over casually.

"It's a risk either way, but I think if I hide really well staying out of town until we know the coast is clear might be the slightly safer option? If they find me I'll just run again until they give up or catch me." There honestly weren't any better options for him. He was used to being caught by now, even if the idea of being dragged back was sickening.

DragonSong · September 06, 2019, 05:18:27 PM

Theoden rubbed at his chin, brow furrowed as he trod the familiar path through the underbrush. "Look, ki--Mikhail. It's...up to you. I'm not gonna force you to do anything."

He walked a few more paces in silence, then huffed out a breath and added, "But, for my money... It's better off if we just stick together. No offense or anything, but you don't exactly seem like a bruiser. I know you're probably a quick bastard, but it'd do you good to have some muscle on your side. Y'know. Backup."

Zero · September 14, 2019, 07:18:00 PM

Mikhail pursed his lips petulantly as he considered what Theoden had to say. He didn't honestly know how strong he might or might not be. The collar around his neck weakened him and robbed him of his ability to use magic, making him vulnerable. Nobody he knew enjoyed being vulnerable.

"I really appreciate you trying to help me, but are you sure? I really don't want you to get hurt because of me. I don't want to be the reason you have to deal with trouble." He hated the idea of being a burden on someone else. Mikhail certainly didn't want to cause issues for someone that had shown him kindness and had helped him to escape his hunters.

DragonSong · September 16, 2019, 02:25:00 PM

"Hey." Theoden tilted his head and smiled, awkward but genuine. "I deal with trouble all the time. Just usually I don't have such a good reason for doing it."

He nodded up along the path, toward where the trees began to thin. "Way I see it, there's not much better reason than helping someone like you. Now c'mon; quicker we do this, quicker we can be on our way again."

Zero · September 16, 2019, 05:32:41 PM

"Someone like me." It wasn't really a question, but Mikhail did contemplate the words. He knew Theoden probably meant an escaped slave. If he was to be placed in a category that seemed like the most appropriate for the elf to place him, but his companion knew nothing else about him, really.

"Okay, let's get this over with." Maybe the town would be perfectly safe and he could be out of his collar very quickly. Mikhail hoped that were the case, if not, they would have to run.

DragonSong · September 21, 2019, 08:24:42 PM

"Er, yeah." Shit, was that offense? He hadn't meant for that to be offensive...

Shaking himself mentally, Theoden quickened his pace slightly as they drew ever nearer to the town. His ears seemed to almost twitch and he suddenly paused, glancing around warily--but it was just the ambient noise of people up ahead, and he relaxed again fairly quickly.

"Alright, I know the blacksmith here," the larger elf muttered as he gestured for Mikhail to follow him along the edge of the trees, back behind most of the small houses and around toward the center of the town. "I can probably trade him a few smaller catches for a favor. But...you should probably stick close, okay? Just to be safe."

Zero · September 22, 2019, 07:44:30 PM

When Theoden quickened his pace Mikhail had to do the same just to keep up with the much taller elf's stride. Which caused him to almost bump into him when he paused suddenly. He also looked around warily, keeping very close to his unexpected protector.

"Okay. Thank you." Mikhail had thanked him plenty of times already, but he doubted he'd stop any time soon. He owed the elf a great deal already. Shortly after they began moving around the small houses Mikhail couldn't stop himself from getting really close to Theoden, his arms reaching to wrap around one of the other man's arms. It might have seemed strange, but hugging the elf's arm was comforting as he became more fearful the further into town they moved.

DragonSong · October 06, 2019, 09:16:18 PM

Theoden's steps stuttered and he glanced down at the smaller man, wide-eyed. Then he cleared his throat and reached up with his other hand to pat Mikhail's arm in what he hoped was a comforting manner.

"Hey, it's...it's gonna be fine," he murmured, and tried for a small, quick smile. "I'm right here, okay? We're gonna get you freed and be on our way and everything is gonna be fine."

Zero · November 07, 2019, 06:09:05 PM

Mikhail kept his head ducked down, but nodded slightly as Theoden tried to comfort and reassure him. He had gotten very lucky running into someone as nice as the tall elf.

"Okay, but...um...can I keep holding onto you? Just until we get to the blacksmith? I know I'm being annoying but the contact helps." He knew he was being a big baby, but he didn't really care about seeming like a coward right now.

DragonSong · November 08, 2019, 10:35:29 AM

"O-oh, uh...yeah, sure. Whatever--whatever helps, I guess..."

Face very red, Theoden gave himself a mental shake and started walking again. He hesitated a moment, then shifted slightly to pull his arm from Mikhail's grip, instead wrapping his arm loosely around the smaller man's shoulders.

"This okay?" he muttered out of the corner of his mouth. "I mean, I figured...it sorta hides the collar from people just glancing our direction, y'know?" And it maintained the contact, which he had said was helpful, so...

Zero · August 11, 2020, 04:59:34 PM

"Thank you." Mikhail said very quietly as they started walking again. A moment later the elf was pulling his arm out of his grasp and the runaway ducked his head and hunched his shoulders as he let his own arms drop. Well it wasn't like he didn't know he was being annoying.

Then Theoden wrapped that arm around Mikhail's shoulders and he let out a soft sigh as his shoulders relaxed and he tucked himself close to the elf's side.

"Yes, it's okay. You're very nice." Mikhail glanced up at Theoden through lowered lashes, a nervous smile on his lips.

DragonSong · August 11, 2020, 06:19:40 PM

Aw, jee.

Kid had puppy eyes. Damnit.

"Nah, I'm just...being decent," he tried to deflect, summoning up a crooked smile of his own. As they moved further into town, he squeezed his arm a little tighter around Mikhail's shoulders, pulling the smaller man against his side in a clearly protective gesture as they passed a small group of young men--probably a group of farmers' sons in town for the afternoon, but you couldn't be too careful.

"Smithy's just up there, see? He'll get that collar off in a shake, I promise."

Zero · August 11, 2020, 06:47:18 PM

"Well I think you're really nice." He mumbled as he let his red eyes cast downwards once again. Mikhail was quick to press closer to Theoden when he felt the elf squeeze him tighter. He cast a quick glance at the group of young men before quickly diverting his eyes once more.

"Okay, I trust you." If this kind stranger, who had gone out of his way to help him, said that the smith would be able to remove the damned collar, then Mikhail had no reason to doubt Theoden.

DragonSong · August 11, 2020, 07:02:24 PM

Theoden felt his chest tighten a bit. Gods, he just hoped he'd live up to that trust.

No, screw that. He would. He'd stick by the kid's side until he had him set up in his own damned house somewhere if he had to.

...Wow. That kinda came out of nowhere.

They approached the smithy and Theoden sort of ushered them around to a side gate, whistling twice to be heard over the dull ringing of hammer on metal.

"Garen! It's me, you in?"

The ringing stopped, replaced with shuffling and grumbling, then a few muffled curses, then: "Theo? You're not due back in town for another week yet, what do you want?"

Theoden winced and gave Mikhail a sheepish kind of smile. "He's, ah...a little gruff. But not so bad, really."

The "not so bad" in question stomped into view. He was a burly sort of man, by profession if nothing else, but actually not quite so tall as Theoden. He was still holding his hammer in one meaty fist, eyes narrowed as he looked the elves up and down.

"Well? What's all this then?"

Zero · August 11, 2020, 07:20:08 PM

Mikhail remained quiet, nestled against Theoden's side the short rest of the way to the smith. He looked up at his very tall protector as he whistled and called out to the man making all noise somewhere out of sight.

He winced at the way the smith responded, wondering if the man would be willing to help him, after all, this Garen didn't even know him, although apparently he knew Theoden.

Mikhail involuntarily shrank back as the large man came into view. His body turned arms coming up to lightly grab at the elf's shirt, clinging to him with a faint shiver of poorly suppressed fear. He looked up at Theoden uncertainly when they were asked what 'all this' was.

"T-Theoden said you could h-help me." Mikhail's voice cracked softly with terror. The man was intimidating, his collar made him weak and he was just tired and afraid that he would be caught again.

DragonSong · August 11, 2020, 07:35:31 PM

A low growl rumbled through Theoden's chest--it was an instinctive sound, one he wasn't even initially conscious of making. He didn't realize he'd tightened his grip on Mikhail either, or that he'd physically moved the smaller man behind him.

All realizations that occurred to him at the same moment. His cheeks flushed and he quickly dropped his arm, taking a step back from Mikhail and clearing his throat.

What the hells was all that?!

"He needs the collar off," he bit out, then winced at how curt and gruff he sounded. He cleared his throat again. "I'm willing to trade. I've got a few smaller catches, and you can have first pick when I do come back next week."

Garen simply stared at them, expressionless, for a long moment. "...What's it for? This isn't gonna come back to bite me in the ass, is it?"

Zero · August 11, 2020, 08:00:19 PM

Mihail started when suddenly Theoden was...growling? He didn't resist as the elf squeezed him tighter or put himself before Mikhail and the smith. When Theoden stepped away and let him go he flashed him a panicked look.

The small slave wrapped his arms around himself and threw his eyes to the ground as he heard the elf that had been nothing but kind to him speak so gruffly. He shuffled his feet guiltily when Theoden spoke about ways he could trade for the service. Mikhail felt bad for costing him something. They were stranger, the hunter owed him nothing, and yet he was doing all this for him.

"I don't think so?" He shifted uncomfortably again, looking at Theoden helplessly, not sure how much he should say to this smith about the situation. Would the guy help them if he admitted to being a runaway slave?

DragonSong · August 11, 2020, 08:10:15 PM

"It won't," Theoden confirmed, voice calm and even and confident in a way it only rarely was. He gave Mikhail a quick pat on the shoulder and a small, encouraging smile, then looked back up to Garen. "Look, what I'm offering is well worth twenty minutes of work, if that."

The smith huffed, then relented, "Alright, fine. Bring 'im in. Then go get this catch of yours. I don't see it on ya."

Theo rolled his eyes, one arm around Mikhail's shoulder again as he guided the escaped slave after the blacksmith into the shop attached to the forge. "Yeah, alright. I'll just take me half an hour. You can have this done by the time I get back." It maybe should have been a question, but his tone almost made it an order.

Garen shot him a look. They certainly didn't know each other well, but the elven hunter had never exactly been an...assertive personality.

Zero · August 11, 2020, 08:20:18 PM

Maybe it shouldn't have been as comforting as it was, but the pat on his shoulder had some of the tension leaving Mikhail's body. He didn't trust people. A slave that trusted people was generally a foolish slave. Still, he'd placed some trust in Theoden, because for some reason he felt that the elf would not betray him.

Mikhail unconsciously leaned into Theoden's side as the elf put an arm around him yet again, guiding him into the smith's shop. The elf's tone even had him looking at him curiously. They didn't know each other well or for long, but he'd seen Theoden a lot less self-assured.

"You're coming back for me, right?" Mikhail questioned softly, glancing up at his hero stranger with a concerned frown as he hugged himself again.

DragonSong · August 11, 2020, 08:26:17 PM

"Oh--yeah, I am. Of course I am." Theoden started to reach for his shoulder again, then seemed to think better of it and drew his hand back. "I'll be quick. Less than an hour, promise." He gave Mikhail a nod and a smile, then turned to head out again, brushing passed Galen.

Lowering his voice so the escapee wouldn't hear, he muttered, "If you sell him out for a quicker cash grab, I'll make you regret it."

Without waiting for a response, he strode out into the village proper again, then started toward the edge of the forest.