Roleplay

@Serpenthyne

Hermes and Cherce retreated further into the dense woods. The blonde anthro was listening very closely to the conversation the guards were having off in the distance. He faintly heard a deep voice exclaim aloud "A human had been here! I think can smell it" and "Look around you idiots- and you three, go outside in case they ran off, The rest of you lot go lookin' around in tis dump." Their voices distanced as Hermes strolled further away from the lone house near the swamp. Heat of anger flared into his pale eyes at the name those men had given his home. How he wish that he could rip out that brute's heart-

Cherce's voice had nearly caught him off guard. It was like you were sleeping and a bell rung loudly over your head. Her words were like that bell, startling him. But damn, she likes talking. She talks a lot at once. "Mah mum a witch, don't think we'll be seeing her anytime soon," he responded without turning to her, stepping over a moss covered log in his path. Hermes slowed his pace to turned to Cherce. His expression darken and he moved towards her with steady movement. If he could, Hermes would attempt to push her up against a tree and firmly pin her there without attempting to draw any harm. His greedy green eyes gleamed in the incoming light of dawn. If taken a close look, a person might consider it was the look of a murder. If his actions were successful, he would lean close and question, "How much would Queen Caroline pay for a shapeshifter? Enough to get her soldiers off my back?"

@Tiffashy
(Before I post I just wanted to ask and clarify, is he actually attempting to push her against a tree, or is the stuff in the narrative just talking about how those are hypothetical actions that he hasn't actually done? Either way I'll play along accordingly, just want to clear up whether he actually is or is not currently making the attempt!)

@Serpenthyne I'm sorry for being so confusing! D:
I'm using 'attempt' to see if I have permission to have him to pin her against a tree. So its totally up to you if he succeds or not! c:

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@Tiffashy
Oh that's okay! c: Just wanted to make sure I knew what was going on. I'll have a post up in a few minutes!

@Tiffashy

"Oh! Damn, guess I shoulda asked her," Cherce lamented, although now that she thought about it, even that might have been taking a risk. No, it was probably best to go home, find a trustworthy shapeshifter to pry these shackles off, and finally be able to shift into her dragon body for once. That would be nice, and she'd definitely learned her lesson. She wasn't going to be anywhere near anyone with an ounce of magical skill if she even got the slightest hint they'd bind her powers.

Still, though, her situation wasn't the worst she'd ever been in. Well, it sort of was, but it definitely wasn't the closest she'd ever been to feeling hopelessly alone. Even now she felt as though she had some reasonable control over events. She didn't feel light spirited, exactly, or even terribly optimistic, but it was still better than nothing. They might even make good time depending on how far and how fast they could go, and already she was starting to warm to the prospect of traveling through the next several hours. Her feet would be killing her by the end of it, sure, but to think of all the distance she could cover, putting between her and them...

All such notions flew out the window when Hermes shoved at her from the side. Cherce stumbled and lost her balance, assuming he'd tripped and fallen, at least until she found herself pressed up against a tree. All manner of questions flew to her mind and nearly off the tip of her tongue, but his question made her pause and stare at him in bewilderment. Once she understood what he was asking, frustration was the first feeling to surface, followed by the low, sinking feeling of betrayal - he'd played her for a fool? "Wha - I dunno, lemme go - " she started.

Predictably her struggles did not get her very far, and it wasn't long before she realized that answering his question would get her farther than anything else, even if she didn't want to admit it. "How would I know what my black market value is? Look, your Queen's soldiers ain't any of my business! It's not my fault they're after you! I - ow - look, come on, I just - " Cherce cut herself short to save her breath and winced at the elbow she'd scraped against the tree. She'd have finished that sentence by saying that she wanted to go home, and she did, but it wasn't her fault that Hermes' home had been attacked, and she didn't know what he wanted with her all of a sudden... why he hadn't just pulled this in the first place, unless he was getting desperate about the approaching soldiers. In which case she was about to get desperate about saving herself as well.

"Look, I - ya can come back with me to the lounge and I swear the guards won't do anything long as ya don't make a mess've the whole situation - I'll be safe and you can escape the soldiers, if that's what ya really want! No need to cut me the short stick and sell me off t'your Queen!"

@Serpenthyne

Hermes instantly felt a little bad by her realization of betrayal. Her eyes almost seem to be screaming at him How could you? Guilt stirred inside of him, temping him to step away and act like if it all never happened. Instead, his hand pressed against her chest more firmly, making sure that she won't be going anywhere. Cherce won't be leaving him. Hermes wanted it to stay that way. He moved his other hand to seize her elbow and the other copied his movement so it was no longer just a single palm pressuring the collarbone. Both hands on her thin arms.

He snarled lowly in a warning way, pressing his muzzle closer to Cherce. His gleaming pale yellow unveiled by the peeling back lips. In a way, Hermes admired his unnatural strength. The power over the girl made him feel like an alpha over an wolf pack.

Cherce's words made him think over his plans. He hesitated. Just a little push and words and maybe he would change his mind.

"Ya weren't going to be getting out of those pits at anytime if tis wasn't for me," Hermes replied coldly, tightening the grip around her more firmly. "I saved ya. Ya mine now."

@Tiffashy
"Wha - since when did helpin' a kid out translate into immediate slavery or somethin'?" Cherce hissed, still struggling against his hold, but finding it more difficult now that he was using both hands. If only she could shift, this problem would be easily solved, but in her human form she didn't have the strength to really fight Hermes, especially without any sort of weapon.

She racked her brain for something that might appeal to him more, since shoving her way out wouldn't be an option unless he let down his guard enough. "And what if they don't want me?" she demanded. Okay, so it was a bit of a far flung assumption. Who wouldn't want a bound shapeshifter to study? The rest of the world was ill-informed as to the mechanics of their abilities, and having a harmless one on hand to poke and prod was like most magical folks' dream come true. "Look, don't ya get the better deal if ya come with me? I won't mention any of this to the guards and I'll tell 'em ya helped me - 'shifters ain't exactly shy about being kind to anyone who helps 'em out - even though that ain't really what ya done... coulda climbed outta that pit m'self, eventually."