"Damn!" Orphen cursed. Did trouble just find them or something?

Dodging another attack Orphen looked around to see how his comrades were fairing. Majic was dodging and launching small attacks to slow down or wound the creature. Cleao seemed quite happy hacking away with her sword. Just because someone bought it doesn't mean it belongs to them.

"Hey you brat, be carfeul with MY sword. Don't chip it or break it!" Orphen shouted when he realised she was getting tired. He didn't mean it but he knew when her anger flared she would find the strength to fight.

Just as he expected she instantly strung some curses his way and continued striking with renewed strength. Smirkng he returned his attention to the ugly creature in front of him. It's large reptilian eyes watched his every move. It circled around Orphen with its dangerous claws tapping the ground on each of its four legs. The long thick tail swished angrily behind its body as it sized up its next attack. Bored with playing Orphen called forth his sword that conquered demons. Charging forward Orphen slashed twice killing the creature and turned to the others. He had killed the adult as Majic and Cleao sparred with the two juveniles that accompanied it.

Orphen saw Majic finally run the juvenile through. Nodding to his apprentice they turned to see Cleao flung backwards into a nearby building by the very agitated and severely injured creature. Orphens eyes widened.

"Majic take care of that thing, I need to see if Cleao's okay" Orphen used anger to cover his worry.

Majic nodded with a concerned look on his face as he killed the last giant lizard.

Orphen ran as fast as he could through the hole in the wall that Cleao had created when she was launched. He found her in the middle of the room on the floor. When he reached her he noticed just how banged up she was. Cleao was covered in cuts and bruises. Orphen quickly checked for broken bones and internal bleeding then checked her head for any bumps. She was lucky he thought to be launched through the air by a giant lizard at least twice her size, crash through a wall and land on the hard floor receiving only broken ribs and minor cuts and bruises.

Sighing in relief Orphen checked Cleao's temperature. "Come on Cleao, wake up for me." he whispered.

Majic chose that moment to run through the hole in much the same way Orphen had. He was worried about Cleao, she was like his sister. When he ran in he saw Orphen kneeling over Cleao with his hand on her forehead. He was looking at her and whispering something. He looked soft almost like he cared for her deeply. He cared for her Majic concluded. Eyes wide he stared at the scene before him before smiling slightly.

"Majic! What are you smiling at? Go find something we can transport her on like a cart or a wagon and some bandages. I need to bind her ribs, she won't be able to travel with broken ribs."

"Yes master, I'll be right back." Majic ran from the building and searched slowly to give them some time.

When Majic left Orphen lifted Cleao's shirt to see how bad her bruising was. It also happened to be the moment Cleao regained consciousness. Making a small groaning sound Cleao also hissed at the pain she felt. Orphen looked up from her stomach and into her eyes.

"Cleao before you blow up the building I'm checking the bruising around your broken ribs. I can't see anything I shouldn't. I'm just looking at your ribs and stomach I swear." He spoke calmly to try and keep her anger at bay.

Cleao's eyes started to water as her mouth formed a pout. "It hurts alot." She whispered.

Orphen's eyes softened. "I know. I'm gonna try and heal some of it now while Majic is looking for bandages and a cart. It might hurt but I'll try to ease the pain as I go." reaching down he brushed some hair from her face and smile reassuringly.

When she nodded Orphen placed his hand over her stomach and worked on the bruising. He couldn't try healing her ribs without bandaging them first otherwise they might not heal right. He tried to concentrate on taking some of her pain as well as healing the bruised tissue. Finally when Majic returned he helped hold Cleao up as Orphen bandaged her ribs. For this to happen Cleao's shirt had to be removed. Cleao blushed, Majic looked away and Orphen focused on her ribs so that he wouldn't be tempted to look up a couple of inches. Even though Cleao wore a bra she did not show much skin around them.

When he was done bandaging Orphen helped Cleao put her shirt back on he helped her up. She winced in pain but said nothing. They slowly exited the building to find a cart with a handle. It was big enough for Cleao to sit or lay on but needed to be pulled.

"I can walk - fine. - we don't - need that." Cleao spoke up needing to take some pauses for breathing.

"Cleao you're exhausted from walking barely ten metres. You aren't fit to travel on your feet. You need this cart, try and argue with me and I'll knock you out, put you on the cart and we'll keep travelling until you wake up got it?"

Sighing in defeat Cleao nodded before asking for help to sit down. When she was comortable on the cart Majic started pulling it and they left the town looking for an inn to rest at for the time being. They travelled day and night only stopping to rest when they couldn't go on anymore. Orphen healed Cleao's wounds as they travelled but she needed rest to fully recover and Orphens energy was lacking because of the rate they were travelling.

After a week of travelling they came across an inn. Paying for a few nights Majic took the luggage upstairs as Orphen and Cleao argued. The argument was how Cleao was going to get up the stairs. Orphen wanted to carry Cleao but she refused somewhat angrily and told him she was perfectly capable of walking up a flight of stairs.

It went so well until she stumbled and almost fell down the stairs.

Cleao had been swallowing the pain with every step she took to try and prove her point. She knew Orphen was right behind her. He was so close she could feel the heat radiating off of his body. Rolling her eyes at his over protectiveness she stumbled on the next step falling forward. Cleao closed her eyes and waited for the pain but it never came. Instead of pain Cleao felt arms around her waist and a warmth against her back.

Orphen had caught her and pulled her to his chest. A blush broke out onto her face as she tried to find something to say. Orphen pulled her up to a standing position but made no move to release her from his grip.

"O-Orphen?" she stuttered quietly.

Almost as if he had snapped out of a trance Orphen released Cleao shortly before lifting her completely off the ground into his arms. As Cleao kicked and screamed at him feebly Orphen walked the rest of the way up the stairs and to their room. Knocking on the door Orphen waited impatiently for Majic to open up as Cleao took to throwing feather light punches at his chest.

"You're wasting the little energy you have you know." he said in his usual don't care attitude just as Majic opened the door.

Majics eyes widened at the sight before him. He quickly stepped to the side and let Orphen lower Cleao to the bed with such delicacy before dragging himself into the bathroom and slamming the door.

"The no good-"

"Cleao? Did you see that?"

"What are you talking about Majic?"

"The way he put you down. You were yelling at him but instead of dropping you he put you down softly like a china doll." Majic's voice held a slight hint of awe as he cheered mentally.

"Hmmph! If you ask me he was too rough. Picking me up when I specifically told him I could walk. Just because I slipped. Everyone slips sometimes but no he had to carry me like I was incapable of holding my own!" She grumbled trying to focus on her anger instead of how gentle he really had been with her and the way it felt to be in his arms.

"You must be tired, why don't you take a nap and I'll go find some food for us all. I'll wake you when I get back okay?"

Cleao sighed. He was right, unfortunately. Even though she had only walked up half the stairs and sat on a cart for the last week she felt exhausted. She needed rest and the bed proved much more comfortable than the cart. So she nodded and laid down getting in a comfortable position to avoid jarring her ribs. She winced at the memory of Orphen's arm on her back. She had been scratched by the creature on the back but hadn't told them for a few days before the wound started oozing. Orphen had been furious at her but she hadn't even known because of the pain she was in she assumed it was her ribs. Finally comfortable on the bed Cleao eased into a peaceful sleep, listening to the shower running in the bathroom.

Her eyes snapped open minutes later as a door creaked open. Cleao sat up in a rush forgetting her injuries to see if where the intruder was lurking but instead of a criminal she was met with the sight of Orphen in nothing but a towel. Cleao's eyes widened at the sight before the pain came roaring through her body. Crying out she hunched over breathing heavily.

Orphen was at her side in seconds forgeting his state of dress, more concerned about Cleao. He placed his hands over her back and ribs. When the hand on his back felt something wet Orphen pulled his hand back to see blood covering his palm. Cursing loudly Orphen pulled her off the bed and helped her to the bathroom.

Cleao your back's bleeding get rid of your clothes now. I need to clean it and seal it straight away."

"Look I'm in a lot of pain right now but i'm not stripping for you, you bastard of a sorceror."

"Damn it Cleao either you take of that dress or I will rip it off understood?" His patience officially deteriorated Orphen took hold of the zip at the middle of her back.

Cleao sighed and pulled her hair forward, slipping off the straps of her dress. Orphen pulled down the zip quickly but carefully then let the dress slip to the floor. Cleao was left standing in her underwear and bra. Orphen unclasped the bra and loosened the bandages. When Cleao made an angry sound similar to a growl Orphen gave her a pointed looked and her expression turned to defeat as she let the bra and blood soaked bandages fall to the floor placing her hands over her breasts.

Cleao stood almost completely naked in the middle of the bathroom as Orphen tried to absorb and wipe away some of the blood. Using the little energy he had left he resealed the wound and rebandaged Cleao's ribs and back then helped her reclasp her bra. Not once did he look at her breasts or the rest of the bare skin that was showing. When he was finished he led her back to the bed and set her down before swaying a little.

"Orphen?" Her voice was hoarse and filled with worry.

"I'm okay, just used up too much energy, need rest is all." Blinking rapidly he tried to clear his vision.

Cleao knew he was going to pass out and he couldn't make it to the couch in time. She certainly couldn't carry him she was completely spent but she could still help. Reaching over Cleao captured Orphen's wrist in her own and pulled. Orphen swayed and almost fell onto the edge of the bed where he was now perched. He was so close to her she could smell the soap he used from the shower and remembered how both of them were scantily clad at the present time. Cleao rested her chin on his shoulder when he placed his head in his hands.

"Cleao? What are you?" he was whispering so in an attempt to save his head from exploding.

"I never thanked you for saving me." Cleao whispered into his ear as her hands found his shoulders.

Orphen shivered when she spoke. The heat of her breath on his ear was doing funny things to his stomach. That combined with the image of her in only her underwear was not helping his current condition. He hadn't looked at her front but he had no choice but to look at her back. It had been torture. He was a red blooded male and seeing an almost completely naked woman was going to stir any man. Orphen was pulled from his hazy thoughts when he felt her tugging at him telling him to shift onto the bed.

"What?" he slurred.

"You can't make it to the couch and this is a double bed you need to rest Orphen and passing out on the floor of the inn is not very restful so move closer would ya before I change my mind."

Orphen grunted but did as she said. When she spoke his name quietly again Orphen turned to her. Though she had nothing to say but rather something to do. He felt the unistakable feeling of soft lips pressing to his. Closing his eyes Orphen responded eagerly to the kiss wrapping his arms around Cleao's slender form as she turned into him. Cautiously Cleao slipped her tongue into Orphens mouth. Orphen responded with his own tongue emitting a low throaty moan. Cleao took it as incentive and became bolder with her own minstrations.

Cleao pulled away breathless and panting. When Orphen started placing kisses to her jaw and neck she pushed him away lightly, gave him a pointed look then pushed his shoulders until he was laying down.

"Close your eyes before you pass out." when he protested with a look of frustration she simply finished her sentence. "I'm not going anywhere. We can pick up after we are rested I promise." She whispered the last part incase Majic was on the other side of the door.

When he closed his eyes his breathing became shallow and rhythmic almost instantly. Cleao was attmepting to pull the covers over them when Majic reappeared. Cleao froze but relaxed quickly when Majic smiled knowingly and pulled the covers over his master and friend. Sparing them one more glance Majic took his food and left the room to go downstairs and find something to do.

Cleao smirked before turning over, wrapping an arm around Orphens midesction and drifting off to a blissful, peaceful sleep.