Title: Feel Better
Author: Chrissy
Rating: PG-ish
Set after a random tilting match


Kel rubbed her aching shoulders as she walked up the small hill. She had wanted to be alone, she thought, surely she'd said that enough times, surely he couldn't have been so stupid as to misunderstand her.

Yet still, Cleon trailed after her, cheering and congratulating, and generally being noisy. Most of what he was saying boiled down to "You won! You won!"

Finally, she turned on him. "Yes, I know, I saw that when I knocked him out of his saddle."

Cleon stopped, trying to look wounded. "I'm just happy for you, that's all."

Kel tried to force more gentleness into her voice. "Thank you for that, but really, Cleon, I just want to take a walk by myself. Doesn't my brother have anything for you to do?"

His face fell. "Why by yourself? We haven't even had a chance at that haystack yet."

A lesser woman than Kel would have sighed. "I'm sorry, it's just that I'm sore and I don't really feel up to being around people right now." She pushed sweaty strands of hair out of her face. "Thank you, honestly, I'm honored that you're so happy for me, but this is enough now."

Cleon continued to look miserable. "Well fine. I'll just go back to camp. See you later, then."

She breathed an inner sigh of relief. "Thank you. I promise, just let me be alone with my bruises and then I'll come join you."

He froze. "Are they bad?"

Kel narrowed her eyes slightly. "Is what bad?"

"Your bruises."

Cleon's eyes were wide, and Kel wondered, not for the first time, if there was something seriously wrong with him. She shrugged, wincing slightly at an ache in her shoulder. "No more so than the usual. Why?"

He walked closer to her. "I could make you feel better, you know."

Now Kel was sure that something must be wrong with him. "You're no healer. How do you plan to do that?"

Cleon stepped behind her. "Well, I'd start like this." He began to rub her shoulders, pressing hard against the muscle to release the tension.

Kel had to admit it was a nice feeling. "Just...just start?"

She heard him laugh. "Well, the rest might take some thinking." His rubbing slowed down. "Maybe I could try moving?" His hands pressed down on her, bringing her down to a sitting position, and then he moved lower, massaging the tight muscles of her back.

Kel began to regret her earlier anger. "That could work."

Cleon moved back around to face her. "I'm glad to hear that." He tilted his head to the side. "Are you bruised anywhere in particular?"

She blushed a bit. "Well, if you'd just been hit by a lance, where would you be bruised?"

He nodded. "Good point." Hesitantly, watching her eyes for any sign of resistance, he untucked her tunic and shirt, lifting them slightly. She was still covered everywhere she needed to be, but her stomach and lower ribs were exposed. Slowly, gently, he bent and pressed kisses to the darkening skin there.

Kel didn't want to giggle. She thought it would be utterly undignified, but damn it, he tickled. One giggle was not enough, and soon she was shaking, then bursting into laughter. She leaned back, eventually lying flat on the ground.

Cleon, satisfied, laid down next to her. "Do you feel better now?"

She rolled onto one formerly aching side and kissed him. "Much better. Thank you."