The stifled sob caught his ear as he walked past the doorway. Cautiously, he backtracked and peered through the crack in the slightly ajar door. Kel was lying on her bed, her face buried in her arm and her pillow, and her shoulders shaking with suppressed sobs. He was shocked; he hadn't ever seen her lose her mask that badly before. Raoul felt fury building up inside him at whoever had upset his Kel this badly. Well, not his Kel…he couldn't help wishing for it though. Still, she clearly needed comforting. He wasn't sure that she'd like anybody seeing her like…well, this, but surely it was better for him to go in that it would be to leave and have the door open for countless others to see her? He nodded and steeled himself, and then pushed the door softly open.

…….

Kel froze as her bed shifted to accommodate the new weight. "If it's you, then go away," she said, her voice hoarse. "I don't want anything to do with you."

Raoul blinked. Surely she didn't mean him? "It's Raoul," he said awkwardly.

"Oh," she murmured. "Well that's…gods. Embarrassing, but I'm glad you're not him."

He carefully laid his hand on her shoulder, and then left it there when she didn't protest. This was certainly a good start. "I'm glad I'm not him either." He let his hand rub her back gently.

Kel smiled slightly into her pillow. Raoul's presence was nice…comforting. "I'm glad you're you."

……..

"What happened?" Kel didn't seem to mind him touching her back, so he continued to rub it. "Was it that boy….whatshisname?"

Kel gave a small, self-deprecating laugh into the pillow. "It doesn't matter."

"Of course it does. It obviously matters to you, so it matters to me too."

"Whatshisname told me, very frankly, that I'm ugly, boring, and terrible in bed, so he's found somebody better."

Raoul's mouth fell open in shock. "But that's not true!"

"It is. I don't care though…well, I shouldn't, anyway."

"It's not true," he told her fiercely. "You're wonderful and beautiful in every way, and you're far too good for the likes of him." He froze. Perhaps he'd let slip a little too much.

………

Silence stretched between them, until finally Kel rolled over and looked at him. Raoul averted his eyes, embarrassed both by his almost blatant admission of love, and the sight of her red, puffy face.

"Do you mean it?" she asked softly.

He nodded. There was no sense in lying now to save himself and harm her. "Every word."

"I didn't think knight masters noticed things like that."

"Former knight master," he corrected, although they both knew what she was getting at. He sighed. "Kel, if you were nothing more to me than a precious former squire, I'd be out there with my sword, hunting down this whatshisname."

"Should I be disappointed that you're not?"

"Oh, I will. Later. I think what I'm trying to say is that you're my first priority."

………

She didn't seem to protest, so he continued. "You're not ugly or boring at all. I don't know about being terrible in bed, but maybe it's him that's terrible. It all depends on personal opinion anyway. He's probably just not very inspiring for you." He stopped to take a breath. "I'm rambling. I truly do think you're beautiful and wonderful in every way."

Kel leaned forwards and put her arms around him, but not before he saw fresh tears streaming down her face.

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked, confused.

She laughed and buried her face further against his chest. "I'm just overwhelmed. It's too much to think about all at once…could you just hold me for now?"

Raoul smiled. "Of course."