A/N: Even amazing myself with my updates.  Someone asked me about Paris' ring, so there's more confusing forshadowing to throw anyone I'd helped understand this fic back into confusion.

Chapter 16-Seriously

Rory looked up.  Her perspiration was poring over her body, her dragon scale armor was biting into her flesh, and her opponent still kept japping at her with his dagger.  But Rory hadn't given into Tristan DuGrey before, and she didn't intend to do so now.

Although he had the upper hand.  He was used to her armor, but he'd just been given his own, and Rory seeing him wearing only khaki shorts left Rory breathless before they'd been paired up to spar.

"Come on, Ror!" he called out.  "Surely you're not admiring my fine body." He taunted.

That's it,  Rory gritted her teeth, and raced at him.  She had her dagger in her mouth, and she quickly knocked his from his hand.  She smiled.  He would not win.  She tackled him.

~~

Clias had smiled at Rory.  "Loralai, you're doing splendidly.  However, we've outfitted your—" she swallowed the insult, and managed, "Boyfriend with more suitable attire."

Rory had turned to see Tristan dragged in, fighting with the guards who were trying to keep the red jacket on him.  A few seconds later, the red jacket's sleeves were around each of the guards' necks, and Tristan was smiling at Rory, shirtless.  "What's wrong little Mary?" he had asked.

Clias had slapped him upside the head.  "He's been trained, and we're going to give you two a test."

Rory had raised an eyebrow.  "Test?"

~~

Rory slammed her gloved fist on the table.  "No way!" she yelled, glaring at Clias.  She took a deep breath, and managed much calmer, "There is no way in all of these planets that I will fight with him."

Clias folded her arms across her chest.  "Give me one valid reason, and I will consider letting you out of it."

Rory counted them off on her fingers.  "One, I will fight whoever shoves me out there, two, he's my boyfriend, three, I'm not myself when I fight and might kill him, four—oh." 

She had stopped, and looked at the smiling Clias.  "That's your intent, isn't it?" she'd asked with deadly calm. 

Clias had begun sweating slightly. 

Rory raised her arm, and Clias floated slightly off the ground. 

Rory had screamed, and Clias had gone flying

~~

Rory found herself on top of Tristan.  He still smirked in his trademark way,  "Now, Mary, we're trying to kill each other, remember?"

She'd raised her arm to slap that annoying smile off his face, but he'd grasped her hand.  She turned, startled, to look into his eyes.

They were serious now.  "I was just toying with you, Ror.  I'm sorry."

Rory had allowed tears to come to her eyes, and had dropped her dagger into her hand.  She embraced him, still lost in his eyes.

~~

Rory nodded.  "A simple x at the back of his neck, and it's over?"

Clias nodded.  "You catch on quickly."

Rory grinned.  "Well, he doesn't see me hurting him, and he can't hurt me, so this should be fun."

Clias pointed to the window.  "While we wait for the arena to be set up, please fix that window.  It wouldn't do for you to be fighting on glass barefoot, now would it?"

Rory's smile widened.  "I think it would build character."

Clias sighed.  "You already have enough character for both of us, daughter of Elsyr."

~~

Tristan had moved closer, his lips parting slightly.

Rory had leaned closer, also, knowing his arms encircled her waist.

Tristan wasn't smiling, but he seemed to be enjoying himself.

Rory had nuzzled his neck, and sighed.

Tristan tightened the embrace, the fight far from his mind.

And that was just Rory's intent.

~~

Rory was changed into her black armor, the top was shortened to become a midriff tube top, and tight shorts. 

Her hair was tied again into that high ponytail on top of her head. 

However, instead of long boots, she was barefoot.  "For better traction." Clias had said.

Rory didn't care what it was for, but she was determined to win.

No matter what the cost.

~~

Tristan finally found her mouth, and slowly licked her lips, asking permission to enter.

The next events went so quickly, Tristan didn't realize what had happened.  Two quick nicks alerted him that Rory still held her dagger, she had pushed him away, and stood panting.  Her quick actions would account for them.

Tristan found himself looking at his own smirk on her face.  "Seriously, Tris.  Did you think you'd get a kiss that easily?"

Tristan moaned.

A/N: Troryness?  I know it didn't go on long enough for some of you, but they're training, remember?  Oh, and this is a few months after chap 14.