A/N: Hello, children.

Chapter 40

"Stings, doesn't it?" Leliana asked as Alistair grunted. "I bet it does."

She then threw out a fast left jab aimed at his face which made him raise his guard. Twisting her hips, Leliana spun on the ball of her left foot and smashed her right shin into Alistair's left thigh, just above his kneecap.

"That's twice in a row," she commented, smirking, as he grabbed his thigh and hobbled away a couple of steps. "Can't put any weight on it anymore, can you?"

Taking a quick step forward, Leliana raised her left leg off the ground, folded at the knee. Alistair, expecting a straight kick, grimaced and came forward to catch her leg. With a torque of her hips, she used her quadriceps to extend her left leg in a flash and spun on the ball of her right foot to deliver a scything round kick to the inside of his injured knee.

This time, he was forced to take a knee, ending the round. Leliana smiled at him as she waited for him to come up to scratch. A big man like Alistair was like a tree – all that bulk resting on the legs. Take away the trunk, the tree falls.

The party members who were watching on the sidelines clapped and encouraged Alistair to get back to his feet, but Leliana wanted him to take some time and rest. She'd been worried that he'd go easy on her in their first sparring session since they'd gotten together and, so far, he'd been playing defence. She wanted to push him to attack, and would continue pushing him until he was forced to do so.

Alistair growled, slapped his left knee repeatedly and stood up. Leliana smirked at him and assumed guard. Alistair looked frustrated. He had good reason to be. He'd never beaten her yet. Not once. And now that they were together... she wondered whether another loss would bruise his ego too badly.

Come on, Alistair. Earn it.

He kept his stance low to the ground, hips squared. Shifted his weight to his right leg, both knees bent. He stood still, simply watching her, eyes following her movements.

He's going to shoot for my legs and he's too low to lead with a punch. And she didn't want to risk an axe kick.

So, she circled him, taking her time. She tried darting in and out in an effort to surprise him into making a move. He just moved with her, circled with her, keeping her in front of him, short choppy steps, never crossing his legs.

There was a quiet intensity about him now. There were no more quips. No more smiles. He was serious.

Leliana was fairly certain that his left knee was temporarily out of commission. It would need icing later on. He would be using his right leg to power any sudden movements. She watched his hips, trying to detect flickers of movement.

It was a stalemate. Nothing would happen as long as they kept feeling each other out.

So, she gave him an opening. She shifted stances, bringing her left foot forward, squarely within shooting range. And he didn't disappoint.

Alistair shot forward, eyes glued to her left leg, pushing off the ground with right foot. Leliana, knowing he would react this way, exhaled out of her nostrils and lifted her foot, pointing her knee forward. He would smash his face into her knee and that would be that.

Except that never happened.

To her surprise, he planted his left foot on the ground, pushed off and changed course. He shot right by her lifted knee, his left arm outstretched, and, as he passed her by, he hooked his arm around her stomach.

Oh no.

Using her as an anchor, he pivoted around her and wrapped his right arm around her from behind, clasping his hands over her ribs and pressing his chest into her back, tightening the hold. Leliana tried to break it but she didn't get enough time.

She heard him growl, felt him arch back and then felt her feet leave the ground.

Merde.

Mid-air, he released her and let her fly. To take flight had always been a dream of hers but she didn't really appreciate it coming true at that moment.

Leliana landed hard on her back and bounced off the ground before coming to rest. She coughed and clutched her stomach, unable to breathe. Her breath had left her lungs upon impact and she gasped, drawing in air as fast as she could; she knew he'd be upon her any instant.

Alistair must have been in the mood to surprise her that morning, because that didn't happen either. Upon recovering adequately, Leliana sat up to find Alistair flat on his back, spread-eagled. He had his head tilted back, looking at her upside-down with a big grin on his face.

"I got you," he said merrily. "I finally bloody got you."

Though her ribs were still rattled, Leliana couldn't help but laugh. He'd taken her off her feet and while that would count as a victory, since both fighters were down, it was a tie.

"That you did, sweetheart," she told him as she came down and sat beside him as the others chattered excitedly about the throw. "Does your leg hurt?"

He made a face and hiked his shoulders. "It was worth it."

She laughed and held out her hand. "Worth it for a tie?"

"Ehh." He took it and sat up. "It'll do for now. Besides, you'll kiss away the booboo, right?"

"You are absolutely hopeless." She smiled and leaned into him.

"And now they kiss!"

"S'like I always say. Slam a woman and she'll kiss the shit outta ya."

Children. I am surrounded by children.

But Leliana would not let the party interrupt any more of their moments. Especially when Alistair had earned it. So she kissed his temple, patted his cheek, and tousled his hair before rising to her feet.

She'd see about kissing away his booboo later on in her tent.