Helping Hands

Writers: Avery, Leigh M-F.
Date Posted: 9th March 2016

Characters: Corran, Nohria
Description: A kind gesture from Corran makes Nohria again wonder if he might actually be a nice guy.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 5, day 2 of Turn 8

Her shoulders were aching again. Blasted ill-fitting brassiere. She wouldn't have worn it if the other two she owned -the ones that fit better- weren't due for a wash. But they were, and now her shoulders were hurting from trying to bear up against the weight of her chest. Nohria honestly didn't know why so many small-chested women complained about not having bigger busts. She would trade with one of them in a heartbeat if she could. She sighed to herself as she pushed the cart of supplies into the guards' barracks once more, and paused to futilely stretch her back and shoulders in an attempt to make the muscles unknot.

Corran had just finished his shift and was settling in when the door opened. He waved as he recognized the woman. "Good evening, Nohria!" he called.

Nohria jumped. She had thought the room would be empty. What was Corran doing here? Seeing him flustered her, though she was not sure why. "Good evening, sir," she returned, awkwardly unclasping her hands from behind her back and returning them to a forward position.

"How are you today? Need help with the cart?" he asked.

"I'm…. well, thank you," Nohria hedged, not wanting to admit to any weakness in front of a guard. "No, the cart is no trouble, but I appreciate the thought. How is your fire-lizard? No more mishaps with jars, I hope."

"No, Warden's been surprisingly well-behaved since then. I think he learned a lesson about curiosity," Corran said with a laugh.

"A fire-lizard actually learning something? That's new," Nohria chuckled, picking up the duster with her left hand and trying to hide a wince as her shoulder protested.

"I hope he'll be smart for a brown. It would have been nice to get a gold, they're extremely intelligent," he said. "Did you ever want one?"

Nohria actually laughed. "Didn't we all want a cute little flitterby as kids?" she asked, beginning to dust. "But of course they were expensive, and there was no chance to find a wild clutch- damn it," she muttered, putting the duster down to rub at her shoulder in frustration.

"I'm lucky I have a bronzeriding brother," he mentioned. Not all were.

When she set the duster down, he looked over. "Are you alright? Do you need help?"

"No, I'm fine." She picked up the duster in her other hand, only to sigh, put it down, and admit defeat. "My shoulders hurt," she mumbled, completely embarrassed.

The guard made a sympathetic sound and pushed the chair back so he could walk over to her. "Go ahead and sit down on a chair," he suggested.

Wait, what? Nohria gave him a slightly suspicious look. Was he going to call a healer or something? But she had to do as he asked as part of her cover, so she sat down as directed. "I can't rest long even if my shoulders are hurting," she warned. "There's too much to do."

"You're probably one of the busiest people in the Hold. But I won't keep you long," he said, coming over to stand behind the chair. "Just the shoulders?"

"Just the shoulders," Nohria confirmed, wondering what he was doing back there. This was too vulnerable a position. Why had she left her paired knives hidden in her little trunk? What was he planning- The next thing Nohria knew, she was becoming a happy puddle moaning in relief.

"Is that all right?" the guard asked when Nohria made a noise when he dug his thumbs into her shoulders and worked them around. He'd heard women make satisfied noises like that before, but he also knew that pressing into a sore muscle could sometimes be more pain.

"It's completely fine," Nohria sighed. Okay, it did hurt a little, but it was the good kind of pain. The kind that meant soon she would feel amazing. "Where did you learn to do this?"

"My mother, actually," he said. "She must have picked it up to deal with my father's sore muscles, and then she taught it to me, and now I offer it as a service to the rest of the guards and to friends. You wouldn't believe how often our shoulders or legs feel awful."

"Then again, maybe I would," Nohria said absently, shifting so his fingers found a knot. Corran's confession surprised her, though; not many men were willing to give credit to their mothers for anything. This guard was turning into a bundle of secrets.

It was almost fascinating.

"That's true, there's a lot of manual labor involved in your type of work," he said, pressing down deeper when he found the knot and working on it. Then he moved to hit just below it.

"I don't mind. I want to work and be useful, and a Hold always needs its drudges-" Nohria made a noise that was probably more appropriate in an entirely different setting. "Ancients, yes. Right there, that's where most of the weight is pulling."

"I can keep focusing there," the guard said, trying not to think about the noise she'd just made - he was human, he had needs. And if anyone had passed by outside they might have got the wrong impression. He put his hands where his mouth was by continuing to knead there.

Nohria let her head fall forward for an additional stretch. Oddly, this allowed her a moment to collect herself. No matter how nice this felt, she couldn't let her guard down too far. She didn't know what Corran might want in return. But that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy this. Maybe she should learn how to do it too. "I don't suppose your mother would take another student?"

"If she lived closer, I'm sure she would," he said. "I keep trying to get my parents to move here to the main Hold, but they're determined to stick it out in the cothold."

"A tough pair, then." She could admire that. Especially when it didn't sound as though their choice was hurting anyone. Sure, maybe Corran missed them, but he was an adult; he could handle that. Nohria experimentally rolled her shoulders backward to test how they felt, and sighed in relief. "Much better. Thank you."

"Glad I could help you out tonight," he said.

It was dangerous to believe he meant that. Nohria wanted to anyway. She stood up and walked back to the duster, reclaiming it. "And now I should help you by finishing my job."

"And I should finish mending this tear. If I have to ask for another uniform shirt this Turn, I think the Headwoman will kill me," he said with a laugh. "Good night."

Last updated on the March 14th 2016

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Helping Hands