Elder Scroll series 1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

He was certainly surprised when she had first asked him, it had come out of nowhere and even though she was curled up next to him snoring in the most unattractive fashion, he could not believe his luck.

He had followed her for years, watched her grow and since the day he had first met his Thane he had already fallen in love with her. For months he had been planning on ways to confess to her and when they returned to Vlindrel Hall she had already beaten him to it. And here he was lying naked on the bed next to her, in disbelief of what had happened a few hours ago. He was shocked that he had finally gotten another chance to make love to her, thankfully sober this time, and even more shocked at the surprise she had saved until afterwards.

She had proposed to him and he had automatically agreed. It wasn't that Argis was now having doubts about marrying his Thane; he would have given anything to be the only man to stand beside her and for them to depart this world and enter Sovngarde, when the time called for it. It was just that he was finding it overwhelming. Things had happened so fast and one minute they were having sex and enjoying the moment and the next he had agreed to be her _husband. _

She let out a large snore and rolled over, he tucked the green quilt around her more to keep her warm as he slipped out of the bed. He searched around for a spare linen shirt and cotton trousers before cleaning up the mess they caused during their intimacy.

He gathered up the armour he had so carelessly torn off and placed it in the corner of the room. He picked up the goblets and platters he had flung off the table before he laid her down on the table and made love to her. He put them back in their rightful place and noticed the white linen gown strewn across a wooden chair. His groin ached as he pictured his Thane in it; the cotton gliding across her white skin and how the gown perfectly cupped her luscious pearl breasts.

He tried to calm himself, to ignore the bulging erection because there was nothing he could do about it at this hour. He turned his attention to stoking the fire, sparking the embers once more. He fetched more firewood and placed it atop the newborn flames.

"What are you doing?" Eve called out in a tired voice. He looked around and saw her peeking around the stone wall at him.

"Nothing My Thane," He replied cautiously, careful to hide his erection from her prying azure eyes. It didn't help that she was still naked and his mind had already started to replay her erotic noises. He struggled to contain himself, to stop himself from claiming her again; but he was her Housecarl and his morals taught him that no man should be that forward.

But she had seen his dominating nature and Eve had revelled in it, it had taken her by surprise the first time on that drunken night, she had never seen Argis so... intimate. Of course there had been times on the battlefield where she had seen his more sensitive sides and his protective side but they didn't compare to the look that he had given her when he devoured her.

His eyes were wanting, desperate even and the way he touched her was fierce but sensational. He was gentle but hungry, his movements animalistic and provocative and yet she had let him claim her against the sheets to have him want her just as much as she had always wanted him, even if she hadn't let on.

She was shocked at her proposal, the words slipped out of her mouth before she could give them a second thought. She had dreamed of being the fair maiden and Argis to be the stronger out of the two, but she was the Dragonborn and there was no other more capable fighter than she. But that didn't mean she didn't want Argis to propose to her. She still wanted that tiny glimmer of her femininity left, but she had already gone and ruined that.

"Come back to bed," She asked, her voice quiet.

"Yes My Thane," He swallowed hard and walked awkwardly towards her, watching her scowl at him as he tried insistently on hiding the bulging region barely hidden beneath the cotton trousers.

He felt slightly ashamed of himself and he also felt a little stupid. He wanted to act dignified, a suitable man to call himself the Dragonborn's husband, not a horny Housecarl who constantly thought of claiming the sexy Nord woman in front of him.

"You're not hiding it very well," Eve chuckled, watching her curve around the stone wall. He watched her saunter towards the bed, her sexy rear end inviting him to put his morals to the side so that he could make love to her again and again and make sure that they would never have to leave the bedroom.

"Sorry," Argis replied nervously, his body rigid, "My Thane," She tossed him a disapproving look as she slid between the sheets.

"In the morning I'll make it so that you'll never have to call me Thane again," She retorted brushing her dark hair out of her face. He pulled off the linen shirt and crawled into bed next to her, careful not to lie too close in case he touched her with his aching member.

"I will not stop calling you Thane," He responded, his arms above his head, he closed his eyes briefly before feeling her grab him. He shot his eyes apart and met her cerulean eyes that told tales of adventure and loneliness.

He tried to keep his expression still as she slid her fingers across his length. But it all became too much as she wrapped her mouth around him. He groaned zealously, his entire body quivering. He struggled to hold himself together, bright stars exploding in his eyes as he watched her claim him with such passion and with such eagerness.

He wanted the moment to last a little longer, but as her pace quickened and he felt her take him deeper he gripped onto the sheets, desperate to hold out. He let out a desperate groan, his whole body trembling as he let go, his mind filled with the darkness of lust, and his heart thumping heavily as she quenched his hunger.

He ran his fingers through her hair and would gladly repay her with as many things as she wanted to say thank you for the rather surprising, yet unbelievably satisfying gift. He grinned rather dazedly as she sat up, licking her lips and brushing the mane of hair out of her face. Her cheeks were a rose shade, her blue eyes darker than before, he hardly resisted the chance to call her the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

He watched her blush further, grabbing the sheets and pulling it over her shoulders.

"Tomorrow we will travel to Riften," She started, watching him nod in agreement, a permanent fulfilled grin plastered across his handsome face.

"As you will my Thane," He replied gruffly, stroking his coarse fingers across her skin.

"To get married," She continued rather sternly. He stared at her through narrowed eyes, his satisfaction almost deflated.

She had come to the conclusion that the sooner that she and Argis got married the quicker he would learn not to call her Thane, perhaps he would find himself a new pet name for her, something which suited their relationship.

She didn't dwell on the thought of rushing things, she had proposed to Argis the previous evening and she had prepared herself already for being a bit more than just his Thane. It wasn't as if they were strangers to each other, they had spent years together already and they knew each other inside and out. It was time to take the next step. And perhaps Argis could be mentioned as husband to the Dragonborn in ancient legends once they had departed this world.

It was rather odd for Eve to be feeling so sentimental. She was a fierce, dominating and blood thirsty Nord who craved war and money or even better; glory. It was even stranger for her to consider a sort of retirement, with years passing by quickly and the dragon crisis over, Skyrim just didn't need her power anymore. Perhaps it was time for her to settle down in one of her houses and make a life for the both of them, definitely a simpler kind of life. But Eve considered it and she knew that Argis would be against a peaceful, perfect idealistic life such as that. He craved the war more than she did, but she guessed he liked it more because he had the chance to protect her, his only real incentive in life.

She would keep that thought a secret from him until the right time came, if there ever was such a time. Although a retirement would not be in a near future, Eve hoped that at some point she could put aside her birth right and just be like everyone else. It was enough already, she had seen far more of this world that she could have ever dreamed of. She had attempted things that simple folk could only think of, having travelled into the bowls of Blackreach and even walked the plain of the dead to kill a beast who had cursed this land. It was an experience she would never forget and her legacy had already been written.

She had saved Nirn from the World-eater, saved Skyrim from destroying itself, eliminating the Imperials from this province and declaring Skyrim self-ruling. Perhaps the Thalmor were still a problem but that was no business of her own, she had done what was asked of her, and in the process she had gotten richer and too famous.

It seemed that Skyrim was now sitting in the palm of her hand, with the Dark Brotherhood at her disposal and the Thieves Guild raking in the coin, she was set for life. But no faction needed her, the Thieves Guild worked on its own accord and the Dark Brotherhood...well, Eve had learnt to block out the Night Mother's incessant whispering of contracts to kill. She had left the life of an assassin behind her and she wished that she had never been called the Listener.

"Married? Now?" Argis blurted out stunned more than anything.

She continued to straddle him and brushed her breasts across his broad chest. He sucked in air shocked by her forwardness.

"Yes," She whispered, leaning in close and brushing her mouth across his earlobe. Her warm breath causing a shiver to run through Argis' spine. He moved his hand up across her body, gliding over her hips and finally grabbed her by the shoulders.

"What's the rush?" He held her still looking into her azure eyes, trying to make sense in them. He didn't understand what the hurry was, she had never been so urgent before, not even when she waged war against the Stormcloaks or collected the thousands of coin the Thieves Guild had rewarded her.

It wasn't that he was against her urgency, he felt a little conflicted. When he had first been called the Dragonborn's Housecarl he found the adjustment awkward and difficult, especially when she had left him alone in Markarth during the several months she had Jordis. But when Eve took him up on his services and he followed her through thick and thin, he had gotten used to it, used to being called a Housecarl. But now, the transition of being her protector to being her husband was something that would take a lot of getting used to. That was for certain.

"It's just that..." She trailed off scrunching up her face as she tried to figure out what to say. He held her still waiting patiently for her to continue, "This is something I really want," She carried on, moving her lips against his, her voice falling to a quiet whisper; "More than anything," She kissed him passionately, moving against him, erotically enough that she started to feel his erection press up against her.

Argis wanted to give her time to think about the future, he was after all, a simple man and was easily pleased with his Thane's company. But he knew all about her hunger and want for more, it was no surprise that he expected her to rush into marriage; he just wished she'd give it more thought.

He didn't doubt how badly she wanted it; she had shown him clearly how much he meant to her, she had practically given him a heart attack, toying with him for the past night. He couldn't question her desire to marry him, and if truth be told, Argis desperately wanted to set foot in the temple and walk back out a married man, just not yet. There was plenty more adventures to be had before they could get married and Eve had promised to take him to Blackreach someday.

"Are you certain?" He struggled to keep his voice level; she had started to kiss his neck, nibbling his collarbone. He tried frantically to keep his mind intact, wanting to discuss the matter further but his body detested him.

His hips already bucked up against her own, his urgency to get laid one last time before sleep the only thought that throbbed through his body to the racing rhythm of his heart beat.

"I've never been more certain Argis," She replied, sliding herself onto him, her eyelids fluttering as he filled the empty space.

He started to move her hips slowly, building up the tension between them. He was delighted to hear the gasping moans of her desperation. It took all of his strength to resist the temptation to flip her over and plough into her, giving her the satisfaction she wanted and deserved.

He enjoyed the view, he saw a woman cast in pearl white skin, etched with pink raised stories across it. His eyes ate up the portrait before him, following the trim of her breasts, up past her collarbone and landing upon her blood red lips, watching as she nibbled them as he pleased her. He suddenly caught her gaze, her sapphire eyes the centre fixture of the masterpiece. He locked eyes with her, delving into the sea, swimming in the pleasure, losing sense of his surroundings and finding complete solace in the ocean of her iris.

She moaned loudly, echoing off the stone walls, she provoked him to lose control. He grabbed her, and caressed her, his own breathing coming out in short bursts of madness. He could feel her tighten around him and the friction growing. He let out an uncontrolled growl, his hips bucking involuntarily as they both lost themselves in a sea of satisfaction.

She flopped carelessly onto the bed next to him, tangled in the web of their limbs. He let out a long resonating sigh to calm the ferocity of his pulse. He pulled her in close, kissing the top of her head knowing that tomorrow would be one of the biggest days of his life.

By dusk tomorrow he would be a married man, he was certain that Eve wouldn't back down; he never could force her to change her mind. She was a typical Nord, stubborn and blunt, Argis should have known that he would have no power to make her rethink the date of their wedding; he failed to change her mind about so many dangerous things that had been long forgotten now. But he trusted her judgement, she would be reckless but somehow everything always managed to work out, even if it seemed like there was an enveloping darkness with no escape.

Eve had never been one to play by the rules; she had set out on her own path through life and had invited Argis along for the ride. She had never dreamt of having someone to stand beside her, to really accept what she was and what her calling destined for her. She was thankful that Argis quenched the loneliness that had burdened her, she was thankful for so many other things.

She had never expected to end up owning a house in Markarth, to be tucked up in a warm bed next to Nord man who had sworn to protect her. She was lucky to be here, and she thanked the divines that she could have a moment of peace, where nothing was troubling and Skyrim didn't need her anymore.

It was a blessing that Eve could call herself a free woman, with her troubled past and an almost execution, that perhaps she may have deserved, it was odd that she could wander around Skyrim deemed the saviour and hero of Nirn. To her, that seemed illogical. She had done many wrongdoings and she had never gotten caught, Eve couldn't decide whether that was from the luck of Nocturnal or because she was that famous, the guards just appeased her and didn't challenge her business.

She had decided to keep a few secrets from Argis, she had never fully explained her coming back to Skyrim or why she had been taken by the Imperials for execution. Argis didn't need to know that her past was as dark as the plains of Oblivion, she wanted to forget about it, but the chaos she had caused was still a permanent scar that had been carved into her brain. All of that blood, the pouring crimson covering her white skin was something she could never forget.

* * *

A/N: Somehow this was really fun to write! This is a sequel to My Thane and it will hopefully be just as romantic and full of Argis-goodness! I hope you enjoy! x3


	2. Chapter 2

**My Love**

**Chapter Two  
**

_She woke with a start, bolting up right and cold, feeling so cold. She nudged the sleeping form next to her, rigid and pale. She felt the pressing of the amulet strapped tightly around her neck a shiver electrifying through her spine; she had never taken it off once. She traced her fingers over cold skin, her breath hitching, and a trail of darkness ebbing onto the sheets beneath. _

Eve's eyes snapped apart suddenly, and she smelt something delicious floating in from the main room. She looked across to his vacant side of the bed, a lonesome feeling crawled through her skin. Nervous shivers span the length of her spine and she brought the covers over her. Eve pushed the dream out of her constant state and returned to her peaceful equilibrium. Skyrim was safe, there was no secret agenda. Not anymore.

Eve pulled the green quilt over her shoulders and stumbled out of bed, ungracefully. She followed the delicious scent and noticed Argis pouring over the cooking pot, his face full of concentration, lit up with the orange glow of the fire.

He turned quickly, feeling her azure eyes bore into the back of his skull, he gave her a sheepish smile, a little nervous and a little turned on.

"Hi," She murmured before sauntering over to a chair, the quilt tucked neatly around her, covering every inch of her bare flesh.

"Breakfast," Argis replied, more sternly than friendly, "Here my Thane," He grabbed a bowl and poured the hot liquid into it, passing it to her.

She looked down at the bubbling stew and looked straight back up at him with a gleaming smile. He walked back to the stew and poured himself a bowl before setting himself opposite her on the table.

Eve briefly glanced up over the wooden spoon, slurping the liquid. She caught his gaze, and a flutter of a blush crossed her stone pale cheeks. Argis restrained a smirk, confused by his Thane's outburst of femininity; he couldn't decide whether he enjoyed that look, her ever-so girlish look, a stranger to his wandering eyes.

"This is delicious Argis," She chimed, smacking her lips together in satisfaction, "Delicious as always my love," Her cerulean eyes were a permanent fixture, scanning Argis' expression for any hint of his reaction to her calling him love. She pouted her lips, watching his impassive face twist into an expression of, what she could only call, humour.

"Aye thanks," He responded quietly, taking another delightful spoonful of soup.

"I hope this happens more often," She smiled to herself, devouring the last spoonfuls of food before helping herself to other decadent serving.

"My Thane?" Argis' eyebrows rise in a questioning manner, and Eve let out a small chuckle.

"I hope you cook more often for me," She beams, "I can't cook," She laughs, "And this is so tasty!"

He knew all too well that she couldn't cook, having tried it on several occassions and paying for it the next morning.

Eve continued to eat with a growing hunger whilst Argis watched, perched on his chair on the other side of the table. He wondered if he should tell her, the fact he had her muttering in her sleep, something sinister and darker than he had ever dreamed of. No, he would wait patiently for her to tell him, and if she didn't, well Argis was probably better off not knowing. He didn't want to push his Thane he certainly knew what would become of himself if he got caught on her bad side.

He remembered the harshness she treated General Tullius with, her unforgiving nature was a blessing and a torment. Eve had accepted Ulfric's proposal to kill the General, she had accepted it with honour and pride and with one swipe she had slashed his head from his shoulders and watched with giddy excitement as it rolled away into the shadows. Argis had witnessed the darkness that lurked somewhere deep in his Thane's soul, he didn't want to question that, it was a part of her and he just accepted it, just as he accepted his job title. Not that it was much of a job now.

Argis had never dreamed of falling in love with a woman with such stature and pride, a fine warrior and an exceptional lover. He didn't think that he would end up following a legend, helping her succeed and follow her destiny. His life now was an exceptional story.

"Are you all right Argis?" Eve piped over, looking curiously over at her Housecarl who had barely touched any of his breakfast.

"Yes my Thane," Argis gave her a crooked smile.

"Are you nervous about today?" She asked, reaching her hand across the table wanting him to take hold of it.

Eve couldn't deny the fact that she was nervous, the reality had struck home and this was it. Her life was at a pinnacle and she had met the man she loved so frantically and she was ready to make a promise to the divines and devote herself to her Housecarl, whatever that even meant. She hoped that Argis felt that electrifying sensation, that hunger for the other that she felt and held so dearly. But she did not want to think about such negative feelings; she had had enough of those in her early days. Her past was riddled with anger and sadness and Eve could not bear to watch her life end up the same way it had before her time as Dragonborn, before the time of coming back to Skyrim.

A shiver ran suddenly down her spine, she gripped tightly onto the wooden spoon until her knuckles turned a stark dead white. She recollected her dream briefly before casting it away into the depths of her mind; she would save that until the end, to admit what the coldness had meant, she knew it only too fondly.

"My Thane?" Argis looked at her with cool blue eyes; Eve looked up quickly from her bowl and nodded her head more enthusiastically than she had intended.

"Hurry up and finish, we need to leave," Her voice held a strange authority, she rose from her chair, gathering up the bowl and spoon placing them near the spit, to be washed at a later date.

She quickly trotted out of the room, back into the bedroom with the green quilt draped across her shoulders, spoiling Argis' excitement at seeing a glimpse of her bare flesh.

He didn't have chance to explain to Eve that he had heard her crying out during the night, whatever darkness lurked within his Thane's soul it was enough to set his teeth on edge. He thought it understandable that a legend would be tormented by nightmares or bad dreams; he thought it natural since he dreamt of those he had killed, days or months before. But it did not prevent him from restraining the urge to wash away those nightmares, if only that were possible.

With all of his being he wanted to protect her.

Argis cleared away breakfast before gathering up both sets of armour and walking into the bedroom. Eve thanked him as she took her armour out of his hands and slunk it over her agile body. She tightened the leather straps on her Guild armour before tugging on the boots and gauntlets. Argis watched her move gracefully, loving how the armour clung to every curvaceous inch of her body. He was certain that he would never get tired of seeing her like this, perfectly in her element with a focused look plastered across her pale face.

He reluctantly pulled on his Dragonbone armour, his body having to get used to the heavy sensation once more. He tracked his Thane's movements with his eyes, she never once looked at him but he could see the redness of her cheeks and the plum of her ears as she pulled back her hair to tug on Krosis.

Argis felt a little disappointed that she had decided to cover up her face. It had been a long time she had worn a Dragon Priest Mask and now that she had put it back on it, she looked unfamiliar, distant even and Argis could not help but feel at odds, her cerulean eyes that bore no secrets were now hidden from view, purposefully because he knew that Eve was hiding something.

As they left Vlindrel Hall an atmosphere of melancholy fell between them. Argis did not want to question his Thane's motives, he not want to demand answers. He was a subordinate to her and could not ask such things. He just had to wait patiently for her to open up and perhaps that would happen after the wedding...

He felt his stomach clench and he almost keeled over. He let out a groan, a strange emotion rising into his chest making him choke on his breath. It was already happening, today was the day and Argis could not help feel uncertain, almost hopeless.

"Uh..." He let out with a wavering voice snatching up his Thane's wrists and forcing her towards him. Eve gave him a look of confusion, clutching onto the hilt of her dagger strapped tightly in the waist of her armour.

"What is it?" She asked studying his facial expression carefully. She knew since this morning that something was wrong.

"I don't want to sound rude my Thane," He continued, "Don't you think it's too soon?"

"Are you having second thoughts?" She raised her eyebrows in questions, her azure eyes scanning his face for any hints. She watched him swallow, already knowing the answer.

Of course she knew that he had doubts, he knew her rushed nature and he had complained about it before. He had told her how fast she was getting involved with Ulfric, she didn't even think twice. She needed revenge against the Imperials, they had tortured her family and then after she tried to run away they had so easily caught her, prepared to behead her. She needed that revenge and Argis had tried to talk her out of it, to think about things. But Eve never had time to think, time was slipping away so quickly and she wanted Argis to be fully hers because tomorrow may not exist.

"Tell me Argis," She pressed, a thick heavy lump forming in her throat. Yesterday had been so perfect, he had agreed so easily. She needed to make sure this happened, to make sure they were together before something terrible happened.

She was reminded on her dream once more, she closed her eyes quickly feeling the coldness envelope her. Boethiah had called her, but she had denied it for so long. She couldn't do what was asked of her. That stupid book, her stupid curiosity, she couldn't do that anymore.

He regretted her wearing the mask. He wanted to see her face, to look deeply into her cerulean eyes that he had lost himself in last night. Argis didn't want her to be hurt by his words; he knew what she was like and hoped that he could change her mind, to be a little patient.

"You're rushing things again," He kept his voice steady, releasing her wrist from his tightened fist. He moved his other hand and pulled away the mask, "You're obsessed with rushing things."

"There isn't enough time to wait Argis," She pouted, her eyebrows knotted in a permanent frown, "I don't want to wait for this," She carried on, her voice falling to a harsh whisper, "I've waited long enough for us to be together." She spun her fingers around his strong arm, cascading over the dips in his dragon armour.

She wanted him to understand her reasoning for wanting this so badly, she was continuously hunted because of her fame, and perhaps she was being too selfish, wanting something to be completely hers for once. She had lacked that in her past life, she had loved someone before, so many years ago; she needed Argis, and was desperate to prevent him from slipping through her fingers.

Her past had taught her to not want anything except revenge and now that she had achieved that, what else was left for her, except to love her Housecarl? It was all she had ever wanted. That and the coin.

"My Thane..." Argis' voice was filled with urgency, "It's too soon."

"I've had to wait before Argis," She choked out, moving awkwardly on her toes as she searched for the right words to say to him, "I don't want to wait with you."

Her body shivered and he grasped her again, stunned and confused. He had never asked about her previous life, he didn't expect to ever find it out.

"I'm not ready my Thane," He replied through gritted teeth, jealously throbbing through him.

"What if I wake up tomorrow and you're lying next to me, cold as stone?" She swallowed hard, snatching back Krosis and tugging it back over her head to hide her face, "I would be furious at you," She cursed, "Furious at myself for letting you change my mind on the matter."

Argis let out a frustrated growl. He wanted to know what she was talking about, what she meant about her waiting before. Did she have another? Were there others just like Argis, inflicted with her poison, enraptured by her ferocity?

"Do I have no say in when we get married my Thane?" Argis let out sounding defeated. He pulled off his helmet and swept his strong fingers through his mane of hair in a manner of frustration.

"No Argis," She snapped, "I make the decisions and you follow obediently."

"That is not how it works," He growled, the townspeople stirring and eavesdropping on their heated conversation, "You said I would be more to you than a Housecarl," He ran his fingers through his hair again, "I will gladly follow you to the ends of the earth my Thane and I will gladly devote my life to protect you," He grabbed her mask again, tearing it away and tossing it somewhere behind them.

She clenched her jaw tightly, staring into his wide, bright eyes. She had struck a nerve and Eve could feel anger pouring off of him, totally focused on her.

"But I will not give my heart to you if you plan on toying with it," He snarled, staring into the depths of her eyes. He found himself diving further and further into the water, lost in his infatuation, "I want to stand beside you as an equal," His voice became softer, she melted in his grasp, looking down at the stone floor, "I love you Eve," He brushed his thumb across her chin, "Have a little patience my Thane."

She chewed her lip consistently as he led her back to Vlindrel Hall. She knew he was right; somehow he had a knack for being right most of the time.

As he led her into the familiar surroundings, he grabbed her by the waist, forcing his lips against hers and agonisingly slowly stripping her of her leather garments. Argis carried her to the bedroom, peeling off his own armour and moving on top of her. Holding his weight on his arms on either side of her head. She frowned and he kissed her, insistent of forcing the sadness from her expression, persistent on making her forget the arrangement, wanting to teach her the meaning of patience.

It wasn't that Argis had changed his mind; he would marry Eve, just not today, maybe tomorrow but he had to understand one thing before devoting ever inch of his existence to her, he wanted to know what her past entailed.

He felt her tremor, her eyes scrunched up tight, he wanted to see the blueness of those eyes, he wanted to see into the epitome of her soul.

"Look at me," He whispered, caressing every inch of her body, her skin smooth and scarred. He brushed hair from her face, kissing her neck, down through her chest and to her navel. He heard her hitch on breath, her thighs trembling on either side of his head.

He ran his tongue along her, delicately, a little purr of a moan escaping her. He looked up and saw two dark blue iris' staring right back at him, he continued and she trembled again, desperation etched into her expression with each quiver of her lips.

"What do you want from me?" She gushed, clenching onto the linen sheets as he tasted her.

"The truth," He breathed, his breath cool against her heated flesh. Her body seized up and she nodded frantically. She would tell him it all; tell him ever single last drop of her sordid past if it meant that he would love her.

He moved over her again, grabbing her chin in his fingers as he slid deliciously into her. She moaned and he found himself craving the lust. He moved faster, gazing deeply into her eyes and losing himself over and over again, knowing there was no way he would be able to save himself now.


	3. Chapter 3

**My Love**

**Chapter Three  
**

He made love to her as slowly as he could manage. Testing his own strength and learning control. He wanted to hold out, to make her wait, each time he felt her body start to quake he stopped and she groaned in torment. He taught her a lesson about patience to stop her hast, for once she gave into his submission and let him have his way with her.

Afterwards they lay in a cocoon of sweat, uncertainty and Eve's new found patience. Argis rolled over onto his side and propped himself up on one arm, curling his finger in her dark hair. He watched as Eve breathed deeply, her face more peaceful in sleep than ever before. He traced the contours of her skin with a finger, following the curve of her chin, down over her neck and into the dip of her collarbone.

She stirred briefly, eyelids fluttering and the cast of azure eyes looked at Argis in a confused fashion. She let out a little mumble before tossing over, grabbing the blanket and hooking it over her head to discard the brightness of the room.

"Tell me everything Eve," Argis whispered, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close. He felt her body turn rigid, awkward against him. She let out a defeated sigh and wrapped the blanket tighter around herself, attempting to block him out too. "Tell me what you meant, when you said you had to wait before."

Eve let out a groan of annoyance, she tried to pull away from him but he clung onto her, resisting any movement. She finally let out a sigh and resigned herself to telling Argis what she could manage. She struggled to understand why he wanted to ruin the after love making glow and demand answers which she struggled to think about it.

It had been a while since Eve had thought about him, after having revenge she had told herself that it was the end. She could move on, breathe easy again and sleep easy again. Argis had filled the gaping hole that her past had caused, but it was breaking now. To tell Argis everything, she didn't think she could. That part of herself was hers alone. She feared he wouldn't like what he saw when she showed him the withered soul beneath her scar tissue.

"Was there someone else?" He tried to keep his voice calm but he was conflicted with feelings of jealously. He didn't like the thought of his Thane being in love with any other man except him.

"Yes," She whispered.

He clenched his jaw and pulled her in closer to him, nudging one leg between hers and fitting her hips with his. He could feel the racing of her pulse and wondered whether it was right to push her, he was of lesser importance, he was a mere Housecarl. It was wrong to demand such things from her. But he felt torn, she had admitted something and his mind raced at what she had meant, he needed to know and if she didn't tell him... well he didn't know what he would do.

"When?" He thought perhaps it had been when he was around, but found comfort that he surely would have known. He had been by her side constantly, never letting her out of his sight, he definitely would have known.

"A long time ago," She replied with the same impassive voice. He nuzzled his nose into her neck and breathed in her tormenting pheromone scent.

"Before we met?" He questioned wanting to make sure.

"Yes," She breathed, followed by a heavy sigh.

"What happened?" He pressed, wanting to know how far he could push her before the wall came back and he would have to resign to being submissive again.

"He died."

Eve pushed the memories from her mind quickly, she wasn't that person anymore. She was the Dragonborn, a warrior, a saviour of Skyrim, not some cultist thief who was hunted by the Imperials.

"How?"

"Argis please," She turned her head to face him; her eyes were almost black, hurting. He kissed her shoulder and hugged her.

"I want to know," He ushered, his breath causing her to shiver. He felt himself worn by her gaze, wanting to avoid the subject to ease the sadness in her eyes. But his curiousity was overbearing. He needed to know, he needed to know all of her to love her, irrevocably and unconditionally.

"He was killed," She replied, "By the Imperials."

She closed her eyes, her face contorted in nostalgic torment, feeling the coldness as she traced her fingers across the body next to her. She had seen plenty of dead bodies, Boethiah demanded sacrifices and that's what Eve did, she brought sacrifices... only this time she had gone one step too far. She had kidnapped an Imperial Legate, tied him up and suffocated him until he went limp. She checked for a pulse to make sure and when she was certain that he was still alive she dragged his body up to a carriage she had stolen and had taken him back to Windhelm where the dark mistress was waiting.

After the sacrifice she learnt that a few Imperial soldiers had been ordered to find a woman of her description. Eve hadn't thought she had been seen by anyone, she was careful to make kidnappings in the dead of night but she had made a mistake. Then the soldiers had found her family, to what knowledge they found out she did not know, but they had slain them all in cold blood.

Eve had tried to protect the rest of them and had retreated south of the border with her partner and they stayed unseen for a few days feeling relatively safe. Her lover was found dead next to her after a night of love-making, he had proposed and she had accepted. When she awoke she had traced her fingers across his cold flesh, feeling stickiness, thick and crusting, almost black. He had a dagger plunged deep into his chest and when she tried to escape the Imperials had caught her and dragged her to Helgen to await execution.

She had chosen to side with the Stormcloaks because of her need for revenge. Eve hadn't felt right since her lover's murder, and when she had slain General Tullius she finally let it rest. She didn't love him anymore, she had loved Argis for a long time, she had moved on and now Argis was insisting that she regurgitate all of those bad memories.

"I'm sorry my Thane," Argis let out cautiously, "I just...had to ask," He nuzzled himself further into her, wrapping himself in her, breathing her in and staying there waiting until the moment where her body softened.

She found no comfort in Argis' warm body that night, she felt restless and uncertain. She was a different person now but the darkness still lurked within her just waiting to take her apart again.

As she slept she fought her inner demons, dreams filled with cloaks and blood. Familiar, pale gaunt faces haunting her, whispering to her, the Dark Mistress ebbing closer and closer, suffocating and intoxicating..."_one last mission, a new sacrifice, a lover...a Housecarl..."_

* * *

_A/N: My Love is going through a re-write, a slow one but chapters will keep changing until I feel at least satisfied with them  
_


	4. Chapter 4

**My Love**

**Chapter Four  
**

She sat bolt upright, her eyes adjusting slowly to the brightness of the rooms. The candles and lanterns burned furiously giving off an unnatural peachy glow. Eve grabbed the blanket between her fists feeling a sense of foreboding, a sense of urgency. She nudged the sleeping form next to her, Argis letting out an annoyed groan as her elbow caught him in his ribs.

"Argis wake up," Eve whispered, grabbing his shoulders and giving them a shake. He mumbled something incoherent and rolled over onto his other side to avoid the pest, "Wake up you fat oaf!" She scowled, slapping him hard across his back.

She heard him growl furiously, hunching up his back as the pain finally awoke him from his slumber.

"What?" He grumbled rubbing his eyes and giving her a death stare. Eve swallowed a lump in her throat, her disturbance was meaningless. They were safe here; Argis would protect her, "My Thane?"

Eve's brow furrowed and her lips trembled. The dream was gone; she was safe in Vlindrel Hall, safe from outsiders but not herself.

"Eve what's wrong?" Argis looked at her carefully, worry coursing through him. His back singed with pain but his chest ached. He noticed the darkness in her eyes; something was troubling her, something darker than Argis had ever anticipated.

"Nothing," She shrugged quickly, "Bad dream, I'm sorry I hit you so hard," She apologised, tugging the blanket up to her shoulders.

Argis rested on his elbows, dragging her into him. She rested her head against his chest and listened to the rhythmic humming of his heart, faster than usual. Eve didn't want to worry him; it was only a dream, a nightmare. The Dark Mistress had no influence over her now; she was the Dragonborn after all, the strongest damn warrior in Skyrim. No Daedric Lord could influence her; Boethiah was long gone, a forgotten part of her past, it was all over now.

Eve struggled to find the existence of sleep again, fearful that the dream would come back to haunt her. Her bones trembled beneath her skin; the whispering of the voice was all too real.

**x**

Argis had plans to distract his Thane but he couldn't think how, for the first time she felt fragile in his arms and he tried his best to make her feel safe, it was his duty to after all. He wondered what thoughts were haunting her mind to prevent her from finding sleep again; he wanted to cure it, to help her overcome this new boundary. His Thane deserved to find happiness.

He cursed himself for denying the wedding, asking her to put it off for another day, even though he would have never have known about her past and her deceased lover, she would have been happy to just marry him and these resurfacing memories would not have come. Argis could not deny that knowing about his Thane's past had done them both some good, he now understood why she chose to do things the way she had, their past adventures and the Dragonborn's decisions finally made some sense. He could now finally start to understand what was truly beginning to happen.

Argis also could not deny the notion that Eve was becoming ever more shut off from him, he never dreamed of wanting her to close herself off, these memories... her memories were a pestilence to them both and he feared that he hadn't even begun to see the woman behind the title. For the first time in a very long time, Argis was fearful.

**x**

Eve had waited for Argis to fall asleep before shuffling out from under the covers; she missed his warmth as the coolness of the dark room enveloped her and wished she could cradle herself next to Argis' warm body. She let out a quiet sigh and pulled on her armour, tying her hair into a braid and sneaking from the bedroom.

She couldn't find rest and she thought it stupid to just lie in bed awake and wait... wait for nothing to happen, or perhaps to wait for that dream to come back. Eve felt a chill run down her spine making her shiver; she could never mistake that voice and she wondered if the Dark Mistress had truly intended her to perform one last quest or her mind had taken her back to the group dreams. Eve quickly brushed off the rising fear, she would never be able to be freed from the Dark Mistress and this terrified her more than Alduin ever had, more than the darkest recesses of Skyrim filled with the most frightening abominations. More than those damn Draugr or those horribly, terrifying, Horker.

She crept quickly through Vlindrel Hall, the fire in the main hall making feeble attempts to stay burning, the embers quickly fading. On her way to the exit she snatched an apple from the larder and exited the house.

Markarth was quiet, eerily quiet and Eve, always, somehow found the silence traumatizing. It was something about the city, the old Dwarven runes that set her teeth on edge. She had never been able to figure out what that something was and until she had met Argis she had steered clear from this place as much as possible. What possessed Argis to actually enjoy living in such a place she would never understand. But she enjoyed his company to enough to deal with it and accept that Markarth was his birth place and he wouldn't be persuaded in moving anywhere else.

Eve took a fervent bite from the apple realising how hungry she was, she looked forward to coming back and Argis cooking a hot meal for her, hopefully without any questions asked about her absence in the bed when he woke up. But for now she just needed air, a little distance. She thought it possible to escape her thoughts if she left that place and concentrate on the cold eastern breeze, she believed that everything that had gone wrong existed only in Vlindrel Hall and to be away from that place meant she could have a rest before diving head strong back into the memories. If only that really were true, it certainly would ease a warrior's heart.

Eve devoured the apple and tossed the core into the hedgerow near the front of Vlindrel Hall; she headed for the sound of the river and made her way across the city in a matter of minutes. The Stormcloak guards nodded and whistled, their most favourite army companion finally showing face. She would have stopped to have spoken to them but mindless chit-chat wasn't on her agenda, instead she considered that ale would cure any infliction.

It wasn't that she couldn't drink at home, hell, she knew that the larder was filled with bottles of every alcoholic drink in Skyrim, ageing nicely and one day she would drink it, some of it but not all of it. Eve preferred the atmosphere of the Inn, the smell of smoke and the noise of drunken men better than the consuming loneliness at home, with or without Argis there.

She had learnt a hard lesson drinking in her home in Whiterun; it was after she had been told that she was the Dragonborn, the only person in damn Skyrim that could kill the dragons that she had done her best to run from (They did breathe fire and how the hell was she supposed to fight something that breathed fire?). Eve thought that guards pretty much handled the dragon slaying outside the Western Watchtower rather well without her, and well... Eve had only collected the soul without really laying a finger on the giant lizard.

After that and the talk with Jarl Balgruff Eve felt a heavy weight dumped on her shoulders, she had wanted to be so desperately free from responsibility and here it was all over again consuming her life but this time it meant saving Skyrim. She drank away reality for a time even though there were things to do, things to learn and mysteries to uncover, but the loneliness was addictive... or maybe it was the ale, but Eve found it unbearable to kick the habit.

She couldn't remember when the drinking stopped, probably when things began to get serious and she realised an unclouded mind was the only thing stopping her from getting killed. It was enough for her to throw out every bottle of mead or ale, living was far more important. But now Eve just wanted to indulge for a while, Skyrim was saved and she didn't have to fight anymore, she didn't have the responsibility of protecting a nation, it was all over. The guards could take care of the dragons themselves and Eve could just relax even for an hour or two with an Inn full of bearded drunken men. The thought seemed priceless.

Eve pressed her fingers against the metal door to the Silver Blood Inn; she could hear the laughter and drunken slurs of the inhabitants. She grinned eagerly to herself and pushed the door open. She heard a roar of welcome and the clatter of cups and pitchers as they dropped to the stone floor in a flurry. The smile ebbed away from her lips, she noticed the blood first, mistaking it for wine and then she saw the glittering of weapons against the fire. She felt a chill claw itself over her making her violently shiver. She tried quickly to reach for weapons to deflect the first hit, a failed attempt as the hilt of a blade slammed into her side knocking her sideways.

"Finally the party quest has arrived!" A smooth voice called out, tantalisingly familiar. Eve let out a groan, pain throbbing through her ribs, no blood but something felt broken. She clutched onto her side, holding herself together as she steadied her breathing, _she could handle this she was the Dragonborn, _"We feared that we would have to go and find you but no, here you are always the one to come to us," A group snicker erupted around her and she rolled her eyes, reaching around to her belt and feeling for her dagger.

Her arms were caught quickly, pulled up towards her shoulders, Eve let out a yelp twisting in agony as she tried to free her arm. S_urrounded. _

"Play nice now Evie," The voice called out, "We don't want that ginger mutt of yours to come bounding out of the house to come save you." A warm hand snatched up her chin forcing her to look into the face of the cloaked being, "He wouldn't be much use to us if he was dead." Eve saw the curl of pale lips form a smile, yellowing teeth and the stench of something old and dying lingering in the air.

"What are you talking about?" Eve snapped, fear and anger filling up inside her, "Why are you here?"

Eve felt dread seep into every atom of her being, she knew all too well why they were here and there was no use beginning to deny that. She let out another groan of pain as her arm was twisted further upwards. _This wasn't happening... for them to find her here after all this time... _

"The Dark Mistress calls for you again," The voice whispered, a pale waxy finger curling a strand of hair around her ear. She whimpered and scowled bile rising in her throat.

"I'm not part of your stupid cult anymore," Eve snarled, her ferocity failing and her fear coming through, she was terrified of this; she was terrified of the Dark Mistress. She had been running, always and still they had found her. There was just no escape.

"That's not your choice little Evie," Another snicker erupted around the room, "You can come quietly or not but either way you're coming with us."

Eve opened her mouth to protest and argue, she would never go with them willingly. Her body tensed ready to fight her way out, any means necessary; she struggled against the shadow constricting her arms. Her shoulder caught fire as she tugged it free, the snap of sinew and the pull of her muscles sent a nauseating pain throughout her body, and she reached for her daggers with numb fingers, slicing them through the air with an unusual slowness. She saw the quick glint of a blade in the orange glow and then a white hot fire exploded from her temple. Her eyes rolled into the back of her skull and the darkness consumed her.


	5. Chapter 5

**My Love**

**Chapter Five**

Eve felt her lover's lips capture her own, enticing her and bringing life to her bones. She felt the heat and the insatiable hunger of lust build catastrophically inside her, consuming her being. She opened her eyes to darkness and passion, desire raking through her veins. She felt his gentle touch and her body shivered with each delicate stroke of his fingertips, and kisses caught fire in the crevice of her neck causing her to ache.

She groaned matching her voice with his who loved her irrevocably, matching their breath as pitfalls of burning lava soared across her skin, a feeling of electricity igniting her blood as it boiled and rushed to the torrid warmth between her thighs...

The crunching of stones underneath carriage wheels suddenly brought Eve back to life. She had been dreaming of the most pleasant dream, alone in the darkness of Vlindrel Hall with her lover. Her body twisted in agony and she groaned, fuzzy memories muddled inside her mind. She turned her head and felt the world contort in vertigo, her mind went blank and she felt the heat rising from within her making her lose the contents of her stomach.

She tried so hard to remember, but her mind was lost to the dream as it replayed over and over, nauseating and unstable. She let out another moan, wishing it away, twisting away from the heat and pain, cursing the darkness. It replayed over and over, the tormenting kisses across her neck and the prickle of each nail scraped across her skin, she felt it all repeated again and again, overwhelming her, breaking her.

She tried to pay attention to the sudden voices, speaking in a foreign tongue to her ears, she tried to focus on anything but that dream... She felt another wave of sickness engulf her and she was lost to the dream once more.

**x**

Her shoulders ached, twisted back into an awkward position. Her head lolled against her bare shoulder, cheeks pressed firmly against her skin. Pain vibrated through her, her throat raw, each breath more devastatingly painful than the last.

Something blistering made her shiver. Her hands bound she tried to find leverage. Eve groaned opening her eyes into slits, flinching against the sudden brightness. Groggy and disorientated she sighed, getting used to the bruising pain of her lungs.

She could hear laughter, chatter somewhere close by and she wondered whether she had died and gone to Sovngarde. She could smell food cooking and her stomach growled in protest. Her mouth salivated and she thought about Argis. Eve grumbled a response to her thoughts and shook away the stabbing pain inside her chest. Thinking about him wasn't going to help her situation. He didn't even know what had happened. He wouldn't come and save her.

Eve shifted her position, testing the rope binding her hands. The material cut into her skin and she felt the burning pain surge through her. With a grunt she tested her feet, bound also by the same strip of rope. Pushing against the rock behind her she tried to get to her feet, trying to sidle away before any of those bastards would notice.

Mountains steered steep from the ground, covered in snow; Eve could taste the bitter wind. Underdressed and without armour she shivered. Her soul turned to ice as she recognised this place. It had been years since she had been here and she had prayed to the Divines on many sleepless nights that she would never have to come back here. But here she was, drawn to the place where everything went wrong.

Eyes scrunching up from the snow's reflection of the afternoon sun, Eve breathed in a cold lungful of air. It helped to clear her mind of the haze. Incessant whisperings filled her ears and she tried so desperately to block them out. Underneath the ground lay her shrine. The Dark Mistress, she was calling for her. But Eve didn't want to listen anymore. That part of her life was over, she had better things, she had a damn better life now.

She was the Dragonborn, a tenacious warrior that saved all of Skyrim. Not some stupid cultivist that did the Dark Mistresses bidding. She had killed so many people, animals, her own kin all for the Daedric Lord, and what had it accomplished? A murdered lover, a murdered family all because of her greed. Eve had a chance to atone for that, killing Alduin, saving Skyrim, it atoned for those sins. But she knew how persuasive the Dark Mistress was. She would never leave this place without blood on her hands.

Eve remembered on the Dark Mistress' last words. One last mission. Could she trust that? Could she trust in knowing that if she did as the Mistress pleased she would be free from the torment? Or would she be fooled again. Resting her head against the cold stone Eve sighed again, arms limps, legs useless she tried to get comfy on the icy floor. Her stomach growled again and she knotted her brows. She would give anything to have Argis cook her a warm meal again. A whimper escaped her lips, it was punishing to think of that stupid ginger oaf. If only he had listened to her then perhaps she wouldn't be in this predicament.

They could be in Riften by now, or at least bordering the Rift. Boethiah could still find her but the Champion and his minions would be in Markarth, far away enough that she could escape for a while. Hell, she would be getting married and then spending the most exquisite night with her Housecarl in Honeyside. It was just her stupid luck to fall in love with someone who liked to argue back. She wouldn't blamed Argis for this, perhaps when he woke up he would realise something was wrong and be the knight in shining armour and come rescue her. Except that he didn't have a clue where in Skyrim she would be.

Eve hadn't told him everything. Hadn't even begun to explain to him about the Dark Mistress. Would he even forgive her for admitting that she had worshipped a Daedric Lord? Would he even understand why she did it? Hell, she didn't even understand fully. What was a young naive Nord supposed to do in times of crisis? Boethiah had promised her strength, promised her the title of Champion if Eve did as she asked. It was the first time she had ever felt worthy. One of the Daedric Lords wanted her, if only she had known back then that it was all a trick, maybe she wouldn't have fallen for it.

The shuffling of boots brought her own of her thoughts. Her eyes met burgundy in the afternoon light. Pale lips twitched into a painful smile, yellowing teeth gritted in conviviality.

"Enjoying yourself Dragonborn?" The Champion sneered, finger ticking over a layer of thin ice on the ground.

"Tell me what you want done," Eve retorted, bitterness etched into every word like a deadly poison, "You said Boethiah wants to talk to me, let me go see the statue. Let me do whatever she asks, then let me go."

"You will never leave this place Evie," Mirth filled his eyes and his humour shot through her, plunging into her chest like a sharp blade.

"I will kill you all if I have to," Eve knew that she was stronger now, not necessarily physically but she had the power of the thu'um. She could knock them off mountains in one breath. She would burn them alive with a shout. Eve would kill them all if that's what it took to make the past stay in the past. No more memories, no more thoughts of this place. Yes, she would do the very worst to make it all go away.

"She won't ever leave you alone," The Champion's voice lowered to a whisper. He leaned in closer, hands folding behind her back and twisting at the rope. He cut her loose, then moved to her ankles, slicing the rope with a blade tucked underneath the cloth on his forearm, "For years she's hunted you, and now that you're the Dragonborn she wants you even more."

Eve glared at him, the gangly figure with a hood cloaking the remnants of whatever hollow face had been left after many years of Boethiah possession. The Champion was the Mistress' favourite, the insidious villain, a vicarious hunter. What she would have given years ago to be in his place. She could have been the Champion. The pinnacle of Boethiah's cult.

But vengeance had been sweet after killing General Tullius, taking revenge on the Imperials had been sweeter than all of her riches, and all of that damn Skooma she had bought from M'aiq the liar. If things had played out differently and she had become the Champion, would that mean she wouldn't have been able to seek revenge? Would she even still have a lover? Or perhaps that part of her life had been inevitable. Her stupidity had caused his death, wasn't it better to just forget now? For the life of her she could barely even remember what he looked like, what his voice sounded like. It shamed her to feel guilty that she just couldn't remember him anymore.

Those feelings still remained. Eve had thought they had been lost, tossed away into the tide swept up in the memories of her past. But they were resurfacing, her desperation to become the champion feeding her greed to become the best. Her hunger for revenge seeping out into her bones, suffocating her in the same unending darkness. It was a feeling that she had previously learnt was difficult to escape from. The emotion was familiar to her; she had felt the same empowerment when fighting Alduin in Sovngarde.

"Just take me to her, Champion," Eve growled, eyes hunting rays of blazon red. A soft chuckle left the Champions lips and a cloaked hand hooked underneath her arms, lifting her up onto her feet.

Unsteady the Champion led her towards the statue, the eyes of the other cult members followed, some recognisable faces that sneered at her passing. Eve had never endangered this cult. After all the Imperials only knew her as a cold blooded murderer rather than an assassin doing her duty for the Dark Mistress. Those Imperials knew nothing of this side of her, of Skyrim. Hell, Eve knew that people weren't aware of their existence, a rumour, or a myth told by old women that had lost someone as a sacrifice. It didn't matter now though, Eve would get them off her back, for a while or for good.

Running nervous hands through strands of satin russet hair she felt the chaos burning up inside her belly. Memories of times when butterflies would dance in her stomach making this very same walk, proud, eager and turbulent with life, with the lack of meaning behind it. She had been so young, so fucking stupid. Eve cursed herself, cursed herself for leaving Vlindrel Hall, cursed herself for feeling so restless that she had tried to go seek a comfort somewhere else rather than with Argis. There would be nothing better than to crawl into bed next to him, to forget her past and lose herself in his fervent embrace. She needed to feel those strong arms around her, a shield protecting her from all the sorrow and devastation that existed in her life. The life of the Dragonborn certainly was chaotic.

Thinking about Argis made her body ache, hunger for more than just a leg of lamb ever consuming. She felt it down to her bones, her muscles twitching with pent up frustration that could only be cured by him. Blush sketched across her pale skin, a torment for her thinking of him in a time where her concentration needed to be at its best. She needed to formulate some sort of plan to coax the Dark Mistress into letting her go, not thinking about the Nord that was most likely losing his nut over her disappearance. Eve sighed, maybe he wasn't. Maybe he was glad to have time apart, after all these months they had been together, wouldn't he enjoy some time to himself? To think about her proposal properly? Perhaps he was really having second thoughts.

Eve groaned, fingers rubbing her sore eyes with anxious intent. She had never upped and left before, not like this. Eve had always given him some sort of indication as to where she had gone. But Argis had no idea where she was, literally no fucking idea. It was terrifying to think of both situations, what if he was worried, what if he was out there looking for her, or at least starting to prepare to look for her? And then there was the possibility that he thought that she just needed time, time to think things over. Argis didn't know about her past, he only knew a glimpse of it. In truth he barely knew her. The woman he knew now was a different person to what she had been. If Eve ever conjured up the courage to tell him all of it, would he accept her?

Snow crunched underneath their footfalls, the breeze streaked through the mountainside. Stairs crisscrossed over the ground, leading up towards the statue. Grey piles of rock embedded in the ground stood proud for generations, looming over the fighting area where two soldiers toyed with death. Blood splattered across the ground and the sound of a grunt, then a wail, cut short, filled Eve's ears. It was all so terribly familiar. She had killed so many men and women in that fraction of the courtyard. Snow had always fallen, blessing the ground and burying away the stench of death that permanently coated it.

The Champion turned on his heels stopping Eve abruptly in her tracks. Clouds of air brushed from her lips with the cold, she shivered again, looking around waiting for the Champion to give her some sort of indication that she could move on, alone.

"Dragonborn," The Champion voiced, body twisting to look over at the warrior that had slain a new sacrifice, "Fight him until he is an inch from death, then go to pillar of sacrifice and let the Dark Mistress' power ensnare him," A cruel smile formed across his pale lips, "Once you have proven yourself, the Dark Mistress will speak to you once more."


	6. Chapter 6

**My Love**

**Chapter Six**

He pulled the green covers up and over his head, breathing in the smell of her and the suffocating warmth. His eyelids flickered in his waking daze. He yawned and reached out an arm, finding only the empty space on the other side of the bed.

Argis didn't give it a second thought, the Dragonborn did as she pleased, but he would have liked to have woken up to her at least once more. He smiled to himself thinking of her sleeping face, vulnerable and innocent. He reminded himself of the way her lips twitched when she was dreaming, or feigning sleep in an attempt to grab only a few minutes longer. She never had to get up for anything anymore, after all Skyrim was safe and what else did she have to do except finding hidden vista's in Skyrim and helping out those in need? But she was religious with her mornings. Get up as soon as the sun rises, get dressed, make him make breakfast (much to his dismay) and set off with blades strapped to her back and sides; her face plastered with a grin, excited for an adventure, for something new.

After a movement of frustrating thoughts he threw back the covers, cursing himself for letting her slip away in the dead of night. Oh what he would do to her this morning, covering his body with hers and slanting his lips across cerise red. He groaned to himself and rubbed his eyes clear from sleep. Today would be a long day if she didn't find her way back to him soon. He of course would never admit it but he found the cold stone walls of Vlindrel Hall lonely, even the fire lacked the capacity to breathe life into the ancient walls when she was gone. It was Eve who held that power. Eve who made this place what Argis had always wanted it to be, and when she was gone... well...Argis felt almost as lifeless as the same Dwarven ruins that he inhabited.

Feet falling heavy against the cold stone, Argis pulled on his clothes and made his way to the hall, wanting to stoke the fire, awaiting her return. He pondered on what had happened the night before, wondering about her dreams, of what she wasn't telling him. He found these thoughts unsettling, how much did he know about her? Or rather, how much didn't he? Would he ever know every secret that she was keeping, how could he marry her if something as simple as her past couldn't be told? Argis rubbed his eyes in annoyance, his thoughts a pestilence into disrupting his resolve. Perhaps it wasn't simple after all.

The way she spoke of the Imperials, of her lover, something darker lay dormant within her and Argis wanted to know what it was. It was her ailment, a disease that plagued her, something that kept her up at night stilling her from peaceful sleep. He wanted to cure it, to cure her from her feelings from her lover, to rejoice over the defeat of the Imperials and tell her that things were now over, that there needn't be any more bloodshed because of a revenge that had been reclaimed a long time ago.

But what if in his attempt to find more about Eve, wanting to find out about the warrior within he had actually in fact pushed her away? What if all those questions he had asked her were too personal and she now felt involuntarily uncomfortable with him? What if she had changed her mind? What was he supposed to do; he had sworn an oath to her, to protect her with his life. His feelings were jeopardising his duty, he had to protect her no matter the cost. He owed her his life, and he was prepared to give everything if it meant that she was safe.

It didn't matter if she had left him behind, seeking the comfort of another. Argis loved Eve, irrevocably and unequivocally and if she had gone to another he would swallow up his anger and keep it buried within him. He would suffocate that angst just like he had when she had told him of her previous lover, of her fiancé. That would be the hardest thing he would ever have to do, to know that if there was someone else, he would have to remain beside her out of duty and convince himself that the love he felt for her was merely arbitrary, a test from the Divines to make him a damn worthy candidate for an eternity in Sovngarde.

But maybe he was thinking too deep into things. Maybe his Thane had just decided to take leave, an occasional break from his company. It had happened many times before and Argis had waited patiently for her return. Back then he did not worry. But why was he so frustrated now? He slumped against the chair, picking up the iron poker in his fist and poking at the dying embers of the fire. He loved her now, before was mere infatuation, a miniscule feeling compared to the encompassing emotion that clutched onto him. Now, it was suffocating, blinding, a hurricane sweeping him away from sanity. He wasn't sure if such a feeling was healthy but he didn't care. It was love, indefinable in any other words except that. If all else failed it would be that feeling that would remain, a stain on his soul, a torment of his brain. It was chaos, and it was entirely exhilarating all in one.

Unsettled, Argis ran fingers through his dry hair, tugging at all the knots from his sleep. What was he supposed to do? How would he even function when he felt this lost? When had this even become a problem? When she proposed? Is that what had made it clear to him, that this wasn't unrequited love, she loved him too. Perhaps it was that which fuelled his insanity, the profound feeling that had overcome his sensibility.

Whatever was pestering him, it only encouraged the loneliness that had slowly begun to creep up on him. He would follow her to the ends of Nirn, and when she returned he would demand that she marry him. To whisk her off down to Riften on a damn carriage, to say his vows and swear to the Divines. Gods, all he wanted to do was kiss those lips of hers, swear another oath to her, to love her, to cherish her, to be with her until the tides of death washed at their heels, taking them away to spend eternity in Sovngarde, or wherever her soul might go.

He let out a long suspending sigh, slouching in the wooden chair with his head lolling over the edge. He looked up at the ceiling, the newborn fire casting flickering shadows on the ancient stones. It was too quiet for him, all he could hear the crackle and spitting of flames, the howling of wind outside and the constant thud of his own heart beat ringing in his ears. He couldn't just wait here for her to return to him. He had to do something in fear of going completely insane, locked up in this house waiting for a damn woman; even if she was the most lethal killer he had ever met.

Argis quickly cooked stew for breakfast and was binding leather to his hips as he poured the rest of the contents of the bowl down his throat. He looked over at his Dragonbone armour on the armour stand and sighed. It was so usual for him to wear it now, but somehow it felt wrong when she wasn't around. Argis smiled to himself, the countless times she would come back to Vlindrel Hall and told him off for not wearing the armour she had so skilfully handmade him. Gods it was pathetic of him to miss her this much already. He growled in frustration and snatched up the remaining parts of his leather armour, fixing the chest piece and gauntlets into place before grabbing his weapons. What was he supposed to do? Sit around and wait for her? When he would become her husband he hoped that she wouldn't expect him to follow her around aimlessly, though he guessed that out of habit he probably would end up doing just that. Somehow, he could never win.

**x**

Wind blustered through the busy streets of Markath, blowing in from the hills and mountainsides of the Reach. It was nice to get fresh air, clear his mind from the Dragonborn, if only for a few minutes. Idly he passed over the stream and walked through the market, looking out for cheap deals and bargains, hoping to soon stock up the pantry; especially when Eve returned and demanded a warrior's banquet.

Hovering over a stall he listened, unintentionally, to a discussion between a woman, a regular at the Silver-blood Inn and the maintainer, a man who Argis knew was called Kleppr. They spoke in sinister whispers just off from the courtyard, eyes darting for inconspicuous listeners and guards.

"Did you get a look at them?" The woman hurried in a low tone. She wobbled on her feet, resting her balance on one foot and then quickly switching to another. Her hand reached for the man's shoulder, eagerness written into every gesture she made.

"I didn't," Kleppr replied making the same shifty movement, "After the Dragonborn came in the whole Inn descended into chaos. They...they had swords I didn't see before, suddenly there was blood everywhere." The man stroked the tufts of white hair that had been growing on his cheeks and chin for a few days.

Argis knotted his eyebrows, straining with difficulty to catch the man's low mumbling. Did he say Dragonborn? Eve? He picked up an apple from a basket on a stall and tossed the woman behind it a coin. He adjusted his position, flanking the two talking and standing a few yards away resting against the stone of the fortifications. He brought the apple to his lips and crunched into it, the juices cresting at the sides of his mouth.

"Kleppr have you told the guards?" The woman replied urgently touching Kleppr's shoulder with a shaking hand.

"N-no," He shook his head, a mat of silver hair dancing at his shoulders; "I-I mean, not yet. I... t-they left in such a hurry, a-and one of them held a dagger to my throat," The man closed his eyes, reliving the story in perfect clarity, "I couldn't help her, I couldn't help anyone. Vorstag tried to get involved, Divines they stabbed him Muiri."

"And what of Frabbi? Is she safe?" She took hold of his shoulders, comforting him as his head drooped against his chest. He nodded faintly and ran a ragged hand through fraying tendrils of grey hair.

"She was upstairs when it happened, along with Hroki and Hreinn, they are safe," He breathed, "What am I going to tell the guards?" Blue eyes looked at Muiri, distressed and filled with pain.

"That they took what they came for," The Breton replied, voice filled with relief, "I shall pray that they won't return."

"And what of the Dragonborn?" Kleppr looked startled at the her dismal of the warrior that had saved all of Skyrim. Argis took another bite from the apple, crunching down on it instead of his own teeth. His throat felt raw, choked up on something that was rising fast up from his stomach. This was stupid, how could Eve possibly be taken away from the Silver-Blood Inn? Markarth was second nature to her, how could she be so stupid? How could she be so careless?

"We pray to the Divines Kleppr, many dark things exist in Skyrim," Muiri shook her head, eyes scanning the surrounding area. Argis cleared his throat, a hand dancing over the handle of his sword. He closed his eyes and prayed that he was still dreaming. He had to be dreaming right? A frustrated growl arose from the depths of his lungs. Divines, he was pissed off. More pissed off than he ever thought was possible.

He tossed the apple to the floor where it cracked. He huffed and stalked back up to Vlindrel Hall. What did this mean? He clenched his hands into fists and slammed them down on the table. Goblets and platters trembled with his strength, food thudding in their bowls on the solid stone. Just what did this mean? He couldn't protect her, dammit he had failed her. He had broken his oath. He should have been there.

Argis slumped into an unoccupied chair and laid his head in his hands, armour scrapping against the old wood in an uncomfortable fashion. _Why did she have to be so restless? Why did she have to go out in the middle of the night? Why wasn't she content with him? What was he doing wrong? Why couldn't she just settle down and be with him? _He didn't want to blame himself but all he could think about was his persistence in knowing her past. He had driven her away, and now she was gone, taken from him. He groaned again and closed his eyes tight, blocking out the flickering flames of the fire and the foreboding realm of reality.

Love was destroying his reason, his logic. Divines, he had made an oath, an oath to protect her. He had to go find her. He had to make sure she was alive. He had to, if he didn't... Argis sighed, fingers rubbing the tiredness from his eyes. She was a stupid woman, and she would surely be the death of him.


	7. Chapter 7

**My Love**

**Chapter Seven**

A bead of sweat trickled down the side of her face, matting in tendrils of russet hair. The wind glided through the mountainside and the chill of the breeze turned her bones to ice. Eve clutched the dagger in her fist, knuckles stark white. A vein throbbed knowingly in the side of her neck, the sweet taste of adrenaline rolling in from the back of her throat.

Something, an unknown force was stilling her blade, stilling her movements. The enemy swung his greatsword in her direction, she flanked, hilt of her dagger colliding with the man's wrist making the sword clatter to the ground. Her heart throbbed painfully in her chest, her stomach growling in protest as she worked her body towards its limits. The glare of the man's eyes should have given her the incentive to murder him. He was brazen with the desire to kill, his muscles twitching in angry anticipation. He knew, she knew; kill or be killed and he was determined to slice her up.

Eve ducked, slipping away from an untimely end as the man swiped at her with a dagger he had pulled from his boot. She gasped for another painful gulp of air, adrenaline sounding through her system, blood hot, pounding in her ears. The air was so cold and it electrified Eve's skin with every harsh brush from the wind.

She had to do this, she had to end it. Her life and Argis' life depended on it. The Dark Mistress wouldn't give her forgiveness, wouldn't even give her mercy. Eve was trapped, trapped in the Daedras wrath, the wicked obsession. She was a fool, the biggest fool she had ever met. Eve parried and slammed the hilt of her dagger into the man's side. There could be no more waiting, no more escaping. It had to be the end. The Dragonborn swung around, twisting on her feet and plunging the silver blade into the man's back, with a growl she pushed off him, kicking him to the floor.

The man slumped and caved in on himself, his grunt was muted as he collapsed to the floor, blood oozing in glorious quantities along the shattered armour he wore. The snow littered ground burned red with his life. Eve lifted a hand to her head and washed away the sweat forming on her forehead.

Letting out an unsettled breath she checked to make sure he was still breathing. She pressed her fingers to his neck and felt for a pulse, satisfied, she slunk his brutish arm around her shoulders and heaved him up, steadying his unconscious form beside her.

"I'm sorry for this," She breathed, grunting as the last dying bits of energy left her. Eve hadn't anticipated that the man would be so heavy, his armour weighed a ton but she didn't have time to undress him. She barely had any time before he would bleed out. With gritted teeth Eve focused on the task ahead. Take the innocent to the pillar of sacrifice, claim Boethiah's rewards, and talk to her for the next task. Divines, it was horrifically familiar and it resurfaced old memories that should have stayed locked away.

This time was different, Eve wasn't a willing cultist any more, she didn't belong here, hell, the others knew that well enough. She had almost gotten them discovered, they despised her and she knew that it would be possibility for Boethiah to lay a contract on her head after she was gone. Life after this would be more difficult, as if being the Dragonborn wasn't hard enough.

Eve took the first step towards the pillar of sacrifice, snow covered stone made for stairs led scarcely up towards the top of the pile of rocks. The ancient settlement that had been here before the arrival of the cult lay in ruins. Jagged stones stuck up from the ground in awkward and unmade fashions like a war had caused all the destruction. The Dragonborn shivered, the cool breeze finding her skin beneath the thin layers of cloth that barely covered her. The fading body warmth of the man barely sated the chill that she felt. What was she supposed to say to Boethiah? Demand freedom?

That dream had been real and what was she supposed to do? Actually listen to the Daedric bitch and bring her Housecarl as a sacrifice? Argis...Argis...that stupid ginger oaf, her lover, her Housecarl. He was the sacrifice. Boethiah wanted him. Eve let out a fierce grunt and heaved the limp body up another set of stairs. Knees shook beneath the heavy weight and her shoulders trembled. She craved the delicious warmth of Vlindrel Hall, of Argis' somehow wonderful cooking. If she begged enough perhaps she would wake up, tucked up in his embrace and know that this was all just a dream.

She wouldn't bring Argis here; she wouldn't be tricked by the Dark Mistress again. Eve had already lost so much here, she didn't plan on losing anyone else to this place. She was the Dragonborn, the saviour of Skyrim. That meant something. It meant she was powerful enough to take on the damned immortal Divines. She could do it; she could be named the destroyer of Boethiah. She had to do it. There was no questioning it. The only escape she could see was getting rid of Boethiah's possessive power over her once and for all.

The winter's breeze filled Eve's nostrils as she stepped out onto the mountain just under the tip of the mountain. She let out an involuntary shiver, not only because of the cold but because of the unsettling memories that curved up her spine, eating away at the embodiment of her redemption. The silence was eerie, the only noise was the unbidden breeze that glided through the valley, restless and impatient waiting to be rid of this place.

Eve stepped up to the stone, heaving the body of the man onto its stone platform, falling back with a sigh. This was it. The beginning of the end. Eyes wakened and stared up at her, a canvas of glossy sheen black. The white pallor of his skin retracted into his cheeks, the once white skin turning grey and fading black as the flesh dissolved underneath his face leaving only the remnants of his skeletal features.

"Boethiah," Eve whispered, eyes closing. A familiar sensation swamped her, her bones burning with life, warmth caving over her like lava bursting from a volcano. She was here, the Dark Mistress answering her call like aeons before.

A bitter taste formed in the back of her throat, anger and jealously rising up, spitting out words that held shallow meaning. She was young again, young and powerless without the power of the Kings of old. The Dragonborn didn't exist here, the talent of her Thu'um leaving with her new self. Here, Eve was nothing but mortal, nothing but the cultist that had lost her way.

Her head was on the block again, the cloaked figure showing her the silver blade that he would use to kill her. It was the end again. Eve's heart rose up into her throat and the terror that had captured her then was now pulsing through her veins. It was venom, coursing through her, memories flashing behind closed eyes. A flash of wings, black, darker than the night's sky. The roar quaked her bones, fear striking adrenaline as chaos erupted.

Eve was running, heels in the dirt, panting for air. She heard screaming, saw people running. Trying to escape. Bodies burned, buildings burned. An arm snatched hers, yanking her out of the blaze of fire. Her body collided with his, solid, brawny. He was covered in ash, sweat, muttering something to her but she wasn't listening. She couldn't listen. Another roar from the flying creature and she was deafened, curling up against the form that protected her from another shell of fire.

He urged her forwards, pushing her away and she froze, eyes wide watching through the smoke as the building opposite fell in on itself, crushing the family within. He suddenly grabbed her, leering out and tugging her along, she listened to him shout something about a tower. The ground shook, making her stumble. Her legs felt useless, unable to carry her forwards.

The old stone building loomed through the muggy smoke, her lungs burned for fresh air, eyes streaming tears as she tore out into no man's land. Cold stone brushed against her fingertips, scrapping along up her arm and at her shoulder as he thrust her against the wall. Eve grunted, body aching.

Memories, it was all memories and yet the pain felt real, the unfurling adrenaline burning the back of her throat, her pained lungs gasping for air as she ran. Boethiah had followed her, constantly watching. It was stupid of her to think that she could ever be free.

"Stop it," Eve growled through gritted teeth, a weight on her shoulders forcing her to collapse to her knees. The soft touch of sheets replaced the cold stone of Skyrim. Warm hands caressed along her spine and Eve gave an irrevocable shiver. _Argis_. His voice thrummed in her ear, his body covering hers, the warmth of him so close to her unfolding the ribbons of lust that had knotted in her stomach, "Divines, please."

The rasp of her beg was undone as her vision encompassed her. Divines she had missed his touch. His breath was hot against her neck, his hand clutching at the skin of her waist as he flipped her onto her back. A rumble drew out from his throat and he kissed her, pushing her into the mattress.

She could smell the smoke in the linen sheets engulfing her in thoughts of Vlindrel Hall, the endless moments she had spent there. By the Gods it was cruel. Knowing that this wasn't real, that this was only a vision that the Dark Mistress tormented her with. But Eve couldn't help it, couldn't help losing herself to the dream.

Argis tasted of honey mead, the hair on his chin and cheeks grazing lightly along her neck as he trailed butterfly kisses towards her clavicle. Heat radiated from him and the broadness of his chest and shoulders blocked out the orange flicker from the candles on the bedside table. His lips hummed against the sensitive flesh of her neck and she moaned, fingers clenching into the sheets. Her back arched, meeting him.

The warmth that enveloped her was chaotic, the only thing comforting her in the tragedy of the darkest nights and loneliest days. Argis was there, bringing life to her, echoing through her with radiance that only he brought.

Fingers pinned in his thick hair, running along his scalp to the base of his neck where Eve tugged him upwards. Tasting him one chaste kiss, she wrapped herself around him, legs around his waist and hands on his neck pulling him deeper, never wanting to let go.

Ribbons of obsidian light flickered in her vision. They lapped at the corners of her reality, seizing hold of Argis' fixture. He was gone. Only to be replaced with a void, a dark space that was filled with emptiness. Whispers echoed throughout and the unsettling warmth on the back of her neck sent lightning bolts of fear jolting up her spine.

"Please stop," The Dragonborn rasped, "Please stop with the visions." Through the mist a white silhouette approached. Dark hair scattered at his shoulders and luminescent hazel eyes found hers.

"What wicked torture is this showing me your face?" Her voice cracked and her knees faltered the growing weight on top of her pushing her towards the emptiness beneath her.

"Help me Eve, please." His voice was ransom and the quickening of Eve's pulse throbbed in her throat. This was all a lie, and yet Eve clung onto the possibility that this was real. That he was here and that none of this had ever happened.

"But you're dead," Her brows knotted and the throb of her pulse turned into a gag, clinging to her neck as she struggled back the hurricane of emotions that threatened to rip free, "You're dead, I saw...I saw you lying there." Words nothing more than a whisper Eve turned her back to him, hazel coloured eyes unbearable through the inky fog. Loneliness, how many months had she felt it? This, this... whatever it was broke her, her resolve faltering. Her own will fading into the very same mist that threatened to take her, "I can't Bran. I can't."

"Evie," His hand touched her cheek, the soft skin that was so very different to her Housecarl's, "Evie listen to me."

"No!" Eve shouted, "No! This is a lie, you aren't real!" She pushed away his hand, shoving him back with two fists against his chest. He felt real. Completely real. Eve let out a choked sob and cursed her mind, cursed Boethiah. No, this wasn't happening, she could not give in, would not give in.

"Please Eve," The drone of his voice was hypnotising. Life echoed from him, his being was real; here in the void he was real. "I don't want to be here. I'm stuck, I'm lost, and your family are here too. In the void, you have to help us." His hands took hold of her, sliding up her arms and around her back. He pulled her towards him, crushing her in a hug that had long been overdue, "I've missed you."

The feel of his lips brushing against her hair made Eve's eyes sting. If this was real, if there was any chance that this was real; she wanted to indulge herself one last time. Eve wrapped her arms around him, holding him tighter, listening to the thudding beat of his heart against this chest. This was familiar, nostalgic and it had completely defeated her. Her strength was gone and she was sure that she never wanted to move again.

"What do I have to do?" She breathed, voice muffled by the clothes on his chest. Eve closed her eyes and felt lightness settle over her. The ribbons of dark light meandering and disappearing as they contorted and wrapped in on themselves.

Eve shouldn't have asked, shouldn't have said anything. Deep down she had already known the answer. The calling had brought her here. Boethiah's toying had destroyed her prerogative. If she wanted freedom she needed to bring Argis to the pillar of sacrifice and spill his blood for the sake of hers, her family's and Bran's. What was she supposed to do? Her family...Bran...they needed her help, how many lives could she save when she only had to eliminate one? What was the right decision?

With a strangled sob that scattered through the atmosphere the vision fractured, ghosts of morning light crept through the tiny cracks, splintering the memories. Eve panted, hands curling into clumps of snow as anguished relief settled over her. Her chest swelled, almost as if it were going to implode on her. The ragged breath she took caused her pain, those thoughts had wounded her, deeper than anything ever had. Broken, she was truly broken.

"Stand mortal," The voice thundered. Eve clung onto that last ring of sanity. The familiarity of the Daedra's tone kept her in control. She could do this, she could break free, but something was stopping her. Something that she couldn't place. The Dragonborn obeyed her command and rose, melted snow dripping from her knees to her heel. Watching, Eve stared at the empty black orbs of the man she had sent to his doom. He was in void now, a servant, his body an empty husk used only as a slave to embody the Dark Mistress herself.

The last remaining flicker of her strength blew out and Eve could do nothing but conform. Her own body willed her to listen, to behave, to never fight back. In the end she had achieved nothing, nothing except becoming a puppet for the Dark Mistress once more. Temptation, greed and wrath now subdued her waking conscious.


	8. Chapter 8

**My Love**

**Chapter Eight**

_(Sort of an intermediate chapter since it's short). _

Ribbons of leaves danced along the ground as Eve kicked her feet into the dirt. Climbing down from the mountain and heading south. She had left the coldness of the north behind and followed tracks towards Riften. Other members of the cult had followed her, trying to be inconspicuous and staying a few leagues behind. And for the most part, Eve ignored their presence. Something had happened on the mountain, the Dark Mistress had changed her. For now, the Dragonborn was plagued with thoughts, too many of them for a plan to form. For once, she didn't care that she was being followed, watched or anything else. What was important was that she needed to go home, to see Argis, to melt in his embrace and feel the rightness in the world.

Eve couldn't run anymore, Boethiah had given her time, but not freedom. She was stuck in a rut, unable to do her bidding, unable to get free from her predicament. Thinking that she was free had been stupid, thinking that she might have been able to live a normal life had been foolish. Who was she kidding anyway? She was the Dragonborn; nothing about her had ever screamed normal, not even before she found out about her abilities. Divines, Boethiah had known of her abilities, the Dark Mistress had manipulated her, and for what? A dead fiancé, murdered family and a life time of chaos and murder? Eve had been foolish, truly foolish for ever believing that the Daedra would stick to her promises.

Seeking fame and glory, Eve had found them, lurking in the wastelands of the north. She had run away, wanting to find a better life for herself away from the south, the border. The Imperials lurked there, men and women from Cyrodiil coming and going as they pleased. Skyrim wasn't their home but they treated it as such. Eve didn't like them, didn't want them, they stole, thieved from her, and she wanted revenge.

The cultists found her, found her by accident or by the will of Boethiah, Eve had never known. It didn't matter, they saved her from the cold, trained her, taught her every damn thing that she knew today. And then she made the oath. That damn stupid oath that would forever mean she was a servant to the Dark Mistress. At first she had been pleased, she craved the Daedra's attention, she had craved the Champion's attentions. Divines only knew how much she wanted to be Boethiah's next Champion. The most loyal servant, the honour, the strength and glory that it entailed, it was what she had always wanted.

And then there was Bran, the warrior from the south. He was the first piece that made things go wrong. She didn't blame him for anything, love had taken hold of her, it was suffocating, obliterating. It was a feeling that she hadn't been used to dealing with. After all what was love when there was honour in battle, glory in winning? What did love have that she hadn't already possessed? What she felt for Bran was real, it was concrete. Eve could lose in battle, her ego would be hurt, but with love, hell, Bran loved her, would always love her and there was no winning or losing. It was constant, continuous and had Eve hanging onto her past life with her teeth.

Other's got jealous, cultists got angry. Eve wasn't happy to just be a servant anymore, Eve wasn't happy with Boethiah. She was a traitor. But the Dark Mistress kept calling on her, missions, always missions. Her hands covered with blood, she wasn't named a traitor, she made sacrifices, and she pleased the Divine. It was all that mattered, quenching Boethiah's bloodlust, after all it was what they were created to do.

Bran didn't question her; it was the one thing that made them work. He knew, she knew, he understood and Eve did her duty. He never once questioned her on her decisions as to why she joined the cultists and Eve was thankful, to admit that she had been wrong from the beginning would have destroyed her. Killing was a menial task; Bran understood that, for the most part of their relationship he had been a hired mercenary in the North, working under Ulfric's leadership in the Stormcloak rebellion. He got the money; he did his job and understood the necessity that Eve had when it came to killing.

Days, weeks they spent apart, separation had never been harder. Being reliant upon another had been idiotic of her, yet she had so happily slipped into his arms. Relief swamped over her whenever they embraced, his touch a cure that vanquished Boethiah's vehement touch. Briefly, she thought of a life without the Dark Mistress, a life with them together. He had proposed and she had accepted, even after knowing that she had been caught. They headed south, retreating into Cyrodiil and playing the waiting game. Boethiah was in the past, accepting Bran's proposal meant that old life hers would be non-existent. She was a traitor and now she didn't care.

Her foolish self had made another mistake, she had been careless, the Imperials had found her, killed Bran, killed her family and now it was her turn. Execution they said, to Helgen with Ulfric, traitors of the realm. In that moment, Eve hadn't been afraid to die, what was death to her? She had taken lives, innocent and evil, they had just ceased to exist, they didn't feel anything, nothing. It was just empty. To be fearful of something that seemed almost a blessing would have been stupid. Eve didn't want to be stupid any more, she didn't fear death; death was a game, one that she had avoided playing.

Dwindling, the sun soon began to set and Eve wondered whether it would be safe enough to carry on through the night. With a few more hours left of walking she knew she'd make it to the fishing town by morning if she kept up her pace. The visions had felt so real, real enough that Eve almost believed that they were. She was a skeptic, people didn't exist after death.

Eve growled, no that wasn't true. Gods, she had been to Sovngarde! Seen the afterlife herself. She had even seen ghosts, lone wanders searching for something that had been lost to time. But did that really mean that Bran had existed? In that tiny flicker of time did he come for her? Touch her? Was it really true that he was scared? That he was lost in the void and that her family were there too? Frustrated, she curled fists in her dark hair, tugging out the knots and jostling the sword at her waist as she quickened her pace.

Perhaps it was all just part of Boethiah's plan.

To bring Argis back there, how could she do it? She loved him. She loved Bran. Hadn't she been living in her past long enough? To let Bran slip away for a second time, to just forget that it had happened, that he had held her. She would never forget, never forget him. It was an ultimatum, her freedom along with Bran's and her family's if she would hand over her Housecarl. It should have been simple, an easy decision.

So many lives in exchange for one.

But Argis was different, new, he brought goodness to her life, a strange warmth that was powerful and seductive. Argis was what she needed, a strong companion, a warrior, a fighter with a sense of justice. He had the power to argue against her, he challenged her, questioned her, he was so unlike anyone she had ever met.

He was a soldier, a lesser warrior than her or so she thought. Divines, she hadn't expected him to storm into her life, take the reins and guide her. He had brought her to a new level; he argued unlike Bran, he demanded her attention unlike Bran. They were so different, opposite individuals, both of them managing to mend broken pieces of her being, except Argis didn't know. Bran knew, Bran always knew the truth, but Argis? What was it about Argis that made Eve never want to tell him? Was it fear? Fear that if she told him about her past that she might lose him? Or perhaps it was fear that he would cite her as a cultist, along with a thief, a traitor, a murderer. It was what she was, so why did it hurt so much to think of Argis calling her those things?

To hide these things from him was for his own protection, or was it? Boethiah had demanded him as a sacrifice already, even if wasn't Eve's duty it would be someone else's. Could they keep running from it, running from the inevitable? The Dark Mistress would never give in.

Eve scuffed her boots into the dirt, the night creeping in on her heels as she trudged forwards. Wind swept through the trees, echoing around her along with the faint whispers of wildlife. Their lives fitted together, Argis' duty to her, Eve's duty to Skyrim, it matched. It was unusual, but it worked. To let that all go to waste now, it seemed...pointless.

Countless years she had been alone, what she had been through and to find someone that understood, that treated her as an individual. She wasn't the Dragonborn, not really, she was still a Nord. The same like everyone else. But to them, she was special, and to Argis she was nothing more than just business as usual.

Divines, Argis had hated her sorry ass for those first months. She had dragged him around, demanding his loyalty, craving his strength in battle. He stood taller than her, broader than any other man in Markarth. Hell, Eve was sure he could have taken on Alduin himself. Eve didn't know how it had happened, when she had come to rely upon his strength, his stamina, his being. It just happened, one day she had realised, losing him would have been catastrophic, and after all who would cook the meals? Bring her the mead or alto wine? Argis had turned into the friend that joined her in her misery, drinking until the sunlight slithered on the horizon, until the birds sang lullabies and they sang along, too drunk to care. That was just them.


	9. Chapter 9

**My Love**

**Chapter Nine**

The long stretch of woodland opened up as the large wooden fortification of Riften entered Eve's view. Weary she rubbed her eyes, the sight of the ebony lake blurry as a wash of hunger swept over her. Trees parted with every step, the dirt track turning to pebble the closer she got.

Orange and rust coloured leaves littered the path, trees shedding their skins as autumn broke always in the Rift. The warm breeze was refreshing from the cold wind of the North, her brazen bones were melted and the soothing touch of the humidity was ultimately refreshing.

Eve carried straight on, heading towards the gates whilst looking out towards the other path curving around the lake. In the centre she could see a small island, a house, an expensive one too that she had broken into on a Guild job. The Thieves Guild had been a bad influence on her, but by the gods had she gotten rich.

The guards muttered words under their breath as she past, the large oak doors giving way under her palms as she pushed them open. The early dawn illuminated the main market but shadows still stretched across the small fishery town. The rancid smell of the sewers filled her nostrils, lingering in the air but for the locals it was common, they had become accustomed to it by now. But for Eve, dammit, she would never get used to that.

Bridges and small walkways scattered across the town, separating the lower town from the top. Beneath her the green echo of the water filtered in streams, licking at the old rotten wood in desperate need of replacing. The market was quiet, citizens setting up stalls and the usual beggar and Argonian wandering the streets. Eve avoided eye contact and avoided them all. She crept along past Aerin's house heading towards the temple.

Guards watched her meticulously, her forlorn stature an indication that trouble could be brewing, she'd avoid it if possible but she knew that chaos followed her wherever she went. Everyone knew who she was here, the guards most of all. They muttered her name under their breath, calling her the Dragonborn, the saviour. She ignored them, and it fuelled her almost hatred for that title. No, she was a Nord, a Nord who got lucky.

Ferns and flowers leeched towards the gravelled path as Eve skirted around the edges of the temple, towards a different kind of sanctuary. The small graveyard was empty, the morning sun already climbing over the stretch of wooden walls. A guard paced along the back streets muttering under his breath, too tired from the night's watch to give a damn about Eve's suspicious activity. How many times had she come here? Learning the ways of being a thief, divines she had been glad to see the back end of the thieves guild, oh it made her rich, perhaps too rich, but dammit it was Brynjolf's sexy slurs that set her on edge, once was enough. Once was always enough when it came to the red-headed thief.

Eve's eyes skittered over the familiar site of the cracked rock and wooden covering, inside the stone building laid the secret entrance, a concrete slab with one symbol etched onto it, the symbol for sanctuary. Only the Guild brothers knew what they meant and since Eve had brought them back to their former glory and taken Mercer's position as guild master she had seen similar symbols crop up across Skyrim during her adventures. They were almost a plague.

Eve stepped forwards, cautious of the guards wandering eye. She crouched, dirty calloused fingers tracing over the grained symbol. With the lightest touch she pushed the button down. The stone creaked to life, gnawing away at the stone floor. The ground separated, the concrete slab closing into the wall, the flicker of lights greeted her, warmth radiating over her. With a sigh she slipped down into the hole and the entryway closed above her as she descended down into the cistern.

The darkness of the winding corridors kept Eve hidden; she blew out lanterns, avoiding puddles. At all costs she wanted to avoid any interaction. If seen they would want to know what the hell had happened, why she hadn't returned and like hell did she want to face Vex again. With a sigh Eve stepped forwards, the trickle of water from the cistern now in earshot. Voices simmered in the large open cavern, mixed in with the constant sound of pouring water and tides as the dirty liquid caressed the ancient stone.

The Dragonborn crouched, palms against the cool stone as she crawled inside. The smell of cooking filled her nostrils, her stomach letting out a delirious growl. Money that was what she was here for, not for food, not for small talk and definitely not for quick drinks in the Ragged Flagon. Bodies snored from their respected beds, weapons clashed on dummies as other thieves practised. Men laughed, making jokes and reminiscing on stories. They all sounded so familiar. Eve slunk into the shadows, avoiding eye-contact as Rune swivelled on his heels, slipping his bow onto the hold on his back.

As soon as his back turned, Eve hunted the shadows, staying close to the wall as she crossed the water and made it to the desk on the far side without being caught. Parchment littered the oak, candles burned and wax melded the pages together as Eve tried to sieve through them. This desk had been tidy once, when she had been Guild Master. What the hell had Brynjolf done to this place without her insight? Not that it really mattered; she didn't want to associate with thieves anymore.

Eve wandered around the front of the desk and crouched in front of a chest engraved with emeralds and bronze. Her fingers trailed along the seams of feathered gold, it was cool and precious. Everything in this chest belonged to her, gifts from the other thieves as tribute to the person who made the Thieves' Guild a success again.

"You've never been good at sneaking Lass." Eve froze, cursing under her breath. She turned on her heels, shoulders curved over, face covered in slithers of darkness.

"Just let me take the money and I'll be on my way," She retorted leaning down and opening up the chest. Gold and jewels littered the bottom of it hiding the solid wood from her. She snatched a few coins up and stashed them away in a purse around her waist.

"Stay for a drink," The twang of his accent made Eve grind her teeth.

"So you can get me drunk?" She twisted her head and glared up at him. He hovered over her; clothed in tight leather. He reeked of alcohol, of the sewers and yet she was drawn to him. One drink and she'd stay for the rest of the night. Not that she had anything against that, having a full belly, quenched thirst and a good bed, it was that she didn't enjoy the company.

"No Lass," He stated, dirty fingers running through the gruff of his beard, "Get you a little tipsy, but it's your money I'm interested in."

"The Guild doesn't steal from brothers," Eve sneered, picking up another handful and filling the purse to the brim.

"Aye, you're right," A smile broke out across his lips, "But I know how you like to gamble when you have a few drinks in you." The smile grew broader and Eve's frown worsened.

"I need to be somewhere," Her brow furrowed, the pain in her stomach growing as the smell of cooking food greeted her nostrils. Her mouth salivated and she closed her eyes. She was here for the money not for small talk or anything else, she had to get down to business, to go back to Argis and tell him everything, to explain every last detail. But Vekel really was the best cook.

"You've never liked this place."

"I've never liked you," She shook her head opening her eyes and glaring at him. Her fingers meticulously trailed over the gauntlets of her armour as a blush crept across her cheeks. He stepped forwards, arms reaching out to her.

"Aye," He breathed, "I wouldn't blame you." One hand touched her neck before settling on her shoulder. Brynjolf made a strange noise, stuck for words perhaps, a first it seemed, "Eve-" He cleared his throat; "You know I didn't mean-"

"You stink," Eve cut across him staring at her boots, the shimmer of the water reflecting on the rocks around them. It was dark, dark enough that she thought she had been able to hide her discomfort from him. A thief, yes, but she didn't think he was smart enough to figure her out.

His laugh broke through the tension, melting it away in one swift sweep. He patted her shoulders and then briskly ran a hand through his dark auburn hair. That was his problem; he was never good at being serious, sincere. It was why they didn't click, why she hadn't liked him from the start. She'd never forgive him of course; Brynjolf liked practical jokes and had taken it too far. For her to be left stark naked without any chance in hell of escaping from a bandit lair, it was more than just a bad game of poker.

It was more or less her incentive to leave, the others didn't know the reasons, and hell Eve was embarrassed to tell them. The beta thief had hooked up with the leader, had a little bit of fun, drink was her cause, the drink was what made her do it but she had placed trust in that thief. Too drunk to realise what the hell was going on, Brynjolf had dared her and by hell was she not going to disappoint. They made love, or rather fucked in that lair whilst the bandits slept and with the intoxication of drink Eve had fallen asleep. By the time the haze of drink had left her Brynjolf had gotten his sorry ass out of there and left her for dead. That bandit lair was where she had gained most of her scars, by the gods she wouldn't have escaped if she didn't know the thu'um.

"Lass, I'm not the only one," He scratched the back of his neck, the leather of his armour folding and moulding with his movements. "Stay, I promise you won't regret it."

"One drink," She caught his gaze the words slipping off her tongue faster than she could have stopped them. "That's all you're getting."

**X**

The clunking of tankards knocking together in celebration were mixed in with the slurs of comments and laughter of the guild members. Eve followed Brynjolf into the mix, his broad shoulders clouding the dark alleyway where she only managed to follow his shadow. Not that it really mattered, Eve knew the walk, and it was set into his bones and burnt into her memory like so many other things.

As soon as they walked into the Ragged Flagon the chatter died down to quiet hum. Eve ignored their interest in her and slipped into a chair at an empty table. Brynjolf joined her after ordering two tankards filled with mead and sat opposite her and passed one her way.

"It's good to see you." It was pointless small talk but it made the awkwardness of her arrival seem less so. Eve sipped at her drink and caught Vekel's gaze and ordered food. Drinking on an empty stomach would surely only end badly.

"There's no need to lie to me Brynjolf." She replied with a sly taint to her voice. Cerulean eyes glared at him over the rim of her tankard. "I'm not staying for long."

"Aye, I know." His chair creaked as he slouched, stretching out his legs underneath the table and shoving hers out of the way.

"How's the guild doing?" Eve tapped her fingers against the rim of the tankard patiently waiting for Vekel to fetch her food.

"Are you here to talk about business?" One eyebrow raised and he muffled an insult with a swig of mead.

"No, I was here for the money," Eve shook her head, tapping her foot as her stomach let out a growl.

Vex and Delvin ignored her presence for the most part, bickering amongst themselves as they always did. "What were you expecting?" She furrowed her brows bringing the tankard to her lips and taking a large gulp. She smacked her lips together and clicked her fingers in delight. "Some kind of reunion with hugs and kisses?" Eve caught the tiny smile that flickered across his lips. He was humouring her and it pissed her off.

"I just want to know how you've been." He shrugged his shoulders in a casual manner, gulping down the rest of his drink and signalling for another.

"That's unlike you," Eve retorted, "I wouldn't have guessed you'd be the caring type."

"Now Lass," Brynjolf tensed, leaning forwards and staring at her with piercing green eyes, "It's a one-off. It's not every day the boss returns on a whim." He paused and stroked the stubble coating his dirty cheeks, "You haven't been back since...well."

"We don't need to talk about that, how long's it been? Years?" Eve shook her head noticing Vekel's presence as he laid a plate full of roasted meat in front of her.

"Aye," He slouched again and settled back into the arrogant comfort that seemed his permanent composure.

"I'm not the same person I was." She shrugged, picking up a leg of chicken and bringing it to her lips.

"I don't doubt it lass."

Brynjolf watched her with admiration as Eve devoured the meat. The Dragonborn had never felt so hungry in that moment, the grease of the meat made her salivate, the smell was almost intoxicating and for a moment Eve could have sworn she was high off it.

"So, how's the guild been?" She asked through a mouthful of food.

"Successful, we've never been richer." His reply was plain and Eve didn't care. She picked up another leg of chicken and picked the bone clean. She ordered another drink and downed it with another mouthful.

"Vex been keeping you busy?" She swallowed and smacked her lips together starting on another piece of meat. She picked at it with her fingers eyeing up the thief. Brynjolf tapped his tankard, tilting his head from side to side, fidgeting like he found Eve's presence uncomfortable.

"Aye, just the usual." He paused, sipped at his drink and caught Eve's gaze. The thief frowned and Eve feigned a polite smile, "Lass, will you be coming back again?"

"No," She stated, licking her fingers and placing the skinned bone back on the platter, "I didn't want to be in charge of this place, I have other things that need my time. The Guild isn't a priority."

"Aye," He slouched again and took another swig from the cup.

"So, I guess you can be in charge from now on." Eve's chair creaked as she leant back testing the weight of the wood. "Exactly as it should have been after Mercer."

"I've never been a good leader," A smile broke out across his lips contradicting the knots of his eyebrows.

"Shut up," Eve growled, reaching for another slice of meat and devouring it, "You aren't the modest type."

With a belly full of mead and food Eve found it difficult to leave the Ragged Flagon. A good night's sleep was what she needed but she knew that Boethiah was impatient and what she really needed to do was figure out some sort of plan. Her life was in the balance, if she didn't do as Boethiah asked she would be hanging on a cross and set for death.

Eve slipped away from the Ragged Flagon and back into the cistern after Delvin demanded a game of poker. The other thieves were asleep or sitting or even practising and Eve was glad that she could avoid unwanted attention.

Climbing back out of the sanctuary Eve avoided detection from the patrolling guardsmen and headed straight for the main gates. The evening breeze was settling in, rolling in off the lake and bringing wisps of leaves with it. The market was closing up and busy as patrons packed away their stalls and muttered and laughed with each other. Noise echoed from the nearby tavern as Eve walked by, the warmth inviting her but she knew she had to press on.

With a purse full of coin and jewels Eve was set for whatever she would need. Leaving Riften behind she followed the path, staring at the shadows of trees that stretched over the dirt. The wind was almost as cold as the north again and it brought back unwelcome feelings that she was sure would get worse. A familiar mill crept into view along with a horse and carriage.

"To Markarth," Eve flipped coins into the driver's hand and slipped onto the back of the carriage. The driver clicked the horses forward and the carriage jolted, the wood creaking as they descended into the wilderness, leaving Riften behind as a distant memory.


	10. Chapter 10

**My Love**

**Chapter Ten**

_(A sort of intermittent chapter again) _

The darkness of Vlindrel Hall seemed soothing for once. Argis padded bare foot towards the pantry, the breeze of the night coming in through the cracks in the stone. With a certain lonely hunger he filtered through the food searching for something that didn't seem to be there. He wasn't hungry really; he just needed something to do. He felt useless and it was driving him insane.

A few drinks seemed to fill the void, at least for a little while, the company down in the Silver-blood Inn seemed to crawl through his skin, and it was an atmosphere for wallowing in melancholy. But something was always odd, sharing despair was never his way, he was a solitary man and the only way he was going to wallow in misery is if it were him and his tankard of mead.

It wasn't that she was gone; or rather it played only a small part. Argis feared for the worst, feared for the fact that she was hurt or worse and even more so that he was worried of being left alone. At the beginning he had craved the loneliness, a chance to be away from her, but now, he was dependant on her, his own burning star of life support. Now that she gone he felt like a supernova, a dying sun that had lost all its strength to carry on. Being dependant on the Dragonborn was terrifying.

He tossed apples aside finding it difficult to keep his mind focused on the set task, what was he looking for again? He scrunched up his eyes and gritted his teeth, grinding them together in frustration.

"Get a hold of yourself," He grunted, knocking the base of his palm against his temple. He wouldn't let Eve strangle the last essence of being, she had taken so much already and if she had deserted him then Argis needed that final strand. If she was gone then it served as his ongoing purpose, he wouldn't have a duty, he would have failed and what kind of life would he have? What he had known before Eve was nothing compared to what she had shown him.

Dreams of seeing Skyrim had become a reality with her, and although he couldn't stand her presence at first he had grown attached to the stubborn Nord that had far too much to say. Though he didn't know much he trusted that a moment would come when she would reveal all and wouldn't remain this mysterious creature that possessed him and controlled him in no manner that he could comprehend. At first it was just business but something had grown, it was there, always had been and it had taken him years to realise it.

The hum of energy hovering around them, sending jolts of electricity through his bones when they touched, it was there and was hard to deny. Something real existed and he had never wished so hard that the Dragonborn was on the same level as him, would somehow shatter that wall and come to him with answers to unanswered questions.

Where was she born? What was her middle name? What was her favourite colour? Argis had picked up hints, what she liked and what she didn't, that much was obvious but what of the other things? What was her childhood like and how the hell did she end up Thane of Markarth? There was so much he didn't know and needed to know if he was going to give himself up. She had spoken of marriage, but how could he marry a stranger? How could he pledge himself again to a woman that he barely knew? That seemed stupid.

But how could he just walk away? The chemistry drew him to her like wanderer's to distant shores. Life without the Dragonborn was tedious, it didn't make sense. Survival didn't have the edge to it when you weren't running into bandit lairs, slaying dragons and unearthing secrets of the old ones. Perhaps it was claustrophobia, the walls of Vlindrel Hall becoming too suffocating for him to bear, perhaps that was it and that he didn't miss Eve at all. But Argis was never a good liar.

He paced in front of the fire, turning the coals and pacing some more. He stared into the embers, burning his retinas until he was forced to look away. There was a life to the fire but it failed to warm his bones and the cold stone walls. For the first time this place seemed alien, foreign to him and it was disconcerting. Argis turned the coals once more and turned his back on the fire; he snatched up a tankard and drank heavily on the ale, gulping it down like frantic gasps of air. The tankard dropped with a thud and he poured another, drinking it in the same manner. Again and again until the dullness kicked in, where reality didn't seem so sharp and the focus of his eyes blurred.

Argis slumped into one of the chairs, resting his weary head in the palm of his hands. He didn't know what to do with himself, what possibly could there be to take his mind off her? She was a harlot for destroying his composure and poisoning his blood. She lived underneath his skin and there was no damn way he would be able to get rid of it, of her. Gods, he was too far gone to imagine a life without her.

With a sigh he poured another drink, revelling in the way the liquid slipped down his throat and settled in his gut. Drink had always been there, a constant companion. Argis rubbed his temples again and poured another. Thinking only of the first time they had ever made love but was it really making love? On his behalf yes, Argis had already loved Eve for a long time before, but what about her? What did that really mean to her? It broke the ice, or rather opened up possibilities for there to be mistakes. Was that night a mistake? Celebrating the Stormcloak victory, had he possibly taken advantage of her in a drunken state? Divines knew how guilty he felt afterwards, but the guilt wasn't enough to quell the all encumbering inferno that swept over him. To everyone else he was a lost man, a wanderer, but to himself he was a man burning with feverish desire to a woman that he barely even knew. To call it love then was stupid, to call it love now, perhaps that was the biggest mistake of all.

The fire licked the charcoaled stone, flickering as though it had caught a breeze. It crackled and spat, demanding more coals or wood but Argis couldn't move, or rather didn't want to. The alcohol made his brain numb, thinking was difficult, but feeling... Argis knew that the mead made him feel far too much. More and more ale was needed to crush the pain in his chest, just enough so that his body didn't hurt.

Face down, a cool wind swept over him. He grumbled demanding warmth but without the energy to poke the fire. His face against the wooden table he closed his eyes, drinking in the smells of the fruit in the bowls and the smoke of the coals. This was home, nothing else. Loneliness flooded him again and he groaned rolling back in his chair until his spine hit the wood with a thud. He was pathetic, the true definition of it. Thinking of her was painful so why couldn't he stop? Why couldn't he just move on? The heavy knot in his stomach was anchoring him to the spot, chaining him up; so that there was no possible chance he would ever forget. The Dragonborn was a witch.

The fire flickered again, the drone of a door slamming. Argis turned his body, hope rising up into his throat. He stumbled to his feet, not caring for intruders, it had to be her. He listened for every sound, the noise of the fire overpowering and the echo of his breath inside his skull was almost deafening.

Holding his breath he waited, waited for that moment until she appeared in his view, unharmed, smiling, and perfect.

"Eve?" He called out, slurred by the haze of his brain. Was he imagining every footstep? Did he imagine the sounds of a door, was his mind really playing tricks? Did he was to see her that badly that it was possible he was going insane?

He stepped forwards, hands pressed against the cold stone to keep him upright. Eyes followed the camber of the corridor, his heart thudding meticulously in his chest. A shadow crept along the floor, more footsteps, a sigh. A woman's figure fell into view, hands scratching at armour as she peeled away layer after layer. The light struck her face and Argis blinked twice. He was definitely going mad.

"Argis?" Her voice caught him off guard, the sound pleasing to his ears, "Why are you standing there?" The Nord frowned, shaking his head and clearing his throat. Why was she being so normal almost like she hadn't disappeared off the face of Nirn for days?

"Divines- I'm going mad." He slouched, chin slumping against his chest. He drew in a husky breath and stumbled to the chair. Eve watched him, curious and worried.

He looked up and she was still there; a miasma of rosy cheeks and pale skin. Her hair was pulled back, revealing the cotton curve of her neck. She gave him a coy smile, stepping into the warmth, almost timid in her nature. Her fingers grazed the wooden table, her eyes flitting about like it was her first time visiting Vlindrel Hall again. Eve caught his gaze, word slipping easily from her mouth;

"Are you drunk?" Her expression changed, one eyebrow arching.

"By the Gods-" Argis breathed, "You're back." His hands curved into a fist around the tankard as he brought it to his lips and downed the contents, "And you're acting as if you had never left."


	11. Chapter 11

**My Love**

**Chapter Eleven**

Eve closed the distance between them, slanting her lips over his as she wound her arms around his waist. He tasted of alcohol and loneliness. His warmth was enveloping, igniting a fire that throbbed in her stomach. Most of all she had missed him, his smell, his taste, everything. And now she would go and ruin it all.

"What happened to you?" Calloused hands moved up her arms sending shivering electricity through her skin. Eve murmured into his mouth, biting at his lips, encouraging him to quell the hunger that was becoming impossible to tame. She burned, now, more vibrantly than before, coursing through her veins as she clawed fingers into his back trying to subdue the flames.

"Not now," She breathed, hands winding through his shirt, caressing the hair on his stomach and up to his chest. Divines, Eve wanted to see it all, to kiss it, to touch it and never abandon him. Desire flooded her system, her brain a haze of lust and provocation. Once would never be enough, Eve wanted him for the rest of the evening, for the rest of her life. She would never get enough.

"I was worried about you," He made a throaty groan that made the hairs on the back of Eve's neck stand on end. She nipped at him, tugging at the lace of his trousers and tugging them down past his hips.

He hissed and snatched her hands, his blue eyes trying to find truth in hers. She would tell him, tell him everything but right now, she couldn't focus; couldn't even think about anything but pleasing him.

Eve dropped to her knees, hands held by his. She licked the head of his length. His breath hitched, erection twitching. He must have felt it too the buzz of atmosphere around them, sparking their desire. It was as if their energy matched and clicked together creating embers of energy that made her heart thrum and her throat tighten. Eve licked her away down his length, tasting him with feverish hunger. Argis groaned, the grip on her hands faltering.

"Eve-" She took him in her mouth, sucking on him until she felt him turn rigid. She eased up, flexing her hands in his, wanting him to let her go so she could feel the way his muscles clenched when she pleased him. "Gods- Eve."

He repeated her name as if it were forsaken, like the more times he said it the more real it became. He cleansed it, devouring the incompetence of her being. She teased him, slowing her rhythm until he growled in frustration. She sucked harder, faster, her head bobbing and his hips jerking unable to resist. Argis tensed and tangled their fingers together in a fit to hold onto the last cinders.

Hollowing her cheeks she took him to the back of her throat then pulled up to the crown. Again and again, spurred on by the noises he made by the way his hands bunched in her hair. His hips jerked violently and Eve almost choked. He spilled himself, growling in ecstasy as he threw back his head and enjoyed the crude bliss. Fingers tangled in her hair, tightening in knots before relaxing as the moment died away, simmering back into the tide.

They stayed there for a moment, Argis' panting the only other sound except for the crackling fire. Eve's knees ached and yet she didn't want to move unless he told her too. Gods, she would do anything for him, anything to blunt the trauma that she would bestow upon him.

"Divines-" He sighed, stroking a burly hand through the dark tendrils. She kissed his palm, relishing in the warmth. Her groin ached, the need to fill her own desire overwhelming. "Tell me where you went." The tone of his voice changed and Eve frowned.

"Please Argis, touch me," She pleaded, eyebrows knotting as she fought away the encroaching desperation.

"Tell me where you've been," His voice was a command and Eve frowned further. He couldn't demand anything from her, she was the Thane, and he was the Housecarl. He did as she said.

"Later my love," Eve ushered, trying to tug her hands from his grasp only for him to constrict his hold on her. The glare of his eyes burned straight through her, searing the calm of the hurricane that threatened to take hold.

"Tell me Eve," The coarseness of his voice wore down at her walls, breaking down the foundations and wanting it to crumble, "Divines I will walk away and never come back." He looked away towards the burning coals.

Eve flinched at his words, the sullenness of his tone chipping away at her defences. Why now? Why not later? Desire ran hot in her blood, clouding her judgement and making it unable to form decent words. Later, later, she would tell him _later._

"I've had enough." He let her arms drop, crashing to her sides as he turned his back on her. He pulled up his trousers and tied the lace. With a poker he raked at the coals making the fire hiss. "Give me the benefit of the doubt here Dragonborn."

"I want to tell you Argis-"

"But you won't," He stated, avoiding her gaze and pouring himself another tankard of mead. Eve stumbled to her feet, pushing her hair back and grabbing at his arm.

"I never said that," Frustration fuelled her rage, "There's more to it than just my disappearance Argis, so much more." The grip on his arm faltered and with a frown she snatched the tankard from his grasp and gulped the burning liquid down. "I'm... I used to be-" She kicked her heels into the stone floor and grunted, "I used to be part of Boethiah's cult, I hunted and made sacrifices."

"So you're a daedra worshipper?" His bitterness stung her like salt in a wound. Eve visibly flinched and ground her teeth together. Lust encouraged her to speak truth, to speak sense if only to shorten the time before Argis would fill her and make her moan. She almost salivated at the thought.

"I used to be," For a second she caught his gaze, finding nothing there expect a dark cloud, a sort of empty loneliness that had filled the void of her absence. She had seen love once, admiration and now none of that existed, not even when she had pleasured him.

The Dragonborn coughed down the lump in her throat, turning from him and tapping her fingers against the desk.

"This was before I had even known of my title Argis, before I even had a place in Skyrim," She slammed the tankard back down on the wooden table with a thud, "I was young, naive, easily tempted and I wanted power." Her own words portrayed the disgust she felt at her gluttony, "I was selfish and hungry for more than my family could give me. So I left them and the cultists found me and I joined, the emptiness I felt filled by the Daedra's unconditional love." Eve paused and slumped into the nearest chair. Argis towered over her, pouring another drink and taking occasional swigs. "I did what was asked of me and nothing else. I killed and vowed to become Boethiah's Champion."

"And where does your lover fit into all of this?" He masked his jealously with another gulp of ale, but it was there lingering in the air. "Was he cultist too?"

"Bran-" She fell quiet and nervous hands twitched in her lap. "I met him on a job. He was a Stormcloak soldier working under Ulfric's command." She paused again and sighed, her chest aching. "The cultists wanted him dead and I knew that Boethiah would have called a price for his head. But then I got caught by the Imperials, one of them had seen me and I had compromised Boethiah's secrecy." The edge of Argis' silence was poisoning. She didn't know what he was thinking, he was still, silent, unmoving. Eve was afraid. "He proposed and we fled, heading south for Cyrodiil. I woke up one morning and he was dead and I was taken to be executed."

Eve waited for his response, any indication that he was satisfied with the words she spoke.

"So why leave now?" He rasped with his back to her, his hand clasped around the iron poker as he moved the coals in the fire place once more.

"I was taken, the cultists found me and took me to Boethiah," A chill echoed down her spine and the dying warmth of the fire settled coolness in her bones.

"What did they want?" Concern crawled into his words. Argis placed the tankard down and knelt at her side. Her fingers trembled, her body shaking. The Dragonborn wasn't weak, wasn't the same as everyone else, but here she was naive still, a youngster that had so much more to learn.

"Just-" She struggled to form the words, what was she supposed to tell him? That she had been ordered to kill him, to sacrifice him? She didn't even know what she was going to do, to take Argis back to the Daedra... She could have Bran back, her family back and all in exchange for her Housecarl.

But what she would sacrifice was a life away from the cultists; a chance to escape from it all even if it meant that she would be on the run, but it would be with him, with Argis. They could get married in Riften and travel, she could take him to Blackreach and things could be like how they were before. Before Boethiah strolled back into her life and demanded blood. Eve wasn't that person anymore. So what was there to fear from telling Argis the truth? She had told him everything now, so why not this?

"They wanted my services again," Eve said; a cold damp forming in her clenched fists as she tried to ease the trembling. "They want me because I'm the Dragonborn, something prized." She stared at the floor, fearful that if she made eye contact he would know straight away that she wasn't telling him everything.

She couldn't tell him, because she didn't want him to leave. Back here in Vlindrel Hall Eve had felt comfort for the first time she the cultists had taken her. It was Argis that made her feel sane; he talked sense into her, if only with a look. It was Argis that had helped shape her, to make her into something more than just a murderer with a title, but actually a hero of some sorts. Freeing Skyrim from Imperial hold, Argis had helped her, swayed her from the bloodlust of killing. To throw that all back in his face now... well Eve didn't have the heart to do it. Or rather, didn't have the strength to handle his departure. Out of her own stupid weakness she would lie to him.

"I'm sorry," Argis' hand laid to rest on hers, the sudden warmth jolting her. As he spoke Eve could smell the alcohol on his breath, hear it in the heaviness of his voice. He was completely drunk. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you when you needed me most my Thane."

Eve felt the chill of his words settle over her. Why was he sorry? Why was he apologising when none of it was his fault? It was her; it was always her, messing things up. She had believed Boethiah's vision after all, sought to claim back what was rightfully hers. To see Bran again... it was what she had wanted for so long, and the Daedra had used her wishes against her, to construct false pretences from her emotions.

But Boethiah didn't know anything about Argis, just enough to demand his head, but nothing about their past, about how it didn't compare at all to hers and Bran's.

"Is that all?" He asked taking hold of her hands and bringing them to his lips so he could kiss them.

"Yes, that's everything." Eve swallowed a rising lump in her throat, her eyes burning as she avoided his gaze. When had lying become this easy?


	12. Chapter 12

**My Love**

**Chapter Twelve**

_(Have some long awaited fluff and smut)_

_**NSFW**_

Argis pulled her up into her arms and pressed kisses against her lips. A moan slipped from her, her body moulding to his touch as easily as ever before. She clung onto him, handfuls of his shirt clenched tightly within her fists.

He answered her body's call and claimed her for his own. He picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist as he traced the familiar steps towards the bedroom. Moments of guilt were quickly washed away in Eve's fervent need. Moments like these didn't happen often and Boethiah wouldn't tarnish this.

Eve mewled softly into his mouth as burly hands followed the camber of her hips, pulling fabric away with deliberate painful slowness. She nipped at him, teeth against his lips, lightly sucking until his hands tightened on her thighs. With the tip of his nose he brushed the edge of her jaw, tilting her head and moving to her neck.

A vein throbbed and he kissed it, hands all over her, pressing her deeper into the mattress. The numb of the alcohol in his system made his blood boil; he itched for another release, incapable of ever getting enough.

Eve stretched her fingers over his shoulders, clawing into his skin. She pushed her shirt from him and tossed it to the floor. Eager, she unlaced his trousers, drawing out a decadent sigh as she worked his length. She fought for his lips, breathing in the essence of his pleasure as she teased him. He grunted, thrusting into her hand, fingers clasping into the sheets. Argis buried himself into the crux of her neck, drowning in the scent of the earth on her skin and the smoke in her hair. She was a lone wolf, an endless wanderer, however much Argis thought differently he knew he couldn't change it, couldn't even begin to change her.

With a grunt he filled her, swallowing her sigh in one brash kiss. He pinned her, arms above her head relentless in her attempts to wriggle free, to try and master the moment. Eve would never be boss of him here, in the bedroom he dominated her, and he couldn't let her take away this last string of his dignity. He was a man, and like hell would he ever let her tell him what to do here.

Eve bucked underneath him, almost growling in her attempts to get off, he wasn't letting her and she knew that. It drove her mad thinking about it, his teasing incessant and volatile. She had done this, caused and provoked him and she'll be damned if she admitted she liked every bit of it.

Her arms ached from his grasp, the bones in her wrists twisting uncomfortably as he rocked into her, fists banging against the headboard with each deliberate thrust. He crushed his mouth against her, his hot chest brushing up against her, coarse hair scratching white skin. She begged for him to finish her off, the croon of her voice a rasp of inelegant need. Nails picked at the surface of his knuckles drawing blood. She writhed underneath him, air escaping from her lungs in pants.

"Eve," His voice drew her out of sub-space, husky and unrelenting. What did she have to do to prove to him that she loved him? Wanted to marry him? What did she have to do to be free? "Look at me my love."

Her eyes snapped apart; cerulean matching his own, darker than before. Their breathing matched and his hand slid down her arms curving over her breasts, bringing them to his mouth where he plucked one hard nub between his teeth. Eve mewled, thighs wrapping around his waist with growing strength. He thrust and she moved with him, pleasure rising up, pouring out into her veins and warmth spread across her body. She panted and he moaned face buried into the shadows of her neck.

Hands caressed down the camber of her stomach, brawny hands massaging the sensitive bundle of nerves of her sex. Eve almost gasped, body rigid, she groaned into his open mouth, eyes like lightning as she lost herself to him, encouraging his own end. The candles flickered, their shadows against the wall, the bed creaked and their breathing matched. She whispered of their love, rolling out from underneath him and curling herself against his large form. The strong hum of his heart beat thrummed beneath her cheek, she smiled and was lost briefly to sleep.

A rattle jostled her awake, she yawned rubbing her eyes and finding nothing but the darkness. The smell of the burnt out candles clung to the air along with undertones of sweat and greed. The bed creaked as she moved, rolling away from Argis' body and tucked herself deeper into the warmth of the duvet. The spitting of the fire could be heard through the door, the orange glimmer of fading embers creeping in through the tiny crack. Noises set her on edge, she had been followed down towards Riften but would they really have the nerve to show up here? Eve let out another yawn, perhaps they were just waiting to see if she honoured her oath. _She hadn't honoured it for years now like one evening would make much difference. _Another rattle and her skin crawled, it wasn't safe, hell she knew they were coming, tonight, in a week's time, she didn't know but they were.

"Argis," She whispered, the large lump in her throat turning raw and deserved, "I don't know what to do." She curled up next to him, hands grabbing for his. The darkness of the room was insatiable and she was lost within it. She could feel the slow rising of his chest underneath her cheek, the steady beat of his heart, soothing her from her restlessness.

"What is it?" Argis' voice was low and filled with sleep. He rolled on his side, bringing his arms around her and pulled her closer. Eve braced herself within his warmth, filling herself with the pleasant scent of his skin, the smell of sweat on his chest from earlier.

"She said-" Eve tucked up closer to him, her voice muffled by his broad chest. The wooden planks groaned as he moved, his head dipping and he kissed the top of her head, fingers finding knots in her tousled dark hair. "-Boethiah, she wanted to make me a deal."

"Mmm," He replied, dousing himself in her comfort. Sleep kept hold of him, the tiredness finally sinking in after days of staying awake, sunken deep in the belly of alcohol. He was exhausted and she knew it, he couldn't comprehend such a fatality when he was this tired.

Eve stayed quiet for a moment, contemplating on times better than these. Only when she was a child was she really free. A girl chasing dogs, biting knees and playing with the other children that lived by the farm her parents worked on. They were poor, scavengers almost that made a living off hard labour and earned little from it. Her parents worked hard, planting and picking vegetables and crops, fetching hay for the horses and leading the cattle out to pasture. It was all so innocent, she didn't know better, only that she couldn't stand to lead a life like they did.

Thieves from Cyrodiil had taken refuge in the area, stealing from those less fortunate than them and hijacking caravans that were the gold of this part of Skyrim. Trade was all there was and many times they had to start over again after nights of being ransacked by the thieves. They never came to justice, the guards didn't care for these parts and we were all left alone, fending for ourselves against the weather, each other and the bandits that plagued the countryside. But it wasn't all bad, an honest living made you feel good, but there was still an emptiness that couldn't be filled, the kind of hunger that just couldn't be cured by eating a dozen loaves of bread.

It wasn't necessarily boredom, Eve enjoyed her time there, she loved her parents more than anything. She got along with people, did what was asked of her, she enjoyed life. But where was the adventure? Where was all the excitement? She had heard stories of the adults discussing between each other of travellers passing through, warriors, and soldiers wanting to fight in the rebellion. She had heard that Ulfric had killed the High King and was a wanted man, but he was a war hero, it was the Imperials that deserved such condemnation. What did they know anyway? They stole from her, they burned houses and killed villagers and for what? A few measly pockets of coin that were quickly sold for ale or on the black market?

Eve supposed that was where her fascination with warriors came from, she wanted to be remembered, a war hero, an assassin. She wanted glory and the fame that came along with it. She wanted to make people fear her so that she could protect others. But things didn't work out that way. She was going to leave she swore to herself she would but her mother fell ill. Eve not only felt the guilt but a sense of betrayal, her parents loved her and she loved them. To make herself feel better she nursed her mother to health, took on jobs at the farm and played poker with the adults, winning gold that could buy the poultices that her mother needed to be well again. Yes she enjoyed that life for a time, but the hunger was always insatiable.

"Listen to me," Eve breathed, nudging Argis awake. He grunted and wiped his eyes, scratching his head before flopping down against the pillows only to fall asleep again, "Argis we have to leave."

"What?" His groan was riddled with sleep.

"Boethiah tried to make a deal with me, we have to leave now," She nudged him again, sliding from his side and out of the bed. She tossed on clothes in the dark before lighting up the candles on the bedside table. What was she supposed to do? She could run, yes she wanted to run. She couldn't choose, didn't want to choose. And what would happen after that? They would live on the run together, moving from place to place? They had eyes and ears all over Skyrim, she wouldn't stand a chance.

"Why?" He grumbled, sitting up and wiping his eyes of sleep again, "Wait what was this deal?" More awake than before he glowered at her from the bed, a stare that was ice.

"Because we have to," She insisted ignoring his growing temper. She reached for his boots and threw them in his direction, he caught them with ease. "This deal, she wants me to kill you."

"You don't want to kill me?" He shook his head and looked thoughtful for a moment, "Eve, why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I was scared," She sighed, handing him his gauntlets her sudden urgency deflating. It wasn't the only reason, but she would tell him that another time.

"Scared of Boethiah?" He questioned, pulling on his shirt and then his trousers. He never took his eyes off her and Eve squirmed in his gaze, "What did she offer you?"

"Argis," She tore her eyes from his, did she want to continue lying to him? "It's my life for yours-"

"So do it," He stated stopping his movements and catching her gaze again. She frowned and folded her arms across her chest.

"What? No," She gave him a filthy look and cut across the room to fetch her armour. She laced it up; sliding on her boots before arming herself to the teeth with whatever weapons she could find lying around. Daedra's couldn't be killed, but like hell was she going to let her servants do the job she couldn't. She'd slaughter them; kill every single one of them. She'd save Argis if she could, well, not that he couldn't save himself; he was a better fighter than her any day.

"Eve," His voice beckoned her back to him and she frowned. Why did he have to suggest that? Why even think to suggest that? Her life was with him. Bran wasn't alive, he would never be alive, and her family... well they were in the same boat as him. And how could she believe that they were stuck in the void? They had died, gone onto the afterlife. What Boethiah promised... it wasn't real, it couldn't be real. She understood trickery and deceit as better as anyone else did, "Come here."

Argis held out his arms and she debated for a split second whether or not to answer his call. Her frown grew and Argis started to smile.

"My Thane please," He urged with his hands, sliding to the edge of the bed where she met him with a scornful look.

"I'm not doing it you big oaf," She stated plainly. He sighed, taking hold of her hands and planting kisses on her knuckles before pulling her into an embrace. It was almost enough to vanquish the growing ache in her chest.

"I care about you enough to say that I prize your life more than mine, not only is it my obligation to adhere to my oath-" He watched her face fall, "-but I want to protect you with my life because I love you." He brought his lips to hers and kissed her briefly, "I want you to have a life where you aren't afraid, where you can be happy."

"Argis please shut up," She retorted, "I'm not doing it." She slid from his lap and tossed him a reproachful look, "Whatever happened to us just getting married and living our life on a farm with cattle and goats?"

"Cattle and goats?" His eyebrows shot up and he tried to hide the rumble of laughter that had suddenly risen up.

"Not you sort of paradise?" Eve flashed him a smile fiddling idly with the material on the hilt of her steel dagger.

"It is if it's yours," She rolled her eyes at him, "What about the children?"

"What children?" She spluttered, cheeks burning. She turned away from him, heat rising up from within her armour. Sweat prickled on the back of her neck and she suddenly regretted ever getting dressed.

"The many brown haired blue eyed kids I want chasing the chickens through the fields." His arms suddenly grabbed her and Eve swallowed down a gasp. Her heart thudded rapidly beneath layers of leather and she hoped to the Divines he didn't notice how panicked she was.

"Just get dressed," She insisted, voice draining of any determination she had once had.

"You don't like that fantasy?" He murmured close to her ear, breath searing her skin. Gooseflesh erupted all over her and she swallowed down the lust. They had to get away from here, find somewhere safe and talk through a plan. "I have others you might like a bit more," The husky thrum of his voice sent chills rocketing down her spine. Her blood pumped furiously with adrenaline, excitement burbling underneath the surface. He was a tease, mean and yet caring. All of these plans or fantasies and she could probably never fulfil any of them.

"I dislike your distractions," She said turning and wrapping her arms around him. Eve rose onto her toes and smiled, lips moving against his.

"Really?"

"Only a little."

Light from the candles burned hot in their gaze. He kissed her petulantly, undoing all of the buckles of her armour until she was bare once more. She whispered promises to him before blowing out the lights. They moved as shadows, hidden in the dark.


	13. Chapter 13

**My Love**

**Chapter Thirteen**

Argis shoved the last remaining crumbs of loaf into his mouth, ignoring Eve's grumbling. She hadn't given him a moments silence since he had woken up only to find the bed empty. He mumbled to himself, a little peeved that he didn't get to have any morning fun. She had been insistent and after last night's admittance he decided to just go along with it. He trusted her, well, a little.

"Get your armour on," He heard her calling to him; he peered over his shoulder before popping the cork on a new bottle of ale.

"Aye," He retorted before gulping down a few mouthfuls and smacking his lips together. She could be so bossy sometimes.

He watched the way her leather armour clung to her hips as she shuffled around the room, the way it stretched and contorted itself when she reached up to the shelves, picking things off and tossing them into a satchel.

She was cleaning out and Argis knew why, she insisted that they were coming, cult followers and they wanted him dead. The worst of it was that Eve was the assassin. Argis rested against the stone wall, the coolness seeping through his linen shirt and ran the span of his spine. He wasn't a coward, if they were coming after him he'd rather face them head on instead of running.

Eve shot him an impetuous glance before returning to her work. One satchel full and then she started on another. She tossed in potions, the bottles clattering awkwardly together and then daggers and linen sheets. He cleared his throat and crossed his arms after finishing the bottle of ale. She stopped and turned to him.

"What?" She blew hair out of her face looking flustered.

"Nothing." He said with a smile.

"Will you get packed up?" She insisted, tying the satchel up and placing it down on the table, "We aren't safe here."

He listened to her sigh and in two steps he was in front of her, slanting his lips across hers.

"No more worrying my love," He said, curling his hand behind the back of her neck to keep her still, "The Dragonborn doesn't run from fights remember?" Her mouth twitched into a small smile.

"Only when there's Draugr," She sniffed, hands on his waist, eyes large like gems and darker than the ocean.

"And giant spiders," The corner of Argis' mouth curled up into a smile, pinching together shades of brown stubble on his cheeks. He hadn't shaved and Eve didn't mind, she adored how it scratched her skin when he kissed her. He was a Nord after all, and a true one at that. "Oh and don't forget that time when the Horkers chased you on the beach north of Solitude." He lent in and kissed her again, Eve's words muffled by his lips.

"They were fast!" She pursed, eyebrows knotting in a bratty fashion, "And you never helped."

"I was too busy laughing my Thane," His laughter broke out and the gruffness of his voice was lost to a chuckle drenched with morning ale.

The hot coals of the fireplace started to spit, the ash blowing up in little dust clouds as Argis turned to poke the fire. The Dragonborn returned to her restlessness, packing satchels and draining Vlindrel Hall out of home and money, she wanted to make sure that there was nothing left, or rather nothing that would give away the places she would visit next. Where was there to go? On occassion whilst travelling they had come across hidden caves and bandit lairs, they were places that no-one found or took the risk to.

Perhaps it was too soon to risk the hike down to Riften and get hitched, the cultists had followed her there after all and probably half expected her to return back. That would be stupid of course, and how she remembered Argis wanted to wait, to get to know each other better. Didn't he know her well enough? After what she had told him about Bran, about how she got into this stupid predicament, she was baring her soul and did that great ginger oaf even realise that?

"Come on," She said, her smile fading into something filled with melancholy. She didn't want to leave, however much she hated Markarth and the Reach and all of those damn Bretons that were trying to claim it all back, somehow this had become her home. It was happening all over again, she would flee and she would wake up one morning and he will be dead. It's circular, it was their plan. "Get your things up, we're going north."

"As you will my Thane."

Happiness burned away like the dying embers of the fire. The charcoaled firewood crumbled underneath the pokers wrath as Eve stabbed out the remaining flames. Her gaze followed Argis around the room, the air around him accommodating the breadth of his chest, the tallness of his shoulders. He filled it like no one else could, he was alive and breathing and he was a soldier. His body moved with lithe precision, tying straps together with the simpleness of a man praying to the Divines. It was easy being a warrior, violence pressed deep into his veins, a certain hunger that continued to prevail when all the blood lust seemed spent. It was so easy to continue fighting, a life filled with it, why stop? What fear was there in death when he faced it every day?

But the Dragonborn was scared, she feared his death more than her own and she was trying her hardest not to let anything happen to him. It wasn't hard to go missing in Skyrim, after all the wilderness was cruel and the winter's harsh, she hoped that they would simply not reach their destination and that the cult members would be thrown off their tracks at least for a little while. Eve's face was known and she was sure that after a several tankards of mead or passed coin she would be known to all. An infamous hero.

**x**

Damp clung to the air as Eve left Vlindrel Hall, the brass doors yawned as they closed, the cold breeze ebbing into the darkest reaches of her armour. Already she missed the warm. She tossed Argis a sympathetic gaze and took his hand in her own. He was warm, as always, calm and collective as he followed her without question.

The stream trickled by, water splashing against rocks as the residents of Markarth began setting up shop for the mornings shoppers. The giant Dwarven fortifications blocked out the little yellow sun and cast long shadows of people walking by. Markarth itself gave off a vicious vibe; it leaked blood and betrayal, despair and homelessness. With the attack on the city from Forsworn, Eve was unhappy to note that she helped them escape from prison after an awry mishap of one of her quests; the guards had doubled in size and patrolled the streets with stern faces. At least now she felt safer since the Stormcloaks took over, they at least did not know of what had happened down in the prison.

"Are we going to Solitude?" Argis asked, pushing the front gate doors aside and allowing Eve to walk through.

"I don't know," She said nodding to the locals that tended the stables. The valley opened up before them, dull greens and rocks to the left led to the mining community, stones houses built out of the rocks they quarried. Dogs started barking, running between them, tongues hanging from their mouths in attempts to catch at least a little bit of attention.

Eve reached out a gloved hand and scratched the grey mutt beneath its chin, she cooed and it whined, wagging its tail. She heard Argis tsk and she frowned, patting the dog on the head before tossing him a glare.

"We need to have a plan my Thane," Argis piped up as they trekked down the hill into the valley, Markarth a fading monument in the corner of Eve's eye. She wondered briefly that after it was all over would she want to go back to Vlindrel Hall. Thinking that this could be the final time she ever laid foot on Reach soil made her morose, an even worse thought was that it might her last time treading on Skyrim's land.

Argis was right, however much she wanted to deny it. They did need a plan and she briefly wondered on whether she would tell him about how she wanted them to disappear, to be sucked into the wilderness like a lost adventurer and be thought to perish like any other. It was the coward's way out and she knew that, but it was better than showing face to men and women who could possibly rat them out to the cultists.

Mountains climbed up out of their rock foundations, casting magnificent shadows and blocking out the sun. The wind swirled through Eve's hair, the familiar chirpings and cries of birds heard above, a tell tale sign that they were free, at least for the moment.

"I don't know what we are going to do," Her voice was quiet, almost sucked up by the crashing river to the west.

"After we go north then what?" His armour clanged together awkwardly as he took her hand in his, he gave it a reassuring squeeze before letting it drop.

"Argis, I don't know," Eve knew what was going to happen, it was attempt to live or die, and each outcome spelled her death one way or another. It was impossible to destroy a Daedric lord, it was impossible to keep on running, the cultists would come for them both eventually and killing them off would only hold back the inevitable. The only sure way of her survival was to give into Boethiah's demand and slay Argis at the altar. That wasn't an option, she couldn't. Not now, not after everything.

Eve had gained something that had been lost to her for too long. She was wanted, she was needed and not a breathing vessel of service and greed. She was the Dragonborn, she was a lover and she had something to care about and she cared about Argis more than her own selfish nature. Eve wouldn't give back into that gluttonous instinct; she would only become a festering void once more.

"Let me think of something my Thane," Argis sounded so determined that Eve almost believed him, she gave him a weary smile and with a sigh she stepped one pace ahead of him and drowned in the sounds of the river, of the salmon splashing upstream.

**x**

"You are so beautiful my love," He breathed, the thrum of his voice vibrating against the soft flesh of her neck, "and yet so sad," His captured her lips in a chaste kiss, her lips firm and soft beneath his, "Just like your eyes." He held her chin stern with his thumb, stroking the soft skin of her cheek as he curled one hand around the back of her neck.

She rubbed up against him, eliciting a sharp breath as she pressed herself closer to him, stealing his warmth and revelling in her saturated bones. Knees settled either side of his waist she fitted herself onto his lap, punishing him with the lust he burned her with.

"There is so much life to them and I'm drowning," His lips covered hers, his burly hand moving from her chin, to her shoulder and running down the length of her spine. It unearthed a growing need within her, with each touch he brought her to the edge, desire mixed with panic, adrenaline mixed with adoration. Eve fought the feeling away, swallowing down the passion she felt with every frantic kiss.

"I would do anything to rid you of this sadness," His hips bucked into her unrelenting thrusts. Hands fought at the buttons of his shirt, revelling tanned skin covered in scars. Eve grew desperate, kissing his chin and then his neck, impatient she nipped at the skin of his chest, breathing in every inch of him. He smelled of the earth, of the overgrown trees that consumed them. She felt the constant thudding of his heart underneath her cold palm; he was alive, so very much alive.

"Argis-" She was lost for words, her mind a hazy cloud of nothing but him. So overwhelmed she claimed him with a kiss with too much teeth, she muffled her desires in quick breathes almost unheard to him.

Never would she get enough, it would never be enough to cure the hunger. She needed him, not for her own safety but to saturate the loneliness that had consumed her. She needed him to love her like no one else could, and like no one else had done ever before.

"My Thane-" Hands moved to her waist, holding onto the warm flesh underneath her linen shirt. "My Love-" He swallowed a groan as her hands moved between his thighs, rubbing up against his erection. His hips bucked and he felt powerless against her.

Argis tugged at the laces of her breeches, tugging them down past her hips. He caught her hand, and with groan he let her work him. Lips brandished her with fervour, a low growl telling of his need. She moaned softly into his mouth as one hand curved around her breasts, teasing a nipple between his fingers.

The soil gave way as he pressed her down onto it, his body shedding warmth like rays of sunlight. The red moon glimmered through the cracks in the canopy leaves, stars giving off a soft white light. Eve succumbed to the smell of sweat on his skin, her fingernails knotting in his mane of hair as he pressed closer, devouring her with decadent kisses that threw her towards oblivion.

With a throaty groan he filled her, cutting her moan off with a kiss filled with adrenaline. Nails in his back, his breath blistered her neck, sighs and moans muffled with urgent breath. He kissed her fiercely, almost desperately. She was his life-saver, the beacon that kept him sane. He thrust again, feeling her sigh against his lips. But she was the ocean that dragged him away from shore.

Hurriedly he claimed her for his own, cajoling her to let go, to let him be her supports. He wanted to be the person who she relied upon to be her foundations, the safe harbour she clung to at endless moments at sea. Argis wanted to see life burn in sapphire eyes, to see the glimmer of promise hidden in their depths. No more sadness, he loathed to see that sadness. He didn't know how to make her feel right again, she was broken, a bundle of tantalising little pieces clutched together beneath him.

Fists bunched in the soil, she clawed his waist forcing him to hiss a breath through gritted teeth. He was silhouetted in green, a darkness climbing over him. Eve mewled, clinging desperately onto the brink, her limbs spasmed and ached finding gratification. Her hips arched without volition, and the throaty cry she let out made Argis's blood boil. He came with her, limbs tangled in desperate attempts to milk the final waves.

"Eve," A shiver span down the length of her spine at the sound of his voice, deeper and rougher than she ever thought was possible. She drew in a shaky breath and blinked away the night sky from her vision, "I will kill every last one of them for you."

"I know," She breathed, hands braced against his chest, not to push him away but to feel the pounding of his heart beneath his broad chest. She needed to make sure he was exerted as she, that she drew the life out of him as much as he did her.


	14. Chapter 14

**My Love**

**Chapter Fourteen**

_(I never seem to write in author notes, merely for the fact that people skim over them. I want to thank everyone who has read (and still reading) and also those who have followed favourited, reviewed and all that shabang. I'm sorry it's such a long journey, even more so that my uploading schedule is basically non-existent. I hope you're enjoying Eve's tale just as much as I am)._

Eve believed him. The last inkling slice of faith she had left in her. What was there really left to lose? Breathing and living was the remaining taint that could be taken away as easily as the clouds brewed a storm. She trusted Argis, to keep her safe, to keep her sane.

They had travelled up north, reaching Solitude in a few days walk; they camped along the way, eliciting promises from each other that they dare not keep. The wind grew cold as it rolled in from the sea of ghosts slicing through breezeways and the naked walkways not coveted by Solitude's stone buildings. Eve felt alien in her new environment, the city alive with bustling Nords and Elves and the like, crawling with life that was known down in Cyrodiil, not Skyrim. A few leagues away the Reach lay dormant, quiet, the Stormcloaks holding strong in their magnificent Dwarven fortress, but Solitude oozed Imperial and the Dragonborn was an enemy here.

She had tried staying hidden away but her face was known, the hero, the destroyer, the murderer, Eve had heard them all, twice over. All she ever cared about was finding somewhere safe, where blood would not be spilled because of her, but would she ever get so lucky? Days were spent alone in Proudspire Manor whilst Jordis and Argis walked around, unknown, or at least Jordis was. Argis was still mulling over a plan that had yet to come to mouth, and whilst Eve wished away the days, moaning away the nights she had at least tried to think of something to get them safe.

One idea that only came to life was to leave Skyrim. Leave home and the cultists would never find them. Of course, Eve didn't want to leave; Cyrodiil was for worthless mongrel's that had betrayed her, it was more than a week's journey to the border and like hell would she step foot on foreign soil, especially soil that had spilled Bran's blood. And what of the other provinces in Tamriel? She was an outsider in every single one of them, what life would they have somewhere where they were discriminated against? It was the last option that she could think of, the coward's way out, where they wouldn't be safe but they could keep running always difficult to find.

Eve shook off her restlessness, slipping out from beneath the green covers of the bed and throwing on another layer of linen. There was no need for armour when one was house bound. She let out an annoyed huff. Being caught was better than waiting around in ruin and malcontent, and letting Jordis and Argis take control of her life whilst she prattled around the house making herbal teas and wasting away with ale in front of the fire, what had really become of her?

She sluggishly walked to the kitchen in the basement, shooing away any conversation from Jordis and quickly noticing that Argis was not here. She felt a pang of jealously and then returned to her stasis of feeling sorry for herself.

Her elbows clicked as she leered over the cooking pot and smelling the broth that was gurgling away within. One bonus about living in Solitude was that Jordis happened to be a fantastic cook. Meals at Vlindrel Hall consisted of the occasional, surprisingly delightful meals cooked by Argis and then the thrown together bits of undercooked meat and something that didn't resemble food at all, made by the only person who seemed not to get ill anymore. It was a nice change and Eve's stomach flipped and churned in delight, at least something was going right.

The candles, perched on wooden shelves bolted into the walls, flickered as a cold breeze zipped down the stairs through the kitchen and into the Housecarl's basement bedroom. Eve shivered, tugging at the sleeves of her linen jumper as she huddled closer to the burning fire. She briefly heard murmuring above and then footsteps scuffed against the wearing stone stairs, the familiar clank of armour, and the sweet sound of his grumbling. Something had gone wrong, whether it was something serious or whether it was just the Inn lacking his favourite ale, Eve didn't want to know.

"You weren't in bed," She heard him say, listening to him move closer to her. Her body reacted in the only way it knew how when Argis was around. Gooseflesh erupted along her skin, her once hungry stomach, ached and did little dances of its own. Anticipation set in and for a moment Eve held her breath. He wrapped his arm around her waist, cold fingers briefly touching her burning skin and she shivered, "Are you cold?"

"Your hands are," She murmured, wriggling out of his grasp and placing the fire between them. She lifted a ladle from a self and plopped it into the mass of creamy liquid. She stirred, begging her stomach to become hungry again. If she couldn't go outside and fight, she'd sit inside getting pissed and eating food. That seemed reasonable to her.

"I'm sorry my Thane," He rubbed his hands together and blew on them before holding them out to warm by the fire.

"Any news?" Eve piped up after a moment of silence. She looked up from the broth and caught his gaze, amber eyes staring at her, his pupils reflecting the fire's flames.

"What would you like to know?" She narrowed her eyes at him and returned to stirring the liquid.

"Anything," She replied, "What's the weather like, are those two Elves still trying to make people buy those ugly dresses? Or," A smile creased her lips and sarcasm seeped into her words, "Are you friends with the drunkard outside the Inn now since you've been spending so much time there?" He laughed at this and made the few strides around the fire to her.

"Put the ladle down," His voice was so low it made Eve squirm, she did as he asked, biting her lips.

He caught her arms in his hands and dragged her in for a shallow slow kiss. He rubbed his nose along hers and the roughness of his beard scratched at Eve's cheeks. It was nostalgic and she didn't mind.

"The sky is blue, the sun is shining," He said between kisses, "Yes the two Elves are still trying to do business," He ran burly hands through her knotted dark hair, "The dresses aren't so bad," He grazed his lips along hers, "I may buy you one," Eve started to protest but Argis kissed her, roughly, demanding she go all gooey his grasp. His tongue trailed along her bottom lip and she opened her mouth to him. In sweeping licks she tasted him, his cold hands on the back of her neck and the base of her spine caused electricity to buzz through her synapses. It felt so right to kiss him.

He pulled away and Eve pouted as cold rushed into the places his body had kept her warm.

"As for the drunkard," He said with a smile, "Anyone becomes a friend after an ale or two." He turned his back to her and picked up the ladle she had put down. He stirred the broth and gave her a look where his lips curved. It was barely a smile but it made her return the gesture.

"Put something warmer on love," He said whilst spooning the broth into a bowl.

"You think because you've crawled into the sheets with the Dragonborn means you can tell her what to do," She joked, poking him in the sides and taking the bowl from his hands before he could protest, "I know what you're up to."

"Oh?" He spooned more into another bowl and let the ladle sit on the side. He gave her a curious look and reached for some bread, slightly stale, but nothing he couldn't stomach.

"Yes, Mr big and burly," She mocked with a mouthful of soup, "Doesn't like getting bossed about by a woman who's his junior." Her teasing stirred a certain lust within him and he struggled to swallow a chunk of loaf.

"What gave you that idea my Thane?" He played along, the liquid burning his throat. It was a sort of punishment; to put him off the things he couldn't help thinking about, "I thought you knew it was the kind of thing that turned me on." His voice was a low growl and Eve's cheeks flushed, her stomach dropped to her feet and she suddenly found it harder to breathe. Jordis hadn't put poison in the broth had she?

"W-what?" She gasped, shoving more mouthfuls of broth into her mouth and instantly regretting it.

"Did I have to warn you it was hot?" She glared at him, popping the cork out of a nearby bottle and downing the contents within. He looked so proud of himself. When did she not have witty retorts? When had he become the person to stump her? Nords. She could never win.

Her throat felt raw like she had been screaming for hours. Every time she swallowed she winced, no amount of ale could fix the damage that she had done to herself. She cursed under her breath, finished her meal and made herself busy in the room over.

x

Eve paced along the stone floor, bending over and looking through chests and selecting out certain garments and armour to decorate the mannequins with. One was adorned in the armour she had been gifted by from Delphine. For a moment her mind returned to that place, the long halls that were covered in dust and cobwebs. It was lonely, dark and something sinister had lurked within the darkness, whether that kind of sinister existed or was just a figment of her imagination, Eve didn't know, didn't even want to know. She had enough nightmares that kept her up at night, she needn't want anymore.

"I found an interesting book that I thought you would want to read my Thane," Eve flitted about, paying little attention to the Housecarl that had settled into a chair by the fire, on his fourth bottle of ale. How he wasn't dead when he drank the stuff like water she didn't know.

It was wrong of her to think of Delphine. The bitch had put her in a difficult predicate, two ultimatums and for once Eve had thought she had made the right one. Killing Paarthurnax would have been a disaster; it was his doing that the dragons had relatively laid off of torching Skyrim to the ground. Thanks to him, life was a now bearable again.

"It was about Daedra," Eve rolled her eyes and dragged a circlet out of the chest, one that was adorned with rubies and emeralds entwined on a gold band with slivers of silver wrappings, "There was a mage who wrote it, maybe they could help us." She switched off again and sighed. She couldn't dress this mannequin at all, something was just _off._

"Are you listening to me?" He asked, she shook herself and peered around the corner of the wall separating them and nodded, suggesting that she was. She wasn't, his drunken slurs tended to give her a headache. He waved the book at her and took another long gulp from the bottle. She rolled her eyes as soon as she was out of sight and fiddled with the straps of the Blade Armour.

"The power of any Daedra belongs to their influence across Tamriel," Argis muttered through gulps of mead. He slouched, against one of the wooden chairs, make the oak creek; the fire was dangerously close to his leg. The dull flicker of the candles propped up on wooden shelving did little to allow Eve to see. Tying those damn leather straps was wearing her patience thin.

"What are you saying?" Eve frowned, peering around the stone corner at him.

"We should go to the college of Winterhold, find out more," He clicked his lips together before grabbing another bottle, popping the cork and sticking it in his mouth.

"Mages can't help us," She said with distaste on her tongue, "What could they know about Daedra's? All they are is a hassle."

She caught Argis roll his eyes, reaching for another bottle of ale whilst he silently judged her mistrust of the mages. She scowled, shooting him a fierce look before tightening the straps of the armoured mannequin.

"It was a suggestion my Thane," He purposefully filled his voice with false disappointment, he was peeved at her. The one suggestion that Argis had come up with and Eve had flatly replied a simple, _no, _"Divines you would ever listen to _me_."

After a few moments of petulant silence, Eve rounded the corner and scowled. He looked up from his tankard, the corners of his lips twisting into a smile when he caught her gaze.

"Something wrong my Thane?" As he spoke, her scowl grew deeper, creasing her eyes and fixing her lips into a grim line. Even with her mood swings, the delightfully distorting faces she pulled, he couldn't get enough of her.

"By the Nine, why are you acting like a child?" She snapped, making the several strides to him and towering over him, fists clenched. His eyebrows rose in suspicion.

"Me?" Was all he managed to get out before Eve punched him in the shoulder, he let out a grunt, eyes turning into annoyance as she pouted.

"Yes!" She insisted smelling the booze on him, "Your attitude when I said no," Her brows furrowed and she crossed her arms, glaring at him with hunting azure eyes that saw straight through him, "It was just a suggestion _my Thane_." She mocked, making her voice gruffer as she imitated him.

"I thought you might like to hear my opinions on things," He replied sternly, "I want to help."

"I can figure this out on my own," She retorted tartly, "Like I've always done." She pouted again, "The Mages are not worth our time, we aren't going to Winterhold and that's the end of it."

A quick smile curved at the corners of his lips, he mimicked her stance, arms folded, face grave.

"You won't listen to me then my Thane?" Argis shook his head in dismissal, rolling his eyes as he avoided her stare.

"We go where I say," She demanded crossly, heat rising to her cheeks as his amber eyes looked her up and down, "You serve me." She jabbed a finger in his direction, her words wounding her lover in ways she didn't dare think of.

Eve twisted on her heels and stormed off up the stone staircase leaving Argis in her wake. He could fester for a while, she thought. The armour could wait, there were more pressing matters to attend to, ones that Eve could not accomplish inside the walls of Proudspire Manor. She'd either have to suck it up and apologise to Argis, her bad choice of words had done her no favours and whilst she had meant them, it was not fair on him. Or, she would have to get Jordis to do her dirty work for her. Both Housecarls were sworn to her by oath but she knew they each had their morals and if push came to shove she would let her pride fall and utter those two words, 'I'm sorry' that wounded her pride so.

Her anger deflated quickly with each passing step. She followed the spiral upwards towards the top floor where she flopped into one of the chairs seated beside the balcony. She drummed her fingers melodically on the oak table. Perhaps Argis was right, maybe the mages could help her, _them. _The obdurate Orc had helped her seek the right knowledge to find the Elder Scrolls many years ago. Maybe she could ask him again, maybe he knew something and if he didn't, the huge library of books surely had something.

Divines she couldn't stand that place, the buzz of magic in the air, the arrogant High Elf who paraded around the College like he knew something big was going to happen and he was along for the ride. And those students, the Khajiit that liked competition and the Nord that had backed her into a corner after her _initiation _and told her how pleased he was to not be the only Nord anymore. If that was even a flirtatious remark he was definitely not cutting it. The fact that all of the lurkers that studied there had ways to manipulate anything the eye could see and even drag creatures out from oblivion. That alone was enough to cause gooseflesh to rise along her forearms. She wouldn't tell Argis any of this.

With an annoyed growl Eve leaned over the balcony. Jordis looked up from her book, suspicion evident in her eyes; Eve tossed her an apologetic look.

"Argis!" She called out, holding her breath for his reply. Silence, "Argis I'm sorry I shouted at you." She gripped onto the stone railing tighter. Faintly she heard a muffled grunt, a response perhaps? "We'll go." With that she heard scuffling on the stairs. She saw the mane of his hair before the rest of him.

"To the College?" He peered up at her and she nodded, "This isn't a trick is it?" His eyes narrowed, stabbing at her pride. She frowned.

"No," She replied, "Get your things packed up and we'll set out at dawn."


	15. Chapter 15

**My Love**

**Chapter Fifteen**

Eve tossed and turned, pulling the covers of the duvet up and over her head. She was restless, more than restless. Agitated. When breathing became difficult she flopped the covers down to her waist, imagining that the empty space next to her was filled with his presence. What annoyed her even more was the realisation that she needed him.

She pumped his pillow with her fist, grinding her teeth in frustration. She hadn't realised how addicted she was to his presence, how the simple thought of him being there, beside her, inside her seemed to calm her chaos. He was the thunder that brought rain, the new dawn. And yet he was not there, probably down at the Inn getting piss-drunk without her. Not that she minded the drinking part, she would have preferred his company but he was a grown man. Sworn to her, but he did as he wished at night.

Eve wondered if he was still mad at her for her words, hell, she was mad at herself for shaming him with such language. And to think, she was a grown woman, a Nord, the Dragonborn and yet she still resorted to bickering words that inflicted more than flesh wounds. She was the petulant child, the one that got mad when things didn't go her way. It was her instinct, to be in control of everything, to make sure everything was right. It had taken her too long to realise that that sort of existence was futile, that Argis wouldn't judge her for her actions. He had seen her at her worst. It was just a thought that would take a lot of getting used to.

The candle flickered on the old side of the room, emitting a glimmering shadow of yellow along the stone wall. The green sheets rubbed against her naked form, irritating her more than it should have. Eve sat up quickly, blowing hair from her face; she crawled to the base of the bed and rummaged through the chest for one of Argis' shirts.

She pulled the cotton over her head and tugged the sleeves until it covered her hands. She settled back, the urgency to get dressed and meet him at the Inn almost moving her feet. She'd give him the time he needed to move on, remember that there were more serious agenda's at stake. Both of their lives hung in the balance and one mistake on Argis' drunken part could mean her capture, her death, or his by her hand.

Perhaps it was the troubling thoughts that drew her from slumber and not her Housecarl's absence. Memories of Bran still lingered, memories that had been pleasant and filled with mirth drew loneliness and sadness. Times they had spent alone in the woods, moments blessed by the Divines. She had been happy, carefree, worrying only of the times when Bran would go off to war, not knowing when he would return. The fact that she was slowly being ostracised by the cultists did not faze her, and why would it? She stood leagues above them, the weight of her soul lighter with Bran to support her.

She regretted not remembering the taste of his lips or the scent of his clothes anymore. Her mind had gradually replaced them all with Argis, the man who had stepped into the shoes of the saviour that could never be replaced. Except Argis had, gone beyond that even. It didn't matter that he wasn't beside her from dawn till dawn, or that he would be coming back drunk, a mass of incoherent syllables and she would have to put him to bed. The thing that made them both so very different was that Argis was alive, he was breathing and what was Bran? Just dust. Buried deep beneath, in the bowels of Nirn and one with the trees and the plants that grew over his grave. Eve would never let Argis succumb to her mistakes like Bran had. She would do everything to not make it so.

X

The bang of a door and a grunt made Eve jolt from sleep. Weary eyed she slipped from beneath the covers with a yawn, pacing towards the door and feeling the cool breeze. If he was any louder he would have not only her to contend with but also Jordis' bad attitude at being awoken.

Thudding echoed on the stairs, muttering under breath. Eve opened the door wider, seeing his silhouette sweep into her vision. He moved closer to her, pushing into her as he barged through the door. Eve frowned, smelling alcohol on his breath, on his skin mingled with the scent of smoke and something bitter.

"What the-," Eve recoiled away from him, finding her footing beside the bed and sliding back between the sheets; hoping he might clean up before sliding between the sheets with her.

She heard him grunt and then take a harsh breath as he undressed as a silhouette.

"What's wrong?" She crawled to the foot of the bed and pressed her hand to his thigh, "Did you get into a brawl?"

"Something like that, here help me," His voice was lower, filled with urgency, "Burn more candles I need light," She did as he wished, finding a thin length of wood and striking it against the flame until it burned. Eve paced around the room, igniting every candle and lantern she could find until the room was bathed in orange.

"Argis it's late-" Eve cut herself off, feeling her throat turn dry, and her stomach dropping to her feet. Argis winced, peeling the fabric from his shoulders and letting it pool at his feet, "Argis what happened?"

"Eve," He sounded restless, he winced again and Eve cracked back into focus. He was bleeding, yes he was bleeding. Everywhere, over the bed sheets, on the floor and it wasn't stopping. "Are you going to just stand there and let me bleed to death?"

His voice struck home and panic surged into her throat. She stepped forwards, covering her hands over the wound on his abdomen, pressing down, apologising profusely as she pressed harder to stop the bleeding.

"What do you need me to do?" Eve choked out, her hands slipping on his body, "Please tell me what to do." Her hands started to shake, the sight of blood making her want to vomit.

"Wake Jordis," He insisted, his breathing rapid and shallow as he covered the wound with his hands as soon as Eve had taken hers away.

Eve rushed down the stairs, taking two at a time, slipping, regaining her balance and leaping from step to step.

"Jordis!" She shouted, her throat burning from the sheer pressure that threatened to overwhelm her, "Jordis please wake up," She banged against the Housecarl's bedroom door in the basement, stirring the woman from her pleasant dreams.

"What is it my Thane?" The calm, casual composure of the woman made Eve fraught.

"Argis is injured," She breathed, gasping for breath between rushed words, "Help, upstairs. Now!"

Jordis followed Eve's lead, stepping into the bedroom beside her, finding Argis sitting on the edge of the bed, staring down at his feet.

"What are you doing?" Eve snapped, sanity on its last tether, "Do you want to die?" She slapped him across the face, leaving a crimson scorch line. She climbed onto the bed behind him, covering her hands over the wound to his side, pressing herself closer to Argis' sweat slicken body.

"No, my Thane," His head tilted backwards, resting against her shoulder.

"Then stop acting like a man on his death bed," She retorted, "Jordis?" She looked up at the sword-maiden.

"Water, my Thane, we need linen and water."

Eve did as the woman asked, finding linen bandages, and bringing fresh pales of water. She helped clean his wounds, recoiling as Jordis found needle and thread, sewing the gash in his side shut. It had only scratched the surface, a flesh wound that had found nothing vital. Jordis had deemed him lucky. She bandaged up another wound to his right bicep, a sword slice that had found the gaps in his armour. Eve helped hoist him up further onto the bed, and he grunted in annoyance, Eve's fingers grabbing too close to his wound.

As dawn broke, the candles burned dead and Argis' slow breathing filled the room. After wiping the blood from her skin and changing her clothes Eve had returned to the bedroom finding him fast asleep. She wished she could do the same but sleep did not come to her. She was worried, worried that they had been found, that someone had given her away. Even more so that they could not travel. The Divines were against her achieving any sort of pleasant life.

Eve stroked the curve of his cheek, fingers pinching along the scruff of his growing beard. He made a low groan deep within his throat and she repeated the same movement.

"A pleasant thing to wake up," His voice was low, gruff and still caught within the realms of sleep. Argis touched his hand to hers and brought it to his lips.

"I didn't want to wake you," She replied quietly, moving down the bed and resting her head on his shoulder.

"We should have left already my Thane," His eyes finally opened, wincing against the sun that cascaded through the window. Amber eyes looked her up and down, sleep turning to worry, to something primitive that made Eve smirk.

"Have you forgotten about last night already?"

"Huh?" He shifted and winced, "Oh."

"Don't move too much," Eve ushered, "Don't want you to rip open the wounds and cause me another fit of panic."

"Worried I might die on you?" A grin broke out across his face and Eve dismissed him with a shake of her head.

"Something like that," She reached forwards, covering his lips with hers for the briefest of moments, "Do you remember what happened?" She pushed away the thought of his death, not only did it create a longing that clutched her by the throat but it planted fear. If Argis was to die, not by her hand, she would have no hope of getting away from Boethiah. Such selfish thoughts had to be hidden away.

"Aye," His hand caught the back of her neck dragging her back for more than a tender peck. His kiss was rough, his tongue stroking her bottom lip; she tasted the alcohol on his breath still, "Let me forget and just kiss you a while longer."

X

Argis was sat on the edge of the bed holding onto the bandage around his waist, he was making a funny expression almost as if he were deciding if it was best to lie back down or throw up.

"Will you tell me what happened?" Eve asked from her usual perch. The blankets were pulled up to her chin and she was lying on her side half naked.

"They found me sitting in the Inn," Argis began before letting out a groan, "I was being stupid, drawing attention to myself. I shouldn't have drunk so much."

Eve had guessed but even hearing him say it reinforced the worry that they had almost killed him crawl over her skin. They had found them, they had almost killed him. They would have, and she knew it.

"Did you-"

"I killed them," He replied gruffly leaning forwards and resting his elbow on his knee, his head in the palm of his hand, "I left no survivors," He tilted his head then, scorching her with blazing amber eyes, "I'm sorry Eve. I failed you; I failed to protect you to keep you safe."

"What are you talking about you big oaf?" Eve suddenly snapped, wriggling through the blanket to his side. She pressed her chest against his back, his warmth delightfully soothing, "I was safe, I am safe." She burrowed her face into the space between his shoulder blades, "You should be more worried about yourself."

"I'm fine," He sounded anything but.

"You aren't," Eve pointed out, curving an arm around his waist and reaching for his fingers. She tugged at his clenched fist, pushing her fingers into the spaces between his.

"I will be when we leave this place," He almost growled. Eve felt his body tense up, from the pain? She didn't know, she had no idea what was going through that thick skull of his.

"You don't enjoy Jordis' company?" she almost snorted, kissing his shoulder blade, "She saved your life you know."

"I know."

Eve repeated the process of kissing his shoulders, running her thumb along the sides of his hand like it was the most natural thing. She closed her eyes, hoping that Argis would realise that he needed to rest, for the wounds he had gained to heal. Talos knows what would happen if it were to re-open in the middle of the treacherous mountain range they would have to climb and descend to get to Winterhold. Eve had clearly shown how obviously inept she was at dealing with injury. (Which surprised her considering she had gained substantial wounds during the thick of her adventures, her scars held the tales now rather than her tongue). The thought of Argis hurt made her chest tighten, her stomach clench, it was a growing fear, a phobia that something would happen to him.

"You need to rest," She said after a while, breaking the comfortable silence they had both fallen victim of. He gave her hand a squeeze.

"I'm fine," He said it with more force than before and Eve was almost inclined to believe him. She couldn't, or rather, she wouldn't. She wouldn't have him at his worst unable to stand beside her, she could try and feign the strength for the both of them, Divines knew she would try her damn hardest to. But she knew it wasn't enough. Her strength alone was not enough to keep them both afloat.

Argis had become the safe shore, the beacon of comfort. He was her strength, and she craved it like no other. He was the light at the end of a very dark cavern that she had been lost in. He was the warmth she prayed to the Divines for. Even the Dragonborn needed foundations to stand strong, and that was Argis. A burly Nordic man that slurred and became anything but docile when drunk, he cooked great food and he held her hands like they were anything but sources of destruction. He kissed her like she mattered, like she was the centre of a universe filled with the most interesting things. She was his fixture, a portrait he did not desecrate.

"In one week we'll leave."


	16. Chapter 16

**My Love**

**Chapter Sixteen**

_Nsfw_

Eve pottered about the house, fiddling with nails that jutted out from the walls. She placed and replaced the armour on her mannequins not sure what suited best in the basement. Slowly going mad with boredom she was eager to get on the road, to do whatever still needed to be done. She was almost at the point of not caring if Argis' wounds had healed all not.

Two whole weeks and many stitches later Argis wasn't wincing every time he moved. A good sign and one which Eve was eager to pursue. Out of earshot she gave lists of necessities to Jordis to get from the market and the other businesses inside or just outside of Solitude. Argis had told her on one cold night that he feared no-one should leave the house, whether that was him talking or pure delirium she did not know. Either way, she wasn't planning on starving to death and Jordis was the only one that wasn't guaranteed a death wish. If the cultists knew she was here they would expect to see Argis or her and not some blonde woman clad in iron armour. They wouldn't suspect anything, they didn't after all know all the ins and outs of her life, not since she had become the Dragonborn. Whether Boethiah knew of Jordis or not it was irrelevant, the Daedra wasn't going to swoop down from Oblivion and make her world collapse and neither would the Champion, at least not yet.

Eve's fingers tightened around the strap in her hand. She would have to defeat the Champion. She knew it, Argis knew it and the Champion himself knew it, (if he had any right frame of mind). Eve was a decent fighter, hell she had killed more dragons that the common man and even the guards (both probably combined). But this Champion was barely human, a trapped soul thrown into a deformed body that rasped and gasped for tiny slithers of air. Although experienced in battle she wasn't the type for out front sword play, favouring the shadows, her daggers and her Daedric bow. She wouldn't have the Daedra's favour. How much determination did she have to destroy something that couldn't be destroyed? It was inconceivable, incomprehensible and she was terrified of losing. Her death didn't matter, her soul was already tainted. But she knew what had happened last time she had been in Boethiah's presence, Eve had believed every single word the Daedra had whispered to her, Bran, her family that they were trapped and she could save them. With Argis by her side in the final confrontation did she have the will to fight against Boethiah's submission? Did that even matter with her life as forfeit?

Eve crouched down tightening the buckles of her leather boots and feathering out the fur that had been stitched up the hide. Troubled thoughts plagued her and the darkness licked at her conscious mind. Defeating all of those dragons, taking on Alduin amounted to nothing, what had it gained her? Nothing. She was none the wiser, only richer but coin could not grant her from the wrath of a Daedra. Being the Dragonborn had only served to corrupt her further. Boethiah demanded her because of her infamy, if she were not the killer of the World Eater maybe she would be a free woman. Or a woman bound to Nirn like Bran.

"My Thane, are you ready?" A warm hand brushed along her shoulder and Eve shook away the comfort. She could not give in to his touch, the reassurance that it brought, she did not deserve such a thing.

"Yes," She rasped, moving her fingers to her other boot and tightening the straps, patting down the leather and taking his hand as he offered to help her to her feet. Amber eyes searched hers, probing for the reasons behind her silence. Eve trusted Argis with the darkest secrets of her mind, but this was etched into the embodiment of her soul. Her fear and her cowardice. She was a Nord too scared to face the problem head on, if she could run she would and never turn back. She was a disgrace to her people, let alone to the ones she loved.

"Do not worry my love," He curled his rough hands around her cheek, large against her lithe frame, "The Divines bless you."

"With what?" She swallowed the lump in her throat as it rose as quickly as the words fell from her lips. The Divines had cursed her, "Certain death?" She avoided his gaze, turning from his touch. Hands clenched around the sheath of her blade securing it on her belt.

"Eve, you will not die," He assured, taking hold of her; hands on either side of her face forcing her to look upon him, "I will not let that happen."

"The Divines bless me with your death then?" She made a throaty noise and the edges of her lips quivered.

"Shor will greet me in Sovngarde," He said with an easy smile. Eve reviled such acceptance. "I am sworn to protect you my Thane," The obligation in his voice was apparent. He would gain an eternity feasting and drinking whilst she lived out her days as a measly soldier fighting for nothing except to hasten her own death. Her soul would never reach Sovngarde's shores tainted by Nocturnal's darkness and Boethiah's deceit, "My life is yours whether you wish it or not."

"Is your love an obligation like your obligation to stand beside me?" The bitterness of her words was venom on her tongue. Cold wrath cast over his ochre eyes.

Eve thought bitterly of his rejection, of the moments they had argued. How he had spouted of her brattish nature years ago. She had never claimed as such, always drawn to him like mosquitoes to burning lanterns.

"My obligation is to protect you," The coolness of his voice rattled shivers down her spine, "And my love for you is born out of the ashes of a mortal man subject to the whims of a woman who carries both his heart and mind, it is no obligation, but desire." His fingers pinched at the skin of her neck, pulling her closer until she could not help but stare into the amber flames of her own demise. His lips grazed along the seams of her own, sowing seeds of passion that grew up from her toes to her shoulders, spilling with the warmth that only Argis could bring.

"Do not worry," His voice broke into a soft whisper, "I will carry you if I have to."

"My life is already forfeit," Her nails grazed along the solid dragon bones of his armour, cool and complacent against her searing touch. She fingered the leather straps, undoing each with raw slowness, "My soul is just fragments to be fought over by the Daedric Lords that hold them," Her breath carved heat along his jaw, teeth teasing the unshaven skin of his neck, "My fear is for you, a pawn in all of this."

Her fingers caressed the muscles of his abdomen, clenching underneath such brazen touch. Coarse flesh caught fire beneath her fingertips, searing patterns that were blind to the eye.

"Then I will play my part," His leaned forwards, binding her between his body and the cellar wall. His tongue swept along her bottom lip. Her eyes, ocean blue and as vast as the sea of Ghosts itself ignited his old soul, bringing him to life, "I have to keep you safe."

"You are so calm about this," Her brows knotted, her hands bunching at his biceps, "Like fighting a Daedric Prince is as simple as gutting a Draugr."

"Boethiah can't harm you not from Oblivion," He scoffed, his low voice vibrating against her lips as he spoke. She felt his warm breath and tasted his morning's ale, "The cultists are flesh and blood. Their dead bodies are proof of that."

Eve shook her head, trapped within his grasp, wanting to prove to him that the Daedra could harm her; Boethiah could take her life as easily as one breathes air. What she mistook for his calmness was clear naivety.

"She can get inside here," Eve motioned to her skull, "I can't fight her there, not when she shows me my family." Boethiah would strike her down with Bran, her weak point.

"Aye," He stroked her arms, from her shoulders to her wrists, tugging them up and holding them in place above her head, "But they are just words. Words can be ignored."

Her frown returned and before she could retort, Argis' mouth was on hers. He brushed his tongue along her lips, enticing Eve to open her mouth. A satisfied sigh escaped her and her tongue met his in languid erotic licks. He weaved his hands into her hair, pulling at it gently.

Burly hands trailed along her hips, hooking her thighs around his waist and lifting her. He supported her between his chest and the wall, fingers tentatively stroking the flesh visible between leather pieces. Her arms around his neck, she traced nails along his hair line making the corners of his lips twitch up into a smile.

His hands with a mind of their own roamed over her, buckle by buckle unfastened with deliberate slowness, the playfulness of his touch made Eve huff and nibble at his bottom lip. She wriggled between him, rubbing against his erection, eliciting a low growl that send flurrying shivers down to her toes.

Argis' desire was feverish and although Eve wanted to leave and get back on the road, she couldn't help but be caught up in it. She trembled, bare skin touched by the onslaught of a sudden breeze. Jordis was back from the market and Argis had no intention of stopping. He kissed her harder, warm and firm, claiming the responses he coaxed from her.

Her head swam, drawing in short bursts of air, he moved to her neck kissing a path down to her collarbone. His hand drifted along her ribs, over the raised scars that stood stark white from her pale skin. Eve could feel his every movement like she was suddenly hyper-aware of everything. The smell of him and leather filled her nostrils, the taste of fervour on his lips mingled with old alcohol, it was all intoxicating and for the briefest of moments Eve didn't care if Jordis found them in a state of disarray.

"The Divines truly bless me," He made a throaty noise filled with unbidden desperation. He pushed into her, holding her thighs around him and swallowing the cry of her groan. Between gasps of precious air he ushered the comfort she craved. He bowed to her, Ysmir, a God. A body covered in scars, he brushed his thumb along each one, memory serving its purpose. Every part of her was scorched into his mind, entirely unforgettable, a caricature of beauty.

Her ankles hooked around the back of knees drawing him every closer. She let out a laugh as he made a remark, a siren smile that burned a hole somewhere deep inside him. She was a blessing, a montage of the Divines themselves, Dibella's beauty, Mara's love, life and death snarled furiously together. He bruised kisses along her neck, to her chest. Teeth drew out a moan as they grazed over the swells of her breasts. Squeezing the flesh of her thighs he thrust roughly into her again, capturing her swollen lips as she pleaded for warmer shores.

Both of his hands wove into her hair, strands falling from his fingers like showers pouring from the sky. Her back pressed against the stone wall she breathed his name in resounding mantra's. Fingers tangled in the mane of his blonde hair, clasped around his neck, his jaw, clawing as the world gave out beneath her. Protected against the wrath of the Daedra, the stone her foundation, Argis her support. He closed his eyes, the pulse of his heart thudding against her chest. He buried himself deeper, biting at her neck as control threatened to fall.

What a life she would have if she had never been the chosen one, if she had listened to her parents. Once she had been selfish, her bones made up of deceit and treachery, her novice fingers stained in the blood of innocent men. She had been the perfect cultist. If she had stayed her hands, swallowed her pride, lived a life surrounded by goats and family. The tide of time would have brought her to a very different place.

Her lips sought Argis' once more. She clutched onto him, burying her face into the crux of his neck. She was filled with regret, of hopelessness, of wonder and expectance. She wished for a life far away from the one she had. One that had not been burned by Argis' passion or Bran's love and one that was not brandished with blood and fever. But regret would plague her then; she would have missed the wonders of Mara's touch. Bran brought her back from the precipice and Argis brought her to life. A life surrounded by goats didn't hold such adventure.

"Eve," His voice was soft, drawing out an audible sob from her lips. She held him tighter, the child inside rising into her throat, "Eve, my love." He pulled away only to wipe the tears from her cheeks, to push the hair hiding her face behind her ears, revealing all to him.

"I'm sorry," Two words whispered that held the brute force of her soul. Tears trickled from the creases of her shut eyes; she swallowed the oncoming tide having ruined the moment enough. She was sorry for regretting them, regretting her life. She was sorry for being so helpless, for not knowing what to do in such impossible circumstances. She was sorry for not standing tall under her title, for not being able to live up to that name. But most of all she was sorry for being the biggest disappoint to everyone, every decision scruntinised with malcontent, her lack of skills, her lack of patience, of decent attitude. She was the disappoint, the one who shied away from the right path even if it stood before her. Her family, ashamed. Bran, ashamed, murdered for her lack of empathy and carefullness. Argis, he would be ashamed of her cowardice, of her want to flee and run from a fight. Honor and glory, it meant nothing anymore.

"Do not whisper such things when there is nothing to be sorry for," His kiss was delicate, making no attempt to resume what she had so abruptly turned from.

"I will not let you sit on your ass getting drunk and feasting in the afterlife," She said, her voice muffled by his shoulder. She pulled away only for him to press her tighter against him, "Not without me."

"Aye," She felt the rumble of his voice growing within his chest.

"I am blessed with having you," She rested her forehead against his, palms pressed against his chest, "If we do this together, we can win right?" She searched fervently for the answer in his eyes.

"Aye," A smile slithered across his lips, "But I wasn't there when you took on the World Eater remember? You did that all by yourself, you're stronger than you give yourself credit for."

Eve shook her head, she hadn't been alone in defeating Alduin, whether he realised that or not, she had certainly not been alone.

"I wasn't alone," She sniffed, curving her nails into her skins, light enough that it wouldn't hurt.

"Eve," He shifted, pulling her up into his arms, holding her there and kissing her, "I am your most humble servant," He said it as if almost strained, no longer truly believing in the words. To Eve he wasn't. He wasn't just her Housecarl, in fact if she could take back his oath she would. She would have him stand as an equal in all retrospect, he had obligations to her and the fact he would die for her out of oath remained a distasteful thought. He would die for her because he loved her, not because he had made a promise to her and the Jarl, "A Nord could never turn from such honour."

"That's always your way," Eve had been like it once and it had caused her to travel a path that had ended in ceaseless disaster, "Honour and glory."

"Aye," He laughed, pride filling his voice, "Come," His laugh turned into devilish charm, his smile turning to a smirk, "I think a bath is needed before we leave."


	17. Chapter 17

**My Love**

**Chapter Seventeen**

_**nsfw**_

_(A/N: I apologise for the uber long wait between chapters but consider this the last chapter before I go on a mini-hiatus for my exams, I actually wanted to get this finished before my exams but alas that hasn't happened. Thanks for reading c:)._

"Have you been in love before Argis?" Eve asked, rolling onto her belly and winding her long fingers through the long blades of grass. The open sky stretched above them, stars tethered to the dark sky with the heavens looked down at them. She enjoyed this, no tent, only a bedroll and a fire. The stars gave her freedom and the cool breeze gave her excuses to cuddle up to Argis. Clouds casually whistled along the horizon they were ribbons of navy that strung against the red moon.

"Hm?" He had been dozing, listening to Eve twitter about things that weren't of this realm, of things that were uncertain and it made his brain hurt.

"Love," She looked at him, azure eyes large and unyielding. He swallowed hard and ran a hand through his tangled hair, "Have you ever loved someone else?" It was time Eve found the curiosity to ask certain questions. Before, she had almost dismissed them. Love? What was love to her during the war? What was love when she was entirely broken? But Eve was curious now. She knew that Argis had had a life before he became her Housecarl, and sure she had asked a few questions. How's your swing? What's it like being a veteran and tied to the Jarl? Questions that were inherently pointless in getting to know the person behind the ginger oaf-ness.

The gentle hum of a nearby river came from the east, crashing down from the mountains and into the valley where they had camped. Tomorrow they would push forth towards and past the Shrine of Mehrunes Dagon as soon as the sun dawned over the mountains peaks. Days they had spent already on the road, Eve's legs ached and her feet swollen and sore. But there was nothing quite as incredible as walking miles and miles along Skyrim's terrain, feeling the soil and rock beneath ones boots and the constant fresh air that swept and burned along ones face. It was peaceful somehow even with all of the vicious animals and insects that were intent on killing them both. For Eve, it was a madness that she could not quite define, but being in Skyrim was a reason for her heart to keep beating in its slow melodic rhythms.

"Aye, but it was something of a childish infatuation," He placed a hand on her leg and gently smoothed the fabric. The slight touch made Eve's pulse thrum, her body going numb and tingly like she had been holding her breath underwater for too long.

Eve smiled into the grass, picking out blades and peeling off the edges until only a thin strip was left. She picked another and repeated the process, an action that was not only soothing but it helped to restrain all of those provocative thoughts that flooded her wondrous mind as soon as Argis laid hands upon her.

"Tell me," She pressed. He gave her a questioning gaze, wondering why she was suddenly so interested in his past. He couldn't blame her; he had, after all, pressed her for such answers.

Eve quickly wondered if his past had been as tremulous as hers, filled with pain and anguish and Daedra worship. She wondered if he had ever been opened to that side of Nirn, or perhaps he had a normal life one with adoring parents and siblings that he could tease. After everything that had happened Eve wondered if it was right to wish everything back, to be normal and still end up in his arms.

Perhaps if she hadn't lived near the Cyrodiil border and lived in a city with protection from thieves she might have made a bit more of herself. If she had lived in Markarth maybe she wouldn't have been such a brat. But growing up inside those thick Dwarven walls and all of that stone, it was cold there was no denying that. The look of the city was rough, carved and chilling; her parents would have hated that.

"I was a young boy," His hand trailed up to her thigh, inviting her to take his hand, "I was fifteen, my parents worked as servants to the Jarl," He stared off into the distance, "I used to be the errand boy, helping out the guards," His voice lowered, "I wanted to fight."

"And?" Eve asked with a smirk, "Was she the woman who taught you how to wield a blade?" He looked at her then, the faintest of smiles on his lips. Amber eyes were a dark haze under the night's sky and the dots of stars flickered in their darkness.

"An incredible woman," He said the words with such emphasis that Eve felt a pang of jealously. Did she compare to Argis' first love? Was she an incredible woman? She smiled to herself, of course she was, she was the Dragonborn. The best he'd ever have, "A guard, took interest in the brat that helplessly followed her around."

"So you were a stalker?" Eve pouted.

"I would have to deliver messages to her," He responded defensively, "She was married."

"An unrequited love, I see," She rolled over onto her back, her shoulder nudging into his. His faint smile turned into a smirk and Eve flushed crimson, "Not so unrequited then." The words caught in her throat as she tried to laugh.

"Aye," He rested his head on his hand and stared up at the sky, "She helped me through the ranks when I was old enough to train."

"And what happened to her?" She closed her eyes and blinked the stars away. The wind picked up and she nuzzled closer to Argis for his warmth. He wrapped an arm around her, bringing her close to his chest.

"Nothing, she is still a guard at Understone Keep," He pressed his lips to her hair and kissed her. She sighed and tossed an arm over his stomach, "I never saw her much, not alone at least." He brought her closer, tilting her chin up with his thumb and finding darkness in her eyes, "I became a Housecarl and then you arrived."

"You say it like it's a bad thing," She retorted nonchalantly, sitting up and looking down at him, "The spoiled brat with a title and a death wish whisked you off your feet." She poked his sternum earning her a little 'oof'.

"Something like that," He said, pulling her up on top of him.

Eve felt the constant, soothing drumming of his heart against his chest. She was carried away by the sighs and the groans he made as she kissed him. Her body pressed firmly against his, the need to extinguish any thoughts of this other woman was her main goal.

Adventurous hands wandered up his shirt, smoothing over the muscles that clenched underneath her touch. She smiled between kisses, taking his bottom lip between her teeth and nibbling and sucking it gently until she unearthed the carnality within.

She smoothed her hands over his torso, along his sides with nails gliding along the skin of his waist. Full lips plucked kisses at his chest, dipping through his sternum and hovering at the sensitive area where skin met cloth. She palmed him through the linen, stirring a moan deep within his chest.

With a firm, deliberate touch she repeated the motion, shifting until her knees brushed against his. Hands on his hips she repositioned herself over him, listening to the quick breath of his desire. Eve watched his hooded expression as she untied the impervious knot, freeing his erection. The quiet rumble of his groan told Eve how he felt and she dipped her head, running her tongue along the root of his erection to the tip, eliciting an irrevocable shudder.

She stroked him slowly, drawing out the breathy moans that made her bite her lips. Fond memories of him inside her, moving within her and heat blooming at her core. He was always tortuously slow at first turning her into a demon with desire, mad with it. Eve leaned in pressing his arousal against his stomach, humming gently as she mouthed the thick vein at the base of his cock. His eyes fluttered closed shutting out the stars as concentration on staying sane faltered.

Eve flattened her tongue against the underside of his shaft, wrapping her soft red lips around the head and taking him deep into her mouth. He made a muffled noise, something between a hiss and a moan and she felt it at her core. She hummed again, taking him slowly and releasing him with a vulgar pop.

His hands gripped at her arms, stroking the skin of her forearm, moving with the motions she rubbed him with. She took him deep again and he moaned, knuckles blanched white, his breath coming in short ragged bursts. He trembled for the shortest moment before going rigid, hissing between clenched teeth and a sigh that resounded at the base of his throat. Eve swallowed, squeezing the last drops of his arousal before sliding over him, rising to meet his eyes.

He looked weary and drained, exhaustion of the days travel evident in his eyes. Eve brushed her nose along his before nuzzling into his neck, nose pressed against the vein that throbbed with his decreasing pulse. He brought his arms around her, rolling them both onto their sides and gingerly curling a finger through a slither of hair that had attached itself to her lips.

"I like moments like these," Argis said after a short moment. Eve fiddled with the strings of his linen shirt, pausing to look at him and catching the reflection of the stars in his pupils.

"I'm not surprised," Eve pursed, the corners of her lips twitching into a little smile. She also liked these moments; the heavens stretching out above them with land and mountains rising from the ground around them. This was freedom, in these moments Eve couldn't be bound by Boethiah or the cultists or by anyone. She was a free woman, to do with life what she will. The title of ysmir or Dragonborn didn't mean squat.

"Not like that Eve," He huffed, rolling onto his back and raking a hand through his hair.

"Oh?" She pouted stroking a finger along his side.

"Being beneath an open sky is refreshing," He said, moving an arm around her and bringing her closer. Eve obliged, stealing his warmth as the chilling breeze fell from the mountains. "I don't have to think about what's going to happen when everything reaches the end."

Eve heard the edge in his voice and she nestled closer, perched between his arm and his side.

"What do you think will happen?" Her voice was quiet and she moved to fiddle with the blades of grass again, seeking the numbing distraction it brought.

There was a long pause, not uncomfortable but heavy. There were words between them left unspoken that needed to be and Eve almost didn't have the heart to say anything. She had never really feared death; it wasn't something that had bothered her until now. She could die fighting for honour and it would have been a pleasant death and even she'd be able to get a one-way ticket to Sovngarde. But knowing that there could be no good outcome from fighting Boethiah did strike fear in her. Thinking of death now seemed final; it was absolute. To think that it meant the ceasing of breath, a decaying body with eyes that could not see the tremendous night sky again. All of the beauty of Skyrim would be lost to dead eyes and all of the words in her tongue would be abandoned on her motionless lips. Thoughts would never be thought again because she would be gone. That was the worst of it, Eve didn't want to stop thinking, she didn't want to be nothing, she didn't want to be just _gone._ Because that's what death meant it meant that she would be gone and would never come back. It was a terrible reminder that she was mortal and that she was finite.

"I-" Argis opened and closed his mouth several times before remaining silent. He sighed, his chest rising and then falling like waves breaking against sand. "I said I would die for you, I do plan on fulfilling my oath if that is what it takes to keep you alive."

When Eve peered up at him from underneath his shoulder he had his eyes closed, wrinkles formed between them like he was knotting his eyebrows in frustration. He said those words so seriously like his own life meant nothing. Eve nestled closer, his life did mean something, if not to him then it did to her. But he was stubborn and no matter how much they argued or talked on the matter he had made an oath to serve her. The Dragonborn scrunched up her nose and scowled at the grass sticking up between them. _Stupid oath._ He shouldn't be so rash to throw his life away it was after all the only one he had.

"What if I get into more trouble after you've succeeded in being a martyr?" She hadn't meant for it to sound so bitter but she couldn't help it. She didn't want to think about a life after Boethiah that didn't have Argis in it. He had been there for her for countless years, she didn't want to go back to how she was before she met him and she was scared that was going to happen if he did do what he intended. Whether that made her selfish she didn't care, Argis was her new beginning, her chance to be a better person and he wasn't just going to drop out of her life and abandon her like Bran did. Eve wasn't going to let that happen and the stubborn Nord just had to deal with it.

"You won't," He briskly ran his hand through his hair and yawned, rubbing his eyes. He shifted, pushing her away slightly making it clear that he wanted to get some sleep. Eve wasn't having any of it.

"How do you know? You'd be dead," She scoffed sitting up quickly and crossing her arms.

"My Thane please get some rest we have a long days walk tomorrow and I'd preferably not like to get killed before my proper end," His words fuelled Eve's anger and she made a hysterical noise between a grunt, a sigh and a cuss.

Argis was so intent on dying that Eve felt exasperated to the point of just letting him do it. Why bother changing the desires of one's heart?

"I wish you wouldn't just accept it," She retorted hotly, "You said we could get help from the Mage's College, we could find a different way to get rid of Boethiah for good but you're suddenly so intent on handing yourself over like she wouldn't even be double-crossing me?"

"I'm mentally preparing myself for what happens Eve," Argis replied in annoyance still with his eyes closed, "The Mage's could help us but what if they can't? I'm being realistic."

"And you think I'm not by saying you shouldn't be so willing to hand your life over to her? No matter what happens my life is forfeit in this," She lowered her voice almost to an angry snarl, "We either find another way to deal with this situation or we both die."

Eve quickly got to her feet and stormed off in the direction of the river. Fuck Argis and his death wish, Boethiah would take her life along with his. She wasn't having it, she wasn't even going to contemplate it anymore. They were going to find some other way to get rid of Boethiah and go off and live some happy married whatever life filled with goats and cattle or die trying to do that. Eve definitely was not going to hand over Argis or let him hand over himself. That was fucking madness.

_(holy shit tempted to write a little ficlet of Eve and Argis during the war times with playful teasing an unrequited feelings ps this is more of a note to myself)._


	18. Chapter 18

**My Love**

**Chapter Eighteen**

Eve slid off her boots and dipped her feet into the river, shivering almost instantly as the water splashed against her skin. She whispered an incantation and fire blossomed from her fingertips lighting up the space around her. Magic had at least come in handy on a handful of occasions. Her fingers knotted in the grass around her, tiredness evading her. She searched quickly for a few twigs and dry leaves and built herself a small fire to take the edge off her quickly numbing feet.

Argis could think what he liked for now, he could keep on thinking that he was going to give his life up for her in turn for saving her but Eve knew better than that. She had after all been the Daedra worshipper. She knew how things worked and even though Boethiah had struck a deal, the Daedric Prince was definitely not going to stick to it. There was always a catch and Argis hadn't realised that yet. He fought for honour but Boethiah was the master of deceit, conspiracy and treason. There was no truthfulness to Boethiah's words in Eve's thoughts, nothing was ever what it seemed with the Daedra, and Argis was foolish to think that it was.

She doubted that Boethiah even held Bran's soul and her families. Boethiah was so intent of having her as a servant again that Eve wondered if she'd use any way to blackmail her. It wouldn't even be the first time. But Eve wasn't going to be tricked so easily, she was smarter now. Divines, she had years on her past self. She wasn't the same Nord that had so easily walked into the Daedra's snare.

Eve doubted whether Boethiah would have wanted her back if she hadn't miraculously been called the Dragonborn. Those days were over, fighting dragons, saving the world. It was all over and even if she was still called the Dragonborn by strangers, noticed as a hero it didn't feel real. That life of the Dragonborn didn't seem to be her past; it didn't feel like she had accomplished those things. After everything she was still some ordinary Nord with a dodgy past and a future entwined with a man that had caught her heart in his hands.

The thought of him so persistent on wanting to give his life for hers was crushing. It was ache deep in her chest. She shook herself, cursing her affections and extinguishing the light. She brought her feet from the river and wrapped her arms around her knees, burying her face into her lap.

She cursed herself for falling in love, for letting her fall for someone other than Bran. She could have been the wanderer, the stranger, content in being alone if it meant that no-one else would be killed because of her. She cursed herself for being so fucking stupid in the first place. She was a brat, selfish, greedy, a coward. She cursed herself for moving on, for the giant hole that Bran had caused to be sealed shut. Argis had made her feel whole, see clarity.

Eve tried to swallow the growing lump in her throat. She scrunched up her face and buried deeper into the darkness of her lap, soaking up the warmth, cursing the tears that prickled behind her closed eyelids.

"Eve," The sound of his voice was her undoing and she broke down. She let out a muffled sob, shaking her head, trying to suck them back in, "Eve-"

She couldn't stand to see him now. She didn't want him to see her like this; a woman in tatters. She was supposed to be the one with her head solidly moulded on, she needed to see through the fog of emotions and deal with the situation at hand. For once Eve let the tears roll down her cheeks, let them create damp patches on her shirt and trousers. She didn't attempt to swipe them away, she needed them, needed the release that sudden bouts of crying brought. Hidden away in the darkness of her lap she thought things would be okay.

Argis stopped short behind her, closing his eyes. Eve tried desperately to blink away the torrent of tears before he could see. She shook her head furiously, hair swishing and sticking to the tears trickling down her cheeks. She was a mess, physically and emotionally. This was it, it was breaking point and Eve felt the strength wane, her body suddenly so dreadfully weak. She burst into tears again, sobs audible over the river.

She thought of her parents, of her mother, of the warmth of her hugs. She craved the comfort. She craved her mother's once wise words. She craved her presence, that reassurance and the promise that no matter what everything was somehow going to be okay.

She wanted to crawl into her mother's bed, whine that it was all a bad dream and ask her whisper it all away and promise to keep the demons away.

"Divines, why did you have to materialise now?" She said with a thick voice, "Seeing me like this."

She swiped away the tears and took in a shaky breath that ended in another whimper. She pressed her palms into her eyes until it hurt.

She wouldn't survive this, couldn't bring herself to see the light. She wanted her mother back, wanted to fold herself into her mother's arms and ask forgiveness, ask for help and to forget that reality existed. Eve wanted to forget her mistakes, wanted to see her parents alive again, to see them smile, laugh and love like they used to.

"The last thing I wanted was for you to be upset because of me my Thane," He moved in behind her, setting his legs on either side of her and wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. His chest was pressed against her back and yet Eve still fought, unwilling to give herself to him.

"You're so stupid," She clung to herself tighter.

"Aye I know," His voice reverberated against her back, his warm breath felt through her linen blouse.

"Thinking this wouldn't affect me," She carried on like he hadn't spoken at all. Her will was waning, his embrace, his warmth; his voice was breaking down her walls.

"Aye, I know Eve," He gave her a squeeze with one arm, the other moving hair from her neck and kissing the bare skin of her shoulder. He peppered kisses along her hairline to her ear, nuzzling against her.

"So stupid," She shook with another wave of tears and Argis clutched onto her tighter. She fell to him, moving onto his lap, falling into his arms.

"I know." He ran his fingers through her hair, pressing her closer until waves of tears subsided. She sniffed, her balled fist loosening around his shirt, "Look at me my Thane," He breathed, kissing the top of her head.

Eve shook her head earnestly, worried that he might see the broken Nord beneath the facade and be scared away. She buried herself into the crook of his neck, planting fervent kisses against his skin.

"Look at me Eve, please," He moved his thumb to her chin and tilted her head up to meet his. She avoided his gaze, looking down and pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. Argis swept away a tear and brushed his thumb along her cheek, "This is my fault."

"Because you're stupid," Her lips quivered again and through watery eyes she looked at him, a blurry image through a veil of troublesome tears.

Her heart jumped into her throat and the corners of her eyes prickled and the tears tumbled before she could stop them. Fear turned to realisation. Argis was looking at her, concerned, worried, scared even but he wasn't running. Eve had always been running away from the pain, terrified to be so tightly caught up with him. All along it had been her, unwilling, wanting to fight the battle alone and yet Argis had kept quiet, kept strong and never once turned his back on her.

"Aye," He replied with a gentle voice. He curled tendrils of hair around the back of her ears before wiping away more tears that had managed to escape, "Very stupid." No, she was just as stupid too.

"But handsome," She sniffed, wiping her nose with the sleeve of her linen blouse, "Stupid and handsome and big."

Eve watched the corners of his lips twitch up into a familiar fiendish smile. She quickly moved her fingers to the corners and followed the curve of his lips. He knew exactly what it did to her and how much he affected her. Argis was not shy about his good looks, he knew it and his over-bearing confidence and alpha-male attitude in battle was his way of showing exactly how much of a man he really was.

"I like this smile," She said with a little pout before drawing her bottom lip between her teeth again. She gave a little shrug that ended with a sigh.

She took his face in her hands, adjusting herself on his lap until her body was closely pressed against his. His stubble scratched at her palms and she watched as his face softened. Citrine eyes filled with worry observed her, waiting for reassurance.

"The Divines are so cruel," She scrunched up her face again, eyebrows pulling together as she shut her eyes tight. That smile. Everything about that smile. It made her weak at the knees, made warmth spread from her toes to her fingers, "They give me perfection and then take it away."

"No," He insisted, "Eve we aren't going to talk about this," He continued, hands in her hair and then settling at the base of her neck, "Right now, I'm not going anywhere."

"I know, but-"

"No Eve you don't know," He grabbed onto her shoulders, eyes hard soon softened, "This stupid man is going to make you feel better," His voice cracked, "I will take care of you. I will do everything in my power to look after you Eve," His rigid shoulders softened and he sighed, "Please stop trying to fight me."

He moved his fingers gingerly up to her neck again and stroked the dark hair, running his hands through to the ends. His eyes never left hers, cerulean blue, vast and as dark as the sea of ghosts, haunting him like the ghosts that haunted her.

"I'm not," Except she was and she knew it. It was automatic, uncontrollable and for the most part she didn't even realise she was doing it. But was she really at fault to be so defensive? It was self-preservation after all, losing Bran had almost killed her and she wasn't willing to let Argis finish her off.

"Aye, you're fighting me now!" He breathed; exasperated and pulled her closer, "Please Eve, I'm giving everything I have to you but it goes both ways. I need you to do the same for me."

Her hands went to his chest, pushing down almost wanting to push away. What she was doing was instinct; she had to keep herself safe, whether that was emotionally or physically. She was damn well scared of what would happen to her if everything fell apart, terrified of what would happen if Argis saw what she saw and was terrified like she was. What if he ran? What, honestly, would happen if he left? She couldn't begin to think of it, didn't willingly want to think of it.

"Argis-" The sounds coming from her lips were foreign to her ears. She sounded strangled, harsh, and rough like she had been screaming for hours on end. Her body was stiff, adrenaline making her itchy.

"Aye, I will wait Eve," He searched her cerulean eyes once more, insistent on knowing that she wasn't going to turn her back to him. When her body softened he eased his grasp, wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her in place, just in case, "I will gladly wait."

"But-"

"No buts Eve," He insisted, watching her pull her bottom lip between her teeth again, "I'll give you anything you want but in return I need you," His voice filled with warmth, the same familiar rough, coarse warmth that she so fervently adored.

"Aye?" His eyebrows rose questioningly.

Her bottom lip throbbed and pouted as she let it go. She shook herself, adrenaline turning to a soft fire in her belly that his moving fingertips slowly kindled. Her own fingers, pale in the light from the tiny fire, curled in his hair, gripping onto it.

"Aye," She breathed before slamming her lips to his.


	19. Chapter 19

**My Love**

**Chapter Nineteen**

Eve curled around Argis' body, nuzzling into the space between his arm and chest. He was breathing deeply with the occasional snore, his chest rising and falling in a calm melodic rhythm and Eve listened intently to the heart that gave the man she adored life.

One arm perched beneath her head she moved the other one to his waist and traced a nail along his weather worn skin. He let out a grunt, rolling onto his side and dragging her further into him. She revelled in the warmth and the undeniably blissful calm before the storm. She pressed her nose to his chest and kissed him there, moving her arm around him and squeezing him before scooting upwards to dip his chin.

She pressed her lips to his, breathing kisses along the side of his lips, moving to his chest, lips against stubble, nails against his back as she ran patterns with her nails at the base of his spine. He shifted, eyes still closed and groaned;

"Good morning love," His lips twitched into a smile and he rolled onto his back, bringing her with him.

Eve felt the warmth of the morning sun on her back but the breeze, still bitter from the night caused gooseflesh to rise along her body.

"You cold?" He blinked twice, pressing his palms to his eyes before wrapping his arms around her.

"If I say yes will you conjure up a plan to get me all hot and bothered again?" Eve breathed, feathering kisses along his chest until he peered down at her, a playful glimmer to his amber eyes.

"Aye, I'm sure I could think of something," He said with a smirk.

"Argis," Eve faked a shiver, "Baby I'm cold," She pouted her lips and moved against him, bare breasts against his chest and legs tangling with his.

"Baby?" His eyebrows knotted for the briefest of moments and the confusion that had been present in his eyes vanished, replaced with heat, frivolous desire as Eve's fingers slipped between them.

"Yes," She pouted, fingers wrapping around his length, "Now shut up and kiss me."

He grabbed her waist and rolled her beneath him. He crushed his lips to hers, kissing her hard and slow, drawing out the caresses of his tongue against hers, breathing in her moans as he slipped inside her. He moved fast and deep, pressing her into the earth. She wrapped her legs around him, hips rising to meet his thrusts and nails caught his sides simpering as he buried himself to the hilt before drawing back out and filling her again.

With a smirk Argis gave her the world, rocked it and gave her more.

**X**

Eve groaned, pain stabbing through her ankles and up her thighs. Each step she took she let out a little puff of air, watching it cloud in front of her lips and then disperse. Her eyebrows knotted into a frown and she glared at the back of Argis' head as he happily trudged ahead, perhaps oblivious to the protest Eve was putting up.

They had spent hours walking and had yet to crest the mountain path and head down the other side, although the scenery was entirely magnificent with the occasional rock and bent tree, the snow and ice made the journey tough going. They hadn't even stopped for a break and after Eve's exertion this morning (Argis didn't seem as breathless as she had been) she was exhausted, more than exhausted. She was tempted to fall into a puddle and fly the white flag in surrender. If this morning hadn't killed her, the mountain really would and she had been especially looking forward to one of Argis' wonderful foot rubs. That was if he was willing.

Argis hadn't even turned his head to acknowledge her lacking presence and it was starting to piss her off more than her feet were. She stopped, slammed her foot down, gritted her teeth and called his name. He carried on walking.

"Hey!" She called after her, moving towards a comfy looking rock and sitting down on it with a huff, "You can't leave me here!"

Over the wintery mountain breeze she heard the manly chuckle he made and saw it in the way his shoulders shook and the rucksack he had slung over one shoulder moved with them. He turned and grinned at her, wisps of ginger hair blowing in the breeze. He was an unbelievable ass and Eve returned his smile with a scowl.

"Eve what's wrong?" He made the walk back to her and ran his fingers through his hair, his voice teasing. Eve scowled further before blocking out the sun with a hand and glaring up at him.

"My feet hurt," She stated, face sullen.

Eve felt her feet throb and they burned beneath the leather of her hide boots. She moaned again and dropped her gaze to the floor, hunching over. Argis chuckled again and got onto his knees in front of her.

"Not much farther to go," He said, tilting her chin up and pressing his lips to hers.

"You said that an hour ago," She frowned, moving her lips out of his reach and sticking her tongue out.

"Aye," He smiled again, she liked that smile but she also hated it too, "I know, but we're almost at the top." Eve answered him with a groan and she let her head droop. He chuckled again and the smile he gave her reached his eyes and they glistened and Eve's stomach twisted in delicious knots.

The flutters in her belly were almost enough to make her give in, to power on through the pain as long as he would continue grinning like some wild man with ginger hair that swayed in the wind. But she wasn't fooling for it. Almost but not this time.

"We are not," She breathed, threatening him with the evilest of her stares. It had been enough once to scare the Imperials and the beggars and thieves that dared to pocket her coin, but it clearly didn't even make Argis flinch. The great brutish Nord with a squishy heart didn't even find her the least bit scary. There was something wrong there.

"If you stand up and keep walking you'll see," He smirked and her stomach fluttered again and she deepened the scowl until her eyebrows ached. She certainly wasn't falling for that ploy.

"I don't believe you," She huffed, crossing her arms and pouting her lips like a petulant child. If she kept talking she'd be able to sit down for a little bit longer, at least until the ache of her feet eased and she could gain some feeling back into her swollen toes again, "Lets camp here for the night," She suggested quickly.

Argis' eyebrows rose in surprise and then quickly reinvented themselves into a humorous arch.

"Oh?" He said coyly. He wasn't having that either and Eve knew it.

"Yes," She ushered, blue eyes wide, "You can set the tent up and we can keep each other warm, and maybe you'll give me a foot rub," His eyebrows rose again and she quickly carried on; "But only if I ask nicely and you're willing to give me one."

"A foot rub?" He repeated, "Tent, warm bodies and a foot rub?"

"Sound like a plan to you?" She asked eagerly.

"No."

"Oh."

She stared at him and he stared back and she wondered how she was ever going to make him take a break and let her feet recover and let her body recover after the morning. Clearly she'd have to repay the debt and see how he could like it being worked to the edges of his body and then made to walk up a mountain.

But that was certainly for another day, maybe in a month, or a year when Eve figured out how to use up all of that Nord stamina of his. Maybe it was in infinite supply and Eve would just have to deal with it.

"Do you want me to carry you?" The teasing had vanished from his voice, replaced with sincerity and Eve suddenly felt awash with guilt. Not enough to actually deny his offer, in fact she was willing to accept it and get a free ride to the top of the mountain and maybe beg him to carry her back down.

He was after all the biggest man she had laid eyes upon and although she had gained muscle through the years they had been together, she had gained only where it was needed. She was still lean, thin but not scrawny. She filled her armour, her legs muscular from her journeys and her arms carrying muscle only in the places she needed to make an easy kill. She was still so small compared to him, her lithe five foot six frame stunted against his six foot whatever, and that suited her just fine. Eve concluded that it just made piggy backs easier on him and she was sure she wasn't exactly that heavy, but the armour that she wore was.

"Is that a serious question?" She asked, eyes narrowing to small slits, "Because if it is I'm willing to take you up on that offer."

"Aye, it was serious," He replied getting to his feet and turning his back to her. He dropped the bag of his shoulders, bent his knees and told her to get on. With a little, cheeky grin she did as she asked and slid into place with her legs around his waist and arms wrapped loosely around his neck.

"Thank you," She nuzzled her face into his neck, giving him a quick kiss and then pressing her lips to his ear and giving it a little playful nibble.

The enjoyment really didn't last long. Argis had been telling her the truth and they weren't far from the top at all. Ten or so minutes after he had picked her up he dropped her down and stepped upon the crest of a ledge near the top of the mountains peak. The path they had been following dipped and slithered down the mountainside in steep steps that was littered with rocks and crumbling stone from the abrasive wind. Eve shivered, missing the warmth of his back and his arms holding onto hers. She missed feeling him breathe heavily, struggling maybe with her weight and her armour and the heavy bag he had been carry even before he had decided to give her a ride. She missed, most of all, was his silly little murmurs that he thought she couldn't hear.

"Break?" Argis turned to her and grinned, cheeks red and his chest rising and falling as he struggled for breath against the racing wind.

Eve shivered again and nodded her head whilst holding her eyes shut as the wind struck her in one cold, harsh blow. He wanted a break now? Really? She peered through her eyes again and he was watching her and she wondered if he could tell if she was watching him too.

She caught the look in his eyes, his expression conflicted between worry and something else she couldn't quite place. She had seen it a few times before, the time they had met each other for the first time in Vlindrel Hall and then others when she had woken up next to him and poked fun when she caught him staring. It was a look of vulnerability, both knowing full well that they were tied to each other, with knots and kinks and a bind that was twisted so ferociously that it would be impossible to undo. He was showing all of himself to her, accidentally, and cautious that Eve wasn't fully aware or prepared to withstand the full force of him. He was vulnerable because she meant something to him, he wanted to protect her, to bring her happiness and the only way he knew how was to walk into their relationship whole-heartedly, an open book that hid no secrets and played no games.

He was hers, and it was as simple as that.

"What are you staring at me like that for?" Eve raised her voice over the wind, shielding her eyes again and pouting her lips.

His gaze softened and the look of vulnerability shed and he smirked, a little half smile that made his cheeks pinch and a barely visible dimple to appear the at edges of his mouth.

"You're cold," He stated and she nodded in response. "Come here."

She moved to the sound of his voice and fell into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist and stealing all of the warmth he had to offer. He kissed the top of her head and breathed her in, hands in her hair, at the back of her neck and at her sides, hers finding the linen beneath his armour and grabbing onto it. Eve pressed her cheek to the cool bones of his Dragonbone armour and sighed as he shielded her from the wind.

Eve relaxed in his embrace; the daunting nausea of standing on a ledge overlooking the faint landscape of Skyrim was quelled when in his arms. He brought safety to her lips and whispered of protection with his fingertips grazing the skin of her neck. She shivered again but for a different reason.

"You still cold Eve?" She nodded and pressed closer, holding on tighter until her face hurt being pressed so tightly against his armour. He tried to pull away but she clung to him, determined in never wanting to let him go, worried that something might happen.

Memories of the night before caught fire in her brain and she shut her eyes, shutting down. She blocked out the ice and the snow, the sun beating down on them and the wonderful, blissful view of the landscape beneath them, green and brown and the rivers a dark cascading cerulean blue. Eve was willing to stop fighting, to hand herself over to him in fragments, broken but a puzzle that he had to put back together. The pieces that Bran had torn up and was dust to the wind was coming back to her and she was giving Argis it all, terrified, yet knowing that he could handle it all. And if he couldn't, he was at least willing to try and that was enough.

The thought that he was trying his damn well hardest to put things right, to fix all the wrong in her world was mind blowing. Bran had never been that kind of man, he was ignorant to the wrong, and he didn't even acknowledge the wrong. The wrong was Boethiah, the wrong was her being a Cultist and he didn't even bat an eyelid, he accepted it, moved on and that was it. The wrong in her life ended up being Bran and her family and the broken shards of a life she thought had been perfect. When Bran died and her life became forfeit she thought she would never be able to reach that perfection again.

But the truth was it wasn't perfect. It was far from it but Eve had accepted long ago when Argis strolled into her life with an arrogant Nord attitude that it never would have been. Nothing was perfect but Argis came pretty close and that was enough. It really was enough.

"You okay Eve?" She smiled, adoring the sound of her name on his lips. She tilted her head back, gave him a grin and replied;

"I'm good," She paused, got up on her tip toes and pressed her lips to his, "Really good."

"Still want me to carry you down the mountain?"

"I'll let you off," Eve scrunched up her nose, "Don't want you out of breath before we camp tonight, I want my foot rub."

"You're not even going to ask nicely?" He quirked an eyebrow and amber eyes seared straight through her. Heat flushed at her neck, her chest and slowly creeping up towards her cheeks.

"Not a chance."


	20. Chapter 20

**My Love**

**Chapter Twenty**

_NSFW_

The path down from the mountains lead East towards Rorikstead and the temperature finally eased causing Eve to prickle with sweat instead of shiver. As soon as the snow melted away and stark grey rocks protruded up from the soil, Eve discarded the sheep skin blanket she had used as a shawl to keep her warm. When the sun peaked in the sky and burned the back of her neck, little pebbles of sweat matted in her hair and billowed down her throat. Argis seemed to be suffering with the same problem. Gathered, purely, from his incessant angry mutterings, the scowl plastered on his face and the fact he kept running his fingers through his unruly hair. She could only think, however, how much she wanted to do the same, find one of those steam pools by the giant's camp and melt away in the warm water with him.

Walking became easier on her feet as the mountains turned to hills and then to gentle lumps of breakaway soil and long wild grass. By the time they reached Whiterun they headed North-East up towards Winterhold passing between the valleys of two mountains, where she had heard the loud roaring of two dragons overhead. Knowing, by letter alone that there were altars on the mountain peaks that remained the resting places of each dragon, waiting for an unknown wanderer or grave digger wanting to steal their treasure since Alduin's return.

When the weather began to turn bitter and harsh again Eve's mood began to sour. Even with all the snow and ice and sharp cold wind she relished in the feeling of having rock beneath her boots and a backpack on her back. Thankfully Argis allowed her to rest when she wanted and she ploughed through the food that he had packed and was left moaning not from exhaustion but from a full belly and a bottle still full with the most delicious honey mead. When they neared the mountain they camped at the base and Eve allowed Argis, for the first time in a long time, to set up a tent to keep them from catching cold. It was a sensible idea but Eve didn't crawl into the tent until her eyes felt puffy and Argis had to carry her inside.

Eve had wanted to stay awake and watch the flickers of green and red scatter across the sky in a mirage. She wanted to watch stars twinkling between the gaps in the dancing lights that reflected on the water's surface and glistened in the melting snow around their burning fire. That, she decided, was the only bonus to the North. Seeing the lights with all its wonder, was magnificent, it was revitalising and most of all it made her feel innocent. No matter how strange that seemed to be, or sound, or feel it was nice, just so nice to feel like that again.

"We'll be Winterhold by tomorrow," His voice rumbled in his chest as she pressed herself closer to him.

"I know," Eve wasn't too sure whether it was excitement or dread that was making her feel so... wrong. Being surrounded by mages was one thing but the thought of finding out a way to take on Boethiah without the sacrifice was something else. She was trying to be realistic, coming to terms with the fact that there may be no other way to deal with Boethiah other than give into the deal or keep on running. And Eve knew for a fact that running wasn't going to help, she wasn't going to regurgitate the past, instead she was going to face this head on, get her head out of the sand and actually face up to all of the wrong in her life.

Argis was going to make things right again and she had to help him to do that, she couldn't just give in anymore. If she wanted something for herself she had to try, to move on from what had happened, to move on from Bran, to forget the person she used to be. Bran could never be the present now, he was the past, a memory, a part of her life that was gone that could be remembered on the darkest of nights. He would never breathe again or walk Nirn again and for once, in all the years since his death, Eve was fine with that. Eve had moved on, her relationship with Argis proved that, the fact she had told him the truth about herself when she had even made a promise never to. She was older now, had more sense, she had a life to be proud of and no matter what had happened with the Imperials or during the war or all of the people she had killed in cold blood, hell, it didn't matter, she wasn't the same and never would be again.

"Are you all right Eve?" Concern filled his voice and his fingers held her hips tighter. Eve knew how determined he was to do the right thing. She knew if they didn't find the answer they were both seeking for in the Mages College then their lives were forfeit.

"I'm fine," She replied, nuzzling closer, pulling him to her and breathing him in and stealing all of the warmth his hard body had to offer. She fought against the feeling of slipping from his grasp and lying beneath the stars again. The tent felt claustrophobic, and she struggled with staring up at the muddy beige canopy above their heads.

"You would tell me wouldn't you?" He rolled onto his back, keeping an arm locked around her shoulders at his side. Eve peered up at him, tucking strands of russet, knotted, hair behind her ears.

"What?"

"If something was wrong," His gaze caught hers and it was electrifying. The atmosphere of the tent crackled with worry, of passion and everything in between.

She thought of all the lies she had kept from him, how hard it had been to stop from feeling guilty. All Argis asked was that she give herself to him; walk to him as an open canvas and hand over every broken part of her and watch him treat her with kindness and concern. She liked that, how he treated her like she was the most divine being, something to be savoured. She was fragile and he had the right hands to mend the pieces, to carry all of them with the greatest ease. Hell, it had only taken her twenty-six years to find the one to makes things right. She was lucky for that.

"Yeah," She breathed giving him the biggest smile that her tired body could manage. Warmth filled his eyes and he gave her that little half smile that made the dimple appear at the corner of his lips. Even exhausted Eve couldn't deny how much she wanted to kiss those lips of his.

"Good, now give me your feet," Eve peered through closed eyes at him, he was still smiling.

"What?" She asked with a yawn.

"Your feet, give them," She made a noise in her throat that indicated how she didn't have the capacity to argue or deny him the fact that he somehow wanted her feet.

She lifted her legs and plopped them down across his lap after shuffling away to rest her head against a rolled up blanket that was used as a pillow. She gave him one last look through narrowed eyes and watched him press his hands to her feet, applied pressure and started massaging.

"Relax," He told her and she eased into the bedroll, sighing as his fingers worked away at her feet and it was heaven, it was wonderful and she didn't even care if her feet were disgusting or anything. Argis' hands were unadulterated paradise and he knew exactly how to use them.

A moan slipped from her lips and she heard the deep rumble of his chuckle and she smiled, wriggling her feet out of his grasp only for him to snatch them back again with an angry little "Hey." His hands moved around her ankles and then up her calves, pushing away the fabric of her ripped linen trousers, all the while kneading and massaging bringing Eve closer to whatever delicious heaven he wanted to take her to. She moaned again and she heard his chuckle closer than before. His hands kept moving, pressing harder and working out the strain of her muscles, he moved behind her knees and she shivered; anticipation tensing her body.

"Relax," He told her again, rougher and more demanding as his hands moved up her thighs, between them and she grinned as he stopped, fingers kneading and drawing out the expectancy of his movements.

Eve fought the urge to glance at him knowing that was his ploy. She bit the inside of her lips as he curved around her thighs, sliding to her hips and over her abdomen. She held her breath as his warm fingers dipped into the band of her trousers and the only thing she heard was the racing of her heartbeat mixed with the calmness of his breathing. _How could he be so irresistibly calm?_

Adrenaline pumped through her body and the tiredness she felt dissipated as soon as his hands moved closer to her sweet spot. She knew what was going to happen, and should have known it from the minute he wanted her feet. It had been years and not once had she received just a foot rub, Argis had plans and those plans usually involved her getting her world rocked, a full body workout and muscles that twitched from over-exertion. She didn't care, she wanted it all.

His hands moved up and she protested against the loss of his touch. Argis only laughed and she finally looked at him, a shadow moving in the light of the lantern that burned at the neck of the tent. The lights of the aurora glimmered against the beige canopy and she saw that he moved in that too. This brutish Nord was shining and his amber eyes reflected that fiery red and luminescent green, he was beautiful, moving in the light, he was perfect. He grabbed her hips and pulled her down to him.

"Hey-" He slammed his lips to hers, cutting her off. His tongue slid into her mouth and she sighed, her hands bunching at his shoulders and then thrusting through his hair. He rocked into her and she sighed again feeling his hardness pressed up against her.

He growled into her mouth and she shivered at the sound. It was hot, so ridiculously hot and Eve craved more. Her nails dug into his shoulders and at his neck and she rocked into him again; groaning into his mouth at the same time. Her gaze caught his and amber pools were heated and glowing in shimmering lakes of liquid gold. Eve adored that colour. Loved it so much she couldn't take her eyes off him.

He made her see the world in colour, to the vibrancy of the lights, to the pools of his liquid gold eyes. Gods, she had been living in black and white and _boom! _Masses of colour burst into her life. He brought her to life, made her ride the waves of living again after she had hopped off after Bran. Argis made her enjoy herself, enjoy him and take all the pleasures in the world. With him by her side she was fearless, she was a strong woman who had a man that knew the world, knew her and wasn't afraid of anything. It was like she was dreaming, Argis was the dream man, the man that was supposed to take her breath away, and he was and he usually did it by rocking her world. Divines she loved him and would never stop loving him.

She barely registered the movements of his fingertips until they brushed the underside of her breast. She shivered and hooked a leg around his hip and held him closer. His lips moved to her cheek to her jaw and then down her neck. He tugged at her shirt and lifted it over her head then grazed his thumb across her nipple before replacing it with his mouth.

Gooseflesh erupted along her body and he was moving his hands along her stomach, up her arms and then wrapped one around her waist. He trailed kisses to her belly button and with a smirk shimmied her trousers off too.

"Want my mouth?" She felt his breath against her there and his stubble brushing against the skin of her thighs. He didn't need to ask, he knew that answer already.

"Yes," She said breathlessly, curling her fingers into her hair and indulging in sweet anticipation.

His fingers dug into her ass, moving mouth against her and gave her the world.

_Yes_

She thrust her fingers through his knotted hair, pulling at his braids and begging him to give her his mouth. She felt his chuckle and it shot straight through her, a tingle down her spine and made her nipples ache.

_This man_

"Give me-" She panted breathlessly, "Your mouth," His movements stilled and his amber eyes flared at her from between her thighs. He gave her ass another squeeze.

_She loved this man_

"I'm giving you my mouth." She saw his cheeks pinch and the corners of his mouth to tilt up. She groaned. She loved that smile too; even if it was too far away to wipe it off with a kiss.

He dipped his head again, enjoying eating her and she knew that by the way he teased her, a smug look written across his face as he brought her to one delirious end only to cause another. She was putty in his hands, or at the moment, in his mouth.

_Yes_

"Gods Argis," She moaned, neck arching and throwing her head back against the make-shift pillow as Argis made her come again.

"You ready for me Eve?" His voice was low, gravelly and it made her ache. She needed him to fill her, entirely, buried completely to the root. She was ready for him, desperate for it. Gold pools were electric, heated and warm. Eve wanted to drown in those warm eyes, get pulled under and swim in his gaze.

"Mm-hmm," She whispered not trusting the sound of her voice. She felt his chuckle and it sent another shiver down her spine; then his kisses against her belly, moving up through her navel causing another shiver but a totally different kind. His stubble and growing beard tickled her sensitised skin and she moaned, tugging at his hair to make him move faster.

Then he filled her and her eyes fluttered closed and she swore to the Nine that it was the best feeling ever. Nothing matched to having Argis inside her, just nothing. Not all the riches in Skyrim, or honour in battle, nothing, just nothing at all. When she opened them she caught his and he was grinning, a kind of shit-eating grin that made her toes curl.

"Nothing better than watching you enjoy yourself with me inside you," He said gruffly with a lop-sided grin.

"Nothing better than watching you enjoy yourself, enjoying me," Eve smirked and his grin got bigger and she didn't know why until he moved and her eyes closed. She felt his chuckle all the way through her.

He grabbed her hips, squeezing and then thrusting, hard and rough and she took it and she groaned because there was just nothing better.

"Mouth," He growled and she gave him what he wanted. He crushed his lips to hers, tongue moving against her lips then her own and he was tasting her and she was tasting herself and she moaned again. He made a hoarse groan in his throat and she deepened the kiss, it was wet and long and he slid inside her again, then harder and rougher until he brought her end and then quickly after, his own.

All she heard was their heavy breathing and she relished in the sound. Argis slid from her and she pouted at the loss of contact. He brushed it off with a press of his lips to hers and then he rolled her over, moving behind her and moulding his body to hers.

In the darkness he found her hands and pushed his fingers into the spaces between hers. He hitched one knee between her legs and settled a kiss on her neck before kissing the top of her head.

"Sleep," He told her as she looked down at their entwined hands. The lights were still dancing over his skin but she saw they we dancing over hers too. They were both colour; vibrant red and luminescent green. They were both the canvas for the sky and it was wonderful and she didn't know why because she was too sated to care.

_He gave her life colour_

_He made her life beautiful_

"Aye, okay," She breathed before settling in closer and falling asleep in her man's arms.


End file.
