Chapter 25

Paarthurnax stared down that the young dovahkiin. The fur had almost receded a few times, but never enough to show the man within. It seemed the dragon tongue helped push back the animal and bring forth the dragon within.

"Gah Hah Dov," Paarthurnax shouted at the beast. "It is time to leave and find your mate," he gritted his teeth as claws dug into his scales, but the shout worked, Dovahkiin had to obey his command for the time being. He hoped he made it to the burial site before the shout wore off.

With a great flap of his wings, he took to the sky. He bit off a shout of pain when Dovahkiin's claws sunk in deeper. He could feel the fear coming off of the animal, as he lay tensely in his claws. Paarthurnax hoped that Dovahkiin's mate really did have a cure.

He allowed his mind to wander as he soared through the air. The animal within his claws was finally relaxing, that his claws that were piercing him had finally left his scales, and the whimpering had stopped. In the distance he could see where they were to go, below him further ahead he saw Dovahkiin's mate leading a group of people.

A low rumbling growl came from the beast held gently within his claws and he knew his shout was starting to wear off. Swiftly he made to land near Dovahkiin's mate, he hoped the mortals realized it was him and not an attacking dovah. He held his breath for a moment as weapons were drawn, but were slowly put away as he drew closer.

Paarthurnax turned his attention to the elder that was with them when he heard him speak, "By Akatosh, in all my days I never thought I would see a dragon, let alone one helping," he murmured. Paarthurnax heard no hostility in his voice, only awe. Something he hadn't heard in a very long time, a sound he had missed over the ages, but it didn't matter that he was looked at in awe now, the time for dragons to rule was over.

Paarthurnax shook himself from his thoughts and slowly released the beast from his clutches. He watched the furred Dovahkiin for a moment, noticing the beasts focus was only for his mate.

"Have you been able to get through to him?" Argis asked as he watched his husband with hope and worry.

"Niid, but I can calm him so he will lay within my claws without doing too much damage," Paarthurnax answered. He waited for the beast to attack or run, but instead it was making a low rumbling sound. The other two warriors were watching the dragonborn just as intently.

"We should continue on with our journey, Jorik needs this cure," Argis reminded them. He wanted to go to Jorik even though he was an animal at the moment. He wanted to feel his husband's arms around him in any form, telling him everything was going to be fine. Even if those words were a lie, right now he desperately needed something to hold on to.

Paarthurnax looked at the dragonborn, "Gah Hah dov," He shouted once more at the dragonborn and watched as the moment of intelligence left his eyes.

"What did you do?" Argis asked nervously.

"A shout I haven't used in a very long time, it takes the mind of beast or man. This is the only way he will he can be moved safely," Paarthurnax answered.

"Is it permanent?" Vilkas asked, not liking that a dragon could have that much control.

"No, if I am not quick, I will have to do it once more before we reach the barrow," Paarthurnax stated quickly before taking to the air once more.

Vilkas watched the dragon fly off, he turned to Jorik's husband, "can we trust that over growl lizard?" he asked, eyeing the great beast warily as it sailed through the sky.

"Yes, he can be trusted, a lot more then some men," Argis answered coldly before turning away and heading towards their destination. He didn't wait for them, nor did he take his time. He needed to get there soon. He glanced up to see the dragon watching their progress. He knew Paarthurnax would wait for them, or he hoped he would. If he didn't they would have a problem handling Jorik. He wasn't sure what they were going with Jorik in this barrow. No one knew how to shout, so the shout that Paarthurnax used would be no use to them. He just hoped they figured out a way to make it where they needed to be for Jorik's sake.

"Argis we shouldn't rush," Kodlak warned him.

"Tell that to my husband's sanity," Argis bit out scathingly.

"There are many dangers in the northern part of Skyrim, we must tread carefully," Kodlak repeated.

"You don't have to tell me that. Jorik and I have been in this area many time and faced many things," Argis sighed in annoyance. He didn't bother looking back. He had the heads, and the ax, hopefully he could figure out how to cure Jorik on his own.

~oooooooooooooooooooo~

Argis stared at the large statue of Ysgramor as Vikas placed the ax within its hands. Argis moved slowly towards his husband as a large hidden door opened within the wall. He gasped as Jorik move swiftly through the opening before anyone could react.

:"Shit!" Argis hissed as he went to chase after his husband.

Vilkas watched them go, they were about to warn them of the tests, but there had been no time. "We should follow," Farkas stated before slipping through the opening as well.

Argis followed Jorik closely, not letting him out of his sights. He felt bad for the man, it was easy to see the animal was terrified and looking for an escape. He ignored the ghosts that rose, the others could take care of them, they were his main concern now. The animal that was whimpering as it ran was his concern.

He just hoped Jorik's mind was still sane when they cured. His biggest hope was that this cure worked. Slowly he approached the werewolf, one hand on his blade the other loosely at his side. The animal was blocked by a gate, with no where else to run. Slowly he moved closer to where the chain was that opened the gate. He watched the wolf carefully, as he pulled the chair. It growled low before lunging through the now open hallway. Argis quickly followed, ignoring the sounds of fighting. They were his concern, not this time. If Jorik hadn't been in danger, he would have went back and helped, now he couldn't, wouldn't do it. Not until his husband was safe once more.

Argis entered a great room where a bowl burned with blue fire. His eyes widened as he neared the bowl, there was no heat coming off of the thing but it was easy to tell this flame burned with magic. He glanced around the room quickly, searching for Jorik. He found the werewolf sitting on the far side, staring the at the flame as well.

"I hope this works," Argis murmured and tossed one of the heads into the flame. He watched and waited. He wasn't sure what was about to happen, or if anything was to happen. He wasn't even sure the old man was right that this was the way to cure Jorik.

He was about to run to his husband when the large werewolf collapsed onto its side. But that idea was went out the window when a ghostly shape of a very large ferocious wolf stood before him.

Argis dodge the on coming teeth that almost got him. His anger, rage and hurt burned through him when he glanced over to see his husband, not the beast curled up on the floor. Before him was the beast, the thing that needed to die. All that hate, rage and hurt was focused towards that beast. The beast that had taken his husband, the beast that had killed Lydia and others. The beast that did things that he knew Jorik would never do.

He swung, hacked, slashed, at the thing, he tossed his shield off to the side. It wasn't needed, not this time, this time was for revenge and he wasn't about to go on the defensive. He was brutal, he knew this when he attacked the ghost animal, even as it went down he was still hacking at it. Even when it disappeared he still slashed at it. Metal hitting stone never dawned on him, the only thing he heard was his named called softly by a voice he knew well.

Argis raced over to Jorik, pulling him tightly to his chest, he buried his face in Jorik's hair. "Please be there, please be there," he whispered over and over.

"Argis what happened?" Jorik asked, glancing around himself nervously. He looked down to find himself naked and tears in Argis' eyes. He never thought he would see the man so emotional.

"Don't ask Jorik… don't ask," Argis whispered backing away from his husband. He kept a tight hold on his hand, not willing to relinquish everything. He still needed to know his husband was safe, he needed him near.

"It worked! I knew it would," Kodlak murmured as he walked further into the room closer to where the couple were kneeling on the floor.

"Kodlak, what's going on?" Jorik asked, rising to his feet slowly. He didn't care that he was naked, something odd was going on and he needed to know what in Oblivion was going on.

"Skjor and Alea offered you the beast blood, it didn't affect you ask was expected," Kodlak explained slowly, not sure how much to tell and what to leave out. He saw the pain in Argis' eyes and knew there were something best left unsaid for now.

"Argis?" Jorik asked worriedly, looking t his husband to tell him the rest.

"We'll talk about it later," Argis said, looking beseechingly at his husband. He gripped Jorik's hand tighter," please later."

"Ok," Jorik answered, lightly cupping Argis cheek. Worry swept through him as Argis wrapped his arms around him tightly once more, holding him as if to never let him go. Jorik hesitantly embraced him, uncertainty, rushing through him. He had so many question, but the was his husband was acting had him keeping silent for now.

Jorik glanced up when he heard a low growl. Kodlak was on one knee, Vilkas and Farkas were fighting a ghost of wolf. Jorik made to go and help, "no, let them handle it, once the twins are cured we are leaving here." Argis stated, tightening his hold on Jork.

Argis felt relief sweep through him, finally he had his husband back, but at what cost when he find out what happened in Whiterun. He didn't know how Jorik would take the news. He wanted to hide that information forever, but knew that was impossible.

Slowly he sat Jorik back on the ground when he felt his husband's legs tremble. He sifted through his pack, grabbing his extra clothing and helped Jorik dressed as the twins took care of their wolves. He knew Jorik was watching what was going on intently as he dressed him.

"I remember the presence in my mind. I remember its anger at the souls within me, I remember how it was always fighting for control, never letting go," Jorik whispered as he watched each ghost wolf die. "I remember hearing your voice once, you spoke draconic."

"Yeah, but it didn't matter, it didn't seem to help," Argis answered helplessly.

"Yes it did, but I couldn't fight the other voice," Jorik said, confusion thickening his voice. "It wasn't a god, but something else. It wanted ME, it was so joyous that it ME."

"Hercine," Kodlak answered. He is the one to gift us the beast blood.

"Deadra," Jorik hissed. "Shit, I should have listened to Akatosh."

Argis held his tongue as he glared at Kodlak and the others. They were as much at fault as Jorik was. "We should leave," Argis stated as he helped Jorik to his feet.

"There's a back way out of here," Vilkas said as he walked over to an old set of stairs.

~oooooooooooooooooooooo~

They made it up to the main area and Argis grinned as Jorik's eyes turned amber. He was so glad his husband was back, dragon and all. He watched as Jorik walked over to another door. His steps sure, he walked like a warrior that he was. Even though his husband had been through hell he was recovering quickly.

"What's wrong with him?" Vilkas asked worriedly.

"Nothing, not a thing. He is being who he is, dragonborn," Argis answered proudly as he watched his husband walk away. After a moment he followed closely along with everyone else. They found Jorik standing in front of a wordwall with Paarthurnax perched on top.

"Do you wish this beast gone to joor?" Paarthurnax asked calmly.

"No, this is who he is. To take this away he wouldn't be dragonborn, a gift given by the gods," Argis answered proudly as he watched his husband learn the new word.

"Close mortal, you are very close in your thoughts," Paarthurnax answered with a raspy rumble. Argis' eyes widened when he realized that the dragon was laughing. It seemed the dragon knew something he didn't and found amusement in that information.

Argis smiled, not caring that he wasn't in on the joke, he was just happy to have his husband back, dragon and all.