The first time he kissed her was deep underground in one of the Dwemer ruins that dotted the landscape.

A short ugly fight with a group of Falmer; they were winning, taking down the foul creatures one by one when an arrow struck her shoulder, piercing the seam of her light leather armour and burying itself deep into her flesh. The world tilted alarmingly becoming fuzzy and black-edged. Arianna tried to reach into her pack for a potion but her fingers were lifeless, refusing to cooperate, and the darkness rose up and swallowed her. She was vaguely aware of Argis's roar of denial as she crumpled to the filthy stone.

It could have been seconds or hours later but the next thing she knew, he was kneeling beside her, his hand sliding around the nape of her neck, lifting her head and putting a blood-red potion to her mouth, dribbling the viscous liquid onto her lips. She couldn't move, the Falmer poison still coursed through her veins, paralysing her body.

Argis growled angrily and set the potion down. He used a thick index finger to catch the liquid on her chin and sweep it back up to her lips and then the finger was pushing between her lips, into her mouth.

"Come on, girl," he muttered and sucked in a sharp breath as her tongue swirled around the finger invading her mouth, the paralysis lifting it's vice-like grip as she did so. He stared down into her face as he slowly withdrew his finger, a hint of bewilderment in his eye, and put the bottle to her mouth once again carefully allowing a small trickle between her lips. She found she could swallow so she did until the bottle was empty and she felt a little strength return to her limbs.

Argis wound a thick, muscular arm around her shoulders and helped her to sit up. Arianna realised that they were inside one of the Falmer dwellings, the black claw gate closed. She frowned in confusion and then started as his fingers slid under her chin and tilted her face towards his and she could read the almost panicked fear in his eye. He leant down to her slowly, giving her time to tell him to stop, before his lips gently and carefully brushed hers, lingering for a few brief seconds. Her heart began to pound erratically and she felt the minute tremor that coursed through him.

"I can't lose you," he muttered as he drew back from the fleeting touch. "Don't you dare die on me," he added, almost angrily.

It was at that precise moment, Arianna decided that she would marry him.

Argis half carried her from the ruin to an abandoned campsite nearby.

"Stay right there," he ordered, easing her down onto a bedroll and ducking out of sight to change into his light, studded leather armour. When he returned, she watched him through half-closed eyes, pain still coursing through her body, as he got a fire blazing and begun to prepare food.

Once he had a stew bubbling in a pot over the fire, she called him to her side.

"Help me out of this." She gestured to the wicked, ripped hole in the shoulder of her armour. He blanched slightly but did as she asked. His thick fingers undoing the straps until he could lift the ruined armour from her shoulders, averting his face from her half-naked body.

Arianna examined her stiff, throbbing shoulder, the skin around the tear was puckered, red and swollen surrounded by blue-black bruising. "I won't be using a bow for a while," she muttered.

Argis looked at her, his eye scanning her face. "We should get somewhere safe. We aren't that far from Markarth if you think you can make it."

Arianna groaned, knowing he was right but dreading the trek. Her legs were weak and uncooperative, her head pounded fiercely, all lingering effects of the poison still in her system.

"Rest a while and then we'll eat," he said, taking in her expression. His eye flickered, almost unconsciously, down her body lingering briefly on her breasts in the binding that was the only thing that covered her before he rose to his feet and retreated to the fire.

Arianna watched his broad back, admiring the width of his shoulders, the finely honed muscles in his massive arms. Her reaction to his gentle kiss had surprised her, even in its injured state her body had been excited by him.

She struggled to sit up and reached into her pack, which he had thoughtfully placed beside her. She found a clean under-shirt and pulled it over her head, hissing with pain, her forehead beading with a light sweat, as she tried to slide her injured arm into the sleeve.

Argis was beside her in an instant, carefully easing the shirt back over her head. He bent her arm up over her chest so that her fingers rested on her collarbone, covering the ugly wound. "Keep still," he said and to her surprise, he wrapped the shirt around her arm, tying the sleeves behind her neck, binding her. "Gods woman, you nearly scared the life out of me."

"He was aiming for you. I don't think he even knew I was there," she said, feeling her heart begin to pound again at his heavy hand still wrapped around the back of her neck. She watched a slow, dull flush creep across his face as he felt her skin warm under his palm. "Argis, I..." She stopped, not knowing what to say. "Thank you for saving me." She changed tack, her eyes searching his face.

"I am your sword and your shield," he repeated the oft said phrase mechanically, his eye locked on hers.

"And saviour and nursemaid," she said, wryly, and smiled to hear him snort in amusement.

"Drink another potion and rest a while," he instructed, still making no effort to move his hand.

"Yes mother."

This time she wasn't surprised when his head dipped and his mouth alighted on hers firmly, his soft full lips working against her own until her mouth opened and his tongue slipped in, meeting hers. She felt the effects of his kiss swirl through her body, setting her nerves tingling to pool molten between her legs.

His breathing was ragged when he drew back. "What's happening?" he whispered, shaking his head slightly as if to dispel the effect that she had on him.

Arianna smiled and reached up to stroke his cheek with her unbound hand. "We'll talk about this when we get home," she promised.

He nodded once. "Go to sleep, woman," he said, gruffly.

And she had to be awoken a couple of hours later with a steaming bowl of stew under her nose. Her stomach lurched in protest at the idea of food. "I don't think I can," she murmured.

"You must." His voice was firm as he slid an arm under her back and lifted her into sitting.

Arianna sucked in a strangled breath at the lancing pain that shot from neck to wrist, tears springing into her eyes, as the world tilted and darkened.

"Fucking Falmer and their fucking poison," he growled, easing her back down. "Ari, listen to me, I could leave you here and go for help."

"No," she moaned.

"We have to get back. You need a healer," he reasoned.

"No," she repeated, tears sliding down her cheeks. She felt his fingers on her face brushing the tears away and then the press of another bottle of potion at her lips.

"We must move. We're maybe two hours from Markarth. I do not want to be out in the open when it gets dark."

"Fine. I can walk," she answered through gritted teeth.

And she had. With his arm about her waist holding her upright, she forced herself to put one foot in front of the other for what seemed like an interminable length of time until the familiar, imposing rise of Markarth came into view.

What should have been a two-hour walk back had stretched into more than four and the sun had slipped low in the sky behind the black mountain leaving the purple stain of twilight as they reached the stables just outside the city gates.

Arianna's face was bone-white, strained with the effort of remaining upright and conscious, and her body was drenched in sweat. She groaned inwardly at the thought of climbing the steps up to Vlindrel Hall and wished briefly that they had been in Riften or Whiterun but the thought of nearly being home lent enough strength to her exhausted body for her to make it up the steep flights and into the cool, stone interior of their house.

Argis let the packs drop onto the floor as soon as they got inside and swept her up into his arms, carrying her quickly through to the master bedroom and depositing her gently onto the bed while she tried not to scream at the pain that racked her body. She opened her eyes to his worried face peering down at her and his thick fingers brushing sweat drenched hanks of pale gold hair from her forehead.

"You're freezing," he murmured looking about for something to cover her with.

"Armour off," she whispered.

Argis's face set into tight lines as he pulled her boots off her limp, unresisting body and stripped off her leather pants. He carefully tucked a blanket around her, his warm fingers brushing her skin, and piled a pelt on top of that.

"I'm going to get the healer," he told her and she barely had the energy to nod before welcome unconsciousness stole her senses.

"You pulled the arrow out?"

Arianna recognised Bothela from the Hag's Cure speaking in low tones as wrenching pain woke her, her body twisting in agony.

"Yes," Argis grunted in response.

"How quickly?"

"A matter of minutes."

"Then the poison is in her system." A cool, slender hand snaked under the blanket and settled on her ribs. "There is little that can be done." The hand withdrew. "Her heart is strong, though erratic."

"Will she be alright?" His voice was tinged with desperation.

"Likely she will. She is strong and healthy. Her body will throw off the effects of the poison with time and rest. Give her this when she wakes and another in a few hours. I will come back tomorrow morning."

Arianna heard footsteps retreating from the room and let out a trembling sigh as the pain receded slightly and she could drag a deep breath into her lungs. She opened her eyes to find that her vision was blurred, the room softened and indistinct. She tried to lift her arm and panicked when she couldn't move.

"Hush love, be still."

His voice came from somewhere above her. Love? She fought to focus and speak but her tongue was thick feeling and useless in her mouth. She felt the bed dip and shift beside her as Argis carefully lay down, his head propped up on one hand as held a vial of liquid to her lips.

"Drink this," he instructed.

The thick, foul tasting potion burned as it slid down her throat causing her to splutter and groan as pain ripped through her body again. Argis tucked his body close to the line of hers, his lips settling on her hair as his arm encircled her waist.

"I'm here," he murmured, comfortingly as the potion did its job and rendered her unconscious once more.

The room was in darkness when she opened her eyes again. Argis still lay next to her, his breathing deep and slow tickling at her hair and his arm heavy across her stomach. She did, she realised, feel slightly improved. Her vision had cleared and the tearing pain had subsided to a dull, throbbing ache. She turned her head, her nose brushing his cheek, he shifted in his sleep and mumbled something indistinct. Her heart swelled with affection for the taciturn man who had undoubtedly saved her life. Had she been alone in the ruin, she would have been captured by the Falmer and subjected to Divines knew what before they killed her. She shuddered at the thought and felt Argis's arm tighten protectively around her.

His eyes opened slowly. "How are you feeling?" he asked, his voice laden with sleep.

"I can see."

"You need to take more medicine." His body shifted and she felt the chill of his absence, saw his dark form disappear into the room beyond. He was back quickly with a candle that he set beside the bed and another vial of vile medicine.

Smirking at the grimace that twisted her features, he held it to her lips. "Open up," he murmured in the face of her obvious reluctance.

Arianna sighed and did as she was asked, feeling the immediate effect as her eyelids grew heavy. "Don't go," she whispered and was relieved when he lay down next to her, aligning his body to hers, his arm finding her waist once more.

It was two days before Arianna had the strength to leave her bed and totter out to the main table. Her legs felt rubbery and alien but she was walking at least. She adjusted the amulet around her neck as she made it to the chair opposite Argis and sank down gratefully. She watched his eyes widen and his face flush a dull red. He coughed nervously and handed her a plate of food.

"You need to eat," he said. It was such a mundane thing but his voice was strained somehow.

Her stomach leapt and twisted as she wondered if she had read the situation between them wrongly and then he said.

"An amulet of Mara?" The rest of his question was lost in the sudden rushing noise in her ears.

"Interested in me, are you?" She managed, unable to look him in the face.

"Won't lie, I am. And you?"

Something in her chest eased at the words and she mustered a smile as she answered. "Won't lie, I am."

His face softened as he reached across the table to take her hand in his calloused one. "Go and see the priest in Riften, he'll take care of the rest." He smiled back at her. "I'm surprised you're up."

"So am I, but I had this necklace."