AN: I have decided my next story will feature a Khajiit (I almost misspelled that as "Khajeet" so you can all be very confident in my upcoming story ;)) thief-oriented character who will be much more amoral than Ard or Argis. I hope you decide to read that story too! This chapter will contain graphic bits.
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Sunlight shone on freshly fallen snow in an almost blinding display of Skyrim's natural brilliance. The Dragonborn and his husband walked out of the inn and into that brilliance as the dawn's light played on the soft, fluffy snow.
They left Whiterun and the excited whispers of guards who recognized Ard behind them as they headed out into the bright morning.
Their wagon driver was already waiting for them and she looked at her two passengers with a warm smile. "Now this is a fine morning for travelling!" she crowed cheerfully as the two men hopped in the back of the wagon. She snapped her reigns and the horses hurried forward, their large hooves easily punching through the snow as they plodded forward.
A cool breeze blew through Ard's hair but it lacked the knife-like quality of the wind from two days ago. It smelled clean and reminded the elf of the numerous rivers that rushed around the city of Whiterun and fed the farmlands that surrounded it.
The wagon quickly rolled south and the land slowly became damper and the trees taller. They loomed high overhead and seemed to hold in the gentle mist that drifted between their boles. Gradually they left behind Whiterun and entered into Falkreath's distinctly more damp climate. Within the embrace of Falkreath's ancient forests the air seemed warmer and more serene with the soft scent of verdant growth drifting through the air.
While Falkreath was one of the smaller holds and lacked the manmade grandeur of the stone structures of the other cities, it was cloaked in its own subtle grace and more than made up for its lack of massive stone castles.
Argis looked over at his husband and saw the elf's face lit by a soft look of joy and wonder as he looked at all the greenery around him. Truthfully, it had been a long time since Argis had been so enclosed by trees. He was used to the brilliant sunlight and hard winds of the northern cities, and the green nature of the land around him seemed slightly strange and foreign to him.
"It feels likes so long since I've been able to be in a forest without being afraid," murmured the elf as the cool, moist wind gently brushed them.
Argis could only nod, feeling slightly out of place here. The wagon quickly rolled to a stop just outside of the central city that housed the Jarl of the hold. The town proper was made mostly of wood harvested from the forests around them and Argis felt like there was almost a dank atmosphere surrounding the town, as if it were cowering beneath the weight of the trees' shadows.
They got off of the wagon and Ard paid the driver before quickly heading directly for the Jarl's longhouse. He quietly and respectfully entered with Argis in tow and approached the dark haired man slouched on the throne. Argis mentally raised an eyebrow at his husband's relentless pursuit of a new home.
Argis felt a wave of disgust rock him as the otherwise handsome man languidly dropped some grapes into his mouth without moving to show his guests any sort of respect. He watched them approach with boredom and a trace of disdain.
"Greetings, honoured Jarl," Ardanthis said with a deep bow.
"What do you want?" lazily drawled the Jarl which made a flare of anger pop up in Argis' breast.
Ard managed to keep his expression perfectly neutral as he said, "I would like to discuss purchasing a small piece of land."
"Oh. That?" asked the Jarl but before the High Elf could say anything else the Nord on the throne bellowed, "Nenya! You are summoned."
A female Altmer glided down the stairs from one of the upper chambers with the grace of long practice and a not a trace of annoyance on her features. "Yes, my lord?" she asked calmly.
"These men wish to buy some property. Tell them what we have available and negotiate with them," he ordered before turning his attention back to the bowl of grapes and the goblet of wine that sat next to him.
"Please, come with me, sirs," the plainly dressed Altmer said with a small sigh that Argis could immediately tell was not directed at them.
She led them up the stairs to one of the side rooms and sat down behind a large table. "Please, be seated," she said as she gestured to the two chairs across from her.
Ardanthis took his seek and intently looked at the other Altmer across from him and Argis followed a moment later. "Now then," she said as she rifled through some papers, "what kind of property were you gentlemen looking for? Large? Small? Within the city walls or outside?"
After a momentary glance at Argis, Ard immediately answered, "A large property somewhere close to town. We can handle ourselves quite well, so it doesn't have to be within the safety of the walls."
Nenya nodded and began sorting the papers she was holding. Very quickly, a crease formed between her brows and she peered closely at the sole paper she had left. "There is only one property currently available that matches your specifications," she said as she scanned the paper she was holding. "It should be sufficient, though. It's outside the walls near the lake with a lovely view of the water. Currently, the property is undeveloped but it is cleared and ready for immediate construction."
"Can we see the location before purchasing it?" asked Argis cautiously.
Nenya blinked at him for a moment before answering, "Of course. We will leave shortly with an escort. Please, follow me."
She led them back down the stairs and tapped two of the guards on their shoulders and gestured for them to follow her. With quick strides she left the Jarl's hall behind and hurried out into the town.
Argis was relieved to see the land became less misty and boggy the farther from the town they moved and the trees became less cloying. Bright lances of sunlight burst through the canopy and dappled the dirt road before him which raised his spirits. Very quickly the small troupe arrived at a large clearing that gleamed brightly amongst the towering trees. The fact that it dropped sharply towards the lake gave the property both a better view and made it easier to defend against anyone approaching from the lake. High, rocky spurs closed off part of the property from the surrounding area, which made Argis nod in approval. It was a sensible location.
"This is the property," stated Nenya needlessly. "As you can see it is large, close to but not within the city's walls, and it is well positioned in relation to the lake," she rhymed off as she studied the paper.
"We need to talk first," Ard said as he led Argis away from the other three of the Jarl's agents.
"I love it," the High Elf immediately exclaimed and Argis could only nod. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine living here for the rest of his life and he smiled. It was far from the hilly fields where he had grown up, far from the stony city that had raised him, and far from the icy north where he had long been fighting beside his husband. He imagined one, no two, little children running around and laughing as they sprinted through the forest or fished in the lake. Each image held him standing next to his husband. This was a patch of dirt now, but it could be a home later.
"Let's buy it, love," he said, "And we'll turn it into a home."
They returned to Nenya, who waited unperturbed by their brief discussion. "How much does this property cost?" asked Ardanthis as he looked around the location of his prospective new home.
"It will be five thousand gold pieces for the property. I can put you in contact with several local labourers who can quickly build you a home to any specification you might have. Their costs are separate from the Jarl's, though, and we will not be responsible for anything they affect or produce," she said with a calmness that spoke to her long experience working out such deals for the Jarl.
With a shrug the Dragonborn murmured, "Fair enough. I accept." He pulled out a promissory note from the Jarl of Windhelm and handed it over to Nenya. "This should cover the full amount," he said softly.
She scrutinized the note closely as she looked for any sign of tampering or forgery and nodded to herself. "If you'll return with me to the Jarl's longhouse I can arrange for the builders to meet with you shortly," Nenya said with her brusque professionalism.
They returned to the longhouse quickly and the two guards were hurried out to collect the lead builder. After leading them to the first room she had spoken to them in, Nenya politely asked them to, "Please wait here. Refreshments will be supplied shortly."
A Nord serving girl brought up a tray of preserved meats, bread, and mead before quickly departing and leaving the two alone in the room.
"I think we should start off with a small cottage," said Argis who was largely ignoring the food, "Nothing too big or too fancy for the beginning and then we can add onto it from there."
Ard looked slightly surprised as he glanced at his husband, "Are you sure you don't want something larger?" He tore hungrily into a loaf of bread.
The big Nord shook his head and said, "I'm still not certain about the children and I don't want to have a big, empty house that all the sound echoes through."
Giving his husband's hand a sympathetic squeeze, Ard nodded sympathetically and was about to say something more when a gruff, burly Nord with a black beard that was running to grey entered.
"Brun," he said simply as he held out his hand. Both Argis and Ard rose and firmly gripped his hand. The Altmer noticed that the shake between the two Nords was much longer and more cordial than Brun's handshake with himself.
"So what can my boys build for you two gentlemen?" he asked with interest.
Argis grinned widely as he said, "A small cottage suitable for two people. It has to be weather proofed."
Brun obviously hesitated before he asked, "Something small and cozy won't have a lot of space. Do you want two bedrooms?"
"One," firmly answered Ard as he looked challengingly at the other Nord who only swallowed thickly and noted it down on the scrap of parchment he held.
"When can you get started and when can you be finished?" asked Argis as he drew the other Nord's attention back to him.
Brun smiled and said, "We can start tomorrow. We will finish in two weeks if the weather stays bright and clear."
A final handshake sealed the contract between Brun and Ard.
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The two weeks seemed to pass by with achingly slowness that left both Ardanthis and Argis wishing their small home was finished quickly. Repeated visits to the work site saw diligent workers and rapid progress on the small cottage as the builders cut down the necessary trees and hauled in the necessary ore in as they built the house. The framework quickly went up and the small cottage's skeleton took shape.
They lived out of the town's small inn and quickly became oddities around Falkreath. While not every Nord in Falkreath approved of their marriage, some openly glowered at Ard as he passed by them, they were quickly accepted into the sleepy life of the hold.
To pass the time they frequently sparred with the guards and each other while roaming the forests to better understand the new hold they hoped to call home. Rumors of dragon sightings increased and fearful murmurs passed through the town as the people cautiously watched the sky but nothing disturbed the gentle swish of the trees besides the odd bandit.
At last, three days ahead of schedule, Brun returned to the inn in the evening and cheerfully announced that the cottage was done.
He brought the two men back to their new home and proudly presented it. To Argis, the sunlit clearing seemed perfectly idyllic. Brun cheerfully boasted, "It'll keep out the cold and the bugs and it's built to last – solid as one of the barrows and bound to last as long! We set you up with the basics, but if you need more just look for us in town."
The workers departed quickly and Argis hurried into their new home. It smelled new, with the lingering scent of pine resin and sawdust dancing in the air. The room was small but solidly built and a cheerful fire blazed in the hearth. A simple but large bed, two chests, and a table with two chairs sat in the room and the table was set with simple wooden dishes.
Joy was openly written on both men's faces as they looked around their small but new accommodations. Argis poked through the barrels and bags that sat near the fire and quickly had a stew made with three kinds of fish, and more vegetables than Ard could count, simmering over the fire.
Away from the grandeur and politics of Windhelm, the rustic food seemed so much delicious than anything served in the aging palace. The warm firelight and hearty fare made the pair feel elated and Ard reached across the small table to take Argis' hand as he asked softly, "Should we 'christen' this place tonight?"
Argis quickly warmed to the suggestion and agreed. They hadn't been celibate in the inn but they were always conscious of the thin walls of the poorly made building. They hungered for true privacy.
Sinking down onto the firm mattress, Argis was surprised by the aggressive hunger in his husband's kisses.
"Argis, I want you to do something for me," murmured Ard as he licked at Argis' nipple.
"Anything, love, anything," breathed the big man as he ran his hand down the elf's back.
Ard stopped for a moment and breathed, "I want you inside me." His breath was warm and soft on the Nord's nipple and Argis could only gasp in surprise. All throughout their marriage he had never been invited to do this.
Suppressing a pleased groan, the Nord gasped, "Are you sure about this, love?"
Ard pulled back and nodded, his face a mixture of anticipation and fear. "You seem...overjoyed every time I enter you. I want to feel that too," he explained awkwardly. Unwilling to look the proverbial gift horse in the mouth, Argis simply nodded. Their pants were off a moment later and Ardanthis was on his hands and knees on the bed. His face was set in a strange sort of grim determination that almost made Argis laugh.
With great skill and care, Argis massaged the elf's ass. He made sure to keep his own elation and excitement in check as he prepared the elf's tight entry. His breath shuddered in and out of his body as big Nord eyed the golden skinned elf in anticipation. He had longed for this, waited for this, and hoped for this for a long time. He had been content taking the Dragonborn's cock, but he had wanted to share the joy he felt with his husband.
The noises the elf made were exquisite as the Nord's fingers slipped inside, but Argis managed to restrain his lust. This had to be perfect, he constantly reminded himself. He would give his husband all of the joy he had ever received from their lovemaking. Whatever had prompted this strange change in roles might never come again and Argis needed this to be as beautiful as he could make.
Though his primal side roared at him to slam into the elf over and over, to claim the Altmer, Argis held himself back. This wasn't some other Nord he met in an inn and could savage in a flurry of pleasure.
He exhaled shakily, his body quivering with excitement, as he slowly slid into the golden ass that was presented so perfectly to him.
The Altmer grunted deeply as Argis continued to move in while murmuring gently and encouragingly. It had been so long since the Nord had topped someone that the rush of perfect, tight heat around his rock solid cock was euphoric. He moved slowly, making sure to rein in his desires as he gently began to move in and out in slow, even strokes.
He didn't realize until that moment how much he missed being on top. The thrill of conquest, of aggression, of control rushed through him and sent tingles shooting up and down his spine as his pace became much more energetic.
Ard gasped and moaned, his eyes screwed shut as he felt every one of the solid thrusts that Argis slammed into him. Pain and pleasure mingled behind his eyes and he refused to open them as the sensations washed over him. Without really intending to, he surrendered control to Argis who was muttering encouragements and praise in a never-ending stream to his husband.
Divines, the Nord's large cock hurt but each thrust inward felt good at the same time.
Argis was skilled and strong, and he competently moved Ard into new positions as he began to talk louder. Ard felt like the other man's hands were everywhere on his body and he grunted in time to the hard thrusts. Eventually, the elf was on his back and he looked up through squinted eyes at the elated expression that was written on Argis' face. He quietly wondered if his face looked like that when their roles were reversed.
He felt exhausted as the Nord continued to vigorously slam into him, their sweaty bodies wrapping around each other. Already, the elf had cum twice and his belly was splattered with his own seed but the big man didn't seem to be slowing down. His feral pace only continued onward as the sweat and semen on the elf's body mingled.
Ard's pleasure and pain intensified as Argis became almost frantic with his thrusts and it was moments until the elf felt an explosion of warmth deep within him. He gasped as Argis jammed himself in particularly deep with each of those final thrusts and gave strangled shouts of joy. He thrust, weakly now, twice more before he pulled out and sank down next to the Altmer.
Their tired-but-happy gazes met, and both of them knew that this would not be their last time switching roles.
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Ard's pleasant sleep was awakened by a very deep but very faint roar that seemed to echo down from far away.
Alarmed, he jerked awake and his sudden motion pulled Argis into wakefulness too. "What is it?" blearily asked the Nord as he looked at the elf.
"I don't know," honestly answered the Altmer, "But it feels wrong." The worry and fear that laced his voice ensured both men were alert and they hurriedly gathered their armour and arms. That fearsome roar sounded again, this time closer, and they warily waited to see what it signified.
The dawn was just beginning to break over the horizon but neither of them left the cottage. They sat by the windows, fearful and watchful for whatever had made the noise. The loud thump of wings pounding the air sounded over their little cottage and seemed to center over their heads. They fearfully looked out the windows and tried to see its source.
Suddenly, their world was on fire. Both Argis and Ard staggered out of the blazing cottage. Just overhead, a dragon hovered over their burning home and released another gout of fire that reduced the rest of the structure to a bonfire.
"NO!" shouted Ard in horror as he watched his new home being consumed. With a snarl of rage he drew both of his hands together and formed a massive ice shard. Wordlessly, he launched it at the dragon's wing. The shard punched through the membrane and the cold magicka quickly dispersed and froze a large swathe of the dragon's wing.
The scaly beast roared in pained surprise and tried to gain altitude, but the frozen part of its wing shattered under the strain and the beast collapsed to the ground and slammed down into the flaming ruin of the cottage.
Argis already had his shield and sword drawn and he waited for the creature to leave the blinding blaze behind. Though it was largely unharmed by the flames, the dragon roared deafeningly as it charged out of the fire.
It centered on the elf that had wounded it so badly and spat a jet of flames at the Altmer, but the wizard blocked them with a magical shield.
He retaliated with another spear of ice that jabbed into the dragon's chest. The ancient creature seemed truly taken aback by the ice, so Ardanthis pressed his advantage and began to fire a hailstorm of icy spells at the dragon as Argis charged it. The Nord quickly scaled its ruined wing and began to jab his sword into the space between the scales on the beast's back.
Shaking itself like a wet dog, the dragon attempted to dislodge the warrior while still aiming its deadly breath through the hail that pounded it. It seemed unable to do either, and with a despairing roar it collapsed to the ground, bloody and broken.
Filled a deep, raw anger, Ard stalked up to the creature and met its gaze. His husband joined him as they glowered down at the humbled dragon.
It gasped in a breath and rumbled, "Alduin will devour you. You will not be able to escape his hunger. You have bested me, but he will best you, Dovahkiin. Your people will fall."
"We'll kill every one of your kin just as we killed you, dragon," spat Argis. He raised his sword to jam it through the dragon's eye and into its brain.
"No," said Ard, "Wait." Both the dragon and Argis looked at him with surprise. The Altmer looked down at the dragon and said, "You know who I am. You know if you die here I will absorb your soul. You will become nothing."
"I do not fear death, Dovahkiin," answered the dragon.
"Liar," said the elf simply, "You do not fear death because you evidently have a way to come back to this world. If I devour your soul you will never be able to return." There was a moment of hesitation before the elf said, "Dragon, I have a deal for you."
The sheer shock shown on Argis' face could not have been greater as he heard the elf say, "Give me your word that you will no longer trouble the peoples of Skyrim for as long as I live if I restore you and that you will carry me to Alduin. It is time to end this. I've tried to avoid being Dragonborn for far too long. I cannot stand by any longer."
"I..." the dragon's hesitation was evident, "agree. I swear that while you live, Dovahkiin, I will not attack our ancient slaves. I will carry you to Alduin so you will die quickly," said the dragon, its shame evident in its tone.
Argis finally spoke up and snarled, "You can't seriously trust this creature!"
"Argis," the elf said softly, "Every last legend says that dragons are creatures of their word. I can trust it because it wants Alduin to kill me."
Without any further time wasted, his hands glowed with a golden light that he allowed to seep into the dragon's wounds. The membrane between the wings was rapidly restored under his light and when his magic gave out he began to mix crude healing potions in a hollow in a boulder.
Hours later, the dragon was standing once more before the exhausted elf and his husband. Thought it wasn't completely healed it was strong enough to fly. Both of them doubted they could kill the dragon if it decided to betray them and it also knew that it had the upper hand.
Without fanfare, it lowered one of its wings and allowed the two men to climb up on it. "You will see the world through our eyes, Dovahkiin," rumbled the dragon as it felt the men settle in behind it. They seated themselves between the spines on its back as the dragon beat its wings and took off.
Neither man had flown before, so each was stunned by the wind tearing at their faces and the sprawling vista below them. The dragon made sure its flight was steady and that its passengers wouldn't accidentally be bucked off as it soared through the brilliant daylight.
Ard took the opportunity to recover his strength and used tiny pulses of healing magic to keep the cold and high altitude from giving him frostbite. Argis seemed unbothered by the temperature and actually seemed to be enjoying the flight.
The bright day wore on and still the dragon flew onward and eventually began to angle towards a small island off of the western coast. Worn, ancient battlements rose high over a lush forest that surrounded the ancient structure. Far down below, Draugr patrolled the crumbling fortress but the dragon flew over them without hesitation.
It circled high over the heart of the fortress where a large portal glowed. Alduin walked slowly towards it and Ard's breath caught in his throat. He remembered that dragon from his near-execution in Helgen and his blood boiled for vengeance.
Alduin looked up at the approaching dragon and hurried into the portal. His mount turned sharply and balked at going through, but the elf placed two extremely cold hands on its neck and urged, "Go in. Your word binds you."
With a roar of dismay the dragon banked and came around as it angled to enter the portal which was starting to dwindle. "Hurry!" urged the elf as he saw the only way to his ultimate enemy disappearing.
His dragon furiously beat its wings as it hurtled through the portal. After a disorienting moment where the elf felt disconnected from both time and space they appeared in a strange, misty landscape.
Alduin circled high over head and Ard's gaze immediately oriented on his foe and he felt some sort of gut-wrenching compulsion to fight the Devourer. It felt like every moment, even the ones on the Summerset Isles, had been leading up to this moment.
Before anything else could happen, the Devourer roared something in the dragon language and Ard understood none of it except for the end, "Fusaartho you have betrayed me!" Alduin was suddenly diving towards the lesser dragon who desperately tried to dodge. Instead of slamming down into the middle of Fusaartho's back and crushing his two passengers, Alduin caught the other dragon's haunches and dragged him down. Hot blood exploded into the air as Alduin's claws and teeth rent the other dragon's flesh.
Argis held onto Fusaartho in fear as they plummeted towards the earth. Unlike his husband, Ard took the chance to hurtle lightning bolts into Alduin's wing and ensured that the Devourer's appendage was too damaged to support him in the air.
Both dragons slammed into the strange, hard earth with bruising force. Luckily, the two riders were only thrown from Fusaartho's back as the dragon's body absorbed the worst of the impact.
A burst of light that heralded a dragon's death flared across the landscape and Ard hurried to his feet as he looked for Argis. He saw the Nord rush to his feet and draw his sword. Fusaartho's soul rushed into Alduin's gaping maw as the Devourer absorbed the slain dragon's essence.
Without hesitation the two mortals charged Alduin. A dazzling volley of lightning bolts peppered Alduin, who roared as he was pulled out of the euphoric feeling of feeding on another dragon's soul.
His distraction cost him as Argis threw his whole body into a powerful strike that jammed his blade deep into the dragon's leg. A hot gout of blood poured forth from the deep wound as Alduin roared in pain and spun faster than Argis thought a beast of his size could move. The dragon's thick tail slammed into the Nord's raised shield and blew the wind out of him as it launched the warrior through the air. The Nord's blade flashed through the air as it went flying far from Argis' hand.
Ard's heart stopped for a moment as he saw the blonde Nord fly through the air and roll as he hit the ground. "Argis!" he screamed with fear when he didn't see his husband move.
Alduin turned back to him and roared a challenge as Ard hurled a barrage of ice spikes at the dragon. The softly glowing spikes jabbed into the dragon's hide and punched through his scales. A roar of pain tore out of the dragon's throat and he turned on Ard with a vengeance.
Some unknown instinct warned the elf that his shield wouldn't be able to stop Alduin's flames like it stopped Fusaartho's. Scrambling desperately, Ard hid behind a massive boulder as a river of white-hot fire exploded over where he had been standing moments ago.
The boulder he was leaning against quickly grew hot as Alduin refocused his attack on Ard's shelter. Brilliant flames licked around the edges of his cover and the Altmer made himself as small of a target as he possibly could.
At last the stream of heat ended, Ard rushed around the boulder and quickly lashed out with bolts of lightning that blinded the dragon. Alduin reared back, roaring and whipping his head back, which allowed the Altmer to charge towards his wounded leg.
Alduin snarled and tried to reorient on his foe, but his injured leg hampered him. Ducking beneath a swiping wing the elf raced to the wounded leg and threw himself up on the massive, wounded leg.
Copious amounts of blood poured from the wound and Alduin kicked weakly as he roared in anger. Ard didn't stop his climb and quickly managed to get on top of Alduin. He steadied himself for a moment on the dragon's back and rushed towards the base of the Devourer's serpentine neck. He prayed to all the Divines that Alduin couldn't arch his neck far enough to incinerate him.
His prayers appeared to be answered and the dragon simply roared as it tried to shake itself free. Another burst of brilliant fire shot skyward as Alduin impotently displayed his anger.
Ard hesitated, unsure of what to do. The heat that radiated off of the dragon's body was already burning his boots and the elf rapidly tried to think of a way to kill Alduin before he was shaken off of his perch on the dragon's back.
He quickly shot shuddering jolts of electricity into Alduin but he knew it wouldn't be enough. The quaking dragon's motions were also made more violent by the bolts that pierced into him.
The elf's thoughts strayed to his husband and a tiny fraction of his mind screamed at him to try to find out if the Nord was dead or alive but he knew he couldn't do that without condemning all of Skyrim to destruction.
He thought of that icy land and of all the annoyance the cold had caused him, but in a flash of inspiration he decided to embrace the country's frigid environment.
A cool mist poured off his hands and the elf looked at them for a moment, wondering how his paltry cold magicka was going to chill a dragon of Alduin's proportions, but he gritted his teeth. It didn't matter anymore – he had to try. He gathered every last trace of icy energy he could and began to unload the spells into the dragon's broad back.
Massive spears of ice plunged into Alduin's back but sizzled away to nothing in moments as they fought against the heat that seemed to radiate from his body.
The barrage of ice sent the Devourer into a frantic fit of violent thrashing but the elf persisted. He threw himself into the magical effort as the ice poured into the dragon. Ard continued to cast until he felt hollow and devoid of any remaining energy.
Closing his eyes, Ard saw the Throat of the World's ice shrouded heights. He saw the icy waters of Markarth flowing through their stone paths. Windhelm's ancient, icy streets unfolded before his mind's eye and he could feel the wind tearing down the narrow corridors. Lastly, he let himself remember the power of Skyrim's wild places. The scrub grasses of rolling fields danced under the touch of the wind as the great aurora danced high over head. Roaring waves crashed onto the shores as icebergs drifted in the distance. Forests, covered in snow or lushly green, rustled as the animals raced through them.
Each thought flashed through the elf's mind as he thought of the land he had come to live in. It wasn't just a place to live, though, he realized as one more image touched his exhausted mind and strengthened his flagging spells.
Argis' scarred, tattooed, and handsome face floated foremost in his thoughts. Skyrim was a place to live until he had met Argis and then it became a home. It became more than a land where the hand of the Thalmor wasn't absolute. It became somewhere he wanted to live and to protect. He smiled as the cold intensified around him, seemingly fed by the memories of Skyrim.
Images of his husband laughing, fighting, broken hearted, and relaxing swam through his mind. Each one urged him to continue to fight against Alduin and to protect all of Skyrim – all of his home.
The last image to filter into his mind was the little cottage, smashed and burning, after the dragon attack. All of Skyrim would look like that if he failed here.
With renewed vigour he poured every last trace of himself into his spells. He sucked in a deep breath and roared, "FUS RO DAH!" and the concussive force of the blast pushed Alduin onto his belly while driving the ice shards that yet remained deeper into his flesh.
The Devourer's struggles grew weaker as Ard continued to pour his magical power into the beast's body. He drew on every trace of Skyrim's icy nature to feed his in this strange land as he unleashed everything he had.
Alduin finally buckled and collapsed to the ground in a cold, broken heap. His death throws unsettled the wizard and Ard fell to the ground. One look at the blood soaked wreck of Alduin's large body told him the dragon was dead and his thoughts immediately turned to Argis.
He raced over to where he knew his husband lay and knelt beside the fallen Nord. "Please be alive, Argis," he begged as he gently rolled the Nord onto his back.
Glazed, unfocused eyes looked up at him and the Nord rasped, "Did we win?" Ard winced as he looked over Argis' wounds. His shield arm had shattered in numerous places and his breastplate had been caved in by the force of the dragon's attack. It seemed miraculous that the Nord still drew breath.
"Yes," whispered Ard as he looked for something – anything – in him to give to his love. He closed his eyes and begged the Divines for just a bit more strength, just enough to save one life. What good was it to have saved Skyrim if he lost the one thing that truly made it his home?
He dredged the corners of his soul for anything left he could use but came up empty handed. Panic began to set in as he continued to dig. "We've been here how many times, love?" asked the Nord with a soft, bloody smile. He coughed up pink froth, "Each time you saved me, but I think... I think it's my time."
"NO!" roared the elf in response as he desperately looked inside. He couldn't lose Argis, not now, not ever. He silently begged and pleaded with every Divine and Daedric Prince he could think of for a way to save Argis, but no answer came. His hands shook in fear as he saw the Nord's breathing get shallower. This isn't how it ends. This can't be how it ends.
Bitterly, he imagined Skyrim without Argis and it was like the entire land had lost all of its warmth and vitality. It was only cold and ice without love.
The prospect of that deepest fear becoming real made him frantic. He slapped at his belt and jerkin as he sought any sort of potion, healing for Argis or magicka for himself, and found nothing. Even as Alduin exploded into light behind him, Ard's focus remained locked on the fallen man.
"Please, please don't leave me," he begged as a strange light began to swirl around him. He felt some sort of force tugging at him, pulling him away from Argis. He threw himself onto the Nord and refused to let go as the light washed over him. Another moment of that strange disconnection from reality saw the elf back near the ruin of their cottage.
The fire had burned down and only cold ash remained to be stirred by the wind. A trace of that icy wind blew over Ardanthis and seemed to whisper to the elf of all the grace and glory that had inspired him to defeat Alduin.
Ard seized the slight trace of magicka that began to stir in his blood again as he called a faint glow of light to his hands and pressed the renewing energy into the wound. It wouldn't be nearly enough and he knew it. Argis would bleed to death long before Ardanthis managed to muster enough magical energy to restore him.
"By Shor's bones," called a voice from nearby and the words were followed by the heavy thud of boots. Ard looked up, unsure if he had it in him to defend them against a bandit. His jaw nearly dropped as he looked at Brun racing towards him. Without hesitation he knelt next to Argis's broken body and looked over the wounds for a moment. The Nord pulled out a red bottle and eased the contents down Argis' throat. "We heard the noise and saw the light from Falkreath," he breathlessly explained, "And we hurried here to see if you both were alright."
Without asking for further explanation or offering any of his own, Ard removed Argis' breastplate so the Nord's chest could heal unimpeded by the hard, dented steel. He watched another healing potion disappear down his husband's throat and his breath caught as he watched Argis' once-strong shield arm snap back into a much more natural position. Drawing in a deep breath, Ard laid his hands on Argis' chest and funnelled his remaining magicka into another burst of healing light.
Relief swept through him as he saw the Nord's breathing ease and he nearly sobbed with joy. He knew deep in his gut that Argis would live. Brun rose to his feet and rapidly blathered, "I'll get the priest. Don't worry!" before thundering off into the trees.
Argis opened his eyes and looked at Ardanthis with a small smile, "We saved Skyrim, didn't we?"
"We did, Argis, we did," replied Ard as he pressed more healing magicka into the Nord's shattered body.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
AN: How did you guys find the end of Alduin? I actually really struggled to find a half-decent way of killing him off without telling the entire game's plot. That was my solution, and I feel it was slightly graceless and too quick but I couldn't really think of much else. The next chapter will be the finale but I couldn't decide how I wanted to end this story so I'm going to post two endings that will begin the same but have different conclusions. As always, please feel free to leave any sort of criticism or feedback you want – I appreciate it.