Of Fond Memories (Skyrim Oneshots) [Requests Closed]

(Faendal) Broken Promises

Art is from a mod created by Kerwin1988
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The final rays of the sun shone down upon her raven dark hair, her eyes looking up at him with affections, promises and hopes. The soft hands of hers were entangled with his, her lips held the sweetest of smiles.
Faendal felt like she was a dryad shyly watching the visitors in her forest from the giant trees of Valenwood but only Camilla was more beautiful and had a heart of gold.
The wood elf smiled back and brushed her cheek gently "Camilla..." he whispered, the imperial blushed, her gaze looking away as she bashfully smiled.
"I... love you" Faendal confessed, the woman gasped and looked at him. Before she could even say anything, he closed the gap between them. Camilla was reluctant for the first few moments before she slowly gave in, accepting his love for her.
If only her promises were true like her smile, as pure as her gaze and as strong as her stubbornness. They would've been a happy couple, living like a fairytale in Riverwood. But they weren't, her promises were fragile, diluted and coated with sweet lies.
Faendal never imagined let alone expect to see the woman he loved to be in the arms of his rival in the very same day of their confession.
In the dimly lit corners of the Sleeping Giant inn, Camilla had her arms enclosed around the bard's neck. Both of them sharing a passionate kiss. As if her events with Faendal had never happened.
The wood elf felt his heart ache at the scene, he didn't step inside the inn, he clenched his fists and shut the door with utmost force before walking away from the village, faraway from that woman.

Among the snowy woods where wind wailed like a banshee, where the cold cut deeper than a sword and where even giants feared to tread, Faendal had gone there. Alone, armed only with his hunting bow. The rage in his heart was his only will to fight anyone that night.
The wood elf wept bitterly, he didn't care for the cold or any lone wolf who would find him easy prey were he not careful enough. He didn't care at all. That horrible event still circling in his mind and all the possibilities with it, he could've attempted an assault on Sven, he could've killed him but... he just ran. Faendal felt so helpless, so alone, broken... betrayed.
The wood elf lifted his face from his palms, reaching for an amulet that he kept near his heart. It was made from the vines of an ancient tree in Valenwood, that tree had brought so many lovers close and for that Faendal planned to gift it to Camilla rather than an amulet of Mara. As bosmers value and believe symbols of ancient trees more than an enchanted metal amulet.
Yet all his dreams of them being together was just that, a dream. Should he fall tonight at the fangs of a beast stronger than him then he would have no regrets of accepting it.

The sound of a dying squeal appeared from behind him, he looked to find a sabrecat was about to sneak up on him. Only Faendal was saved by (y/n), a woman he had taught marksmanship before.
The woman looked up from the carcass, she stared at Faendal's grieving self.
"What is it that you want here?" Faendal looked away and bluntly asked
"I followed you from Riverwood..." she muttered, slowly walking towards him, her gaze was gentle and empathetic as always.
Faendal refused to let their gaze meet, he quickly wiped his tears away
"So? I just decided to take a stroll in this fresh air, you rarely get such a beautiful weather" he muttered
"You mean this snowstorm of a weather?" she smiled "Faendal, we both know that's not what happened... you wouldn't run all the way like that..." (y/n) said, she on the other hand was stubborn to have their gaze meet
"It..." Faendal's voice was shaking, he couldn't tell if it was from the cold weather or the heartbreaking event "I... had... I thought..." he couldn't continue, he felt tears rolling down from his eyes.
(Y/n) felt a strange pain in her heart upon seeing him break into tears, she was sure that she never saw him more than a friend then why did she feel such pain?
The woman gently held his hand, intertwining her fingers with his, burying her face in his chest.
"Please don't break like that..." she mumbled. Faendal was stunned when he felt her warm embrace around him, it was so sudden and unexpected. But it was just like the warmth of first touch of summer in the cold forests.
The bosmer involuntarily entangled his fingers in her long hair, closing his eyes and feeling her healing presence.

They didn't share anymore words after that, they didn't need to. (Y/n) looked up after a while, her eyes slightly glistening, it seemed like she was reading into his soul.
Faendal smiled and returned her gaze, gently holding her face.
"Thank you..." he whispered
"Why are you thanking me?" she asked
"For showing me that the world hasn't ended... for being my only hope when everything shattered around me..." he exhaled a breath that he felt like he held for years.
The woman smiled shyly, too reluctant to open her heart to him.
For this, Faendal slowly pulled her closer to him, giving a moment's pause as their breath danced... then gently, their lips met...