Skyrim X Reader One-Shots

Irileth x Reader: She Hates Me (3)

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for reading part 3 of my Irileth x Reader story! This story is from a male Dragonborn POV. Comment to let me know if you liked it!

Word Count: 1531

Irileth had just bought an amulet of Mara. It was a pricey thing. 200 gold is a lot of money for such a little trinket, but Irileth knew the traditions of the Nords. The Nord she was imagining wouldn't even think of marriage before he saw an amulet of Mara around her neck. It was a small price to pay for the chance he might like her back. She knew that he would make her happy and that she would try just as hard to do the same for him.

The amulet drew a lot of stares when she walked into Dragonsreach. The guards were sneaking glances, and the maids were whispering. She walked up to her usual spot next to the throne and stood until the Jarl came down from his quarters. Jarl Bulgruff sat down and began to talk to his brother when he suddenly looked at Irileth. Immediately, his attention was drawn to the amulet, which he had hoped to see on her neck for years. 

The man stood and walked towards her, all eyes in the hall following him. He felt as if Lady Mara had orchestrated that moment in time, and he was blessed enough to be a part of it. His love for Irileth ran deep, and it had since they were children. Since that day she saved him on the battlefield, he had known that she was the one for him. Every night, he prayed to Lady Mara for his love to be returned one day. 

A smile crept upon his face as he stood next to the elven beauty. Irileth looked at her childhood friend beside her and returned his smile, not entirely understanding why he was looking at her like that.

"My Jarl," she nodded, "What can I do for you?"

"Is that an amulet of Mara?"

"Yes. It is," Irileth peered at Jarl Bulgruff's face, "What of it?"

"I'm interested in you," her heart dropped, "Are you perhaps... interested in me?"

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered, "I'm not."

That Jarl felt his heart break. His only love had just rejected him in front of his entire court. He would have felt mortified if he weren't focused on the woman before him. He closed his eyes and deeply breathed, "Who is the amulet for?"

Irileth, even though she was a warrior, could feel the hostility in his question and knew to back away, "No one, my Jarl," she lied through her teeth, "I just felt that I'm ready to be married."

"Just not to me?"

"My Jarl, you are my dearest friend. I could never ruin our friendship like that," she bit her tongue. She could tell by the look on his face that Bulgruff had not taken the news well, "I see you as my friend. My most important friend, but not my husband."

With that final statement, the Jarl's sanity cracked. His eyes grew wide, and his lips were pressed into a thin line, "Guards," he called, his voice scarily calm, "Take Lady Irileth to her room. Don't let her out until I tell you directly."

The guards, shocked by their Jarl's command, hesitantly grabbed the woman by her wrists. If Irileth hadn't befriended the men who held her, they would have been down on the ground in moments. Fortunately for them, she had grown to like both of them after years of their company. 

She allowed them to lead her to her room. The man on her left whispered to her before they closed the door, "I'm sorry about this, Lady Irileth."

The woman sighed as the door shut, locking her in her room. If she had known that Bulgruff would have reacted like that, she would never have worn the amulet in Dragonsreach. She wandered around her room for the next few hours, not trying to escape because she knew she wouldn't make it out of the city. Stealth had never been her strong suit; even if it had been, it would be nearly impossible to leave the city without being caught. She had designed the guard system at the gates to be impenetrable.