BLACK WOLF - GoT [s1 - s4]

010 - a flightless bird

"and here you are, living, despite it all."
- rupi kaur

——

One month prior to Aloy's arrival at The Wall.

Erik Iversen was described as the most 'useless' man of the Nights Watch. He could swing a sword, ride a horse but he wasn't able to see or walk incredibly well. The maesters and wet nurses were unable to pinpoint what was exactly wrong with him. For his entire life, he was helpless and deemed as a burden.
Erik grew up under the rule of House Arryn and House Tully. It was no doubt a challenge when his small village hut was snuggly fit on a steep mountain outside of the Eyrie. His mother was a whore, his father he never knew. Erik never had any siblings, his mother was afraid she had some curse attached to her and that any other child she bore would end up crippled alike Erik.
    Erik was incapable of work due to the continuous ledges and stairs scattered around Riverrun, leaving his poor mother to sleep with scum. Every single day of his life, he felt worthless.
    His mother came home one afternoon, her dress in tatters from a violent regular at the brothel. She carried a crestfallen expression, the wrinkles on her forehead more prominent than usual.

"You know we have no money." She mentioned at after preparing her son a spoiled piece of ham.

Erik stopped mid-chew of his ham, he set down his spoon and swallowed before speaking.

"You don't think I know that?" He said, scratching his nails on his growing facial hair.

"My regulars are travelling to Kings Landing for the weather. Winter is coming and we don't have enough food. I just can—"

"I'll go to the Wall." Erik interrupted.

The small hut fell silent.

    "You aren't a criminal." His mother retorted, shaking her head slowly.

    "I'm a cripple." Erik reacted. He lost his appetite, pushing the piece of semi-rotten ham away. "You won't have to support me. You can move with your regulars to Kings Landing."

    "No. You are not giving yourself up to some band of wild men." His mother protested, placing her hand firmly on the table and looking into his eyes.

    "We both know I cannot work here." Erik said, avoiding his mothers intense stare.

    "We can find you something—"

    "Mother..."

    "There has to be something!"

    The room fell silent once more. The birds stopped chirping and the air grew thin causing Erik to choke slightly. There was nothing in the swampy, massive kingdom of Riverrun, most of it included long distances or arrays of stone steps. Riverrun was not friendly to people with disabilities.

    "They look at me different here. Like a weed, an unwanted sickness." Erik told her.

    "You are not leaving Riverrun. You are no worse than anyone 'round here." His mothers voice started to crack, tears swelling into her eyes.

Whether she believed her son was cursed or not, she loved him more than words could express. Erik was all she had left. He was the one thing she looked forward to seeing each and every day. But she could not afford to see him suffer around the house much longer. He would not have a decent future here.

"The answer is no. You will find good work here." She excused, picking up the plates and leaving them on the singular kitchen counter.

    Erik was left at the table with his thoughts, debating a list of pros and cons in his brain.

——

    Erik grabbed his patchwork cloak. He heard whisperings of a small group of travellers bound for The Wall. The brunette man planned to hitch a ride, leave his mother to live her life in peace.
    Erik wrote a detailed letter, describing his intentions and how much he loved her. He signed it, leaving it on the oak dining table. He grabbed a medium-sized knife, tucking it safely into the belt of his pants. Erik stopped in the door frame, letting the cool air waft into his face.

"Goodbye, Mother." He mumbled.

The door slammed shut. The journey of a nineteen-year-old crippled boy, craving purpose, began.

——

Erik finished with his job as one of the stable boys. He was covered in crusted mud on his face and under his fingernails. His cloak weighed heavily on his shoulders, causing him to slouch forward prominently. His legs were crying out in pain, his walking stick barely offering any comfort since the early morning hours.
All he desired was the stale bread, pork, and ale inside the dining hall. The warm crinkling fire and the conversation from his fellow men. Erik thanked the gods when Head Stable Boy yelled for lunch. He pushed most of his weight onto the more balanced leg, limping to join the line up the stairs.

    "Move it!" A loathsome man shoved Erik to the side, allowing himself and his buddies in front of him.

    Erik, his legs already too weak to keep up with him, fell out. He landed into a snow bank, crushing his backside with a painful snap. The men in line turned their heads to the commotion, letting out belly laughs seeing the poor boy laying on the ground. Erik huffed loudly, struggling to rise onto his feet.
    Most of the men were sitting comfortably in the dining hall when Erik entered on his own. He was sweating a mix of hot and cold. He collapsed into a bench, pulling his legs over manually.
    Erik was staring at his fingers when a bowl of pork stew was placed in front of him. He flicked his eyes to say a quick 'thank you' but his eyes stopped in front of a woman.
    Her hair was tied in braids on her scalp, morphing slowly into a normal ponytail. She had dark blue eyes, highlighted by the intense fireplace. Her facial features were curled in a disapproving grimace.

"What are you looking at?" She asked sternly.

"You're a woman." He exhibited. Erik heard rumours of a woman fighting at The Wall the day before. He believed they were trying to play a sick joke on him.

"Indeed I am."

Before Erik could speak, a man with shoulder-length black hair waved her over. The woman looked down at Erik, quirking a brow before heading off for the table the man was seated at. As Erik watched her leave, his curiosity grew for the blue-eyed woman. He would never say it out loud but she was the closest thing to odd next to him. Erik enjoyed it.

——

word count - 1,096

ta-da! our man is finally here! i'm not as talented when writing male characters compared to female characters, however, i'm trying my best.

thank you for 500 reads!! it means so much that people are enjoying my story. love you all <3

tiktok - eviesterlingg_wpedits

spotify - eviesterlingg
playlist - aloy snow