BLACK WOLF - GoT [s1 - s4]

001 - desertion

"a wolf will never be a pet."
- unknown

———

Aloy was born screaming into the world. They said her screams made the ground shake and glass shatter. Some say it was the curse of the bastard.
    Aloy was a Snow. Born beside her brother, Jon yet to a different mother. A whore.
    Aloy and Jon were different from other bastards as well, they were Starks by half. From the whorehouse they were taken to Winterfell by an ashamed Eddard Stark to his wife, Catelyn. From then on, they were raised as Starks and treated like bastards.
Aloy always remembered the cold heart Catelyn gave her and Jon. How she looked at them like vermin, a disease.
Aloy usually spent time in the stables tending to the horses or in the armory sneakily practicing with her sword to avoid the glares and nasty comments.
Today, she watched Bran practice his archery beside Rickon who sat on a saddle above her. Robb and Jon were up with Bran as he continually missed the bullseye. Jon and Robb kept mumbling things into his ear but he kept missing.

"Take a breath, Bran," Aloy advised. Bran glanced over to the brunette, giving a curt nod.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Arya sneaking up behind them. Arya grabbed a bow ten times bigger than her and notched an arrow. She shot a look to Aloy who gave her a mischievous smirk. With one slice of the wind, Arya's arrow flew past Bran's ear and into the bullseye.
Aloy let out a loud cackle as all the boys turned to figure out who shot the arrow. Bran dropped his bow with a grin and chased after Arya playfully. Aloy let out a snort as her gaze was turned upwards to Catelyn and her father, Eddard. Catelyn's gaze was cold as she turned to look down at Jon.  Eddard's emotions were a mix of shame and sadness, not a second of proudness. It didn't affect Aloy anymore, only Jon, but her smile did fall.
    Aloy patted the saddle Rickon was on, flashing him the smallest smile. Robb already left to catch Bran and Arya. She joined Jon in cleaning up Bran's bow and quiver. The two stood in silence until Aloy cleared her throat.

    "I can't stand her looking at me like that."

    Jon looked over at his older sister by ten minutes. He knew who she was talking about, feeling around the same. He always looked up to her, the way she handled every stressful situation without panic or fear.

    "It's best to ignore it." Jon nodded to her, placing an arrow back into Bran's quiver.

    "Great advice, brother," Aloy said sarcastically.

    The two shared a laugh as they cleaned up the rest of the weaponry. Aloy drew her bearskin cloak closer to her chest when Eddard approached. Aloy greeted him with a cold stare, Jon looked nervous.

    "A deserter has been captured near the grounds." Eddard spoke gruffly, "I'm taking Bran. I want you there for support. He likes you."

    It was clear he was talking about Jon. Yet Aloy wanted to join, a deserter from the Night's Watch. It was a known law that if a man from the Watch ever left, the punishment would be death. Aloy was always fascinated with the kill.

    "I'm coming with you," Aloy said, grabbing her sword and sheath.

    "Are you sure?" Eddard said, not sure if a woman would be able to handle the sight of death.

    "It wasn't a request," Aloy said, shuffling past the two men to the stables.

    Jon smirked as Eddard watched his daughter leave. He turned to his son and said, "I'm surprised she isn't Roberts."

    Jon suppressed his laugh, following behind his sister.

------

    A boy, not much older than Aloy, with shaggy blonde hair that reached to his shoulders and cracked lips, stumbled up the grassy hill being dragged by two knights. Bran and Robb stood next to the bastard siblings, staring forward at the deserter.
    He looked ashamed, not meeting Eddard's gaze. There was silence amongst them, only the strength of the wind and the flapping of the banners.

    The boy looked up, "I know I broke my oath and I know I'm a deserter. I should have gone back to the Wall and warned them. But I saw what I saw."

    What he saw sent shivers up Aloy's spine.

    "I saw the White Walkers. People need to know."

She looked to Bran, hoping to comfort him but he was staring, stone-faced ahead. Aloy heard the tales of White Walkers, thousands upon thousands of undead warriors with pale white skin and icy blue eyes.
The boy pleaded for his family to be told he wasn't a coward. Eddard nodded politely, his men placing the poor boy onto the stone before him, his neck open. Eddard unsheathed his sword, placing the point into the dirt.

He looked down, closing his eyes and reciting the words, "In the name of Robert of the House Baratheon, first of his name—"

"Don't look away. Father will know if you do." Jon whispered. Bran looked to Robb who nodded, his eyes stern.

"—Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, I, Eddard of House Stark, Lord Of Winterfell and Warden of the North, sentence you to die."

It was over quickly, the boys head was on the grass, the blood dripping onto the stone. Aloy didn't flinch, gasp or even breathe loudly. Her heart was beating in her ears, it wasn't painful. It was exciting. She continued to stare at the headless boy till he was pulled away.

"Are you scared?"

Aloy turned to look over her shoulder, seeing Theon Greyjoy. Theon was the ward to the Starks and a downright arse.

"No." She spoke firmly, walking back to her horse. A welsh cob by the name of Iron Arrow.

"A beheading is no place for a girl." Theon seethed.

"And Winterfell is no place for a Greyjoy." Aloy stated calmly, rising up onto her horse.

Theon grumbled, glaring at her. With a click of her tongue, Iron Arrow rode down the hill, leaving Theon thinking madly about shooting her in the back with an arrow.

"Everything okay?" Jon said, trotting up beside her.

"Fine. I'm starving."

———

word count - 1,048

first chapter, how exciting! of course it sets everything up so keep reading. i heard reading is educational.

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