Disclaimer: I own nothing. Game of Thrones and its world was created by George R.R. Martin and the song "Harvest of Sorrow" Was made by "Blind Guardian"
Rating: K+
Genre: Romance/Angst
Note: The song lyrics will be in italicized
Summary: Every king needs his queen, and the remaining Stark heir is no exception. Oh wait, you think I mean Bran or Jon, don't you?
The Future King:
The nightmares came again and again, and as they wrecked their traumatic attacks throughout the boy's small body. One probably wouldn't believe that a boy of merely ten winters could harbor such terrors in his young, little mind. But he had witnessed much in the short years of his life. Much more than he ever should have. He, learning that his father was dead, his mother abandoning him and his brothers and sisters, and that man Theon taking over and killing everyone in Winterfell. These events would shape anyone's mind into a cage of chaos.
Rickon had become dangerous in a way. His pet, Shaggydog, mirrored his master's moods, as if proving that grim fact. Finally, the young Stark boy opened his eyes, his nightmares leaving him for a blissful time. He breathed in and out as he turned his head and faced the blank, brown wooden walls of the strange cabin he and his two companions; Shaggydog and Osha were staying at for a while before they had to find another place to hide.
His mind was about to wander when he felt a wet, warm tongue slaver over his chin and lower lip.
"Ew!" Rickon exclaimed, "Shaggydog! Yuck!" The boy sat up rubbing the back of his right hand against the lower part of his face, getting rid of the warm wolf saliva. He glared down to see his very affectionate wolf, Shaggydog, staring up at him. Shaggydog was an aggressive beast that would attack anyone the chance he got the moment he felt that someone was even stepping a toe out of line and trying to hurt his master, but with Rickon and now with Osha, the wolf was as safe as possible.
Rickon sighed, and let out a long yawn before he reached and pet his wolf. Shaggydog wagged his tail and whined happily. Throwing back the furs that Osha had stolen from a band of thieves not long ago so as to keep her and Rickon warm, the Stark boy moved and jumped out of bed, going to get his shoes that had also been stolen with Shaggydog at his bare heels.
She Is Gone Leaves Are Falling Down
The Tear Maiden Will Not Return
Rickon breathed out regretfully. However hard hearted he had become over time, he didn't enjoy being a criminal, being a thief. But Osha had said that these were necessities. They had to keep warm and they had to stay alive. Rickon knew what happened to his father and if the rumors that were spreading throughout the Realm were true, his brother, Robb too.
Osha had told Rickon that he was the only hope for the Stark family. Rickon didn't understand why she'd say that. Even if Robb was dead like the stories said, what about Jon? Even if Rickon had heard back at Winterfell that he was a bastard, wouldn't he help? And what about Bran? wasn't Bran older than him? Wasn't he the next heir to their father's throne if Jon didn't count?
He had asked Osha about this, and the wild woman sighed and said that Bran was a great and brilliant, promising lad, but he was paralyzed below the waist.
Even now, after almost seven years of being in hiding, Rickon didn't understand what that meant. Why would Bran being paralyzed in his legs be a problem? Couldn't his brother still rule even if he couldn't walk?
When asked that, Osha would just sigh, shaking her head and would say nothing except that from Bran, there would be no legitimate heir. Naturally, the boy didn't understand that either.
The Seal Of Oblivion Is Broken
And A Pure Love's Been Turned Into Sin
Rickon, now fully dressed, walked to the door of the cabin, opening it and walking out onto the front, Shaggydog still next to him. Rickon looked around for Osha, not seeing her. Now he was afraid. His heart clenched as his eyes scanned all over the forest surroundings. Where was she? His fear mounted. He had been separated from his sisters and mother and his big brothers Jon, Robb and Bran, and his father and maybe Robb were dead, he couldn't bear to lose Osha too. No, he thought, clenching his fists, he couldn't lose her.
Over the years that Osha had hidden him, Rickon had been taught by the wild woman to be careful and not do anything foolish, and especially not to run off on his own, less he run into some of the other Kingdoms' men, tracking one of the remaining Stark heirs down.
Rickon had been taught by Osha that if he were to run into a stranger, regardless of what garments the stranger had on, he was to run away as fast as he could. That or set Shaggydog on the stranger and then flee.
However, panic reigned over Rickon at that moment, and he threw away whatever caution he had to the wind, and he ran inside, grabbing the large knife and small bow and quiver of arrows that he and Osha had stolen as well as everything else and ran off the wood of the cabin into the cold forest desperately. Shaggydog barked and followed after his master.
While running, Rickon slung the quiver over his shoulders, tied the knife over his waist and held the bow firmly as he went. Having left the so called safe haven of Winterfell, Osha had then realized that since they were alone out here, Rickon needed to learn how to fight with several weapons. Osha herself wasn't skilled with many other weapons, but she knew how to use a knife and how to throw multiple knives with deadly force and accuracy.
She passed on those lessons to Rickon for the next seven years. She, like Rickon was not skilled at all with a bow and with arrows, but Rickon had witnessed his older brothers, Jon and Robb training with them together, and had watched as they taught his other brother, Bran. Rickon at least knew from observation.
It was an exchange in a way. Osha taught Rickon how to fight and throw knives and Rickon showed her how to shoot arrows with a bow. Albeit, not well, but Osha actually learned a lot faster than Rickon was able to do it.
Knowing that, Rickon, as he ran, knew that Osha was probably better off than he was since she had her own arrows, bow and knives and was better at using them all than he was, but he still couldn't think about it. He was too afraid for her.
He of course had reason to as well. Out here, he and Osha had met plenty of reasons to be afraid. Happily, they had never run into the creatures that Osha was so afraid of. The White Walkers. But there were other dangers they had met. They had encountered wolves that were even bigger than Shaggydog, bears, and even worse; soldiers and assassins.
The attacks and attempts on his and Osha's lives had left Rickon cautious and angry. And after witnessing Osha almost dying in several of those confrontations, the boy had formed a certain hatred for those that threatened his beloved protector.
At The Dawn Of Our Living Time
Hope May Cover All Cries
But Rickon, in his newfound viciousness had unleashed hell upon one of their pursuers. What was the name of that man again that had tried to kill Osha and retrieve Rickon again? Davos Seaworth? Yes, that sounded right.
Rickon, in a fit of rage upon witnessing Seaworth trying to stab Osha had set Shaggydog on the man, and while Davos was trying to fend the direwolf off, Rickon pulled out a knife and stabbed the man almost forty times screaming, "Stay away from HER!"
Rickon still remembered the shocked and even terrified look Osha had possessed while watching the boy that she was rearing becoming a savage killer right in front of her. He still flinched whenever he thought about it.
But it didn't matter, Davos Seaworth was dead. The danger would be over for at least a while. Well, until now anyway.
Rickon and Shaggydog reached the top of a small hill and came to a halt, searching downwards.
Rickon panted as he stayed on the hill, eyes roaming. He heard Shaggydog panting in turn, also tired from how fast the two of them had run. Rickon scanned all over the area, but saw nothing.
"Osha," Rickon hissed, "Where are you?" He gripped the middle of the bow as he realized he was being ridiculous in talking to himself. "Here, Shaggydog," He almost growled and ran again as he heard Shaggydog's paws padding behind him. The boy felt anger, even more anger than usual start to build. He had already a pretty good amount of it before he and Osha had left Winterfell together. He had come to hate everyone who was responsible for the destruction of his family. He didn't need one more emotional wound to be inflicted upon him by some piece of scum harming his Osha. He had grown in the years after learning that his father had been beheaded at King's Landing. The very knowledge of it and his mother's abandonment had made him bitter and defensive against the world. So now, after everything, he was more than ready to fight. He wasn't afraid to shed blood to protect Osha.
Speaking of which, Rickon, pleaded with Osha's gods out loud to protect her.
He stared at the trees he was surrounded by as he prayed, "Please Old Gods, protect your most loyal worshipper. She praises you unlike anyone else here. Protect her, I beg of you." He then, not knowing what else to do, the prayer coming from terror that was deep within his heart, ran down the hill.
Truth Lurks Hidden In The Shadows
Dreams Might Be Filled With Lies
He got to the bottom of the hill, now looking in every direction he could. He didn't see anything. He didn't hear anything. He didn't sense anything. He only felt the wind hitting him and heard the chirping of birds and some bugs that were around. He didn't see or hear Osha but the good news was that he didn't hear or see anything or anyone else either. Anyone that wasn't the three of them was an enemy. That was what Robb had told him and Bran After their great father's death. He said that he had learned that from those filthy Lannisters.
But it was true; out here, the only two that Rickon had were Osha and Shaggydog.
The now strong and dangerous boy scouted every inch that he could see. He half considered yelling for Osha, but held his tongue the more he thought about it. No, Osha might hear it but someone else might hear it too. He couldn't risk an enemy hearing his calls.
"Shaggydog," He whispered, "Come." He walked slowly, Shaggydog behind him once again. Shaggydog made some questioning whimpering sounds and Rickon reached over with his free hand, closing it over his pet's snout. "Shh." He said gently, "Shh, boy."
The sky was dark, so it was difficult for him to see through the blackness of the night anyway, given that it was an almost starless night and the only thing Rickon had for light was the moon.
Osha had always warned him against the night, warned that "they" would come out at night to kill. Rickon had heard stories from others at Winterfell as well. They spoke of the White Walkers. Rickon wasn't really sure he believed the stories himself but Osha believed in the terrible creatures and that was reason enough for him to be afraid.
He released his wolf's snout, knowing that Shaggydog had already gotten the hint that he needed to be quiet. Rickon then used the said hand to take out the knife he had grabbed. If someone jumped out at him, he couldn't afford taking out one of his arrows if it was going to be a close quarters fight.
Shaggydog stayed near his side, as usual in tuned with his master, and now sensing that his master was cautious. They stepped through leaves, Rickon stepping very carefully so as not to crunch any of the leaves and make even the tiniest of sounds. He slowly moved around the barrage of trees in his way, the trunks of the trees almost like intimidating and looming pillars trying to get in his way and slow him down.
It was so dark, but Rickon squinted and was able to see almost no one. That was of course before he made out a shape coming towards him. A shiver went up his spine. Who was it? He knew his mind wasn't making it up, because Shaggydog lifted his ears and leaned his head forward, sniffing at the oncoming figure.
Deciding to tempt fate, Rickon called out, "Who's there? I'm not scared of you, coward! I've got a knife!" His grip tightened on the weapon's hilt as he spoke, but he calmed down immediately when he heard a familiar voice from the figure.
Soon There Will Be Night
Pain Remains Inside
"Calm down, ye daft boy!" He heard his caretaker, Osha snap between the trees, "Ye want to get spotted?"
Rickon stared, blinking a little as he saw that all too familiar mop of wild, bird's nest like hair coming into view as well as the dirty clothes made of fur and the determined dark yet light eyes almost glowing as they glared at him.
Rickon forgot all of his tension and anger and threw his head back laughing. He didn't care within that moment who or what heard him. The relief was just too strong. He laughed, despite Osha trying to shush him.
He heard Shaggydog barking happily, clearly enthusiastic that his master was happy.
"I'm sorry," Rickon laughed, recovering from his severe bout of humor, staring up now at Osha, who he could see in the moon's light, looking bewildered by his mood, "I just got really worried. I thought someone was going to hurt you." At that thought, he found himself looking pained at the thought again.
Osha appeared understanding. She placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and moved him a little away from the forest. "I understand," She said, "But ye can't risk yerself out here, Rickon. Ye are the last hope for yer family aside from yer brothers, Jon and Robb and we don't know whether either of them are dead or not. And ye've heard the rumors about yer brother, Robb. What if he is dead? Ye can't be in a place where you will be in danger. Didn't I make that clear to ye?"
"Hey," Rickon said, now getting angry again, "You've protected me for so long, so I just wanted to protect you too. What, you're allowed to put your life on the line for me, but I can't for you?"
Suddenly (Oh) It Seemed So Clear
All The Blindness Was Taken Away
The answer he got wasn't at all unexpected, but it still enraged Rickon to no end. "No," Osha snapped, no longer just lecturing or being understanding, "Ye can't. It's not alright for ye. Ye are a Stark heir, I am a wildlin'. There's no value in me, but ye are going to have to protect yer right to live and yer right to the throne for yer family." Rickon then felt the woman's hot glare on him, "Ye would honor yer brother by staying hidden."
That did it, Rickon was infuriated. The anger that he had tried to subdue for the last few months came back with a vengeance. He whirled on Osha, glaring back at her. "How dare you use my brother against me!" He yelled, still not caring anymore who heard him, "He means everything to me just like the rest of my family, so don't you use him against me!" He then felt jealousy add to the mix of tempestuous emotions and he snapped, envy filling him now, "I know you like Bran more than me and wished that he would be king but-"
"Rickon!" Osha snapped loudly, cutting the angered boy off, "I'm not talkin' about Bran. I'm talkin' about Robb." Her face became grim, and Rickon wasn't sure but she looked like she was going to have to restrain herself from crying, "Yer brother might be dead. We've heard the word travel around and we heard it from Davos Seaworth too," She paused as she said that, and Rickon wondered if she was thinking about how monstrously he had murdered Seaworth. "If Robb is dead, he was an honorable man, Rickon. I don't know if yer brother, Bran told ye, but when yer brother, Robb and I first met, he was merciful enough to let me live even after I threatened Bran's life."
Osha took a breath and continued, "He made a good king. Even if the stories are true and it was for a short time. He should have been the one ruling over the North and over King's Landin', not that dishonorable, weak fool, Greyjoy and not that brat I've been told about, the Lannister boy." She added, a dark smirk on her lips, "Good thin' that brat is dead too. He died too quickly for my taste though." She paused and went on, "Now they have another Lannister….Tommen, I belive he's called. Ye must rise to the throne to stop him."
Rickon fell completely silent and then looked down at the ground, feeling guilty. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed a worried Shaggydog looking from his master to Osha, not really sure at the moment who he should be nuzzling and comforting at the moment.
"Look, sorry." The usually aggressive boy submitted, "I just got scared, okay?"
He heard another sigh and felt Osha guide him again back towards to cabin. "Come," She said quietly, "Let's go back to make preparations for tomorrow and decide where to go. And we need to eat too." He could practically hear the grin in the wildling's voice as she spoke. That was when he had noticed the object in Osha's hands. It looked like a deer. From the way Shaggydog was yipping and trying to lick at it, he suspected he was correct. It was a baby though. Osha was carrying it in a very awkward fashion do to its size and shape. He also noticed there was a bag hanging from Osha's belt. It was a sack that had some blood leaking through. He'd ask what she killed when they got back to the cabin. Right now though, he just felt happy that Osha was okay, and he felt a wonderful feeling that was such a relief from all the rage and hate that he had been building up over time.
As they reached the porch of the cabin, Rickon, added from his list of worries of things he might have done wrong tonight, "I prayed to the old gods that you were okay, Osha."
Rickon glanced up to see that the older woman actually seemed pleased.
"That was good of ye," Osha said approvingly, "The Old Gods are the true gods. It's good ye prayed to them. They'll help ye in the years ahead and as yer time as king."
Rickon smiled but kept his mouth closed. That was another issue of his. Did he even want to be king?
If he became king, would he ever see Osha again? Would he ever see, what he had come to believe the other half of his soul again? The woman whom he had come to know in the past seven years, and the fear that he might be separated from her when becoming king gnawed at him.
He really just wanted to stay here with Osha, he never wanted to leave her. Would he be allowed to do that? To stay out here in the wild with his beloved Osha? Would the Old Gods allow that? Or….If he became king….Could he…?
She Closed Her Eyes And She Called Out My Name
She Was Never Ever Never Ever Seen Again
When the three of them reached their temporary home, Osha and Rickon both moving Shaggydog away from the tempting meats he was obviously smelling, they closed the door to the cabin and sat down at the small table in front of them.
Osha tossed the deer, that Rickon realized was a fawn of sorts and then pulled the bag up, opening it, reaching in uncaringly and pulling out a bloody bird. It looked like a very large owl of some kind.
Osha moved to the table and started ripping off its feathers. "Come over here, Rickon," Osha grunted, "Don't want yer wolf chokin' do we?" Rickon smiled at that as he walked over and helped pull off the feathers. He reached over to a shelf and got another knife that they had actually found in the cabin and started cutting off the owl's feet.
After the tedious work was all done and they were both looking at a featherless, footless, boneless and beakless bird, Osha tossed it to the floor in front of Shaggydog and the excited beast tore into the bird with abandon.
They then turned their attention to the fawn. As Osha stepped towards its corpse, pulling out her own knife, Rickon asked curiously, though not wanting to sound ungrateful or anything, "Why didn't you get a bigger one?"
"Ye mean the parent, Rickon?" Osha asked, seeming amused. She watched as the boy nodded. She smiled sadly as she said calmly, "Because it would have been cruel to leave a baby to die. I killed the fawn and so the parent can have more babies, but if I killed the mother then that would leave the baby alone to starve to death."
Osha knew she should not have said that, but she did anyway, knowing that Rickon could understand parents being forced to abandon their children all too well. Upon observing Rickon flinching a little and that dangerous fire of anger return to the boy's eyes, Osha knew he understood perfectly.
Rickon was all too familiar with being alone and separated from his family.
Osha, wanting to concentrate on the meal, said calmly, "Let's start cookin' this animal before it starts stinkin.'" Rickon nodded in response. Osha went to the bedroom and fetched the pieces of steel and flint that she had taken from the castle the day when she, Rickon and Shaggydog had first fled from Winterfell. She had known that they would be needing them in the wild.
Rickon, in turn went outside, but not enough that he'd be in complete danger. He stepped out to get some sticks and broken wood to start a fire. Osha followed him, picking up the fawn and carrying it out the door, closing the cabin door behind her so as not to let Shaggydog out where he could try and get at the fawn, even if he was busy with his own meal.
Harvest Of Sorrow, Your Seed Is Grown
In A Frozen World Full Of Cries
When The Ray Of Light Shrinks
Shall Cold Winter Nights Begins
Osha placed the fawn on the wood around the cabin as she strung her weapons tightly against her and she watched as Rickon brought almost three huge bundles of sticks to the ground for the fire. Seven years ago, Rickon would never have been able to carry that much. Then again, the boy had been four, so of course he wouldn't have been able to. However, the boy had toughened himself up and these years he had spent in the wild, where he had trained with arrows and knives had built up plenty of muscles.
The two of them headed towards the forest. They knew that they needed to start a fire far away from the cabin so as not to let anyone see the smoke near their hideaway.
They walked as far away from the cabin as possible and reached a river. Osha dropped the fawn to the ground and Rickon did the same with the bundles of wood and the two of them started arranging the wood in a circle.
She Is Gone And I Fall From Grace
No Healing Charm Covers My Wounds
Fooled's The Dawn And So I Am
Fooled By Life And A Bitter Doom
To Bring You The End Of The Day
"Okay," Rickon exclaimed loudly, though quietly enough that only they heard, "I think the spot for the fire is ready. I think we can start it!" He Osha had arranged the bundles in a circle, arranging so as not to let any of the flames possibly slip out and spread.
As Osha brought over the animal for the fire, Rickon found himself wondering about her. Well it wasn't a strange hobby for him to be doing. He had been curious about her for years now, after all, he had spent seven years alone with her out here. He knew the stories about her. He knew that she was a wildling and that she had threatened his brother, Bran for his horse. He also knew that she had shown understanding and compassion for both him and his brother when they learned that their father had been executed. And of course, he knew for sure that if it weren't for her, he'd have been dead right after Winterfell was taken over. If it weren't for her, he'd have never been here and probably would have been brutally murdered too.
There were times though, when Osha had taken responsibility to look after him, Rickon had wondered just what the extent his feelings for the wildling was. He knew that even before he and Osha had left Winterfell, the boy had started to question just what his feelings were for the wild woman. He had watched Bran and Osha, knowing that they had spent a great deal of time with each other in Winterfell, so he already realized that she was very close with Bran.
He loved Bran terribly, and these seven years of separation from his dear brother made the boy ache with longing for his sibling. But Rickon still felt a strange sense of jealousy for Bran because of the time he had spent with Osha. True, both boys had spent a lot of time with her, given she had been with them at Winterfell for a year and a half before the three of them had to flee, him and Shaggydog with Osha and Bran with Hodor, but Rickon had easily sensed that she had been closer to Bran than with him.
He watched as Osha pulled the fawn over to the bundles and started skinning the poor animal with her knife. Rickon had long since learned to be uncaring about animals being skinned. He had watched such practices at Winterfell before lunch and dinner, and out here it had become a regular thing for him and Osha so as not to starve.
At The Dawn Of Our Living Time
Hope It Soon Will Pass By
Facing A Darkness
I stand (Alone)
Osha kept telling him that he was not to risk himself, ever, under no circumstances. She had explained over and over again, that since it was law that his big sisters, Sansa and Arya would not be legitimate heirs to the Stark line, and since Robb was probably dead as the word spread over the Realm from Winterfell, and for some reason Bran could not be a legitimate heir either, and since Jon Snow was far away and being a member of the Night's Watch, he was the only hope for the kingdom.
Though Rickon did not understand that, he understood that if he was to be king one day, he would need a queen. All kings needed their queens. He had even heard his father say such a thing to his brother Bran one time.
Of course, that had been said to Bran when Rickon was only three, but he still remembered it. After all, that age was the last year he had seen his father alive.
Over the years though, Rickon had wondered just what exactly his feelings for Osha were. He loved her. That he was sure of without a doubt. Though he had pondered what his feelings for Osha were before, he certainly knew what his feelings for her were now. It had taken almost three of the seven years out here to figure it out too. He had seen his mother and father together, even if he had been at a very young age before he lost them both, but he had seen the way his father had looked at his mother. He was sure, solidly sure what his feelings for Osha were, just by remembering his parents together.
Yes, every king needed a queen, and years from now, when he ruled over the North and Winterfell and even possibly King's Landing, Osha would be his queen, ruling besides him for years to come.
At that moment, the wild ten year old made a vow to himself. If Robb was indeed dead, then he would return, strong and powerful, and when he, Arya and Bran reunited, he would be king, Arya being a strong soldier in his army, just like she always had wanted, Bran a great strategist, given how smart he had become, and Osha as his queen, they would take down Theon Greyjoy, Tommen Lannister and anyone else that stood in their way.
Harvest Of Sorrow, Your Seed Is Grown
In A Frozen World Full Of Cries
When The Ray Of Light Shrinks
Shall Cold Winter Nights Begin
Author's Note:
Yeah, so as I'm sure all of you pissed off people reading this now realize, this is about Rickon and Osha and Rickon is starting to….well grow up as you can see in how he views Osha.
Now, I'm sure I'm going to have plenty of flames thrown at me for this fic, but I'm ready. Spreads arms out, martyr style, awaiting the burn.
And for those of you shocked that it's about Rickon, well, think about it for a minute. Robb is dead, Sansa and Arya won't count as legitimate heirs, Bran is paralyzed below the waist and therefore a certain "you know what" will not work and therefore he will not be able to produce a legitimate heir, and Jon Snow is of the Night's Watch, therefore he is celibate, therefore he cannot produce a legitimate heir either.
So therefore, Rickon is officially "our only hope."
And as for my writing, my deepest apologies, but I tend to rant in my writings, and get rather repetitive. Very sorry for that, I still have yet to work my writing out.
Now, for those that are going to bitch that a young boy shouldn't be chasing after an older woman like Osha, um have you read the books? Have you actually looked at what a hell hole the whole world that the series takes place in?
Clearly in this fictional world, age gaps are not an issue in these societies. Rickon wanting Osha is not anything strange, I'm betting.
Okay, so I decided to change Rickon's age, I'll mention why below in a second. He's ten now, at the most. I'm not gonna make him twelve, that would make it a little too "blame it on puberty," instead of sheer complicated emotions.
Also I felt the song "Harvest Of Sorrow" was fitting for this series. Just that's all.
Well, despite the many flames I'm going to get, I hope you enjoyed it. (Prepares for the flame throwers)
And I changed Rickon's age from eight to ten because though I expected to have flames sent at me, I didn't expect and argument to start between reviewers, so being the peacekeeper of other reviewers. Rickon's age is ten at the most and Osha, twenty-six.