𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐥𝐟, 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐇𝐢𝐦
____________________

"Father, Smith, Warrior, Mother, Maiden, Crone, Stranger... I am hers/his and she/he is mine. From this day, until the end of my days."

____ Rikson Stark tucked a stray piece of Adryana Snow's auburn hair behind her ear before placing a kiss upon her soft lips, feeling her smile into it as her fingers played with his wavy brunette hair.

The gently swaying trees alongside the flowing creek behind the newly-wed created a peaceful atmosphere during their wedding night as they broke apart from their loving, and slightly passionate, kiss.

Though, worry clouded Adryana's young features as her emerald green eyes gazed into Rikson's.

"You're trembling, my love. What's wrong?"

"Your parents, Riky, what are we going to do?"

Rikson smiled at Adryana, cupping her cheek, watching as she nuzzled into his hand, "We're not going to worry about anything right now, this is a happy moment. The happiest moment of my life." His eyes filled with more love than he thought possible as he assured his wife of her worries.

The bastard daughter of House Karstark sunk into the strong arms of her husband, savoring the warmth and safety she felt whenever he held her, as she listened to the melody of his heartbeat.

ꕥ 𓅓☽𓅓 ꕥ

"No. Absolutely not."

Rikson lowly huffed as he subtly rolled his eyes, having already expected this kind of reaction from his parents when he informed them of his marriage.

"My son did not marry Torrhen Karstark's bastard daughter, I will not hear it."

Adryana Snow began to tremble under Lord Stark's harsh gaze, cuddling herself into Rikson's side, feeling relief when his arm wrapped around her.

"I did marry Adryana Snow, father."

Eddard Stark's blood boiled as he glared at the newly-wed. Rikson had always been the rebellious child, but marriage without consent? To a bastard? That was a low neither Lord or Lady Stark had expected.

"Rikson of House Stark, you have disappointed us."

Rikson had to admit it stung to hear those words come from his father, the man he had always looked up to. But he stood his ground, keeping his gaze upon his father's glare as he kept his wife close to him.

"I love her, father."

It was Lady Stark who spoke up next, "My son, you only think you love this bastard, but trust me this love will fade when we find you a suitable bride."

"I have found a suitable bride for myself, mom."

Catelyn's features were stern, though Rikson could see the conflict in her eyes as she responded, "My son, you are only fifteen. You do not know what love is, nor do you understand what you have done to the Stark name by marrying this bastard girl into our family."

Rikson always had temper issues, something he received from his Stark blood, which is what led him to saying something he knew deep down he'd regret,

"Seeing as neither of you will approve of our marriage, my wife and I will leave Winterfell... And quite possibly never return if you so wish."

The newly-wed held hands as they left the Great Hall, heading in the direction of Rikson's room to begin packing for their, possibly forever, leave.

Once they were gone, Catelyn faced her husband with tears spilling from her eyes, "What are we going to do about them, Ned? We can't let Rikson leave."

"We will, Cat. The boy will realize how foolish he is and come running back to Winterfell before they reach the Kingsroad outside of the castle's walls."

Catelyn's eyes continued to spill with tears, "What if he never comes back because something terrible happens to him, Ned? I can't loose any of my children, no matter how foolish and reckless they are."

Eddard placed his hands over his wife's, stroking her smooth hands with his calloused thumbs, "I have trained Rikson in swordsmanship since he was a small boy, I've taught him all I know, Cat. And as reckless as he is, I know Rikson can hold himself in battle. He will come back to us, with or without the bastard."

ꕥ 𓅓☽𓅓 ꕥ

A month had passed since Rikson Stark and Adryana Snow left Winterfell behind. They had traveled beyond the Wall, embracing the beauty of the true North as they rode atop Rikson's black mare.

Adryana wrapped her arms around her husband's middle, placing her chin on his shoulder as she gazed towards the plains of snow before them.

Behind the plains stretched a vast line of snowy mountains that sat like statues, majestic and ominous the same. The songs of the Northern critters echoed across the cold air surrounding the couple.

Adryana's gaze shifted from the beautiful North to her husband, who held an unreadable expression upon his handsome features. She wondered if he had regretted leaving his family and home behind just for her.

Did he regret marrying her? A bastard girl from the North, whose mother she never knew and a father who had immediately shunned her since birth.

As if he could sense her conflict, Rikson removed his gaze from a raven flying through the sky and towards his auburn-haired and beautiful wife.

"What's troubling you, Addy?"

Adryana smiled at the nickname, wanting to hear him say it as much as she wanted to hear him call her his wife, "I'm just sore, my love, how about we stop
here for the night?"

ꕥ 𓅓☽𓅓 ꕥ

The Wolf's moon rose to it's peek as Rikson watched his wife cuddle with his mare for warmth. A soft smile adorned his lips as the young mare nickered at something Adryana had whispered to her.

Adryana had soon enough fallen asleep. Though, Rikson had an odd sense of being watched, from Wildling or wolf he didn't know, therefore he stayed awake, watching the fire crack and sizzle before him, wondering if the Targaryens' dragons had ever flown this far north before they had died off.

He remembered reading all about the Targaryens and their dragons when he was younger in Winterfell's library with Maester Luwin. His thoughts then drifted to his family and the home that he had left behind.

Although Rikson missed his family, he couldn't deny the freedom he felt as he and his wife rode throughout the true North. He felt as though he belonged in the true North the longer he remained in it.

His father always told Rikson he was more like
his aunt, Lyanna Stark. The wild Stark girl with
the Wolf's Blood running through her veins.

Rikson somberly grinned as he remembered the day his father told him about his aunt.

"You are a Stark, Rik. You have my temper, but Lyanna's Wolf's Blood, it seems."

Rikson sighed as he shifted his sad gaze from the sizzling fire towards the Wolf's moon shinning above him, "I'm sorry, father. I fear I am no Stark. A Stark protects his pack. I am a lone wolf, and the lone
wolf dies while the pack survives."

The crack of someone stepping on a stick abruptly broke Rikson from his thoughts as he drew his sword and stood from his sitting position.

Instead of calling for whoever it was, knowing they wouldn't answer, or just standing in silence, Rikson began to approach the woods surrounding the small camp he and his wife had set up for the night.

The woods seemed silent as he cautiously walked through them, not even the owls were hooting.
It was too quiet for Rikson's liking.

"Just fucking show yourself and be done with it."
The lone wolf mumbled to himself.

Ironically enough, two Wildlings appeared before Rikson. One held a battleaxe while the other had a bow, loaded with an arrow, in his grasp.

"Wildlings, I should've guessed."

Rikson twirled the sword in his grasp, preparing himself for a fight against the Wildlings.

"Fancy clothes. You a fucking Highborn?"

"What say you, pretty boy?"

Rikson rolled his eyes but ignored their comments, instead he listened to the crunching of leaves coming from behind him. He smirked, realizing the two before him were just distractions. One should know you can't outsmart a Wolf with their own ambush tactics.

The Wildling that approached the Wolf from behind released a yelp of pain as Rikson's sword sliced his face, creating a large red gash that went from his sweaty forehead to his chiseled chin.

Rikson swiftly turned and cut through the arrow, one of the Wildlings before him released, with a speed the men have never seen before, shocking them into delaying their attacks for the moment. 

"Impressive tricks, pretty boy, now how about you show Shagger here how good you really are?"

Rikson scoffed, "So you can put a scar like his on my cheek?" He gestured to the groaning Wildling beside him. "I improved his looks you ugly shits.
But I'm far to beautiful-"

His words were cut short when a forth Wildling leapt from the tree he'd been perching upon, smacking his dull sword's hilt upon the back of Rikson's head, rendering the man unconscious.

The four Wildlings approached the unconscious man, ready to rob him of whatever possessions he may have on him, when the voice of Adryana Snow shouted,

"Leave him alone!"

All four men turned their attention towards the defenseless auburn haired woman.

"My, you're a pretty one."

"I said leave my husband alone!"

"Brave, too. Why don't you come show your pretty face to ol' Shagger, my seeing isn't very far stretched."

A fifth Wildling grabbed Adryana by her hair, dragging her towards Shagger, a black of hair and scarred faced Wildling. She kicked and wailed as she was pulled against her will towards the vile man.

"Easy, lass, ol' Shagger won't hurt you,
much, as long as you behave."

In her struggle Adryana managed to kick the Wildling dragging her in the balls before she took off running, trying to make it back to the camp. She didn't make it a mere five feet before an arrow pierced through her leg. She fell to the snowy ground with a scream of pain leaving her lips.

Four of the Wildlings held the woman down as Shagger unbuckled his pants.

"Take off her dress,
ol' Shagger wants to see all of her."

The men menacingly grinned as they ripped off Adryana's dress, revealing her body to them.

"We'll all take turns on this lass,
what say you boys?"

The four cheered, continuing to hold down Adryana Snow as Shagger pulled down his pants.

The first Wildling roughly broke her in.

The second Wildling pulled her hair.

The third Wildling sliced off one of her fingers.

The fourth Wildling cut out her tongue.

The fifth Wildling slit her throat.

ꕥ 𓅓☽𓅓 ꕥ

"Mercy! Have mercy I beg you!"

A Wildling begged as he cowered under the
loathing gaze of the Midnight Wolf.

He came during the night of the Wolf's moon. His Valyrian-steel sword hungry for blood as he slaughtered the entire village of Wildlings. The Midnight Wolf was drenched from head to toe in blood, yet none of the warm liquid was his.

"Mercy? After what you revolting creatures did?"

The Midnight Wolf didn't give the Wildling a chance to plead as he sliced his head off of his shoulders with one swift swing of his Valyrian-steel sword. The steel glistened with wet, bright red blood.

Rikson turned around to face the village of the Wildlings. The buildings were alight with fire as the bodies of every Wildling were strewn about on the snowy ground that was laced with blood.

He never understood why people truly feared the Mad King until now. The Midnight Wolf had fallen into a madness of a sort as he slaughtered the Wildlings, though he knew it was justified after what the repulsive Wildlings did to Adryana.

Mounting his mare, the Midnight Wolf ventured
off into the Wolf's mooned night, leaving behind a slaughtered and burning village of Wildlings.

... The Midnight Wolf had his revenge.

ꕥ 𓅓☽𓅓 ꕥ

"Gods, Riks, is that your blood?"

The words laced with concern didn't even register in Rikson's mind as he was escorted inside of Winterfell, away from the gazing eyes of the people.

Rikson couldn't even remember how
he had arrived back home in Winterfell.

Escorted into the Great Hall of the castle, a warm embrace from his sweet mother brought Rikson Stark back to reality. His salty tears began to mix with the dried blood across his pale cheeks.

"Hush, my beautiful boy, it's alright. You're home."

Catelyn continued to hush sweet nothings to her son as she subtly ushered everyone out of the Great Hall.

After some minutes of Rikson's heartbreaking cries, he pulled himself from his mother's embrace, "Mom, you made me promise you I'd tell you if I felt unwell..."

"I remember." Catelyn whispered, wiping away Rikson's silent tears with her thumbs.

"... I feel horrible."

ꕥ 𓅓☽𓅓 ꕥ

A week had passed since Rikson's eventful arrival, and he hadn't been seen outside of his chambers.

This worried Robb Stark, which is how he found himself knocking on his brother's door.

Robb didn't receive a reply, but he entered anyway.

Rikson was sitting at the table in front of his bed, a blank expression on his pale face as his cerulean eyes stared at the wall in front of him. 

"Riks..."

His brother didn't even blink as he seemed to be completely phased out of the reality around him.

"Rikson..."

Rikson's tense muscles relaxed as he seemed to snap out of whatever daze he'd been in as he turned his head to look at his brother.

Robb immediately noticed how dull his eyes were, along with how skinny he had gotten. "Riks, this has to stop, this needs to stop, you're neglecting yourself."

Rikson slowly stood on his shaky legs, walking towards the window and proceeding to stare at the Godswood before him as his brother awaited an answer.

"Do you know what they did to her? They raped her, before they sliced her throat and dumped her body in the river. Those repulsive Wildlings." He turned away from the window and faced Robb, "So, I killed them. But not just the men... No, but the women and the children... I killed them all. They're animals and I slaughtered them like animals... I hate them!"

Rikson waited for Robb to yell at him, flinch away from him, or look at him with repulse.

Robb did non of those things, only approached his brother and brought him into a brotherly-embrace.

Moments of silence passed before Rikson broke it, "How can a man be brave if he's scared?"

Robb pulled away, but kept his hand on Rikson's shoulder, "That is the only time a man can be brave."

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~ Author's Note ~

Don't hate on Rikson ( or me ) plz, my babe lost the love of his life to a brutal death therefore he could only think of getting revenge on the Wildlings ( leave one wolf alive, u know ) and I know he said he killed children, but none of them were under ten they were all teenagers really!! I just ask that u don't hate on my babe ( or me ) and give him another chance!! And if u already love Rikson, then thank u!!