Hjartoreldr. My friend, my first clansman. The one at my back, the one I will soon deck. I have not forgotten your face and my fist are due a meeting. I look forward to seeing your blood!
You swept into my life like a salt sea breeze under a desert sun.
Every moment near you feels right. Even the worst ones. Every moment we speak our hearts; our seasons. Family, mentors, rivals, judges and brothers. Raw, honesty, integrity. Like nature, like wolves and storms. We do not shape our friendship with kindness, but always in you is that golden heart. We live hard; and we will both die in a rain of blood. You know it as well as I do.
You brought all the lessons I have learned in the west together for me. You never needed to know me, nor I you, for us to understand one another. You are a traveler, like me. You are a man with nothing to lose, like me. You and I don't belong, we can only pretend with these people. But, we are forging our homes every day.
You taught me how to do this. You taught me that I am a Jarl, and what that means. You taught me that my dignity in that position was what you all relied on, when I could not find any ease in "power". I always yearned to escape it, to deny it, to see the place my companions gave me as an evil, filthy thing far away from my heart. Like corruption, like powerlust and the follies of rich men and venomous women. It never needed to be that way, you knew so much better.
The ways of clan, the ways of family. What it means to belong, and what it means to give myself to those I love. I am learning more quickly than ever.
You did not suck up to me; nor pander, nor shower me in pompous formalities. You made no fool promises. You taught me without reserve. You bared your scars and showed me for the first time that they are no different to trophies; pelts, teeth. Paintings of your deeds, worn to the grave. You gave me your loyalty in full; not as "let me serve". Not as "zealot". Not to prove anything. But because we were brothers from the very start, and our hearts beat the same.
I spoke to my clan for the first time with my own voice, because of you. Thank you.
You push me to become what my clan needs me to be. You are my brother. The man who keeps me honest. The man so akin to me, in a position to say what I want to but for leadership, cannot. To allow me to lead while you cut the skin off issues you know I already see but must play nice about. You play this balance and I am sure it is on purpose. My lieutenant. The man who can back me up, the man who has the guts to confront me as an equal when I am astray. The man who understands loyalty and freedom must be blood of the same vein, the same pump of the heart, as I do.
You force me to be strong, Hjartoreldr. Did you do that for your clan's Jarl, in the past?
I will have your back until I die, brother. And I've no doubts you will have mine. You changed my life; and I only hope I will meet all that you see in me, and lift yours to the best you can reach.
Soar high, and die well, Eirik.
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Eirik, Words Unspoken
Submitted by Ryheric on March 11th, 2023
