The Guardian of the North (Robb Stark) Completed

The last Guardians

Scars have the strange power to remind us that our past is real.

"Is this enough?" Gillian handed the food Elena and him had gathered to the owner of Wickendale.

"More than enough, thank you my lord." The old lady smiled widely, looking at all the bags full of food the two had collected. The funds from Winterfell were getting smaller each year so she could use a little help. She had over 50 orphans to take care of. Now that winter was coming she depended on the help of others, much to her dismay.

"It's no problem at all." Gillian chuckled and patted the little boy that was clutching onto his leg on the head.

"Can we play knight again?" The little boy's eyes lit up at the thought while pulling and pushing on Gillian's leg.

"Lead the way." He chuckled and walked to the play room with Elena behind him. It was the last time she would come here. She was going to leave in a fortnight with Robb and Eddard for the king's fortieth nameday. 

"Lena?" A little girl called Adelaine walked up to Elena with a doll clutched in her hands.

"Yes, Adelaine?" Elena smiled and crouched down. Adelaine could never fully remember her name, Elena had given up on trying to teach her. She liked the way Adelaine said "Lena".

"Look." Adelaine showed the new clothes she had made for her doll.

"They're beautiful, have you made it yourself?" Adelaine nodded and smiled."You've got talent, dear one. Maybe someday you will make dresses for the queen." Elena chuckled and stroked the little girl's hair.

"Now go back to your friends, I'm sure they will need your help with making their dresses." Adelaine nodded and smiled again, hugging Elena. She then walked away towards her friends, still with the doll held tightly in her hands.

"Sometimes I wonder why she always keeps that doll with her." Elena looked at the little girl as she walked away. Elena turned towards Gillian who was standing next to her. "Ever since you gave it to her she has never let it out of her sight."

"I told her to take good care of it." Gillian smirked while looking at Adelaine. She had short black hair and green eyes that were quite similar to Elena's.

"Why?" Elena looked at her friend. He had cut his hair, it looked quite good on him. It was short but not too much, his dark brown eyes more evident than ever. His dark brown eyes turned at Elena, his tone serious and his eyes looking deep into hers, making sure she'd remember what he was going to say.

"'That doll holds one of the deepest secrets about a lost girl, you just have to break it when you're ready to reveal the secret' he said." Elena told Jon while holding the doll she had retrieved from the abandoned orphan house. The two were sitting on the top off the Wall. Jon had watch duty but Elena wouldn't let him go alone. They had much to talk about after all these years after all.

"He was a good friend." Jon watched the mountains on the other side of the wall, thinking about his lost friend.

"He was." Elena sighed and looked at the horizon. She put the doll back in her pocket together with the letter from Gillian. "Apparently all the good men die in the worst ways."

"You saved Robb." Jon looked gratefully at Elena, a smile on his face. At first he didn't believe what Elena told him. He didn't even believe she was really there, breathing and well... living. It was a welcome surprise nonetheless. 

"And now he is god knows where, planning a war." Elena threw a chunk of ice off the wall and watched it fall while deep in thought.

"I wish I could help him, but I have to stay here." Jon said. Elena looked at him, she'd thought that at the moment Jon knew that Robb was planning a war, he would leave immediately to help his brother. "I tried to leave once but Sam and Pip stopped me, if it weren't for them I'd be dead now." Jon explained.