The Guardian of the North (Robb Stark) Completed

No need to say goodbye

The ride back to the castle was silent. Robb and Elena were riding next to each other, both too caught up in their own mind to say anything or either they just didn't know what to say.

Right before the gate they had to wait till the men inside had opened it. Robb looked to his side and at Elena, seeing how she was absent mindly staring at the ground beneath her horse's hooves.

"You can always decide to decline, Elena. I won't judge. Nobody will." Robb said. He didn't want her to do this because she felt like she didn't have another choice. Because she did, Robb thought. He also didn't want to let her go, especially not like this.

It all didn't seem real, like he didn't really realize what was happening. She belonged at his side. That's how it should be. To think that she won't be soon was something Robb couldn't accept just yet.

He'd rather have her by his side, facing the odds instead of betrothing her to Jaime to stop the war for a short period of time. Even if the peace was permanent Robb still would rather have her than let that happen. But it wasn't up to him.

"I won't decline." Elena answered and looked up when the gate slowly opened. Robb nodded and looked down. He knew how she was. Even if he forbid her to go with Jaime she would find a way to do so anyway. She would probably escape in the midst of the night when he was asleep just like she did back then when she was going to save Bran.

To Robb, this kind of felt like the same. Instead of giving her life to save Brann, Elena was now giving her life to Jaime to save the North. It was her decision and no matter what Robb did he knew he didn't have any influence on her choice.

When they rode into the castle everyone was standing in the courtyard, forming a circle around them as they rode inside. Their prying eyes followed every movement they made, silently waiting for any explanation.

After Robb had dismounted, he looked around at everyone that were staring at him, expecting him to tell them what he and Jaime had decided.

He looked at Elena once again for her approval. She nodded. Robb sighed deeply, hating the words he'd have to say. He looked up at his men, standing tall and putting his facade back up again.

"The north is ours!" He said and immediately the men were cheering loudly, all either hugging their friends or just silently thanking the gods for not killing them that day.

While everyone was cheering happily in victory, their king looked at his lost love hopelessly, not feeling any happiness at all. Without her by his side he knew he'd feel empty. She had been there with him almost his whole life. Even if he tried filing the hole, which he did one time but didn't fully succeed, he knew he'd fail and feel even emptier in the end.

"Elena?" Jon walked towards her when he noticed that she didn't seem happy at all. Jon, with a small smile playing on his lips, laid his hand on her shoulder. "Aren't you happy? The war is over."

"Of course I am." She forced a smile and looked up at Jon. "It's just..." She sighed, she knew she couldn't fool him. "I'm just happy that you, Arya, Robb and Sansa are finally safe. That's all I wanted."

"What was the price?" Sansa walked up to them. She knew something was wrong, she knew that there had been a cost. "What did he want?" Her blue eyes bore into Elena's.

"Me." Elena cut straight to the point, not seeing the need in lying.

Jon sucked in a deep breath. He closed his eyes for a moment, processing the information. "No." He shook his head. "No!" He repeated.

"Jon, it's the only way for you to be safe." Elena felt a lump growing in her throat.

"How can we be safe when our guardian is gone?!" He yelled, looking at Robb for support. When Robb looked down without saying anything Jon grew even more frustrated. "You're a Stark, Elena, you're one of us, always have been. I won't let you do this."