The Guardian of the North (Robb Stark) Completed

The Iron Throne

"Elena? What are you doing?" Robb's voice sounded husky and croaky, having just awoken from a much needed sleep. He sat up in the bed, looking at his wife as she was staring at the city from their balcony in the Red Keep. He slowly put on some of his clothes that were spread around the room while taking care that he didn't re-open his wounds.

It had been almost a week since the siege of King's Landing, almost a week since Ethan had died. The war was over according to many but to Damon and Elena it would never end. The thing that had possessed their brother was still out there, hiding in the shadows till its next target came into sight.

Robb sighed deeply when clearly Elena was too caught up in her own mind to notice that he was awake too. He walked up to her, wrapping his arms around her tiny body from behind while softly kissing her neck. To Robb everything was perfect, he was one of those who were just relieved that it was finally over. The Lannisters were defeated, the rebels put down and the dark guardian had been put down.

The only thing that still troubled Robb was the fact that he had had to say goodbye to his father. In some way though it gave him some sense of peace since he now had had the opportunity to say what he wanted to say. The loss was still heavy on him though and the weight of the crown was still almost too much.

"It's like it never happened." Elena spoke up after some time. The sun had almost risen completely, giving a red glow to the city and making her hair look flame red instead of pearly white. She could hear the chatter and the noise of the people that were already busy with rebuilding their houses, cleaning the Streets from the rubble and finding lost items. "They're all just carrying on, like their fathers and sons didn't die just a few days past."

"Life always carries on, my love." Robb said as he held her tightly, breathing in the scent of her hair.

"Not for some." Elena whispered as she looked down at her hands. She had kept the doll with her, knowing that when she was a child Ethan had given it to her for her birthday. Before she detested the thing, was afraid of it but now she felt only loss but also some kind of warmth due to the fact that it was Ethan's gift to her. The loss of her brother fell heavier than she had expected. Maybe it was because in his last moments she saw who he truly was, not the arrogant and violent man she had grown to know but the loving, gentle brother that once had cared for her.

"Have you received word yet from Sansa, Arya and Jon?" Elena spoke up after some time, turning around in Robb's arms so she could face him.

"They've arrived safely in Winterfell this morning." Robb smiled at her as he placed his hand on her cheek, tracing the edge of her lips with his thumb. "You're troubled." Robb frowned when he noticed the worry in her eyes.

"I don't know, something's just... not right." Elena sighed as she placed the palms of her hand against Robb's chest. "Maybe it's just the paranoia getting to me. I mean, I'm a guardian. I don't think I ever really get to believe that the war is over."

"But it is over, Elena." Robb smiled as he held her face in both his hands, making her look at him as he smiled brightly. "We can go home, like we always planned to do. Rebuild Winterfell, take care of the orphans in Wickendale like Gillian wanted to, maybe even have some more kids. We can have a life."

"Maybe." Robb's contagious smile soon made one appear on Elena's lips. "But first we need to wait till Deanarys is here." When Robb tried to speak up Elena silenced him by putting her finger on his lips. "AND we need to go to that meeting Stannis requested this afternoon." Elena smiled as Robb's eyes narrowed at her playfully. His hands wandered to her waist while she was talking.

"And you need to take Gill to the market, he has been dying for a new playsword." Elena tried to act serious. Like Always Robb had the calming effect on her, making all her worries fly away as he held her tight.