The Guardian of the North (Robb Stark) Completed

Hand of the king

                  

What have you done?!

Elena's eyes fluttered open, Damon's voice ringing through her head like an alarm. Her head was pounding, her leg throbbing and her stomach was feeling like it was ready to explode.

But the feeling of the soft sheets against her arms, the feeling of the mattress under her body let her know that she was safe. That she was somewhere where Ramsay couldn't hurt her.

Elena sat up, holding her throbbing head as she let out a loud groan. Taking in the room she was in she soon discovered that she was back in her old room. They were in Winterfell.

Together with that thought came the doubt. What if this was another of Ramsay's tricks, what if she was actually still captured only instead of in a cell he locked her up in her room.

With that fear came the memories of that what happened before. Elena remembered the disappointed look on Damon's face. The look that almost literally screamed that he would rather have his brother back instead of her.

She still didn't understand what was happening at that moment. What had Damon planned to do? Was he killing his own brother? Somewhere deep down Elena was angry at Damon, knowing that he was the reason why their mother had died but above all she was angry about the fact that he had kept the truth from her.

"Please, I don't have any time for this right now." Elena heard Robb's deep voice from the other side of the wall. Her eyes widened as she shot up from the bed and ran towards the door, ignoring the pain in her leg as she laid her ear against the cold wood. She wasn't sure if it was truly Robb, maybe her mind was fooling her.

"It's Stannis, he wants to speak to you." Steven said, he sounded worried and exhausted. Elena smiled, knowing he was all right. She almost opened the door but Robb's voice stopped her from doing so.

"He can wait." Robb growled but then softly added. "Elena is still not awake and after Louis' funeral yesterday I really am not in the mood to speak to him."

Louis' funeral. Elena took in a deep breath and pressed her eyes shut, laying her forehead against the door. She knew this would happen. She knew she failed him. Instead of flying away from the castle she should've went back to Louis to save him.

"Steven..." Robb sounded tired. Elena supressed her sobs while continuing to listen to his voice. At least he was still alive. "I can't rule as a king on my own, not anymore. With all that's happened, all that we've lost, I just can't."

Robb frowned when an idea popped up in his head after thinking about his father. He helped his friend, Robert Baratheon, with ruling his kingdom.
"Steven." Robb repeated, his voice more confident than before. "I name you hand of the king, from now on you can speak in my name and help me rule as king in the north."

"What?" Elena heard Steven gasp.

"You're more fitted for this job than anyone I have ever known in my entire life. I've been thinking about this for a while now. I wish I could name you king, but it doesn't work like that." Robb explained. "I'm sure you will do the right thing."

"Your grace, I'm just a guardian." Steven stammered. Elena tried to concentrate on their voices instead of on the agonizing pain in her heart. "I don't know anything about ruling, I'm a farmer. I'm honoured but I don't think I'm ready for this."

"That's why I chose you." Robb said. "You know the value of justice, you know wrong from right because you've endured them both. As a guardian you always put the safety of other people above your own. That's a trade that is most important in leadership. "