The Queen in the North: Game of thrones fanfiction

Chapter Fourteen: The Wolf and the Rose

Chapter Fourteen:

The Wolf and the Rose

Elonar Stark

"First impression of Ser Garlan?" Grayce Flower questioned as she brushed through El's curls.

Elonar smiled "he not bad" she shrugged, she was cautious of who she could trust now, after everything that had happened with Brandon. Elonar was taking no chances with her trust. The Tyrells were a house of high honour one of the high house in the realm. Once, the Starks had also been of that status. Now they were, exiled and extinct, but how could they be extinct if El was still alive and fighting. It would not be in the Tyrells interest to betray Elonar, that was why she trusted them.

"I'll have him if you don't want him" laughed Rausa, as she helped El up and dressed her in a sky blue floral gown "it's very, Highgarden, isn't it?" Rausa said smiling Grayce smiled in agreement. "It's so different, I mean from the north" Rausa said

Lady El stood, straightening her dress she took a shaky breath in. Terror consumed her whole body and mind once again. She'd been terrified since she'd arrived in Highgarden, she knew the marriage to the Tyrells meant safety, but what was happening up north? In Winterfell, was Greatjon Umber holding the castle or had he sold her out to Roose Bolton or some other enemy. She lead her handmaidens down the stairs that lead down to Lady Olenna's quarters and her private courtyard, the old Lady of House Tyrell had summoned Elonar shortly after breakfast to come and explore the gardens with her. Grayce had later explained, that a stroll in the gardens really meant an important conversation down in the south.

Elonar walked through the gardens, beside Lady Olenna in silence until lady Olenna spoke "what are your intentions, Lady Stark?" The Queen of Thorns said, linking arms with Elonar Stark "what is it that you really want in this cruel world of ours?"

"Lady Olenna I want, to be the ruler of the north" Elonar said, the innocence of a child, still ringing inside of her.

Lady Olenna nearly laughed, but instead turned the laugh into a sweet smile "dear child, you have so much left to learn"

"I also want peace in the realm" Elonar said standing up straighter and stroking a rose as blue as winter frost.

Then the Lady Olenna nodded silently, she was beautiful for an old woman. The majesty of a great Lady still rested on her feeble frail shoulders "then, lady Stark, we will be great allies" they strolled through the rose garden and along the sweet river that flowed through the gardens of Highgarden "your marriage to my Grandson, shall link our two great houses and our men shall be yours"

"I wants also to, bend my knee to Tommen Baratheon who sits the Iron Throne" El looked at Lady Olenna

"Oh Elonar, do you really think that, if you bent your knee to Tommen, that Cersei would ever let you leave the capital?" Olenna laughed "she'd cut off your head; my granddaughter Margaery, is to be wed to King Tommen, and you will be wed to Garlan, making you a Tyrell and putting us on the throne" Olenna smiled, Elonar paused and examined a yellow flower "Elonar you will have the north if we have anything to do with it" Elonar's eyes grow wide and a smile lit up her face. "Come dear, we have a wedding to plan"

Highgarden was so beautiful, Elonar thought as she gazed out of the balcony of her solar she turned her eyes away from the gardens to the east and to below her, where the rumble of people arriving for her wedding and rushing around below, she held up the corners of her white silk gown and turned into her bed chamber, "Rausa, i am ready" Elonar said straightening up, she clamped her hands together to stop them from shaking.

The walk down the to sept was a daze, a blurring haze of excited member of the crowd and the terror that loomed inside of Elonar, she met Axel Umber at the gates of the sept, having no father no brothers left, Axel was the best she could have hoped for, a strong northerner that she trusted. She linked arms with Axel and he lead her gently down the aisle through the mass of glassy, eyed bystanders. She was frightens, oh so frightened, but Elonar was a stark of Winterfell, and she must be brave, because a man, or woman, can only be truly brave, when he, or she, is truly frightened. At least that's what her father Lord Eddard always told her and her siblings. Axel released her and took his place alone on the row to the right of the alter, El walked alone up the steps to face Garlan Tyrell, he looked down at her, but his green eyes were kind. He unclasped silvery grey cloak that was patterned with small black shiny direwolves. He let the heavy cloak fall to the floor and he tore his green and golden rose cloak over Elonar's shoulders. She repeated the vows, letting them gush out her mouth not listening to a word she was uttering.

"With this kiss I pledge my love," Garlan spoke staring down at her "and take you for my lady and wife", he leaned down and he gave her a long hard kiss.

"Here in the sight of Gods and men.. I do solemnly proclaimed Garlan of the house Tyrell and Elonar of the house Stark to be man and wife, one flesh, one heart, one sole, now and forever, and cursed he be the one who comes between them" the old septon said hoarsely raising the crystal above them. It was done, Elonar was no longer a stark, but now, by law, a Tyrell.