Ghosts of the Past

Elaena tried her best to avoid the king. Whenever she saw him, she sprinted away. Robb said that she was being silly. That there was no way Eddard Stark would allow the king to harm her, but Lord Stark was only a lord, and Robert Baratheon was a king.

She sat beside Robb at the feast that evening. Lady Stark organised the banquet as a welcome party for the royal retinue. Elaena had asked to be seated at the back, away from the eyes of the king, but Lady Stark insisted that she be seated with her children. "You have nothing to be ashamed of," she had said. "You are not your father or grandfather."

It wasn't that she was ashamed, it was that she feared the king's wrath would grow with every look her way, at every glance at her Targaryen eyes. At the beginning of the feast, the king had been glaring venomously at her, but then he became to drunk to function. Elaena thanked the gods for the king's love of wine.

"You're shaking," Robb whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine," she replied, shrugging his hand away.

Sansa was talking with Jeyne Poole about how handsome Prince Joffrey was. Arya seemed very bored as she played with her food, and Bran and Rickon were slowly falling asleep in their seats.

Elaena felt the queen's eyes on her back. She looked over her shoulder, and saw the Lannister queen, so beautiful and proud, staring at her. The queen was a Lannister through and through, with striking green eyes, golden skin and blonde hair. The royal children took after their mother, and there was not a trace of Baratheon in them.

The queen's eyes finally left her, and settled on her husband, who was groping a kitchen maid. Elaena pitied the queen. She was trapped in a loveless marriage with a man who could never love her. King Robert would always be in love with the ghost of Lyanna Stark.

Her mother had been in the same situation. Rhaegar Targaryen abandoned her for Lyanna Stark. Lady Lyanna must have been very beautiful for two men to go to war for her. For Rhaegar Targaryen to abandon his wife and children to be with her. A part of Elaena would always hate Lady Lyanna for enthralling her father. For ripping her family apart.

She stood up from her seat. Robb gripped her wrist. "Where are you going?" he asked worriedly.

"I need some air," she said, tearing her hand from his grasp and walking out.

She chided herself for being so horrible to Robb. He cared about her, Elaena knew that, and she was being stubborn and proud.

The night was cold, as most nights were in Winterfell. She heard the clashing of a sword against an object and went to investigate. She saw Jon, striking his sword against a dummy.

"I'm sure he's dead now," she called.

He spun around to face her. "Oh, Elaena," he replied, sheathing his sword. "I was just..."

"Who were you imagining it to be?" she asked, a playful smirk crossing her features. "Me?"

Jon chuckled and shook his head. "No. Not you."

"Who, then? The Lannisters? I think any person in all Seven Kingdoms would cherish the feeling of slicing a dagger through one of their hearts."

"No," he said. "Not a Lannister."

"Lady Stark?" she suggested. Jon didn't reply. "Jon, Lady Stark-"

"No," he stopped her before she could go on a lengthy rant about how Lady Stark's feelings towards him were partially justified. "It's not her either."

She looked relieved. "Who is it?" she asked. "Come on, tell me!"

"I'm joining the Night's Watch."

Elaena froze. Of all the things she expected him to tell her, him taking the black was not one of them. She knew he didn't feel welcome here, and she could understand that, but the Night's Watch was for life. Once a man took his vows, he could never leave on pain of death.

"Why?" Elaena inquired. "Why are you leaving?"

"I don't belong here," he stated. "I never did. I'm a Snow, they're Starks. A lord's castle is no place for a bastard."

"Jon..."

"No," he said firmly. "Elaena... I can't stay here any more. What purpose do I have here? What reason do I have to stay?"

"Me," she answered, her eyes full with tears. "Don't go, Jon. I need you. You're my friend." Something flashed in Jon's eyes. Elaena placed a hand on his shoulder. "Please, don't go."

He shrugged her hand off his shoulder. "I have to," Jon said. "The Wall is where I am needed. I don't have any use here."

Elaena threw her arms up in frustration. "You keep saying that, Jon, but you're wrong. You do have a use here. Lord Stark loves you-"

"He loves Robb more than me," Jon countered. "And all of his trueborn children. He loves them all more than me."

She shook her head. "That's not true," she argued. "He really does care for you. You're his son."

"I'm his bastard," he said grumpily. "His bastard son."

"He doesn't see you as that."

"And what of Lady Stark?" Jon asked. She could hear the subtle anger in his voice. "What does she see me as?" Elaena pursed her lips in a thin line. "Exactly. Lady Stark sees me as a bastard. As reminder of her lord husband's infidelity. I intend to free of her of that burden."

"You're being silly," Elaena said. "Not everyone hates you."

"Everyone looks down on me," Jon replied. "You know that as well as I. They give me looks of distaste and disgust. Most people don't even want to speak with me because of the stain. And it's all because I'm a-"

"Bastard," she finished. Jon seemed shocked. Elaena never used the word 'bastard.' "Yes, you're a bastard. And I am a Targaryen. Both are of equal social stigma. You think I don't get the looks? Or the glares? I do, Jon, and it does hurt. But unlike you, I can't go to the Wall, because I am a girl. I wouldn't even mind becoming a Maester, but I can't do that either. The world is cruel to bastards, cripples, peasants, Targaryens and women, and its not too kind to the rest of humanity either. Its best to simply accept it."

"The girl speaks wise words."

Elaena spun around. In front of them stood a man ridiculously short. He had light blonde hair and mismatched green and black eyes. She recognised him as Tyrion Lannister, the Imp. He had none of the beauty given by the gods to his brother and sister, and none of their grace either. He waddled drunkenly, a skin of wine in his hand.

"Although, she has forgotten dwarfs," he said thoughtfully. "The world is very cruel to dwarfs."

"What're you doing back there?" Jon demanded.

He took another mouthful of wine. "Preparing for a night with your family. I hear you're joining the Night's Watch. I've always wanted to see the Wall."

"You're Tyrion Lannister," Elaena stated. "The queen's brother."

He grinned ruefully. "My greatest accomplishment. You... you're the last Targaryen, aren't you?"

"Not the last," she told him. "There are two others – Viserys and Daenerys, my aunt and uncle – across the Narrow Sea."

Tyrion nodded. "Ah, yes. But you, Elaena Targaryen, the bane of King Robert's existence, are the last Targaryen in Westeros. If it wasn't for Ned Stark, you'd be dead. You know, I've always had an interest in dragons. When I was younger I would dream of them. The notion of mounting a dragon and burning down cities to ashes always appealed to me." Elaena raised an eyebrow. "A jest, sweet girl. They say that Targaryens have a fondness for fire. Nothing aroused the Mad King like the smell of burning flesh."

Elaena scrunched her nose in disgust. She had heard numerous tales of the Mad King, of her grandfather. She didn't like hearing them. It made her feel ashamed that she was his granddaughter, and then she would feel guilty that she was ashamed.

"The Mad King is dead," Jon spoke, sensing Elaena's discomfort. "There is no need to torment his granddaughter over his atrocities."

"Looks like you have a gallant protector, Lady Elaena. He seems quite besotted with you." They both blushed. Although Elaena had never even considered Jon as a partner. She had never considered anyone as a partner. "They will sing songs of you both. Elaena Targaryen, the last dragon and Jon Snow, the bastard wolf." Jon glared at the dwarf. "Did I offend you? I apologise. You are a bastard, though."

"Lord Eddard Stark is my father," Jon stated.

"And Lady Stark is not your mother," Tyrion Lannister pointed out. "Making you a bastard. Let me give you some advice, bastard. Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armour, and then it can never be used to hurt you."

Jon narrowed his eyes at him. "What the hell do you know about being a bastard?"

"All dwarves are bastards in their fathers' eyes," he said before examining the two of them. "The two of you fit well together, by the way. It's a shame Lord Snow wants to freeze his balls off at the Wall."

The Imp turned around and waddled inside. Jon picked up his sword and attacked the dummy, even more ferociously than before.

Elaena sighed. "Jon?"

He ignored her, and Elaena realised that he just wanted to be left alone.

The men at the feast were even more drunk than they had been when Elaena departed. She saw Benjen Stark speaking to Lord Stark, and noticed the empty seats previously sat on by Arya, Bran and Rickon.

She sat beside Robb at the table and sipped at her wine. "You were gone for a while," he noted.

"Feasts are taxing," she replied shortly.

"I brought Arya to bed," Robb told her. "She assaulted Sansa."

Elaena laughed. "What did she do this time?"

Robb grinned. "She flung her desert at Sansa. It was hilarious."

"I bet your lady mother didn't think so," Elaena commented, glancing at Lady Stark.

"Oh, gods no," Robb said. "She looked as though she was going to explode. It didn't help that she was sitting beside the pompous, Lannister queen."

"Mind your words, Robb," Elaena told him sternly. "You never know who's listening."

He rolled his eyes. "And what would they do? Kill me? You worry too much."

Elaena sighed. "And you don't worry enough."

Secretly, she envied Robb's carefree nature. If it wasn't for her fear of an execution and the stain of being a Targaryen, perhaps she would have been more like him. She had never truly been given the chance to be a child. To be wild and without a care.

"You need to loosen up." Robb's face suddenly split into a grin. "Dance with me."

Her eyes widened. "Robb, I don't think..."

"Come on," he urged, standing up and offering her his hand. "It'll be fun."

She glanced at his hand unsurely. You wanted to be more like Robb. "Fine."

Robb pulled her up and led her to the open space in the centre of the room. Many lords were dancing with their lady wives, and many were dancing with women that certainly weren't their wives. The lords were drunk, and there were no children in the entire hall. Elaena and Robb were youngest in the hall, following Sansa's departure.

"I can't dance," Elaena whispered to Robb, looking around her to make sure nobody was looking at them. "Septa Mordane tried to teach me... but I really can't."

He chuckled. "Don't worry. Neither can I."

Elaena saw the hall spin as Robb spun her around. She laughed as she stumbled into his arms, becoming very dizzy. The quality of the music was slowly deteriorating. Elaena guessed that it was due to the musicians' increasing drunkenness and, perhaps, growing fatigue.

For the first time since she had heard that the king was to arrive, Elaena felt truly happy. Robb was practically throwing her around the hall, spinning and leading her from one end to the other. Her cheeks were flushed and she was sweating, and Elaena was sure she looked horrible, but she couldn't find it in her to care.

She decided to stop dancing when the room became but a combination of colours. She stepped away from Robb and placed her hands in front of her, trying to steady herself. "Wait, wait," she said. "The room is spinning."

Robb smiled. "We should go to bed." He then blushed. "Separate beds, of course."

Elaena laughed and nodded. "I know. I think you need your rest as much as I do."

They left the feast and went to their rooms. The Stark children, Theon and Elaena all had rooms situated close to each other. The girls' rooms were on the opposite side of the boys'. Elaena had often wondered why it was, or if it was merely symmetrical.

They stopped outside of their chambers. "Thank you, Robb," Elaena said.

"For what?" he asked, confused.

She smiled. "For showing me how to have fun," she told him, and gave his hand a squeeze. "The gods know I needed it."

She turned around and went into her room. Her maid, Tala, greeted her as soon as she came in. "I have a bath drawn for you, my lady."

Tala had been her maid since she was nine, and Tala knew that she loved baths. There was something relaxing about sitting in steaming water. It was as if the water could wash away all of her worries.

Her clothes were discarded in a pile on her bed. She approached the bath. Steam was rising from the water, and Elaena was sure that it was very hot.

"My lady, the water is too hot!" Tala warned.

She stepped into to the bath and sunk into it, allowing the water to caress every part of her skin.


Author's Note: I'm not too happy about this chapter, its just... meh. I hope you guys enjoyed it anyway. Remember to review! They're like my own personal stash of heroine!