Next chapter up! Thanks for all the follows and reviews! Hope you guys are enjoying reading this story as much as I am enjoying writing it! Always up for constructive criticism so let me know what you guys think!

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Chapter 11

While the outside of Winterfell seemed to feel the gravity of the King's Landing party the worst by sheer loss of numbers, it was the inside that was really struggling. Lady Catelyn had continued her constant vigil at her son's bedside and she refused against everyone's urging to give it up. Maester Luwin had assured the Starks that Bran was out of the worst danger; though he still had not awoken, his body was healing as was his mind and the old Maester was fairly confident that Bran would wake soon. Catelyn did not seem as convinced and as she began to neglect her own human needs, her children began to get frustrated.

"Mother, please, it's been weeks." Elena tried for the hundredth time, "I beg of you, go take a walk around the grounds. Clear your head, get a hot meal, sleep on an actual bed instead of this chair." She motioned to the armchair that Catelyn had barely left the past few weeks. "I can watch Bran for the night."

"No I can't leave him." Lady Stark's voice was as rigid as her posture. She made no eye contact with her daughter instead focusing on her needlepoint.

Maester Luwin sighed from his position on Bran's other side, "My Lady there are things that need attending to, positions to fill, ledgers to balance."

"Have Poole do them then."

"Steward Poole went with Father" Elena answered sharply, "Mother, he has been gone for weeks."

"He's one of the appointments we need to fill my Lady."

Catelyn looked up startled, "How am I supposed to know that? I don't care about the positions that need to be filled or about the accounts! I don't care about ledgers."

"My Lady-" Luwin began but he was silenced quickly by Lady Stark's angry look, "Bran needs me" the elder woman declared. "If he wakes I need to be here."

Maester Luwin shook his head, "the castle needs you my Lady."

"I. Said. I. Don't. Care." She spat bitterly.

Elena was about to argue back when her elder brother came into view. "I'll handle the accounts" Robb announced as he stood behind his mother's chair. "And the ledgers, I can do those two."

"And I'll appoint the new positions" Elena finished taking her cues from her brother.

Maester Luwin looks grateful, "Excellent my Lord, my Lady."

Robb looked to his mother and frowned, "Will you give us a moment Maester?"

"Of course," Luwin agreed as he bowed to them. He left quickly, pulling the door shut behind him.

With just the family left in the room, Robb took a seat on Bran's bed, "Mother" he began solemnly, "you need to come back to us. Rickon has become a terror to castle. All he does is cry-"

Lady Stark looked to her eldest, "He's just a little boy. You're meant to be the Lord of Winterfell and you can't even care for your little brother."

Elena watched her brother look away angrily, "he needs his mother" she defended earning a glare from Catelyn.

Lady Stark sighed impatiently, "Bran needs me. He almost died"

Robb stood and walked to the window, "He's going to be fine mother. We are all doing everything we can for Bran but the truth is he will wake up when he is ready and sitting at his bedside all day and night is not going to- Fire!"

Elena looked up sharply at her brother's sudden exclamation, "Fire?" she questioned.

"Yes fire!" Robb gazed out the window, "It looks to be from the library." He turned to his mother and sister, "you two stay here. I'll come back!" He rushed out the door and out of sight.

Once gone, Elena went immediately to Robb's spot at the window, "How could the library catch fire?" she spoke absentmindedly. "And so quickly" she added as she watched the bright orange flames tickle the night's sky. Elena turned and was shocked to see her mother beside her. Catelyn Stark peered out the window next to her daughter but said nothing; instead just watching the fire intently, her mind trying to justify its presence.

Just as Elena was about to leave her brother's bedroom to get a better look at the commotion around the castle, a man walked into the room. He was unfamiliar to the young girl, with his dirty ripped cloak and hood hiding his face. She looked to her mother to see if perhaps she recognized him but Elena can tell from her face that Catelyn did not know this man either.

"You're not supposed to be here." The man's voice was shaky but grave and Elena felt a chill run down her spine. "Who are you?" she asked sternly, pretending to be more annoyed than scared. "How did you get in here?"

"No one supposed to be here." The mysterious stranger exchanged a look with Catelyn then looked back to Bran. "It's a mercy, he's dead already." He removed an impressive dagger from his side and took a step towards the bed.

"NO" called Lady Stark as she lunged at the man to stop him. He overpowered her easily though and threw her to the ground roughly.

"Mother!" Elena screamed as she jumped up to help. She rushed forward and pulled at the man's arm but he shrugged her off just as quick. As Elena prepared to grab him again, the stranger turned to face her and slashed freely. He hit her down the front, opening a gash from her neck to her chest. She staggered back at the blow and though it was not deep enough to bleed out, it stunned the girl enough to allow the stranger to push her into the table on the other side of the room. Elena let out a moan of pain and fell to the ground.

Watching her daughter struggle to get up, spurred Catelyn back up and ignoring her aching body, the elder woman rushed the man once more and grabbed his knife with her bare hands. Despite her fingers beginning to bleed fiercely, Catelyn held on and forced the man back from the bed and towards the back wall. Catelyn believed she really might be winning before she was thrown off once more and this time even more roughly. Now that both women were down, the stranger went back to his original plan and head back towards Bran. Elena coming to her senses got up to try and stop him but she was not quick enough. He was just over Bran when they all heard the growl.

The room went silent as all three turned to see Bran's direwolf in the doorway. The brown wolf bared his teeth at the intruder and even Elena, who had never felt anything other than love and compassion for the beautiful beasts, could feel her heart pound in worry. The wolf leaped up quickly and bit the man right in the neck with his razor sharp teeth. The cries of agony coming from the stranger was enough to make even Elena look away and when she was finally brave enough to look back up she found the man bleeding out on the floor, his neck punctured. Elena then looked to her little brother and he was safe and sound asleep in his bed; his wolf next to him, the blood from his kill still wet on his snout. Elena watched her mother take a shaky seat on the bed next to them but she didn't say anything, just watched silently.

Within seconds footsteps were heard from the hallway and soon Robb, Ser Rodrik and Maester Luwin were rushing inside the room. They each stopped when they got a sight of everyone and it took Elena's struggle to get up to get them all moving again.

"My Ladies" spoke Ser Rodrik as he pulled on his whiskers absentmindedly, "what in seven hells happened here?"

Catelyn looked back to her bedridden son and down to her hands. "He tried to kill him."

"Kill him? Who tried my Lady?" Maester Luwin asked coming forward to take a look at her bleeding hands.

Robb meanwhile kneeled down next to his little sister. "Elena" he lifted her head gently to take a look at her wounds, "you're bleeding" he exclaimed looking to the Maester. "Luwin, please come help her."

"Yes" Lady Catelyn brushed off Luwin's hands, "please go help Elena."

"I'm fine Mother" the young girl shared quietly, "It's just a scratch." But she didn't stop when the Maester took a cloth and gently patted the blood down her front. "That's quite a slash, my Lady" he told her tenderly, "I might need to close it."

She glanced down at the ugly red marks and frowned, "Help my mother first" she decided frankly, gripping the wall to help herself stand. Robb offered a hand but the young girl ignored it. She walked slowly over to the now dead intruder. Ser Rodrik was inspecting him closely and she could see that there was no sigil or any other form of identification on the man. "Who was he Ser Rodrik?" she asked the older man.

"Not sure my Lady. Probably a hired fellow, low born or bastard perhaps."

"Hired?" questioned Robb, "Hired by whom?"

Ser Rodrik lifted the blade off the corpse, "This is an impressive dagger, my Lord. Valayrian steel." He showed their mother, "My Lady this could only come from a very rich person."

Lady Stark stood from the bed wearily. "Take the knife Robb and place it in my bedroom. Tell no one about it. Ser Rodrik get this body removed and send a few servants to clean the blood from my son's sheets. Luwin" she looked to the Maester who was just finishing wrapping her hands, "take my daughter to her bedroom and make sure those cuts are closed. I'll join you in a minute." She watched as everyone left to their tasks. Once it was only her and Bran's direwolf left she turned to the furry creature. "Thank you," she whispered and for just a moment it looked as if the wolf nodded back.

The next morning while most of the castle was still asleep, Catelyn, Robb, Elena, Theon, Ser Rodrik and Maester Luwin met in the Godswood. Their faces were grave as they met at the elder tree. Lady Stark removed from the dagger from her dress pocket and held it open in her cut up hands. "What I am about to tell you must stay between us." She looked them all over before continuing, "I don't think Bran fell from that tower. I think he was thrown."

Ser Rodrik and Maester Luwin exchanged a look, "the boy was always sure-footed before" the maester agreed.

"Someone tried to kill him twice" Lady Stark continued. "Why? Why murder an innocent child? Unless he saw something he shouldn't have seen-"

"Saw what, my Lady?" Theon interrupted.

"I don't know but I would stake my life that the Lannister's had something to do with this. They already question our commitment to the throne."

Ser Rodrik stepped forward, "and that dagger, Valaryian steel with Dragonbone. Too fine a weapon for a man like that, someone gave it to him."

Robb eyes flared in anger. "They come into my home, try to murder my brother. If its war they want-"

"If it comes to that you know I'll stand beside you" Theon spoke up looking to the boy he considered a brother with excitement in his eyes.

Maester Luwin cleared his throat, "Is there going to be a battle in the Godswood?" Robb and Theon looked down ashamed. "Too many times words of war become acts of war." He turned to Catelyn, "We don't know the truth yet but Lord Stark must be told of this."

"I don't trust a raven to carry these words" Catelyn spoke honestly as she turned to Ser Rodrik who nodded in agreement.

"I'll ride to King's Landing" Robb offered quickly, and Theon stepped forward as well.

"No" Lady Stark shot down just as swift, "there must always be a Stark in Winterfell. You will be Lord."

Elena who had been silent for the whole exchange, fingered the new scars on her chest and looked to the dagger. Thinking of her hatred for the Queen, she turned to her mother. "I can go then. I would love to confront them all in King's Landing."

Her mother smiled sadly, "No my dear, you stay here and help your brother. I will go myself."

"Mother you can't" Robb disputed but he was cut off.

"I must" Catelyn spoke ending her son's argument.

Ser Rodrik turned to the Lady, "I'll get a group of men together. We will be ready in the morning."

Catelyn shook her head, "Too large a party draws unwanted attention. I do not want the Lannisters to know I'm coming."

"Let me accompany you at least, my Lady" Ser Rodrik pushed. "King's Road can be a dangerous place for a lady alone."

Lady Stark nodded gratefully. "What about Bran?" Elena asked quietly.

They all turned to Catelyn and was surprised to see her sigh in resolution, "I have prayed to the seven for more than a month. Bran's life is in their hands now. Besides I do this for him."

"Mother I really don't think-"

"It is final Robb. Ser Rodrik we leave tonight at dusk" and with that the meeting was adjourned.

As they watched their mother ride off a few hours later, Elena and Robb stood in silence. Winterfell was emptying before their eyes and once a stronghold with all their loved ones, the Northern Haven was losing its magic. Elena reached for her brother's hand and squeezed it gently, "She will be fine" she spoke calmly, "she will tell Father and maybe then they can all come back to Winterfell."

Robb looked unsure but smiled at his sister, "yes they will all be home soon." He turned to the castle, "I should get back to work" he admitted and gave his sister another squeeze before heading inside. Once he was out of sight Elena watched another figure approach her. "You don't have to wait until he leaves to talk to me" she spoke loudly, "Robb already hates you regardless."

Joseth laughed as he came closer, "Comforting" he mumbled as he took a stance next to her. "Was that your Lady mother I saw leaving the castle?"

"It was."

"It's dark, where would she be going now?" the young man asked curiously. Elena stayed silent though and he gave a knowing nod. "She wasn't supposed to be seen leaving that explains the late departure."

"If anyone asks, she is sick in her bedchambers" Elena explained quietly, her eyes still on the road her mother just disappeared from.

Joseth smirked, "you think no one will notice her missing? She's the Lady of the castle."

"She was, now I am." She looked up at him. "Just keep it to yourself okay?"

"You don't trust the castle?"

She shook her head, "No it's outside these walls I don't trust."

He nodded, "your secrets safe with me, Elena." He noticed her cloak high around her neck, "Are you cold?" He shrugged out of his coat and offered it to her, "Here take this."

"I'm not cold Joseth but thank you."

"Then why are you so covered up, it's a mild night, mild for the North I mean."

She turned to him silently and removed her cloak, offering him the first glance at the new scars around her neck. "Elena!" he exclaimed, "How in seven hells did this happen?"

"There's been an attack-"

"An attack! You were attacked!?"

She placed a hand on his arm to calm him, "shh Joseth, calm down I'm fine."

"Look at those slashes! You are not fine! Who did this?"

She looked down, "a man came into my brother's room the other night hoping to catch it empty. He claimed it was a mercy killing and pulled a dagger. My mother and I struggled to stop him. He slashed me when I rushed him."

"Who was this man?" Joseth asked, anger seething with each word as he placed gently hands on the wound. "I'll kill him."

"I believe Bran's direwolf beat you to that" she admitted serenely, "he is long dead Joseth."

"Why would someone try and kill your brother?"

She thought about what her mother had told them all in the Godswoods. As much as she trusted Joseth she couldn't bring herself to tell him, maybe because it would make everything seem more real. "I don't know" she spoke finally after a few seconds of silence, "but I need a favor Joseth."

"Anything"

"I need you to train me in sword fighting again." She looked at him, "I can't be so defenseless anymore."

He nodded in understanding but looked out onto the King's Road. "Is there something coming Elena? A battle or a war or something?"

She nodded, "I believe there is, and when it comes, I expect to be ready." She turned away and headed back to the castle without another word; Joseth watching her all the way inside.

Alright another chapter down! Spoiler for you guys eventually we will have Elena heading to King's Landing to help her father when he is arrested as a trailer and believe me that will be fun to read. She will be in all her sassy glory down there. Again hope everyone is enjoying this story! And Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans :)