"Where is the edge
Of your darkest emotions?"

(Within Temptation, Where is the edge)

"Let me lead the attack, Robb" Theon was saying to his king as they crossed the camp, when lord Karstark sprang up before him. The young king and his friend looked at him with an interrogative face. "Let him lead the attack and I won't take the field, your majesty" Karstark said with a voice that was loud enough to make many of the lords and soldiers who where there turn to look.
"Deciding who is more appropriate to command my army is not up to you, lord Rickard. Your duty is to fight for the North, whoever may lead the men into battle" Robb replied coldly. The lord didn't answer or move, he didn't even seem to be impressed at all. Some people got closer with circumspection, getting curious.
"The Greyjoys are an infamous breed of wicked traitors whose brains are soaked with sea water. How long do you think it will take before this one here betrays you as well?"
Theon didn't say a single world. As soon as lord Karstark finished talking, Theon drew his dagger and went for the older man before anyone could lift a finger to stop him. Panic raged: a group of men rushed between them just in time, and a few soldiers grabbed Theon, immobilising him.
"ENOUGH!" Robb shouted through the chaos. His eyes now burned with fury. Theon was released, but monitored closely by the shocked knights who had stopped him. He was shaking with rage, but the King in the North wasn't less furious. "None of my allies will draw weapons against one another! Greyjoy, give your apologies to lord Karstark" he said, holding back from shouting again.
"He insulted my family, my king. He called me a traitor". Theon replied, with all the self-control he was able to gain, his eyes fastened on Karstark.
"You shall obey my command before I declare you a traitor myself for trying to slain one of my vassal lords, Greyjoy." Robb's voice was deadly grim. For a long moment, Theon and the king stared at each other. Some people put hand to the hilt of their swords, sure they would have to intervene in the king's defense. The silence was tense like moments before a battle starts. Then Theon turned towards lord Karstark.
"Please accept my apologies for my thoughtless behavior, my lord".
"I only accept them because my king commands me, ironborn" Karstark answered, anything but satisfied, and bowed in front of Robb before turning to leave.
"Wait, my lord" he said. "It is advisable for you to apologize for you ignominious words as well."
The lord's eyes widened and a flash of rage crossed his face. "Your majesty, I beg your pardon for talking in such a..."
"It is advisable for you to give your apologies to Greyjoy, not to me". Some of the knights who were there muttered under their noses. Lord Rickard visibly fought to swallow his humiliation. His face was red as he idly nodded towards Theon. "I'm sorry I offended you with my sincere words, young Greyjoy".
"I bet you are, my lord" Theon answered with the best of his well-known insolent smiles, but his face was still wan with rage. Robb looked scathingly at him.
"I wish I'll never have to witness such miserable scenes again. I could find myself obliged to end them in a different way". With these words the king cleared his way through the little crowd with big furious steps, followed by Theon, leaving a swelling buzzing of comments behind his back.

"Have you lost your mind?" he yelled at Theon's face as soon as they got into the royal tent.
"What?" he replied, incredulous. Robb was walking back and forth like a caged animal.
"You let him fool you like an idiot! Don't you see that it was just what lord Rickard was waiting for? He's not the only one to dislike your House and to be suspicious of your loyalty, Theon... do you want to hand them your head on a plate?"
"Only if you don't want it for yourself, my king".
"Don't challenge me, Theon." Robb whispered nearing to Theon. There were only a couple of inches between theis faces. He breathed slowly. "I'm telling you in the name of our friendship. Don't cross that line. Our friendship wouldn't save you if you did".
Theon took a step back. "You made me apologize to that asshole, you let him humiliate me in front of everybody. You threatened me to declare me a traitor. Is this what is left of our friendship, Robb?"
"And what the hell was I supposed to do? Consider yourself lucky, Theon! He had the right to claim much more for what you've done and what do you think I'd have to do if he did? Do you understand what you risked to put me through, you bloody idiot? Or do you want my army to crumble in a breath of wind?"
Theon let himself fall on a chair, snorting. "You're right, of course. I was wrong to assault him" he admitted darkly. "Sometimes I ask myself what has become of the Robb I knew. Maybe he died the night they put that crown on your head" he said.
Robb seemed to have received a slap. "Yes, he did" he said sadly. A silence dense of too many things to be broken fell between them.
"Will you let me lead this army of yours in the attack before I manage to completely make it crumble?" Theon asked cautiously, with a piercing glance. Robb sighed.
"No, Theon, you know I won't".
"You too are suspicious of my loyalty, my king?". His voice was sourer than he meant it to be.
"I trust your loyalty more than the anyone else's". Robb looked him in the eyes and Theon knew he was honest. For the moment, it was enough. "But I have to lead the attack myself. I have to be on the front line. And you know this as well".
"Yes, I forgot the way you Starks play. But if you lost you life, your army would crumble for sure, have you thought about that?"
"It means it will be your responsibility along with the other men of my Guard to avoid that I lose my life. Do you think you can do it, Greyjoy?" Robb smiled and for a moment, Theon glimpsed the kid again, the kid he not so long ago played war with, in the great halls and cold yards of Winterfell. Only, now war was no longer a game and that kid bore a heavy crow, a very heavy crown. He was overwhelmed with a rush of melancholy and fierce love for that kid, that love he felt for no one else in the world. He couldn't allow anyone to make him forget it. I must stand by your side, always, at any cost.
"I'll see what I can do, your majesty" he answered grinning and admiring his own gloved hands with feigned carelessness. "I'll see what I can do".