As soon as the blade in my hand was closed to his face, Robb would move, and I would have to stop.
"Will you please stand still?" I asked, irritated. If he didn't flinch every time, we would have been done already. I honestly do not understand why he would let me shave him if he thinks that I will cut him.
"I'm sorry, but this isn't the most comfortable position I've been in." he said.
"Seven Hells Robb, I know how to do this." I sighed, and I leaned back his head so that he can look at me." Do you trust me or not?" I asked, and after he thought about it for a moment, he nodded his head. I leaned his head on the side, and I started shaving him. I am positive there is no chance that I will cut him. I know what I'm doing, and I would much rather work slow, than fast and mess everything up. This is my husband's face I'm shaving. I don't want to cut him any more than he wants to be cut.
"I don't think I have ever heard you singing." Robb said quietly. I didn't even notice that I started humming as I was working.
"And you probably never will." I whispered. Before he could say something, I spoke first." Do not talk, I do not want to cut you." I warned and he slowly nodded. I wonder how long will he be quiet now." I know you have better things to do, but, the thing is, I'm not going to let you. It's a matter of minutes before your father's banners arrive. And Gods only know when you will find time for me and our son. So I will spend time with you, as much as I can, before all Seven Hells break lose." I said.
"I will always have time for you and Rickard." He said, trying not to move his jaw too much.
"I'm not questioning your devotion my love." I said with a smile on my face." I just know the way it goes when a war starts. And this will probably be the biggest war Westeros has ever seen." I said.
"Most days I'm ashamed to admit that you are far smarter than I am." He said, and I laughed.
"I'm not. I'm just an observer. You're the warrior. That is the way it should be. Wives and ladies are either their husbands support, or a token. I have feared, ever since I was old enough, that I will be nothing more than a token. And you, my brave husband, see me as your support. Other than the love I feel for you, I will always feel respect and gratitude as well." I said.
"Why are you so serious Elena?" he asked, and I frowned." Do not get me wrong, I love you for being you. Honest. But you are usually far less serious than you are now." He said.
"It's because I do nothing more than worry. Worry and love. That is all I know how to do." I whispered.
"Most of the time, that is all you need." He said. I smiled, and I kissed him on the forehead.
"I hope so." I whispered, and I took in a deep breath." Now, let's finish this." I announced.
"I will only look younger." He whined, and I laughed.
"I prefer you with a beard too, my love. Yet some acts should be followed." I said. Surprisingly, he didn't say anything to that, and I worked in silence for a while. I was wiping his face when there was a knock on the door. "Come in." I said, and Elisa walked in. "What happened?" I asked. I know Elisa a very long time, and I could see on his face that something is wrong.
"Rickard, my lady." She said, and both Robb and I turned around." Maestar Luwin says it's nothing serious, only a fever, but you should know." She said. I sighed. I knew that the day will come. It is more than common for people to get ill. But you look at illness in a very different way once you're a parent.
"Oh Gods." I whispered." Robb, you do what you should, once the bannermen arrive. I'll be with Rickard. And I'll join you later." I said. The bannermen will have Lord Eddard, Lady Catelyn and Robb to talk to, the last thing they will wish for is me. My son needs me far more.
"I'll wait with you until they arrive." Robb insisted, and I nodded. There was another knock on the door and this time, it was Jory.
"My lord, some of the bannermen have arrived." He said, and Robb and I exchanged looks.
"That settles it then." I whispered, and somehow, I managed to smile." Go and do what you must. I'll join you as soon as I can." I said. Robb nodded, and then he kissed me, not caring about the lack of privacy. And I didn't care either. As soon as he pulled away, he and Jory left the chambers.
"Bring me Rickard please." I said to Elisa. I was far less worried once I was with my boy. I could see that the Maestar was right. It will pass soon enough. And yet, I could not find it in me to leave his side.
I could hear the noise growing louder, coming all the way from the Great Hall. That is the way things are done. First eat and drink, then talk about the war. I had the time. And Rickard had a fever. As soon as he would start crying, I would calm him down, and the fever will leave him. Then, after a while, it would start once again. At last, he seemed to have calmed down. And he finally fell asleep.
"Shhh." I said when Jon walked into the chambers. I didn't want him to wake Rickard.
"How is he?" Jon whispered.
"Well enough. He will be healthy by the morning I suppose." I said. Ghost walked into the chambers, and I greeted him with open arms." I've missed you to, you big whitey." I said, and Jon and I both laughed when Ghost started licking my face." What is going on down there?" I asked.
"They started talking." Jon said, and I nodded." I believe that you should join them." he added.
"Oh, I know. Would you please call Elisa for me?" I asked, and he went to get her. As soon as Elisa was in the chambers, Jon and I left. I didn't expect me to be nervous as I was. I suppose that I still carry the fear of being seen as a traitor, even though I have proved myself loyal to the North, more than once.
"… Renly has no claim!" I heard a voice yell as we approached the door. We walked in, and no one seemed to notice us. And older man, maybe even older than Lord Stark was the one that was speaking. Old he may be, but he had strength in him, that was evident." If Joffrey is born of incest, then King Stannis has the claim. Renly is nothing more than a usurper." He said.
"Some time ago, Robert Baratheon was nothing more than a usurper as well." Eddard said.
"If we should side with one of them, we should side with one who has the claim." The man said.
"My lord." I said, and everyone in the hall turned to look at me." Lord Stannis couldn't care less about us. In the time of war, we should side with the ones who wish to side with us." I said.
"A whore from Kings Landing thinks she knows how to play war. How dare you speak in front of the Lords of the North?!" He yelled, and I smiled. I was amused by the look on Robb's face.
"Be careful how you speak to Elena." He said, and Grey Wind, who was by his feet, growled.
"You must be Lord Umber." I said with a smile, and I walked over towards him." I've heard about you, my Lord. And though I'm honored you think I am an expensive whore from the capitol, you should know that you are speaking to Elena Stark." I said. The look on his face amused me even more.
"Ah. The Lannister bride." He said and I smiled at him.
"I prefer to be called The Stark Wife." I said, and I heard quiet laughter in the hall." Believe me Lord Umber, no one, no one more than me, wants to see the Lannisters pay. The word is, they always pay their debts. I suppose we will find out soon enough if that is true. And if Tywin Lannister really does shit gold." I said. The hall couldn't be fuller, and yet, it couldn't have been quieter. You could hear a pin drop.
I stared at Lord Umber, and he stared at me right back. After a few moments, he began to shake with laughter, and soon enough, he was roaring. The rest of the bannermen followed his lead, and when I looked at him, I could see Robb proudly smirking. Oh yeas, he has a good wife.
"It's an honor to meet you my Lady." Lord Umber said, and I smiled at him. I was more than confused when he pulled me in a hug, but I went with it. A man like that… I prefer that he likes me. It's good to have him on my side. I wouldn't want my husband's and his father's bannermen to hate me.
"The honor is mine, Lord Umber." I said with a smile, and I turned to the rest of the bannermen." The same goes for all of you. Now, I never fought a war, and I was a baby when the last war took place, so I will let you do what you do best. I am only here as support and as an, let us say, strategy advisor. I'm sure you will find the information I can give you very useful." I said. It felt wrong. Who am I to speak to them like I did? I would have kept my mouth shut if Lord Umber didn't greet me as he did. But now I said what I had to say, and I walked over to take a seat next to Robb. As soon as I sat down, he squeezed my hand, and I saw that as a silent support. I was thankful for it, since I needed it. "The Lannister Bride?" I might have played with it, and talked back to Lord Umber, but I was surprised to see that that is the way people see me. Do they really think that I am nothing more than a Lannister bride? The Starks might have grown to love me, and the may see me as a part of their family, but the rest of the North does not.
As confused as I was, I hid it well. I looked like I know exactly what I'm doing, like I'm doing it every day.
Starting a war and planning to strike the people you called family just months ago isn't something that you do every day. Months? Gods, it's been more than a year. No, it's almost been two years. If it wasn't for Rickard, I would still think of Robb and myself as newlyweds. Two years? Now I understand the impatience. We've waited long enough. The time has come for the Starks to have their justice.
"As I said, we wait for the word of Tyrion Lannister." Eddard said once the hall was silent again. Did I really need a reminder of the fact that my brother still didn't send a word? He might even be dead and rotting, for all we know. As much is I love him, and respect him, Tyrion does know how to be an idiot.
"We wait for the Lannister to commit treason so that we can start a war on the Lannister?" one of the men asked. I never was the one to judge, not by physical appearance at least, but this one seemed like he's a wildling, and like he barely moves around other people. And Eddard looked at him with respect.
"Elena." Eddard said, and I looked at him in surprise. Of course, I had plenty of things to say, but I did not think that would be the right thing to do." We are talking about your old house. And you know them, better than anyone here. You should speak. You know your opinion will always matter." He said, and I managed a weak smile. The way I see it, I'm going to be the one directing the attack on my old family, on my old house, on my own blood. If that is what has to be done… I suppose I will do it.
"It is treason for the Lannisters. It is not treason to us. By all means, yes, my brother is the Hand of the King, and yes, he will betray the King, but we all know well that Joffrey is not Robert's son. I wonder how I couldn't see it before. It was… it was more than obvious. Joffrey does not belong on the Iron Throne. And my sister is not Queen Regent. My brother, the Kingslayer, broke his vows. Oh, I can't even imagine how many vows he broke over the years… And they almost killed Lord Stark. It is time for them to pay. And I know how we can do that. Joffrey is nothing more than a puppet. They keep him happy, because they can control him a lot easier then when he's not satisfied. He is sadistic, immature, childish, vain and evil. But he is still nothing more than a puppet. There is one man, one leader, one who controls everything without everyone knowing, and that is my father. Lord Tywin Lannister. It's simple. Well, the plan is simple, doing it, I imagine is not. We side with Renly. He defeats Stannis, we defeat the Lannisters and we take Kings Landing." I said. I'm wondering why I'm talking. I'm wondering why are they listening to me at all. Are the words that I'm saying truly of such importance for this war ahead of us?
"It has been decided." Eddard said, while looking at me." Once I swore an oath to Robert Baratheon, and you swore an oath to me. We will honor Robert's memory and we will honor the North." Eddard said.
"What about the bastard boy?" one of the men asked.
"He has no desire to sit on the throne." Robb said, speaking for the first time on that matter. It took me a moment to realize that they were talking about Gendry, and not Jon. I feel bad for it, but Gendry is still Gendry to me. In my mind, he will never be the King's bastard son. He will always be that boy who never treated me differently than anyone else, the boy I taught how to read and write. Even if it sits on the throne someday, even if it comes to that, he will always be my friend.
"He has a better claim than Renly and Stannis together." Lord Umber said. I would have agreed with him, but I know how much Gendry wants to avoid it, so I kept my mouth shut, once again.
"He does not want it." Eddard said.
"Still, he could be a good threat. We should acknowledge him." One of the Lord said.
"Only a family member or a King can acknowledge a bastard." I said, deciding that this is a good time to speak up and fight for Gendry." I highly doubt Joffrey will do that." I added. Joffrey would rather behead himself than hand over the throne to a true heir. And beheading yourself is not easy.
"We need a King. It doesn't have to be the Lannister bastard." Some other Lord added.
"And do you think that Stannis or Renly would prefer to give someone the throne more than Joffrey would?" Robb asked. Acknowledging Gendry as a King's heir and trueborn son is an impossible task.
"And what about the King in the North?" Lord Umber asked. I swear, to the Old Gods and the New, my heart skipped a beat. And yet, I fear that I should have seen this coming. They want Eddard to rule them, not just lead them. That is not an unreasonable thing, to be honest. But it is not something that any of us Starks want. Not Eddard, not Catelyn, not Robb, not the rest of their children, and definitely not me. If Eddard becomes King in the North, than so will Robb one day. And I was never meant to be a Queen. Not to mention that I do not want my son to have a target on his back any more than he already does.
"I cannot be King in the North." Eddard said, and I wasn't sure whether he was happy about it, or just disappointed." I can barely walk, I have to use a cane. I want you to fight a war, and I cannot lead you in one. When you ride out, I will be protecting the North. And you will be fighting the fight. My son will lead you. My son will fight by your side. This all falls on his shoulders, and on his wife's shoulders as well. If anyone should be your King, it should be my son." He said. Again, I could swear that my heart stopped.
I had hoped for a quiet life.
I had my hopes, and even though I didn't have a say in who will my husband be, I still hopped. Seeing that I love my husband now with all my heart, I was more than lucky. I love him with all my heart. And every time I look at our son, I know that the choice was right, even if my father was the one who made it, and not myself.
Sometimes, I wonder, what would have happened if Tywin didn't decide to marry me to the Stark family, in order to keep the North in control? I wonder who would have been my husband if I hadn't married Robb. And I wondered if he would have fallen in love with some beautiful, young girl, without the baggage that I carried around with me.
I still wonder about it, even though that doesn't change a thing now.
I fell in love. I became a part of the family. And I have wished for all of us to grow old here, to have a happy, normal, slow, family life. I wished for all of us to stay together, and when the time would come, I would wish for all of us to die of old age, in our bed, surrounded by our loved ones.
And now, we're starting a war. Good reason or not, we are starting a war. And not only will my husband be in the first row, but he will be King. And one day, so will my son.
I sat in silence, watching as Lords of the North bended their knee in front of me and my husband, in front of his parents who had to give up the title of King and Queen. I listened to the shouts, King in the North, Queen in the North.
And even now, a part of me still hoped and wished for that quiet family life we will never have.
Hope you liked it :) I'll post again as soon as I can, but since it's my birthday in about… hm, 22 minutes, I might not post a new chapter over the weekend. I'll do my best. If you like the story, follow, review, favorite, and keep reading. Things are starting to heat up. Oh, gotta love the irony, the first 30 chapters were only the beginning. Enjoy guys, I love you all :)