Hey guys :) Here's a new one, I hope you enjoy it. You know what to do, review, if you have anything to ask, feel free. Enjoy :)
I was running around the castle, and I was running fast. By now, there wasn't a corner that I didn't know, a shortcut that I hadn't tested, and at this moment, I was using all the knowledge I had. I got dressed in the matter of seconds, I ran out, and I am currently avoiding the obstacles on my way. And the obstacles were the servants, a few direwolfs, and even Hodor, with Bran on his back. I was running, I wasn't paying attention to anyone, because the only thing that mattered now was my brother.
These last few days, I was worried about what I will do once he arrives. Even though the Stark bannermen know very well that my brother is on are side, he's still a Lannister. I have already imagined a hundred different scenarios that the seven hells can break loose on us, but it all can wait. It can wait, because right now, I'm just a little girl, who wants to hug her older brother.
I ran into the hall without thinking twice about it. And everyone turned around to look at me. All of the Lords, Ned and Catelyn, the servants, everyone, my brother included. He was standing on the other side of the table where Ned and Catelyn were sitting.
I have noticed the Lords and their sons, and even their grandsons rise as I barged in. I haven't gotten used to the fact that I am a Queen now. I was surprised by it, and even bothered, but the only thing I cared about now is that I can finally look at my brother. He looked well enough. All of his limbs were in their place, and unless he is castrated, he's fine and healthy. And he wouldn't have been grinning like he was if he was castrated.
"I'm going to kill you myself." I said, as I was walking over to him, almost running again. He laughed, and he started walking towards me too. Perfectly aware of the fact that we were being watched by the people whose respect he is yet to earn, I did not want to make it any more difficult to him. I was more than happy, and if we were alone, I might have actually picked him up. Now, I was controlling my reactions, and I didn't even fall on my knees, as I usually do, but I just lowered myself down a little bit. It was more than enough for me to hug him with all the strength I had in me.
I imagine I will feel the same kind of relief when the war starts, and Robb comes back to me. That is, of course, if he comes back to me. But I have to keep some faith.
"Will you have me beheaded my Queen?" he asked me. He was whispering so that only I can hear him.
"If you call me that, yes, I will." I answered, and I too was whispering.
"I do have to kneel." He said, and I took in a deep breath. We finally let each other go, and as soon as we did, he kneeled in front of me. It was just wrong. It was wrong in too many ways. I will never understand the joy Cersei and Joffrey feel whenever someone kneels in front of them. I wouldn't feel accomplished even if it was a random man, let alone my older brother." My Queen." He said. And he meant it.
"Get up, please." I said, and I could hear quiet laughter in the hall. Queen or no queen, they know very well that he is my brother. And he raised himself, finally." My Lords, Lord Stark, Lady Stark, if you don't mind, I would like to steal my brother since he has some explaining to do." I said.
"Fell free." Ned said with a smile, sure that he will see no spikes with heads on them. I walked out of the hall, and my brother followed me. As soon as he closed the door, I turned to him.
"Sister." he said, with a big smile on his face." You are a Queen now, Elena." He said, and I could hear the pride in his voice. And I decided not to pay much attention to it.
"Where in the name of Gods have you been?" I asked, and before he even had a chance to speak, I started my rant." I see you have both of your hands, so I know you could have written a damn letter. Do you… do you have any idea how worried I was? That you didn't get the letter? That Cersie or father had done something to you? That you didn't flee and that you will be in King's Landing by the time this stupid Queen in the North thing reaches them? You should be lucky you're the only brother I have left, or I would strangle you with my bare hands, right here and now." I announced.
"Feisty, I see." He said, and I rolled my eyes." I was fine, Elena. I didn't have the time, that's all." he said.
"You didn't have the time?!" I yelled.
"Elena, please. You may be the Queen, but you shouldn't pretend to be Cersei right now. I'm fine, and that is all that matters. I would like to see my nephew if I may." He said. Gods, he's good.
"Don't think that I will forget about this just because I love you." I said, and he smiled. I held my ground for a couple of seconds, and then I couldn't hold it any longer. I smiled back at him." Follow me." I said.
"Rickard, is it?" He asked as we started climbing up the stairs.
"Yes. After Eddard's father." I said, and I smiled." It was the only appropriate name I could think of. Well, it was either that, or Tytos, after our late grandfather, and I didn't want to do that to my son." I said with a smile on my face, and Tyrion laughed.
"I prefer your choice too, but it would have been priceless to see fathers face if you had gave your firstborn that name." he said, and I rolled my eyes.
"Yes, well, considering the fact that my people declared independence and named myself and my husband their King and Queen, I doubt he needs more reasons to be enraged with me."
"Don't forget the war you will start with him." Tyrion added.
"How could I?" I asked, and we both laughed. I almost forgot how easy is to be careless when he is around. Yes, I was still very much troubled by the whole war situation, but once we joked about it, it had seemed a little more manageable.
"You look good for a woman who's just given birth." He noticed, and I laughed.
"I see you lost your track of time too, along with your mind. It's been half a year since his birth." I said.
"Oh Gods." Tyrion said, shocked by how much time has passed." Is he speaking?" he asked.
"Not yet. And I hope he doesn't speak soon. I don't want him to grow up. It's true, what parents say, you know." I said, and by the look on his face, I knew that he had no idea what I was talking about." When you hear those words, "they grow up so fast". You never quite understand the meaning of them, until you're a parent yourself." I said.
"I am positive I never heard father say that. Especially when it came to me." he said, and I laughed.
"You know what uncle Gerion used to say. The best part of him died along with our mother." I said. I shouldn't have said it. The town of our conversation became a far more serious, and a saddened one.
"There are many things I hold against that man. But nothing more than the fact that he made you feel guilty for that. You felt guilty for years." He said.
"I still do Tyrion." I said. There was no point in lying." I will never stop feeling guilty for that. I suppose I have to thank father and Cersei for that. The problem is, I don't really care anymore. I have done everything for them. I was a Lannister, and I did what they said. They never appreciated it, they never respected me, and even when he sent me up here, he still thought I was working for him. This war is not starting because of my own revenge. It's starting because someone needs to avenge both Eddard and Robert. And we will do it. All I can say is… Whatever Cersei, father, and even Jaime get, is something that they have somehow deserved." I said.
"I was hoping we won't talk about that straight away." Tyrion admitted.
"We can't avoid it very long." I said, and he nodded, knowing that I was right about this." Here we are." I said as I opened the chamber doors. Elisa was there, watching over Rickard, who was in his cradle. As soon as we walked in, she bowed to us." Leave us, please." I said to her with a smile, which she returned. She knew very well how much I actually missed my brother. I walked over to the cradle, and I smiled at my son, who started waving his hands around when he saw my face. I took him in my hands, and I walked over to Tyrion." Rickard, meet your favorite uncle. Tyrion, meet your favorite nephew."
"Well, considering Joffrey is his completion…" he said, and I laughed. I handed him Rickard." Oh, he really is a good looking boy, isn't he? He takes after his father, but I have no doubt that he will have your character." He said, and I let out a nervous laughter. I hope he isn't like me at all.
"I certainly hope not." I said, and Tyrion looked at me in surprise.
"Why not? You are the only Lannister with a personality, even though you're a Stark now." He said.
"You have a personality too." I said, and he smiled." The Stark blood one the fight in my boy. Which wasn't that difficult at all, considering I don't look like a Lannister at all. The only thing Lannister that Rickard and I have is…"
"The nose." He cut me off before I could finish, and I laughed." More than enough, if you ask me."
"I couldn't agree more." I said." He likes you already." I noticed once I saw the beaming smile my son was giving to his uncle. He had no idea who was holding him, and the only thing that mattered was that he was smiling. I noticed that Rickard smiled at us, whenever we smiled at him. Which was almost all the time. Who could frown at a baby? Well, besides my father, and myself, when he wakes up Robb and me in the dead of night. Which he doesn't do that often anymore, thank the Gods.
"He looks kingly." Tyrion said, and I smirked. "I know you didn't want it, but that you can't change it. Your husband is the King, and one day, your son will be the King too." he said.
"Unless we all just die, which isn't exactly impossible." I corrected him.
"You should have more faith in your husband." Tyrion said.
"Oh no, I have faith in him. Probably more than I should, to be honest. The problem is, I know exactly what we're going up against. And so do you. He knows it will be difficult, but… He's never fought a war. And if you combine that with the fact that he's almost idiotically brave, you may understand my worries." I said.
"You think he might put himself in the first line?" he asked.
"I know he will put himself in the first line. He didn't tell me that, we still didn't talk about the battle strategies, but I know my husband. He is going to put himself in the most dangerous position. And deep down, I know that's the way it's supposed to be. You know, the King should be brave and should be in danger just as much as his men are. He should be fighting his battles, and not sit in a tent and wait for it to be over. I know that that is the way it should be. The problem is, the King is also the love of my life. I would like nothing more than to lock him up here, in Winterfell, and leave the battles to the warriors." I said. I know, I know it very well, staying behind is not an option. It's bad enough that Ned isn't able to be on the battlefield with his soon. He has to stay behind because of the injury his leg suffered when my other brother was being an ass. And Robb? He would rather kneel before Joffrey that let his men die for him while he's in a safe place, waiting for the results.
"He can win, Elena." Tyrion said, and I was surprise with the certainty that I head in his voice. He is usually the one who doubts everyone and everything." He can win. We can win. I'm not saying that we will, I am saying that we can. No one starts an impossible war. Except the Grayjoy's." he added, and I started laughing, ignoring the guilt I felt, considering that my friend was a Grayjoy.
"Don't let Theon hear you." I said, and Tyrion grinned at me, silently telling me that he doesn't give a damn if Theon can hear him or not. I smiled, but sooner than I would like, the serious thoughts have taken over me once again." Have Ned and Catelyn speak to you about Sansa?" I asked, hoping that they have. Tyrion is my brother, and it should have been my duty, but I was hoping that someone might have decided to soften the blow.
"They have." He said, and I nodded." I suppose you wonder what I think about that?" he asked.
"Yes, I do." I said.
"I'll have to talk to the girl first." He said, and I frowned, completely surprised with his answer.
"Why? Never mind that, you do know that it is only to keep her safe? Some Lords might want a Stark for a goddaughter, Walder Fray specifically comes to mind, and we won't let them marry just anyone. As soon as all of this is over, it can be done too. You don't have to marry her. Gendry doesn't have to marry Arya, although I am pretty sure that marriage will happen, one way or another." I said.
"I know it merely a formality." Tyrion reassured me." But I am not a… regular Lord. I want to be sure the girl knows what she's doing. After Joffrey, and myself, I wonder how many opportunity's she'll have."
"Joffrey didn't touch her. And neither will you." I said. Will he? No, he would never do that.
"Even if we do get married, I wouldn't touch the girl unless she wanted me to, even if that day never comes." He reassured me, knowing that I can be slightly overprotective when it comes to my family. He was usually the overprotected one, but now it was Sansa, who was just a girl." But I still wish to speak to her. As a matter of fact, I think I'll do that straight away." He announced, and handed Rickard to me.
"I think she might be with her sister, they usually have classes with their Septa at this time." I said.
"Well, we might be ashamed of it, but we are still Lannisters, aren't we?" he asked, getting up on his feet." Let's see if a Septa can defeat a Lannister, shall we?" he asked, and I laughed.
"Be careful, this one is a tough one." I warned him, knowing that my Septa was much more forgiving.
"I've missed you, baby sister." Tyrion said, and I smiled so much that my checks hurt. It doesn't matter how old I am, if I'm a wife or even a mother. To someone, I will always be a baby sister. And even if I can manage more than well without his advice or protection, Tyrion will always, in a way, be my savior. So would have Jaime, if he hadn't done what he did. Times change, people change, and most of all, people make mistakes. But some things will never change, no matter the troubles that lie before us. One of those things is that I will always enjoy being Tyrions overprotected baby sister.
"I've missed you too." I whispered, and I squeezed his hand. He let go sooner than I would like. But I knew what he was doing. He was preventing me to become the old Elena, the one I was in King's Landing. I have always relied on people, too much for my own good. And I trusted them. Again, too much for my own good. The only one who never turned on me was Tyrion. And now, he was reminding me, without the use of words, not to forget the girl I have become once I decided to save Ned, and his family. And I will never forget that. I have learned my lessons, I have chosen my side, and I will defend it until my last breath, no matter when it comes.
"Your uncle is a strange man little one." I said to Rickard once Tyrion closed the doors behind him." A good man with a kind heart, but not any less strange." I said. Even though I was afraid that he is growing up too fast, and that I will miss this times, it wouldn't have hurt to have some sort of feedback.
The truth is, I can't wait to see him grow up. To see his father teach him how to ride. To see Arya teach him how to shoot an arrow, since she might just be better at it than Robb is. I can't wait to see our family direwolfs follow him around, and not me. I hope I do see it.
In orded to see it, I will pay a price. As hard and almost impossible that it will be, he will stay behind. He will stay in Winterfell. That was decided, with an ache in my heart. A war camp is no place for a newborn. And I, as a mother, shouldn't be leaving him behind, but I am doing that for his own good.
No matter what happens, Winterfell will be protected. That is why he will stay here. And he won't be the only one. So will Rickon, Bran, Arya and Sansa. They will remain here with Eddard, who will protect them. On the other hand, Robb, Catelyn, Gendry, Jon and myself will be leaving, possibly with Tyrion too. That is the way it should be done. And I do hope I get a chance every now and then to ride back to Winterfell and see my son. It makes me sad, knowing that he might grow up without me and his father by his side, but he will at least grow up.
With Rickard still in my arms, I went to Robb's chambers. Well, Robb's and mine. It is absolutely ridiculous that the one Rickard's in I still call mine. It's just a habit. Robb was there, where I left him, only he was dressed this time. I handed Rickard over to him, because I could see the look on both of their faces. Robb truly is a good father. Whatever happens, I should always be grateful to him, at least because of that, if not for the fact that he is a good husband too.
"I didn't expect you to leave Tyrion's side so soon." He noticed and I smiled.
"Neither did I. But he wished to talk to Sansa about the whole marriage thing." I said. I was purposely avoiding talking to him about that ever since that fight we had. Well, it wasn't exactly a fight. It was mostly me sulking about his inability to think before he speaks. Again, you can only avoid things for so long.
"They might actually get married?" he asked, and I just shrugged.
"It's only their decision. And I have urged both of them to think before they do it, so whatever they decide, it will only be because they want it. But as far as anyone else is considered, Sansa and Arya are both betrothed. And your brothers too." I said, remembering that Ned made a formality with Lord Karstark and Greatjon, for Bran and Rickon to marry their daughters. Again, they might do it, but for now, it's nothing more than a formality. "I'm more worried about Rickard, to be honest." I said.
"You think Lord Fray would want him?" Robb asked, and I was surprised that he was surprised.
"Well, once he realizes that he can't have anyone else, yes." I said, and Robb sighed.
"I won't have him promised someone before he's even one year old." Robb said, and I nodded. I would love nothing more than for our son to have a choice. I wished I had the same, but I did not. I was more than lucky by the way it ended, but not everyone is. I want him to have a say in this." I'll talk to some of the Lords, maybe someone has a granddaughter Rickard's age. It will be just a formality and once this is all over, he could grow up to have his own say." Robb said. Thank the Gods.
"Just keep him away from the Frays." I said, and he nodded. He put his arm around me.
"We will be leaving soon, Elena." He said, and I looked up to him." Now that Tyrion is here, we don't have any reasons to wait for. And I suspect that it will be days, maybe even hours before the Lannisters find out that the North declared independence. By the time the raven reaches them, we should already be on our way." He said, and I nodded.
"I know." I whispered. I have no more time left to fear." I'll start the preparations. And I'll prepare myself for leaving our son behind." I added, knowing that that will be the most difficult part for me.
"It is for his own good Elena. I don't want to do it anymore than you do." He said.
"I know." I said, nodding." I love you." I said, and he bent down to kiss me. It was just a short, sweet kiss, and it still made my heart jump.
"I love you too. Always." He said, and I smiled. I never really believed in the meaning of the word always, but if he says so, the he'd better love me always.
In a chapter or two, we'll be on the road. It begins.