Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.

"You weren't there when the commander was chosen." Steve stated when he walked towards Damon who was staring at the land beyond the wall.

" Who won?" Damon asked, too lazy to look into Steve's mind. He had a lot on his own, he needed to sort everything out. To do that he couldn't let himself dive into someone else's head.

" Jon Snow, just as you predicted." Steve let out a deep breath when he sat down next to Damon.

They remained silent for a while, just looking at the land. Steve still had a Thousand questions to ask the dark guardian, but he never asked them. He was way too proud anyway, the two hated but cared for each other at the same time. They never admitted they cared for each other like brothers do.

" We're leaving for Winterfell tomorrow." Steve said after a while. " Stannis is coming with us now. So are his wife and child."

"Nobody is staying here with the new commander?" Damon asked.

" No, why would anyone stay here?" Steve frowned and looked at Damon while his feet were dangling off the Wall.

"The men of the Night's Watch don't like Jon very much." Damon stated. He didn't need to read people's minds to know that, it was evident on their faces. Maybe half of the men here had chosen Jon but the other half hated him with everything they had.

" Are you coming with us?" Steve asked.

"I am."

"You know you'd have to fight him, right? He's in Winterfell with Ramsay." Steve said and looked back at the forest.

" I know."

"Are you really ready to kill him?" Steve frowned. He knew Damon and the other were first really close until... Well, until that happened.

" He killed my wife and children, Steven. He's not what he used to be before." Damon's eyes turned black again, the anger filling his entire body. He had always kept it a secret, what he used to be and why he turned this way. Steve and the other one were the only people who knew about his family.

"Before you kill him, you will have to tell Elena. She deserves to know." Steve said.

"She will try to stop me."

"That's why you need to tell her." Steve turned to him again, his eyes looking into the black eyes of his friend. Damon took in a deep breath to try and not push Steven off the wall or drive a sword through his belly right there and then.

"Or I will."

~

"Are you sure about this?" Elena looked at Robb as they readied their horses.

"If I told her to come with us she wouldn't anyway. We have no say in this." Robb said as he looked at Arya. She refused to leave Jon again and come with Elena and Robb. If it wasn't for the battle they marched towards Elena would've made Arya come with them. But right now she was safer in Castle Black, especially now that Jon was chosen as the new commander.

"Either way, I would've let her stay because I don't trust Stannis for one bit. I can't lose her, not now." Robb frowned when Arya and Jon walked towards them, ready to say their goodbyes.

"I'm going to miss you." Elena smiled at Arya and hugged her tightly, she had to kneel down a bit to look her in the eye. "Show those men here what it is like to be a true warrior."

"I want you to have this," Arya took out a dagger from her belt and gave it to Elena. "Gillian gave it to me before you two left for the battle. It belongs to you." Arya smiled when Elena took it in her hands. It was Gillian's favourite dagger, it was his father's only gift to him.

"Thank you." Elena sadly smiled at Arya, hugger her tightly and stood up again, facing Jon.

"I guess we won't be seeing each other in a long time." Jon said and then hugged Elena tightly, sighing deeply while breathing in the scent of her hair.

"Just don't get stabbed or anything." Elena sighed and buried her head in the crook of his neck.

"Don't worry, I'm as safe as anyone could be now that I'm commander." Jon chuckled. He didn't plan to tell Elena about his ideas to bring the wildlings here before the white walkers got to them. It'd only worry her.

"Sure hope so." Robb chuckled lightly and embraced his brother. "Good luck with your new position."

"I will never be as good as you in leading, your grace." Jon said with a hint of a smile. He wasn't accustomed to the fact that his brother was a king.

"You have no idea." Robb let go of his brother.

"Any last advice?" Elena sighed, she was feeling nauseous.

"Stick 'em with the pointy end." Arya smiled and Jon chuckled. It was him who had said that to her during her first lesson.

"Farewell Snow, Arya." Robb chuckled and ruffled Arya's hair. A lump grew in his throat at the thought of leaving these two but yet he had to.

"And you, Stark, Elena." Jon smiled.

"Take good care of him." Elena said while mounting her horse. They drove out of the castle, the two armies following them as Arya shouted the last words she would say to her guardian and friend.

"I will!"

~

"Here." Aidan threw a book towards Elena, which almost hit her head.

"Watch it!" Elena shouted but ducked away. She picked it up from the ground, seeing it was an old and thick book. "What is it about?"

"You said you wanted to learn more powers, there you have your teacher." Aidan smiled and walked towards Elena. They had set camp near the Kingsroad in the forest after a long journey. Elena's legs hurt from the saddle.

"You learned from this?" Elena looked up at Aidan. She thought that guardian powers were basically emotions transformed into something else. "How can you learn a certain emotion?"

"A power is not based on an emotion, the emotion only makes it stronger and more powerful." Aidan stated while showing her a page with the thing he wanted to show her.

"Transformation." Elena read out loud from the old rusty book and frowned.

"Go on." Aidan urged her.

"A guardian can transform into any kind of appearance he wants as long as it is human. To transform into an animal there is one condition: the guardian can only transform into an animal that stands for his or her house." Elena continued to read and then looked up at Aidan. "so that means..."

"A Lannister will turn into a lion, a Stark into a direwolf, a Mormont into a bear and so you go on." Aidan stated and leaned against the table in the tent. Elena chuckled softly, thinking about how a Tully would transform into a salmon.

"So that means..." Elena frowned, thinking about how Damon turned into a dragon during the battle of the wall.

"Damon really is a Targaryen."

"Indeed." Aidan smiled. He knew Damon would be angry at him when he found out he had helped Elena with this.

"Pity I don't know what my house's sigil is, now I don't know in what I would transform." Elena sighed while reading the book further. It was written that you could only transform if you knew into what.

"What about fire?" Elena asked and searched the book.

"I wouldn't read that one..." Aidan sighed when Elena continued to search for it.

"Fire is one of the most powerful element a guardian can control. To learn this power the guardian would have to..." Elena paused. "The guardian would have to let everyone he or she loves go and greet the darkness like an old friend."

"They want me to let the darkness inside?" Elena frowned and looked up at Aidan. He shrugged.

"So Damon he-"

"He controls the darkness, he doesn't let it control him like the other does." Aidan interrupted Elena.

"Who's 'the other'?" Elena looked up at Aidan.

"I shouldn't have said that." Aidan groaned and turned to walk away.

"Aidan, wait!" Elena grasped his arm to stop him from walking away. She looked into his brown eyes. "What are you holding back from me?"

"Something that is not mine to tell."

~

The council tent was empty beside Robb, he was sitting near the table while still studying the map. Everyone had left a while ago but he just couldn't stop thinking of new tactics and battle plans.

He heard someone enter but didn't put any thought to it, he was too lost in his own thoughts. That until he felt her arms wrap around him from behind and her lips softly pressing against the back of his neck.

"You need to sleep, Robb." Elena whispered and took the crown off his head. She then wrapped her arms around his torso again and buried her face in the crook of his neck.

"It's already past midnight." Elena continued and looked up at him.

"Go to sleep, Elena. We will have to get up early tomorrow, you will need the rest." Robb said without taking his eyes off of the map.

"You also need the rest." Elena pouted.

"Go to sleep." Robb chuckled lightly.

"But I can't sleep without you." Elena walked around his chair and sat down on his lap.

"Elena." Robb groaned in annoyance, closing his eyes. He hated it but loved it at the same time when she was stubborn like this.

"All right then, I will sleep right here." Elena crossed her arms before her chest and laid her head against his shoulder. Robb wrapped his arms around her body, softly tracing patterns on her skin through her dress.

"Do you feel that?" Robb frowned and looked up, sensing something different. It was like someone was with them in the tent but yet he didn't see anyone.

"Feel what?" Elena opened her eyes again, already lacky from sleep.

"Someone's here." Robb frowned and sat up straight, one of his hands grasping for his sword. Grey Wind sensed the fear and stood up, the wolf also knew something was wrong.

"There's no one here." Elena frowned and laid back down in the warmth of his chest. She closed her eyes again, too tired to sense the threat.

"Elena, I'm serious. Get up." Robb pushed her off of him when Grey wind started to growl, unsheathing his sword.

"There's nothing here!" Elena yelled in annoyance when she almost tumbled to the floor. But then she sensed it too.

"There's someone but I can't see him." Robb frowned and turned around with his sword ready, ready to attack at every moment.

"Damon, are you feeling this?" Elena spoke to him mentally. There was a presence in the air, like they were standing in the midst of a ghost army.

"Stay right where you are. Don't fucking move a muscle." Damon said, his voice sounding like a threatening growl.

"It's him, isn't it?" Louis sounded afraid, his voice trembling. Elena grasped Robb's arm.

"Elena?" He looked at her when the presence became more and more strong, like it was sucking all of the power out of the air.

"It's all your fault." A voice whispered in the air.

"Damon, it's getting stronger." Her voice trembled even when she spoke mentally, holding Robb's hand tightly in hers. The two backed away into the corner of the tent.

"Just don't. move. I'm coming." Damon spoke, his voice stern. Elena's head started to throb, like something was trying to break in.

She fought whatever it was, closing her head off and trying to contain her thoughts. It tried to make her think about all that had happened but Elena forced herself to only think about Robb's warm hand engulfing hers.

"Elena." Robb said suddenly. Elena turned towards him to see his face completely emotionless.

"Give me the doll." He commanded, extending his arm and opening his hand so Elena could give it to him. He saw the wooden object in the pocket of her dress, its head sticking above the cloth.

"Robb?" Elena shivered at the sight of his eyes, they were as cold as ice and as black as the night. She didn't recall telling him about the doll nor did she ever mention it in his presence. She never felt like telling him about it, the doll never seemed important enough. Until now that she saw his eyes.

"Give it to me." Robb growled, his grasp on her arm tightening. She could feel the bruises forming under his touch.

"Damon, he has him." Elena shivered, trying to yank her arm free.

"Robb this isn't you. He's controlling your mind again." Elena's voice trembled while keeping the doll out of his reach.

"Damon!" She yelled in fear when Robb tried to snatch the doll out of her pocket. If the other really wanted to have the doll so bad, she had to try and stop it.

"Do you really think that you are going to stop me?" Robb smirked, his eyes turning darker every second. "His head is full of misery, fear and pain, it's filling his entire existence. He doesn't even resist."

"Robb, I know you're in there. Just fight him!" Elena felt his power growing and Robb's soul weakening under the power that was flowing through his body.

"You can't stop me." Robb smiled and clenched his hand around her neck, lifting her op with it.

"Please." Elena could barely muster it out, she couldn't breathe. Black spots were starting to form before her eyes as she felt her heart failing.

"Hey!" Damon flew into the tent, his wings still unwrapped behind his back. He looked furious, his fists balled and his eyes almost literally spitting fire.

"Leave them alone." He growled, the fire licking his fists.

"Dear brother, have you forgotten your manners?" Robb smiled, still holding Elena in the air. Even his voice had changed, it was more deep and low than his voice really was. He let her go, causing her to fall against him. He wrapped his hand around her, holding her tight against him and put his sword against her throat.

"Just let them go, your business is with me." Damon took a step towards them threatingly. His eyes focusing on the sword against her throat. He could see the tears of desperation filling Elena's eyes. She knew she couldn't fight him, she'd only hurt Robb without causing any damage to the Dark One himself.

"Please don't hurt him." Elena said mentally while she was trying to catch her breath.

"Oh, I'm just starting to have fun." Robb smiled, raising his arm towards Damon.

"There's nothing wrong with a little bit of fun, is there, sweet brother?" His smile grew wider.

"I'm not your brother." Damon growled and suddenly stormed towards Robb.

Before Elena knew it she was blasted away, the force sending her to fly back until her head hit something and everything became pitch black.

Author's note

Hellooo there my little guardians.

This chapter is dedicated toooooo @_Michael-Clifford_ Give him/her a like and a follow!

For this chapter I wanted to know your new theories about Damon since there was a lot of information about him in this chapter! So let your imagination flow and spit it al out in the comments!

Thank you all and see you next chapter!! :D

(The last one who votes will get a dedication next chapter)