"A human being can survive almost everything, as long as she sees the end in sight."

"What are his plans?!" Ramsay asked again, his face close to Elena's as his eyes burned into hers.

"I don't know!" Elena bit on her lip when Ramsay dragged the knife further down her cheek, trying to contain her screams. He had been going on like this for an hour, there were multiple wounds covering her whole body.

"Do you see him over there?" Ramsay asked while pointing at Louis, a grin covering his face. "Just one more blow, kick or scratch and he's going to die."

"Now, I'm going to ask you again," Ramsay grasped Elena's jaw and forced her to look at him. "What are your sweet Northern king's plans?"

Elena looked at Louis, seeing how his skin was glowing and his face pale. There were big bags under his eyes and his whole body was shaking. It had been two weeks now that they had been locked up in there, every day the fever would get worse. Ramsay's endless torments didn't make it any better. She diverted her eyes away from him, unable to bear the sight.

"Go and fuck yourself." Elena growled and looked back at Ramsay. She forced herself to stay strong, Something that became almost impossible to be. She narrowed her eyes at him, not caring about what he would do to her. She would never betray Robb, not even for this.

"Fine then." Ramsay said and then suddenly drove his knife into Elena's belly, missing her organs but succeeding in bringing her unbearable pain. Elena screamed in agony, her body jolting in the chains.

"I will find out myself." Ramsay made a sharp turn towards the door after he had looked at her until she had calmed down. Elena saw something falling out of his pockets, two needles. She quickly looked away again, trying to conceal the fact that she saw that.

She looked as Ramsay left the room and immediately let out a cry. The knife was still in her belly, her hands were chained above her. She bit on her lip, telling herself to man up. Taking in a deep breath she looked up again, shutting the pain out.

"Louis?" Elena loudly whispered as she looked at the mob of hair on the other side of the room.

"Louis?!" She called again, fearing he had already left. Her eyes found the two needles on the ground, a few feet away.

She tried reaching for them with her hands but failed. With her feet though, she had a chance. Soft whimpers fell from her lips as she stretched her leg towards the needles, her toe nearly touching the metal.

"Got it." Elena sighed in relief when she reached the two pieces of metal and brought them closer to her. She clenched them between her toes and lifted her feet towards her right hand, taking them between her fingers.

"Louis, hold on, I've got a plan." Elena looked at Louis as he groaned in response, too weak to answer in proper words.

"I just need to..." Elena reached up to the lock, trying to open it with the two needles. She lifted her body up, her legs winding around the chain above her so she could reach her hands. Keeping in her screams of agony, she first pulled the knife out of her belly.

"Com'on.." Elena groaned and continued trying to open the lock even though she was afraid one of the needles might break. She had learned how to pick a lock on a chest or door from Gillian. The only thing that was different from then was that she was now chained herself and heavily wounded. Not to forget; she was hanging upside down.

"Got it!" Elena cheered silently in victory, one of her hands released. It was easier to open the lock on her other hand with the other free. She fell to the ground after she had released her other hand. Her feet almost gave up when she got up.

"Hey." Elena ran towards Louis and held his face in her hands, looking at his blue eyes. She saw the fire burning out in them, the exhaustion and pain.

"It's going to be fine." Elena whispered and then reached for his hand, opening the lock on both of them. louis fell down on the ground after the last one was free, his body giving up.

"Can you stand?" Elena whispered when she reached for his shoulders, aiding him as he tried to get up. Once he was on his foot he fell down again, the fever too strong to be able to walk.

"leave me here." Louis said as he laid on the ground, his body shivering.

"No, I won't." Elena protested. "I will carry you if I must."

"I won't have you die because of me." Louis looked up at her, his hand reaching for her cheek. "I will only slow you down."

"Louis, listen-" a sound from behind the door interrupted them, footsteps coming closer.

"Shit!" Elena cursed and searched for a tool to defend herself. The closest thing to her was a wooden chair.

Elena took the chair and threw it against the wall with all the force she had left, breaking the wood. She took one of the pieces, using it as a spear. Her hands grasped Louis and lifted one of his arms around her neck, supporting his weight. She carried him towards the corner behind the door, trying to conceal his body from whoever was going to enter. The footsteps stopped before the other side of the door. Elena heard his hand grasping the door handle.

"We're going to get out of here." Elena promised Louis and herself when the door opened.

~

"The catapults are ready to fire, your grace." Rickard Karstark said during the council. The camp had been set north of Winterfell. It had taken a week for them to reach it, the men were still exhausted from the journey. After the ambush many of Stannis' sell swords had abandoned them, some followed after.

Robb looked up at Stannis, ignoring the red woman that was standing behind him. The past few days had been a hell for the both of them, they kept on arguing about lots of things. Robb knew that Stannis didn't like the fact that he wasn't the only king.

"Are your men ready?" Robb asked. "At least, what's left of them."

The Red woman glanced at Stannis, he could feel her gaze on the back of his head. Their last conversation had also destroyed their once close relationship. Melisandre had proposed an idea to Stannis, an idea that according to her would give them a chance at victory. Only Stannis disagreed, it didn't matter how much he hated Robb, he knew that he would help him regain the Throne. Robb had made a vow, he would keep his word this time.

Besides, Melisandre's idea was horrible. The last time it had helped, making a sacrifice with kings blood, only this time it would take a sacrifice that even Stannis couldn't make. Not when they still had a chance without it.

"Only the cavalry need some more time, by the end of the day they will be ready to fight." Stannis said after A moment of silence. "We will attack at dawn."

Robb took in a deep breath, trying to stop himself from going against it. The time of attack had been one of the topics during their endless arguments. Almost every fight would end with Stannis saying;

"You're just a boy, you know nothing about this." And every time Robb would bite on the inside of his cheek and clench his jaw to make sure he wouldn't hit Stannis.

"Steven." Robb looked to his left where the guardian was standing. "Are your men ready?"

"As ready as they'll ever be." Steven nodded, knowing Robb meant all of the other guardians. Which now consisted out of 2 others. Actually 1 when you came to think of it, Ella wasn't going to fight.

"Remember-" Robb began, pointing at Steven.

"Head straight for the dungeons to rescue Elena and get her out as soon as possible." Steven finished his sentence, smiling at Robb as he did so. "I know."

"You have my thanks." Robb said as he laid his hand on Steven's shoulder, giving him a curt nod in appreciation.

"STARK!" Suddenly someone stormed into the tent, his eyes bewildered as he scanned the tent. His breath came out in short, raspy puffs as he calmed down slowly. He took in a deep breath, standing up tall again with his black wings wrapped up behind his back.

"Did I miss anything?" Damon said casually when his eyes landed on Robb, placing his hands on his hips to catch his breath.

"You bastard-" Robb cursed and grasped for his sword, immediately launching at the man before him.

"Hey!" Steven pushed Robb away, holding his armour tightly in his hands. "It's Damon, not his brother!"

"It's good to see you too, little princess." Damon chuckled as he saw the bewildered look on Robb's face. Realization hit Robb, his eyes wide when he saw the blue in his eyes.

He awkwardly put his sword back in its sheath, looking up at Damon's eyes. "Sorry, I thought you were someone else." Robb cleared his throat as he turned away his head. He gave a nod at the rest of the council, dismissing them from the tent.

"Since I'm basically his twin, I don't blame you." Damon chuckled, acting like nothing had happened. Steven saw through his facade though, he saw the troubled look in his eyes.

"I'm glad you're back." Steven smiled at Damon as he laid his hand on his shoulder.

"I have to say, I kind of missed your endless speeches about freedom during the past few weeks in captivation." Damon smiled at Steven, walking around the round table with the map of Winterfell on it. Steven chuckled softly.

"Any word from Elena?" Damon looked up at the other two with concern in his eyes.

"Nothing at all." Robb sighed and walked towards the table too. "But you,-" he looked up at Damon. "you have a lot of explaining to do."

~

"What the hell-" one of Ramsay's men mumbled when he entered the room. He didn't see any of the prisoners, only the empty chains. He started to turn around hesitantly until suddenly something pierced his chest.

The guard looked down and saw a piece of wood coming out of his flesh, blood covering the spear. Elena pulled it out, making the man drop to the floor in a bloody mess.

"Holy shit." Elena sighed in relief as she looked down at the guard. She took his belt together with his sword and bound it around her waist. She then ran towards Louis, lifting his arm around her shoulder.

"Just hold onto me, okay?" She said as they walked towards the door. The weight was pushing on her shoulders, her knees almost giving up. If it wasn't for the adrenaline that was surging through her body they would've.

Louis groaned loudly in pain when the part of what was left of his leg hit the stairs, his eyes closing immediately. Elena felt him weaken, the weight on her shoulder becoming heavier until she was lifting his entire body weight.

"Louis?" Elena kneeled down before his body after she had put him down slowly. "Louis? Open your eyes."

"Just..." Louis' eyes opened slightly but then closed again, his breath slow and deep. "Go..." He breathed.

"No, no, no." Elena shook her head frantically, shaking his shoulders when he closed his eyes. "Don't you dare die on me now!"

"Survive." Louis whispered and then closed his eyes permanently.

"Louis?!" She continued to shake his shoulders, one of her hands pressed against his neck. There was a heartbeat but it was faint and slow. "Louis, open your eyes."

"Please, not again." Elena sobbed when his heartbeat slowed down, she didn't feel it anymore after a while. She looked up at the stairs above her, seeing how much more steps she had to take before finally reaching the top. It seemed like there was no end to it, it was like the stairs would go on forever.

"I can't lose you too." Elena said as she caressed his cheek. Louis' eyes were closed, his heartbeat gone. It reminded Elena of Gillian, the way he died in her arms too. It made her angry, it made the power that was once buried deep inside her come out.

"No." Elena narrowed her eyes at Louis. "I won't let you die here, not like this."

She lifted his body over her shoulder, standing up even though her legs were shaking due to the effort it took. Elena looked up at the stairs above her, her eyes determined.

"We're going to get out of here."

Author's note

Helloo there my little guardians.

I actually don't have much to say, only that this chapter is dedicated to @targxryen for her comeback last week. (I missed you :P)

That's it for thischapter, see you guys next one!