The ride back to the castle was silent. Robb and Elena were riding next to each other, both too caught up in their own mind to say anything or either they just didn't know what to say.

Right before the gate they had to wait till the men inside had opened it. Robb looked to his side and at Elena, seeing how she was absent mindly staring at the ground beneath her horse's hooves.

"You can always decide to decline, Elena. I won't judge. Nobody will." Robb said. He didn't want her to do this because she felt like she didn't have another choice. Because she did, Robb thought. He also didn't want to let her go, especially not like this.

It all didn't seem real, like he didn't really realize what was happening. She belonged at his side. That's how it should be. To think that she won't be soon was something Robb couldn't accept just yet.

He'd rather have her by his side, facing the odds instead of betrothing her to Jaime to stop the war for a short period of time. Even if the peace was permanent Robb still would rather have her than let that happen. But it wasn't up to him.

"I won't decline." Elena answered and looked up when the gate slowly opened. Robb nodded and looked down. He knew how she was. Even if he forbid her to go with Jaime she would find a way to do so anyway. She would probably escape in the midst of the night when he was asleep just like she did back then when she was going to save Bran.

To Robb, this kind of felt like the same. Instead of giving her life to save Brann, Elena was now giving her life to Jaime to save the North. It was her decision and no matter what Robb did he knew he didn't have any influence on her choice.

When they rode into the castle everyone was standing in the courtyard, forming a circle around them as they rode inside. Their prying eyes followed every movement they made, silently waiting for any explanation.

After Robb had dismounted, he looked around at everyone that were staring at him, expecting him to tell them what he and Jaime had decided.

He looked at Elena once again for her approval. She nodded. Robb sighed deeply, hating the words he'd have to say. He looked up at his men, standing tall and putting his facade back up again.

"The north is ours!" He said and immediately the men were cheering loudly, all either hugging their friends or just silently thanking the gods for not killing them that day.

While everyone was cheering happily in victory, their king looked at his lost love hopelessly, not feeling any happiness at all. Without her by his side he knew he'd feel empty. She had been there with him almost his whole life. Even if he tried filing the hole, which he did one time but didn't fully succeed, he knew he'd fail and feel even emptier in the end.

"Elena?" Jon walked towards her when he noticed that she didn't seem happy at all. Jon, with a small smile playing on his lips, laid his hand on her shoulder. "Aren't you happy? The war is over."

"Of course I am." She forced a smile and looked up at Jon. "It's just..." She sighed, she knew she couldn't fool him. "I'm just happy that you, Arya, Robb and Sansa are finally safe. That's all I wanted."

"What was the price?" Sansa walked up to them. She knew something was wrong, she knew that there had been a cost. "What did he want?" Her blue eyes bore into Elena's.

"Me." Elena cut straight to the point, not seeing the need in lying.

Jon sucked in a deep breath. He closed his eyes for a moment, processing the information. "No." He shook his head. "No!" He repeated.

"Jon, it's the only way for you to be safe." Elena felt a lump growing in her throat.

"How can we be safe when our guardian is gone?!" He yelled, looking at Robb for support. When Robb looked down without saying anything Jon grew even more frustrated. "You're a Stark, Elena, you're one of us, always have been. I won't let you do this."

Elena looked up at his brown eyes. She didn't even need to say anything for her thoughts to be clear.

"They killed our family, murdered our father and you want to marry one of them?! You want to give up on everything?" Jon yelled.

"She's not giving up, Jon." Arya appeared from inside the crowd. She had noticed the look in Elena's eyes and knew it wasn't one of defeat. "Are you?"

"I just need to find someone in King's Landing that knows how to kill Ethan." Elena sighed and looked at Jon who continued to shake his head in denial. "This is the only way I'll get access to the city. If this means I'll grant you a moment of peace and access to information on Ethan I'm willing to do anything." Elena continued. "I'm not giving up Jon, you know I never will."

"So won't we." Sansa said, grasping Elena's hand and squeezing it reassuringly. She glanced at the spot in the middle of the courtyard. His blood was still visible in the mud.

Robb's men never questioned why the Lannisters just gave Robb the north. They never wondered how the war had just ended. All they did that night was drink, laugh and party till the sun came up.

Stannis, who had been in the castle all along, did question it though. He almost killed Robb when he heard that he had signed a peace accord without his consent. Stannis still wanted the iron throne even though he didn't even have a slight chance of getting it.

He left that night together with Melisandre and ser Davos and a few of his men. Where he had gone nobody knew. They were just glad they were gone.

Robb on the other hand, spend his night with Elena. Knowing full well that this would probably be the last since she was leaving at dawn.

"Robb?" Her voice was dripping with sleep as she lifted her heavy-feeling head from the pillow to look at him. He was standing near the window, staring at the camp of the Lannisters just outside the castle.

"Robb." She spoke louder which made him turn towards her, startled by her voice. She sadly smiled at him and extended her arm towards him, silently telling him to come back to bed.

"Go back to sleep, my lady." Robb said.

"I will if you will." She answered and sat up straight in the bed, pulling the sheets over her body to try and keep warm.

Robb sighed and slowly walked towards her, sitting on the edge of the bed and fiddling with the sheets. He tried to think of something to say, he knew she was expecting him to, but he couldn't find the words. There was a lump growing in his throat just at the sight of her there, in his bed.

Her long silver hair was glowing in the light of the full moon, her pale skin barely covered by the sheets. Her cheeks were rosy and her lips slightly swollen, softly smiling at him when he seemed to have a hard time finding the words. Tomorrow when the sun would come up all that wouldn't be his anymore. She wouldn't be his.

"Robb, hey, please don't." Her voice broke at the end when tears started to drop from his eyes. Her hands reached up to his face and softly wiped the tears away. "It's not like we will never see each other again. You can always come visit me in King's Landing." She whispered but he shook his head no.

"We could organize grand feasts without any reason to just see each other. Hell, I could even tell them I left one of my dresses in Winterfell so that I could travel back to you." She continued while softly tracing his cheekbone with her thumb.

"You don't really have any dresses." Robb said and then chuckled softly.

"They don't know that." Elena joined and chuckled with him, bringing his face closer till their foreheads were leaning against each other. "They can't keep us apart, I promise." She whispered.

Robb lifted his hand and caressed her cheek, looking up at her eyes and taking everything in like it would be the last time he saw her. "I love you." Robb confessed, his thumb tracing her lips.

"I love you." Elena said and pulled him closer, touching his lips with hers.

~

The next morning, a few hours before the sun came up, Elena opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. She hadn't slept at all, she couldn't. Her mind kept on drifting away. The only reason that she didn't leave the bed was because she knew that would make Robb concerned which would result with him also having no sleep.

Now, he was sleeping deeply. So Elena stood up, put on her clothes and armour and left the room. The cold winter air hit her hard as she walked on the walls of Harrenhal, staring at the camp on the other side.

"Are you sure about this?" Abigail's voice startled her. Elena looked behind her and saw her standing there, her raven black hair flying around her face and the piercing green eyes that reminded her of Ethan.

"I don't think I am. That doesn't mean that it isn't what I should do though." Elena answered and looked back at the red-coloured camp.

"It sucks." Abigail sighed and stood next to Elena, following her gaze towards the biggest tent of them all. "First I lose my father and now I'm losing my aunt."

"I'm going to find a way to save him, I promise." Elena looked at Abigail for a moment.

Abigail nodded and looked down at her hands. "I'm so sorry Elena. For everything I've done to you, bringing Gillian back to life, letting Ethan torture you, everything."

Elena remained silent for a while. "It wasn't you." She said and interrupted Abigail when she tried to protest. "It wasn't." Elena forced Abigail to look at her. "It was Ethan, Abigail, it was all Ethan. He got into your head and made you do these things. Yes you did some horrible things that I might not be able to forgive but in the end you chose to help us. You chose our side instead of Ethan's, you chose to spare Ella's life. In the end that's all that matters."

Abigail nodded and looked down again. "Here." She grasped the doll and handed it to Elena. "It belongs to you."

"He's your father."

"I've only known him for a few weeks." Abigail handed the doll to Elena, pushing it against her chest. "Take it. He's your brother. You deserve his guidance more than I do."

"I'm not sure about that." Elena glanced down at the doll and twisted it around in her hands.

"Could you do me a favour?" Abigail asked after a moment of silence.

"Depends."

"Could you kick Jaime in the balls for me? During your wedding night? That would be hilarious."

Elena laughed and soon Abigail joined her. "To be honest I'm still trying to avoid that subject in my head." Elena said. "But I'll keep it in mind nonetheless."

"Imagine it. Maybe you'll even injure him in such a way that he won't be able to get any children anymore. Can you see him jumping around the halls of King's Landing, naked, while crying and grasping his balls?" Abigail giggled. "That would be..." She noticed that a small group of Lannisters was now riding towards the gates. Abigail glance at the sun and noticed that it was already halfway up. "Awesome."

~

"Take care of your sister for me, will you?" Elena said after she had hugged Arya tightly.

"I will." She nodded, looking up at Elena while trying to keep herself composed. Arya's small hand found its way to Elena's wrist and softly yanked on it to get her attention. "Stick 'em with the pointy end." Arya smiled.

Elena nodded, chuckling and moved on towards Sansa, hugging her also but slightly softer. "Stay strong." Elena whispered. She buried her face in Sansa's soft hair, inhaling the scent of what must be roses.

"I will." Sansa confirmed and let Elena go.

"Abigail..." Elena looked at her awkwardly, not sure what to do.

"Don't forget the favour." Abigail extended her hand towards Elena.

"I won't." Elena softly smiled and shook her hand. "And I will get your father back, I promise."

After receiving a nod from Abigail Elena walked towards the next person, that person being Jon. "Please look after your brother." Elena said kind of desperately.

"I will." Jon said while holding her tight in her arms. "Remember, you're a Stark of Winterfell. Don't let them threaten you in any way."

"Don't worry." Elena said. "I know a few tricks that will shut them up."

"I know you do." Jon smiled and watched as she walked away. "I will be visiting soon! "Jon yelled after her, making Elena smile at him over her shoulder.

"Steven." Elena walked towards him. "What will you do now?"

"Go back home, look after my family. That sort of things." He said. "Bring them to Winterfell so I can keep an eye on Robb."

"Thank you." Elena gratefully smiled and pressed him into a hug.

"We're what's left of the Last Guardians, Elena. No matter what I'll be there if you need me." Steven kept her at arm-length so he could get a good look of her. "You need only call."

"As long as you keep an eye on them I'm more than happy." Elena said, looking at Steve's blue eyes. "Steve, I wanted to thank you for everything you've-"

"Stop right there." Steven interrupted her. "You're not going to do that, Elena. There will be no saying goodbye today. You can thank me later on after we've defeated Ethan."

Elena nodded, hugging Steven again, burying herself in his warmth for a little while. His strong arms wrapped around his body. There was so much more she wanted to say to him or even ask him. Steven always seemed to have the right response ready. He was and maybe always will be her favourite of the Last Guardians, even from the beginning. He always seemed kind. "Say hello to little Castiel and the rest for me, will you?" Elena whispered.

"I will." Steven smiled and let her go.

The last person was probably the hardest one to let go. Elena slowly walked towards Robb, trying to make time go slower instead of this unbearable fast pace it was taking. Within no time she stood before him, looking at the ground. She couldn't bring herself to look at his eyes even for a moment.

"Do you still have it, my feather?" Elena brought herself to look at his eyes.

"Right here." Robb took it out of his pocket and put it back in after showing it to her. "And I will call if need be, don't worry about that. I'll be safe. But you won't."

"Robb-" Elena sighed.

"That's not what I was getting at." Robb knew she was trying to explain herself again. "What I wanted to do was give you a gift." He waved his hands at one of his servants who brought forth a basket with a cloth over it. "Mine protected me since the day I got him. At first they might be kind of too playful and noisy but you'll get used to it."

"What are you talking-." Elena stuttered and took the large basket from the servant's hands, taking the cloth off the top and gasping immediately when a tiny head bopped out from under it.

"It may not be a dire wolf but I thought he kind of fitted." Robb smiled when the tiny wolf tried to climb out of the basket filled with pillows for the tiny beast. "He's very stubborn." Robb smiled at Elena when she lifted the wolf out of the basket and into her arms. "One of my men found it in the forest close by. It was all alone actually."

"He's..." Elena inspected the wolf pup, looking at his green eyes and black fur. The wolf tried to reach for her face with his paws, peeping softly when he couldn't reach her.

"Small, I know. But he'll grow." Robb said nervously.

"Robb, I..." Elena looked at him while bringing the wolf closer to her chest. "Thank you." She whispered and without noticing a little tear escaped from her eyes.

"I didn't want you to be alone there. I thought that maybe he would help, maybe remind you of your home, of me." Robb said. Elena put the wolf pup back in its basket, wrapping her arms tightly around Robb and pressing her face into the crook of his neck.

"It's okay." Robb whispered when he noticed that Elena was trembling. He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her closer. "It won't be for long. We'll see each other again, I promise. Nothing can keep us apart." This time he was the one comforting her. They stood there for several minutes until Robb saw Jaime and some of his men riding through the gate. Robb softly pushed Elena away, holding her head in his hand for a moment and pressing a kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you Robb." Elena smiled at him sadly and let his hand go. She walked backwards with the basket in her arms, trying to take everything of him in while she still had the chance. His auburn hair blowing in the wind, his piercing blue eyes that reminded her of the sky in the summer, his prominent jaw that seemed to be able to cut through anything and his kind smile that always seemed to warm her.

She wasn't going to say goodbye. She couldn't bring herself to it and neither could Robb. So she only took a last glance at everyone, Sansa, Arya, Steven, Abigail and finally Robb before mounting her horse. She looked at Jaime for a moment and he looked back at her before turning towards the gate again and riding out of the castle.

Elena sighed and closed her eyes. She pulled the basket closer to her, lifting the cloth from the top and looking down at the small pup. "C'mon Loki, we've got a brother to kill."