The Last Stag • Game of Thrones

4.

Chapter Four.
Motion Sickness

Ren had no clue just how long that she had been in the bath. Long enough that the sun had set, and someone had come in to light candles, but Ren was not entirely sure who. Someone had scrubbed the blood from her skin and rinsed it from her hair, and covered her entire body with a soap that smelled too strongly of flowers. Ren knew that she had been the one to wash the blood from Goji's muzzle, but she could not recall how long ago that had been. The bath had long since turned cold, but Ren did not care.

Ren no longer had a father. 

While Goji was sleeping by the side of her tub, his body was still tensed. He sensed her distress and allowed nobody to get too close to her without Ren's permission. She wondered if this was now a permanent facet of Goji's personality, or simply a passing trait on a day of much distress.

There was a knock at the door. Renfri did not look up.

The door creaked open. Goji lifted his head, letting out a low growl in warning. 

"Renny, if I come in, can you ask your bear not to maul me?"

Ren startled in surprise. She lifted herself out of the bath, wrapping herself in the nearby robe that someone had laid out for her.

"Come in, Loras."

Loras entered, dressed in his armor, looking at her nervously.

"Hey, wildflower." He greeted tiredly, reaching out his hand. Renfri accepted, allowing her best friend to swallow her into a hug.

She felt another presence enter the room and looked up in surprise. Renly stood behind Loras, his face stern. 

"Renny." Her uncle greeted, his eyes tired. "You may need to sit down for this."

"Are you going to tell me he's dead?" Renfri cracked a tired smile, pulling away from Loras. "I figured."

"No." Renly shook his head. "This is...a lot."

Confused but willing, Ren sunk down into a nearby chair, one that Koki usually sat at. Goji trotted to her side, laying between Ren and the two men.

"Ned Stark came to me with some...disturbing, information." Renly sniffed and straightened his back. "You and I need to leave the capital. Tonight."

"What are you talking about?" Ren furrowed her brow, feeling energy begin to return to her body. "We aren't leaving, our family is here. Why would we leave?"

"Renny-" Loras moved to approach her, but Goji gave a warning growl. Ren, suspicious, did not correct the bear. Loras cleared his throat. "Renfri, I'm just going to come out and say it. Ned Stark has uncovered the truth about your mother, about your siblings-"

Immediately, bells began to toll in her skull.

She had heard the rumors, of course. Only a deaf woman wouldn't. But that's all they were - scandalous drivel meant to drag names through the mud. Satisfy some perceived slights. 

"Loras." Renfri narrowed her eyes. "Watch what you say next."

Loras bit his lip.

"There is...extensive evidence. Proving that the rumors are true."

"Those rumors are filth and lies." Ren closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "I won't hear of this."

"Renfri-." Loras hurried to clarify. "They're your half-siblings. They aren't Roberts' children, not really. They're Jaime's."

"Because they're blonde?" Ren scoffed, scrunching her nose. She shot Renly a look behind Loras. "Renly is balding and my father wasn't, are you going to say that they aren't true siblings too?"