Trouble // Loras Tyrell / Renly Baratheon / Rieka Stark

13. Shadows

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"You swear it?" Renly questioned.

"By the mother. My son has no interest in the Iron Throne." Catelyn agreed. Renly took a long sip of wine. Rieka remained quiet. Robb wouldnt hate to be king no doubt.  He certainly liked to be in charge and seemed quite content in the role of Lord of Winterfell when they left for the south.

" Then I see no reason for hostility between us. Your son can go on calling himself King in the North. The Starks will have dominion over all lands north of Moat Cailin, provided he swears me an oath of fealty." Renly assured. "SHouldnt be too hard with Rieka as my queen." Rieka framed her face with a hand, smiling back at him.

"And the wording of this oath?"

" The same Ned Stark swore to Robert eighteen years ago. Cat, their friendship held the kingdoms together." Renly decided. Catelyn debated. Rieka's lips pursed and Renly looked her over concern filled him. She brought a hand to her stomach fisting the material

"And in return for my son's loyalty?"

" In the morning, I'll destroy my brother's army." Renly informed her rising up. "When that's done, Baratheon and Stark will fight their common enemy together, as they have done many times before." Brienne moved to him removing his cloak.

" Our two houses have always been close, which is why I am begging you to reconsider this battle. Negotiate a peace with your brother." Catelyn agreed.

" Negotiate with Stannis? You heard him out there. I'd have better luck debating the wind." Renly countered. "Are you alright?" Renly questioned touching Rieka's cheek.

"Missed supper. Stomach is in knots."  Rieka offered kissing his cheek "mother be nice to renly. I love him." Rieka realized. Renlys smile grew and catelyns scowl softened renly wished he said it back before rieka excused herself.

"Please bring my terms to your son. I believe we are natural allies. I hope he feels the same. Together we could end this war in a fortnight." Renly offered.

The wind howled, and a dark cloud of mist raced into the tent. Catelyn watched it cross the floor. Brienne gasped as a dark spirit took form from the mist, rising up behind Renly. The dark spirit stabbed Renly in the back, through the heart. Renly gasped and the spirit hissed.

"You alright?"

"Nauseous." Rieka answered wiping at her lip Loras knelt beside her. "I dont know whats gotten into me."

"War makes people nervous." Loras offered. "Meeting Stannis could make anyone sick." He added

" No! No." Brienne shouted as the dark spirit dissipated into a wind as Renly started to collapse. Brienne lunged forward to catch him and lowered him gently to the ground. Two soldiers leap into the room and draw their swords, believing Brienne to have assassinated their king.

"You'll die for this."

" No, wait, it wasn't her!" Catelyn demanded.

"Do you hear screaming?" Loras questioned jumping up. Rieka barfed again and loras hesitated she waved a hand for him to go check it out. She would still probably be here dirtying her knees as she emptied what was left in her stomach

"We've got to leave. They'll hang you for this." Catelyn warned

" I won't leave him." Brienne sobbed.

"You can't avenge him if you're dead." Catelyn countered.

"What of your daughter?" Brienne countered. Catelyn hesitated glancing around

"I will never find her in the dark." Catelyn realized.

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"My lord, my lady." Petyr offered.

"Get out." Loras barked.

He looked so peaceful. Just laying there. Like he was sleeping and not killed.

"Stannis will be here in an hour. When he arrives, Renly's bannermen will flock to him. Your former companions will fight for the privilege of selling you to their new king." Petyr countered.

" And you want that privilege for yourself." Loras agreed.

" You will note that I am standing here talking to you, not Stannis."

" There's no time for this." Margaery countered. Rieka was unusually quiet as she stared down at her husband. Her husband was dead. Dead. Renly was dead. The first man she ever really loved that wasnt family. Dead. She grabbed loras hand trying to hold back tears. It wasnt the first time she had seen a dead body but this was a man she loved her husband. She couldnt get used to the death.

"Ride back to Highgarden, sister. I'm not running from Stannis." Loras seethed.

" Brienne of Tarth murdered Renly." Margaery corrected.

" I don't believe that. You don't believe that." Loras countered. Brienne had a crush on renly she wouldnt kill him butnit made sense. Who else could get in and out? Why flee? "Who gained the most from our king's death?" Loras countered.

"Stannis." Petyr cut in.

"I will put a sword through his righteous face."

"You can't stay here." Margaery begged her brother.

"He would have been a true king, a good king." Loras whimpered. Rieka leaned into not finding the strength to get up. To move on from this moment of pain as they stared down at renlys handsome face.

"Tell me, Ser Loras, what do you desire most in this world?" Petyr questioned.

"Revenge." He decided.

"I have always found that to be the purest of motivations, but you won't have a chance to put your sword through Stannis, not today. You'll be cut to pieces before he sets foot on solid ground. If it is justice that you want, be smart about it." Petyr agreed.

"You can't avenge him from the grave. Bring the horses. Please." Margaery begged.

"Killed? By whom?" Cersei questioned.

"Accounts differ. Most seem to implicate Catelyn Stark in some way." Tyrion answered.

" Really? Who'd have thought?" Cersei mused glancing back from the balcony.

"Some say it was one of his own Kingsguard, while still others say it was Stannis himself who did it after negotiations went sour." Tyrion added pouring himself more wine.

"Whomever did it, I say well done." Cersei decided.

" The Tyrells have not yet declared for any of the surviving kings. Loras wants revenge. He blames Stannis for Renly's death. Rieka was oddly quiet. I cant be sure where the stark girl lies... And Margaery-"

"Wants to be queen. Something she believes was robbed from her when renly chosen rieka stark."

" Yes, she does." Petyr agreed.

" House Tyrell rebelled against the Iron Throne. Against my grandson." Tywin reminded him

"They did. And perhaps that treason should be punished one day, after Stannis and Robb Stark are defeated."