Bringing the Dawn [IN EDITING]

LXXVIII.

Loras Tyrell

Bear Island, 301 AC

Bear Island was both what he was expecting, and not what he was expecting. Even though he'd been young when his aunt Lynesse had married Ser Jorah Mormont, he remembered her well enough. From her long silver hair that she shared with his mother although Lynesse's was straight and his mothers was wavy, to her icy coloured eyes that sometimes looked blue and sometimes looked grey. A beautiful woman indeed, a sought after woman, yet a sour woman. His grandmother openly criticised her many a time and his mother never once dismissed her actions. Of course, there was the distinct possibility it was due to her not wishing to start an argument, but Loras would like to think he knew his mother well enough to know when she was truly agreeable to pretending to be agreeable.

"Lynesse is vain, cold, calculated, and wishes for everything her station will never provide her. The sixth daughter who lusts after the position of being the first daughter and she fumed when she did not get as many betrothal offers as her older sisters did. Given the chance, I could see her dishonouring herself with a high ranking Lord to force his hand. Alas, she settled for a simple life in the North."

Yet that had not lasted for long. The timeline differed depending on who was asked. Some say she was delighted and it took many months before she grew to detest her new home, some say she had hated it the moment the ship had docked, others say she had never hated it but simply wished for better. There was no way to find out for certain though, for the last they had heard she was now the concubine of someone in Lys. Nothing but a glorified whore and it was an embarrassment to House Hightower. No one from the House kept in contact with her, yet they had contacts to keep updated on her so that if she did do anything heinous they would be ahead in spinning a story to further state that they did not agree with her actions.

Slavery. Her husband had resorted to damned slavery in order to buy her items and host grand events to keep her pleased. When the news had broke and that Lord Eddard had demanded Ser Jorah's head, everyone in the direct family were at a loss of what to do about everything. It was expected that she be welcomed back to the Hightower, expected that she marry someone else who would not be so easily walked over, and yet taking her back would be seen as a sign they agreed with everything.

People said those from the Reach were all vapid people, which Loras would happily admit was true for most. Even he himself was more alike these people than those who were not. The only difference being that he was the third son. The only way he would become a Lord in his own right would be if anything were to happen to Willas, and he would never do something of the sort. So, he had decided as a young child he wished to become a Knight. Daily for years he honed in on his skills and eventually he caught the eye of Lord Renly Baratheon during a tourney he was competing in.

He'd been thirteen at the time, and at fifteen he'd earned his spurs. When he was asked to kneel and to be sworn as a Knight was the happiest he had ever been, yet it was not to last. Only a few months after this, Renly was summoned by his brother to take a position on the Small Council and he'd been ordered to return to Highgarden to curb the rumours that were spreading. They didn't understand, no one understood. The words still spun in his head often now despite this being a few years before now.

Buggerer. Sinner. Shame. An insult on House's Tyrell and Baratheon. A man not of the Seven. One with the Stranger.

It wasn't that he found women unattractive for he did, it was simply that he preferred men. That was one good thing that came from being from the family he was for if anyone dared say anything aloud it would spell bad tidings on their own families and livelihoods. He hadn't reunited with Renly until a couple of weeks before the Hand's Tourney as he had ridden ahead to ensure the manse was suitable. Now, Renly was dead, and now he served a new King. A King were his love still alive would scowl towards him with such distaste it did gnaw deep within. Was he doing the right thing? What could he do were he not doing this? Then his grandmothers words would echo- always put ones House first. By allying themselves so close to the crown they'd gotten Margaery being the Queen, he a Kingsguard, potential matches for his cousins that never would've been considered beforehand or even obtainable despite their name, and his eldest brother was finally being treated as a Lord in his own right.