I own nothing, the characters are a product of George R. Martin
Catelyn Stark was nervous. This meeting that was to take place with the Baratheon brothers was going to be the last chance for peace between them. Based on her interactions with the elder and the opinions of the youngest from others, she found it difficult to imagine a way to get them to reconcile with one another. But she would try regardless, she had to, several of the lords had talked to her about their thoughts of crowning Robb as the King in the North due to the Baratheon division. Not something she was keen on. If Robb was crowned then Arya and Sansa would be even more valuable as hostages. The Lannisters would not release them back and the war would go on till Robb was killed. Her inner musings were interrupted when the knight next to her spoke out
"Mi lord, riders approaching!"
Catelyn looked out in the direction indicated by the knight that had spoken. Just as he said there was a group of riders approaching bearing a flag of truce alongside the traditional banner of house Baratheon. Leading them, bearing a confident smile and a crown of interwoven antlers, came Renly Baratheon.
"Stannis! So good to see you!"
Judging by the twitch of Stannis's jaw, she was certain that he was already grinding his teeth in frustration. Needless to say, the meeting went downhill from there.
"My Lord's please you are brothers! Brothers who face a common enemy, Lord Renly please recognize your brother as the lawful king, he has been generous in his terms. You would lose nothing by bending the knee."
"Nothing except for his crown!"
Lady Stark leveled a glare at the knight of flowers, wishing for the tenth time that he had not been brought to the meeting. For all he did was insult those with Stannis and continually profess that Renly deserved a
his crown.
"A crown my brother never had any lawful right to claim"
While her glare did nothing to Loras, the glare sent his way by Stannis was enough to silence any further comment from the lordling.
"Enough of this, Renly, in memory of the mother who bore us I give you till midnight to come to your senses and submit. If you don't by then-"
"Riders!"
Both parties were startled by the interjection, but then immediately looked to the South where a party of 8 riders were approaching under a banner of yellow and black.
"What is this Renly?!"
Stannis scowled at his brother waiting for an explanation. But judging by the look of his face Renly was equally baffled by this turn of events. As the riders drew near they realized that instead of a crowned stag used by Renly, it bore a stag's head with a broken antler and a checkered border.
"Uncle Argilac?"
Said the Baratheons at the same time. The shock of seeing their only uncle after so long clearly written upon their faces.
The thundering of hooves herald arrival of the eldest living Baratheon and for a moment there was silence as the newcomers stared as the two parties. Catelyn took the opportunity to studying the man who was obviously Argilac, even while riding it was very clear that he was a tall man, his shoulders were broad and he sat in the saddle better than most knights. He had a long beard that was most likely once coal black, but now had streaks of grey though it. His hair which he wore long and currently had tied back was of the same coloration. For armor he wore a breastplate under a surecoat that bore his sigal, gauntlets, greaves and chainmail. At his hip were two axes, a heavy looking battle-axe with a yellow checker patterned blade on one side and a hooked spike on the other. The second was a smaller throwing axe. Final thing of note and what grabbed her attention were the startling bright blue eyes that looked to be filled with barely contained rage.
Loras Tyrell finally broke the silence
"What is the meaning of this? This doesn't cons-"
"Unless you want to be feed your teeth, I suggest you stop talking."
The lordling glowered at the threat but closed his mouth once Renly shot him a look. Then he turned to his uncle with a uneasy smile.
"Uncle, I must admit I didn't expect to see you here."
Renly's smile faltered as his uncle scowled at him in response
"And I didn't expect to come home to see the sons of my brother at war with each other. With you attempting to usurp your own family. I'm glad Steffon is dead and doesn't have to witness this himself."
That wiped the smile from Renly's face.
"You see lord Renly, even your uncle is in support of King Stannis."
The red woman looked supremely confident with the new turn that the conversation had taken but before she could blink there was a flash of steel and a thwoop. Then Argilac's throwing axe buried itself deep into the shoulder of the red woman. To her credit she didn't scream but judging by her face it was a near thing. she fell off her horse landing with a grunt of pain as the air was forced from her lung. Stannis looked at the injured woman before looking at his uncle with an expression of anger and shock.
"She is a member of my council uncle and a high priestess of the-"
"I know who she is, , she's a manipulative bitch who thinks that her flames hold all the answers. I know she has burned the statutes of a Sept which as king fall under your protection. I know she is not Westerosi and her allegiance lies to some red god. You're a Baratheon damnit! Your ancestors built Storm' End in defiance of the gods, we don't need any them to achieve our goals!"
Argilac dismounted his horse and walked to the wounded woman. Seeing him approach she attempted to stand, only to fall screaming as he pulled his axe out of her shoulder with no warning. Then he silenced her by removing her head from her body. What happened next silenced the protests from the followers of the red woman, for the face of the woman began to age before their very eyes.
"Witchcraft!"
"Burn it!"
A dozen other knights shouted out more suggestions till Stannis silenced them
"Enough! Burning her is what she would have wanted. Take her body and we will drop her into the sea."
Two of the knights dismounted to collect the now aged body and head of the now dead priestess.
"See! Look at what kind of support Stannis has! Renly would never have kept such company!"
Catelyn actually rolled her eyes at Loras's declaration.
"If we were to judge my nephews on the company they keep Renly is not doing much better."
Argilac started to walk to the knights of flowers, scorn dripping from his voice.
"You think just because Renly has a disposition that is more likeable that he would make a better king? That because Stannis doesn't have people bending over to kiss his ass we should throw aside the laws of succession?"
Loras bristled even as the elder lord closed the distance.
"Renly would be beloved! The people would rejoice to have him as their king more so than a drunk like Robert or a uncaring stoneface like Stannis!"
"Oh really? You think the people of the North, the Vale and the Riverlands even know anything about him? That they will overlook him going to war with his own kin with the intent of usurping them? What happens when second born sons decide that they are a better lord than their brother? Will you champion their actions of breaking the law?"
Loras spurred his horse, ignoring Renly's command to hold.
"Enough you old fool! Be silent and don't impede the way for better men!"
As his horse cantered towards Argilac the knight of flowers drew his sword intent on ending the discussion once and for all. Argilac for his part looked unfazed at the prospect of being run down by a mounted knight. He simply pulled his battle axe from the loop on his saddle, gripping the long handle in both hands like a quarterstaff. As Loras made to strike his his head he parried the sword then with a quick backhanded swing he crippled the horse's rear leg. The horse screamed in pain as it fell to its side, throwing Loras from the saddle. Loras landed with a surprising amount of grace and rolled through the fall coming to his feet with his sword in his hand and charged again on foot.
Instead of meeting the young knight head on, Argilac side stepped him, when Loras turned and attempted to strike him he found his target simply giving ground and dodging his sword. With each failed attempt to land a blow he became increasingly frustrated.
"Fight me you old fool! Or are you too old to use yo-"
He was interrupted when without warning his opponent spat a wad of phlegm directly into his eyes obstructing his vision. He desperately tried to clear his vision with one hand while holding Argilac at bay with the other. It didn't work. He felt his sword get battered aside and then his head erupted in pain as the axe handle connected to the side of his head dropping him to the ground in a heap. Renly made to dismount and check on him but before he could his uncle placed his axe blade to the knights throat.
"Kneel Renly."
Renly looked at his uncle in disbelief. But it was Stannis who speak up
"Uncle, you kill him and House Tyrell will demand your head."
"A valid point, then option two is what we will go with."
Renly, who had dismounted now, spoke up.
"What is option two?"
"With one child a Baratheon by marriage and another as a hostage. I doubt that house Tyrell would be opposed to the idea of following Stannis."
Grabbing Loras by the collar of his breastplate he picked him up and dragged him over to Stannis's guards. Two dismounted and bound his hands before tossing him over the horse the red woman had ridden. Renly stood there bewilderment plainly written on his face. Stannis dismounted his horse and walked up to his brother.
"Renly, you will be the lord of Storm's End, the lord of the Stormlands. You loss nothing that you had before. All that I would require of you is your firstborn to be fostered with me."
Renly was still, clearly thinking over what to do, his eyes flickering between Stannis, Loras and Argilac. After a moment there was only silence, then Renly bowed his head and slowly fell to his knee.
"I accept your terms, my gracec."
Catelyn nearly sighed aloud with relief, war between the Baratheons had been avoided. Now they had the North, Stormlands, Riverlands and narrow sea houses under Stannis as well as the Reach army that had accompanied Margaery and Loras. The Lannisters will not be able to withstand a war on two fronts, their days in control of the iron throne were numbered.