For once the stormlands were not living up to their name. The sun was out and only a light breeze swept through the usually tumultuous Shipbreaker Bay, so named for the numerous ships that had perished in its waters. Renly had taken advantage of the uncharacteristically gentle weather and was sitting upon one of the many rocks that overlooked the bay, watching he water lap at the stony shore. Not that he minded the storms. There was something undeniably impressive about the crashing waves and pelting rain. Renly loved nothing more than to sit at a window of Storm's End, watching the weather launch its brutal attack on the landscape, safe in the knowledge that Storm's End had stood against such weather for thousands of years.
Looking out over the bay, it was hard to imagine how the very same waves which were now rippling innocently in the sunshine had the power to tear apart ships and send them crashing onto the merciless rocks that lurked beneath the surface of the water. Renly's own parents had suffered that fate, their ship being ripped apart by a storm in this very bay, the safe walls of Storm's End within sight but out of reach. Renly laughed, the Gods had a cruel sense of humour it seemed. The bodies had never been found. Renly often wondered whether he should feel anything at the thought of his parents bodies trapped in their watery grave. But he felt nothing. He'd never known his parents. He had not even celebrated his first name day when the sea claimed them. Family was a curious thing. As Renly saw it, it seemed to mean everything and yet nothing at the same time. In his youth he remembered being chastised often for not behaving in a more proper fashion, he was a Baratheon, not a peasant. Yet despite this he saw very little of either of his brothers. Robert was too busy whoring and bankrupting the realm to care very much what his youngest brother got up to, and Stannis... Well Stannis hadn't been overly fond of visiting since Robert had given the Baratheon seat of Storm's End to Renly over him. Having visited Dragonstone once many years ago, Renly could understand Stannis' disappointment. Dragonstone had seemed to him merely a glorified rock, barren and cold. He laughed, it certainly suited Stannis' personality! But still, it wasn't his fault that Robert preferred him over Stannis.
He remembered the day Stannis had left for Dragonstone well after the end of Robert's rebellion. He'd been but six. He remembered tears stinging his eyes as he'd watched the ships sail out of the bay for Dragonstone. Cortnay Penrose, the man charged with bringing Renly up after Stannis' departure, had held his hand as the ships disappeared over the horizon and told him not to be upset. Baratheons don't cry he had said, and besides your brother will come back to visit you. Renly liked to suppose that at least a small part of his sadness had been due to his brother's departure but mainly the tears had been for Maester Cressen, that smiley, wrinkled old man who had dressed his knees when he'd grazed them, and had played games with him whilst his brother was busy dealing with the siege of Storm's End.
Renly could recall very little of the siege. He'd been only five when it had begun, not even old enough to understand the events going on around him. He had a vague memory of the constant hunger that had come with the siege and of the sea of green and gold that had surrounded the castle walls. He had not understood when his brother had patiently tried to explain why there was no food, lifting him up so he could see the vast Tyrell host over the walls, feasting and laughing while they starved in their castle. Renly hadn't understood, it was obvious that the men feasting outside the walls had food to spare, he had been sure that if they asked politely, the men with the green and gold banners would happily share some. Stannis had just sighed, and swept off, handing Renly back to Maester Cressen. With hindsight, Renly realised that he had most likely had it comparably easy during the siege. Renly had had very little to eat that year, but he imagined Stannis had had even less.
That was something Renly admired in Stannis. One of the only things, Renly thought, amused. He had rationed the supplies out fairly, to lord and the lowliest page alike. Renly could not imagine Robert starving with his troops as Stannis had done. He wondered if anyone would have held Storm's End as long as Stannis had. He kicked at a stone on the beach, imagining what would have happened to him if Storm's end had fallen. He shuddered slightly as he thought of the Targaryen children. Crown prince Aegon's head had been dashed against a wall and Princess Rhaenys dragged from underneath her fathers bed where she'd been hiding. All whilst their mother screamed. Renly wondered where he would have hid if Storm's end had been sacked by Tyrell forces. Most likely he would have been captured and used as a bartering tool, but still.. the fate of the Targaryen children lingered uncomfortably in his mind.
Renly went back to watching the waves as he tried to put the siege out of his mind. It was a distant memory now, far removed from Renly's current life. Looking back to Storm's End, he laughed at how moments earlier he had thought of storm's end falling. It was a castle like no other, a colossal structure that loomed over the bay, walls 100 feet high and 40 thick. It had never been breached.
Feeling a sudden chill, Renly looked up at the sky, the sun was almost gone. It was late in the day and he ought to be heading back to the castle. He had thought, when first made lord of storm's end that he would be able to do as he pleased. He had quickly learnt otherwise. There was protocol to be followed, the family honour to be upheld, dull things to be discussed with Penrose concerning the running of the castle. He was sure his absence would have been noticed by now. Penrose had specifically told him that very morning that a squire would be arriving for him in the afternoon and that he should be there to welcome him. A Tyrell squire none the less, Mace Tyrell's third son he'd been told. Renly laughed as he imagined his brother's expression at the turn of events. Once, Stannis had spat at Tyrell banners from the battlements of Storm's End, declaring that he would never yield. Now, Renly was about to invite one in to be his personal squire.
It had been on the King's request that Renly had agreed to let the Tyrell boy squire for him. Supposedly this arrangement was to help heal the rift between the Baratheons and the Reach. Renly supposed he was little more than a political pawn in the grand scheme of things. He wondered whether later in life he would be married off in another of the King's political manoeuvres. Not that he was naïve enough to think that it had been Robert himself who had arranged for the Tyrell boy to squire here though. Most likely it would have been Jon Arryn Renly reckoned. Stannis had told told him in his rare letters that it was Lord Arryn who ran the kingdom, or perhaps merely stopped it falling apart, whilst Robert drank and whored himself to an early grave.
He wondered what the Tyrell boy would be like. He knew very little about the Tyrells and the Reach. He'd been told that the boy was about 10 and desired one day to be a knight. Renly laughed, didn't all boys of that age want to become great knights. Very few actually succeeded, but he imagined the Tyrell boy stood a fair chance, being the son of a lord. At least it would be company for him. Storm's end could be rather dull, largely devoid of people any where near Renly's age. The Tyrell boy was still a child, but he would be better than nothing Renly guessed. Perhaps the boy would have a sense of humour. Renly laughed. the boy could hardly be worse than Stannis in that respect!
It was dark when Renly swept back into the castle. Penrose was waiting for him, a small black haired child clinging to his legs. A serving girl hurriedly tried to usher the child upstairs but Renly merely smiled. Edric storm was the bastard son of Robert, conceived at the wedding of Stannis and Selyse, the child's mother none other than Delena Florent, a cousin of the bride. His household seemed to think that raising a bastard in his midst would offend him, but Renly rather liked the child. He was sturdy, black of hair, and the older members of Renly's household often remarked how similar he looked to both Robert and Renly at that age. Rumour had it that the child had been conceived in the marital bed itself. Renly knew better than to take idle gossip at face value, but still he was very curious. Surely even Robert wouldn't be that vulgar at his own brother's wedding he thought, and especially so shortly after his own. Renly had contemplated asking Stannis about it last time he had visited, if only to see his brother's face at the vulgar question, but he'd managed to restrain himself. Maybe he would ask Robert next time he was in King's landing, he liked crude humour. Renly turned his attention back to Penrose.
"My Lord" Penrose began "We expected you back hours ago We..." He looked like he was about to scold Renly but he stopped when Renly merely grinned at him. It was one of Renly''s talents, no one could manage to stay angry at him for long.
"Has my presence been required?" Renly asked, hoping it wouldn't have been.
"As matter of fact, it has, my Lord. Your new squire arrived shortly after midday. We've been waiting for you to receive him"
"Oh" Renly said "Well surely it's too late for me to see him now. You must have sent the boy to bed hours ago?"
"We tried, but the boy is well... headstrong" Penrose looked as if he was biting back a more scathing criticism "He has refused to go to bed without being received by you first."
Renly laughed, at least it didn't sound like the boy was going to be dull. "Ok then, it can't do any harm to placate the boy, bring him to my chambers, I will receive him" And with that Renly swept up the stairs to his quarters.
Hardly any time at all had passed before a page was knocking on Renly's door, announcing Penrose's arrival with his new squire.
Renly beckoned for them to come in and Penrose pushed the boy forward, rather roughly Renly thought. He looked at him, the boy was small and very slight. If he hadn't known otherwise, Renly might have thought that it was a maiden standing in front of him. His features were soft and pretty, unruly curls falling elegantly across his face.
Renly grinned at him.
"So young Ser, you're to be my squire I understand" He looked at Penrose, eyes twinkling "Surely you're a bit too small to be a squire?"
The boy frowned, pushed his curls out of his eyes, and glared defiantly at Renly, before speaking.
"I'm ten, the proper age for a squire"
"You're to address Lord Renly as my lord in future" Penrose corrected quickly, but Renly waved the comment aside, laughing.
"Why, you're outspoken for your age. Pray tell me what is your name?"
"Loras, of house Tyrell" the boy answered, still frowning.
"Well, young Loras of house Tyrell, as delighted as I am to have you as my squire, I think it's time you turned in for the night."
The boy shifted uncomfortably, seemingly not sure if Renly was mocking him, or merely being polite, but he allowed Penrose to usher him out of the room, where servants were waiting to take him to his chambers.
Renly smiled as he got into bed, contemplating how the boy would do as a squire. He was certainly small, but seemed to make up for it in confidence and ambition Renly thought. He imagined that the boy would be sorely disappointed when he realised that Renly would rather watch Tourneys than compete in them. He laughed, thinking of all the times Penrose had chastised him for failing to practise his own skills at arms.
He was still smiling when he blew out the candle, enjoying the sound of the rain that had begun to fall outside as he drifted off to sleep.
