Even as a boy, Renly had loved bright colors and rich fabrics, and he had loved his games as well. "Look at me!" he would shout as he ran laughing through the halls of Storm's End. "Look at me, I'm a dragon," or "Look at me, I'm a wizard," or "Look at me, look at me, I'm the rain god." The bold little boy with wild black hair and laughing eyes was a man grown now, one-and-twenty, and still he played his games. Look at me, I'm a king, Cressen thought sadly.
From the day she was born, Cyrenna Baratheon's fate had been set in stone.
Just weeks before her birth, the king had spoken to Lord Steffon about it. About how his son needed a wife of proper Valyrian blood, and how it was a pity the children of his cousin and good friend were all sons. He had requested Lord Steffon to go and find a suitable bride of old Valyrian lineage from the Free Cities, and Lord Steffon had asked if he could at least wait till his wife gave birth, which the king agreed to readily.
The maesters had predicted it would be a boy, and all were surprised when a girl was born instead. The girl that the Targaryens had been waiting for. King Aerys sent his congratulations, and also formally proposed that instead of voyaging to the Free Cities, a match be made between his son and Lord Steffon's daughter.
And so little Renna grew up, comfortably assured with her destiny. She loved to play dress up, swathing herself in bright colours and rich fabrics, prancing along the hallways of Storm's End. Some days she pretended to be a dragon. Other days she pretended to be Elenei, the daughter of the god of the sea.
One day Renna had gotten hold of some red and black brocade. Draping it around her, she paraded up and down the hallway, head held high and a serious look on her face. Amused at the sight, Cressen asked, "So Renna, what are you today?"
"I'm the queen," she answered.
Her brother Robert had taken a squire – a Tyrell from the Reach. His name was Loras, and he was just a boy, Renna thought – but it was fun to have someone younger around for a change, and Loras became the best friend she would ever have. They'd do boyish things like climb trees and race each other through the woods, but Loras was perfectly happy with watching Renna sew, and letting Renna braid his hair.
That hair. Loras' hair was gorgeous; warm brown and in waves as soft as silk. Renna loved doing his hair more than her own.
Their fun did not last for long. When Renna flowered, she knew her wedding would be near. The whole family travelled to King's Landing – Loras, too – and immediately on arrival she heard whispers about being Prince Rhaegar's child bride.
She was no child, Renna huffed to herself. She was a maiden flowered, four-and-ten.
But she would not deny that the royal court intimidated her a little. It wasn't as shiny and colourful as she had imagined. It was definitely luxurious, but the air had a weight to it that seemed to hang over everyone and make the whole place grey.
The prince that was to be her husband towered over her, face having the beauty and warmth of chiselled marble. He greeted her courteously nevertheless, and she responded with a curtsey and a smile.
Smiles always came easily for Renna. She loved to smile, to jest, to laugh. She loved having fun. This place, and especially the prince, did not seem fun. She thought his seriousness would be like that of Stannis, but somehow, something was different. She couldn't put her finger on it.
Fortunately for her, not everyone at court was as solemn as Prince Rhaegar. There were his younger siblings, Viserys who was a year older than her, and little Daenerys whose difficult birth had killed her mother.
Viserys was everything Rhaegar was not, and Renna did not like it. Renna had wondered at first why she hadn't been promised to Viserys instead since they were closer in age, but after a while she was glad she wasn't. Everyone said he resembled his father too much.
There was also Lady Elia, who had been a princess of Dorne but gave the title up when she was wed to Jaime Lannister, the eldest son of the Hand of the King and heir to Casterly Rock. Lady Elia was a woman of frail health, and heavily pregnant to boot, but she was always kind to her when she felt well enough to venture outside. Ser Jaime, unlike his father, had a lighthearted, cheerful personality, and no inclination for politics. According to Stannis, both their mothers had been ladies-in-waiting for the now-deceased Queen Rhaella. Renna often saw them making snarky comments and smirking about it, and Renna wished her husband-to-be would allow that, but he probably wouldn't. Robert told her not to worry – Lady Elia and Ser Jaime had nearly ten years separating them and they still got along well – but Renna knew that Robert was just coming up with reasons to make her feel better.
Another woman at court was the stunningly beautiful Lady Ashara, sister to Ser Arthur of the Kingsguard and best friend of Lady Elia. She had dark hair and violet eyes, and Renna wondered if it would be possible for Rhaegar and her to have a daughter that pretty. Her heart fluttered every time she saw Lady Ashara grace the halls, but otherwise Renna never really got the chance to talk to her.
The wedding was lavish and pompous – Renna did not have much say, but she would not accept anything less. Her gown was made of patterned white brocade, and from her neck hung topaz and onyx framed in filigreed gold. She smiled as brightly as she could when the black cape with the red dragon was clasped around her shoulders, and waved as the crowd of smallfolk cheered for their little princess.
She laughed and made conversation with the other nobles during the feast and the dance, more so than her husband. Loras' whole family had come to attend, and Renna was introduced to his dearest siblings: Willas, the oldest who had turned to books after an injury stopped him from being able to fight; Garlan, a boy her age training to become a warrior, and Margaery, a pretty girl who was just a year younger than Loras.
The night wore on and the younger guests had to leave before the bedding ceremony. Before he left, Loras pressed a medallion of rose gold into her palm, wishing her good luck.
There were no kisses, embraces, or words of assurance. Rhaegar simply, cooly, did what was required of him, and then turned to fall asleep, back facing her, leaving her aching and alone in the dark, her eyes refusing to stay closed.
Lord Steffon passed away in his sleep a week after the wedding. Renna knew that their father had already been sickly beforehand, but King Aerys was convinced that his Hand had poisoned him, because he intended to replace Lord Tywin with their father after becoming in-laws with the royal family.
Lady Elia gave birth to a son, named Gerion after an uncle of Jaime's who had presumably died while making an expedition into Old Valyria. She almost died in labour, and was bedridden for half a year. The maesters said her body would not be able to cope with another pregnancy, but Ser Jaime told her not to feel too upset about it, and that having her and Gerion was enough.
Amazingly, a daughter had been conceived on Renna's wedding night. The maesters worried a girl her age would have difficultly giving birth, but both mother and daughter were healthy. Rhaegar named her Rhaenys, and she looked every bit a Targaryen. Rhaegar said she resembled his mother greatly. And although he held no love for his wife, he coddled Rhaenys with affection.
Despite the protection of her parents, Rhaenys had nevertheless been born into a court ruled by an increasingly erratic king. He had a growing obsession with fire, and set prisoners ablaze. Rhaegar had been discussing with his supporters about an opportune time to remove King Aerys before he did the realm more destruction.
One night, Ser Jaime came to Rhaegar, saying he had heard the king talk to his pyromancer about wanting to set fire to the whole of King's Landing. Ser Jaime had killed them both to stop them, and guards were sent to uncover the wildfire. They found some; not all, but it was enough as evidence, and Ser Jaime was heralded a national hero for saving King's Landing. King Aerys went down in history as the Mad King.
At their coronation Renna smiled the smiles she always gave, distributed alms to the poor, and kissed the foreheads of babies as they paraded through the streets with great fanfare, a train of Myrish lace billowing out behind her. She had initially ordered a dress made for the occasion, in her favourite shade of green and trimmed generously with frothy ruffles, but her mother reminded her ever so gently that a safer bet would be the traditional house colours. But Renna would never want to look dull, and so her gown was a red "as bright as the sun", the seamstress had assured her.
As a reward, Renna suggested betrothing their Rhaenys to Gerion, but Rhaegar refused, saying Rhaenys had to marry her brother.
Not long after becoming queen Renna found herself with child again, and the girl was named Visenya. Visenya was beautiful. Renna thought her just like Lady Ashara – dark hair, violet eyes. Even as a baby, people were already saying she would grow up to be one of the greatest beauties in the Seven Kingdoms.
Rhaegar was convinced their next child would be a son. He already had a name for him – Aegon.
But she lost their third child during the pregnancy, and their fourth was a stillborn girl. First she was upset, next angry at Rhaegar for he had not bothered to comfort her or ask after her wellbeing even once, then despondent because of the fate life had dealt her.
Renna did not ask for the love Robert gave his Lady Lyanna, who had died of a fever before they could be wed, leaving her brother heartbroken and eternally pining. That was a love Renna could not obtain, unless she could find a lady willing to warm her bed.
Was friendship that hard?
Words could not express her happiness when Loras came to King's Landing, now seven-and-ten and a head taller than her, and pledged his services as Kingsguard. His sister Margaery and his sister-in-law Leonette were both to become her ladies-in-waiting.
He tells her about how life had been back home at Storm's End; how pretty Robert's newest paramour was (although he would add that she was nowhere as pretty as her; Loras was always such a sweet talker, bless his soul), and how cute her niece Shireen was becoming.
Margaery has grown into a beautiful young maiden, and as she works with her as her handmaid, Renna finds herself inexplicably drawn to the Tyrell girl's charms. At this point, Rhaegar and her barely shared a room anymore, so for the most part she decided to take Margaery as her bedmate. They stay up late into the wee hours of the morning, Renna pouring out all her thoughts and fears to the younger lady. Margaery admits she is in a pressurising position as well, as her father is determined for her to get only the best.
When Renna confesses her attraction, Margaery does not reject her. All she does is smile coyly, and Renna takes it as a positive answer.
In those dull days of her life, she tried to look at everything positively.
And it helps for a while; Renna's nights are now warm and filled with love and affection. She had a beautiful lover and her best friend with her. This would be the best life at court she would ever get.
Even when Margaery goes missing for hours after every dinner, Renna just assumes she was busy with something she didn't need to bother about.
And when she asks to leave court entirely and return to Highgarden because she was feeling sick, Renna never thinks more of it and wishes that she would quickly get well.
So when Margaery returned to court with a silvery-haired, lilac-eyed babe – a baby boy Rhaegar acknowledges as his own son and called him Aegon – Renna's world collapses there and then.
Her nights are cold and sleepless. Was this Margaery's plan all along? Did she ever love her, or was that just a means to an end?
When Loras comes looking for her, Renna almost wants to chase him away.
But she was already hurt enough, so she decides to hear what he has to say.
His expression was conflicted and apologetic. "I never knew this would have happened," he starts. "But I did know that Father always wanted Marge to become queen."
"Did he put her up to this?"
"I don't know," Loras admitted. "Although the plan could not work with just Father's wishful thinking alone."
It was true. Rhaegar had always been talking about his prophecies, his dragons. Something about a prince that was promised, something about a saviour, something about a three-headed dragon.
Perhaps he had concluded he would not be able to father his promised prince on Renna, and so he had turned to look for other options.
An anger bubbles up inside her chest. He had never cared about her. All he needed were the children for his prophecy.
"Loras, this will be hard on you, but can you do me a favour?"
It was a move completely out of spite. She probably had not thought it through well enough. But in her anger Renna had resolved to give birth to a son.
In a few months, her womb did begin to swell. It was obvious the king knew the child was not his, but he never said anything about it or accused her of anything. On one hand, Renna was grateful for this, because the recent events had all been so hard on Loras and she would hate to give him anymore trouble, but on the other hand her husband's complete ambivalence infuriates her further.
When the child is born a girl, Renna thinks the fates must be mocking her. If the child had been a boy, Rhaegar would have a legitimate son in the eyes of the law that was not biologically his – Renna wished she could see Rhaegar's expression if that happened.
Instead, he nods coldly as if he had already seen this coming, and tells Renna that she could name her third daughter.
Jaehaera Targaryen might be her name, but as she grows it is obvious she is not one. Her hair is the same silky warm brown as Loras', and her eyes are blue as day. Renna loves her dearly; she takes the rose gold medallion Loras had given to her years ago and had it melded and engraved to form a hairpin, which she gives to Jaehaera. The little girl protected it with her life.
Her older daughters were blossoming into fine young maidens as well; Rhaenys was a solemn, stern girl, tall but frail and had the habit of not eating. Visenya was as beautiful as the realm had predicted her to be, with a jovial demeanour that put others at ease. But she still paled in comparison to her younger sister.
Margaery had might as well be a second queen at this point. She spent much more time with Rhaegar, although she bore him no more children, and the Tyrells enjoyed much status at court. Sometimes Renna would wonder how her brothers were doing, but the gap in age between her and them was so large, she realised she never really understood them.
Rhaegar dies at Summerhall while Aegon was away travelling in Essos. No one knew what exactly he had been doing, but it seemed to be some form of twisted magic. Renna found it ironic, how he had left the same way he came.
For a while Viserys and Daenerys move back to King's Landing from Dragonstone with their children, but soon it is discovered that Rhaegar had indeed legitimised his son and willed the Iron Throne to him. The already unhinged Viserys flies into a rage, and Margaery, as the next king's mother, orders him imprisoned.
Aegon VI is five-and-ten when he is coronated, and the Iron Throne seems to accept him well. He takes the lovely Visenya as his bride, while Rhaenys marries a Velaryon lord. And Jaehaera…Renna brings her youngest girl back to Storm's End, where she finally gets the reunion with her brothers that she never knew she so greatly needed.