Loras rolled his eyes as the seamstresses worked, wincing slightly every now and again when one of them accidentally prodded him with a pin. He was stood in the middle of the room on a wooden stool being attacked by tape measures, whilst one of the seamstresses rolled out great swathes of fabric for Renly to inspect. Soon the floor was covered in velvets and silks in varying tones of black and gold, Renly walking among them trying to work out which ones he liked best.
Renly sighed, stopping at a deep charcoal velvet that had taken his fancy. Loras had long outgrown all the clothes that he'd brought with him from Highgarden and Renly was taking the opportunity to dress his squire how he liked. Loras hadn't minded, he just didn't see quite why everything had to be black and gold.
Deciding on the charcoal, Renly turned to the head seamstress, who was brandishing one of the already completed garments in his face.
Renly inspected it. It was a rather basic linen shirt, black and edged with gold. Simple but elegant Renly thought. And yet... something was missing.
"Perhaps we could add a stag there?" Renly suggested, pointing to the shirt. Loras would be returning to Highgarden to visit his family in a few days and Renly wanted his new allegiance to be an evident as possible.
"You've already ordered about ten thousand of the bloody creatures to be embroidered already!" Loras said, indignant, almost jumping off the stool.
Renly turned to face him. "Are you not proud to be my squire Loras?" he jested, raising an eyebrow.
"Pray tell me my lord" Loras said, his tone mockingly but his eyes full of humour "When was the last time I actually did anything as your squire? A squire is supposed to dress his lord for battle, carry his banner, and care for his amour. I can't recall the last time you even wore your armour." He sighed dramatically "You know some boys get lucky... they get to squire for Barristan the Bold, or the Sword of the Morning, Jaime Lannister even, and I get Renly bloody Baratheon who would rather order seamstresses to embroider ridiculous numbers of stags than do anything of use!"
Renly laughed, "You wound me Loras! But it's hardly my fault that there's a distinct lack of wars to fight in!
Loras grinned "I suppose it could have been worse. They say Randyll Tarly works his squires so hard that most of them beg to go home before they've even lasted a month"
Knowing lord Tarly's fearsome reputation, Renly could well believe it. "Well be grateful then" He shot back at Loras, his eyes shining with laughter. "Perhaps when you get back I'll have you scrubbing my armour every day then if that's what you so desire."
"You don't wear your armour enough for it to need scrubbing" Loras said simply
"Just you wait and see" Renly threatened "While you're gone I'll wear it every day and religiously spend at least an hour in the sea. I'll create so much rust that you'll have your work cut out for weeks!"
Loras shrugged, grinning "Well it's not like I have anything better to do."
Renly was just trying to think of something witty to throw back at him when Penrose entered, seemingly rather surprised to see the floor entirely covered in fabric.
"You're not having yet more clothes made are you my lord?" he sighed.
"As a matter of fact I'm not" Renly said indignantly "As it so happens, Loras has grown a lot recently. And it would not do at all to send him back to Highgarden looking like he's crawled out of some gutter somewhere."
"Well that makes a change then" Penrose laughed "You're already the best dressed lord in the seven kingdoms I'd wager."
"I'm glad you think so." Renly broke into a grin "While the seamstresses are here Penrose, does Edric need anything made? We have reams of black and gold material left over. And Edric is a Baratheon after all even if he doesn't have our name"
"Indeed" Penrose smiled."As you like Renly"
Renly nodded. It would be nice to treat the boy to some new clothes. He was his nephew after all, and high-born, even if he was a bastard.
Meanwhile Loras had finally been permitted to get off the stool and was now being forced into some of the already completed garments.
"How does he look my lord?" One of the seamstresses asked Renly
He stepped back to admire their handiwork. They'd dressed Loras in Baratheon colours from head to toe, a giant stag on his doublet where Renly was accustomed to seeing a golden rose, and miniature golden stags embroidered around the cuffs of the sleeves in intricate gold lace. Even the pockets were adorned with gilded prancing stags and they stood out impressively against the black velvet.
"I like it" he decided.
Loras groaned "My brothers are never going to let me live this down..."
Renly just smiled at him innocently.
…...
Lying across Loras' bed, Renly sighed as he watched the younger boy gather up his things from around his room, throwing all the stuff he wanted to take with him in an unceremonious heap on the floor. Loras was to leave for Highgarden at first light on the morrow and Renly was not looking forward to him going. It was going to be unimaginably dull while he was away.
Reflecting on his life now, Renly couldn't quite remember how he'd filled his days before Loras had arrived. It seemed that he'd always been here, a constant companion who never failed to keep Renly entertained.
They'd got into a routine over the past few months it seemed. Every morning without fail Loras would come to wake him, sitting cross-legged at the end of Renly's bed while Renly groaned and refused to get up. Renly wasn't overly fond of mornings and he was even less fond of the way Loras had taken to dragging him forcefully out of bed if all else failed. They'd then breakfast with Penrose in the solar before Loras would go off to practice in the training yard and Renly would sit a while with Penrose dealing with official matters. After that was done, they'd spend the rest of the day together, usually passing their evenings either lounging about in Renly's chambers or up on the parapets of Storm's End. Loras would immediately pull himself up onto the walls themselves, his legs dangling precariously over the edge, doing exactly what Penrose told him constantly not to do. Renly always laughed, he'd long given up telling Loras what not to do.
It would be strange whilst Loras was gone Renly thought. He wouldn't know what to do with himself.
Loras collapsed down next to him after a time, all of his things now thrown into his trunk. They lay in a comfortable silence for a while, Renly staring up at the ceiling, tracing patterns in the stonework with his eyes. He'd come to know this ceiling well, having recently spent night after night lying here comforting Loras in his distress over his brother. He'd been inconsolable some nights, clinging to Renly almost desperately. Renly could not even begin to express how relieved he was to see Loras' spirits returned. It had been a miserable few weeks.
Rolling over. Renly turned to face Loras. He was sprawled out next to him, eyes closed and seemingly exhausted.
Renly laughed "Shall I let you get to bed now?" He asked, prodding him in the side when he got no response.
He was surprised when Loras winced, grimacing in pain.
Renly sat up immediately and leant over him. He'd forgotten all about having hit Loras in the ribs during their fight the day before yesterday. Looking back on it, he'd probably hit him rather harder than necessary.
"Did I hurt you the other day?" He asked, suddenly anxious.
Loras laughed "Only slightly. We were training together. It happens"
"But still" Renly tugged his shirt up slightly to have a look. It looked painful, a black and purple bruise blooming angrily across the skin.
He touched it gently, running his hands along Loras' ribcage, checking that there was no damage aside from the bruising. Loras winced again and shuddered ever so slightly, but didn't pull away, lying calmly under Renly's hands.
"Has Maester Jurne seen this?" Renly asked, frowning.
"It's a bruise Renly. Nothing more" Loras rolled his his eyes "Don't worry"
"Yes but I did this" Renly insisted.
Loras just shook his head in exasperation, and tugged his shirt back down, effectively dismissing the matter. Yawning, he rolled over onto his good side and lay his head on Renly's lap, eyes closing again.
Renly sighed, reaching down to tuck one of Loras' curls behind his ear. He knew he was being ridiculous, and that he shouldn't feel guilty about what in reality was an everyday occurrence in the training yard,, and yet still he felt rather anxious. He contemplated insisting that Loras see Maester Jurne but he knew he would be fighting a losing battle. The elderly Master would already be in bed by now, and there was no way Loras would let Renly wake him up over a mere bruise.
Admitting defeat on the matter, Renly shifted Loras off his lap and lay back down next to him. Loras sighed sleepily, moving to lean his head against Renly's shoulder and pulling Renly's arm around him.
Renly smiled. "Are you looking forward to seeing your family Loras?" He asked, resting his head on top of Loras' curls affectionately.
"mm hmm" Loras hummed sleepily against his shoulder.
"Will you miss me?"
"mm hmm" Loras repeated, sighing deeply, a soft content sort of sound that felt warm against Renly's neck.
Renly smiled and shut his eyes too.
