Renly woke alone, still sprawled across Loras' bed. Sitting up and rubbing his eyes, he glanced out of the window. The sun was high in the sky. Loras and Penrose must have departed hours ago.
He was somewhat disappointed that Loras hadn't woken him to say goodbye, but he guessed he ought to feel grateful. The plan had been to leave at dawn, and Loras was certainly aware how very little Renly liked mornings considering it was him who usually had to drag him out of bed most mornings.
Renly contemplated going back to sleep seeing as there was no-one this morning to demand his company, and yet it felt strange lingering in Loras' room when Loras wasn't in it.
Sighing, Renly forced himself to get out of bed and back to his own chambers.
Finding himself at a loss as to how to pass the day, he spent longer dressing than usual, deliberating over his clothes. Eventually he picked a deep blue doublet that he liked to think brought out his eyes. He'd ordered it made as a present to himself on his last name day and had been rather pleased with the results.
Once dressed he wandered the castle for a while, eventually settling in the solar with half a mind to take a nap. He lamented how empty it was. In the past he'd always coped rather well with being alone. When he was a boy, Maester Cressen had played with him and occasionally Stannis had indulged him for the odd afternoon, but on the whole he'd amused himself for most of his childhood. When Stannis had gone taking Maester Cressen with him, Renly had been even more alone, with only Penrose to entertain him. He'd never let it bother him. He'd learnt to enjoy his own company long ago.
Not anymore though Renly mused. It was surprising how quickly one became accustomed to having constant company and now Loras was gone Renly didn't know what to do with himself.
Renly sighed deeply, staring out of the window absent-mindedly. His thoughts were with Loras, somewhere along the Storm Road. Smiling, he thought back to what Loras had said a few days past, lamenting how little he seemed to do as Renly's squire. Perhaps he ought to organise a Tourney Renly mused. He had celebrated his fourteenth name day with one, and had been planning on holding another for his sixteenth which was fast approaching. Loras' brother's accident though had made it completely slip his mind. It was too late now to organise one for his name day, and besides Loras would be away, but perhaps in a few months Renly mused.
His mind made up, Renly set himself to planning. He was very fond of Tourney's and he found that he enjoyed choosing the dishes for the feasts and deciding on the entertainment. No expense would be spared. Stannis would call him frivolous, but Renly didn't care. It was peacetime and the height of Summer and Renly couldn't see what was wrong with being frivolous.
…...
Penrose returned after a few days, riding into the courtyard late one afternoon.
Renly went out to meet him.
"How fared your journey?" He asked cheerfully, embracing the older man fondly when he'd dismounted.
"Not bad at all" Penrose replied "Loras' brother was waiting at Bitterbridge as arranged. Everything went very smoothly."
Renly smiled "And Loras seemed pleased to see his brother?"
"I dare say he was" Penrose laughed "And his sister too. Apparently she couldn't bear the day or so that it might take them to get from Bitterbridge to Highgarden!"
Renly laughed. That sounded about right. Loras wrote to his sister every week without fail and pure adoration crept into his voice whenever he spoke of her. From what Loras had told him, the pair sounded like they'd been inseparable before Loras had come to Storm's End. Renly found the thought made him strangely jealous.
"What are his siblings like?" He asked Penrose, curiosity getting the better of his envy.
"I'm sure they'd please you my lord" He paused in thought "The sister looks very much like Loras. She's only a girl but already a great beauty."
Renly snorted. That much was obvious he thought. Anyone that looked even remotely like Loras could not fail to be a great beauty.
"And you'd get on very well with Ser Garlan I dare say. A very amiable fellow. He has all of his brother's charm and easy grace and yet none of his tenacity."
Renly couldn't help but laugh. It was no secret that Penrose did not find Loras' stubbornness quite as endearing as he did. The pair drove each other up the wall, Loras resenting the way in which he felt Penrose treated him like a child, and Penrose resenting Loras' insolence. Renly imagined though that Penrose was rather more fond of Loras than he cared to admit. He had been just as concerned as Renly when Loras had all but fallen to pieces after news of Willas' accident.
Making the most of the evening sunshine, they walked leisurely back up to the castle. Renly found he was glad of his return. Penrose had been a constant presence since Stannis had left and somehow Storm's End did not seem quite right without him.
This said however, he still wasn't Loras.
…...
By the time Renly's name day arrived, it seemed like Loras had been away for an eternity. The days had dragged on, endlessly merging into one another until Renly could no longer remember which week it was.
His name day was a pleasant interruption to the monotony.
Wandering down to the solar in the morning, he was pleased to see that both his brothers had sent him gifts. More out of duty than affection Renly knew, but he wasn't going to be the one to complain.
From Robert he received a longsword. Running his hands over the pommel, Renly could see it was beautifully crafted, a Baratheon stag set into the handle. Renly couldn't help but laugh. Every year without fail Robert would send him some variety of weapon. Hells, he had even sent Edric a miniature war hammer this year past, and Edric was only eight.
Predictably, Stannis' gift also revolved around warfare. As simple as the sword had been ostentatious, the shield Stannis had send him seemed sturdy, unbreakable almost, just like the man who had given it to him. Renly was rather pleased with it. He would have it painted in his colours and it would do very well in mêlées Renly thought.
It was the only thing his two brothers seemed to agree on nowadays Renly thought laughing, that they should try to mould their younger brother into a decent soldier! For once they were fighting a losing battle there Renly thought. He enjoyed fighting in the odd mêlée and sometimes performed rather well in them, but that was the extent of it. He had no thirst for blood and war like Robert did.
His brothers still in his thought, Renly left the solar, deciding to saddle up his horse on a whim. It had been a long time since he'd gone out riding alone and yet instinctively he found himself riding the same route that was still so familiar to him even after all these years.
It was a beautiful place he thought, a wooded glade no more than three miles from the castle walls. He had always felt at peace here, and in his childhood had often passed entire days here, leaning back against one of the old oak tree and enjoying the soft sound of the stream nearby. The clearing wasn't far from the road and yet Renly imagined if you didn't already know where it was, you would never know it was there.
He himself had stumbled upon it quite by chance. He had left the castle alone, defying Penrose in exploring the Stormlands by himself. It had been a stormy day, and Renly had left the road, venturing deep into the woods, seeking shelter under the trees.
Despite the weather, the place had delighted him the moment he had laid eyes on it, raindrops collecting in the petals of the wild-flowers, and the branches of the trees bending in the wind. He had sat himself down in the shelter of the large oak tree, listening to the sound of the wind through the trees and not caring that the grass was damp underneath him. Dusk had fallen before he eventually returned to the castle. Renly smiled, remembering. Penrose had been furious, worried sick that some harm had befallen Renly in the storm. Guards had braved the raging winds and torrential rain to try and find him, searching desperately for him in every place they could think to look.
Today however, the weather was calm, only a gentle breeze rustling through the trees above his head. Lying down, he stretched out in the dappled sunlight, enjoying the way the grass tickled the back of his neck. It was his place, and he fell asleep safe in the knowledge that no-one would disturb him here.