It was with trepidation that Renly eventually knocked on the doors to Loras' chambers late that evening. He had put it off as long as possible, finding all sorts of official duties to immerse himself in that he would usually all but completely ignore. He had even resorted to seeking out Penrose and poring over the castle's accounts, which was without a doubt the dullest duty Renly had to carry out as the Lord of Storm's End.

Eventually however he had exhausted all of his possible Lordship duties and found that he could not put off informing Loras of the decision he and Penrose had made any longer. He took a deep breath as he waited for Loras to open the door, steeling himself for what he'd come to tell him.

It took Loras a little while to open the door and when he did he was dressed for bed and holding a candle, his curls sticking up all over the place.

"I didn't wake you did I?" Renly asked, a new wave of guilt washing over him.

Loras yawned. "It's not important. Do you want to come in?"

Renly nodded and followed him in, sitting himself down firmly on a chair as Loras climbed back into bed. He ran over what he was going to say for one final time, mustering his courage before taking a deep breath.

"Loras." He started, trying his best to sound firm. He took another deep breath and forced himself to carry on, his rehearsed speech quickly turning into an incoherent ramble as Renly stumbled over his words and found he'd quite forgotten what he'd planned to say.

Loras watched him with thinly veiled amusement for a while before eventually seeming to take pity on him. "Penrose already told me Renly." He said at last.

"He did?" Renly stared at him.

"Yes. He said he doubted you had the backbone to do it." He raised an eyebrow. "He was probably right."

Renly blushed. "And you're not angry?"

"I was for a while. Quite a long while actually." He admitted. "But I cheered up significantly when Penrose told me Narbert's wound will scar."

Renly couldn't help but laugh. "You're incorrigible Loras. Do you know that?"

Loras shrugged. "It will be a constant reminder for him to keep his insults to himself when I'm around. It's definitely worth it. And you should have seen his face when I cut him. It was incredibly satisfying."

"You don't mind staying behind then?" Renly couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. He was still unsure how he was going to cope without Loras for such a long time, and a selfish part of him had hoped Loras would be as upset as he was about it.

He scowled. "Of course I mind Renly. But despite what Penrose obviously thinks, I do actually understand that the bastard's lord father would take offence if you brought me with him on your visit." He sighed. " We Tyrells really do understand the importance of appeasing the bannermen. We've been having to placate those good-for-nothing Florents ever since we were given Highgarden instead of them."

Renly laughed. "You know I expected you to sulk. I thought you'd be absolutely furious."

Loras shrugged. "No doubt I'll sulk when you leave but I guess Penrose took the brunt of my anger over it. Besides, as much as I would have rather come with you, there's a lot to be said for several months of training without any distractions."

Renly snorted indignantly. "And I'm a distraction?"

Loras leant back lazily against his pillows. "Take it as a compliment. Very few people manage to pull me away from training and you're one of them."

"In which case I'm flattered." Renly couldn't help the grin spreading across his face. "I wont be gone too long anyway." He added, more to reassure himself rather than Loras. "I'll probably be back before you even notice I'm gone."

Loras raised an eyebrow. "I sincerely doubt that Renly."

Renly smiled. "Did you apologise to the boy like I asked you too?" He said, changing the subject.

Loras scowled. "Yes." He muttered grudgingly. "I don't think I'll ever forgive you for making me do that Renly. He deserved everything he got this morning and most definitely did not deserve an apology."

Renly laughed. "But you did it? With sincerity I hope?"

Loras rolled his eyes, still scowling. "Obviously not with genuine sincerity, but I feigned it well enough."

Renly grinned. "I can well believe it. Penrose once told me that you Tyrells wear false courtesy like most people wear clothes."

"That's probably true." Loras admitted. stifling a yawn. "But a little rich coming from you. It'll be a miracle if you ever say plainly what you mean."

Renly just rolled his eyes. "You know as well as I that you can't get through life saying what you mean all the time. Some things are better kept to oneself." He couldn't help but yawn too. "Anyway Loras, it's probably time we both got to bed. You look like you're still half-asleep and Penrose is suggesting now we leave on the morrow to avoid the storm that he's sure is brewing."

Loras' face fell slightly at that. "So soon?"

Renly sighed. "The sooner I leave the sooner I'll be back." He said as cheerfully as he could manage, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his own stomach.

The frown didn't leave Loras' face. "Stay?" he asked plaintively, rolling over to make room for him without waiting for an answer. "Seeing as you'll be gone tomorrow."

"For a while." Renly told him, not feeling up to arguing with him. "We're leaving at a ridiculous hour tomorrow, with the aim of reaching Griffin's roost by midday. Penrose has arranged for one of the chambermaids to wake me. They wont be able to though if I'm not where I'm supposed to be."

"I guess not." Loras' voice was laced with disappointment. "But you'll stay a while?"

Renly nodded and clambered into bed next to him, leaving a considerable gap between them. He might as well not have bothered though, for Loras merely grabbed his arm and tugged him closer, leaning his head on Renly's shoulder. He was stronger than he looked Renly had to admit.

Renly shifted rather uncomfortably next to him. He wasn't sure what to think. Half of him couldn't breathe, his heart skipping a beat as Loras deigned to let him touch him, hold him almost. The other half resented his squire for forcing him to endure such intimacy, for inciting desire to course through him without any hope of release.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Don't you think its rather odd Loras that we lie together like this?"

Loras looked up. "Do you think its odd?" He shifted slightly, leaning against Renly's chest and wrapping his arms around Renly's neck.

"Well- I-" Renly stammered incoherently, trying to pull away. "Yes." He managed to choke out eventually.

Loras smiled innocently at him. "Why is that?"

"Well its just not done." Renly tried desperately to keep his voice even, to give no clue as to the shivers that Loras' touch was currently sending up his spine.

Loras frowned and glanced down at the way he was pressed against Renly. "Evidently It's not." He said dryly, smirking. "Does it bother you?"

"I guess not." Renly mumbled almost incoherently.

"I don't mind. You claim not to either. Then what's the problem then?" Loras reached up and brushed Renly's hair out of his eyes as if to prove his point.

Renly grimaced. The problem lay between his legs but he wasn't about to admit that to Loras.

"I'd better get back to bed." He muttered, wrenching himself out of Loras' grip and standing up, turning away from him slightly, determined to hide the effect Loras had on him.

Loras rolled his eyes. "Fine fine. But promise me you'll write to me?"

That made Renly smile despite his pent-up frustration. "Of course I will." he replied, making his way to the door.

"I'll take it personally if you don't." Loras called after him.

…...

Renly didn't think he'd ever experienced a more dismal day. It was raining when they departed and, as far as Renly was concerned, it was much too early to be awake, let alone out of bed and on the road. He glanced miserably back at Storm's End behind them and wondered briefly whether Loras had got himself up to watch them leave despite the hour.

He sighed irritably, forcing himself to turn his attention back to the road. It was unlike him to sulk like this and yet all he wanted to do was turn back around and return to Storm's End. He tried to tell himself that it was only the rain and early start that was making his mood quite so sour but he knew both of these things would have been completely bearable had Loras been at his side as he should have been.

Even his escort seemed to have picked up on his bad mood, and he could see some of them exchanging curious glances, evidently wondering why their usually boundlessly cheerful lord seemed so sullen this morning.

Renly ignored them and looked ahead. Despite their extremely leisurely pace, they would certainly arrive at the ancient seat of the Conningtons before midday Renly thought. The red cliffs that surrounded Griffin's Roost were already clearly visible, looming to the South and hiding the Griffin's Roost from view. It would be one of the few knightly houses Renly was going to visit, a nod to the Conningtons' previous status as lords.

The knight of Griffin's Roost was there to greet them when they arrived, mounted astride a magnificent chestnut courser. He was a young man, a couple of years older than Renly, with long red hair that fell to his shoulders and a matching red beard. Renly tried to remember if he'd met him before, and thought he vaguely remembered the late knight of Griffin's Roost, bringing his children to court once when both he and the current knight of Griffin's Roost had been boys. He sighed. He supposed they were both young men now.

Renly nudged Penrose next to him. "It seems red beards are the fashion of late my good Ser Cortnay. Though I must say yours is much more impressive."

Penrose laughed, seemingly glad that Renly had recovered at least some of his spirits. "I hear they call him Red Ronnet for it my lord."

Renly grinned. "I like it. very memorable."

They hushed as they approached the knight, dismounting and handing their horses to waiting squires and pages.

Red Ronnet bowed with a flourish. "My lord. We are honoured by your presence here today. May I have the privilege of showing you around Griffin's Roost?"

Renly smiled. "I would be honoured if you would walk with me good Ser. I'm sure we have much to talk of."

The young man nodded and came to Renly's side, leading the way up to the castle. They talked of many things, Renly asking him about the damage to Griffin's Roost caused by a particularly ferocious storm before the conversation eventually came round to the tourney Renly had recently hosted.

"It was such a shame my brothers and I were unable to make it." Red Ronnet told him. "My father had sent me to Evenfall Hall, and my siblings were forced to remain at his bedside for he was ailing quickly."

"Your father was a good man." Renly said. "I was saddened to hear of his death this past month. He served my brother loyally during his rebellion."

Red Ronnet nodded in agreement. "It's kind of you to say so my lord. He is much missed."

"I hear he arranged a betrothal between you and Lord Tarth's daughter is that not?" Renly laughed. "I do hope you'll invite me to the wedding."

Red Ronnet grimaced. "That betrothal is no more my lord."

"Such a pity. I do love weddings." Renly regarded him quizzically. "Perhaps it is rude of me but may I inquire as to why?"

To his surprise Red Ronnet smirked. "I take it you have not met the maid of Tarth then my lord?"

"No I have not had that pleasure yet."

"You will understand when you meet her my lord. The wench is a laughing stock of a woman."

Renly frowned. Unless he was much mistaken Red Ronnet was implying that the maid was rather homely. He bit back a sigh. It was evident that Ser Ronnet had much to learn when it came to courtesy. And politics too it seemed. Considering the all but ruined state of Ser Ronnet's house, a marriage to the only heir of Tarth was not to be sniffed at. Renly resisted the urge to shake his head in exasperation, embarrassed for him.

He did not comment however and merely changed the subject, turning the conversation back to tourneys and other such innocuous small talk.

Soon they reached the castle and Ser Ronnet proudly beckoned his recently widowed mother forward to greet their liege lord, his two younger siblings trailing behind her. Both seemed rather shy Renly thought, lacking somewhat in the confident airs Red Ronnet exuded. The girl particularly seemed very nervous, fidgeting with the buttons on her bodice and trying to hide behind her mother's skirts despite being far too old for such things.

Red Ronnet pushed her forward, giving her a pointed glance. Hurriedly she gave a wobbly curtsey and smiled at Renly, gazing up at him and blushing slightly.

Renly bit back a sigh as he leant down to kiss the young girl's hand. He'd forgotten that everywhere he went lords and ladies would likely all but throw their daughters at him, desperate that he might one day marry one of them. He groaned inwardly as the girl flipped her hair over her shoulder in what Renly supposed she'd been told was a seductive gesture. It was pitiful really. Of all the girls he might one day be forced to marry, Renly was sure it would certainly not be this one, the daughter of a shamed knightly house all but entirely stripped of its lands and titles.

He imagined this would be the first of many such attempts to seduce him in the next couple of months. And most likely it was going to get tiresome all too quickly.