2nd Month of 299 A.C. Storm's End

King Renly I Baratheon

He could still hear his brother's harsh words, he could hear the bitterness behind them, and he felt nothing but contempt for his brother. Stannis had always been one to complain about something when it did not go his way, Renly could remember when it was he who Robert had named Lord of Storm's End, not Stannis, and how his brother had complained about that, without stopping to think that Robert might've done it for a reason. Stannis was a man then, had proven himself somewhat with the capture of the place during the rebellion, and so could be trusted to hold the place against any other Targaryen attempts to regain it. But he had not seen it that way, no Stannis had only seen the slight and had ignored Renly then, had never written back to him and never said why. Renly had only been a little boy then, he did not know why his older brother, his former hero had abandoned him. And he hated Stannis for that, as he hated him now. He would bring Stannis down or die trying, for that man was far too dangerous to allow to live, not with that red whore there left to her own devices. He needed her dead, but he was not sure how to get that done, he had heard about how she had killed Cressen, that old fool who loved Stannis more than sense. He would need a plan.

As it was, he was in his tent, listening to his main commanders discuss the battle that was coming. "The sun will be in our eyes Your Grace, it will be an impediment to the archers, and therefore mean that we shall be charging in blind. We cannot allow Stannis to get the hill, for if he gets the hill we are done for." Lord Tarly says.

"He has five thousand men, how might he do us in, when we have five times that number?" Loras asks.

"He can fire down on our cavalry Ser, and if he does that, then we shall be stuck. Forgive me, but I do not think you want to know what your lord father would do if his cavalry was done for." Lord Tarly responds.

Renly sees his lover tense then, and looks at him and shakes his head. "What you say is true Lord Randyll, but I do not think Stannis will consider taking the hill. For you see my brother wants to prove something to those lords from the Stormlands who are fighting for me. He wants to prove that he can fight fairly and win. Lord Mace does not truly know how to use the mounted men that we have brought with us. He will throw them into the fire more times than is reasonable, that much is true. That is why he is not going to be commanding them, you are."

There is a moment's pause and then Loras speaks. "But Your Grace..."

Before Loras can continue, Renly interrupts. "But nothing, your father has shown himself to be incompetent, he came with the men despite me warning him that to do so would be to risk the position we have at Bitterbridge. If the man dies, I would not be surprised. I am sorry Loras but it is true. Lord Tarly shall command five thousand of the mounted men, and shall lead the first charge, you shall command the second battalion and hold down until we have had impact."

He can tell Loras wants to protest, but wisely the man remains silent. Lord Rowan speaks then. "And what of the foot that we have brought Your Grace? They might come into use if one were to station them near Elenei's rocks. Keep them near there, and we can smash into Stannis's meagre host from the right."

Renly shakes his head. "No, he will think of that. It was the first thing he taught me when I was a child. A force can always hamper another force if they are on Elenei's rocks. He will make preparations for that. No, what we must do is keep the foot back, hold them behind the line of archers. We must keep them near the reserve, so that they might be used to crush Stannis when he marches forward."

"If he survives the onslaught of the first and second charge Your Grace." Lord Tarly responds. "With the number of horse we have here, I do not think he will."

Renly looks at the man and sighs, these men are all confident in their ability to win, which is a good thing in one sense, but in another it is not, for it leads to overconfidence. "Stannis's men might fall down and break, but he will not. He will keep going as will his guards. As will that whore of a witch he has with him. Does anyone know anything about her?"

"Surely you do not think he will take that woman with him into the field of battle Your Grace?" Lord Rowan asks. "It would not be right."

"My brother has never cared about chivalry Lord Rowan. He wants only to win, and to win hard. But he cannot win, not with the number of men we have, and so he will bring that woman with him. You all felt the same thing I did when she spoke. We are approaching a dangerous time, what do people know of her?" he asks.

Loras speaks then. "She is from Asshai, and it seems she has some power over Stannis, otherwise she would not be here, and would still be on Dragonstone. She has influence over the man's wife."

"Ah yes, the Florent woman. Tell me Lord Tarly, do you think the Florents will turn on us?" Renly asks.

"Had you left them at Bitterbridge, I would have said yes Your Grace. But now, now I am not so sure. I do not think Lord Alester is so great a fool as to try something such as that, but I cannot be sure." Tarly says.

Renly nods and then says. "Take the man's son and put him in the first charge. If they think about turning, kill him."

There is a long moment of silence then as his lords digest what he has said, Renly can feel the old fluttering of nerves, and this has been why he has avoided coming to the field so far. He has been content to watch Stark and Lannister batter one another to the ground, but now, with battle seeming inevitable, he wonders if he is strong enough for this. He wonders what his brother would do-Robert, not Stannis, never Stannis- and he thinks he knows. Robert would lead the charge himself and go plundering in. And as for their father, well he only has Robert and Stannis' word for this, but he thinks Lord Steffon would wait, wait for Stannis to exhaust himself, and then destroy him. He closes his eyes, not wanting to think about it, and then the silence is broken. "You could always march now Your Grace. The advantage of surprise would be yours."

Renly does not need to look around to know that it was Loras who said that. "I will not do something as dishonourable as that. Robert would never have done it, nor shall I. When I defeat Stannis, I shall do it with the sun blaring in the sky, and the men as my witnesses. I will not kill him as a craven would, in the dark."

There is another long moment of silence then, Renly can feel the tension within the men who are in the tent with him, and he turns and looks at them. Tarly stands strong and firm, not blinking or wavering, a slave to his duty, like Stannis, Rowan stands looking around the tent, shifting his focus, committed but not quite, and then there is Loras, sweet Loras, his lover, and his friend. Loras who convinced him to take the crown, Loras would go to the ends of the seven hells for him, Renly knows. "Leave us." he says then, wanting some alone time with Loras, he does not care that Tarly and Rowan bow and leave immediately, not bothering to take Loras with them. And now it is just the two of them, Renly looks at Loras and his love looks at him. "You might as well say what is on your mind now Loras."

His lover stiffens then, but then says. "I think you are being foolish by not attacking now. So what if it is dishonourable? Do it now and win. The advantage of surprise would be on your side. And then you would not need to face the sun when it comes."

Renly sighs then. "It is not as simple as that Loras."

"Why not?" Loras asks, sounding angry. "If you attack now, you avoid the foolishness that will come of a battle fought with the sun blaring in your face. Surely fighting now will help soothe your nerves as well. And don't tell me you are not nervous, for I know you are."

Renly looks at his lover then, he really looks at him, and he sees how shaken Loras looks, and he remembers, just how much this campaign is taking out of them both. He sighs, his shoulders slump, and he walks over to Loras, putting a hand on the man's cheek. He whispers. "I am a king Loras, nothing I do is simple. If I attack now and win, then I might well win the battle, but my reputation is done for. I cannot win more men if my reputation is done for."

"Robb Stark attacked the Lannisters at night. And his reputation is not damaged." Loras points out.

Renly laughs then. "That is because he did that before he became king. You think that if he had done that with a crown on his head, people would be praising him? Doubtful, they would be cursing him. No, I must fight during the day, and I must make sure that it happens as I have planned."

"And if it does not?" Loras asks, genuine fear in his voice.

Renly removes his hand then for a moment, and kisses Loras's cheek. "Then I will most likely fall." he holds a hand up before Loras can protest. "There are far too many things going on within this camp for me to explain now, but know this, I love you Loras, I have done for a long time, and I will never stop loving you. Not whilst there is still breath in my body. I just want you to promise me one thing."

"Anything." Loras says immediately.

Renly smiles then, and kisses Loras full on the lips, before breaking the kiss, he takes a shuddering breath and says. "If I fall in battle, do not go over to Stannis. Take your sister and ride hard for King's Landing. Swear yourself to Joffrey."

"Why?" Loras asks sounding surprised.

Renly closes his eyes briefly and then whispers. "If I die, then there will be none strong enough to prevent Stannis, not on their own. He must be stopped, and he cannot be allowed to sit the throne. Go to Joffrey, and swear yourself to him. Your father and his men will follow. Promise me this. It is the only way you will remain safe."

He can tell Loras does not completely understand why he is being asked to do this, but he nods his head and says. "I will do so my love. But it will not come to that."

Renly laughs sadly. "We shall see. Now, if you do not mind, I need to sort out a few things. I'll see you later." With that he kisses Loras, deepening the kiss, his hand coming to cup the back of his lover's head, he wants to savour this moment, for he knows this will be his last with his lover. He breaks then kiss after a while, and smiles, winks at Loras and then sends him on his way. He watches Loras walk out of the tent, a heaviness settling over his heart, once his lover has gone, he turns round and tries to settle his breathing. He does not know how long he stands there, but eventually he hears a whisper of movement, and he laughs. "I knew it would come to this. You never did have the balls to do anything yourself." He turns round then, looking at the thing slithering towards him. With a laugh, he says. "Come then, let us dance brother."