'Wait, no, explain that one more time?'
Amber sighed and leant her head back against the headboard. This would make the fourth time she'd tried to explain what was happening to Will. She tried to be patient with him, but it was starting to wear thin.
'Which bit?'
'Er… all of it? Why did that squire die, again?'
'Because Renly knew something about Cersei that he shouldn't.'
'And you can't tell me what that is?'
'No. For the same reason Renly's now got to send Loras home – because he won't put him in danger. Equally, I don't want to put you in that position, either.' She'd watched Renly and his party leaving that morning, through the window. She couldn't quite bring herself to actually say goodbye to him, so she'd watched him leave and gone back to bed.
'Okay… so Renly's got to knight Loras so he can go home?'
'Correct.'
'So… I don't mean to pry or anything, or cause offense… but how are they going to continue… uh… continue with, with what they're… um…'
Amber rolled her eyes at him. 'Some things can span a distance, Will. Proximity isn't everything.'
'No, but it helps.' He told her with a smirk, as she felt his hand on her thigh under the sheets. She couldn't stop herself smiling, but she did give him a light push as well.
'But, seriously,' Will continued, sitting up to look back at her. 'how do they manage to keep… it a secret?'
Amber laughed quietly to herself. 'They don't. Not successfully, anyway.'
'Oh. Right. Okay…' Will muttered, clearly not fully understanding her reply. He cleared his throat. 'But how… I mean, with you and me it's… isn't it? And just… how does…'
'Never ask me that.' Amber cut him off before he could actually find the right words to ask his question.
'You didn't even know what I was going to ask.' Will continued with a chuckle.
'We both know exactly what you were going to ask.' Amber answered flatly, flashing a disbelieving look back at him.
Will just grinned at her. 'All right, fine.' He conceded. 'I was just curious.'
'Well, don't be.' Amber told him. 'And besides, if you really wanted to know, surely you can work it out for yourself.'
Will narrowed his eyes slightly, only for a moment, before he stared back at his wife. 'On second thoughts, I'll just not know. I'm actually content not knowing.'
Meanwhile, on the ship to Dorne, Loras had more pressing problems than wondering how to make things work when he went back to Highgarden. His main problem was how sick he was feeling on-board the ship. The water was not as calm as he'd like it to be, and the constant rocking motion was making him feeling decidedly unsteady. He'd been all right on the small journeys to Dragonstone and Tarth, he'd thought he might have grown out of it. Apparently not. So far he'd managed not to be sick, which he was very glad of, but he wasn't sure how long it would stay that way. Renly had insisted he lie down for a while, but Loras wasn't sure how much it was helping.
'You can go on deck if you want to,' Loras told him quietly. 'you don't have to sit down here with me. I'm hardly good company at the moment.'
'Don't be silly.' Renly answered, placing his hand comfortingly on Loras' shoulder as from where he was sat in a chair beside the bed. 'I'm staying here. Do you want me to get you anything?'
'No, thank you.' Loras replied as best he could. Renly had already brought him a jug of water, as well as some dreamwine in case he felt like sleeping. Loras didn't know what else Renly was planning to bring him, but he'd already done more than enough.
'Just let me know if you change your mind.' Renly said softly, shifting his hand up to gently brush Loras' hair off his face. His skin was hot under his touch, Renly noticed. 'You're really warm… do you want a cold cloth for your forehead?'
'Warm?' Loras repeated. 'I'm cold.'
'Are you? You feel hot, Loras…'
'Well, on the inside I feel cold.' Loras insisted, wrapping his arms a little tighter around himself. Renly wasn't sure what he was supposed to do about that. He could feel the heat from Loras' skin, he knew Loras was too hot, but if he said he was cold… surely he should fetch another blanket… shouldn't he? Renly sighed.
'Shall I get another blanket?'
'Mm.' Loras agreed, shutting his eyes. Renly got up from his chair, crossing the room and taking a blanket from the stack of bedding in the cupboard. He brought it over to Loras, draping it over him.
'Better?'
'Lie down with me?'
'Promise you throw up on me?'
Loras thought about it for a second. 'No.'
'It's a good job I love you, isn't it?' Renly told him fondly. Loras smiled weakly back at him. He tried not to shift the mattress too much as he got into bed with Loras, but he realised that a slight shift of the mattress would probably be a drop in the ocean compared to the rocking of the ship. Loras curled up against him, tucking himself under Renly's arm as he pulled him closer. He ran his fingers gently through Loras' hair.
'I love you, too.' Loras said in a near whisper, belatedly since a few minutes had past since Renly had said it, but it made him smile nonetheless. 'Even if I am going to Dorne for you.'
'Did I mention I love you?' Renly said with a smirk.
'A few more times wouldn't hurt.'
Renly smiled to himself as he watched Loras shut his eyes. Hopefully he'd get a little bit of sleep while they travelled, it might make him feel less ill.
The trip across the sea had really taken its toll on Loras. By the time they arrived at Sunspear, Loras was looking considerably worse for wear. He'd spent the majority of the journey sleeping or being sick, he'd barely eaten a thing. Renly just hoped he could stay on his feet long enough to be received by Prince Doran before he passed out again.
Doran Martell seemed exactly as Renly had been told. He didn't get out of his chair to greet his guests, but Renly had never expected him to. He'd been told of the ill health of the elder prince of Dorne. Prince Oberyn was present as well, which Renly was a little less grateful for, as well as a few women he didn't recognise. One of them, he presumed, must be Prince Oberyn's wife – or is paramour, he'd heard he had one of those, too. There was also a young girl, only around twelve or thirteen, with dark hair and dark eyes.
Fortunately they didn't spend long being received, and it was only a short while before they were shown to their living arrangements. Renly had expected something slightly different when he discovered that not only had he and Loras been given rooms next to each other, but that there was an ajoining door between them, as well. He silently wondered if the Martells knew more than he thought they did about his private life.
The room itself was lavishly furnished, though Renly expected nothing less. Mryish silk curtains, cushions layed out all across the four-poster bed, and one of the finest oak dressing tables Renly had ever seen. He could not fault them for style.
The ajoining door swung open and Loras leant against the door frame, one eyebrow raised. 'Well, this is useful.'
'Very.' Renly agreed, slightly distraced as he ran his fingers over the fabric of the cushions, soft under his skin. 'Almost a little too convenient, really.'
'What do you mean?'
'I'm not sure. It seems strange that this is all just a coincidence.'
Loras took a few steps out of the doorway, moving to stand in front of Renly, still looking confused. 'You think they're going to try and use this against you? Blackmail you?'
'Maybe.' Renly said slowly. 'I suppose I won't know until they act.' He sighed and watched Loras sit down on his bed. 'Are you all right now? Feeling better?'
Loras nodded. 'A lot better for being on land, thank you.'
'You haven't eaten properly in days, do you want something sent up before dinner?'
'Not really.'
'Are you sure? Do you really want to eat Dornish food on an empty stomach? I have a feeling that's probably going to make you just as sick as being on the ship.' Renly warned him. He didn't suppose Loras had had much experience with Dornish food, he might not have fully understood how much spice they actually used.
Loras pulled a face at that thought. 'On second thoughts, have some real food sent up.'
'Thought so.' Renly said with a laugh, running his hand through Loras' hair as he said it. 'Do you want some soup?'
'Sounds perfect.'
Loras let Renly go off and find someone to bring some food up, while he curled up in the cushions. Every time he had some quiet time alone, he couldn't stop images of Tym flooding though his head. Renly had ordered for Tym's body to be shipped back to his family immediately, but since they were due in Dorne, Loras had missed the funeral. Renly had paid for it, of course, he'd sent enough money, and plenty more than that, to Tym's parents to cover all the costs. But Loras felt like he should have been there. He didn't even want to go to dinner at all, especially alone. He'd got so used to spending time with Tym, he knew it would seem very lonely without him now.
He heard voices in the corridor, forcing all thoughts of lost friends out of his mind. He forced himself to get up off Renly's bed, quickly slipping through the ajoining door and shutting it behind himself. He heard Renly thanking whoever had brought the food up, before the door shut again.
The door he was holding shut swung open and Renly smirked at him from the doorway.
'No need to hide.' He told him with a grin.
'Sorry.' Loras answered with a small laugh. 'I didn't know if I should be in your chambers or not. I wasn't exactly making myself useful.'
'Well, fortunately, I was and I've brought you soup.' Renly told him, taking Loras' hand in his and leading him back into the room, where a small bowl of hot soup sat steaming away on the table. Loras hadn't felt particularly hungry, but as soon as he saw that he could feel the emptiness in his stomach.
He felt considerably better after he'd eaten, especially since he knew he wasn't likely to be able to stomach much of the food served at dinner that night. Although, now he had a little more energy, his brain began ticking away at his surroundings. He was mulling over what Renly had been saying about the coincidence of their living arrangements. Loras knew he wasn't fond of the Dornish, he didn't need another reason to distrust them.
