Renly's head was pounding when he awoke. He tried to sit up but had to lie straight back down, he felt so terrible. Groaning, he looked around for Loras. He wasn't lying next to him like he'd expected him to be.

His head still spinning, he called out for him, and sure enough Loras came bounding across the room from where Renly could see he'd been sitting by the window.

"You're finally awake?" Loras seemed overly cheerful; he was smiling and there was a spring in his step.

"Mhmm" Renly groaned "You already up?"

Loras raised an eyebrow and came to sit on the edge of the bed. "Already? It's after noon Renly. But yes, I went to take breakfast with my parents and Garlan. And lunch." He added with a laugh. "I left you sleeping. I figured you could do with the rest. I guessed you're probably not feeling too great."

Renly murmured his agreement, cursing how Loras could be so cheerful when his head felt like it was being pelted with rocks. He tried to think back to the night before but it was all a blur. All he could remember was Robert's face swimming in his vision, pushing a glass into his hands.

"How embarrassing was it last night?" He asked, dreading the answer.

Loras laughed softly "Not so bad. I mean a lot of people laughed when you almost fell out of your seat you were so drunk, but lots of people were in a similar state. Apparently Robert himself had to be helped up to bed after being drunk under the table by Thoros of Myr, and I'm told Ser Tanton Fossoway passed out on the floor shortly afterwards. So I shouldn't worry!"

"That's not quite what I meant." Renly mumbled "I meant whether I managed to keep my hands off you in such a state."

"Oh" Loras paused, grinning "Well I'm sure that the fact I was all the way down the other end of the table helped. I did think you were going to try and kiss me at one point, but I don't think anyone except maybe Garlan saw, so no harm done"

Renly groaned. "No harm done you say. You don't care that he might have seen?"

Loras shrugged. "Not particularly."

Renly sighed. Loras' nonchalance unnerved him. He for one found it rather disconcerting that people might be aware of the rather unusual relations between him and Loras, even if it was Garlan who smiled so often and seemed to never raise his voice in anger. He'd hoped to keep his and Loras' doings very much under the rug, so much so that he'd even asked Loras to refrain from telling his sister, the childhood confidant that Loras seemingly told everything. He wondered now though whether Loras had been as truthful as he might have been when he'd promised he wouldn't tell Margaery.

"Tell me the truth Loras. Do they know?"

Loras shrugged. "Probably."

"You told Margaery didn't you?" It came out as more of an accusation than Renly meant it as.

Loras frowned and looked slightly hurt. "No" he said simply "I've told her nothing since you asked me not to. Even though I've hated every minute of hiding things from her."

"And before then?" Renly didn't think he really wanted to know the answer.

Loras sighed. "She knew that I desired you and that I considered it likely that you reciprocated the feeling." He paused hesitantly. "I should imagine that she's worked out the rest herself."

Renly just nodded quietly. He supposed he had no right to be angry over such things but still it stung slightly to think of Loras and his sister discussing him behind his back, even if he and Loras had been no more than friends at the time. He sighed, still unable to quite grasp why Loras was so open to the idea of sharing such intimate details with his siblings. He thought back to his own experience with Stannis in the sept and just the thought of Stannis knowing made him cringe.

"Does it not bother you?" Renly asked. "That your family might know what we do together?"

"Should I care either way?" Loras sighed. "I've always been my father's favourite, it's not like he's going to disown me because of who I sleep with."

Renly had to laugh at that, but immediately regretted it when the pain seared through his head. He reached out instead for Loras, taking his hand and pulling him down beside him. Somehow his head hurt less when Loras was pressed up against him and he suddenly regretted having accused Loras of telling Margaery.

"I'm sorry for arguing with you." He whispered, pressing a kiss into Loras' curls.

Loras raised an eyebrow. "You call this an argument?" He sounded rather disbelieving.

Renly shrugged. As far as he was concerned, it was certainly the closest he and Loras had come to arguing yet.

"Well what do you call what me and Penrose do then?" Loras asked.

Renly laughed. "Less of an argument and more of a war perhaps?"

Loras grinned and wrapped his arms around Renly's waist. "You know I might actually miss fighting with Penrose when I go back to Highgarden." He laughed. "I never thought I'd say that."

Renly grinned. "I dare say he too will be sadder to see you go than he'll let on." He sighed. "I can knight you this evening if you like?"

Loras nodded eagerly. "Assuming you can get out bed right?"

Renly groaned and buried his face in Loras' shoulder. "Why did I ever drink last night?" He murmured into the fabric of Loras' shirt.

Loras laughed and patted his head fondly. "Do you think it will be weird when I'm not your squire anymore?"

Renly glanced up. "Seeing as you have rarely ever acted like my squire, I'm guessing not?"

Loras tugged on his hair sharply. "That's not fair, I've always done everything you've asked me to"

Renly could think of countless examples to the contrary but decided to let it slide. Perhaps technically what Loras had said was true. He'd usually do what he asked, but in the most roundabout and insolent way he could manage.

Loras seemed to realise what Renly was thinking for he rolled over and laid his head on Renly's chest, unusually docile. Renly stroked his hair absent-mindedly, wishing the pain in his head would stop. They lay there for a time, in a comfortable silence, Loras so still against him that Renly wondered whether he was asleep.

Sighing, Renly gently nudged Loras off him and sat up, ignoring the way the room still spun slightly as he did so. Loras had rolled over onto his stomach and was watching him inquisitively, so Renly guessed he hadn't been asleep.

"Come on then" Renly sighed and stood up. "Let's get on with it. I can't keep you as a squire forever."

Loras grinned and let Renly pull him to his feet.

The word spread quickly that the young squire who had performed so well at the tourney yesterday was to be knighted and a great many people had gathered in the great sept of Baelor to watch him take his oaths. Lord and Lady Tyrell sat in the front row, along with much of their household who had accompanied them to Kings Landing. Renly's own household sat behind them, many of the young knights and older squires who had been Loras' peers having turned out to watch.

Renly resisted the urge to sigh as Loras recited his oaths. Whilst he was proud of Loras, he couldn't help but have preferred it when Loras' allegiance was to him and him alone. No more would Loras wear the blacks and golds of House Baratheon and no more would Renly be his liege lord. He would go as he pleased now, swear allegiance to whomever he chose.

The ceremony was quick, and aside from Renly having to stifle a wry laugh when Loras swore his allegiance to the seven for he could think of many instances where Loras' actions would certainly not please the seven, it all went smoothly. Loras looked quite magnificent Renly thought, stood as he was clad in no colours and sworn to no-one save the gods. He was surely not the only one who thought it either and glancing around he could see many ladies gazing on also with adoring looks on their faces.

Only the night –long vigil remained now and those that had come to watch the vows filed out of the sept quietly once the oaths had been sworn. Renly however hung back, waiting until he and Loras stood alone in the great sept before speaking.

"Happy?" Renly asked, laying a hand on his shoulder.

Loras hesitated for a while before answering. "It's an odd feeling." He said quietly. "A good one, but odd all the same. Part of me will miss being your squire I think."

Renly laughed softly. "Tell me that again when you've won your first tourney." He took his hand of Loras' shoulder. "This is where I leave you, I guess." He gestured around the empty sept. It seemed somehow even larger than it usually did, the cavernous walls almost foreboding in the candlelight. He loathed to leave Loras in such a cold and empty place.

Loras nodded wordlessly.

Renly sighed and unfastened his cloak. "Here." He said softly, pressing it into Loras' hands. "It gets cold in here at night." He gave a small smile as Loras ran his fingers over the stag brooch.

He turned away from him then and forced himself not to look back as he reached the great doors. It was only one night that Loras would have to stand vigil, and yet Renly found it rather difficult to leave him there, alone with only the crypts and candlelight to keep him company.

The walk back to the Red Keep was a lonely one and it was with a heavy heart that Renly climbed the steps up to the Red Keep. He was just trying to decide what to do with himself when he passed Ser Barristan Selmy in the courtyard, clad all in white and leading a magnificent sorrel destrier to the stables.

He stopped when he saw Renly and smiled. "I hear our king drank you under the table last night," He laughed.

Renly grinned. "I suppose that is what name days are for."

"Aye," agreed Ser Barristan. "I dare say even his grace's sworn white-cloaks get further into their cups than they ought to on their name days."

Renly smiled. "I've just knighted my squire." He commented.

"Is that so?" Ser Barristan returned the smile. "He'll make a fine knight."

"He will." Renly agreed wholeheartedly. He laughed. "I dare say his skill was wasted on me. I haven't much patience for time spent in the practice yard."

Ser Barristan laughed. "Aye but there is more to knighthood than being good with a sword. Many other skills that one must be taught." He paused. "That reminds me, the king's hand was looking for you earlier."

"He was?" Renly could think of no reason as to why Jon Arryn would require speaking with him. He wondered fleetingly whether the crown was about to ask him to loan them money and yet he supposed it would be Lord Baelish he would be meeting with in that case.

"Indeed he was." Ser Barristan nodded. "If you're not too busy, you could call on him this evening."

Renly smiled. He had no prior engagements that evening and he could think of worse ways to spend an evening than paying a visit to the tower of the hand. At the very least, it might take his mind off Loras alone in the sept. As such, he bade Ser Barristan good night and turned back the way he had come to walk to the tower of the hand.

It was almost dark by the time he reached the top and Renly thought it rather impressive that Jon Arryn managed to climb all those steps every day. It was nowhere near the height of the battlements of Storm's End that he and Loras climbed regularly, but even so Renly had to admire the king's hand's stamina.

Jon Arryn himself opened the door when he knocked and invited him in pleasantly, his kind old face breaking into a smile. The private audience chamber was warm and welcoming Renly thought, with intricate myrish rugs lining the floor and tapestries hanging on the walls. Jon Arryn led him over to a large mahogany table that sat under the one window that lit the room. It was a curious window Renly though, round with pane of glass that somehow made the light streaming through it shine golden.

"I expect you're wondering why you're here Lord Renly" Jon Arryn said, sitting down on one of the chairs.

"I have to admit, I am rather confused as to why you wanted to speak with me" Renly took a seat opposite him.

"Well let's get straight to the point then shall we?" Jon Arryn smiled at him and as he did so Renly could understand why Robert seemed to look up to him as if to a father. His smile didn't fade even as he continued speaking. "Robert wants you on his small council Lord Renly"

Renly was taken aback. He didn't know what he'd been expecting, but it certainly wasn't that. A thousand questions flooded his mind. What position would he be given… what sort of thing would he be doing on a daily basis… would he have to live in the capital and so on.

He started with the simplest. "As what?" He asked.

"Master of Laws" Jon Arryn replied. "It would be a large responsibility. You'd be in charge of legal matters at court, settling disputes, overseeing appeals, and all other such matters."

Renly nodded. It didn't sound all that different from the sort of thing he did as lord of Storm's End, only he wouldn't have Penrose to aid him here.

"Think it over before you make a decision." Jon Arryn continued. "It's no small matter to consider. It would require for instance that you leave Storm's End to take up permanent residence at court."

Renly smiled hesitantly. Whilst he was flattered that Jon Arryn thought him a suitable choice, he wasn't sure how he would feel about leaving Storm's End though. The castle had always been his home and taking this position would require naming a castellan to run it in his stead. At the same time however, such a position would give him no small magnitude of power and influence in the capital; it would be a hard offer to turn down.

It was late by the time that Renly finally descended from the tower of the hand, his mind still occupied with the offer Jon Arryn had made to him. He had a good mind to take it he thought. It was one of the best positions on the small council it seemed, and Renly would be a fool to refuse it. All the same though, the thought of having to work with Stannis almost every day made him think twice. His thoughts drifted also to the other members of the small council; he didn't know any of them particularly well and for all he knew, they might be worse than Stannis. Grand Maester Pycelle, he had met on occasions when he was younger he thought; he remembered him as an elderly, man and remembered equally that he had found him unbelievably dull. Petyr Baelish, the master of coin, Renly had never met. He heard though that he laughed easily and had a quick tongue. Perhaps he would be good fun Renly thought. He had never had cause either though to ever speak with Varys, the master of whispers, though he knew that Stannis found him irritating, often complaining of his constant tittering. Still Renly knew that the council relied on his little birds, and even Stannis conceded on occasions that the spider had his uses.

Renly sighed as he turned the corner to his rooms, the majority of the small council were strangers to him. Even Jon Arryn and Barristan Selmy, who Renly felt he knew rather better, he'd only met a handful of times.

He was brought out of his musings by a low voice calling his name. He turned around to see Stannis standing in the corridor. He'd evidently been waiting for him outside his chambers Renly thought. He bit back a sigh. He was in no mood to deal with Stannis, not with relations between the two of them as they were and so much on his mind.

"What is it brother?" Renly asked warily as Stannis beckoned him stiffly for him to follow him outside. It wasn't until they had gone a fair distance from the ever-listening walls that Stannis spoke and still his voice was low and hushed.

"I understand Lord Arryn has offered you a position on the small-council." He said through tight lips. "You'd need to take it seriously Renly. It is no small duty."

Renly laughed, making his mind up then to take the position if only just to spite Stannis. "What makes you think brother that I am incapable of taking anything seriously? I have every intention of succeeding at court."

Stannis' jaw tightened. "This… behaviour… of yours Renly. It has to stop, especially here in King's Landing. What with Robert and his drink, I will not have you making a further laughing stock of this family."

"Laughing stock?" Renly grinned. "You insult me brother. I am quite unclear what you are referring to."

"You know precisely what I mean Renly." He ground his teeth. "I will not have you bringing that boy to court."

It irritated Renly to hear Stannis refer to Loras as that boy, but he forced himself to smile innocently. "I can't think who you're talking about Stannis."

Stannis glared. "Don't play coy with me Renly."

"You talk as if such things are unheard of." Renly raised an eyebrow, his patience wearing thin. "And that boy has a name you know."

"If you must continue your... perversions, then fine," Stannis snapped "but find yourself some serving boy, a page. Not the Tyrell boy."

That angered Renly. "You talk about him as if he's some common whore!"

"He's no better than one, the way you use him."

Renly resisted the urge to slap him. "I'll have you know Loras is knighted now. Where he goes is under no control of mine and is no business of yours. He'll go where he will." He turned away from him. "Now if you don't mind I'll take my leave now."

With one last glare in Stannis' direction, Renly swept through the doors and back to his chambers.