Part 20: Renly Baratheon
Renly wanted to be back at Riverrun. Hoster Tully always welcomed him warmly, and he had his own apartments, things were simpler there. Renly and Loras had been at Riverrun when the news of Jon Arryn's death had arrived. Ever since the birth of Brienne's twin boys, Axel and Edwyle, six years ago it had become their tradition to travel to Riverrun when Ser Brienne's time was near. Ser Brienne. Oh, how that made Renly smile. Knighting her had caused quite a stir, and he had knighted three other women since. (All of them Dornish, and all of them able to hold their own.) He'd worried at first that Robert would overturn the knighthood, yet Robert had simply been amused, and a decent donation to the High Septon had kept the church quiet. Stannis, on the other hand, had been extremely vocal. Maybe it was Stannis' disapproval that had given him Robert's approval? Yet even Jon Arryn had supported the choice.
Renly was well aware that Loras held little fondness for the Lady-Knight, yet Riverrun offered them the privacy and the freedom that they both so desperately craved. Loras' attitude had softened over time, even letting the Tully children call him 'Uncle'. (Well, they actually called him 'Unka', and they struggled to say 'Loras' correctly.)
It was Jillyanne, Renly decided, that had changed Loras' attitude on the matter. Jillyanne was Brienne and Edmure's first daughter, and the only true blonde. She was a chubby little four year old, with light blue eyes, and she adored 'Unka Lolos'. He, in turn, adored her back. Axel and Edwyle were handsome boys, each with strawberry blonde hair, and two year old Sapphire was an auburn-haired beauty, but Jillyanne was the one that would scramble between legs and under tables in an attempt to get into Loras' arms. The latest addition was a pair of twin girls, with the same hair as their brothers. Renly was only glad that Renae and Bryn had been born before he had been summoned back to court. Loras had not accompanied him, instead returning to Highgarden.
King's Landing was hard work in comparison, Renly smiled until his face ached and faked obliviousness whilst doing his best to pay attention. Ned Stark was a problem, Ned was going to get himself killed, and he was going to take down Robert in the process. King's Landing was not the place for such a rigidly honourable man. There was no way that Renly was going to let himself get cut down as well.
Renly's eyes flicked to the bath tub in the middle of the room, to the uncomfortable young man in it, and the many servants trying to remove the soot that was etched into his skin. Gendry was clearly unaccustomed to having other's bathe him. Renly sighed, his hand moving to the silver locket in his pocket. The locket contained a portrait of Margery Tyrell, brown hair, doe eyes, she was nearly as beautiful as her brother. If Renly squinted he could pretend… he let the locket go and marched over towards the bath.
"Relax, lad. They're only doing their duty, it'll take an army to remove the soot from you. Or, more than one bath at least." He turned his attention to one of the servants who was trying to remove the black marks from under Gendry's freshly cut fingernails. "Don't scrub so heard, he'll bleed before you get that clean." His eyes returned to the nervous young man. "How old are you? Eighteen? Nineteen?"
Gendry's head shot up at that, his Baratheon-blue eyes locking with Renly's own. "Sixteen." He replied sullenly. "Recently sixteen, milord." The 'milord' almost sounded like an insult.
Only sixteen? Damn! Renly allowed himself to inspect Gendry's exposed shoulders and chest, he tried to think of it like inspecting a horse, or cattle. The bastard boy was seven years his junior, and apparently his nephew. Despite his youth Gendry was strong and tall, his shoulders rippled with strength. "Sixteen." Renly repeated. "Three years older than Edric." He muttered. He shook his head and started to walk away from the bath, he needed to find the lad some clothes.
"Who is Edric?" The kid was bold, he'd give him that.
Renly let the mask fall away from his face, allowing his expression to fill with sorrow and grief, he turned back to explain. "Edric Storm is – was – your brother. One of many, I'm sure. But his mother was high born. He was my ward, he was poisoned some years ago." Renly had cared for the boy, maybe not as deeply as he should have, but he had cared. "He should have been Stannis' ward, but Stannis had no love for the boy, Stannis will have no love for you either. I'm not saying that Stannis had him murdered, I don't believe he did, I believe it was Cersei. What I am saying is I couldn't protect him. I can't protect you, either, so take some advice: It does not matter if you choose to allow my brother to legitimise you or not, for some people the very fact that you exist is enough of a threat." Renly's hand returned to the locket. Gendry was sixteen, recently sixteen. Margery was sixteen, closer to seventeen. Maybe? He released the locket, and the thought, abruptly and began searching through his clothes for something to give Gendry.
Gendry scoffed. "They'll forget about me soon enough, I'm not important, they'll soon realise acknowledging me was a mistake."
Renly shook his head, not bothering to turn around as he pulled clothing from his dresser. "No, they won't. Get out of that bath while you still have some skin left." He instructed. Once Gendry was toweled off Renly threw a dark green shirt at him. "Try that on."
The clothing Renly offered Gendry fit, barely, the clothing was loose on Renly. Food was brought in and the lad ate, hesitantly at first, and then like a starving animal. Renly walked away from the table and settled himself at his writing desk, allowing Gendry to eat in peace. After all, Renly had plenty of correspondence to attend to. He wanted the Stormland Lords to hear about Gendry from him first, Stannis would slander the boy, so clearly Renly needed to paint the lad in a positive light. It had nothing to do with Edric.
It was a great relief when a servant arrived to direct Gendry to his new quarters. Once Gendry was gone Renly penned a letter to Loras, House Tyrell would be most interested with this new development, most interested indeed. Maybe it was time that Margery came to court? Maybe Loras could come with her? Maybe… Maybe Renly could have a taste of a real family, like Edmure had? Renly promised himself that he would not get too attached to this bastard, he couldn't go through that loss again.
He slept uneasily, and woke up crying some time in the early morning, unable to recall his dream, he only knew it had been something to do with Edric. Edric Storm, the lonely boy that couldn't understand why neither parent wanted him, the boy whom wanted to learn everything about his half siblings, both Norcross and Baratheon. The boy that carefully and diligently wrote thank you letters to Robert, for gifts that Renly had delivered in his name, and did not know the replies were written in Renly's hand. Most people believed that Renly was shallow and vain, it was an image he had carefully crafted over the years as it made him seem less of a threat. Was he willing to show this Gendry the truth? No… maybe? Was he willing to show Mya? No. Mya had the Stark's, and she'd be married off eventually.
As the sun rose and day broke Renly painted a smile on his face, he spent the day surrounded by people, yet he felt completely, and utterly, alone. Gods, if only he and Loras could return to Riverrun!