Trying to lighten the mood, Loras Smiled.

'I will be leading the guard around the king as he is still' Rather stupidly in my opinion, he thought 'insisting on leading the Van. Brienne I will excuse as she is guarding the queen and Lady Stark, why that women insisted on coming…' That earned him a clearing of the throat from Ser Robar Royce and a minute shuffling from the others. He looked up, amusement gone, staring around at them disbelievingly before resting his eyes back on the map before him. He lifted a hand from the edge of the round table and traced the course the young wolf had planned so delicately. 'Knowing his grace, he will be in the thick of things with King Robb which means we need to spread out around him and staunch the worst of the flow.' He stood straight, looking around at them all. 'I will be on the king myself and Ser Robar, as you insists on disagreeing with me, I give you the honour of the king in the north's guard as he doesn't not have any of his own. Renly made a vow to his mothe-'

'Oh, are we on first name terms now?' Ser Emmon jested, smiling around at everyone. The look on Loras' face soon damped his spirits.

'is that how you talk to your lord commander?' he said sternly. He held the man's gaze steadily and without falter. He was not the first to look away. 'I may not have earned your respect yet, ser, but I was placed at the head of this kingsguard by the king himself. If you have doubt in my ability go to him, I am sure Renly wouldn't find it hard handing that yellow cloak over to someone who is willing to follow orders' the smiles were wiped off every man's face at his sudden sternness. Internally he smirked, relishing in the power he for once held. It was hard being the youngest, even when he was more skilled than either of his brothers. He placed a hand on the pommel of his sword. 'Protect the king and try not to let his best friend die. If that is not beyond you. Dismissed.' They exited without a word leaving Loras alone with his thoughts. It had seemed a good idea at the time, letting Renly ride at the front of his vast army. On afterthought, he regretted the decision. He would just have to trust in the rest of his rainbow guard to keep their vows and work to the best of their ability. They were good men at heart, but many resented the decision to put Loras at their head. They thought him too young and inexperienced. He would prove them wrong. Nothing was going to happen. In his heart he knew it to be true however, but it had been the obvious choice. He was the most devoted knight in the whole of the seven kingdoms. Behind closed doors though, the decision had already been made. Before the death of Robert, before the war of the five kings. Before every single move they made was observed and noted through the eyes of Renly's eagle eyed entourage of Councillors and banner men. With things so fraught, he didn't blame them. If anything went awry, it would be them fighting for their lives. And then there was Robb. Renly's new best friend and in Loras' eyes a much deeply layered man than many knew. He had seen the young man's eyes roving over his king's lean body like the hungry wolf he was. But seeing him as the friend he was to Renly, seeing the honest just and loyal man he was, brought him up short. Maybe there was less to it than he had first thought. Maybe it was just jealousy running wild. Since his crowning, the king had less time for his knight and he couldn't help thinking these thoughts and dreaming up misjudgment and naked suspicions. He was the jealous type by nature, and nothing would change that while Renly's soul stayed firmly bound to this earth.

He sighed, following his fellows from the tent and asking for his courser to be brought forth. It was a similar mare to the one he had ridden at the tourney of the hand, pure white with a long soft mane. The saddle was softened leather, with a chiseled rosewood pommel in the shape of a rose, and shining new stirrups. He pulled himself gracefully into it, sending blinding reflected sunlight in all directions, along with the spots reflected off his green rose broach that clasped his cloak at his throat. Flicking the reigns, he rose to a trot as he made his way through the camp, trying not to look petrified. Of course it wasn't himself he feared for, he had come to terms with his own death years ago; it was his king. The army he saw laid out before him as he came over the rise made him smile none the less. The party was larger then they needed he knew, but there were so many soldiers un seasoned, /and boredom breeds betrayal/ it gave him a sense of awe seeing so many men stood rallied and ready to lay their lives down for their king. Loras filled his lungs and emptied them, catching sight of the king's banner down at the front. With another flick, he sent the mare in that direction. It didn't take long to reach him, the crowd parted for him like a knife through butter in the sun. He was their lance, their shining jewel, the one that would bring Dragonstone to its knees. If the small-folk had been allowed, they would have sewn the knight of flowers on their banners, instead of the flower of his house. growing strong he thought aye, we are He found Robb before reaching Renly. He certainly had become a man of war, and there wasn't a battle he had fought that he had ever lost. He stood beside his horse, whispering calming words as his wolf strolled a few feet away, staring into the distance. His face was set, his shoulders holding a burden to heavy for a boy his age. They had more in common that Loras cared to admit. They were both young, but old before their years, both bore heavy weights, and both, it seemed, harboured secrets. Never the less, he was a strange creature to his eyes. He slipped down onto the solid earth and with a nod, made his way past Robb and toward Renly, who stood, hands on hips, taking in the castle they were about to take. His king turned as he heard Loras approach and he paused to steep a bow on one knee and report their activity.

'We are ready, your grace. We move on your command. He raised his face to see Renly smirking down at him.

'Oh Loras, there is no need to take a knee at every approach' he turned away, grinning like an idiot. Loras did not return the smile, but rose none the less. He glared past his king sternly.

'I am only doing what you demand every other knight to do. Why should I be any different' it wasn't a question, but a statement. As much of a query to himself as to Renly. It did seem to hit his king across the face and the grin was wiped right off his easy features. Loras sneered in spite of himself, glad he had found something to shut his king up. It was hard enough at times. He stored away that nugget of knowledge for later use. He took a few steps forward, sighing and rearranging his featured into a somewhat more somber look. Stopping but four feet in front of Renly, resigned but determined, he continued to avoid his gaze.

'Without offence, your grace, it would be unseemly for me to act any differently. Besides…' he lowered his voice, and finally met his eyes. '…you know I love you' that brought a sad smile to Renly's lips, and Loras almost abandoned all pretence and threw himself at his lover. In reality, he swallowed. That smile said so much and for a fleeting moment his sadness was replaced with anger. Anger at the world for making him hide what they had; anger at himself and anger at the way he had allowed himself to feel. At this moment, he wasn't the cool detached man he should be, but a young man passionate for forbidden love. Of course, he would not condemn those feelings for anything…but there were times when he wondered if what they were doing was right. Margaery seemed to think so, but she was all about keeping up appearances, and she couldn't have the king slouching around unhappy. Loras made Renly happy, and so that was the solution It didn't bother Loras, but sometimes he felt used; used by his sister, used by his house, even sometimes when he sat alone in his tent brooding over a disagreement; used by Renly. A few hours later, tucked neatly under his lover's arm, listening to his heartbeat in the afterglow of their lovemaking, it would be a memory as faint as mist on the horizon. But now, his mind was settling into one of concentration, and Renly seemed to notice the change, seeing his cheeky knight replaced by the lord commander of his rainbow guard. Renly stiffened considerable. Another problem they had faced; his king didn't like seeing Loras being cruel, but he was a knight and there was no way around it. The way he spoke stabbed Loras in the heart, so monotonous and free of feeling, or so he could tell.

'Everybody knows you are different Loras, so don't flatter your own ability of being able to avoid judgment. The look ill suits you' he grimaced and pushed passed him, leaving a lingering pressure where Renly's shoulder had collided with his own. Loras' would be facing a lot of distraction out on the field, it seemed. From his own head as much as anything. He chewed on his bottom lip, taking a deep breath before turning back to the Van. well he thought at least I shall feel better yelling at him if we are at lengths with each other.

The sun was just dipping behind the castle as they began the charge. Men came spilling out from Dragonstones gate, wielding lances and shields. Loras was two men away from Renly, glancing swiftly over more often than was truly necessary. Their intelligence had told them that Dragonstone harboured no more than 800 men and so an army of four thousand of Renly's most skilled soldiers seemed a little excessive. Men around him raised roundsheilds as they approached the men, watching for archers he knew would be hidden in and atop the wall. This was the moment Loras hated most. Time seemed to stand still, ears becoming deaf to everything other than his heartbeat and the roar of his breath in his ears. Men raised sword and spear alike, almost in slow motion. He glanced over to see Robb's eager face, Grey Wind pelting along beside him at a speed Loras never believed an animal able to achieve. Renly had raised his long sword above his head, brandishing it with an open mouth, yelling fiercely. The cry from the oncoming army did not seem to deter the men standing as if frozen to the ground before them; it just seemed to smarten their resolve. Instantaneously, the world crashed around him. They burst through the wall of steel with a deafening screech of steel on steel and the crunching of splintered wood. Within a moment Loras found himself hurled from his horse, just to be crushed beneath it. An agonising shot of pain ran up his leg as he felt it snap beneath the horse's weight. He screamed, head reeling, to find an enemy upon him, he let the man fall onto his sword, before shoving the horse off him with all his might. Loras' head swam, vision blurred by the blood pouring from a gash on his forehead. Moments in and he was already close to giving up. He didn't though. He flung his head around catching sight of Robb swinging expertly angled swipes left and right. He stumbled towards them each limp bringing another threat of unconsciousness. Somehow, miraculously, he found himself between the two kings, who thankfully seemed to have found a moment's respite. He took a moment to internally thank the God's for his rainbow guard's superb skill. Renly was grinning stupidly, a spatter of blood across his face. He seemed mad with adrenaline. Loras almost managed a smile before everything fell down around him.

For the second instant, time slowed down as he watched Robb sink to his knees, an arrow piercing his armour just above the heart. His eyes darted toward the wall, the apparent source of the crossbow bolt. He watched again with a sinking heart as another came whizzing towards the young wolf, and helpless to stop it, it pierced the boy just above the top of his thigh. Robb grasped at Loras' vambrace feebly before falling slowly to the floor. Everything went quiet, as if they were trapped inside the moment. Loras' eyes darted around at the wall, seeing as the nib of a bolt head appeared at a window about thirty feet above the ground. He yelled, forcing himself to move and throw himself in front of his king. Surprisingly, he didn't feel any pain, just the pressure as the arrowhead lodged itself in a similar place to Robb's, and Renly's hands as he staggered backwards. A second quarrel lodged itself just below the stomach and with a cough that brought up blood; they both went reeling to the ground, his king managing to catch hold of him before he hit the ground. A wave of pain washed over him, taking his breath away. Loras looked up into the Renly's eyes, blood streaming over his chin. All he saw in those eyes was a hopeless despair and the warmth of a tear tumbled down to land on his forehead.

'Ren…Ren…' he chocked and with one final effort, pulled a hand up to brush his lover's face. Then Blackness swallowed him.