Tainted // Tyrion Lannister

9. Loved him once

'Lady stark I had not thought to find you in the stormlands.' Stannis remarked, looking at her rode next to Renly. Garlan and Loras Tyrell rode behind him as was Brienne of tarth.

'I had not thought to be here Lord Stanis,' Catelyn told him

'Can it truly be you?' Stannis asked Renly.

'Who else would it be?' Renly questioned a crown worn proudly on his head.

'when I saw you, well I could not be sure.' Stannis teased, he had been at Dragonstone while renly was named the lord of the stormlands much to his dismay.

'Who's banner is that?' Renly questioned

'My own,' Stannis told him

'I suppose if we use the same one the Bannerman would be terribly confused,' Renly said with a grin, 'why is your stag on fire?'

'The king has taken for his sigil the fiery heart of the Lord of light.' The red woman told him.

'you must be the fire priestess, we have heard so much about you.' Renly remarked looking her over. Not his type but certainly beautiful. 'brother now I understand why you found religion in your old age.'

'Watch yourself right now.' Stannis warned.

'No no I am really moved, you really believed you a fanatic, less rigid, a bore yes but not a godly man.' Renly mused.

'You should kneel before your brother he's the lords chosen born amidst salt and smoke,' the red woman told him

'Born amidst salt and smoke.' Renly remarked 'Does he come with the ham?'

'That's twice I've warned you.' Stannis remarked angrily.

'Listen to yourselves.' Catelyn said 'if you were sons of mine I would knock your heads together and lock you in the bed chamber until you worked things out and remembered that you were brothers.'

'It is strange to find you beside my brother lady Stark, your husband was a supporter of my claim Lord Eddards integrity cost him his head,' Stannis reminded her

'while you sit by and chastise me... we share a common enemy.' Renly told him

'The iron throne is mine by right.' Stannis reminded them 'and you dare deny it?"

'All the Realm denies it from Dorne to the wall. Old men denied in their death chamber and unborn children tonight and their mothers wombs.' Renly told him 'no one wants you for their king you never wanted any friends brother, a man without friends man without power-'

'For the sake of the mother who bore us I will give you this one night to reconsider,' Stannis told him 'strike your banners come to me before Dawn and I will grant you your old seat and the council or even name you my heir until a son is born to me otherwise I shall destroy you,' Stannis warned

'Look across those fields brother you see all those banners?'

'Do you think if you bolt of Cloth will make you king?'

'No, but the men holding those bolts of cloth will make me King.' Renly corrected.

'we shall see Renly, tomorrow at Dawn and we shall see.' Stannis told him.

'Look to your sins Lord Renly,' the red woman said 'the night is full dark and full of terrors.'

'Can you believe I loved him once?' Renly said as they rode off in the opposite direction