The Dangers of Westeros

Part 2- Chapter 2

"For the sake of the mother who bore us, I will give you this one night to reconsider," Stannis offers, "strike your banners, come to me before dawn, and I will grant you your old seat in the council. I'll even name you my heir until a son is born to me. Otherwise I shall destroy you."

Renly looks across the field at the camp, "look across those fields, brother. Can you see all those banners?"

"You think a few bolts of cloth will make you King," Stannis asks him.

"No," Renly answers, "My wife and those men holding those bolts of cloth will make me King."

Stannis looks to me before saying, "We shall see, Renly, come the dawn, we shall see." He rides away, but his red priestess stays.

"Look to your sins, Lord Renly," she warns, "the night is dark and full of terrors."

All of Stannis's men ride away, back to their camp.

I can't help but wonder if there was a threat embedded in Melisandre's words.

"Would you believe I loved him once," Renly asks before we all ride back to the camp.

The sun is starting to set as we dismount our horses. I follow Renly into our tent, curious at his words.

"You're making that face again," Renly says as he sits down.

"What face," I ask him.

"The face that tells me you want to scream at me," he answers with a smile.

I roll my eyes, but my face falls serious, "why did you say that?"

"Say what," he asks me.

"That I and those men holding those bolts of cloth would make you King," I clarify.

He smiles, "you're the best warrior here Rhea. You will have a big part in making me King."

"What big part," I ask.

"I'm sending you back with Lady Catelyn to Robb's camp," he says.

Again, Renly surprises me.

"What," I ask.

"I trust you to do whatever it takes so that there may be peace between the Starks and the Baratheons," he says, "I'll listen to what Lady Catelyn has to say tonight and then you two will leave at dawn."

"Why send me to negotiate when Lady Catelyn has brought Robb's peace terms with her," I ask him and he grins.

"You're dying to see him," Renly states the obvious, "I'm giving you a chance to go."

"Haven't you heard the rumors about his wife," I ask.

"Of course I have," Renly says, "she's a beast. It's bad luck that he had to marry her."

"It's bad luck that Walder Frey was born," I murmur.

Renly offers me a sympathetic smile and I can't help but smile back.

"Why can't you invite them here," I suggest, "I'd be more comfortable, knowing who I can and can't trust. Besides, I don't think the baby would like it very much if I was on horseback all day."

He sighs just as Brienne walks in.

"Your Grace," she bows her head, "Your Grace, Lady Catelyn requests your audience."

I look to Renly and sigh.

"Let her in," I say as Renly goes to sit in the chair behind his desk.

I stand next to him as Lady Catelyn walks in and takes a seat in the chair in front of the desk.

Brienne stands behind us, her hand on her sword.